Can Food Improve Mental Health? Nutritional Psychiatry Explained | Mayo Clinic On Nutrition Podcast

Can what you eat affect depression, anxiety, ADHD and overall mental health? In this episode of On Nutrition, Mayo Clinic registered dietitian Tara Schmidt talks with psychiatrist Dr. Brooke Resch, known online as @CookWithDrBrooke, about nutritional psychiatry, the gut-brain connection, supplements, food myths and realistic ways to support mental health through nutrition. Learn about: • Food and mental health • Sugar, ADHD and depression myths • The Mediterranean diet • Gut health and mood • Omega-3s, seafood and brain health • Supplements like magnesium and melatonin • Eating challenges with ADHD or depression • Simple, sustainable nutrition habits For more On Nutrition episodes, visit https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/podcasts/on-nutrition/ 0:00 Introducing nutritional psychiatry 1:19 Food and mental health myths 3:13 Fatty fish, MSG and brain health 4:41 Can diet cure mental illness? 6:32 What nutritional psychiatry means 7:26 When to seek a diagnosis 9:31 Food, dopamine and serotonin 10:33 Gut-brain connection explained 12:05 Ultra-processed foods and balance 14:20 Nutrients that support mental health 15:39 Mediterranean-style eating patterns 17:05 Cooking with real-life limitations 18:00 Appetite changes with depression and ADHD 21:50 Autism, OCD and food aversions 23:35 Talking to your doctor about appetite 27:08 Supplements and nutrient deficiencies 35:28 Food-first habits and final takeaways