Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety: Nourish Your Way to Better Mental Health in Six Weeks

by Drew Ramsey

A revolutionary prescription for healing depression and anxiety and optimizing brain health through the foods we eat, including a six-week plan to help you get started eating for better mental health.

Depression and anxiety disorders are rising, affecting more than fifty-eight million people in the United States alone. Many rely on therapy and medications to alleviate symptoms, but often this is not enough. The latest scientific advances in neuroscience and nutrition, along with our understanding of the mind-gut connection, have proven that how and what we eat greatly affects how we feel—physically, cognitively, and emotionally.

In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Drew Ramsey helps us forge a path toward greater mental health through food. Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety breaks down the science of nutritional psychiatry and explains what foods positively affect brain health and improve mental wellness.

Dr. Ramsey distills the most cutting-edge research on nutrition and the brain into actionable tips you can start using today to improve brain-cell health and growth, reduce inflammation, and cultivate a healthy microbiome, all of which contribute to our mental well-being. He explores the twelve essential vitamins and minerals most critical to your brain and body and outlines which anti-inflammatory foods feed the gut.

He helps readers assess barriers to self-nourishment and offers techniques for enhancing motivation. To help us begin, he provides a kick-starter six-week mental health food plan designed to mitigate depression and anxiety, incorporating key food categories like leafy greens and seafood, along with simple, delicious, brain nutrient–rich recipes.

By following the methods Dr. Ramsey uses with his patients, you can confidently choose foods to help you on your journey to full mental health.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Mental Health, Food, Audiobook, Nutrition

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2021

About the author

(From official website)

Drew Ramsey, M.D. is a psychiatrist, author, and farmer. He is a clear voice in the mental health conversation and one of psychiatry’s leading proponents of using nutritional interventions. He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

He founded the Brain Food Clinic in New York City, offering treatment and consultation for depression, anxiety and emotional wellness concerns. The clinic incorporates evidence-based nutrition and integrative psychiatry treatments with psychotherapy, coaching, and responsible medication management. Using the latest in brain science, nutrition and mental health research, and an array of delicious food, the clinic helps people live joyful, fulfilled lives. His recently launched ecourse Eat To Beat Depression helps patients and families boost mood and their brains nutrition.

Dr. Ramsey is a compelling keynote speaker and conducts workshops nationally. His media work includes three recent TEDx talks, a video series with Big Think, and the BBC documentary Food on the Brain. His work and writing have been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, Atlantic.com, Prevention, Lancet Psychiatry, and NPR, which named him a “kale evangelist.” He is a member of the Well+Good Wellness Council, the editorial board of Medscape Psychiatry, the advisory board of Men’s Health, and the co-founder of National Kale Day.

He is the author of three books, most recently the award-winning cookbook Eat Complete: The 21 Nutrients that Fuel Brain

Power, Boost Weight Loss and Transform Your Health (HarperWave 2016). His recent bestseller 50 Shades of Kale (HarperWave 2013) made this superfood accessible to thousands. The Happiness Diet: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood and Lean, Energized Body (Rodale 2011) explores the impact of modern diets on brain health.

Dr. Ramsey is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He completed his specialty training in adult psychiatry at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, received an M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Earlham College. He lives with his wife and two children in New York City and on their 127 acre organic farm in rural Indiana.

Reviews

[AcademicEditor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler: it's the Mediterranean diet, also hailed as the panacea for a number of health issues. Can it work for depression and anxiety? Why not give it a shot, right? I like the author's approach to try for 6 weeks to see if you can jumpstart your emotional and physical health. Some of the recipes are pretty familiar, like Caesar salad or pesto, just jazzed up with more kale, while others are more unusual, like shakshuka. I hope it helps some folks out there who are battling depression, anxiety, and other health issues.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick disclaimer: my psychologist assigned this book to me to help begin rethinking my diet as part of my treatment.

I like the meat (pardon the unintentional food pun) of this book, with some really interesting and relevant research cited by Dr. Ramsey, however I still don't vibe very well with the "food is medicine" narrative. (Incoming digression) I found this same irritation in twenty øne piløts' song "Mulberry Street" on their latest album, "Scaled and Icy": "keep your pills/save your breath"...as someone who doesn't currently take psychiatric medication but very possibly will soon, I find this opinion to be way too widespread. However, Dr. Ramsey is not some crackpot Dr. Oz type, he is a licensed psychiatrist who happens to focus in food and nutrition in his practice lately. That eased some of my frustration. However, the grammatical and spelling errors throughout frustrated me as well.

With that said, most of this book is a decent, sometimes fascinating read, but the back half reads like homework (which it happened to be for me). I found the endnote section to be rather brief as well? It seems like Dr. Ramsey cites more research and other authors than appear in his endnotes.

The final chapter of the book: the 6 week plan and corresponding recipes, I found a lot of sound info in as well. I will be adhering to the 6 week plan to improve my diet, and hope to see good results from it. I expect to be revisiting this book to check my progress, and to utilize some of the delicious sounding recipes given.

Overall, not a bad read, but definitely a self-help/how-to book. Tread lightly if that's not your preferred genre.

[Lacey Louwagie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came up when I was researching anti-inflammatory cookbooks to help manage my migraines. Because I know that many of the same neurotransmitters are involved in both depression/anxiety and migraine attacks, it seemed likely that the anti-depression/anti-anxiety diet would be beneficial to managing migraines, too.

As my husband remarked on this book: "I love that it focuses on the foods you need for a healthy brain and not on what to eat to look a certain way."

YES! Although this book is targeted to those with depression and/or anxiety, its eating strategies are relevant to EVERYONE who wants a healthy brain. I found it to be one of the most motivating books I've read in a while, giving me a new inspiration to improve the way I eat. I loved the studies linking diet with mental health, and reading this caused me to reflect upon the fact that the times in my life when I've been happiest have ALSO been the times when I have been eating the best. I had never seen the correlation between these two factors before, instead giving all the credit to anti-depressants, hormones, etc.

My main complaints about this book are that it felt a little longer than it needed to be, like he had to hit a certain word count for it to be a respectable book, and I wasn't super excited by the included recipes. But it gives good guidelines to allow you to tailor the diet to your own preferences and still eat for optimum brain health. Bring on the leafy greens, fish, and nuts!

[Monica Goodell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Much of this information is common sense but there is discussion of some pretty cool research being done on how food effects mental health. It's a quick read and makes simple suggestions how to add more brain healthy foods.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and the "Food is Medicine" concept that it adapts. Personally, I didn't learn anything new, but I have studied alternative treatments for anxiety and depression quite a lot over the past decade. I enjoyed the format and how the author created food groups that contain particular mood boosting vitamins and minerals, as opposed to a particular food that the reader may not like or be unable to eat. The plan is adaptable for any reader, no matter what their food restrictions.

I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of recipes or pictures for the recipes. They did have nutrition facts, which was nice, but I think it would have been good to have that section of the book laid out a little more in depth and visually appealing. The information part of the book, which took up most of it, was solid and informative though, especially for a reader that is new to trying to holistically treat depression an anxiety.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. I listened to this book because I was hoping to learn a bit more about which specific nutrients can help the brain improve against depression and anxiety, which foods contain these nutrients, and how exactly the nutrients make their impact in neurons and glia, etc. The book did a good job of this, but was obviously really redundant. That said, it helped drive home the point that salmon, kale, and nuts are good for me to increase in the winter when my SAD worsens. It also did a good job deinfluencing me from buying vitamin supplements.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of good information presented in a really accessible way, this book focuses more on what TO eat, instead of what not to eat. I also really appreciated the nonjudgemental tone and the emphasis on making small, manageable changes incrementally to get the best results. Also, the inclusion of broad food categories rather than specific "superfoods" that most people don't eat/like, e.g. kale.

If you're struggling with depression or anxiety or migraines, this book is worth reading.

[Haley Stricker · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Overall, this was an informative, research-packed book on the importance of nutrition on our brain health.

I wish the title was different because I do think it takes away from how complex anxiety/depression are. But I appreciate the insight on the brain-gut connection, backed by research studies, and practical ways to nourish our bodies for brain health.

[Joshua · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too much filler. Author takes a long time to get to the content. Explanations are oversimplified and outdated. Nutrition’s effects in mental health is real. This book is a poor tool to optimize nutrition for mental wellness.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Checked out the audio from the library and after finishing up I purchased the Kindle version. Simplified directions for changing your health. Easy small steps to make a big difference.

[Aimy Bes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha parecido muy interesante para empezar a tener buenos hábitos y está muy bien explicado.

[Jessica Knutson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I come to this book after eating mostly plant-based for the last decade, several years vegan, with a quick dabbling in the work of Weston Price. I would say I eat very healthy almost all the time, with variance based on what food philosophy you follow. This book held little new information for me, but I appreciated the focus on mental wellness studies, especially anxiety, which has not been focused on the same way in other medical works I’ve read. Even as I have focused on eating very healthy for a decade, I have still struggled with anxiety much of the time.

This book could have gone into so much detail about each focus nutrient, but that might have distracted the audience from the main goal. It could have also talked more about Alzheimers - my thoughts being because he kept using the terms “brain food” and “brain health,” but that also may have distracted from the goal of decreasing depression and anxiety in the audience. He tries to approach the topic in a way that will be available for any food philosophy, whether it be vegan, keto, etc., and tries to honor family tradition. Most of his recipes weren’t to my taste.

My personal experience is that when I eat lower in fat to control my blood sugar (low fat whole foods plant based diet), I have huge spikes in anxiety. When I control my calories, I also have spikes in anxiety. This book would indicate that simply adding seafood and more nuts/seeds would decrease my anxiety, which is consistent with my experience thus far. He is a big fan of plant foods: greens, nuts/seeds, beans, whole grains. The great thing is he’s not exclusionary.

In conclusion, this is a great guide on changing eating habits to be healthier, focusing on the nutrients most correlated with lowering depression and anxiety. If you struggle with either of those, I (who am not a professional) would definitely recommend giving this book a read-through.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been to many doctors trying to alleviate the ever growing health issues caused by severe anxiety of a loved one. I was frankly baffled by why great doctors seemed to want to prescribe more and more meds and sort of dismiss my questions regarding healthier natural ways to address the root of this mess. So I set out for answers. Soon I discovered this book. While there is no silver bullet solution, what I learned set me on a much more deliberate path to use diet (coupled with meds at first) to slowly tame this anxiety beast. Soon thereafter, we saw great changes in her ability to manage the impact of her anxieties.

This is actually my second time reading through this book. I wanted to refresh my memory and incorporate other foods I might have missed the first time. It was that good for us. So take a look and apply what you learn. Then go search out Drew Ramsey on various podcasts, social media and Tedx talks. He has so much knowledge to offer and he’s super entertaining!

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book talks about how healthy foods can help your mental health. It has a lot of common sense suggestions on foods to incorporate into your diet and provides a six week plan to incorporate different groups of foods into your daily meals. The book breaks down each group of food (greens, seafood, rainbow veggies, etc) and has drawings of each group throughout the book. There are also several recipes in the book that you can try if you like. There are also various other suggestions throughout the book like how to organize your kitchen, what tools you’d need to help you prepare meals, and talks about going to local farmers markets, farms, and CSA’s to get fruits and veggies.

[Rachel Ritchhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're interested in food and mental health it is interesting but I'm not sure you'd learn anything new. If you need a kick or to be reminded to eat your leafy greens and rainbow 🌈 foods then maybe take a gander. But warning it is pretty dry.

[Rebecca Reddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be on your shelf.

I love learning new information. Especially when that information can be applied to my physical & mental health. Having the opportunity to read Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety was an excellent experience and provided updated facts and details about food consumption and its impact on your mental status.

Growing up, my mom became even more interested in the body & mind and how to maintain vital health. Part of this was due to her father being diagnosed with cancer. She began researching alternative diets and how supplements, vitamins and herbs, could be helpful with someone struggling with their health. Her research included what brands were the best and contained the most essential and organic ingredients, which supplements were best to take and why, and how your diet can impact the nutrients you're gaining from the food you eat.

Basically, this book contains a large part of what she investigated and the crucial understanding that what we eat does affect our bodies and our minds. In this respect, I felt as if she had wrote some of the parts of this book as I read along with Drew Ramsey, MD. It was impressive to see so much of what she learned and self-taught making its way into a book that looks even deeper into the mental well-being of those who eat a healthier and more well-rounded diet.

Drew Ramsey, MD does an admirable and thorough job of giving readers an easy-to-read format for the "new" science that is behind how you eat to promote positive mental health. He looks specifically at studies which center on how eating differently affects depression, and often in congruence with it, anxiety. He gives a chapter by chapter breakdown of the most essential twelve nutrients for brain health, how eating right can grow new brain cells, how your gut affects your mental health and how to improve it, and what the optimal food choices are to beat depression and anxiety.

As a nutritional psychiatrist, he specializes in mood and anxiety disorders with his patients. Although he'd never been taught to include eating habits within his patient backgrounds, it had always given him pause. He attributes this consideration to growing up on a farm and being surrounded by fresh, homegrown food. Over time, he began to reevaluate his own diet and considered the question: "Are there foods that can better help promote brain and mental health?" (XI of Introduction)

Within his field, the focus for treatment among his patients who suffered from depression and anxiety were to utilize talk therapy and medication to alleviate or control the symptoms. These practices, while helpful and necessary to some degree, were not getting to the root of the problem. Instead, in some cases, relief was minimal or short-lived, and the side effects of the medication only added to the struggles and created their own issues. These were not effective treatments on their own.

So, Dr. Ramsey began wondering what else might be contributing to their depression and anxiety. His desire to help, and decision to consider other approaches, led to his exploration of how eating habits were influencing his patients' mental health. This consideration opened up a dialogue about what his patients were eating, what healthy foods were included in their diets, and what nutrients they might be missing.

This book includes several studies on the effect of food on the brain, how food can connect to elevated levels of toxins resulting in depression and anxiety, and how the microbiome in your gut contributes to brain health and connects with what you're eating. The author shares the twelve essential supplements you should be getting from your food: B9, iron, omega-3 fats, magnesium, potassium, selenium, B1, A, B6, B12, C, zinc, choline, and monounsaturated fats. He provides food examples that are a good source of those nutrients as well as how much should be a part of your daily diet. In fact, Dr. Ramsey promotes the Mediterranean diet as an example of what constitutes a well-rounded and nutrient rich diet.

His information on how inflammation can be both good and bad for your body, and the interactions between your gut and brain are fascinating. At the end, he even adds in some delicious looking recipes. It's a plethora of information, ideas, and encouragement to make the changes you need in your diet. There's so much more important and enlightening info that I'd love to share, but really, you should read the book for yourself.

As a side note, I'd like to mention that there are a few things I don't necessarily agree with completely in this book. I add this with the intent of being entirely honest and to encourage you to read and think over the content for yourself and what works for you. For me, I'm not convinced of the health benefits of pork. I've seen its negative effects in the lives of people I know and love. Also, I abstain from pork (to the best of my ability) for personal and religious reasons. I can't say I would include it as part of my diet as mentioned within this book. The good thing about that is the author does offer other food alternatives as examples, and I don't have to eat it if I don't want to.

Another final word from my personal perspective is how I'd try and utilize farm-fresh, home-grown, organic, non-GMO resources to gain these good nutrients. I'm not saying that the author isn't saying this - he grew up on a farm after all, but I want to make a point of noting this. You need to know where your food is coming from and what they're spraying it with. I'm, also, a huge proponent of taking enzymes when you eat to help with food digestion. Although I agree with the author that nutrients gained from the food source are much better than supplements in vitamin and herb form, I still take them. Some of those are suggested by a health official.

Overall, I have to say I appreciated this book. It added to my own knowledge and supported information I'd already been taught by my mom growing up. It helped clarify a few considerations and gave some wonderful in-depth examples. The illustrations were another favorite part and helped to break up the text and info overload in a fun, eye-catching way.

I'd definitely rate it a 5/5 "must read" because it contains content valuable for everyone. The impact it could make on your mental & physical health can't be understated. It's such an excellent resource that I plan on purchasing my own copy and keeping it on hand to refer back to and reread as necessary. I hope you'll do the same.

[Alyssa Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how practical the author makes this book and reinforces making small changes as opposed to some unattainable perfect diet. There's no all or nothing here, just recommendations (backed by science) for adding types of foods that improve brain health.

[Ossy Firstan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aku suka mind map vitamin dan sumber makanannya. Membantu

[Cikita · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, i have to try the kind of foods that had been explained in this book, i really like the informations that’s included in it, will be back with 5 if i really have a change in me xx

[Bj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good list of foods for overall brain health!

[Katie Hackett · Rating 3 out of 5]

felt a bit repetitive at times, but overall interesting read and learned a lot about the the specific properties of food that play a significant role in mental health

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am pleased to see that I am already eating the way this book suggests though I have decided to bump up my seafood and seeds categories. I give it five stars because I think its very valuable for anyone who is currently eating the SAD diet.

If you don't like to read, that's no problem. Look at the pictures, particularly in Chapter 2 and Chapter 5. Chapter 2 tells you what nutrients are of particular importance for depression and anxiety and what food categories they come from. Chapter 5 gives the food categories and tells you what the "power players" are, those foods that have a lot of good vitamins and nutrients in each category. I got a couple new food ideas from this and a couple of old food ideas that I needed to remember and reincorporate into my diet. Depression is a continual battle which is why books like this are so important. You may already know about everything that's in this book but you need to be reminded, especially when you are down.

Part 1 is the most important part of the book and I read it in full. This is where you get the main information about what to eat and why. It's only about 100 pages long.

Part 2 is more of a cheer leading section. The author addresses some of the problems that might stop you from eating better and gives some encouragement and ideas. There is even a suggestion to do some journaling which I did do. Chapter 9 starts the recipes and this is where I left off reading and starting scanning. I will probably try a few recipes but since I'm already eating this way, I don't really need a 6 week plan. It might be helpful for someone who is starting at ground level.

The whole idea is that even a small change is better than none and is a good place to start. I love this theme. It's not an invitation to cutoff your current treatments and make a radical change. The idea is to augment your current treatments with a better diet, thus giving your body what it needs to heal itself and possibly find more relief than with meds alone. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with depression or anxiety. It's not a quick cure but what could it hurt? The worse that could happen is you feel the same. At least you will be eating better!

[Healthypedia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The secret to anxiety-free life can be found in nutrition. Learn how nutrition can boost your mood and wellness with this profound read.

Both anxiety and depression have been haunting people all over the world, with 280 million individuals having depression and 264 million – anxiety.

These disorders can be present in our lives for years without being paid enough attention to. However, when these maladies exacerbate, they significantly influence not only how we feel mentally but can also lead to diseases and negatively influence nutrition, sleep patterns and productivity.

To address the issues of depression and anxiety, Dr. Drew Rasmery wrote the book ‘Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety’. In this review, we will dive deeper into its contents and discover why “when our thinking is unhealthy, our lives will be unhealthy – even if we go to the gym seven times a week and eat kale every day.”


Author’s background

Drew Ramsey M.D. is a renowned psychiatrist, author, and farmer. He is widely recognised for his expertise in the field of mental health and his advocacy for nutritional interventions in psychiatry.

Currently serving as an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Ramsey founded the Brain Food Clinic in New York City. This innovative clinic combines evidence-based nutrition and integrative psychiatry treatments with psychotherapy, coaching, and responsible medication management to promote emotional wellness.

Driven by the latest advancements in brain science, nutrition, and mental health research, the clinic helps individuals lead joyful and fulfilling lives by incorporating delicious food into their treatment plans. Dr. Ramsey’s contributions extend beyond clinical practice as he delivers compelling keynote speeches and conducts workshops throughout the country. His work has been widely featured in prestigious publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post.


What is the book about?

‘Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety’ by Dr. Drew Ramsey is a groundbreaking and comprehensive exploration of the profound impact that nutrition has on mental health. In the book, Dr. Ramsey tackles the often-overlooked aspect of a person’s diet and its direct influence on depression and anxiety. Drawing from extensive scientific research and his own clinical expertise, he reveals the specific vitamins, minerals, and other substances found in food that are essential for emotional well-being, optimal brain development, and effective nerve functioning.

Dr. Ramsey raises the topic of the brain’s exceptional nutritional needs. The concept of the ‘second brain,’ our gut, is also covered. The author emphasises that by providing brain and gut with proper vitamins and minerals we can affect our mood.

To illustrate the practical application of his nutritional approach, Dr. Ramsey presents compelling case studies of patients whose previous physicians and therapists failed to explore their eating habits. By introducing the necessary foods for addressing depression and anxiety, he witnessed substantial improvements in their conditions. However, Dr. Ramsey emphasizes that these foods should not be considered a standalone cure, as talk therapy and other treatments remain crucial. Rather, they serve as a valuable supplement in addressing the food-related component of these mental health conditions.

The book goes beyond theoretical discussions and provides practical guidance. Dr. Ramsey offers a wide range of food choices, allowing readers to select options that align with their tastes, preferences, and dietary restrictions. Notably, he suggests incorporating ‘RAINBOW‘ produce – diverse and vibrant fruits and vegetables – to entice and maximize nutritional benefits.

To further support readers in implementing these dietary changes, Dr. Ramsey concludes the book with extensive chapters featuring recipes that align with his recommendations. This inclusion allows individuals to embark on a practical journey toward enhancing their mental well-being through delicious and nutritious meals.


Key takeaways from the book

1. Nourish the brain properly to beat anxiety and depression

Specific nourishment is essential for the brain’s optimal functioning and mental well-being. Dr. Ramsey emphasizes the importance of providing the brain with the necessary nutrients it needs. For instance, B6 helps combat inflammation, while B12 regulates mood. Zinc plays a role in protecting the immune system, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) foods support the formation of new synaptic connections in the brain.

Dr. Ramsey shares illustrative cases where he discovered that his patients’ previous healthcare providers had neglected to explore their eating habits. By making dietary changes and incorporating what he deems as essential foods for managing depression and anxiety, he observed substantial improvements in his patients’ conditions. It is important to note that while food alone did not ‘cure’ or eliminate the symptoms, it played a crucial role in alleviating them.

2. The gut is our ‘second brain’

The gut health has a significant impact on mental well-being. Dr. Ramsey explores the emerging field of gut health and emphasizes the gut’s role as the ‘second brain.’ The gut acts as a vital connection between the nervous system, the brain, and the rest of the body. It not only facilitates communication through a network of nerves but also provides essential biochemicals.

To promote mental health, it is crucial to nourish the gut appropriately. Dr. Ramsey highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome by incorporating foods like probiotic yogurt into one’s diet. The microbiome in the gut plays a critical role in brain health and has a direct connection to the food we consume. By taking care of the gut and its intricate connection to the vagus nerve, individuals can potentially reduce adverse symptoms such as anxiety.

3. More attention should be paid to nutrition in mental health treatment

Dr. Ramsey points out that the role of diet and nutrition in mental health treatment is often overlooked. He highlights the fact that physicians frequently neglect to inquire about a person’s diet and eating habits, and they rarely refer patients to nutritionists for further guidance. Moreover, medical training often lacks adequate education in the area of nutrition.

This oversight can lead to a failure in addressing the dietary component of depression and anxiety, which may contribute to these conditions. By disregarding the impact of an individual’s eating pattern, healthcare providers may miss out on a valuable aspect of treatment. As one physician with extensive international experience pointed out, the importance of diet in mental health cannot be underestimated.


Strengths and weaknesses, according to readers’ reviews

Strengths:
• Provides practical advice and gives recipes that are claimed to boost one’s mood.
• The recipes included are both familiar and innovative, this gives motivation to try out something new as well as understanding that foods we are accustomed to are also beneficial.
• The book emphasizes the value of small changes, stating that even a small change is better than none and is a good place to start.

Weaknesses:
• Lengthy content: Some readers may find the book longer than necessary, potentially feeling that it could have been more concise and to the point. The perception of meeting a specific word count requirement might detract from the overall reading experience.
• Lack of accessibility: The author’s emphasis on farmer’s markets and local fishmongers might create a sense of exclusion for readers who do not have easy access to these resources. This focus on specialised sources and specific dietary preferences may not be applicable or relatable to individuals with different economic circumstances or dietary choices.


Quotes from ‘Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety’

“One of my colleagues, Scott A. Small, MD, a neurologist who heads the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Columbia University, made headlines in 2014 after showing that drinking a dark-chocolate beverage high in cocoa flavanols could improve memory function in older adults. Small and colleagues recruited thirty-seven individuals, between the ages of fifty and sixty-nine, to drink a cocoa beverage each day over a period of three months. Tough sell, right? About half of those individuals were given a beverage high in flavanols. The others were given one with a lower dose of these healthy molecules. After the three-month period was over, Small and colleagues gave the study participants a memory test. Lo and behold, individuals who had consumed the higher flavanol beverage showed a 25 percent greater advantage on the memory task than those who didn’t.“

“Psychiatric medicine and mental healthcare have a serious problem. Experts around the globe – from the World Health Organization to the Pew Research Center – all agree: we are in the midst of a mental health epidemic. Diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders have snowballed over the past decade, now occurring more frequently in teens and young children.“


Final takeaway

In the face of the growing global epidemic of depression and anxiety, ‘Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety’ by Dr. Drew Ramsey offers valuable insights and practical guidance for addressing these mental health conditions through nutrition. With an emphasis on nourishing the brain and optimizing gut health, the book highlights the significant impact of diet on mental well-being. While providing evidence-based recommendations and case studies, Dr. Ramsey reminds readers that food alone is not a cure but a powerful tool in alleviating symptoms.

This comprehensive resource is essential for individuals seeking to understand the connection between nutrition and mental health, empowering them to make informed choices for their overall well-being.

[Kristin Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook, then immediately afterwards, hardback. (I liked it that much.)

Dr Ramsey is a Psychologist who, after working with many patients and realized nutrition could play a part in depression and anxiety, is now a Nutritional Psychologist.

The focus is on brain health and what vitamins and minerals the body needs to feed the brain well. As he explains each nutrient, he also lists foods containing it.

This isn't an "Eat this! Don't eat that!" book. He offers the information, gives simple suggestions, and leaves the implementation to the reader.

He has some simple suggestions such as swapping a snack of chips for a snack of mixed nuts which contain a wealth of needed nutrients.

At the end, he does offer a 6-week plan if you want to impliment his suggestions. Surprisingly, it wasn't a detailed list of what to eat at each meal. Instead, he makes one food category change per week. One week he adds seafood, another week he adds rainbows (colorful fruits and vegetables)...

This book is encouraging and empowering.

He has a 7.5 minute YouTube video overview of what he teaches called How To Eat Your Way to Better Mental Health in 6 Weeks. https://youtu.be/GGXnhXr2gGI?si=sVztM...-

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Harper Wave and Harper Business in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was such an informative and educational book to read. I knew food had something to do with mental health but I never really knew the full impact it had on not only our physical health but our mental health too. Dr. Drew Ramsey does a brilliant job breaking down the essential nutrients for the brain and what nutrients you are lacking if you are suffering from depression, anxiety or any other mental disorder and if you incorporate them into your diet, you'll not only see but feel the results in no time. Everyone deserves to feel their best both physically and mentally and these books are the perfect way to spread the word that there is a way to live life the way it was meant to.

We will consider adding this title to our R Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[Div Manickam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good advice and I love the visual representation of how to think about the nutrients that you need for your brain to help with anxiety and mood.

I was also good to read about the brain and gut connection and learn about the vagus nerve that is the exchange box between the two.

There are some good recipes at the end and I'll definitely try some.

Thank you for helping folks understand that there is more ways to help with anxiety than just medication or therapy. Food is medicine amen.. I'm excited to see the options that I have for vitamin B12 and I'm going to try anchovies..

[Amanda Mccoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're sometime like me, that finds the way foods and nutrients effect your body fascinating. And have done a fair amount of research on vitamins and nutrients.Then this book might not have anything new for you. While I didn't learn anything new in this book. I think it would be a great resource to many. It discusses (briefly) how specific nutrients fuel you brain. I wish it had gone more in detail, but I'm assuming the author was looking for it to be more easily digestible... pun intended.

[Laura Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 16%. I don't know why I thought this book would be any different, it's just the Mediterranean Diet packaged as helpful for mental health. Dangerously suggesting that it works better for depression and anxiety than medication, and focusing on certain uncommon and expensive foods. I tried to keep listening to see if it got better, but as it kept getting worse already, I decided it would be better for my mental health to movie on to a better read.

[Sydney Hocker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wish he talked more on the science of how food can help rewire your brain instead of preaching in a condescending way of how to add veggies to every meal. Pretty straightforward book that would have been better if he had focused on the science of his claims, his clinic, and the good he’s done for his patients.