- Whole new fields of research such as nutritional psychiatry have emerged from last 12 years. Stanford has a department of Metabolic Psychiatry. Harvard now has a department of Nutritional Psychiatry. Studies show that simply swapping out processed, sugary starchy foods for whole foods is effective in treating depression. Many scientific studies show that minimizing or stopping eating foods containing artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and artificial sweeteners could improve our overall wellbeing.
- Studies also show kids with severe violent behavior transform when swapping out processed foods for whole foods.
- One study of violent juveniles found that simply giving children a vitamin and mineral supplement reduced violent acts by 91 percent compared to a control group. Why were they violent?
- Their brains were starving for nutrients that regulate mood and behavior including iron, magnesium, B12, and folate. Just giving these kids vitamins for three months fixed their abnormal brain waves on EEG. The kids who also changed their diet had an 80% reduction in violent crime and those who stayed on a processed diet continued their violent ways.
- While many children are not eating enough brain food, they are also eating too many chemicals, including about five pounds of dyes, preservatives and additives that are linked to hyperactivity and worse.
- While therapy, stress reduction, and movement are equally critical in many brain disorders, food plays a pivotal and often overlooked role.
- Start with eating lots of veggies, some fruit (especially the low-sugar, nutrient-dense ones), whole grains like millets, oats, brown rice, nuts and seeds, low-starch beans and legumes, and some high-quality meat, poultry, and fish. Focus on brain foods that have been shown to impact mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety— foods rich in omega-3s, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, antioxidants, and B vitamins.
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