As a kid of the 70s, I grew up on tuna casseroles and Kool Aid. No one talked about connections between what we ate and our moods back then. These days there is an increasing understanding that diet is important not only for physical health, but also for mental health. So I thought I would finally look more deeply into how we may all be able to support healing from trauma and general mental health through what we eat (or don’t).

On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon I met with Mary Kay Irving at Fresh Thymes (my new favorite restaurant – thank you Mary Kay!). Mary Kay is a certified nutrition therapist and licensed clinical social worker in Boulder. She works at Mental Health Partners, and also has a private practice in which she offers psychotherapy and holistic nutrition coaching. I was intrigued by this combination and excited to learn more about what she had to say about nutrition and mental health.