I am venturing a guess that most Americans don't give a lot of thought to how the foods they choose to eat effect their mental health. Most of us tend to eat because we have to, for fun, maybe out of boredom or because some foods really tastes good. This week, we will take a look at the ways food/nutrition plays a role in our mental health and overall emotional wellbeing.
Psychotherapy and prescription medications help millions of people manage their mental health every day around the world. But did you know that when paired with traditional treatment, holistic approaches can significantly enhance well-being and improve quality of life?
Holistic, integrative mental health care looks at the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and focuses on creating lasting wellness from the inside out. In this expanded 8-part series, Holistic Mental Health Approaches, we will take a look at various approaches that can go a long way in improving one’s mental health and overall wellbeing.
Frank About Health: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBRIDM9zFt52QdjnyBqOzTImCG0h3yKs3&si=Lhiyxx38VDqSUtyI
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@frankr.harrison4495
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankrharrison/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fharrison
Website: www.frankrharrison.com
#foodismedicine, #mentalhealth, #mindfulness
Tune in for this visionary conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
Shervon Laurice opens this episode of The Expansion Room by exploring how holistic approaches—especially nutrition—play a vital role in strengthening mental, neurological, and emotional health. Guest Frank R. Harrison shares his personal journey with epilepsy, caregiving, and nutrition, explaining how mindful food choices supported both his own healing and his father’s cancer recovery. Together, they highlight the profound impact of the gut-brain axis, showing how balanced nutrition not only reduces brain fog and cravings but also creates more energy, focus, and emotional well-being for living a fuller, more aligned life.
In this segment of The Expansion Room, Shervon Laurice and guest Frank R. Harrison explore the essential nutrients that support mental and cognitive health, highlighting omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and the often-overlooked vitamin D. They explain how deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to depression, anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep, and cognitive decline, while proper intake helps regulate neurotransmitters, reduce inflammation, and promote resilience. Their conversation emphasizes that optimal nutrition is not just about physical wellness but about empowering ourselves with the tools and actions needed to maintain emotional balance, mental clarity, and overall vitality.
In this segment of The Expansion Room, Shervon Laurice emphasizes that there is no universal “mental health diet,” encouraging people to take an intuitive and individualized approach—guided by cultural preferences, allergies, and professional support—to bring healing nutrients into their lives. Frank R. Harrison then introduces a cooking demo featuring almond-crusted salmon with broccoli, prepared to highlight foods that nourish both brain and gut health. The meal demonstrates how omega-3s, sulforaphane, and antioxidant-rich ingredients can reduce inflammation, support neurotransmitter function, and serve as “food as medicine” for emotional balance, cognitive vitality, and overall well-being.
In the final segment of The Expansion Room, Shervon Laurice and Frank R. Harrison focus on how to practically integrate nutrition into daily life for better mental and emotional health. They highlight small, sustainable steps like swapping sugary breakfasts for nutrient-rich options, staying hydrated with electrolytes, and gradually reducing processed foods while adding nourishing choices. The conversation also addresses mindful eating, budget-conscious meal planning, and using resources like bulk shopping and meal guides to make “food as medicine” both accessible and empowering, reminding listeners that transformation is a journey built on steady, intentional choices.
00:00:53.430 --> 00:00:56.800 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Hello, and welcome to the expansion room!
00:00:56.990 --> 00:00:59.210 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: I'm your host, Siobhan Larisse.
00:00:59.370 --> 00:01:04.779 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And this week, we will be continuing our discussion about
00:01:05.129 --> 00:01:18.680 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: the ways that holistic mental health approaches can improve our overall mental health. And this week we'll be talking about nutrition integration, and this week we also have a guest.
00:01:18.860 --> 00:01:24.930 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Frank R. Harrison is joining us, and he is the host of Frank About Health.
00:01:25.080 --> 00:01:32.839 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: on this same network, talkradio.nyc, and Frank, go ahead and introduce yourself.
00:01:33.490 --> 00:01:49.980 Frank R Harrison: Well, it is my pleasure to be on your show. I definitely was so enthralled when you came on Frank About Health, I think it was last April, and as you know, back then, with what all different shapes and sizes of behavior are affecting our nation right now.
00:01:49.980 --> 00:01:55.730 Frank R Harrison: has been affecting mental health, including mine. I have no shame in saying that, and
00:01:55.730 --> 00:02:06.079 Frank R Harrison: I valued your appearance on that show, because you were helping me step forward into a new chapter of Frank About Health, so it is my pleasure to be here today to do the same with you.
00:02:06.530 --> 00:02:24.019 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Thank you, thank you. And can you share a little bit about, what draws you to the mental health space in this way for this particular topic, as we're going to be going forward and talking about?
00:02:24.310 --> 00:02:43.669 Frank R Harrison: Okay, well, I'll just begin where most of my viewers and listeners know that not only do I have a history of living life with epilepsy, but at the same time, I was also dealing with a lot of caregiving scenarios with my father, and in particular, my cousin. She was the first critical case in all of that.
00:02:43.670 --> 00:02:56.680 Frank R Harrison: Now, that was during the time of COVID, so that all became a mushroom effect where I had to pretty much use my neurological experience, which I have a degree in, neuropsychology.
00:02:56.680 --> 00:03:10.959 Frank R Harrison: To really just be thinking about how to advocate for them in particular, especially during a vulnerable time. Now, one of the aspects of nutrition was really more focused on my own weight gain, which I had endured during that period of time.
00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:24.699 Frank R Harrison: So I met with a nutritionist named Rochelle Sirota, giving a shout-out out there, who is an expert in pre-diabetic prevention, or rather, diabetes prevention, especially when your A1C shows that you're pre-diabetic.
00:03:24.750 --> 00:03:37.200 Frank R Harrison: But at the same time, also learning how an individual such as myself, who has to constantly be hydrated to prevent epileptic seizures from occurring, or even just understanding
00:03:37.340 --> 00:03:55.880 Frank R Harrison: how, my body and my mind and my heart and my nervous system is all in relationship to different types of foods. That already was in my own toolbox, if you will. But I had to really, especially with my father's case recently in particular.
00:03:55.930 --> 00:04:03.430 Frank R Harrison: I had to really start doing a lot of research into various minerals, vitamins, herbs, foods.
00:04:03.550 --> 00:04:13.769 Frank R Harrison: You name it, just so that I can understand how a recovering cancer patient can still live a good quality of life by eating right while taking his medication.
00:04:14.060 --> 00:04:20.660 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Indeed. Thank you for sharing that, I appreciate it, because it all is connected, right? Absolutely. It all…
00:04:20.899 --> 00:04:28.869 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Brain health, … mental health, you know, neurological health, it all goes together, so….
00:04:28.870 --> 00:04:29.440 Frank R Harrison: Absolutely.
00:04:29.440 --> 00:04:39.069 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: With that, we'll dive right in, so… when I think about… Integrating nutrition into mental health.
00:04:39.320 --> 00:04:57.240 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: I kind of go back to my 20s, when I was working as a case manager in a mental health facility that was helping people who were, at the time, in the 90s, being released from mental hospitals back into the community.
00:04:57.240 --> 00:05:07.730 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And so there was a lot of helping them get acclimated, right? So I was working with people who had schizophrenia, hard-to-treat bipolar, and some of the other diagnoses.
00:05:07.730 --> 00:05:17.499 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And some of… some depression as well in there. And I noticed something right around… Age 25, 27.
00:05:17.860 --> 00:05:28.170 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And we would have these case management meetings where the psychiatrist was there as well, and I asked the psychiatrist directly.
00:05:29.010 --> 00:05:31.330 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Does nutrition play a role?
00:05:31.530 --> 00:05:41.559 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: in the expression of their mental health symptoms, the clients that I was working with, because I had noticed they ate sugar all day.
00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:51.300 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Snack food all day. Processed food all day. And it was rare for them to get, like, a home-cooked hearty meal.
00:05:52.030 --> 00:05:58.600 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Correct. And he looked at me in this way that I'll never forget, like, I was an idiot, and just said no.
00:05:58.690 --> 00:06:14.959 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And went on with what he was saying. But remember now, this is over 25 years ago, so I was in my 20s. But we have now seen the research catch up with what I was noticing way back then.
00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:20.970 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: That, yes, nutrition does, in fact, affect your mental health.
00:06:20.970 --> 00:06:38.250 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: and your mental well-being. And so… and when we think about this, we think about, oh, up here, all the neurotransmitters, all the feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain, but it actually starts with the gut, right? So…
00:06:38.250 --> 00:06:46.089 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: you and I have talked about a little bit the brain-gut axis. So, in your research, what did you find?
00:06:46.650 --> 00:06:56.849 Frank R Harrison: Well, I would have to say my research was more by living it. I mean, essentially, when I'm constantly worried about my brain, trying to minimize the risk of seizure activity.
00:06:56.850 --> 00:06:57.330 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah.
00:06:57.330 --> 00:07:07.299 Frank R Harrison: I did have my side effects of anxiety and depression. I even got diagnosed with PTSD at one point, but that was because, you know, can you imagine having a seizure on Fifth Avenue in front.
00:07:07.300 --> 00:07:08.470 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Exactly!
00:07:08.750 --> 00:07:09.919 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right. I did.
00:07:10.150 --> 00:07:10.940 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right.
00:07:10.940 --> 00:07:11.590 Frank R Harrison: To have a lot.
00:07:11.590 --> 00:07:17.120 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: That would give anybody a post-traumatic stress disorder, yes.
00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:33.589 Frank R Harrison: Exactly. I mean, so, either way, the thing is, is that I just realized that, for me, nutrition was part of the same equation as taking my medication every day. I had to be mindful of all the calories I was taking, looking at the fiber and fat grams that I was taking, try to be able to mix and match
00:07:33.590 --> 00:07:47.489 Frank R Harrison: specific fluids with the medication I was taking, know which ones I couldn't take anymore. I was always told from the start I could never take alcohol. The irony is that I was diagnosed at age 16, so I didn't even reach drinking age, and to this day.
00:07:47.490 --> 00:07:50.159 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: had not even had a sip of champagne, so… Wow.
00:07:50.160 --> 00:08:03.099 Frank R Harrison: even know what alcohol tastes like. You know, whether that's good or bad, I don't know, because I could have probably benefited from different types of hormone activity by drinking, but that's another story. Right, right. I would say, however, that
00:08:03.490 --> 00:08:07.089 Frank R Harrison: what I discovered, being in… at that time in my life.
00:08:07.190 --> 00:08:13.889 Frank R Harrison: Not a limited lifestyle, but more controlled and regulated, especially to prevent seizure activity.
00:08:13.990 --> 00:08:22.400 Frank R Harrison: I was being mindful of everything, mainly because of my brain, until I got the diagnosis of being pre-diabetic. Then, I was looking at sugar.
00:08:22.750 --> 00:08:23.120 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Fair.
00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:37.460 Frank R Harrison: And then I was looking at carbohydrates as the… not killer, but the threat, you know? So, what I also realized is when I stopped cold turkey on a lot of sugar products, candy, cakes, donuts, muffins, the list goes on.
00:08:37.659 --> 00:08:39.620 Frank R Harrison: I actually felt more energetic.
00:08:40.289 --> 00:08:41.840 Frank R Harrison: And I didn't understand it.
00:08:42.220 --> 00:08:44.869 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah, we'll talk a little bit about that.
00:08:44.870 --> 00:08:49.020 Frank R Harrison: Right, exactly. Now, one can say, you've heard the phrase sugar coma, right?
00:08:49.020 --> 00:08:50.599 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah, absolutely.
00:08:50.640 --> 00:08:57.760 Frank R Harrison: people who actually engage in hard drugs, or whatever. When you are going through withdrawal symptoms, when you're off those drugs.
00:08:57.760 --> 00:09:01.640 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: There is the turbulent transition, but then once you're out of it.
00:09:01.640 --> 00:09:19.349 Frank R Harrison: you feel even better. So, I'm not saying I experienced that, but I am saying that when I noticed after, like, the first 5 years going cold turkey, between 2009 and 2014, meaning no sugar products, low carbs, that kind of stuff.
00:09:19.350 --> 00:09:20.980 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: when I would drink.
00:09:20.980 --> 00:09:31.379 Frank R Harrison: Like, even ginger ale. I would be like, that, my mouth is drying up, you know? Or, for example, if I had a candy bar.
00:09:31.650 --> 00:09:35.639 Frank R Harrison: I would be like, what is this doing for me? It's just tiring me out.
00:09:35.790 --> 00:09:50.030 Frank R Harrison: Yeah. You know? It would satisfy my hunger pang, but it would not satisfy how it would feel by the end of the day. So, it became, after experiencing a withdrawal of the processed foods and the sugar foods and everything we're talking about.
00:09:50.420 --> 00:09:52.420 Frank R Harrison: The gut may have desired it.
00:09:52.610 --> 00:10:02.359 Frank R Harrison: but my system was not wanting it anymore. It had already been used to being more hydrated and more centrally focused on what
00:10:02.460 --> 00:10:20.199 Frank R Harrison: food to intake. I mean, granted, I still had my cheesecake on occasion, but the thing is, is I was more interested in yogurt than I was ice cream. Or I was basically doing what I can more for my neurological and mental health, rather than preservation of my weight.
00:10:20.670 --> 00:10:34.140 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: There you go. And that's the key, right? It's not about weight loss, body image, how we're looking, you know, to the rest of the world.
00:10:34.360 --> 00:10:35.370 Frank R Harrison: Correct.
00:10:35.370 --> 00:10:52.879 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Talking about nutrition in this way is really about allowing ourselves, when we make shifts and changes, to live our best lives, because we feel more balanced, more focused, more able to be engaged.
00:10:52.880 --> 00:11:01.779 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: in our lives. And so, when I learned about the gut microbiome, I mean, the gut-brain axis, rather.
00:11:01.780 --> 00:11:02.720 Frank R Harrison: Right.
00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:16.359 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: probably about 10 years ago, a little over 10 years ago, and I was really curious, because I was like, this is, like, exactly what I've been wondering about all these years. So…
00:11:16.970 --> 00:11:36.930 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: In looking into this, giving the audience a little bit of information about what is the gut-brain axis, it is trillions of bacteria, and I know we are, like, in a world obsessed with killing off bacteria, right?
00:11:37.110 --> 00:11:37.790 Frank R Harrison: Right.
00:11:37.790 --> 00:11:55.339 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Our digestive systems are made up of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and microbes that live in our intestines, and they play a role, a huge role, in our mood regulation, as they also help to digest our food.
00:11:55.700 --> 00:11:59.280 Frank R Harrison: And you notice in that time frame, that was the growth of the Greek yogurt industry.
00:11:59.280 --> 00:12:00.070 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes!
00:12:00.070 --> 00:12:02.119 Frank R Harrison: Probiotics that they were infusing.
00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:13.489 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Exactly, exactly. And so, when we can have a balanced gut microbiome, it helps to produce neurotransmitters
00:12:13.490 --> 00:12:26.910 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: that we need to feel good, to feel balanced. Serotonin, dopamine, GABA, those are the main ones, and we call them those feel-good neurotransmitters. And so the gut-brain access
00:12:26.970 --> 00:12:42.740 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: is like a two-way communication system or highway, in our digestive tract, as well as to our brain. So it kind of runs up and down, and up and down, giving signals.
00:12:42.740 --> 00:12:47.620 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: So the vagus nerve sends the messages through our gut to our brain.
00:12:47.620 --> 00:12:56.950 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And our immune system influences our gut bacteria and inflammation levels.
00:12:56.950 --> 00:12:57.450 Frank R Harrison: That's right.
00:12:57.450 --> 00:13:02.609 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Nearly every disease, whether for body or mind.
00:13:02.820 --> 00:13:19.169 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: has an inflammation component, and if we can control inflammation, it cuts down on disease symptoms. And then the third thing is the neurotransmitters. So, the cool thing is, 90 to 95%
00:13:19.570 --> 00:13:23.669 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Of our neurotransmitters, such as serotonin.
00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:24.170 Frank R Harrison: Yeah.
00:13:24.170 --> 00:13:26.549 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: It gets built in our gut.
00:13:27.160 --> 00:13:40.359 Frank R Harrison: Correct. It's like the equivalent of thinking of your stomach when it clamors that it's hungry. It's really the brain saying, my hormones and my regulation system that you need is really needing to be fed right now.
00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:47.879 Frank R Harrison: Right now. Pick the right foods so I can send those chemicals through the carotid arteries to the brain barrier, and there you go.
00:13:48.260 --> 00:13:49.210 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Straight up.
00:13:49.210 --> 00:13:52.980 Frank R Harrison: But most people are just, unfortunately, not given that level of communication.
00:13:52.980 --> 00:14:11.940 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: That's right. Exactly, exactly. Which then leads to, like, things like brain fog, low energy, like you were talking about. Sugar cravings has been my thing. I have always had sugar cravings, but when I go off sugar and really pay attention to my eating.
00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:15.880 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: I have no more cravings. I also have no brain fog.
00:14:15.880 --> 00:14:25.669 Frank R Harrison: No, but also, if you notice, when you start eating any kind of carbs, even if it's, I don't know, if you have pizza, and you have pizza crust, you want to go to sleep all of a sudden within.
00:14:26.650 --> 00:14:46.370 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Okay, so we're about to come up on a break, and, when we come back, we'll talk a little bit more about the deficiencies that occur when we're not giving our bodies the nutrients that they need, and we'll talk about those nutrients.
00:14:46.390 --> 00:14:49.639 Frank R Harrison: Absolutely. So, Jess, take it away. Alrighty.
00:17:03.300 --> 00:17:10.800 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Welcome back to the Expansion Room, where we are talking about nutrition integration in our mental health.
00:17:10.869 --> 00:17:30.159 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And in this segment, we'll discuss a little bit about the nutrients that we need for balanced mental and cognitive health. Some of the lacking nutrients, like if we're imbalanced, will cause symptoms of depression.
00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:32.000 Frank R Harrison: anxiety.
00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:39.090 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: cognitive function decline, chronic fatigue, right? …
00:17:39.580 --> 00:17:54.710 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: not to mention other things that can happen to the physical body that then affect your emotional and mental health as well. But we'll stick to mental and cognitive health, and so 4 of the key nutrients
00:17:54.820 --> 00:18:04.990 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: That are really needed or critical for mental health balance are omega-3 fatty acids.
00:18:05.310 --> 00:18:10.989 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: B vitamins, which is a group of vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.
00:18:11.450 --> 00:18:20.160 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: So, omega-3 fatty acids we get from fatty fish, like mackerel and salmon.
00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:27.270 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: But we also get them from flax seeds and nuts and other seeds.
00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:45.580 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: the EPA, as well as DHA versions of omega-3s, are the building blocks of brain cell membranes, and so we need that to help us reduce brain inflammation.
00:18:45.650 --> 00:18:53.859 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Which is so key in the diagnosis, particularly of depression and cognitive decline.
00:18:53.990 --> 00:18:55.650 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah. …
00:18:56.080 --> 00:19:11.699 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: B vitamins, it's a group of them, so it's B6, B12, folate, and these vitamins are essential for the biochemical process in the brain that makes serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:26.620 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Those are all… those are some of our feel-good neurotransmitters that we all want. And, not having them means we're going to have irritability, maybe chronic fatigue, maybe brain fog.
00:19:26.620 --> 00:19:30.359 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: As well as depression can show up.
00:19:31.100 --> 00:19:44.049 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: the groups that are key, that have to really think about the B vitamins, are vegetarians, vegans, and older adults, because either they're not getting them in their diet, or older adults, it's about absorption.
00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:51.370 Frank R Harrison: Right. Right. Which is why those pa- those individuals, not patients, but those individuals need to take a lot of supplements, especially….
00:19:51.370 --> 00:19:51.860 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah.
00:19:51.860 --> 00:19:52.820 Frank R Harrison: missing them.
00:19:52.820 --> 00:19:54.250 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Absolutely.
00:19:54.250 --> 00:20:15.549 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And then there's magnesium, which is one of my favorites, because they call it the chill pill. But it is one of those nutrients that is necessary for balancing the anxiety in our brain… in our bodies, as well as irritability, those two things.
00:20:15.550 --> 00:20:19.040 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And it also promotes good sleep.
00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:19.990 Frank R Harrison: Yes.
00:20:19.990 --> 00:20:30.090 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And if you do not get good sleep, any of these diagnoses can be exacerbated. Absolutely. Particularly depression and bipolar.
00:20:30.310 --> 00:20:35.989 Frank R Harrison: So, magnesium is so key for that. Insomnia is one of… and….
00:20:35.990 --> 00:20:41.999 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Also, those of us who are moving through the perimenopause days, fast approaching menopause.
00:20:42.910 --> 00:21:02.159 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: You need sleep, and so… so oftentimes, sleep is an issue, and people start to think they've developed anxiety, or depression, or their mood is terrible, but they're in perimenopause, and so they need regulation of hormones, and…
00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:20.369 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: probably to take some magnesium so they can sleep. So these are things I've learned in recent years, what magnesium can do on the other side of mental health. And then the fourth is zinc, which is essential for brain signaling and neuroplasticity, which is
00:21:20.370 --> 00:21:35.120 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: the way our brains continue to evolve as we get older, and replace old cells with new ones. And so, a zinc deficiency can correlate strongly with depression.
00:21:35.260 --> 00:21:53.550 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: As well as zinc is great for the immune system, which we all know, which we all kind of started to learn more about in COVID time. But with the immune system, that also plays into inflammation. And so zinc is…
00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:57.700 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Is… is… is, like, paramount to have.
00:21:58.340 --> 00:21:58.900 Frank R Harrison: That's….
00:21:59.060 --> 00:22:05.340 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Really fun about these 4 nutrients… Nearly every multivitamin has them.
00:22:06.140 --> 00:22:10.360 Frank R Harrison: Yes, and if you don't mind my saying, Siobhan, also vitamin D.
00:22:10.790 --> 00:22:11.370 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes.
00:22:12.050 --> 00:22:14.550 Frank R Harrison: Had become a necessary.
00:22:14.550 --> 00:22:15.210 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes.
00:22:15.210 --> 00:22:18.310 Frank R Harrison: I don't know what to call it, necessary animal?
00:22:18.310 --> 00:22:18.860 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah.
00:22:18.860 --> 00:22:19.410 Frank R Harrison: How do you….
00:22:19.410 --> 00:22:25.120 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: It's a nutrient that we don't all get, because we're all indoor cats nowadays.
00:22:25.120 --> 00:22:33.689 Frank R Harrison: Especially during COVID, right? Yeah. So, I ended up being, jumped up in my prescription from 5,000 IUs of vitamin D
00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:36.709 Frank R Harrison: 10,000 while I was in COVID.
00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:37.500 Frank R Harrison: Yes.
00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:41.169 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: it became a habit. I've taken still 10,000 even now.
00:22:41.170 --> 00:22:46.210 Frank R Harrison: Oh, wow, okay. Afterwards, because I noticed the change it did in my energy levels.
00:22:46.210 --> 00:22:46.810 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes.
00:22:46.810 --> 00:22:59.199 Frank R Harrison: my brain. It was very important for someone living with epilepsy to have all those neuro… not just the neuroplasticity, but the neuro, ….
00:22:59.580 --> 00:23:00.560 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: the transmitters.
00:23:00.560 --> 00:23:02.050 Frank R Harrison: Neurotransmitters.
00:23:02.050 --> 00:23:02.640 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah.
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:11.339 Frank R Harrison: firings to be elevated by the vitamin D minerals. Absolutely. So I would be taking that with water, I would be taking it with, with food, I would be.
00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:12.070 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes.
00:23:12.070 --> 00:23:26.849 Frank R Harrison: you know, like, if I felt I needed a boost, better that than other kinds of substitutes to boost my energy, but I also noticed it also reduced my cholesterol, it also changed even my taste for certain foods that were not good for me to begin with.
00:23:26.850 --> 00:23:27.759 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Oh, nice!
00:23:27.760 --> 00:23:33.309 Frank R Harrison: I actually had multiple purposes, not just for my health itself, but also for my behavior.
00:23:33.450 --> 00:23:46.150 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah, vitamin D is one of those nutrients that's actually also a hormone, that we can develop in our body with sunlight, but most of us don't get outside enough.
00:23:46.210 --> 00:23:53.639 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: I am going to be doing a segment on sunlight with this series, because it's that important to mental health.
00:23:53.640 --> 00:24:07.849 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: But, if you're not getting enough sunlight, and your skin actually is able to absorb the rays so that you can make vitamin D, then you should be supplementing, because not only for mental health.
00:24:07.850 --> 00:24:21.579 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: digestive system in general works better when you're getting in vitamin D, as well as some other systems in your body. Vitamin D does a lot, and we don't, I think, talk about it enough, so thanks for bringing that up.
00:24:21.580 --> 00:24:22.220 Frank R Harrison: No problem.
00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:23.700 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: that, yeah.
00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:24.880 Frank R Harrison: And I will say, also.
00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:25.590 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: That's a big thing.
00:24:25.590 --> 00:24:26.120 Frank R Harrison: Excellent.
00:24:26.250 --> 00:24:30.990 Frank R Harrison: Absolutely. I mean, vitamin D is now… I take it with my medication, you know?
00:24:30.990 --> 00:24:31.830 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah, yeah.
00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:46.049 Frank R Harrison: I was gonna say, you had a lot of important things to say there about magnesium. I mean, I noticed, while I was going through a little bit of a chaotic time the last 3 or 4 months of 2024, that I was not sleeping.
00:24:46.050 --> 00:24:56.900 Frank R Harrison: probably 2 or 3 hours a night. So it was a combination of stress, anxiety, there was some grief along the way, but I started taking magnesium supplements, and I was able to extend my sleep outward.
00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:57.889 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: The next couple.
00:24:57.890 --> 00:24:58.610 Frank R Harrison: hours.
00:24:58.890 --> 00:25:14.270 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Absolutely. I learned to appreciate the value of magnesium also. Yep, it's a wonderful nutrient. Oh, and one of the things I realized, this is a funny fact, if you crave dark chocolate.
00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:19.840 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: They say you are likely deficient in magnesium.
00:25:20.020 --> 00:25:24.690 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And I used to crave chocolate ALL the time, but…
00:25:24.910 --> 00:25:41.300 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: since starting to supplement for magnesium, I crave chocolate a lot less. Well, I have to say that I didn't supplement this heavy as you did, but I was doing the dark chocolate and dipping it in almond butter, so… Nice!
00:25:41.300 --> 00:25:43.170 Frank R Harrison: Trying to get my protein in there at the same time.
00:25:43.170 --> 00:25:55.930 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: At the same time, exactly, exactly. When you think about these nutrients, what did you notice in your father that made you start to think about his nutrition?
00:25:56.780 --> 00:26:03.819 Frank R Harrison: Oh, wow, definitely with the omega-3s. I noticed that when he was starting to have more fish preparation.
00:26:03.900 --> 00:26:08.910 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Whether it was salmon, or tilapia, or trout, or whatever.
00:26:08.970 --> 00:26:10.820 Frank R Harrison: He would start making more jokes.
00:26:11.080 --> 00:26:28.659 Frank R Harrison: he would start reminiscing and playing Name That Tune with some music that he would be hearing on the television. We have a… we have a channel that just plays music, or music, I should call it, but he's able to identify the title of the song, even when not looking at the credits that are posted on the screen.
00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.380 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Wow.
00:26:29.380 --> 00:26:31.900 Frank R Harrison: And that's after he was having his seafood.
00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:32.550 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right.
00:26:32.550 --> 00:26:35.759 Frank R Harrison: He wasn't having that, if he was having a burger, if he was having whatever.
00:26:35.950 --> 00:26:52.339 Frank R Harrison: I would tell him about a time when I was probably in high school, and he would say, oh, I don't remember that, and meanwhile, he was there. So, it's very interesting to see how the impact of seafood in particular, or, anything involving omega-3s, especially in the salmon products.
00:26:52.340 --> 00:26:55.360 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: We're just making them more smarter, more quicker.
00:26:55.490 --> 00:26:58.109 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah, yup, there you go.
00:26:58.940 --> 00:27:03.579 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: So, when we think about these nutrients, and…
00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:22.049 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: notice that they're low in our bodies, right? Maybe we're not supplementing, maybe we're not eating the kinds of foods that bring those nutrients into our body. We have to really think about, like, there's this… this analogy of
00:27:22.100 --> 00:27:27.529 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Trying to run a high-performance software system
00:27:27.930 --> 00:27:31.350 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: On a computer that's missing few components.
00:27:31.350 --> 00:27:32.190 Frank R Harrison: Right.
00:27:32.190 --> 00:27:32.730 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right?
00:27:32.730 --> 00:27:34.649 Frank R Harrison: Come the computer in that case.
00:27:34.650 --> 00:27:35.330 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Indeed.
00:27:35.330 --> 00:27:35.810 Frank R Harrison: No.
00:27:35.810 --> 00:27:45.309 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Indeed. And so, we want to have optimal nutrition so that our brains are firing on all cylinders, which is….
00:27:45.310 --> 00:27:46.110 Frank R Harrison: Absolutely. It's like.
00:27:46.110 --> 00:27:46.580 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: into….
00:27:46.580 --> 00:28:04.199 Frank R Harrison: train your brain not only to figure out the foods that are going to help keep yourself balanced, especially emotionally or through your mental health issues or stress levels, but also use it to take action and not just sit and wait for a solution to come out of the sky, because there isn't one. It's with action.
00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:06.600 Frank R Harrison: That you get rid of your, …
00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:09.679 Frank R Harrison: Depression, actually, you know, in some ways.
00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.210 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And, like.
00:28:10.210 --> 00:28:15.370 Frank R Harrison: I've even said on some episodes of Frank About Health, when you take action, that's when you feel better.
00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.610 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Always.
00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:20.889 Frank R Harrison: Always, and as you and I have talked about in your show.
00:28:20.940 --> 00:28:37.400 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Our health system is not quite where we want it to be, and we actually need to take more action in our own lives to optimize our own health, and that includes our mental health at this point.
00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:47.839 Frank R Harrison: Yes, and I just have to say, before we go to our next break, that I can tell you already, because of the recent legislation passed in July, my nutrition benefit is no longer covered.
00:28:49.390 --> 00:28:56.050 Frank R Harrison: How do you like that one? So that becomes your own necessary evil to create a savings account or something.
00:28:56.050 --> 00:28:58.129 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: To cover those needed… Yeah, those things.
00:28:58.130 --> 00:29:02.949 Frank R Harrison: Food expenses, as well as Vitamins and just mental health, of course.
00:29:02.950 --> 00:29:14.449 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Absolutely. All right, well, we're going to take our next break, and when we come back, we're going to be talking about food as medicine, and we're going to actually have a cooking demo.
00:29:15.090 --> 00:29:15.959 Frank R Harrison: Yes, we are.
00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:19.299 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Jess, take it away, thank you.
00:31:24.080 --> 00:31:26.000 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Hello, and welcome back!
00:31:26.430 --> 00:31:38.859 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: We are talking about integrating nutrition into our mental health care, and in this segment, we'll be talking about food as medicine, and
00:31:38.860 --> 00:31:49.930 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: I want to definitely say that there is no one-size-fits-all mental health diet that I can recommend, and I don't think there's anyone
00:31:49.960 --> 00:32:07.870 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: in the world that can recommend that. It's very individualized. And so, on that note, because of cultural differences, taste preferences, allergies, I highly recommend people
00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:15.039 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Taking an intuitive approach and a slow approach to
00:32:15.120 --> 00:32:22.909 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Adding these nutrients back into their lives, into their diets for their mental health.
00:32:23.080 --> 00:32:27.860 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Through their… either their food choices or supplementation.
00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:47.390 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: In working with a doctor or a dietitian, you can figure out what nutrients you might be deficient on, and it's just a simple blood test. Like, I found out years ago I was deficient in vitamin D through a blood test, and now that is part of
00:32:47.390 --> 00:32:49.790 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: My daily, …
00:32:49.900 --> 00:33:00.799 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: dose, basically, of supplements that I take, because I… even though I do get out for a walk every day, being dark-skinned
00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:06.879 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: I'd have to be out there a good hour or so to make a difference in my vitamin D levels.
00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:30.329 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And so, supplementation can be key, but also adding in certain foods can very much so help the process along. So in this segment, Frank is going to share a video of Joey demonstrating a meal that he has prepared for Frank's dad, and the kinds of foods
00:33:30.330 --> 00:33:37.640 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: that can help with neurological health, as well as mental health. So, Frank?
00:33:38.280 --> 00:33:39.740 Frank R Harrison: Yep, here we go.
00:33:45.380 --> 00:34:00.480 Frank R Harrison: Hey everybody, we're back in Joey's kitchen so that we can look at almond-crusted salmon with broccoli, explain how it helps those with mental issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as those with providing brain and gut benefits.
00:34:03.030 --> 00:34:13.089 Frank R Harrison: Now, the broccoli in particular has a chemical known as sulforaphane, which is very beneficial for the gut-brain axis, but it also helps prevent…
00:34:13.090 --> 00:34:37.539 Frank R Harrison: inflammation in the brain, especially when infused with olive oil. As you'll see here are the ingredients, which are the salmon with the almond-encrusted coating, which also includes breadcrumbs. You'll see the broccoli here mixed with olive oil. You'll also see that this is the mix that he put together in order to create the crust foundation for the salmon. The other aspect is he used garlic, salt, and pepper.
00:34:37.540 --> 00:34:48.979 Frank R Harrison: But I'm gonna let him now go into the nutritional aspects of why he prepared it, especially his secret in mixing the broccoli with the salmon in the baking pan.
00:34:49.610 --> 00:34:57.550 Frank R Harrison: So, hey, Joey, welcome back. Hello. … now I'm gonna mix in some olive oil.
00:34:57.620 --> 00:35:11.809 Frank R Harrison: to the, broccoli, add some salt and pepper to it, add the crushed garlic that I have on the side. In order to accompany the, salmon in the oven.
00:35:12.600 --> 00:35:14.530 Frank R Harrison: So that…
00:35:14.770 --> 00:35:26.139 Frank R Harrison: It could be a delicious meal. It's all beneficial, for brain health, and it's very nutritious for the body. So here we go.
00:35:31.760 --> 00:35:41.039 Frank R Harrison: That's about a tablespoon of olive oil.
00:35:46.380 --> 00:35:48.530 Frank R Harrison: And to that…
00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:54.729 Frank R Harrison: We had about…
00:35:58.340 --> 00:36:00.439 Frank R Harrison: Or an eighth teaspoon of salt.
00:36:10.610 --> 00:36:12.300 Frank R Harrison: I bought a pinch of…
00:36:16.120 --> 00:36:17.050 Frank R Harrison: Pepper?
00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:24.850 Frank R Harrison: Along with, … Garlic. Mix it in well.
00:36:29.510 --> 00:36:32.349 Frank R Harrison: The almond crust I have prepared earlier.
00:36:36.830 --> 00:36:40.190 Frank R Harrison: Which has, breadcrumbs.
00:36:44.650 --> 00:36:45.940 Frank R Harrison: Olive oil.
00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:51.850 Frank R Harrison: Salt, pepper… A little rosemary.
00:37:09.650 --> 00:37:16.109 Frank R Harrison: And now… I will place this into…
00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:27.889 Frank R Harrison: An oven at 375 degrees for at least 14 minutes. Awesome.
00:37:27.970 --> 00:37:52.860 Frank R Harrison: And I see you prepared the broccoli with the salmon. There was a reason behind that. I think you and I were discussing about how it avoids the broccoli from being soft-cooked separately, and it releases the sulfur… sulf… what did they call that again? Sulforaphane properties to help in the anti-inflammation properties, correct? That is correct. Okay, great. Thanks for clarifying that. I think more than anything.
00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:58.480 Frank R Harrison: anything I want… I want to hear a lot of your understanding of these ingredients in the finished product.
00:38:02.830 --> 00:38:10.830 Frank R Harrison: So we will wait for the next 14 minutes to go by, and then… Show it, and have you…
00:38:21.810 --> 00:38:23.239 Frank R Harrison: Hey everybody, we're…
00:38:32.250 --> 00:38:45.270 Frank R Harrison: In the magic of talkradio.nyc time, 14 minutes really flies by, doesn't it, Joey? It sure does. I can see what an interesting and very professional presentational
00:38:45.270 --> 00:39:03.150 Frank R Harrison: meal that we have in front of us. Almond-crusted salmon with broccoli. I know you have it all written there, because you're not the expert in mental health, and that's totally understood, but just for the issue of providing a disclaimer, the information that you're about to present is not to be taken
00:39:03.460 --> 00:39:25.830 Frank R Harrison: with any kind of view of either this show, The Expansion Room, or of TalkRadio.nyc, but rather your expert knowledge that you've researched on your own in preparing the right meals, especially in treatment of those dealing with dementia or any other kind of mental health issues. So, would you like to now discuss in more finer detail, now that your meal has been prepared.
00:39:25.830 --> 00:39:28.950 Frank R Harrison: What the benefits of each of these ingredients are.
00:39:29.040 --> 00:39:39.240 Frank R Harrison: Well, I will read off the benefits that we have here. The almond-crusted salmon with broccoli is beneficial for the brain.
00:39:39.240 --> 00:39:51.670 Frank R Harrison: and has gut benefits. This dish is designed to support both mental health and gut-brain access. It combines omega-3-rich salmon.
00:39:51.740 --> 00:40:07.070 Frank R Harrison: prebiotic and antioxidant packed with almonds, and sulfane-loaded broccoli. Salmon has omega-3s, vitamin D,
00:40:07.140 --> 00:40:14.700 Frank R Harrison: B12, and protein. Omega-3s are built into neural
00:40:15.370 --> 00:40:25.670 Frank R Harrison: Neuronal membranes helping microgilia shift toward an anti-inflammatory state.
00:40:26.200 --> 00:40:39.630 Frank R Harrison: Support intestinal barrier health, reduce gut-derived inflammation, small but real benefits for mood, anxiety, per meta-analysis.
00:40:40.440 --> 00:40:50.890 Frank R Harrison: Almond crust has vitamin E, magnesium, MUFAs… Polyphenols…
00:40:52.410 --> 00:40:57.589 Frank R Harrison: Fiber acts as a gentle probiotic.
00:40:57.710 --> 00:41:15.030 Frank R Harrison: Boosting beneficial gut microbes, and SCFA production. Magnesium is linked to improved depressive symptoms. Vitamin E acts as a cellular antioxidant. Broccoli
00:41:15.610 --> 00:41:22.410 Frank R Harrison: Has fiber, folate, vitamin C, K… sulforaphane…
00:41:22.910 --> 00:41:40.580 Frank R Harrison: Precursor. Fiber feeds gut microbes, increasing SCFA production. Soroframe… from… Glucro… Glucorafenin.
00:41:42.300 --> 00:41:46.300 Frank R Harrison: I can't pronounce some of these words, I'm sorry. No, that's fine.
00:41:47.430 --> 00:42:03.700 Frank R Harrison: activates the NRF2, the body's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory pathway, linked to improvements in neurobehavioral Symptoms in some trials.
00:42:05.830 --> 00:42:21.050 Frank R Harrison: Okay. Well, basically, we also were in agreement earlier, I don't know if I mentioned it when you were preparing the meal, that a substitute for the almond crust could be pumpkin seeds. That is correct. Do you remember why we had said that?
00:42:21.150 --> 00:42:32.730 Frank R Harrison: That's in case, the person is allergic to the almonds. Some people cannot eat, any type of nuts, whether it be walnuts, almonds.
00:42:32.860 --> 00:42:48.599 Frank R Harrison: whatever in that family, they're allergic to, so as a substitute, you have the pumpkin. Okay, actually, believe it or not, when we were researching this particular recipe, a lot of us agreed that almond crusted would be…
00:42:48.600 --> 00:43:09.130 Frank R Harrison: perfect, but at the same time, I think it was originally walnut-crusted, isn't that right? That is correct. But I do understand that walnuts, if anything, is the particular nut that most people have allergic reactions to. That is also correct. Right. So, ladies and gentlemen, we chose the middle of the road here between those that are allergic to walnuts
00:43:09.340 --> 00:43:22.669 Frank R Harrison: And those that would probably end up with pumpkin seeds if they're allergic to almonds. But either way, one final act before we continue with the rest of the expansion room is to indicate that the reason for preparing the broccoli with the salmon is to…
00:43:22.670 --> 00:43:41.870 Frank R Harrison: to increase the value that the chemicals released from the broccoli can get to the brain and serve as a shield and as a way of reducing inflammation in the brain. A lot of people say with the way that this particular recipe was prepared, with the broccoli and salmon together.
00:43:46.110 --> 00:43:50.319 Frank R Harrison: It became its own nutritious chemical lab to…
00:43:53.390 --> 00:44:02.059 Frank R Harrison: Help improve on the health of the brain and provide a shield for prevention of any kind of toxins that could be released.
00:44:05.090 --> 00:44:09.919 Frank R Harrison: At least, from other seafood recipes similar to this. So that…
00:44:12.990 --> 00:44:15.969 Frank R Harrison: I… I hope that came out as best as possible.
00:44:15.970 --> 00:44:24.989 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: It sure did. Thank you so much. Yes, I… that was perfect, and you know, it's funny because you used the almond crust
00:44:25.100 --> 00:44:44.409 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: I'm allergic to walnuts and pecans, but I can eat almonds, and so that would be perfect for me, for sure. But yeah, that's one of the reasons why some people want to maybe supplement some of these nutrients, because if they have an allergy to a group of foods.
00:44:44.410 --> 00:44:52.159 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: then they can at least still get the nutrients that they need. But thank you, that actually looked really good. Did it taste good?
00:44:52.160 --> 00:44:56.099 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Oh my god, I ate it, like, literally 5 minutes after that recording.
00:44:56.420 --> 00:45:01.050 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Wonderful. All right, we're about to go to break, but when you come….
00:45:01.050 --> 00:45:04.480 Frank R Harrison: That's why I quickly ended it, as because I could see the messages about the.
00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:16.229 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Oh, yeah, it's about to come up, yep. When we come back, we'll talk about ways to integrate all of this information into your day-to-day life. Thank you, Jen.
00:45:16.230 --> 00:45:16.904 Frank R Harrison: Mew.
00:47:02.920 --> 00:47:06.030 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Let's talk about integration.
00:47:06.200 --> 00:47:06.920 Frank R Harrison: Yeah.
00:47:06.920 --> 00:47:12.470 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: What we just saw with the cooking demo was one way to integrate
00:47:12.580 --> 00:47:26.089 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: better, food and get the nutrients that we need just by cooking at home, right? And knowing what ingredients go with what. And so.
00:47:26.090 --> 00:47:41.459 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: it was very purposeful and very conscious. But if someone is not there yet, say most of their diet is processed foods, or maybe they don't actually have the time
00:47:41.460 --> 00:47:53.130 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: to cook full meals on a regular basis. We can definitely talk about ways to start to integrate in small steps to build up to
00:47:53.130 --> 00:48:05.860 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: you know, better health, better mental health through nutrition. And that can start with, like, the first meal of the day with breakfast. Because in so many places.
00:48:05.970 --> 00:48:08.509 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Here, as well as around the world.
00:48:09.110 --> 00:48:19.049 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: sweets, or sweet cereal, sweet pastries, you know, anything sweet can be had and found at breakfast. But….
00:48:19.050 --> 00:48:19.680 Frank R Harrison: Exactly.
00:48:19.800 --> 00:48:25.270 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: That then starts your day off… With that sugar bang.
00:48:25.670 --> 00:48:37.219 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: and then you're kind of going downhill from there. So, what are some ways that you can incorporate better nutrition in breakfast, Frank?
00:48:37.530 --> 00:48:43.160 Frank R Harrison: You just hit on a raw nerve, which was so true in my case. I mean, essentially, Joey is…
00:48:43.220 --> 00:49:02.080 Frank R Harrison: here, 7 days a week, taking care of my father's nutrition, and Saturdays is usually breakfast. The rest of the week, it's dinners. And one breakfast Saturday morning, while my father is craving pancakes, he decided, meaning Joey, to go ahead and make oat pancakes.
00:49:02.270 --> 00:49:04.270 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Nice. And I put in it.
00:49:04.270 --> 00:49:13.390 Frank R Harrison: all of the natural ingredients, including a little bit of honey, to create the sweetness, but not use syrup. Probably put berries on top of it.
00:49:13.390 --> 00:49:16.660 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yep. And at the same time, allow that to be.
00:49:16.660 --> 00:49:23.930 Frank R Harrison: a mental health breakfast, while at the same time giving the illusion, wow, I just had pancakes today.
00:49:24.120 --> 00:49:25.650 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right!
00:49:25.650 --> 00:49:34.269 Frank R Harrison: Also, with my cream of wheat or oatmeal, I put chia seeds on it, and I like to put it in the refrigerator and have it cold.
00:49:34.740 --> 00:49:38.970 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it has, like, a pudding. Overnight eats that way.
00:49:38.970 --> 00:49:42.220 Frank R Harrison: Right, but the chia seeds control the digestion process.
00:49:42.220 --> 00:49:52.000 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: It does, it does. Nice! Yeah, I… I will have several times a week… well, two to three times a week, I'll have oatmeal with berries.
00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:57.650 Frank R Harrison: Yeah. And sometimes with a little honey, if the berries are, like, more tart than sweet.
00:49:57.680 --> 00:50:04.330 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And then… 2 or 3 times a week, I usually have some sort of eggs.
00:50:04.460 --> 00:50:22.729 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: So that I get that other, you know, that hit of protein, with my breakfast. And so, yeah, I used to… I do love a good pastry, I will not deny, but I've… I've gotten better at not having sugar as my, you know.
00:50:22.730 --> 00:50:32.899 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: thing to start my day. I also drink coffee, and believe it or not, as much of a sweet tooth as I have, I do not like sugar in my coffee.
00:50:33.340 --> 00:50:53.040 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And so I have… yeah, I just have coffee black, I usually have collagen in it for a little hit of protein, and I've just started using functional mushrooms in my coffee, thanks to my mom. She had started on this product, and I was like, whoa, how did you beat me to that product?
00:50:53.590 --> 00:51:18.329 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And I tried it, loved it, and started putting it in my coffee, and so that's how I've been starting my day, now, and so that way, I'm not having any kinds of sugar cravings, and so the oatmeal and the blueberries, or whatever berries, actually is filling. Sometimes if I want a little more of a hit of protein, I'll have a piece of toast with peanut butter on them.
00:51:18.330 --> 00:51:27.660 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: on it, with the oatmeal, which helps, or I have two eggs, fried, or whichever way, with some, usually veggies.
00:51:27.660 --> 00:51:29.809 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: People don't think about veggies.
00:51:29.810 --> 00:51:37.090 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: for breakfast, but I have veggies with a side of eggs pretty often, you know?
00:51:37.090 --> 00:51:38.200 Frank R Harrison: an omelette.
00:51:38.200 --> 00:51:38.800 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah.
00:51:38.800 --> 00:51:53.419 Frank R Harrison: So, you mentioned eggs. I'm always battling between egg whites and egg yolk. Egg whites predominantly to reduce cholesterol and to also lose weight and whatever, but the egg yolk, the sulfur in there, helps with dementia. Yeah. So now I'm like, what do I do?
00:51:53.420 --> 00:51:55.760 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right, I know, right? I stick with the.
00:51:55.760 --> 00:52:00.239 Frank R Harrison: salmon recipe I just showed you for the brain, and the egg whites for the body.
00:52:00.240 --> 00:52:01.270 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yep.
00:52:01.630 --> 00:52:14.090 Frank R Harrison: And I always keep hydrated. I mean, I know the same 8 bottles of water a day. I will take Essentia with electrolytes. Big, giant bottle, and that will be my daily dose of hydration.
00:52:14.090 --> 00:52:22.950 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Perfect, because hydration is key. When we're dehydrated, we reach for sweets more often.
00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:45.780 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And so, our brain is signaling to us that we need something. We interpret it as, oh, I need a snack, instead of drinking some water. But hydration is so key, not just for, not having the reaching for the snacks, but also so that we can actually have the hydration for our brain function, believe it or not.
00:52:45.780 --> 00:52:48.559 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And I'm always trying to get the…
00:52:48.560 --> 00:52:51.979 Frank R Harrison: No, always, always make sure that it has the electrolytes in there, because that.
00:52:51.980 --> 00:52:52.540 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes.
00:52:52.540 --> 00:52:53.130 Frank R Harrison: brain.
00:52:53.370 --> 00:53:15.690 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Because not every… nope, just your regular tap water does not have that, and so you want to… I've taken to either drinking, spring water, mountain water, to get some of that, or I do have a little powder that I can add to regular water that has those electrolytes, and so that's so good for the brain. Some other things that people can do is
00:53:15.690 --> 00:53:18.099 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Eat the color of the rainbow in your foods.
00:53:18.340 --> 00:53:19.360 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right?
00:53:19.470 --> 00:53:34.559 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: get vegetables into your diet one way or another, right? Mindfully eating means also making mindful choices, and not trying to change everything all at once.
00:53:34.560 --> 00:53:39.969 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Don't be restrictive, where you're just gonna throw out everything, and…
00:53:40.080 --> 00:53:45.529 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: eat this way from now on. It shocks the brain and the system too much.
00:53:45.950 --> 00:53:46.320 Frank R Harrison: Correct.
00:53:46.320 --> 00:53:47.430 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Slow down, like…
00:53:47.670 --> 00:54:00.060 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Decrease the amount of processed foods you might be eating in your diet, and add one good thing in, whether that's a supplement you need to supplement with, or
00:54:00.060 --> 00:54:15.530 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: food that you need to have in your diet that will give you one of these nutrients that we talked about today, right? Because when we go from one end to the other, it just gives our body whiplash, and then we're cranky.
00:54:15.670 --> 00:54:33.630 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Exactly. So, lower the processed foods, lower the sugar intake, and add in one thing at a time. Give your body a chance to acclimate. Just like we talked about last week about movement, just…
00:54:34.070 --> 00:54:43.200 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: move a little bit more, you know? It doesn't have to be that you go for a run for 30 minutes all of a sudden, every day, right?
00:54:43.660 --> 00:54:47.510 Frank R Harrison: Correct. It becomes a habit. Before you know it, sometimes you just crave walking.
00:54:47.510 --> 00:54:48.300 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes.
00:54:48.610 --> 00:54:58.080 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Just go for a 10-minute walk, dance a little bit in your living room, same thing, same thing. Add something good in. And…
00:54:58.420 --> 00:55:08.519 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: If you feel like you've fallen off of whatever trajectory you're trying to be on, don't beat yourself up about it, right? This is a journey.
00:55:08.520 --> 00:55:19.760 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Right? Nutrition as medicine. Food as medicine is a journey. And we evolve and learn as we go. So if you change one thing at a time.
00:55:20.020 --> 00:55:22.610 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Keep reading up on this.
00:55:22.770 --> 00:55:33.479 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Talk to your doctor, nutritionist, nurse practitioner about this. You'll get more information. So, make it easy.
00:55:33.620 --> 00:55:44.200 Frank R Harrison: Make it easy, but also be very mindful of this big, beautiful bill that was passed, where the tariffs are increasing the cost of foods, especially the nutritious ones.
00:55:44.200 --> 00:55:57.640 Frank R Harrison: I know that I've already, within my family system, because it has, as you know, been set up as a caregiving system at this point, we have coordinated a budget control mechanism, used ChatGPT to actually create a.
00:55:57.640 --> 00:56:01.789 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: month long of nutritious meals for my father. I love that!
00:56:01.790 --> 00:56:19.979 Frank R Harrison: and go to Costco to buy in bulk, because they're gonna remove the food stamp opportunities for people who are on the SNAP program. They're also going to be able to increase the prices, like, on eggs and whatever, but if you buy in bulk, the prices will be about the same as they would be for a dozen eggs, for example.
00:56:20.080 --> 00:56:25.019 Frank R Harrison: You know, so you're budgeting, you're food shopping at Costco in particular, that's my.
00:56:25.020 --> 00:56:25.910 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yeah.
00:56:25.910 --> 00:56:28.849 Frank R Harrison: place. Of course, others can choose BJs or whatever other.
00:56:29.510 --> 00:56:30.870 Frank R Harrison: Wholesalers are out there.
00:56:30.870 --> 00:56:51.710 Frank R Harrison: but at the same time, map out not only what ChatGPT can provide for menus and directions on how to prepare, but especially if they're targeted for meals to combat depression, anxiety, PTSD, or even the neurological variety, like dementia, then they'll tell you where at Costco to buy the particular foods, the items, the prices.
00:56:51.710 --> 00:56:54.649 Frank R Harrison: And you assemble it together and make an entire day of it.
00:56:55.190 --> 00:56:56.150 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Perfect.
00:56:56.150 --> 00:57:01.090 Frank R Harrison: That's how you integrate nutrition into your mental health and into your lifestyle as a whole.
00:57:01.090 --> 00:57:02.459 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: And into your budget
00:57:03.250 --> 00:57:12.209 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Which is perfect. Yeah, thank you for that, and we'll end it there. It was such a joy to see you again, Frank, and have you on my show.
00:57:12.210 --> 00:57:12.810 Frank R Harrison: Absolutely.
00:57:12.810 --> 00:57:14.580 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Wonderful, wonderful.
00:57:14.860 --> 00:57:31.789 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Thank you all for joining us for this episode of The Expansion Room, and join us next Wednesday at 5pm, where we will continue this series of holistic approaches that we can integrate into our lives for our mental health.
00:57:31.960 --> 00:57:32.580 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Take care.
00:57:32.580 --> 00:57:51.949 Frank R Harrison: Join me tomorrow, Thursday at 5pm, for a new episode of Frank About Health with the return of John Beyer, a person in recovery that is able to make an expansive life for himself, both dealing with autism through his son, as well as dealing with his growing business that has also involved a music career.
00:57:52.100 --> 00:57:56.820 Shervon Laurice | The Expansion Room: Yes! Oh, that would be good. Thank you! Take care.
00:57:57.000 --> 00:57:58.899 Frank R Harrison: Alright, take care.
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