Welcome to the MHD Newsletter

A 3-minute weekly read where you will be encouraged to get reflective with a journal prompt, learn with a new book each month, hear about nutrition in the news from the perspective of a dietitian, and updates about what we have going on over in team MHD. This is our first ever newsletter and it’s so great to have you early subscribers with us.

Weekly check in: This week is week 23/52! Almost halfway through the year. An important time to take stock, reflect on what you were hoping to achieve this year and how you can get yourself there. For us, this week has been about re-launching, moving from ‘Dietitian Sophie’ to “Mental Health Dietitians’. And doing so with purpose, keeping things value-aligned and doing what we set out to do when becoming dietitians- helping and empowering others.

Journal prompt for this week: 

What is really important to me?

I always encourage my clients to come back to the ‘Big picture’ - the things that actually matter.

Podcast recommendation: #383 of Dr Rangan Chatergee’s podcast- “Top 5 Regrets of the dying: Life Lessons everybody learns too late”

One of those podcasts that gets you really thinking, and if you are like me- maybe crying too. As you can probably tell, this podcast comes with plenty of discussion of death and dying, so please consider this a trigger warning.

June Book of the month: 

 The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler

Can’t wait to get into this book as I know perfectionism is a struggle so many of our clients battle with!

Nutrition in the news: 

An Initial Look into Psychedelics for the Treatment of Eating Disorders.

This was a real interest to me as a couple of years ago I had a number of clients applying to be participants in studies investigating the use of psychedelics for the treatment of Eating Disorders.

Recovery is also, very hard, so the possibility of having safe medication that can help support recovery could have a biggg impact.

The hypothesis being investigated by a number of studies is that because psychedelics have been found to boost neuroplasticity, (the ability for neural networks in the brain to change and become ‘rewired’) they may help to support change in recovery. As recovery from eating disorders requires ‘rewiring’ of the brain and overcoming habitual behaviours.

Here are the highlights from the study:

• The research regarding the use of psychedelics in the treatment of eating disorders is still very much in its infancy, but preliminary findings have been promising.

• Participants across the included studies reported largely positive experiences and shows that patients are keen to explore the use of psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy as part of treatment for EDs.

• Understandably, some participants noted concerns about potential side effects and highlighted the importance of thorough psychological support before, during, and/or after a psychedelic treatment experience.

• There is currently not enough evidence to determine which types of psychedelics may be best suited for intervention for EDs, or to what extent they may support a full recovery. Further research is of course needed before it can be recommended.

All in all, it sounds promising, I will keep you updated on research in this area.

That’s all from us, back again same time next week.

Look after yourself <3

Sophie and the team at Mental Health Dietitians.