Food & Mood Academy

The latest Global Burden of Disease Study puts mental disorders as the #1 disability burden worldwide.

These numbers raise a question we think about a lot: what tools do we actually have?

Lifestyle medicine is one worth taking seriously. Sleep, nutrition, movement, social connection. Tthe evidence for their impact on mental health is stronger than we may realise.

Life and Mind is the program built by researchers, clinicians and importantly individuals with lived experience. Designed for health professionals who are ready to incorporate lifestyle medicine in their clinics.

👉 https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/academy/life-and-mind/

Currently 40% off.

Last week we were joined by Distinguished Professor Michael Berk as part of our 2026 free educational webinar series.

Prof. Berk introduced the evidence for lifestyle medicine in mental health practice, including the importance of person-centred care, principles for integrating lifestyle medicine into routine mental health care, and the 5 A's of for incorporating lifestyle medicine into mental health consultations.

Dr Tetyana Rocks added to this conversation, introducing attendees to skills, techniques and tips for supporting sustainable behaviour change in practice.

If you missed out, we've put the link in the comments below for you to catch up on the recording.

Approximately 1 in 7 people globally live with a mental disorder, and mental disorders now rank as the 5th leading cause of health burden worldwide.

Even after accounting for population changes between 1990 and 2023, mental disorder prevalence rose by 24%.

Mental disorders rob people of quality of life and functioning, often for years or decades, and are the #1 disability burden worldwide.

These findings from the latest update for the Global Burden of Disease Study are troubling. Mental ill health isn't going away, and no country has been spared.

The numbers are striking, but as clinicians, they may not come as a shock. You're probably seeing this in your practice.

Patients and clients are increasingly interested in lifestyle changes. The question is whether our training has equipped us to answer their questions and support meaningful change.

Evidence continues to show a positiveimpact of lifestyle changes on depression, anxiety, and overall mental wellbeing when offered alongside conventional care.

What are you seeing? Are lifestyle interventions being sought out by your clients? Do you feel well equipped to answer their questions?


DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00519-2

Don't miss out on your chance to hear from Distinguished Professor Michael Berk and Dr Tetyana Rocks 🇺🇦 at our next webinar happening on Monday!

For clinicians, researchers and community members interested in deepening their understanding how lifestyle factors impact mental health outcomes and how they can be applied in clinical settings in a person-centred and evidence-informed way to create sustainable and meaningful change.

Can't make it live? Sign up anyway to receive the recording.

When: Monday May 18, 4pm AEST
Where: Zoom

Secure your place here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/beyond-the-script-embedding-lifestyle-into-routine-mental-health-practice-tickets-1987875315581?aff=AcademySocials

A conversation with Professor Michael Berk.

That's right, our next webinar has been announced and we are incredibly grateful to be joined by leading researcher, Alfred Deakin Chair of Psychiatry at Deakin University and Barwon Health, and all round wonderful person, Distinguished Professor Michael Berk.

In this conversation we're discussing the evidence for lifestyle factors in mental health care, the clinical impact, the evidence-to-practice gap and ways that lifestyle conversations can be embedded into routine clinical practice.

This one is for all our clinicians friends looking to find practical ways to support patients to make meaningful lifestyle changes to support their mood and mental health.

Come prepared with your questions or drop them in the comments below now 👇

📅Monday May 18
⏱️4pm -5pm AEST
📌Online

Secure your place now: www.eventbrite.com.au/e/beyond-the-script-embedding-lifestyle-into-routine-mental-health-practice-tickets-1987875315581?aff=AcademySocials

We're all about adding over here at the Food & Mood Academy, and there's probably nothing we love to add more than beans!

Beans are exceptionally versatile and make a great breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. They are a great source of dietary fibre, plant-based protein and a variety of essential vitamins and minerals.

Paired with your favourite multigrain toast, you've got a nutritious, tasty and filling meals.

Here we've shown you 4 combinations, but the possibilities are pretty much endless!

Which combination will you be trying this week?

Are you a practitioner in Australia?

Dr Tetyana Rocks will be speaking at the Bio Concepts Neuro Resilience Summit 2026 🧠

📆 Saturday 31 October – Sunday 1 November 2026
📍 Sofitel Brisbane Central, 249 Turbot Street, Brisbane

In this session, “Nourishing the Mind: Practical Applications of Nutritional Psychiatry Research,” Tetyana will be exploring the growing evidence base in Nutritional Psychiatry, examining how diet, gut health and lifestyle factors influence mood and mental health—particularly depression.

This presentation will translate current research into practical, real-world strategies, helping practitioners:

✅ Understand diet–gut–brain connections in mental health
✅ Identify nutrition and gut focused approaches to support mood
✅ Apply behaviour change strategies in clinical practice
✅ Explore pathways for further education in Nutritional Psychiatry

👉 See what’s coming to the Bio Concepts Neuro Resilience Summit: https://www.bioconcepts.com.au/neuro-resilience-summit

Get the most out of your food.

With the cost of food being so high (and expected to increase), we're always looking for ways to reduce our food waste.

What are some small things we can do to get the most out of the food that we buy?

📃 Plan your meals and shop with a list
🥕 Store fruits and vegetables in ways that extend their shelf life
🗑️ Stop before you throw food out. Soft veggies can still be good to eat. They may need rehydrating to get their crunch back or they can be cooked into a meal.
❄️ Think of the freezer as your friend. Buy frozen for items that are likely to go to waste, freeze scraps to make stock, freeze herbs in oil for cooking later, freeze overripe fruit for smoothies or baking!

What tips would you share to get the most out of the food you buy?

Dr Tetyana Rocks & Phelia Harrison presented to the Year 12 students at The Geelong College last week.

Year 12 is a big year for a lot of students, and having the knowledge and tools to support mental health, focus and resilience can make a big difference.

This presentation had a strong focus on the gut-brain connection, making sustainable food changes to support mental wellbeing, and other lifestyle habits that can support mood and mental health.

Thanks to the team at The Geelong College for inviting us along and to all the students for making this a wonderful event!