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Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health: A Complete Guide to the Food-Mood Connection
Win a free print copy of this book!
8 days and 02:14:50
10 copies available
U.S. only
A major component of a client’s clinical profile is diet, which can greatly influence mental well-being. For example, dietary changes can alleviate anxious and depressive symptoms. But few therapists have any nutrition training and many don’t know where to begin. This book provides an essential introductory primer.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2015
62 people are currently reading
2727 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Korn
13 books50 followersHello, I’m Dr. Leslie Korn. I’m a Harvard Medical School-trained traumatologist specializing in mental health nutrition and integrative approaches to treating the mind and body.
My life and career has taken me to both Harvard and the jungle of Mexico with many stops in between. I am a passionate advocate for and believer in culturally traditional medicines used by people around the world.
How did I come to know so much about this and make it my life’s work? You can read more in my webpage!
My life and career has taken me to both Harvard and the jungle of Mexico with many stops in between. I am a passionate advocate for and believer in culturally traditional medicines used by people around the world.
How did I come to know so much about this and make it my life’s work? You can read more in my webpage!
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 23, 2016
http://psychcentral.com/lib/book-revi...
As the old phrase goes, “you are what you eat.” Following a recovery from autoimmune disease, thyroid disorder, and several other health issues, I learned the hard way that what you put into your body has a direct impact on each and every cell. In the comprehensive work, Nutritional Essentials for Mental Health: A Complete Guide to the Food-Mood Connection, Leslie Korn, PhD, explains not only why the food we eat has the specific impact it does, but also how to address a client’s specific mental health challenges through prescriptive diet and nutrition.
For the student or professional clinician, Nutritional Essentials for Mental Health is an exhaustive guide to understanding, prescribing and treating mental health through nutrition; for the lay reader recovering from chronic illness, this book is an invaluable resource that answered more questions than I realized I had.
Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health begins with a scientific explanation of the “food-mood” connection, as well as examples of the way this connection impacts the health of the patient, how the standard American diet versus traditional diets affect mental health, and the vital role gut health plays in inflammation levels. The author emphasizes the link between digestive disorders and mental distress, both of which can be positively impacted by the nutritional therapy recommended in later chapters and the appendices.
The text is sprinkled with first-hand case studies and samples of client/patient conversations that demonstrate the recommended methodology for nutritional therapy. This component is further strengthened by a chapter dedicated to how to actively listen to patients and assess them with accuracy and sensitivity. As a further aid to the student/clinician, the book details common mental health issues caused by nutritional deficiencies, how they are diagnosed and treated, and how they respond to nutritional therapies.
Perhaps the most beneficial component that sets the book apart and makes it accessible to the student, clinician, and lay reader alike is the breakdown of individual nutritional essentials and the role they play in the day-by-day treatment plan for mental health. Dr. Korn goes into detail from the macro-nutrient approach down to the consistent benefits of supplemental therapy on vitamin and mineral levels. In addition, the focus on food sensitivities and the latest conclusions on the gut-brain connection demonstrates the book’s up-to-date research, while application tools provide a valuable resource for clinicians.
While I cannot comment on the validity of the book from the perspective of a psychiatric or counseling professional, I can say that as a patient who suffered from the nutritional deficiencies and medical issues as well as the mental health concerns described, I would have greatly benefited from this book during my illness. Dr. Korn breaks the nutritional foundation down in such a way that I can see the contributing factors to my own illness, as well as the prescribed nutritional therapy and supplements that would have helped alleviate my illness.
As compared to other texts on the connection between the gut, proper nutrition and mental health, Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health is written in a more accessible tone for those without an extensive background in medicine and psychology; it also strikes me as a more beneficial resource due to the appendices, which are packed with recipes, charts of nutrients and their impacts, and the detailed examples of treatment plans that show the harmony of nutritional therapy when treating everything from seasonal affective disorder to schizophrenia.
After finishing the book, I found myself wanting more information on the role of organic produce, pesticides, preservatives and other additives on gut and mental health, as I have heard other research studies that address those same issues. A section on these connections and a summary of the research completed would strengthen an already stellar resource.
Regardless of personal experience or background, Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health offers a complete and highly usable guide to the landscape of nutrition and the mind-body connection that the student, clinician and patient alike can connect to and learn from.
As the old phrase goes, “you are what you eat.” Following a recovery from autoimmune disease, thyroid disorder, and several other health issues, I learned the hard way that what you put into your body has a direct impact on each and every cell. In the comprehensive work, Nutritional Essentials for Mental Health: A Complete Guide to the Food-Mood Connection, Leslie Korn, PhD, explains not only why the food we eat has the specific impact it does, but also how to address a client’s specific mental health challenges through prescriptive diet and nutrition.
For the student or professional clinician, Nutritional Essentials for Mental Health is an exhaustive guide to understanding, prescribing and treating mental health through nutrition; for the lay reader recovering from chronic illness, this book is an invaluable resource that answered more questions than I realized I had.
Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health begins with a scientific explanation of the “food-mood” connection, as well as examples of the way this connection impacts the health of the patient, how the standard American diet versus traditional diets affect mental health, and the vital role gut health plays in inflammation levels. The author emphasizes the link between digestive disorders and mental distress, both of which can be positively impacted by the nutritional therapy recommended in later chapters and the appendices.
The text is sprinkled with first-hand case studies and samples of client/patient conversations that demonstrate the recommended methodology for nutritional therapy. This component is further strengthened by a chapter dedicated to how to actively listen to patients and assess them with accuracy and sensitivity. As a further aid to the student/clinician, the book details common mental health issues caused by nutritional deficiencies, how they are diagnosed and treated, and how they respond to nutritional therapies.
Perhaps the most beneficial component that sets the book apart and makes it accessible to the student, clinician, and lay reader alike is the breakdown of individual nutritional essentials and the role they play in the day-by-day treatment plan for mental health. Dr. Korn goes into detail from the macro-nutrient approach down to the consistent benefits of supplemental therapy on vitamin and mineral levels. In addition, the focus on food sensitivities and the latest conclusions on the gut-brain connection demonstrates the book’s up-to-date research, while application tools provide a valuable resource for clinicians.
While I cannot comment on the validity of the book from the perspective of a psychiatric or counseling professional, I can say that as a patient who suffered from the nutritional deficiencies and medical issues as well as the mental health concerns described, I would have greatly benefited from this book during my illness. Dr. Korn breaks the nutritional foundation down in such a way that I can see the contributing factors to my own illness, as well as the prescribed nutritional therapy and supplements that would have helped alleviate my illness.
As compared to other texts on the connection between the gut, proper nutrition and mental health, Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health is written in a more accessible tone for those without an extensive background in medicine and psychology; it also strikes me as a more beneficial resource due to the appendices, which are packed with recipes, charts of nutrients and their impacts, and the detailed examples of treatment plans that show the harmony of nutritional therapy when treating everything from seasonal affective disorder to schizophrenia.
After finishing the book, I found myself wanting more information on the role of organic produce, pesticides, preservatives and other additives on gut and mental health, as I have heard other research studies that address those same issues. A section on these connections and a summary of the research completed would strengthen an already stellar resource.
Regardless of personal experience or background, Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health offers a complete and highly usable guide to the landscape of nutrition and the mind-body connection that the student, clinician and patient alike can connect to and learn from.
March 2, 2021
This book is a bible. Apparently evidence based. Supplements, dietary vitamins and minerals required for general mental well being as well as for specific mental health conditions are extensively listed there. There are recipies and dieting schedules.
A book you own to use as reference when/if you need it.
A book you own to use as reference when/if you need it.
May 30, 2025
Very thorough discussion of the importance of food with mental health. Korn goes through diets and supplements and everything in between.
I would get the book. I listened to the audiobook and there needs to be some changes such as “see Table 1”. It’s an audiobook, I can’t see Table 1. The volume was lower than other audiobooks I’ve read. And the narrator was very robotic.
It ended on a rant about not drinking coffee, which I found weird and not wrapped up at the end.
I would get the book. I listened to the audiobook and there needs to be some changes such as “see Table 1”. It’s an audiobook, I can’t see Table 1. The volume was lower than other audiobooks I’ve read. And the narrator was very robotic.
It ended on a rant about not drinking coffee, which I found weird and not wrapped up at the end.
April 3, 2025
This book is helpful in understanding how nutrition affects mental health and can also be used in treating mental health conditions. I’ll definitely implement some of the information into my own life but also in helping others.
December 22, 2024
This was not meant for audio book form, which is unfortunately how I read it. It has some good information and I learned some new things too.
May 17, 2022
I listened to the audio book, which I think is not the best medium for this book as it is more like a textbook, and a lot of sections have lists, for example lists of supplements and their benefits. This doesn't work well in an audio format. Doesn't help that the voice was very monotone. Other than that, it has some very valuable information and talks in depth about the relationship of what you eat and how it can affect your mental health.
August 29, 2021
A decent overview of the role of nutrition in mental health.
June 3, 2025
Very informative look at how food informs our moods.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews