To kick off season three of The Merry Menopause Bookclub podcast I am delighted to be joined by Kimberley Wilson Chartered Psychologist and author of How to Build a Healthy Brain.
Kimberley believes the way we think about mental health – as separate from physical health – is flawed. Her philosophy of Whole Body Mental Health is a comprehensive approach to mental health care; integrating evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle factors with psychological therapy.
Kimberley co-hosts the podcast Made of Stronger Stuff on BBC Radio 4 and her own podcast Stronger Minds and is often recognised as a former finalist on the Great British Bake Off! She has been the mental health expert on several Channel 4 documentaries and is a regular contributor to Lorraine on ITV.
In this fascinating episode Kimberley reveals the shocking fact that depression is the leading cause of disability across the world and dementia and Alzheimer’s are the leading cause of death in the UK, overtaking heart disease and diabetes. With this in mind, we need to start looking at an holistic and preventative approach to mental health, acknowledging the relationship between the brain and the body rather than thinking of the two as separate.
We discuss the long term use of anti-depressants and why we should be reassessing the causes of depression. What is making people feel bad for so long? And the importance of diet, exercise, community, optimism and resilience on our short and long term brain health.
This episode is a must-listen if you want to understand how important it is that we look at how we live day to day and the impact that has on our mental health. We forgot that our brain is an organ and we need to take care of it as much as we take care of our heart.
Kimberley’s book choice
Lisa Feldmen Barrett , Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain
You can find our more about Kimberley at https://www.kimberleywilson.co