The Happiness Diet

A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body
by Tyler G. Graham and Drew Ramsey | Rodale Books © 2012 · 304 pages

What if happiness began at the end of your fork? The latest research on neuroscience and nutrition tells us that’s a VERY wise place to start. And, of course, that’s what this book is all about: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body. It’s a really well-written, eye-opening look at how we got into the nutritional mess we’re in and the extremely damaging effects of the modern American diet. And, of course, more importantly, how we can optimize our nutrition so we can dial in the three facets of happiness: our focus, our mood, and our energy.


A large study recently published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that eating processed foods, such as refined carbohydrates, sweets, and processed meats, increased the risk of depression by about 60%. Eating a wholefood diet, on the other hand, decreased the risk of the disease by about 26%.
Tyler Graham and Drew Ramsey

“What if you discovered that the best place to begin your personal pursuit of happiness is at the end of your fork? Emerging research from the fields of neuroscience and nutrition shows that by changing what you eat, you can improve your mental and emotional well-being. You can stabilize your moods. You can improve your focus. You can even make your brain grow.

So what do we mean by happiness? There have been many books published in recent years that explore different approaches to attaining happiness—some from motivation speakers, others from experts in the field of positive psychology. At their core these are suggestions for behavioral changes that are meant to improve your psychological well-being and outlook on life. We are coming at this from a very different perspective: Before you start changing your outlook on life to improve your emotional well-being, we want to make sure your eating behavior is the best it can be so that the master mood regulator—the brain—is provided with what it needs to be strong, sharp, healthy … and happy.

Increasingly, in our experience, it seems that fewer people truly feel they have control over their diet. ‘It’s just too hard to eat right,’ we often hear. ‘Everyone says something different’ is another refrain we get a lot. We want to change this state of affairs and settle the confusion about what needs to be eaten for a happy, healthy brain and body. The Happiness Diet provides concrete tools (tasty ones, too) for doing just that.”

~ Tyler Graham and Drew Ramsey, MD from The Happiness Diet

What if happiness began at the end of your fork?

The latest research on neuroscience and nutrition tells us that’s a VERY wise place to start.

And, of course, that’s what this book is all about: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body.

Tyler Graham is a wellness expert who was the health editor at O, The Oprah Magazine before launching the health section for Details magazine. Drew Ramsey, MD, is a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and practicing psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders. The two teamed up to write a great book.

The Happiness Diet is a really well-written, eye-opening look at how we got into the nutritional mess we’re in and the extremely damaging effects of the modern American diet. And, of course, more importantly, how we can optimize our nutrition so we can dial in the three facets of happiness: our focus, our mood, and our energy. (Get a copy here.)

It’s packed with Big Ideas and I’m excited to share a few of my favorites so let’s jump in!

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About the authors

Authors

Tyler G. Graham

Co-author of The Happiness Diet.
Authors

Drew Ramsey

Psychiatrist, author, and farmer.