Unprocessed: How the Food We Eat Is Fuelling Our Mental Health Crisis

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What changes (if any) will you make either personally or professionally as a result of reading ‘Unprocessed’? How will you maintain these? We all know that as a nation our mental health is in crisis. But what most don't know is that a critical ingredient in this debate, and a crucial part of the solution— what we eat—is being ignored. A powerful book that breaks down the dangerous beliefs that food is just fuel and delivers an important message we can all get behind... the evidence Kimberley presents in this book will change lives and hopefully policy' - Professor Tim Spector

In this eye-opening and impassioned book, psychologist Kimberley Wilson draws on startling new research—as well as her own work in prisons, schools and hospitals around the country—to reveal the role of food and nutrients in brain development and mental health: from how the food a woman eats during pregnancy influences the size of her baby's brain, and hunger makes you mean; to how nutrient deficiencies change your personality.Patients do tell me I don’t let them get away with anything. They imagine I’ll be lovely, chatty and passive, when in fact I think good therapy – while needing to feel safe and supportive – should also be challenging. You should be made to think not just about what has happened to you, but what you do to yourself, and to others. We all know that as a nation our mental health is in crisis. But what most don't know is that a critical ingredient in this debate, and a crucial part of the solution - what we eat - is being ignored. The chapter exploring the influence of alcohol caught my attention. Apart from making me reconsider my weekend bottle of wine, the focus of this chapter was around Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Wilson walks a difficult line between outlining healthy alcohol consumption choices for women whilst not shaming them for decisions that may unwittingly have implications for the future health of their child. If you are hoping to conceive or are currently pregnant or have young children then the book has some merit. If you are, like me, middle aged then you may as well give up all hope as the author does not give you any.

Be honest with me, wherever possible. Being treated like a fool winds me up no end. We’ll get on much better if you’re straight with me. It’s not just that I dislike dishonesty. Honestly? I think it makes you seem weak. Own the truth. Never look. It’s like skipping to the end of a movie to find out the twist. Why would I spoil it for myself? The second villain is the UK government, who Wilson excoriates for failing to regulate the content of produced food and thereby protect public health. Wilson has very clear and critical opinions regarding the legacy of the austerity policy initiated in 2011 and the conduct of the government throughout the Covid-19 crisis. Although this political polemicising may not be to everyone’s taste, readers are left in no doubt to Wilson’s views about potential shortcomings of government over the last decade. If you’re on the go, Wilson suggests opting for something that is as close to what you could make at home. The emerging consensus is that the higher the inflammatory potential of a person’s diet, the worse their brain function will tend to be,” she writes. “A large prospective study, which followed over 26,000 people for an average of five years, found that those with a more pro-inflammatory diet had a greater risk of developing depression.” Eat yourself happyHer book includes examples of how this affects brain health throughout life: “If a mother doesn’t eat enough of the right fats during pregnancy, her baby’s brain is smaller and less well connected.” In adulthood: “Just a few days on a diet of high-sugar, high-fat, ultra-processed foods leads to measurable impairment in learning, memory and appetite control.” Ultra-processed food (UPF) is to blame Elsewhere, Wilson considers whether there is a relationship between poor nutrition and school exclusion and then lays out the evidence for this hypothesis. The topic of behaviour in schools has featured quite prominently in both the news and social media of late. Regrettably, the topic has become polarised within the latter online environment. However, Wilson’s arguments around the correlation between diet and behaviour are compelling and present a challenge to those with ‘behaviourist’ views of discipline to consider a more complex and nuanced perspective of behaviour in schools. Coffee: Take action. There is, though, good news for coffee drinkers. Moderate coffee consumption (two to four cups per day) has been linked to better brain health and reduced risk of cognitive decline, in part because caffeine regulates a neuroprotective brain enzyme.