Food and mood: Episode 21

About this episode Just like it can the rest of our body, our lifestyle choices (including sleep, exercise and importantly, our diet) can impact the health of our brains too. Our brains need a diverse range of nutrients, from a diverse diet, to perform at their best. When this happens, it can result in meaningful improvements to our mental health too. Learn more about this fascinating area of research with our guest Dr Wolf Marx from the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University. He talks us through the science linking what we eat to our brain, mood, and mental health. About today's guest Dr Wolf Marx is an NHMRC Emerging Leader and Senior Research Fellow at the Food & Mood Centre, where he leads the Nutraceutical Research stream. Wolfgang's current research program covers a broad range of projects involving the use nutraceuticals for mental health, fatigue, and cognition. Of particular interest is the role of polyphenols – compounds found abundantly in spices, fruits, and vegetables – in brain health and the gut microbiome. Supporting resources A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the 'SMILES' trial) https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y Does the evidence support a relationship between higher levels of nut consumption, lower risk of depression, and better mood state in the general population? A systematic review https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/nutrit/nuac022/6564770?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false Sign up to NutENews Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn Credits Host: Belinda Neville Contact us [email protected]