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Primer in Nutritional Psychiatry: MGH Certification In Nutrition & Mental Health

Course Open/Close: Mar 1, 2023 - May 31, 2027Available Credits: 7.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ 7.00 Nursing Contact Hours 8.00 Social Workers 7.00 Participation 7.00 Psychologists CE Credit Register For This Course

Course Details

Dr. Uma Naidoo's Primer in Nutritional Psychiatry: MGH Certification In Nutrition & Mental Health


We are currently accepting enrollments. The course will open on March 1, 2023.


One of the exciting new frontiers in Nutritional Psychiatry is gut-brain research which uncovers and connects these two organs with the food-mood connection.

As a young doctor at a Harvard hospital, Dr. Uma Naidoo, MD identified the gap in mental health and asked:

“Why are we not asking our patients about nutrition when we are prescribing medications that have so many metabolic side effects?” She learned early on that interpreting nutrition to a patient is a powerful life changing clinical tool and she pursued this path. This led to her being the Founding Director of the only clinical service in the USA in Nutritional and Metabolic Psychiatry based at MGH and Harvard Medical School.

This course asks the question: “What if we told you there was a tangible way to achieve these clinical goals for our patients?”

We all eat every day - why not make it count? Through the practice of nutritional psychiatry, one appreciates that food can be the most natural, and powerful, form of medicine. This course is designed as an exclusive primer with never-before-shared content in which you will learn evidence-based healing protocols along with the research behind specific mental health disorders. You will learn how to use the innovative principles of nutritional psychiatry to help heal your clients. We all have power at the end of our forks.


Required Courses

You must complete the following prerequisite before taking this course: The Cooking Show for Mental Health Professionals

Please click on the title below to register for this program. 

The Cooking Show for Mental Health Professionals


Pricing 

MDs/Doctoral-Level Professionals: $600
Other Professionals and Trainees: $525 
Residents and Fellows: $250
Students: $200


Cancellation Policy

Refunds may be issued up two weeks after registration. An administrative fee of $25.00 will be deducted from your refund. Please email us at mghcme@mgh.harvard.edu with questions or concerns.


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Course Summary

Available Credits:7.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ 7.00 Nursing Contact Hours 8.00 Social Workers 7.00 Participation 7.00 Psychologists CE Credit
Course Topic:Nutrition
Course Format:On-Demand Course
Target Audience:

This program is intended for:

  • Psychologists
  • Physicians
  • Social workers
  • Nurses
  • Nutritionists
  • Registered Dietitians
  • Health Coaches
Course Opens: Mar 1, 2023
Course Closes: May 31, 2027
Cost: $600.00

Learning Objectives

By the end of this activity, participants will be able to: 

  • Apply the science behind the gut brain connection in other specialties in order to empower patients from pretreatment through treatment
  • Describe the history of Nutritional Psychiatry and project its potential to reach more patients with mental health conditions in comparison to the traditional mental healthcare system
  • Describe the relationship between the gut and schizophrenia to apply the understanding of the gut brain connection to develop nutritional strategies to manage symptoms
  • Describe the studies that have found that nutrition has the ability to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety and how their finding may influence care
  • Analyze the specific design and results of these studies which consideration of case reviews to develop clinical strategy
  • Analyze the research on populations with lower incidence of cognitive decline to identify which foods support cognition
  • Identify which foods cause insomnia and describe how to eat for better sleep
  • Describe the eating patterns that have been shown to reduce the impact of trauma on mental health and list which foods can reduce the symptoms of PTSD when eaten consistently over time
  • Analyze the relationship between the gut and symptoms of OCD to plan dietary strategies to fight symptoms Major mental illnesses & Nutritional Strategies
  • Describe the relationship between the gut and bipolar disorder and bipolar disorder to apply the understanding of the gut brain connection to develop nutritional strategies to manage symptoms
  • Explain how the microbiome is intimately related to the health of other organs and apply this knowledge across clinical specialties
  • Apply the science behind the gut, the brain and genetics to understand the to our genes connection in in order to help patients understand this to improve their health
  • Describe the studies that support either a meat forward or plant forward diet and offer reasons why each may be able to improve symptoms of mood or anxiety.
  • Identify 3 plant polyphenols and their impact on both neurological and mental well-being.

We have a dedicated staff member who is available by phone 5 days per week between 8 am and 5 pm by calling 866-644-7792 or email at mghcme@mgh.harvard.edu. All inquiries will be dealt with in a timely  (within one business day) and professional manner. Requests for credits or refunds will be reviewed by the Director of the Division of Professional and Public Education, Massachusetts General Hospital. Please refer to our cancellation policy for additional information.”