Publisher:  Owl Books

We are what we eat. I understand this much better after reading Food & Mood. Elizabeth Somer presents the latest research on nutrition and mental health in clear non-technical language. The book is easy to read - with ample charts, illustrations, and even recipes.

Somer begins with an overview of the brain and nervous system, and information about how neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinepherine, and acetylcholine are affected by diet. The complex nature of the various systems that interact are explained in clear language with diagrams. There is lots of information for anyone who suffers from emotional problems and wants to know how their diet may affect their moods.

I was diagnosed with non-insulin dependent diabetes just before I started reading this book. I purchased several books on diabetes, and some of them were helpful. I was surprised to find Food & Mood to be equally helpful. In reading about the relationships amoung fats, sugars, and the various chemicals that regulate them, I developed a much better understanding of my own diet and blood sugar levels.

Food & Mood culminates with the “Feeling Good Diet.” This is not actually a diet, but a set of guidelines intended to improve one’s eating habits in a way that maximizes physical and emotional health. Somers suggests keeping a food diary for one week, and then adopting the guidelines in the Feeling Good Diet in a manner consistent with the patterns that emerge in your diary.

I highly recommend Food & Mood to anyone who wants to make changes in their diet in order to improve their health. If you are depressed or stressed and you want a nutritional approach to improving your mood, this book will also be helpful.

Leonard Holmes, Ph.D., your Guide for Mental Health Resources