This week’s Tango Alpha Lima podcast features special guest Dr. Uma Naidoo, who shares her knowledge on how our diets affect our brains and mental wellness.
We’ve all heard the phrase “you are what you eat.” But do you know about the correlation between what you eat and your brain?
Then tune into this week’s episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast where Dr. Uma Naidoo shares her expertise on how our diets play a role on the brain and mental health. She is a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef, nutritional biologist, and author of the bestselling books, “This is Your Brain on Food” and “Calm Your Mind with Food.”
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, the conversation focused on the sense of community similar to what is found in the military and healthy foods for a gathering of different cultures. For example, Naidoo talked about a traditional Thanksgiving dish she altered to create a healthier but still tasty version.
Her mac-and-cheese dish uses about half the typical amount of pasta. Naidoo substituted cauliflower and lightened the sauce in the cheese by using other ingredients to bring out the flavor. “You couldn’t really tell it wasn’t the real cheese sauce we’re all used to,” she said. “People don’t need to give up their Thanksgiving favorites. But they can offer up some healthier choices.” Her suggestions included a hummus dip, vegetables and/or a rich colorful salad.
Naidoo is the director of Nutritional, Lifestyle and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, director of Nutritional Psychiatry at the MGH Academy and is on a United Nations task force for mental health.
Some other topics discussed:
• How important is personalization in optimizing mental health and resilience?
“It’s exactly the direction we are moving in for nutritional lifestyle and metabolic psychiatry,” she said, noting that previously that was not the case. “The plans I design now are highly personalized.”
• Her mission in helping people heal using food.
“How do I help people understand food is medicine? Adjusting your lifestyle factors and understanding your metabolism can be extremely powerful. Nutrition is the one factor in all disease models, not just mental wellbeing, that can improve your overall health.”
• To what extent should we avoid sugar?
“Our bodies need sugar but the source of the sugar is what’s important. A clementine or a quarter cup of blueberries is very different than soda.”
• A food she can’t live without?
Dal, an Indian-based dish made with lentils and various vegetables. Her go-to is yellow lentils, vegetables and assorted spices.
Also, co-hosts Stacy Pearsall and Adam Marr:
• Discuss how Thanksgiving got its start amid a war.
• Reveal some Reddit tales of Thanksgivings past.
• Chat about a bear who was in the Polish Army, and loved his beer, cigarettes and boxing.
Check out this week’s episode, which is among more than 280 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima