NUTRITION AND MENTAL HEALTH: A HANDBOOK by Martina Watts
DYSLOGIC SYNDROME by Dr Bernard Rimland
THEY ARE WHAT YOU FEED THEM By Dr Alex Richardson
SO YOUNG, SO SAD, SO LISTEN by Philip Graham & Carol Hughes
GOING MAD? UNDERSTANDING MENTAL ILLNESS by Michael Corry and Aine Tubridy
Also See:
THE FOOD AND MOOD HANDBOOK by Amanda Geary – in Mind/Body section
BOOKS
Nutrition and Mental Health: a handbook by Martina Watts
This book brings together the papers presented at a series of recent conferences and includes a fascinating range of speakers and topics.
They include, amongst
others, Dr Abram Hoffer who has been successfully treating schizophrenia with vitamin B3 (niacin) for more than 50 years; Dr Natasha Campbell McBride a leading expert on children with gut disorders and mental health problems; Dr Alex Richardson a pioneer of the use of omega 3 fatty acids to treat ADHD and dyslexia and Linda Trott who son Duncan, aged 17, was held in an adult psychiatric ward, diagnosed with schizophrenia and heavily medicated for several years before his problems were identified as food sensitivities and the residue of a severe infant infection. The papers have been edited and are introduced by nutritionist Martina Watts who also organised the conferences.
A fascinating read for anyone interested in the connection between mental health and nutrition; essential and illuminating reading for those working in the mental health sector.
Published by Pavilion
Publishing @ £19.95
ISBN 978-1-84196-245-0
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Dyslogic Syndrome by Dr Bernard Rimland
The founder of the Autism Society of America and himself the father of an autistic son, Dr Rimland is one of the world’s foremost research psychologists and, over the last 40 years, has revolutionised thinking about autism.
As he describes in the introduction, when his son was born, conditions such as autism were blamed squarely on parental failure and the few treatments available were exclusively psychotherapeutic.
Now thanks to the untiring work of practitioners such as Dr Rimland himself, Dr Carl Pfeiffer, Dr Ben Feingold and many others, there is a much wider (although far from universal)
acceptance that not only autism but hyperactivity, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, depression, aggressive, violent and many other disordered behaviours, result from biological malfunctioning of the brain.
Dr Rimland has christened this condition the Dyslogic Syndrome and in this accessible but detailed book, he describes the victims of the syndrome and illustrates how, contrary to common belief, upbringing has little or no effect on behaviour, sociological and psychological interventions are ineffective and drug treatments positively harmful.
He then moves on to examine what he sees as ‘the environmental, dietary and medical causes’ of dysfunctional thinking and behaviour.
The first of these is diet – junk and overprocessed foods, additives, food sensitivity and nutritional deficiencies.
The second is environmental toxicity – heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, manganese), endocrine disrupters, pesticides, alcohol and tobacco.
The third is medical interventions, whether as drugs
(including antibiotics), vaccinations and drug-induced labour and birth.
The last section of the book loudly affirms and illustrates Dr Rimland’s belief that no brain disorder, no matter how apparently overwhelming (and this includes serious physical trauma) is hopeless.
This is followed by four basic action plans – for parents, for teachers and schools, for physicians and healthcare professionals and for judges, prison warders, probation officers and members of the justice system.
A ‘must-read’ book for anyone involved with behavioural problems in children or adults.
Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN 978 1 84310 877
Recommended retail price £16.99
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They Are What You Feed Them by Dr Alex Richardson
Early on in the introduction to her new book Dr Richardson says that she hopes that your copy will become dog-eared and covered in highlighter and notes - not left to gather dust on a shelf - and I am sure that her hopes will be fulfilled. Anyone who has heard her speak will know that she has that gift, rare among academics - of making
complex, technical or scientific subjects fun and interesting and,
fortunately for her readers, she writes as she speaks.
Although there are a healthy chunk of appendices and
references at the back of the book, They are what you feed them is
primarily a manual for parents of children with behavioural, mood,
and learning difficulties - Dr Richardson’s own area of expertise - although her nutritional advice holds good for all children.
‘Labels like dyslexia, ADHD or autism can be useful but they do little to explain or help these conditions. If your child has been given one of these labels you may have been told that there’s little or nothing you can do. You can do something, and one very fundamental thing that may help is to look at your child’s diet. Junk food diets are now recognised as a serious risk to the physical health of young children but their effect on behaviour, learning and mood are still largely ignored. I believe that children's diets can affect not only their physical, but their mental health and performance.’
She then goes on to look at the average child’s diet, the food industry that produces the food they eat and the behavioural and learning problems (dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, autism) that affect around 20% of school age children, often accompanied by emotional and physiological (usually digestive) problems.
What is going on
Chapters 4-7 provide a guide to essential nutrients, how the digestive system works, additives, allergies and intolerances and the importance of eating for balanced energy - carbohydrate and sugar regulation. Next she tackles the horrendously complex subject of dietary fats - what is what, what do the labels mean, which ones we need, which ones we can make for ourselves, which ones we can’t - and the relationship between omega-3 fatty acids, behaviour and learning.
Action plan
Having given you a good understanding of the subject she then outlines a three month plan which includes not just dietary advice (and a clutch of tasty recipes) but some very useful motivational suggestions. Do not try to do too much too quickly, set an example, see things from your child’s point of view, show interest and praise, look for ‘positive intention’ behind your child’s actions, set goals, be flexible, think about any ‘limiting beliefs’ you may have and be passing on to your child (‘I can’t cook well’ should become 'I can find some easy recipes and maybe take a cookery course’); visualise, with your child, what people will be saying about the new you and the new him or her - and get outside. Fresh air, exercise and sunlight are essential for
mental wellbeing.
An excellent read for anyone interested in the relationship between food and nutrition - essential reading for any parent, carer or health professional working with that 20% of children now categorised as ‘difficult’ and often ‘unmanageable’.
They are what you feed them - by Dr Alex Richardson
is published by Thorsons (ISBN 0-00-718225-2) at £12.99
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So Young, So Sad, So Listen by Philip Graham & Carol Hughes
In any one year, in an average secondary school, 50 children in every 1000 will suffer from clinical depression; in a primary school with 400 children, eight children will be seriously depressed. (How many of those could be allergic children failing to cope with their allergies?)
The figures come from the Royal College of Psychiatry which has just published this excellent book, So young, So sad, So listen to help parents, teachers, social workers, doctors and the children themselves.
With a forward by Philip Pullman.
Publisher: Gaskell Books - ISBN-13: 978-1904671237
Recommended retail price £7.50
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Going Mad? Understanding Mental Illness by Michael Corry and Aine Tubridy
This is a fascinating book by a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist both working
in Ireland. As they say in the introduction, their book aims to empower the
psychologically distressed and those close to them by helping to normalise
and make sense of their predicaments... and will encourage people to relate
to madness not as a disease or a mistake, but as a messenger whose mission
is to draw attention to a lack of balance into the way a person may be living.
Emphasising the key roles that fear, self loathing and the desire to escape
can play they use case studies to examine schizophrenia, mania, obsessive compulsive
disorders, depression, panic attacks, post traumatic stress disorder, paranoia
and ‘the broken heart’. In each case they examine the life experiences
of the person which could have led to the need to escape into madness - then
put the case to a panel of experts - a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, an
energy therapist, a mid-brain specialist, a homeopath, a spiritual healer and
a layman.
They result is a profoundly enlightening and disturbing book - hugely helpful
for anyone suffering from, or caring for, a sufferer from mental illness.
Published by New Leaf ISBN 0-7171-3283-8
Recommended retail price £8-99
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