Eat Right Racine gave a beautiful gift to our community on Wednesday night – the chance to learn about healthy food.This a very important project for our community. Congratulations to the three energetic women with the vision to put this program together and the many, many others who lent their time and skills.
What we consume not only affects the quality of our physical health, it also affects the quality of our mental health. It has now been shown that foods and beverages impact our brain and nervous system and ability to learn and retain information – as well as our memory and our ability to think clearly. We can also experience depression, anxiety, mood swings, PMS, and addictive cravings related to what we eat and drink.
For more information, see Elizabeth Somer’s newly updated Food and Mood: The Complete Guide To Eating Well and Feeling Your Best and Barbara Stitt’s Food and Behavior: A Natural Connection who actually relates certain foods to criminal behavior.
I suggest both books to my clients who come with depression and anxiety and don’t want to start with medications to address their mood swings or cravings. Also, check out Eat Right Racine for more ways to learn and get involved.
Publishers Weekly said this about Somer’s book:
"What at first glance would appear to be yet another look at the relationships of food with emotional state is, instead, an extremely well-researched probe of what a good diet can mean to both body and mind. Somer, editor of Nutrition Report, dispels many of the myths about specific foods and diet patterns, putting in their place scientific studies showing the links between mood and diet. Among the topics she discusses are food cravings, stress and diet, food allergies and intolerances, eating disorders, premenstrual syndrome and how food can affect sleep patterns. More than 100 tables, charts and worksheets help readers evaluate their diets and make appropriate changes. Menus and recipes are also included, and the need for supplements is discussed. Readers will appreciate Somer's no-nonsense style and the absence of contrived anecdotes to make important dietary points. Although some may find that the book gets off to a slow start, those who stick with it will find a valuable nutritional sourcebook."
