The author is a specialist in nutritional psychiatry, which studies the effect of particular foods and eating habits on your brain and body. She has broken the book into chapters by different mental health diagnoses--depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc.--with case studies and specific examples of foods to help with each. There's even a section of recipes at the back. There is a disclaimer at the beginning that this book should not replace consultation with your doctor, which I would like to reiterate to my patrons. But otherwise it could be a helpful supplement to medical advice.

This Is Your Brain on Food by Uma Naidoo was an enjoyable and informative book. The author is a psychiatrist, professional chef, and nutrition specialist, and is the perfect person to teach us about the connection between food and the brain.

The book is well –organized and after initially learning about the gut-brain relationship, the next several chapters focus on everything from depression to bipolar disorder, anxiety to extreme fatigue, libido and hormonal challenges, as well as PTSD, ADHD, memory and more. I personally read the whole book but you could also choose the chapters that apply most significantly to you or the loved ones in your life.

I really enjoyed this book because it reassured me that a lot of the things I have been doing to improve my gut health, manage my anxiety, and balance my hormones are on the right track. But I was definitely missing a few pretty key nutritional tips. I feel really empowered knowing that what I eat directly affects my brain, my mood, my outlook, and I can make the choice to change it for the better.

The balance of scientific information and real-life examples allows the reader to really absorb the details and see how this knowledge can be applied to real life. With amazing recipes at the back of the book, I left feeling like I was ready to apply some of these new food tips I had learned into my everyday life.

Excellent book filled with cheat sheets filled with the right and wrong foods for many mental health conditions.

Excellent overview of the connection between food and mood, and how we can use diet to improve the symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other issues. The author gives some straightforward advice on the changes we can make to our diet, including supplements, herbs, and healthy oils. Engagingly written and easy to read.

Dr. Naidoo is uniquely qualified to write this book: she not only trained as a psychiatrist, but also attended culinary school and studied nutrition. She discusses how the gut is intricately involved with what goes on in our brains—and how what we eat is important to this “gut-brain romance.” Each chapter reviews case studies of the particular condition (depression, anxiety, OCD, dementia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, ADHD, fatigue, insomnia, and libido) and makes nutritional recommendations based on both studies and her own experience treating patients. (I especially liked that each study specifically mentioned the name of the lead investigator, and was pleased to see that many were women.) At the end of the book, she guides us through what might be needed in the beginning kitchen, recaps the foods which are basic to a healthy diet, and offers some recipes to incorporate them. I read a lot of books on nutrition, but this one absolutely stands out for its accessible writing style, clear organization, and invaluable information. Highly recommended.

Excellent book, and very easy to understand. There is a lot of science behind how food effects our minds and bodies and this book explains it so that it makes sense, and is interesting to learn about. I especially liked the information on depression. Definitely recommend if you want to be informed about this subject and not put to sleep with dry, unengaging reading material.

What a fascinating book! I had never heard of the field of nutritional psychiatry, but it's something I have always believed in. When I am eating well, I feel better. Emotionally, mentally, and physically. The author introduces the concept of our gut and brain being linked, then breaks the book into chapters about certain disorders.

I paid most attention to the anxiety and depression chapters. The author describes how our food can impact these disorders positively and negatively, in simple language, all while providing scientific evidence.

The biggest take away is that not only do drugs help mental conditions, but the food we put in our bodies every day. Sometimes, both interventions need to work in harmony to see real results.

*Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!*

This book impressed me. It is chock full of information (with studies for pretty much all of it - a citizen scientist's dream) presented in a way that is organized and easy to grasp, so whether you read this all the way through, like me, or skip to the chapter that pertains to the condition you're seeking information about, you'll be able to find what you need easily. The author goes through mental conditions and examines the link between the gut and the brain, then analyzes the research (supported with data from her practice) on which foods helped and which foods didn't.

I loved that she didn't take a one-sided approach, but understood that we need integrative medicine to treat these conditions - not simply allopathic or holistic. However, I felt that some of her statements were surface-level and required more research, such as aluminum pans being safe to cook on, or how she portrayed canola oil as always healthy.

Worth the read, but keep your critical thinking cap on.

I started this book but was not able to finish it since it did not capture my interest. I love a good food memoir, but this one just did not capture me. My apologies to the author.