Food and mood

WHO study ranks USA second in depression prevalence: NAMI speaker Trudy Scott shares the powerful positive effects of food on mood

August 17, 2011 By Trudy Scott 11 Comments

Depression affects 121 million people around the world and a significant number of these people are in the United States. New research published in BMC Medicine reports the prevalence in 18 countries around the world and found affluent countries tend to have higher rates of depression, with an average of 14.6% of their populations likely to get depression over their lifetime. The United States, with the proportion at 19% of the population likely to get depression, ranks second overall, after France at 21%.

This study was done in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative. Furthermore, the World Health Organization predicts depression will be one of the largest health problems worldwide by 2020, so now is the time for countries, organizations and the people to take action.

This is all taken from a press release for the NAMI California 2011 conference. And I’m thrilled that it resulted in a call from NPR for an interview by Jeffrey Callison on Insight – to talk about my new book as well as my upcoming talk at the conference.

Date: Thursday, August 18^th, 2011 between 10 and 11am PST
Topic: Depression and Food
Host: Jeffrey Callison
Insight: http://www.capradio.org/insight
On the dial: 90.9 FM KXJZ Sacramento; 90.5 FM KKTO Tahoe City/Reno; 91.3 FM KUOP Stockton/Modesto; 88.1 FM KQNC Quincy

And continuing with the press release….

An editorial by Dr. Marlene Freeman, MD, in the American Journal of Psychiatry offered a very powerful comment on 2009 and 2010 food-mood studies. “It is both compelling and daunting to consider that dietaryintervention at an individual or population level could reducerates of psychiatric disorders. There are exciting implicationsfor clinical care, public health, and research.”

Trudy Scott, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood & End Cravings, and President of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals comments: “While I agree that dietary intervention is compelling, I don’t feel it is daunting. We simply need to teach people how to eat real food again. And the great thing is that these changes, in addition to reducing depression and anxiety, will also reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and many other health conditions.”

Scott, who is a Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, will be one of many excellent plenary speakers at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) California’s 2011 Annual conference. NAMI California works to provide help, hope and healing for those affected by serious mental illness and the conference theme is “Creating Change through Vision and Action”. Scott’s topic will be Food and Mood: The science behind the effects of food on mental health and she is endorsed by Dr. Lawrence E. Cormier, MD, as a “leader in the field of food and mental health”. Scott will also provide practical how-to information in a hands-on nutrition workshop later in the day. The conference is in Sacramento, California on August 19 & 20. For details and to register: www.namicalifornia.org

The Antianxiety Food Solution is now available in major books stores, at Amazon and via www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com.

You can find the official press release document here https://www.everywomanover29.com/media.html

Charlize Theron, Piers Morgan, inositol for OCD & Africa Outreach

August 12, 2011 By Trudy Scott 13 Comments

I’m a big fan of the amazing beautiful and talented actress Charlize Theron. I am so proud that a fellow South African has wowed Hollywood and even won an Oscar. She won her Oscar for Monster – brilliant performance, so real and quite disturbing. I also really enjoyed her in The Italian Job! She’s been in so many movies and you can find out more here http://www.charlizetheron.com/

Piers Morgan interviewed Charlize recently and she spoke about her childhood and marriage. You can see some of the interview here. I’m really enjoying the Piers interviews – he seems to ask really interesting questions and his guests appear to have a lot of fun! “Brilliant performance!” – doesn’t that just sound like Piers and don’t you love his British accent!?

For me, it’s quite strange hearing her talk with an American accent – she said she had to change it in order to be successful in Hollywood. And she says he doesn’t like the sound of her voice! She did speak a few sentences of Afrikaans right at the beginning of the interview – Afrikaans is her first language and my second language, so I could understand her of course. I look forward to her one day playing a South African and talking like a South African – I think she’ll do an excellent job!

During her interview with Piers she also jokingly shared that she has OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and can’t handle messy closets. If OCD really is an issue that causes distress and affects day-to-day functioning, it’s worth trying many of the same nutrients that help with anxiety issues: GABA, tryptophan or 5-HTP. They often help with OCD too. However, one particular nutrient called inositol is particularly helpful with obsessive behaviors and ruminating thoughts. Of course, these nutrients and others, are covered in my book The Antianxiety Food Solution. I think I should send a copy to Charlize!

Charlize also talked about her foundation (created in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation) where she gives back to South Africa. It called the Africa Outreach Project which is committed to reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and sexual violence among African youth by supporting and collaborating with organizations that provide preventive education. I loved it when Charlize emphasized education and the goal of teaching the youth that violence is not ok, and prevention of HIV/AIDS – very smart! Much of the work is done in KwaZulu Natal, close to where I grew up. This makes me pretty homesick but also proud of what she is achieving on so many levels! You can learn more and make a donation here http://www.charlizeafricaoutreach.org/

My message to Charlize: “Baie dankie [thanks very much in Afrikaans]. You go girl! And check out some of these amazing nutrients for OCD and anxiety – you SO deserve to feel on top of the world in every way!”

Calm Your Anxious Mind One Meal at a Time with The Antianxiety Food Solution

August 12, 2011 By Trudy Scott 9 Comments

real whole food

It’s remarkable how much the foods we eat can impact our brain chemistry and emotions. What and when we eat can make the difference between feeling anxious and staying calm and in control. But most of us don’t realize how much our diets influence our moods, thoughts, and feelings until we make a change.

In The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings, you’ll find four unique antianxiety diets designed to help you address nutritional deficiencies that may be at the root of your anxiety and enjoy the many foods that foster increased emotional balance. This easy-to-use guide helps you choose the best plan for you and incorporates effective anxiety-busting foods and nutrients. You’ll soon be on the path to freeing yourself from anxiety—and enjoying an improved overall mood, better sleep, fewer cravings, and optimal health—the natural way!

In The Antianxiety Food Solution, you’ll discover:

How to assess your diet for anxiety-causing and anxiety-calming foods and nutrients
Foods and nutrients that balance your brain chemistry
Which anxiety-triggering foods and drinks you may need to avoid
Easy lifestyle changes that reduce anxiety and increase happiness

“[This book] fills an important gap in the popular literature on anxiety. It provides clear, helpful guidelines for utilizing nutrition to overcome anxiety.”

—Edmund Bourne, PhD, author of The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook

Trudy Scott, CN, has a nutrition practice that focuses on food, mood, and women’s health. She lectures extensively, both at live events and via teleseminars. She is president of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals and a member of Anxiety Disorders Association of America, the Alliance for Addiction Solutions, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She lives in the greater Sacramento, CA, area.

Foreword writer James Lake, MD, is president of the International Network of Integrative Mental Health and author of the Textbook of Integrative Mental Health Care. He lives in Carmel, CA.

Published by New Harbinger Publications www.newharbinger.com, June 2, 2011.

You can learn more here and by searching for “anxiety” on my blog.

The above material is from the back cover of the book and serves as a great synopsis – so you can calm your anxious mind one meal at a time! Please let me know how it goes when you make some of these changes.

Get your copy ….a signed copy of the book, a DVD or CD set, digital downloads and other related products.

Arthritis: a natural approach

July 29, 2011 By Trudy Scott 6 Comments

“Diet has been strongly implicated in rheumatoid arthritis for many years, in terms of both cause and cure” writes Dr Michael Murray, naturopathic doctor. He goes on to state that many studies have shown that “rheumatoid arthritis is not found in societies that eat a more primitive diet and is found at a relatively high rates in societies consuming the so-called Western diet”. Eating a healthy diet appears to offer some protection against developing rheumatoid arthritis and diet therapy shows tremendous promise in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

At one of my recent local book signings for The Antianxiety Food Solution, a gentleman in the audience asked me about arthritis and I promised him I’d share an article about it. I actually spent year in South Africa working with many folks with rheumatoid arthritis and they found some amazing benefits with some of what follows in this natural approach to arthritis. There are also a surprising number of studies on food/nutrients and RA. It’s also much more common in women!

So, continuing with the article…There is evidence that rheumatoid arthritis is less severe in the southern Mediterranean countries, such as Italy and Greece, where oil-rich fish, fruit, vegetables and olive oil are consumed in greater amounts than in many other countries. The Mediterranean-type diet can be considered a primitive diet since it is rich in whole foods and also low in sugar, refined carbohydrates and other processed Western-type foods. A number of studies have shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis, who changed to a Mediterranean-type diet, experienced reduced inflammation, increased physical function and improved vitality. And a better mood!

Two important components of the Mediterranean way of eating seem to be very helpful for reducing the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis: olive oil and oily fish. An additional bonus of consuming olive oil is that it promotes the healing of the digestive system. There is often damage as a result of taking anti-inflammatory drugs for long periods. And fish oil has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, which is common with rheumatoid arthritis.

Another dietary consideration is addressing food intolerances – there are a number of foods that can be considered triggers of symptoms and one of these is gluten. So, some people with rheumatoid arthritis may also benefit from excluding wheat, oats, rye and barley from their diets. You can read more about gluten here.

Many of the same dietary recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis apply to inflammation associated with osteoarthritis too. As well as making dietary changes, there is growing scientific evidence to support the use of dietary supplements in the treatment of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. There are many supplements and some work better for some people – just a few are ginger, curcumin and MSM. An added benefit is that they have no side-effects.

Antianxiety Food Solution review by Mira Dessy

July 20, 2011 By Trudy Scott 12 Comments

I’m thrilled to share this wonderful book review by Mira Dessy, Certified Nutrition Educator and holistic health columnist helping others eat well to be well. It was featured in a recent edition of Nourishing Bytes, the ezine produced by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (www.nanp.org)

Be sure to check out her blog for great nutrition advice and recipes!

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Written in a warm, reader-friendly style, “The Antianxiety Food Solution” takes the often undiscussed topic of anxiety disorders, brings them into the light, and offers solid, scientifically backed nutritional advice to help alleviate the symptoms.

Anxiety disorders encompass a wide range of conditions from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to panic disorder to social anxiety and more. Often undisclosed by those who suffer from this sometimes debilitating range of disorders, anxiety can cause a wide array of physical symptoms due to the stressors, emotional toll, nutrient depletion, and the lack of proper diet. The author herself a former sufferer of anxiety, brings the voice of experience to this topic in a caring yet straightforward way.

Diving right in to the topic, Chapter 1, Figure Out Your Optimum Antianxiety Diet, gives a step-bystep approach to proper nutrition to support the bio-individual needs of those looking to, as the sub-title says, calm their anxious mind, improve their mood, and end their cravings. As part of the nutritional support offered in the book, the author gives very clear examples of what to eat and, just as importantly, what not to eat, even including examples of nutrient dense bonus foods. The author then takes the subject a step further by including chapters on a wide range of conditions that may affect nutritional status and promote anxiety such as allergies, addiction, blood sugar imbalances, poor digestion, brain chemistry, hormonal imbalances, and lifestyle choices. Throughout the book are a number of easy to understand self-scoring quizzes as well as tables which concisely illuminate the points the author is making.

One main premise of the book is the promotion of a clean, traditional diet, free from chemicals and additives, that is high in whole foods. In another significant topic, the author explains how the use of amino acids can be highly beneficial for many sufferers of anxiety disorders. Clearly highlighting the symptoms each amino acid deficit can cause, she then illustrates how to address these deficits and discusses how to consider use of amino acids to help regulate brain chemistry. She then looks at a little discussed condition called pyroluria…

You can read the rest of the review here:
http://grainsandmore.blogspot.com/2011/06/antianxiety-food-solution.html

By Mira Dessy

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And you can learn more about The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings! at www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com

Antianxiety Food Solution: great questions at Avid Reader

July 15, 2011 By Trudy Scott 9 Comments

trudy at avid bookstore to present antianxiety food solution

I’ve had a busy few weeks doing fun book promo stuff and some fun local book signings at Avid Reader books http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/. It was so cool (and very humbling) to finish my talk and have folks line up to get a signed copy of my new book The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings!

It was also very exciting to see my book on display and on the shelves in the book store. Of course we took a ton of pictures and savored the moment! I hope you enjoy these pictures and that I see you at the next live event I do.

avid book display with antianxiety food solution

I had a great turnout at the Avid Reader in Davis and some great questions were asked.

Here are just some of the questions and my answers:

From someone I spoke to before the talk: “I have bad moods (anxiety and depression) and really bad sugar and bread cravings and I’m hoping this book will address all of this.”
My answer: “Great question, because often mood problems go hand-in hand with cravings and addictive behaviors. For example low endorphins can make you feel sad and also lead to comfort eating – so you address the low endorphins and both sadness and comfort eating is resolved. A similar case can be made for feeling anxious and eating to calm down – address the low GABA and both will resolve! You’ll love this book!”

And another question after the talk: “I do get anxious, but I really love my coffee. Do I really have to give up coffee or can I drink decaf?”
My answer: “This is a great question too, and one I get a lot. I see so many of my clients benefit from quitting coffee altogether that I really think it’s worth a try for you. Also, keep in mind that decaf does contain a small amount of caffeine and a subset of anxious people are just more sensitive to the effects of caffeine. I suggest trying some delicious Dandybend and see how you feel”.

You can read more about my book and these topics at www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com and read a book review by Mira Dessy that was featured in a recent edition of Nourishing Bytes, the ezine produced by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals http://grainsandmore.blogspot.com/2011/06/antianxiety-food-solution.html