There is a powerful connection between our nutrition, our relationship with food, our embodiment and body image, and our mental health. When we’re undernourished—whether in calories, protein, or essential micronutrients—our brain doesn’t receive what it needs to thrive. This is one reason anxiety and depression are more common in people with disordered eating: the brain is deeply sensitive to nutritional status. And beyond biology, food anxiety and body distress significantly affect quality of life and perceived happiness.

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Nutritional Psychology is an emerging field that explores exactly this: how dietary patterns shape brain health, mood, and cognitive function. Research consistently shows that eating patterns such as the Mediterranean or plant-forward diet can reduce inflammation, support cognitive resilience, and lower the risk of mental health concerns and neurodegenerative conditions.

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Our gut health plays an equally profound role. The gut and brain communicate constantly through the vagus nerve—a “superhighway” sending signals in both directions. A gut-supportive diet can influence neurotransmitter production, too: about 90% of our serotonin and 50% of our dopamine are produced in the gut. Vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and other bioactive compounds found in whole, colorful foods act as cofactors that further support mood and brain function.

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Chrononutrition—the combined impact of meal timing, consistency, circadian rhythm, sleep hygiene, and daily routines—adds another layer. Every cell in the body has its own “little clock,” and aligning our lifestyle with these rhythms supports energy, mood, metabolic health, and long-term brain wellness.

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When we look at nutrition, gut health, emotional eating patterns, lifestyle habits, and food relationship together, we gain a far more complete—and compassionate—picture of what supports healing and mental well-being.

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I bring this integrative view to my work. I contract with the Intensive Outpatient Program at Georgetown University Hospital, where I teaches nutrition groups for adolescents and young adults navigating mental health challenges. I also has advanced training in nutritional psychiatry and mental health nutrition. On a personal level, as a carrier of one copy of the APOE4 allele—which increases lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s 2–3x— and one copy of the c677T MTHFR mutation, I understand the importance of self-care not just for short-term well-being, but for long-term cognitive health and quality of life.