Trudy Scott

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

November 4, 2014 By Trudy Scott 32 Comments

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:

I was interviewed on Gaiam TV and discussed the gluten-mood connection
I presented a poster called Gluten and the serious effects on mental health at the 2013 annual conference of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America/ADAA
and here part 1 of a 2 part blog on gluten and mood

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

November 3, 2014 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

JJ’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

November 2, 2014 By Trudy Scott 37 Comments

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 3^rd 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

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

October 31, 2014 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!

Julie Matthews fermented foods and probiotics for anxiety and depression

October 24, 2014 By Trudy Scott 34 Comments

Julie Matthews, Certified Nutrition Consultant, author of Nourishing Hope for Autism was interviewed by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

“Fermented foods and probiotics for anxiety and depression: The practical and the research”

Here is an outline of our interview:

Types of fermentations
Health benefits of probiotics and fermentations
Research on probiotics and anxiety/depression/brain health/autism
Probiotic supplements
Prebiotics and why some people can’t use them
Who might have trouble with fermented foods and why
Steps and tips on making fermented foods and beverages

Here is the first 2014 study I mentioned –The impact of microbiota on brain and behavior: mechanisms & therapeutic potential.

There is increasing evidence that host-microbe interactions play a key role in maintaining homeostasis. Alterations in gut microbial composition is associated with marked changes in behaviors relevant to mood, pain and cognition, establishing the critical importance of the bi-directional pathway of communication between the microbiota and the brain in health and disease. Dysfunction of the microbiome-brain-gut axis has been implicated in stress-related disorders such as depression, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.

And here are 3 snippets from our interview:

There was a study that looked at human subjects under academic stress and the effects of fermented yogurt particularly Lactobacillus casei (European Journal of Nutrition in 2004 by a researcher named Marcos and their team). They found that the fermented yogurt was able to modulate the immune effects in the subjects that were under stress.

There was a study done by a researcher named Tillisch and published in 2013 in Gastroenterology. We know a lot about how the brain sends signals to the gut, but she explained that in the study they learned that the gut also sends signals to the brain. The researchers found that with yogurt, they found positive effects on the brain, including sensory processing and those areas associated with emotion and mood.

The nice thing about fermented food like sauerkraut is that it’s a form of food that is already partly digested, so it tends to create less gas. It also tends to be better digestible and can be higher in nutrients than the foods themselves that aren’t fermented. They can often help with supporting a good PH balance in the gut. The other nice thing about fermented foods is that you can get a lot of bacteria in a serving. Dr. Joseph Mercola recently tested some of his own homemade sauerkraut and found 10 trillion beneficial bacteria in a four to six ounce serving. So that’s a hundred times the amount of bacteria in a serving than you would find in a bottle of a high potency probiotic.

cabbage

Here are some of the studies we discussed

Gut-brain axis: how the microbiome influences anxiety and depression.

Effects of the probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis in the maternal separation model of depression.

Consumption of fermented milk product with probiotic modulates brain activity.

Gastrointestinal flora and gastrointestinal status in children with autism–comparisons to typical children and correlation with autism severity.

Intake of dairy products and calcium and prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of a probiotic in emotional symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

We found a significant rise in both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria in those taking the LcS, and there was also a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among those taking the probiotic vs controls

Modulation of intestinal microbiota by the probiotic VSL#3 resets brain gene expression and ameliorates the age-related deficit in LTP.

Probiotic-induced reduction of gastrointestinal oxalate absorption in healthy subjects.

You’ll also learn how to make your own sauerkraut in the video giveaway being offered by Julie – Video: How to make sauerkraut

Practitioner video/gift – “BioIndividual Nutrition: The Importance of Personalizing Diet in your Practice”

UPDATE: Season 2 of The Anxiety Summit concluded in November 2014. If you’d like to be on the notification list for the next summit just sign up here www.theAnxietySummit.com

Missed this interview and want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts + interview highlights and listen when it suits you

The Natural Cures Movement with Dr. Josh Axe

October 8, 2014 By Trudy Scott 26 Comments

I love to bring you valuable content so I’m so pleased to be sharing this online event with you!

Learn secret cures to naturally heal your body from 30 unique presentations! The Natural Cures Movement includes natural remedies and treatment protocols for specific conditions like hypothyroidism, anxiety and depression, autoimmune disease, arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. The home remedies and natural cures you will discover could help you begin a path to better health and disease prevention! Plus, it’s FREE and online from October 6-13. 2014.

Take your health to the next level when you join Dr. Josh Axe, founder of one of the top 25 natural health websites in the world, DrAxe.com, and author of The Real Food Diet Cookbook. It’s his mission to educate millions around the world in order to help them transform their health.

Here are a few of the incredible presenters:

Dr. Joseph Mercola, Take Control of Your Health & Insulin
Dr. Josh Axe, Natural Cures for Leaky Gut
Sayer Ji, 10 Food Medicines That Could Save Your Life
Suzy Cohen, RPh, Natural Remedies for Thyroid & Autoimmune Disease
Vani Hari, How to Cure Yourself Despite Food Companies and Your Doctor

If you haven’t yet hear me present or want to hear me again, my food-mood-anxiety interview aired today (day 3) together with Marc David, Katie Wellness Mama and Lauren Geersten.

Here are a few gems from my food-mood-anxiety interview:

To raise low serotonin:

5-HTP or tryptophan (amino acid supplements) taken between meals
Exercise, sunshine or a full spectrum lamp, and diet (quality real food and wild fish and grass-fed red meat and healthy fats!)
Pumpkin seeds – research shows that a functional food rich in tryptophan and zinc (made of pumpkin seeds) reduced social anxiety and helps sleep!

We didn’t get to talk about all the amino acids and brain chemical imbalances so here is a high level summary:

glutamine for low blood sugar
GABA for stress-eating/low GABA
tyrosine when you need a sugar or caffeine pickup/low catecholamines
DPA for comfort/emotional eating and low endorphins.

I love and highly recommend the eating psychology work of Marc David and I really enjoyed Katie’s talk on beautiful healthy coconut!

Here are some gems from her interview:

anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties and high in antioxidants
high in MCTs and easily digested so you don’t need bile to digest them, plus they help boost metabolism
she combines it with oregano oil for oil pulling/swishing in mouth
use it for cooking, as a body lotion, to help prevent diaper rash, as a hair detangler, as a massage oil