BDNF and a Special Brain Health Culinary Event with Dr. Drew Ramsey’s Mental Fitness Kitchen
What is BDNF?
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important signaling protein in our central nervous system. It plays a critical role in helping our brain to forge and maintain connections between nerves, including as this relates to learning and memory. As we get older, our levels of BDNF naturally decrease which may cause a decline in our ability to maintain memories. However, we can increase our BDNF to enhance our working memory, to help our brain change via neuroplasticity, and to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Healthy lifestyle habits that can increase BDNF include exercise, quality sleep, practicing time-restricted feeding or intermittent fasting (if safe and appropriate for you as determined by your physician), and using mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga to reduce stress. Specific diet content can also boost BDNF via nutrients in some of our favorite healthy foods. To learn more please join us for our September Food-as-Medicine class to hear more about BDNF and its amazing brain benefits!
Special September Synergy Kitchen Event with the Mental Fitness Kitchen and Dr. Drew Ramsey
We are thrilled to announce a special guest-chef-led event to kick off the return of our culinary medicine series in September! On Monday, September 19th at 6pm we hope you’ll join us to prepare nutrient-dense foods for brain growth with popular and renown nutritional psychiatrist, Dr. Drew Ramsey, and Chef Emilie Berner of the Mental Fitness Kitchen.
Drew Ramsey, MD @DrewRamseyMD is a psychiatrist, author, and farmer. His work focuses on clinical excellence, nutritional interventions and creative media. He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and in active telemedicine clinical practice based in New York City.
His work has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Lancet Psychiatry, The Today Show, BBC, and NPR and he has given three TEDx talks. He is the co-author of the Antidepressant Food Scale and his e-courses on Nutritional Psychiatry education for the public and clinicians. His books Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety (Harperwave 2021), Eat Complete, 50 Shades of Kale, and The Happiness Diet explore the connections between mental health and nutrition. He is on the Advisory Board at Men’s Health, the Editorial Board at Medscape Psychiatry, and is a member of the Well+Good Wellness Council.
Emilie Berner, MA, IHC, is a health coach and chef. In addition to her leadership in the Mental Fitness Kitchen, she has expertise teaching cooking & nutrition, and works with clients to better manage their health through dietary and lifestyle adjustments. Emilie received her Masters Degree in Food Studies from New York University, and her health coaching certification from Duke Integrative Medicine. She trained at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health Supportive Culinary Arts, and is the Chef & Coordinator at NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital’s Teaching Kitchen, where she also manages the organic garden.
We hope you will join us for a fun evening filled with food to power your brain and a Q&A with one of the most knowledgeable people in the field, Dr. Ramsey.
COVID Vaccine Booster Updates
Updated “bivalent” COVID boosters have recently been approved by the FDA. These vaccines, manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna, include components of the original virus strain and the Omicron variant. They are designed to give broad protection against COVID-19, including better protection against the Omicron variant (including BA.5 – the current dominant variant). The monovalent mRNA vaccines are no longer authorized for use as boosters (but will still be used for the primary vaccine series). We expect to receive the new bivalent boosters in the coming weeks and we expect to have them available for our members. Adults ( 18 years of age and older) are eligible for a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any monovalent COVID-19 vaccine. The same applies for Pfizer’s vaccine with the exception that it can be administered to those 12 and over. Booster dosing is based only on the date of your most recent vaccine; it is not dependent upon if or when you had COVID illness.
September SENS Event: The Exercise Cure: Optimizing Health & Wellbeing Through Movement
On Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 pm, join us and Dr. Jordan Metzl, a nationally renowned sports medicine physician, best-selling author, and avid athlete, who will be giving guidance on how to prevent injury while exercising, the importance of recovery and living healthier as we age.
This article does not constitute the practice of medicine, healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always talk to your healthcare provider regarding your specific medical needs.