In this episode, I'm joined by author, psychiatrist, and personal chef, Dr. Uma Naidoo. Through her diverse background, Naidoo brings us a unique, expert-backed perspective on the connection between anxiety and food. By exploring how food fuels inflammation, anxiety, and depression in her new book, Calm Your Mind With Food, we can start to take back control of our mental health. Plus, she shows us the exact foods that are wreaking havoc on our minds and what foods to eat more of to help us chill out.

Michelin-starred chef David Bouley described Dr. Uma Naidoo as the world’s first “triple threat” in the food and medicine space: a Harvard trained psychiatrist, professional chef graduating with her culinary schools’ most coveted award, and a trained Nutrition Specialist. Her nexus of interests have found their niche in Nutritional Psychiatry.

Dr. Naidoo founded and directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the United States. She is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) & Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at MGH Academy while serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She was considered Harvard’s “Mood Food” expert and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Naidoo is also the national bestselling author of This Is Your Brain On Food. In her book, she shows the cutting-edge science explaining the ways in which food contributes to our mental health and how a diet can help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues, from ADHD to anxiety, depression, OCD, and others.

A few of my favorite things we cover this episode:

• The shocking statistics on the mental health impacts of COVID-19
• The massive problems that exist in our current healthcare system
• The importance of preventative medicine through diet + lifestyle changes when it comes to mental health
• Pro-tips for ignoring negativity and criticism on social media
• Exactly what an anti-anxiety, budget-friendly shopping list looks like
• The top surprising foods that can contribute to mental health problems
• Everything you need to know about sugar and mental health + best sweetener options
• Orthorexia + healing a damaged relationship with food and your body
• Why you should be eating more dark chocolate
• Top supplements for a calm mind + improved mental health
• How to create an anti-anxiety kitchen + essential cooking techniques
• A day in the life of eating for improved mental health

Links to things we talked about in this episode:

• Visit drinkAG1.com/willcole to get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase.
• This January, give dry a try with Athletic Brewing Co. Order online or find them at a store or bar nearby at athleticbrewing.com - Pro Tip: use my code WILLCOLE at check out to get 15% off your first online order.
• If you want to get on my daily routine, you can get 30 days free of Open by visiting withopen.com/WILLCOLE.
• Right now Signos has an offer exclusively for our listeners. GO TO SIGNOS.COM AND GET 25% OFF SELECT PLANS BY USING CODE WILLCOLE TODAY.
• Use promo code “Cole5” for $5 Off for all New Users - Try the all new Protein Plates at your local Sweetgreen or in the sweetgreen app.

Happy listening and we hope you learned a little bit more about the art of being well!

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In health,

Dr. Will Cole