Drew Ramsey's Recipe For Happiness Blog

Five Boro NYC Bike Ride Fueled by Kale.

2013-05-06T01:28:50+00:00

Last Sunday, I rode in the TD Five Boro Ride by BikeNYC. Through streets free of cars and over five bridges with a total of 32,000 riders, we covered 40 miles.

What a great ride! It was a beautiful sunny crisp NYC day. I had the crazy idea to do the entire 40-mile ride fuel only by Kale. It was a vaguely Peter Attia, MD (doctor/NuSi/extreme athlete/blogger) inspired self-experiment: Does kale have enough water and nutrients to fuel my aging, undertrained body to every NYC borough on a bike – Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island? Riding my steady old, one speed bike, I consumed nothing but raw kale after my cup of coffee and the 1/4 bagel with cream cheese my 2-year old daughter insisted I eat. I left our apartment at 8 am and rode seven miles south towards the starting line, the new One World Trade Tower gleaming in the distance. I was riding solo today and pondered that my bouquet of kale was perhaps a blessing of sorts. In all the boroughs and around the US, Kale is in the ground or will be soon...may it grow well this year.

I tried the kale on the ride down to the start and wondered if this was nuts. Is there enough fuel in the kale? Enough hydration? The race begins downtown in TriBeca and we were off with a stop and go Sprint up Sixth Ave followed by a sunny ride through Central Park.

The kale was great. I wasn’t thirsty or hungry the entire trip. I rode pretty hard. The BQE was post-apocolyptic. I got to Staten Island around 1pm and the cold ocean wind and long hill up to the peak of the bridge was tough. I was out of kale and hungry, but I wasn't dying to eat.

There was only one rider I really wanted to beat – the NesQuik Bunny who was riding, I assume, fueled only by low-fat chocolate sugary milk. I saw him pull off at mile 9 and yelled “Hey Bunny! Eat More Kale!” Riding a bike in the street yelling at a guy in a bunny suit ....I decided to hunker down and focus on the ride.

We wound through so many amazingly varied NYC communities – thanks to everyone who came out and cheered. To all the bands – Singers in Harlem, Rockers Queens, Drummers in BK and Bx, crazy circus band on Staten Island (and the two guys who hooked up speakers to their bikes and DJ’d the ride), thanks and you are awesome.

The Results:

Ride was completed without thirst or hunger eating only kale (about 6 -8 leaves)

My mouth was never dry.

The kale provided a nice slow chew of hydration adding a meditative quality my ride.

Interesting variations in sweetness between the leaves.

Late in the ride I felt a little full, nothing uncomfortable.

Certainy believing I could do this fueled by kale helped i.e. I wouldn't try this unless you really like kale.

WNYC: Please Explain SuperFoods

2013-03-01T22:24:37+00:00

Over the past year, I've learned that doing radio interviews is very fun, especially live radio. Unlike written blogs were I hem-and-haw and always miss several typos, radio just happens. I usually get to read a few recent studies the night before like the recent one on the Mediterranean Diet and the risk of Heart Disease and also get to work on clear examples that make sense for everyone. I was very excited to get asked back to The Leonard Lopate show on WNYC. He is a local star of the radio in NYC and just fun to talk with - and he is very generous as a host mentioning both Columbia and my books during our time together.

Today was the first "Food Fridays", and I was asked to talk about "superfoods". I decided I had to bring in some foods and last night brought home several bunches of organic green and red kale, some cacao nibs, and a few others. I made a big batch kale chips this morning for the folks in the studio, which were a hit, and then during a break whipped up my All Kale Caesar! Salad during our mid-show break.

Superfoods really don't have a formal definition, but generally they are foods with a high nutrient to calorie ratio, meaning a lot of bang for your buck. They also are foods that are packed with phyonutrients like sulfurophane or lycopene. Most people think of plant superfoods, but I insist on adding some seafood and meat to the list as molecules like B12 and the omega-3 fat DHA are so important to health. And so we talked about grassfed beef and mussels.

We covered a wide range of topics from omega-3 fats to cholesterol to nuts. If you missed the live broadcast and want to listen, WNYC posted the show and three great recipes from The Happiness Diet.

This was some of the first media for 50 Shades of Kale which was pretty cool. The staff said the call-in board "lit up" after we started talking about kale!

Take a listen here

Bloomington Brain Food Extravaganza

2013-01-30T19:59:36+00:00

Next month I am returning to Bloomington, Indiana to give a TEDx talk on an exercise I've been doing called Prescription BrainFood. More on that later.

I know I’m a little late in posting this, but last August, I made the ultimate brain food trip to Bloomington, Indiana where I talked about The Happiness Diet and was hosted by Bloomingfoods , the first food cooperative that I joined way back when I was a medical student. Jean Kautt arranged an amazing day - an interview with Anni Corrigan of Earth Eats and then meeting Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor

The great Dr. Jill is neuroanatomist, author of My Stroke of Insight, and gave one of the most watched TED talks ever. Through her Brain Extravaganza project, 22 enormous (5 feet tall!) and beautifully-designed (as well as anatomically correct!) brains were on display throughout the city of Bloomington. The brains all decorated by local artists leading to a diverse look with themes ranging from music to religion to foo.

Jill and I chatted at the food-based brain outside of the Bloomington Market and Deli, designed by Bonnie Gordon-Lucas.

Watch the interview below.

Marcia Adler Memorial Lecture

2013-01-12T03:49:15+00:00

Should Therapists Ask about Food?

Marcia Adler was a dynamic clinician, teacher, promoter of clinical excellence in mental health. She was also my mentor and aunt.

The Dean of Students at the Institute of Clinical Social Work in Chicago, she passed away in 2010. ICSW has established a memorial fund to support of students and continue the influence of Marcia's values.

Marcia inspired my two professional passions: mental health and food. In this talk, I review the baseics of how I use information about food and nutrition to inform my clinical work and how food and brain health (meaning mood, attention, etc) are linked.

Thanks to ICSW for the opportunity to speak and for producing this video of the talk that includes my slides. For more information on ICSW and the Marcia Adler Memorial Fund please see: www.icsw.edu/programs/professional_enrichment/adler_lecture/

Watch the Video

Eat More Curry for a Brain Boost

2013-01-04T04:22:46+00:00

Looking to spice up your cooking with a serious brain booster? While many spices and herbs that flavor foods offer brain health benefits, few hold the promise of the active ingredient most curries - turmeric, the source of a special polyphenol called curcumin. We hope this Farmacy post will convince you to brighten your plate, expand your palette, and boost your brain health with a dash of turmeric. And we'll even share one of Mother Nature's top food synergies so you can maximize its brain health benefits.

Used for thousands of years in traditional South Asian cooking and traditional medicine, turmeric is a basic ingredient in curries. Also known as Indian Saffron, the spice gives these dishes their amber coloring and rich, earthy aroma...and provides you with a brain-boosting dose of curcumin. While used in India and China for centuries in various traditional remedies, it’s been garnering attention in the scientific and medical communities for its impact on mental health, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In fact, over 4000 scientific publications have focused on curcumin in the last decade. One study of 1,010 participants found that even small amounts of dietary turmeric are clearly linked to lower rates of dementia.

According to studies of how curcumin works on a molecular level, there are three ways that that more curry is great for your brain.

Research in animal models indicates that the active chemical in turmeric, curcumin, can enhance the birth of new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis. The discovery that your brain can produce new cells has huge implications for your mental health. The production of these new neurons (brain cells) in the hippocampus and other brain areas is essential for optimal learning, memory and mood. In studies, curcumin enhanced neurogenesis by increasing the level of brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a molecule at the forefront brain health today (and we’d argue food choices). BDNF not only encourages the birth of new brain cells, it also promotes connections to other brain cells and protects them from damage. Low BDNF is linked to serious brain illnesses such as major depression, OCD, schizophrenia, and dementia.

Secondly, curcumin is theorized to help fight illnesses like depression because it boosts the feel good neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are fundamental for good moods, clear thinking, a healthy sex drive, and sharp focus. Curcumin blocks the monoamine oxidase enzymes that naturally break down these neurotransmitters. Thus, it functions much like a class of antidepressant medications called MAO inhibitors, which are used to treat both clinical depression and Alzheimer’s disease. In animal models of depression, curcumin actually enhanced the antidepressant effect of medications like Prozac and Effexor.

Lastly, curcumin is a potent antioxidant and so it helps protect the brain by quelling inflammation. A buzzword in medicine these days, chronic excess inflammation is linked to medical issues such as heart disease and diabetes as well as brain disorders like depression and dementia. Recently, a large study of 73,131 people found levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation, were significantly associated with depression and psychological stress. Curcumin has also been shown to reduce the formation of the plaques that are typical of Alzheimer's disease.

Since this blog focuses on brain health, we haven't even mentioned the many other potential health benefits of curcumin being investigated but they include fighting many types of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, skin disorders, and enhancing liver function just to name a few. To say it simply, this golden spice is powerful medicine.

The only concern with curcumin has been is low "bioavailability" meaning the body does not absorb it well and excretes it quickly. Few things illustrate the power of real food as medicine like food synergies and it turns out that consuming curcumin with black pepper enhances the absorption and bioavailability by 2000 percent!

Closely resembling ginger root in its unprocessed form, turmeric is a member of the ginger family. It is readily available at local supermarkets as a fine yellow powder in the spice isle. Your local grocer should carry the spice for about $7 to $9 for an ounce or two, which is perfect for those beginning to experiment. You can also go all out and snag a pound for around $5 at local South Asian markets, an incredible deal for a brain booster. Another option is to use fresh turmeric. You can add thin slices to rice dishes or grate it, a nice addition to everthing from roasted vegetables to salad dressings.

While turmeric is largely known as a common component in curried dishes, cooking curry can be a daunting task. But you don’t have to spend hours by the stove to enjoy this spice at home. Turmeric is a surprisingly versatile spice and can be incorporated into many dishes. There are countless recipes to sample, but we’ve listed one of Mala's favorites below to get you started. We hope this very tasty introduction will get you cooking and experimenting with this amazing spice.

Until next time, Eat to Build a Better Brain....with turmeric!

Will Chocolate Help You Win a Nobel Prize?

2012-12-26T21:36:05+00:00

That was the question posed to me by WCBS after this study came out in the New England Journal of Medicine. Honestly I think this study shows the editors and the author of the study have a great sense of humor. It is a simple correlational study comparing the number of Nobel Prize winners in a country to the amount of chocolate eaten per capita per year. I think with the wording of the conclusion "Chocolate consumption enhances cognitive function, which is a sine qua non for winning the Nobel Prize, and it closely correlates with the number of Nobel laureates in each country." The author seems to acknowledge he is having fun.

Watch the Video

Happiness a Trend?

2012-12-22T16:08:58+00:00

Happiness is trending up. I really enjoyed being interviewed by JWT for their report on Happiness. The report is full of interesting information about Happiness in terms of branding and marketing. Since I focus so much on food and mental health, it was nice for me to take a step back and learn more about this trend. Check it out!

Watch the Video

Please Explain: Anxiety

2012-12-20T16:47:53+00:00

I'll be back on the Leonard Lopate show this Friday disucssing how the brain and body respond to anxiety. Last week, the program got cut short as news broke of the tragedy in Newton. WNYC launched into coverage and I headed over the CBS studios to talk about the shootings. Usually, I'm talking about brain health and food, and while I felt excited that CBS has trusted me to comment on the event, it was incredibley sad and I left the studio wondering if I had said anything helpful.

You can listent to Part One: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2012/dec/14/please-explain-stress/

Also weighing was Rajita Sinha, director of the Yale Stress Center, and Professor of Psychiatry, Neurobiology and Child Study at Yale University School of Medicine.

Leonard has interviewed just about everyone. Samuel Jackson and Mark Bittman had been in the studio the day prior. He pointed to the seat Neil Young sat in and I was tempted to switch chairs. Working with such a veteran is always fun for me as they are so comfortable on air and their questions are both carefully considered and spotaneously insightful.

Rodale sent a few copies of The Happiness Diet and the producer let me know there would be some questions about food and anxiety tomorrow. I hope you can tune in if you are in the NYC area and if not, it is also streaming on the web at http://wnyc.org

Reminder: Get Your Tix to Mood Boosters and Mood Busters

2012-11-11T19:23:10+00:00

December 11, 6:30 p.m.

Mood Boosters and Mood Busters: Let Food Be Your Guide
Learn how changing your daily diet can help maintain a happy, well-balanced disposition and overcome a predisposition to excessive weight gain caused by mood-destroying foods. Obtain tips to power-up your shopping lists and strategies for stocking your kitchen with essential ingredients to balance your emotional health. Tickets from $20 / $10 May Center Members.
Venue: Warburg Lounge, 92nd Street Y
Location: Lexington Avenue at 91st St

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What Does Harvard Say About Fat?

2012-11-01T21:25:20+00:00

Want to learn more about fats from a trusted source? While I believe there are some red flags about their conclusions, I still like this post from Harvard. My favorite part is where I learned that the red meat to colon cancer risk means limiting red meat consumption to one and a half pounds per week. No problem. I love beef and lamb, but it has to fit into my rotation of seafood, plants, eggs, and pork.

Where do I disagree? [Gulp – disagreeing with Harvard is tough]

Try to eliminate trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. Check food labels for trans fats; avoid fried fast foods.

OK, TOTALLY AGREE here. Trans fats are strongly linked with depression.

Limit your intake of saturated fats by cutting back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods. Try replacing red meat with beans, nuts, poultry, and fish whenever possible, and switching from whole milk and other full-fat dairy foods to lower fat versions.

Low fat dairy is a processed food and the US dairy supply is not grass-fed, so it has much less CLA. I know there is a lot of anti-dairy messaging and a lot of lactose intolerance out there, but I’m still partial to full-fat dairy. All this messaging “eat less saturated fat” hasn’t helped people be healthier or happier.

In place of butter, use liquid vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in cooking and at the table.

Whoa, there. Not all polyunsaturated fats are created equal. Vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fats, which have been shown to decrease brain health. People are so confused by this message, evidenced in the abundance of whipped vegetable oil spreads (i.e., margarine) full of artificial nastiness. Back off my butter. Harvard. In my kitchen, I use olive oil, butter, and lard, and I don’t add much of these to food.

Eat one or more good sources of omega-3 fats every day—fish, walnuts, canola or soybean oil, ground flax seeds or flaxseed oil.

When did soybean oil become a good source of Omega-3s?!

Give the comprehensive guide a read. Despite some of my qualms above, it’s a very informative and helpful report.