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Rating: 
Summary: I owe my life to this book
Review: After years of depression, lethargy, and out-of-control weight, I thought that I would be that way forever. I had lost interest in anything fun. I couldn't keep up with household tasks. I was irritable, grouchy, intolerant. All I wanted to do was sleep.Until reading and applying the principles presented in Food and Mood! I can't recommend this book highly enough. I truly believe that it saved my life!
Rating:
Summary: Breaking old eating habits
Review: As the mother of two little boys, one and three years old, I found myself getting as tired and cranky as they were at 2PM nap time. I just assumed it was a natural part of being a busy mom. If I didn't sneak a nap while they were down, I'd rewarm the morning coffee and 'reward' myself with a cookie. When I picked up "Food and Mood" I actually had my husband in mind! When I started using the author's eating strategies, I noticed I wasn't craving a nap or coffee at midafternoon and I was really feeling good. For other 'tired' mom's, one key that helped me was when I started eating a protein-based midmorning and midafternoon snack, which helped me avoid the quick high of coffee and sugar that wore off too soon. I've since incorporated the same strategies with the kids and my husband (a habitual midafternoon candy bar eater), and he says he notices a difference and a better energy level too. I've recommended Food and Mood to so many friends that I actually wanted to write a review to help spread the word. This is one less cranky mom wishing you well.
Rating:
Summary: Might be the best Diet Book out there
Review: I bought this book before I bought the South Beach diet book.
At the time, I did not comprehend what White bread and insulin levels were doing to my body. After I went on the South beach diet, I went back to reread some of Food and mood. I realised that what had been written in SBD, had been covered in much more depth in Food and Mood.
There is so much information in this book. Each food does something to your body. Too much sugar, and 20 minutes later you are tired and cranky. Same could be said for white bread, white rice, white pasta.
The bibliography at the end is priceless. For once, the author of a diet book has backed up her claims with countless studies from reputable sources.
In conclusion, get this book.
Rating:
Summary: Might be the best Diet Book out there
Review: I bought this book before I bought the South Beach diet book.
At the time, I did not comprehend what White bread and insulin levels were doing to my body. After I went on the South beach diet, I went back to reread some of Food and mood. I realised that what had been written in SBD, had been covered in much more depth in Food and Mood.
There is so much information in this book. Each food does something to your body. Too much sugar, and 20 minutes later you are tired and cranky. Same could be said for white bread, white rice, white pasta.
The bibliography at the end is priceless. For once, the author of a diet book has backed up her claims with countless studies from reputable sources.
In conclusion, get this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Decent Nutrition Overview
Review: This book is an overview of nutritional and dietary practices, and how they can affect your health, particularly your mental well-being. It is organized into two main sections: The Food-Mood Link, and Nutrition Know-How. In the first section, there are separate chapters about such topics as blood chemistry, carbohydrates, fats and chocolate, and dietary affects on energy levels, PMS and SAD, depression, stress, thinking and memory, as well as chapters on food allergies and intolerances, and eating disorders. The second section presents advice on healthy eating habits for positive mental well-being, with chapters on shopping and supplements. At the end of the book are a glossary, a short section of recipes, a list of organizations devoted to specific diet and health concerns, references organized by chapter, and an index.
Reading this book is a bit like consulting with a nutritionist. Near the beginning of most chapters is a short self-scoring quiz about your current dietary habits or mental condition. After taking the quiz, you add up the points to see if you are eating well in this particular area, or should consider adjusting your habits. The remaining text in the chapter explains some of the problems or symptoms of the topic under discussion and various dietary factors that may play a role, or how dietary changes can help ameliorate symptoms. The suggestions Somer makes are all grounded on published scientific research, as cited in the references found at the back of the book.
While I found the nutritional information worthwhile, I found the quizzes a bit simplistic at times. Quiz 1.1 "What do you eat and how do you feel?" was particularly questionable in format. It asks you to rate your mood on a scale of 0-5 for about 25 characteristics such as "calm" or "lethargic" before lunch and then again after lunch. If any of these values change during this time, you are presumably to blame it on what you had for lunch. Such a format constitutes a classic example of how to create unfounded cause-effect relationships. Mood changes could just as easily come from hormone cycling, food you ate at an earlier meal, or something you heard on the news during lunch. On the other hand, the quizzes provide a limited means of interactivity, to make up for Somer not being able to conduct a personal interview about specific needs before giving dietary advice. Overall, I found the book informative and interesting, though the quizzes need some more polish.
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