The Good Mood Therapy Kitchen

By the time we get into Fall, the hustle and bustle of shorter days, the festivities and celebrations, gatherings with family and friends take over our mind. Around this time I find myself reflecting on the year gone by and wondering if the next will be any better. I think it is because the past few years have been challenging health wise, for me personally and for those close to me that my focus is usually on finding ways to stay healthy and inculcating habits that keep me on track. As a nutritional therapist I hear people debating health care plans and insurance policies, discussing blogs and articles in popular health magazines and vow to make some healthy changes in lifestyle and possibly diet. For many folks eating better is mostly for fitting better in their trendy clothes and their attitude towards food is usually one for instant gratification in these happy & festive times. But have any of you thought about how food influences your moods — for better or worse? Did you know that your attitude in life is

determined, in a large part, by the nutrients you put in your mouth. Many physiological conditions pretend to be mood disorders but we fail to recognize that making small changes in the foods we eat can save us from unnecessary prescriptions and a lifetime of “symptom management”.

This is why nutritional therapy has an important role to play in any comprehensive health management plan. Eating real whole foods, grown in nutrient rich soils and prepared in nutrition preserving and enhancing methods, provide the body with the necessary tools to not only survive illness but thrive despite the toxic environment and stress it is subjected to. And when it comes to mental health it is almost impossible to focus on changing habits, dealing with stressful relationships or maintaining a positive attitude through it all without first addressing the physiological imbalances, healing the gut and fixing the diet. The brain needs all the help it can get from the gut that digests, absorbs and produces the necessary neurotransmitters for the moods to be balanced and the brain to function optimally.

In general we go to see a medical professional when we are sick. From fevers to colds to stomach upsets to serious chronic diseases the doctor has a pill and a treatment plan for every ailment. But how often do you see a recommendation, a prescription for a diet change? Or a food intolerance and sensitivity test ? How often does your doctor discuss your diet and your lifestyle in their meeting with you? I bet your answer is not often/ not ever or rarely! The reality is medical profession is about sick care & disease management. However real health care should be about nutrition, lifestyle and exercise management. When you shop for products for self or home, you invest in quality products that not only function well but are a joy to own. They look good, work well and are “maintenance free”. Why then treat your body as if it is disposable & can be repaired and replaced when ill and dysfunctional? Make the investment now in maintaining your health and wellness.

Am sharing here a wonderful episode from a podcast by my favorite functional medicine practitioner Dr Mark Hyman where he discusses with Dr Drew Ramsay, Psychiatrist the potential food mood connection and the amazing and powerful results they are seeing by including dietary prescriptions in their patient’s programs. Click here for the latest episode on The Doctor’s Farmacy with Mark Hyman, M.D.

I recently trained in Neuro-Nutrition Therapy and know a thing or two about fixing your moods via the kitchen using targeted Amino Acids derived from whole foods in a protocol customized for your unique physiology. If you are curious to learn how to feed your brain and feel good eating your way to the best, most vibrant self you can be, come and talk to me.

In health,

Minal

Minal Rajan, NTP

Therapy Kitchen

Art and Science of Nutrition

For more information, visit: www.therapykitchenbyminal.com