Workshops

This workshop on nutraceuticals will first give an overview on why additional nutrients may be necessary for some people above dietary change alone. Dr Mischoulon, Prof Rucklidge and Dr Sarris will discuss the current state of the field including the evidence on using single nutrients like minerals, vitamins, omega 3s and probiotics to treat mental illness as well as combination approaches. They will discuss safety aspects, using nutrients as adjuncts to medications as well as discuss potential mechanism of action. The workshop will discuss practical ways that mental health professionals could implement this research into every day practice.

Presenter Information:
Dr David Mischoulon – – Harvard Medical School, USA
Prof Julia Rucklidge – University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Prof Jerome Sarris – The University of Melbourne, Australia

This workshop is facilitated by dietitians with experience in dietary interventions and nutrition research with people who suffer from mental illness. Dr Natalie Parletta will give an overview of the cardiometabolic and health benefits of traditional Mediterranean-style dietary patterns. Dr Parletta and Scott Teasdale will share their experience working with patients at all stages of mental illness (from ultra high risk to early psychosis to established illness to the very high risk clozapine clinics, i.e. prevention and treatment of poor cardiometabolic health) in community mental health settings, and together with Rachelle Opie will discuss a clinical approach to successful dietary change for people with mental illness.

Presenter Information:
Dr Scott Teasdale – NSW Health, Australia

In this “Brain Food Prescription” Workshop for clinicians, we review the latest available research linking nutrition to mental health along with practical tips about addressing diet in your medical practice. The evidence suggests changing dietary habits may be one of the most powerful mechanisms we have to improve resiliency to stress and to mitigate or prevent the development of mental illness. However, nutrition literature is often contradictory, controversial, constantly changing and can leave clinicians unsure what is safe and effective to recommend. We will provide an evidence-based guide to navigate these murky waters. We begin with an interactive session discussing food as a vital sign, demonstrating and practicing a simple food assessment and how to integrate available evidence and stages of change in the process of motivating healthy dietary habits. We will then review specific vitamins, minerals, and foods along with global dietary patterns and their links to mental illness based on the recent literature. We discuss how gut and brain health are linked and provide insight from the increasing evidence linking microbiome changes to mental illness and cognitive function. We also address specialty diets (such as vegetarian, low-carb, fasting, etc.) and their health and psychiatric implications. Attendees have an opportunity to apply the knowledge learned along with a question and answer session.

Presenter Information:
Emily Deans MD – Harvard Medical School, USA
Drew Ramsey MD – Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, USA
Laura LaChance MD, University of Toronto/CAMH, Canada