Kimberley believes the way we think about mental health, as separate from physical health, is flawed. Drawing on her work as a psychologist, and a master’s degree in nutrition, her philosophy of Whole Body Mental Health is a comprehensive approach to mental health care, integrating evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle factors with psychological therapy. Passionate about the power of psychology to transform lives, Kimberley is also committed to demystifying the theories and putting the information into the hands of the people who need it through social media, podcasts, television appearances, live events and regular appearances on expert panels. She is the author of two books Unprocessed: How the Food We Eat is Fuelling our Mental Health Crisis (2023) and How to Build a Healthy Brain (2020), and has written for BBC Science Focus and Psychologies Magazine. She writes and hosts the BBC podcast Complex, unpicking the information (and misinformation) around mental health. She also hosted Made of Stronger Stuff and the scientific segment of One Dish, both on BBC Radio 4. She regularly appears on ITV’s Lorraine and been the featured mental health expert on several Channel 4 series and documentaries.
The brain is the hungriest organ in the body, using between 20%-60% of a resting rate calories depending on our age. This means nutrition is essential for healthy brain development and proper brain function from childhood to old age. But, while most people now what they should do to take care of their physical wellbeing, most of us don’t know what our brains need to be healthy. With mental health conditions on the rise around the world the preventative and protective role of nutrition as never been more important.
Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:
Identify the key nutrients required for brain development and function, and describe the best dietary sources for each.
Analyze the impact of sugar consumption on mood, behavior, and aggression.
Describe the role of the gut microbiome in brain health and its connection to anxiety and emotional well-being.