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Food, Mood and Women's Health – Be your healthiest, look and feel great!

The Anxiety Summit – Gluten’s impact on the inflamed brain: reducing anxiety and depression

By Trudy Scott 32 Comments

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Dr. Tom O’Bryan, DC host of ‘The Gluten Summit – A Grain of Truth’ is interviewed  by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

Gluten’s impact on the inflamed brain: reducing anxiety and depression

  • Terminology and why it’s not called gluten intolerance but sensitivity
  • Is gluten sensitivity just a fad and the recent FODMAPs research
  • The multitude of diseases and symptoms caused by gluten sensitivity
  • Gluten sensitivity as a contributing factor to psychiatric manifestations/anxiety/depression and new 2014 research from Italy
  • Suicide rates in kids with celiac disease (even when they quit gluten), and kids celiac camps
  • The conundrum with testing
  • Doing an elimination and then challenge?
  • Can anyone eat wheat or should we all be gluten-free

One of my favorite quotes in my anxiety food talks is this one from a 2012 paper by Jackson and Fasano called Neurologic and psychiatric manifestations of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity

gluten sensitivity remains undertreated and underrecognized as a contributing factor to psychiatric and neurologic manifestations.

Here are some snippets from our interview:

73% of kids with celiac disease have social phobia, 63% still have social phobia on a gluten-free diet. You have to also heal the gut and address nutritional deficiencies

No human on the planet can digest gluten! Whether or not it causes symptoms like anxiety or depression or arthritis why eat anything that would cause inflammation!

He shares recent research published in BMC Medicine. The study looking at Italians with non-celiac gluten sensitivity, found that 68% of participants felt “a lack of well-being” and 39% experienced anxiety. In the large majority of patients, the time lapse between gluten ingestion and the appearance of symptoms varied from a few hours to 1 day.

No human on the planet can digest gluten! Whether or not it causes symptoms” like anxiety or depression or arthritis “why eat anything that would cause inflammation”

The gluten-FODMAPs discussion and non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a fad:

Dr. O’Bryan summed it up like this:

it took two studies to do this but it appears to be the FODMAPs in the wheat that cause the GI complaints (the bloating, the gas, the abdominal pain) but it’s the proteins that cause symptoms in the brain and other parts of the body

I write about gluten often. Here are some additional links for you:

Last year Dr. O’Bryan hosted the fantastic Gluten Summit and you can grab a copy of one of the interviews here: Dr. Marsh’s Gluten Summit interview: Why the Early Stages of Celiac Disease Must be Taken Seriously

If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here www.theAnxietySummit.com

The Anxiety Summit – Sugar Impact Diet with JJ Virgin

By Trudy Scott 12 Comments

JJ Virgin, CNS Celebrity Nutrition & Fitness Expert, author The Virgin Diet and the new Sugar Impact Diet  was interviewed on the Anxiety Summit by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

“The Sugar Impact Diet” and stress/anxiety
– The role stress and anxiety play in sugar addiction
– Why sugar is a drug and what it’s doing to our health and mood
– Why all sugar is not created equal and where it hides
– Why fructose is worse than glucose
– Can we eat natural sugars, fruit, honey and agave
– The dangers of artificial sweeteners
– Signs of high sugar impact and how the sugar impact diet works
– Why snacking may not be a good thing

Here is a snippet from our interview:

When you look at it, sugar is as addictive as cocaine. It’s more addictive than morphine. Connecticut College did a study where they looked at morphine and Oreos with rats and they both lit up the same pleasure centers/reward centers in the brain. The only difference was when the rats were given a choice between morphine and Oreos; they picked the Oreos because they were more pleasurable. Maybe it’s because with the Oreos you got a little trifecta because when you look at it what’s the worst thing? So sugar lights up the reward center and then you’ve got gluten and dairy, opiates, you know, caseomorphins and gluteomorphins and so just an opiate load to you when you look at something like cereal and milk, right, with all the sugar, gluten and dairy. So clearly you’ve got a drug and the more of it you eat the more of it you want.

stress and anxiety make you crave more sugar, you’re hungrier overall and then tired so you want things that are quick, energetic pick-me-ups and have unstable blood sugar. It’s like this trifecta of bad for setting you up for going after sugar

Here is one of the sugar-is-like-a-drug studies from 2013 – Sugar addiction: pushing the drug-sugar analogy to the limit.

research has revealed that sugar and sweet reward can not only substitute to addictive drugs, like cocaine, but can even be more rewarding and attractive.

The biological robustness in the neural substrates of sugar and sweet reward may be sufficient to explain why many people can have difficultly to control the consumption of foods high in sugar when continuously exposed to them.

And the rat oreo study/faculty research concluded with this:

Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/ high-sugar foods may present even more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability

sugar impactJJ’s new book Sugar Impact Diet launches November 4th – be sure to grab your copy to learn how you can lower your sugar impact today!

If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here www.theAnxietySummit.com

The Anxiety Summit – The latest food and nutrient research on anxiety, music and more

By Trudy Scott 37 Comments

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A very very big welcome to The Anxiety Summit, season 2, day 1!! We’re going to share expert interviews on nutritional approaches for eliminating anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks and OCD.

This is what you’ll learn in the Anxiety Summit – how you can eliminate: 

  • full blown anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, OCD, phobias
  • constant low grade fear, feelings of dread, the racing heart, the busy mind you can’t switch off and the ruminating thoughts
  • the constant worry, perfectionism, procrastination, the who-am-I-to-do-this or imposter syndrome

The first talk is: “The latest food and nutrient research on anxiety, music and more” and airs live on Monday November 3rd from 9am PST for a 24 hour window.

Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert, is the host the Anxiety Summit, and author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

  • Why The Anxiety Summit
  • New research on food and nutrients for reducing anxiety and depression
  • Why changing our diets and addressing nutritional deficiencies is so important
  • Music for mood and some inspiration for you
  • Gems from each of the upcoming speakers

A recent paper in BMC Psychiatry titled “Lessons from obesity prevention for the prevention of mental disorders” proposes that

common mental disorders like anxiety and depression “should be considered as a form of non-communicable disease,” like obesity “preventable through the modification of lifestyle behaviors, particularly diet” and exercise.

One of the authors of the above study, Dr. Felice Jacka, a well-known food and mood researcher, co-authored another 2014 paper “Nutritional psychiatry research: an emerging discipline and its intersection with global urbanization, environmental challenges and the evolutionary mismatch”  that stated:

“the clear message is that in the midst of a looming global epidemic” of mental health disorders, “we ignore nutrition at our peril.”

If you joined us in June during season 1, you’ll recall Dr. Jacka shared The Research – Food to prevent and treat anxiety and depression?  She shared:

We’ve now seen data from right around the world right across every continent and across age ranges, showing that diet really does matter to the prevalence and incidence of depression and anxiety.

This is the ATA blog post I mentioned: Five Ways the New ATA Hypothyroidism Guidelines are Bad for Thyroid Patients

Music has mood benefits. I blogged about this in this Anna Clendening post. Check it out to see the links to the research and hear Anna sing.

Grab your copy of “Top of the World ” song here. This is your own copy of my custom song co-created by me and Amma Jo and sung by the lovely Amma Jo. I want this to be an inspiration for you! And as someone said during the first season: “a bouquet of hope.” Because you deserve to feel on top of the world all the time! Enjoy!

And stay tuned for my interview with Amma Jo later in the summit.

Do you sing or play a musical instrument? How does it make you feel?  Does it help with anxiety, depression, stress?

Have food changes helped your anxiety, depression, stress?

If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here www.theAnxietySummit.com

The Anxiety Summit – seafood: the ultimate brain and mood food

By Trudy Scott 8 Comments

Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert, is the host the Anxiety Summit, and author of The Antianxiety Food Solution and she interviews Randy Hartnell, fisherman, owner of Vital Choice. Our topic: “What you need to know about seafood—the ultimate brain and mood food”

  • Purity and contaminants such as mercury and radiation (Fukushima)
  • Research showing the health benefits: anxiety, depression
  • What if you are mercury-toxic and sensitive
  • Farmed vs wild salmon (and other species)
  • What about that fish-y smell
  • The health benefits of fish roe
  • Omega-3s and fish as ‘Brain Food”
  • Omega3-6 balance and testing fatty acid levels

Here you have Randy talking about why fish is the ultimate brain and mood food

Here is one of the Ralston selenium studies: Dietary selenium’s protective effects against methylmercury toxicity.

This is the 2013 PLoS One study we discussed: Dietary patterns, n-3 fatty acids intake from seafood and high levels of anxiety symptoms during pregnancy: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

The present study provides evidence of a relationship between dietary patterns, fish intake or n-3 PUFA intake from seafood and symptoms of anxiety in pregnancy, and suggests that dietary interventions could be used to reduce high anxiety symptoms during pregnancy.

This 2013 paper in the British Journal of Nutrition called Dietary intake of fish and PUFA, and clinical depressive and anxiety disorders in women states

These are the first observational data to indicate a role for DHA in anxiety disorders

In this 2014 animal study, Fish oil improves anxiety-like, depressive-like and cognitive behaviors in olfactory bulbectomised rats study

fish oil supplementation during critical periods of brain development attenuated anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors and cognitive dysfunction”

Here is some of our discussion on weighing the concerns of mercury toxicity versus the health benefits (since it’s a topic that comes up a lot).  This is what Randy shared:

Fish has a whole sort of micronutrient spectrum. They’re swimming around out in this rich soup of minerals – vitamins, minerals, micronutrients – and you know, life evolved in the sea. And life has evolved amid background mercury levels forever, right? Because as much as half of it, if not more, comes from underwater volcanic activity and erosion of the land into the ocean. And mercury’s a naturally occurring element. Of course, the problem with a lot of it now is that it comes from fossil fuel burning.

But it’s always been there, and so life has evolved a capacity to deal with a certain amount of it. And you know, I always acknowledge that people are different, and some people process things differently than other people. But really, when you think about it, common sense tells you that life evolved in the sea. Mercury’s always been there, and I know there are studies of Alaskan natives from thousands of years ago, that they’ve recovered hair samples from these Alaskan natives, and there’s mercury in their hair. So it’s not like it’s something new that people are dealing with.

The message I hope people will take away is you’ve got to assess the risk versus the benefit. And virtually every study, or every major study, comes down on the side that benefits vastly outweigh the risks.

Here you have Randy sharing about the quality of fish they source and offer
– I love that he talks about the “golden rule”

During the interviews on mercury (part 1) with Kris Homme, and part 2, she shares her concerns saying that she believes that if you have major mercury exposure because of amalgams, then you might want to reduce fish consumption and especially avoid the bigger fish. She certainly does.

Vital Choice is  very kindly offering us some nice discounts on their products:

15% discount on VitalChoice (wild fish) purchases (use MOODFOOD at checkout – expires 12/31/14)

50% discount on fatty acid testing (use MOODFOODTESTKIT at checkout – expires 12/31/14)

The above discounts have expired but you can check out Vital Choice products here.

I hope you’ll join us on the Anxiety Summit season 2. It runs from Nov 3-16, 2014 and you’ll learn about this and many other nutritional and natural solutions for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD and social anxiety. This is one of many great topics we’ll be sharing.

 

Feel on top of the world! A song to give you hope!

By Trudy Scott 2 Comments

 

Top of the World
A song by Amma Jo

A new beginning, a brand new day
All of my fears are gone away
I feel so calm, so free, so whole
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

On top the world
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

The power of real whole food- so amazing
I walk I run and I play
Feeling great, slowing down I’m breathing, I’m laughing
I watch the stress fall away

My very best days are yet to come
All anxiety and fear are gone
A whole new life I’ve never lived before
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

On top the world
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

I’m saying no to things that drain me
No to the things that steal my energy
I’m saying yes to foods that heal me
I’m calm, I’m happy, I’m free

I’m breathing in this moment
I’m feeling so alive
This is the best day
The very best day of my life

A new beginning, a brand new day
All of my fears are gone away
I feel so calm so free, so whole
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

I wake up in the morning
I see blue skies
As I work towards my dreams
I see the glorious sunrise

My very best days are yet to come
All anxiety and fear are gone
A whole new life I’ve never lived before
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

It’s gonna be the very best day of my life
It’s gonna be
It’s gonna be
The very best day of my life


Here is the lovely and very talented Amma Jo singing a snippet for you
 

AMMA JO is a singer/songwriter and entrepreneur.  Her sole mission in life is INSPIRATION.  She inspires through music, speaking and in her business endeavors.  With 15 years executive management experience and over 10 years as an independent artist and true creative, AMMA JO brings her sincerity and flair to every presentation and project! Learn more about her at www.meetammajo.com

 

This is my gift to you…

Your own copy of my custom song co-created by me and Amma Jo

And sung by Amma Jo

Especially for you for the Anxiety Summit season 2

and now season 3 too

I want this to be an inspiration for you…

And as someone said during the first season: “a bouquet of hope”

Because you deserve to feel on top of the world all the time!

If you’re not already signed up please join us on the Anxiety Summit season 3.

When you register you’ll be able to download your own copy of the song!

Season 3 runs from May 6-20 and you’ll learn about nutritional and natural solutions for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD and social anxiety.  And have access to this song and other great speaker gifts.  See you there! 

 

 

Jeffrey Smith on Anxiety, depression, GMOs and Roundup on the Anxiety Summit

By Trudy Scott 18 Comments

Jeffrey Smith, non-GMO advocate, founder of Institute for Responsible Technology, producer of the movie Genetic Roulette, is speaking on the Anxiety Summit. Our topic: “Anxiety & Depression: Health Risks of GMOs and Roundup.” We also talk about GM tryptophan and why it was removed from the market. It was a fabulous interview!

Here is an outline of what we cover:

  • GMO definition, health effects and why advocate a complete ban
  • The sad story of the South African GM corn/mielie farmer – this is a powerful story
  • How Bt toxins damage the gut and become “pesticide producing factories” – this is scary and sounds like a futuristic movie
  • How Roundup affects serotonin production, detoxification and the gut – more on this below in the snippet and video preview
  • Roundup’s new scary use – I had no idea!
  • The GM tryptophan disaster in 1989 – and the theory as to why tryptophan was banned
  • The good news and how you can help bring about change – there is light at the end of the tunnel!

I brought up South Africa during the interview because I was recently there. GMOs are labeled in South which is good and bad. It’s good because you can avoid eating GM products. It’s bad because labeling was done without all the activism we are seeing here in the USA, and I feel there is less awareness about the dangers. Many people are simply consuming these products without any questioning. Here is a picture of the Knorrox label.

knorox pic 1

knorox-ingredients

In this close-up picture, you’ll notice a few things. As well as the label “contains genetically modified materials” i.e. the maize/corn), it also contains:

Getting back to my interview with Jeffrey…he shared the sad story of the South African GM corn/mielie/maize farmer that had a happy ending and he assured me that awareness is growing.

We also talked extensively about how Roundup affects serotonin production, detoxification and the gut.

Here is a snippet from our actual interview we did for the summit:

Roundup shuts down this pathway called the shikimate pathway. Monsanto bragged up-and-down because Roundup blocks the shikimate pathway in order to kill weeds. And because humans don’t have the shikimate pathway, they said Roundup must be safe for humans.

But it’s not safe for a lot of reasons.

It’s an endocrine disruptor. It can promote cancer. It’s linked to heart disease and diabetes. But what they failed to point out was that the shikimate pathway is what our gut bacteria use to produce the vast majority of the l-tryptophan that we assimilate. L-tryptophan is a precursor to melatonin, which is linked to sleep and circadian rhythms, daily cycles, but it’s also a precursor to serotonin and now we land squarely on the world of anxiety. Without sufficient serotonin there can be anxiety and depression.

I managed to nab Jeffrey for a quick preview in August – this snippet in itself is enlightening – he shares more on the shikimate pathway and low serotonin. I always learn from Jeffrey and his energy and passion is amazing! Just watch him in action doing this unprepared on-the-fly interview. Sorry about the background buzz – we were at an event and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to have Jeffrey inspire you.

This is all very timely with October being Non-GMO month, a month of awareness created by the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit organization, offering North America’s only third party verification and labeling for non-GMO (genetically modified organism) food and products.

I hope you’ll join us on the Anxiety Summit season 2. It runs from Nov 3-16 and you’ll learn about this and many other nutritional and natural solutions for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD and social anxiety. This is one of many great topics we’ll be sharing.