On the podcast we have had a few conversations about nutrition but this time we brought in the expert Mrs. Cyrilla Purnell to discuss how much it affects your Mental Health. We look at not only what your food does to your mental health, but we also break down that your mental health can steer your food choices as well. This can either be a vicious or virtuous cycle depending how you choose what food you put into your body.
Tune in to see Mental Health and Your Nutrition Through a Therapist’s Eyes.
Listen for the following takeaways from the show:
- Do you know what positive nutrition includes?
- How much does what you eat really affect your mood?
- Do you get scared or overwhelmed from all the things you hear from the food industry?
- Your emotions can heavily affect what and how much food you eat.
- You need to be mindful about why you are eating what you are eating or craving.
- There are a lot of studies that are proving the direct correlation with mental and certain foods.
- You have to remove shame and guild from their diet.
- Foods with short term results give short term impact – sugar and processed carbs will give you a quick pick me up but not long term sustainability.
- There are ways you can restore your gut health to help balance your mental health.
- They are learning what nutrients can help your natural body composition.
- How to contact Cyrilla – www.aspireintegrativewellness.com
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Episode #211 Transcription
Chris Gazdik: [00:00:00] Hello to Through a Therapist’s Eyes. You found us on a strange day. We’re recording on Monday, December the 19th. We’re fitting in an extra show because we’ve had crazy holiday schedules, sicknesses all around. As you guys realized last week, Kasie wasn’t able to join us again. It’s been, boy, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
It’s a crazy time of year, isn’t it, ? So this is through a therapist eyes, episode 10. I’m really excited about this episode because I think that I personally have been wondering for a long time about a topic of nutrition and your mental health. And honestly, I don’t think many people can really talk about this issue.
on a Depthy level. And I have found somebody, my own dietician, Ms. Cyrilla Purnell, [00:01:00] is with us. She agreed to join us and I’m gonna tell you about her in a, in a bit, but she knows like a lot about food. This is gonna be a fantastically informative show, so I’m super excited about it. So this is where you get insights from a therapist and in this case today, a dietician as well, while having personal time at home or in your car.
But please know, is not to delivery of therapy services in any way. We have the book out, re-Understanding Emotions and Becoming Your Best Self. The new book, did you know I’m writing a new book? No, I didn’t. Yeah, it’s on marriage. How wonderful. I know, right. And you’re writing a book too, right?
Cyrilla Purnell: I am writing an e-book.
Does that count as a book?
Chris Gazdik: Absolutely . And we need to talk when the mics are off. Why not a regular A Word book? Just e-book? What is that? Oh,
Cyrilla Purnell: well maybe, maybe it’ll turn into that.
Chris Gazdik: Oh yeah, we definitely need to talk. That’s, that’s cool. Cause I just recently found that out. And what’s the title of the book?
I think I wrote it down here. But uh,
Cyrilla Purnell: [00:02:00] nourishing Bodies, brains and Minds. Every Bite
Chris Gazdik: Counts. That is super cool. . Yeah, that is, that is super cool. So she even wrote a book, guys. Anyway, what else? We do have, I wanted to highlight the red bubble stuff. Neil, we got a, we got some purchases. This is the Christmas season for gifts, but dang, we kind of missed the boat on that, didn’t we?
So, cause when’s this come? Yeah, he’s like, he’s got the grin on his face. This will come out probably. After Christmas. Bummer. But for all those people that you forgot to buy gifts from, hit the website. We’ve got awesome. Through a therapist size stuff. We’re gonna be getting the quotes and things that we have on the show that are pretty neat.
Hats, T-shirts. I don’t know what else we got out there. I haven’t talked about this for a little while, Neil. We got a jigsaw puzzle that’s, that’s got the you know, we figure this thing out together. So a lot of cool things. If you check the merch button on the website, contact at through a therapist’s eyes is also how you get with us.
So Cella, I like to say this is the human emotional experience and we’re gonna endeavor to figure this thing out [00:03:00] together. You, you down with that? Absolutely. I hope so. Cuz we started right? . That’s right. No turning back. So, all right, check this out guys. She is a bonafide registered dietician who’s the director of research and program development for Aspire Integrative Wellness.
A i w. We have all these letters in all of our professional fields. Like what does a, I w even mean?
Cyrilla Purnell: Aspire Integrative Wellness is just, it’s just the abbreviation. ,
Chris Gazdik: I guess I should have figured that out. Okay. The world’s hearing my stupidity, but that’s okay. And I think it’s cool. I found out that you have a BS in zoology.
How cool is that? Absolutely. You’re interested
Cyrilla Purnell: in animals. It’s, it’s just the study of animal life, not as much biology, so I mean, our plant life. So just animal life. So
Chris Gazdik: was that originally part of your interest in nutrition and food and such, or just sort of a happen chance?
Cyrilla Purnell: Some people call it pre-med.
So I knew that I wanted [00:04:00] to do something that supported health.
Chris Gazdik: Okay, so pre-med in dietician world is Zoology. Yes. . Okay. Yes. How cool is that? Okay. I never would’ve thought that. That’s awesome. So she got the zoology degree from NC State University. Quick story about NC State. When I was new to North Carolina, I walked into a bar my wife and I did, and we heard these crazy people and they were all cheering.
You’ve probably heard this in the football games. It’s NC State and the whole bar yelled nc. I was like, whoa. What did we just, what world did we just walk into? . Have you ever yelled us? Cheer? I’m so glad I like you even more . But it was cool for them. She also has a master degree in public health and nutrition from U N C Chapel Hill.
[00:05:00] Have you ever said their cheers? No. I’d like you even more and
Cyrilla Purnell: more now. . I went to the games. I just didn’t go to bars when I was in college.
Chris Gazdik: well, they do the cheers, I guess at the games. , she has an integrated approach supporting the health and minds and the body to promote optimal health and wellbeing.
So you’re interested in mindfulness practices. They establish a better relationship with food, which is one of the approaches that I love that you take is a whole relationship with food and wellness. Not, well, we’ll get to the, Mindset that people get into that just take people, I think, in a completely different direction than what we probably need to be.
But encouraging body positivity and instilling a balanced approach to nourishing our body and our brain, as you said. Look out for the book. Nourishing Bodies’, brains and Minds. Every Bite counts. I love the subtitle. Gotta gotta give props there. And what’s cool honestly is if [00:06:00] you Google her name Cilla per pernell you will find that she is in, has done and is in several clinical studies and everything.
Is that true?
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. We’re conducting some clinical studies on the approach of mindfulness and counseling practices.
Chris Gazdik: See, I think that is so cool cuz I love you research people. I can’t stand research. I’ve never been big into it. . I hated the labs class in school and all the stuff, so I just love learning from people like you.
Love to do the research. Now, is that a passion
Cyrilla Purnell: for you? That I’ve always been, well, back in college I participated in research studies at the general clinical research center and with the entomology department and other, yeah, other. Departments as well. So I do enjoy research.
Chris Gazdik: I love that. I love that.
And it, particularly when there’s words that I don’t even know what they mean, , and I can, I can learn from people with this. So seriously, [00:07:00] clinical studies and different trials and different things that you’ve been involved in, like this is going to be great. has an interest also in herbal medicine and yoga and meditation and propo promoting, you know, what Aspires team is doing.
It’s really, really awesome. I’m so glad that you’re, you’re joining us to, to spend some time with us. Well, thank you for having me. I’m also gonna say, this is my personal dietician. I have started to work with you and y’all are in for a lot of really good information because how long has it been, what, like two, three months or?
is that, is that So
Cyrilla Purnell: it’s been about, it’s been about three months.
Chris Gazdik: Yeah. I have learned more about food in three freaking months than I think I’ve ever known in my entire life. Like that’s, that’s totally like, I’m not making that up. That’s awesome. So you do a lot. I’m
Cyrilla Purnell: glad you’ve learned some stuff. I learned a lot.
You’ve been doing a great job.
Chris Gazdik: Thank you. I appreciate that. I’ve been trying, I even got new water drinking cups. [00:08:00] I’ve never drank it with Rosemary in there, but how does it taste? Oh, like Rosemary and I love Rosemary. So part of what I’m learning is you gotta figure out your own tastes, your own likes, your own dislikes.
And maybe that’s the first question I’ll fire at you. Like, how unique is a person’s body and tastes and how important is that in your relationship with, with. .
Cyrilla Purnell: Well, I think that person’s likes and dislikes have a lot to do with their relationship with food. I mean, it can definitely create different cravings and different ways that people choose to eat.
So,
Chris Gazdik: and how do they change over time? Because, you know, I was thinking about that when you, well, I’ll tell a quick story, , which is weird, but I’m gonna do it anyway because, you know, it was a personal experience very recently. You know, like I’ve changed a lot of the way that I [00:09:00] eat. and I think we develop cravings and we develop things that we like, you know, with sugar and carbs and a lot of the additives that are out there about food and everything.
Well, I, you’ve got me really focused on how can I eat more vegetables and fruit and all those cool things that, that I’ve learned from you. And I went, , I think I told you about this, didn’t I? Cuz I went to a, a Mexican restaurant and I had the buffet and it was fine. I had salad stuff. That’s what I wanted to start with.
I swear I did not eat that much. But like I’ve, my body’s adjusting to not having like, as much of the meats and then the different things that I would eat that would be like breaded seafood and all that kind of stuff. So, do you remember how, what did I not tell you about that? Yes, I do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So how does your cravings change and how do you formulate your palette with the choices that you make?
And how impactful is that?
Cyrilla Purnell: Well, it certainly makes sense that the more. [00:10:00] High nutrient density foods that you incorporate like fruits and vegetables into your diet, the less you’re going to be craving other foods that in, in, in place of that. So when you’re having, you’re gonna be a person typically will crave less sweets and processed foods when they’re eating more really nutritionally dense foods.
And not just fruits and vegetables, but also low fat meats and high quality unrefined grains and leafy green vegetables and nuts and seeds. All of those things really help to decrease cravings of other foods that are maybe not so nutrient dense.
Chris Gazdik: And I’m, yeah, I, I, I think there’s a big piece of the choices that you can learn to make.
And when you look at, and we’ll talk about our relationship [00:11:00] with food today for sure. Like the, the, I feel like people do not feel very empowered with their food choices and their nutrition and wellness altogether, that because of feeling the disempowerment, we’re just stuck to eat whatever the hell is in front of us.
Like the foods that are just regularly available and we learn from restaurants and this type of thing that are probably not great choices and lessons. I mean, is that, is that a fair statement? Well, I
Cyrilla Purnell: think that, The foods that we choose. We can be very empowered through food to take control of our health and empowered by food to have better energy and to be able to contribute the best of ourselves and at work and at home, and have more endurance and less sick days.
I mean, all of those things [00:12:00] by, we can do, by empowering with food. It helps us to feel like we’re in more, in control of our health. But I think that it can be disempowering for people when they’re not feeling those benefits and they can feel like there. Almost like discouraged when they’re constantly discouraged.
Cra yes, craving foods that are not good for them, but if just taking those steps and eating like, like you’ve done eating more fruits and vegetables and seeing the results of how much better they feel and how their food cravings tend to change as they improve their diet. But may I say that also that craving food is, there’s nothing wrong with that, and we should allow ourselves the foods that we do crave, even if they’re not always on the health list.
I, I [00:13:00] like
Chris Gazdik: that you said that because I, I heard this before and I’ve always taken it with me that whenever I feel sick or ill of some sort or something’s coming on, I will really just. Let my body, I will tune into my body. I’ve always been able to do that part, and whatever it is that I’m really wanting, I’m going to go ahead and let myself have, and I don’t care if that’s chocolate or whatever it might be.
I feel like my body’s sick and it’s telling me what I really need, and that’s totally okay to listen to. I’m, I’m so glad you said that, that way,
Cyrilla Purnell: yes, we should trust our bodies and, but at the same time, do question, why am I craving this right now? Because sometimes that can lead to some insights that can help us to make better choices for our overall health.
Chris Gazdik: Oh, now we’re getting into some cool therapy stuff. , [00:14:00] what types of things in your, because actually, well, let me back up. I, I’d like to, that’s an awesome segue. So I’d like to set people up because I did not know that. This is a relationship that you can have this professional relationship with a dietician that I have very pleasantly found to be very much like a therapy relationship.
This is why I joked, I think we’re on the Facebook thing, right? Like, you know, you have to protect my confidentiality. What I could tell the world that I’ve, I’m working with Cella, with, with, you know, my dietary needs and nutrition and all. Because it really very much is in many ways would you agree like a therapy relationship
Cyrilla Purnell: and more so growing, I believe to be like that as dietetics expand and we have a further more growing knowledge [00:15:00] of all of the ways that.
diet is impacted by our lifestyle and how we think about food and social media and oh,
Chris Gazdik: it’s just so much, isn’t it? Yes, yes. Like brainwashed in so many ways. Yes. We’ll talk about the food industry, but I mean, so is this, is this new like sort of a new dynamic in your field where you’re able to work individually with people?
Because I, I guess before I had a client refer me to you, it was cool, and session came up and I was like, oh my God, cool. Like you’re do what with you? And that’s the way I found you guys, so. , when I think of a dietician, I think of like, you know, working in a hospital or different food plans with the schools or I, I don’t know, what kind of jobs had before.
How new is this sort of individual therapy type relationship to really work on your nutrition?
Cyrilla Purnell: Well, I know that intuitive eating [00:16:00] has been around for 20 years, so, okay. I mean, I would say relatively new. I think that the concept of really developing a person’s relationship with food and helping to a person to accept their bodies and I it is constantly evolving.
This whole concept of working with clients has probably been going on for as long as dietetics has been around, but I think, which has been how long? Oh, dietetics, yeah. Nutrition. My goodness. ? Well, ever since, probably like, I don’t know. I mean, I would have to guess at least the fifties or the Yeah.
Forties.
Chris Gazdik: Yeah, because prior to that, we didn’t really know anything. And I know my mental health field is new. Mm-hmm. , we didn’t really fire up until around the turn of the century. Not this past one, but the one before. , , you know. But even then, if you think about it in a history of man, like even [00:17:00] psychology is pretty brand new and this is like super brand new.
It, it sounds like over the course of the last 20, 30 years. Well, before I forget, I want to make sure that, that you guys know how to find C and Aspire as well. They are in Charlotte, North Carolina. Is it okay if I put the phone number. Sure you can find her at 9 8 0 2 9 6 0 0 4 4. And that is Aspire. They’re, they got How many people aspire Integrated Wellness employees.
You have like five different clinicians and such. Oh,
Cyrilla Purnell: I’d say about 30.
Chris Gazdik: Oh my gosh. You guys are huge. Wow. 30 people in the Charlotte area, or is it a multi-city
Cyrilla Purnell: organization? Well we, throughout North Carolina and Georgia.
Chris Gazdik: Oh, okay. Mm-hmm. . Very cool. I did not know that. So let’s, let’s get back to where, where you were then.
So you had said, which I think is a big area of thinking about the correlation [00:18:00] between nutrition, our diet, and our mental health. Yes. The reasons why people eat. We, we, we stepped off on that tangent there with mm-hmm. . , pay attention to your palate. Pay attention to your cravings, because there’s also sometimes when if you ask that question, why am I eating what I’m eating?
What do you find there when you’re working with people as it relates to like the emotional things that are there? The feelings that go into this, you know, this term, I eat my feelings. You know how many people fall into that trap? I told you the term. Yeah. TV hungry. Right? I get TV hungry, Kevin, my neighbor taught me that, Hey, Kevin, shout out to you.
You know he, we sit down and we have an emotional experience of boredom or TV and so there’s lots of things like that. So I would imagine you, you have to work with that.
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. I think that people eat for different reasons and all of the reasons are valid [00:19:00] reasons to eat. But I think that certainly when people are experiencing stress or or varied emotions that can lead to ups and downs.
It’s going to affect people’s eating so they can actually, it can actually cause people to increase their appetite or it can cause people to decrease their appetite. Perfect. Right. But certainly nutrition and mental health do go hand in hand. And I think this is something that oftentimes people really don’t, haven’t recognized in the past.
I think many people do attribute nutrition and nutrition status to physical illness, but not necessarily as much to attributing it to mental health and how and how we feel about food. Yeah.
Chris Gazdik: So, you know, as you were talking, I was just thinking about like, . [00:20:00] Yeah. You know, this is, this is in part, I don’t know if you realize this or not, but in part this is diagnostic in our field.
Like when a clinician’s sitting down, this is one of the things that we ask about. And we know that when people enter into depressed state, one of the symptoms is your, your anxiety go, or your appetite goes up, and then it’ll go down, just like your sex drive will go up or down with various conditions in mental health.
So like the relationship is just hand in hand, right?
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes, it is. And also, medications can affect the way that a person approaches food that sometimes that it can increase their appetite or make them crave certain different types of foods like sweets.
Carbs. Yeah, carbs. Let me
Chris Gazdik: see. Finger food or comfort food. Right. I mean this is, this is the level that I think about on it, right? Like the big point here with this little segment [00:21:00] is the emotional connection between what you eat, whether it’s destructive or productive. Mm-hmm. is a key thing, like with grief and loss.
When you’re grieving, you know, your appetite and your choices probably go in all sorts of directions. So what does a dietician do? Like, it’s so curious to me how you guys kind of work together. The mental health realm, the emotional. Realm in your counsel and teaching with people when they’re really trying to look at, at their health, particularly like in obesity or serious medical problems that come on.
Like how does that get incorporated
Cyrilla Purnell: together? Well, so oftentimes when I’m working with a client that has emotional obstacles that they’re trying to deal with that in relationship to food I will refer them to a mental health provider as well. Oh yes. . [00:22:00] Because they can really help to employ the depth that I don’t necessarily always go in the same avenue.
So it really does help to have that support. But at the same time when I’m working with a client that it really depends on where their obesity or their or their challenges with food could be coming from. Because a lot of times we’ll begin by helping them to improve their relationship with food by incorporating like mindfulness tools mm-hmm.
and some of these, that’s
Chris Gazdik: a buzzword everyone talks about nowadays.
Cyrilla Purnell: It, it really is a very common buzzword that’s on the tip of everybody’s tongue and it’s everywhere that you turn and see. But in the application of improving a person’s relationship with food it can really help to make food a lot more enjoyable.
and when, when a person’s [00:23:00] tuning into their senses and working through and using, using all of their senses and using the mindfulness tools when they’re eating that a better relationship with food can evolve. It helps to tune them into their hunger cues and their fullness cues and so many different ways that they notice the way that their body interacts with food.
Chris Gazdik: Right. Yeah. You know, it, it’s, it’s so interesting to me to, to, to see and, and experience you thinking through the correlation between stuff that I talk about all day long you know, feelings, emotions trauma-based experiences in life and what that does in the interaction with your nutrition and, you know, whether you’re eating away stress or trying to feel better in some sort of way.
And then the negative self [00:24:00] image that we get created, the insecurities that are there, whether that helps us to eat more destructively or productively you know, it’s, it, there’s a lot going on in our relationship with food.
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes, there is. And I know recently you did a podcast on self-acceptance and that’s another thing.
That I as a dietician work on with my clients. And a lot of the self-acceptance can come through doing some of the, doing some of this deep work and reestablishing your hunger and fullness cues and really experiencing food on all the different levels with your senses.
Chris Gazdik: So let’s talk a little more about food.
What’s your favorite food? ? I have to ask . Should I put you on the spot?
Cyrilla Purnell: Oh, you’re asking me today? So I’m gonna say sushi today. Oh, you’re sushi eater. But it changes every day. It changes every day. Oh yeah. No kidding. How is that possible? All food Really? I don’t think there’s, well, maybe there’s like, I can’t think of anything, any food [00:25:00] that I don’t like or that I don’t eat that is
Chris Gazdik: so hard for me to understand.
there’s nothing that you don’t like. I like it all. Wow. See my favorite Food is lazana. When, when we were kids, my mom would always let us choose like the meal. That was the big thing. Like, this is your birthday move. So meal, so what do you, you know, what do you want for, for, for, for, for supper, . One year my, my lovely sister picked crackers,
Cyrilla Purnell: for her birthday meal?
Chris Gazdik: Yes. Oh, you serious? So we had crackers with peanut butter and crackers with jelly and we had the, some, some with cheese on them. And I, it was just, I don’t know, jams and different things. So we had, that was our, her birthday.
Cyrilla Purnell: That’s fabulous. Crackers. I’m using that one year. .
Chris Gazdik: But mine was always lasagna.
Mine was always lasagna. So you don’t have a, a go-to food that is your favorite. You just have explored all these [00:26:00] and, and, and enjoy them
Cyrilla Purnell: all. Yes. And I, I love different, I love a variety of cuisine. I think that I appreciate variety the most, more than any one specific thing. What
Chris Gazdik: are those stinky fish? What, what, Neil, help me out.
What’s the, what’s the stinky fish in the can? Sardines. Sardines, okay. You got, you eat sardines. Love those. Oh my
Cyrilla Purnell: God, you’re doing it on sardines. Especially fish with bones I love. Oh, okay. It’s very hard to find those now.
Chris Gazdik: It kind of is, isn’t it? Mm-hmm. . Interesting. So , part of the reason why I, I, I ask in that way is like, I feel like you have such a healthy relationship with food.
Thank you. And our listeners. That’s my impression. For what it’s worth. Yes. You’re welcome. And is it fair to say that I think a lot of people in my mental health realm that I’m working with do not have a healthy relationship with [00:27:00] food? Is that a fair statement? On my part? That’s one of the things that I fear about it.
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. I actually have some notes on that. What do you got on that? I think that looking at how nutrition and mental health directly affect each other is so important and we really need to appreciate that concept because as nutrition, nutrition directly affects mental health, we know that through studies.
Yeah. We know how, when you hear about this, by the way how so many, all the macronutrients and so many mic vitamins and micronutrients directly affect our mental health for so many reasons. But so as we, as a person experiences. A lack of appetite or a change in nutrients that they’re taking in, it can affect their mental health and then their [00:28:00] mental health can affect their de it’s, maybe it changes or decreases their mental health.
And then a decrease in mental health can cause a decrease in the type of nutrients pills, doesn’t it? And it’s become a very built Yes. That’s, that’s what I’m trying. So Good. You’re understanding me. You’re just Yes, I am. Yeah. And it really needs to be a cycle that the medical community can help them with.
And there are new applications with nutritional type of therapies that research is starting to expose as viable options for helping with that.
Chris Gazdik: Okay. I wanna hear more about that for sure. So we’re, we’re gonna go off into like, What that area is. Before we do, let me circle back around though to ha cause I don’t wanna lose that thought.
Having a healthy relationship with food versus having a, I don’t know, should we say dysfunctional [00:29:00] relationship with food or an unhealthy relationship with food, maybe put it that way. What would an unhealthy relationship with food look like that we want to try to sort of correct or fix or manage? Is that a weird way of thinking about it?
I
Cyrilla Purnell: would say that one of the things that we really have to be most careful for, to promote a healthy relationship with food is to not instill guilt or shame around it. Food. Right, right. Yeah. And certainly even those dietary supplements are not a A substitute for eating a well-balanced diet for a person that really just can’t eat and doesn’t feel like they doesn’t have an appetite.
I think that taking some nutritional supplements would help with that, with them to get the appropriate nutrients that they need until their appetite can can [00:30:00] increase. But I feel like that health, when you talk about a healthy relationship with food,
Chris Gazdik: Yeah. So now you turn it around and look at like, what does that mean?
Cyrilla Purnell: Yeah, I think that certainly having a Positive relationship with the way that their body image, their, their, they feel about their body. That’s so important, isn’t it? Yes. And how they interact with social media and the influencers on social media.
Chris Gazdik: Oh my gosh, it’s horrible,
Cyrilla Purnell: isn’t it? Mm-hmm. . Yes. And what they allow themselves to com to expose themselves to.
So certain people have to be eliminated from the feed. Certain influencers and images and things, not naming any now and I don’t even really know any cause , I don’t,
Chris Gazdik: and I gotta give many mind ,
Cyrilla Purnell: but,
Chris Gazdik: So does, yeah. So shame and guilt and these feelings, again, the intertwined mental health and emotional connections.
Stress and stress, eating. Mm-hmm. . Those are, those are some of the [00:31:00] things I would’ve anticipated or thought. And it sounds like I was on point because. . Yeah. It’s so emotional eating, isn’t it?
Cyrilla Purnell: It is. I mean, from day one that we’re from when we’re born all the way through our life, eating is emotional experience.
Chris Gazdik: Like I’ll tell you real quick as a little bit of a side note, when you want to look at relationships as well, you know, people get so worried is another one of those words, right? Feeling guilty and shame and these things that come up emotionally when, when you are breaking bread with somebody, you are making a an inroad to a bond there.
That is an important step in, in relating to people. And, and I know this in part cuz of what I experienced in doing in-home family therapy work up. The Raleigh area or Well, the UNC area. Your, your area. With [00:32:00] Chapel Hill. I was working with an in-home family therapy company there and I learned from a supervisor and he actually, he was just experimenting with it.
And we took pizza prep food to these kids in the family that we were working with. And before you do that activity and then after is completely different relationship, not only with your food, but also with the person you’re relating to. Like it’s so emotional. So we took pizza prep stuff and we cut the vegetables up together and you know, we had fun deciding.
It’s like, well, I want this on this piece and I don’t want this on this one, and I’ll take some pepperoni and you know, I would like onions, oh, this person doesn’t like onions. And so, you know, we’re cutting, we’re chopping, we’re working the pizza together and we make it. And then we sit down and we eat what we created together.
What a community activity. , like your ability to do family therapy with that family has just gone to a whole nother level cuz the relationship is there. So it’s not only with food, but it’s with each other, isn’t it?
Cyrilla Purnell: It really [00:33:00] is. I once heard a quote okay. That in some areas of the world they don’t say, what did you have for dinner?
They say, who did you eat with? Oh, for dinner. Okay. And yeah, even pets can be a very important part of of community and some people that don’t have an opportunity to eat with others. Can eat with their pet. Yeah, can, can eat with their pets. Or even just virtually having dinner with a family member absolutely increases community as
Chris Gazdik: well.
But it’s, we need that in a covid environment. Where is it better now, but still around the world? You know, I know different sectors are still struggling with the isolation. This is the way out of that. I was laughing because you’ve got me eating a bunch of vegetables and stuff a lot more than I did before, which is, which is good.
So I’m chopping up the vegetables and you know what happens when I’m chopping up the. My little puppy dog comes into the kitchen because she knows like, ooh, what she got? What are you having? Because I’m gonna give her, I don’t [00:34:00] give my dogs people food. I, I never have. I, I’ve always been like frustrated with that.
I feel like they should eat dog food. People eat people food. But my dog loves vegetables. Cilla. Really?
Cyrilla Purnell: He loves them. Oh, I’m so glad your dog’s not disappointed. Oh my God.
Chris Gazdik: She eats the cabbage that I’ve been killing this week. Red cabbage. I chop it up in bites for she, she eats the carrots and she, she loves cauliflower and, and the broccoli.
Like my dog is a vegetable eaten beast. . That’s
Cyrilla Purnell: that funny.
Chris Gazdik: Fabulous. It is. And it’s gotta be good for them too, I would imagine. ,
Cyrilla Purnell: I think it is. And sweet potatoes too, for dogs. Oh, I haven’t
done
Chris Gazdik: the sweet potato thing, although, no, I have, I have done the what, what is the squash? You got me going on? Oh, the butternut squash.
Butternut. She loves butternut squash too. Good for
Cyrilla Purnell: her. Wow. Good for you. That’s gonna just make her live longer. She is so
Chris Gazdik: happy She gets to have vegetables when I’m in the kitchen now. Okay, so let’s go to a segment where we got away [00:35:00] from, because I wanted to get to that relationship stuff, but, okay.
How do I set this up? I would love to hear all about like, how does what we eat and our relationship with food directly affect my mood? Right? Like, I don’t, yes. Find many people can answer me that question in a way that makes sense. Just nutrition and pick me up. I mean, I understand on the level. If I’m tired, I drink caffeine and I get a boom.
Mm-hmm. , all right. A boom. That’s a thing. I don’t know, A bump. I meant to say bump, but a bump came out. I gotcha. So what is this? How can we direct, like if I’m anxious, can my food directly affect that? If I’m depressed, can my food directly affect that? If I go through a loss in my life, my dad just died and I’m, I’m wanting to influence my body with my [00:36:00] food, can I really do that?
Cyrilla Purnell: You absolutely can, and we can go a couple of different routes here because it’s such a multi-dimensional question. Yeah, I know. I’m sorry, . But uh, if I was really to listen carefully to your question and you said, how can I directly affect, like I’m thinking directly and I’m associating that kind of with immediately.
Oh, good point. Yeah. Okay. So, but there are also ways that we can affect our mood and our mental health and our brain health with more Not as immediate, like for example, okay, so immediately by eating carbohydrates, for example, okay? Mm-hmm. can lead to very immediate results with our mood. With our mood.
Yes. So all the macro macronutrients, all the macronutrients, the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins directly affect our, me our mental health in our [00:37:00] mood for a multitude of reasons in, in vitamins and minerals as well.
Chris Gazdik: Is that why we fall into eating stress, eating to get the comfort foods?
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. Because especially with carbohydrates.
Yeah. And low glycemic. So yes, it’s, oh, this is
Chris Gazdik: where we get to this stuff that is gonna blow my brain apart. okay. It,
Cyrilla Purnell: but what I do wanna say also that that the supporting the microbiome and and eating, eating a well-balanced diet that supports. A very high quality and diverse population in your microbiome is more of a lasting way to support your mental health.
Okay. Let
Chris Gazdik: me frame this up here cuz I, I gotta keep it simple. Surreal. Otherwise my brain will be blowing apart. I know, I know. Okay. So what I’m hearing you say is the, the more immediate component is paying attention to what our bodies experience with like carbs mm-hmm. and sugar. Yes. And things that we might be drawn to [00:38:00] kind of for that immediate response.
And I think we all naturally do that. Probably fall into, is that bad by the way? , is that bad or not? Good?
Cyrilla Purnell: Bad, good, bad. I just think we have to be mindful of the types of carbohydrates that we choose. Okay. Because like sugars and carbohydrates, like the processed carbohydrates cause more of an immediate but short term mood effect.
There you go. Whereas your fruits and vegetables and your unprocessed grains and help to promote more of a moderate impact on your mood, but more of a lasting effect.
Chris Gazdik: Gotcha. Okay. So the second part of this is beyond the immediate impacts. What are the long-term implications? And this is where I Sure.
I’m gonna get lost. So this is where you’re gonna have to keep it simple for me, but the, the biome you’re talking about, the micronutrients. [00:39:00] Having a sustained practice with your nutrition like this has a moderate but much more sustainable impact in your experience with depression, sadness, like insecurities, frustration, tolerance, like does this directly influence those kind of things?
Cyrilla Purnell: I haven’t read studies that will help a person process grief through high quality nutrition. Okay. I, and I’ve certainly don’t know about but I do know with certain types of depression and. and mood in general, that having a high quality, very high nutrient dense, varied diet is going to help to support a person’s mental health, and is going to help to [00:40:00] support the a high, a very high population in your microbiome that is diverse.
And the microbiome actually in studies, has proven to influence a person, a way a person thinks, right? And their behavior and their moods. So do we know how Well there’s a certain.
Chris Gazdik: And what is microbiome? You lose me on that?
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. I’m sorry. So the microbiome, I got
Chris Gazdik: a simple brain over here.
Cyrilla Purnell: is, is made of bacteria and fungi that live in the human gut.
No, I don’t want any
Chris Gazdik: fungus in there. .
Cyrilla Purnell: And well, we’ll just say the microflora. Oh wow. Okay. That’s better. That live in the human gut. And they actually directly communicate with our brain.
Chris Gazdik: Well, I’ve heard the gut is the second brain. Mm-hmm. , have you ever heard of that expression?
Cyrilla Purnell: Because, because they, there’s a gut brain access where they directly communicate through [00:41:00] hormonal, through chemical and through inflammatory processes.
And so the microbiome is actually the part of the gut that is doing the communicating. ,
Chris Gazdik: say that again with more the microbiome is the part of the gut that’s doing the communicating with your brain. Yes. Supposedly, including the limbic system, which we do talk about on a show more. Do we know how that happens?
What, what is
Cyrilla Purnell: that? It’s through the hormonal, through the chemical and the inflammatory signals that are bidirectionally being communicated between the br, the gut and the brain. Okay.
Chris Gazdik: Oh my God, that is so fascinating. All right, let’s figure this out together, C cuz as I’m listening to you, here’s something that I’m thinking about and I’m curious how you would receive this.
Right? So you said you’re not aware of any studies that [00:42:00] change the way people grieve, which is just one emotional issue probably of many issues in, you know, life. Our life’s journey that we come across. I am. Betting that people that have this very nutrition positive, what do you call it? Gut biome. Oh, I’m gonna sound so smart.
If I can let say these things. I said it right. Cool. Eating the rainbow. You’ve taught me, you know, I I, I’ve never heard that expression before. I know I live under a rock. Mm-hmm. . But when we develop , I dunno, , when we develop these things, right, I’m taking on you . When we develop these things, I would make a wager with you that when you then later experience a gut punch, like your, an your favorite aunt dies mm-hmm.
that folks, how, how can I put this? Would it be that folks that have a well varied nutritional experience, could [00:43:00] we develop a hypothesis and then you go do the research with it and let me know a year from now whether or not. People like that are much more sustainable during a mental health crisis. Much more engaged in wellness during mental health crisis versus people that are struggling with that have a lot of carbs and short-term benefits and stress eating and all of that.
Mm-hmm. , when they come across a mental health crisis that, that we would see a difference.
Cyrilla Purnell: Well, I think, I mean, I guess grief aside, because that’s just a process all its own, I think. Yeah. Okay. But certainly I think that stress in general, any kind of stress is going to be is going to affect your gut health and.
And so certainly eating a, a varied diet that’s high in nutrient density is going to help to support the, the health of your microbiome. Therefore, [00:44:00] they directly know that that is going to support your mood and your mental health
Chris Gazdik: now. Okay.
Cyrilla Purnell: Oh yeah. I wanna tell you one more thing. Awesome. So, stress the end.
They know, they’ve seen in studies that oh, I don’t know where my notes are on it, but they’ve seen in studies that stress directly affects digestive disturbances like ibs. Oh, absolutely. We know this, I know this personally, a high percentage of patients when they, when a person has stress, , they’re they’re going to experience com, digestive disturbances and complaint of that.
So certainly by supporting during times of stress with probiotic supplementation and things like that. Not things like that, like also eating a high quality diet is gonna really help a person through those stressful times to be able to, like you were saying, to be able to have recover [00:45:00] from those stressful times faster.
Chris Gazdik: So the hypothesis we would expect, yeah, I bet so. Mm-hmm. , and, and that probably hasn’t really been tremendously researched. Is that a fair assessment? Like, I wonder about double blind studies and people would eat this way or that way. And you know, how. Would understand that
Cyrilla Purnell: there have been a lot of studies that have been done and, but there’s so much room for more to be
Chris Gazdik: learned.
And are those studies driven by, oh, the food industry. Well use my diet, keto, keto nuts, low carb, whatever. I can’t even speak intelligently about the different diets, you know, the sun dried diet, the, what are the different things that are out there? I just suck at this world, . But are, are these studies influenced by them?
Cyrilla Purnell: I haven’t read to see where, who’s influencing most of this research, but I think that most of it is being done by like the [00:46:00] neuroscientists and Oh, okay. Really? Yes. I think that a lot of this emerging field, they’ve become more and more curious about the relationship between nutrition and and. Humans, neurology in their brain chemistry.
I, I think the
Chris Gazdik: key word there has gotta be emerging. Yes. This is very emergent. Yes. Not emergency, but this is very, I I I’m sorry. I feel like this is cutting edge. New stuff. Like I, I think that we’re really getting out of the food industry’s research level and I’m, cuz I know you’re doing research now.
Yeah. And you are not influenced by, you know, Keebler elves making their cookies and you doing research for Keebler. Like, are there a lot more people doing this kind of stuff that we can trust?
Cyrilla Purnell: Absolutely. I mean, I have b been. Listen to workshops and podcasts by very reputable scientists that have been doing [00:47:00] probiotic research and the stuff that is coming out of this research, the knowledge that’s coming out of this really is remarkable.
In fact they’re even showing that probiotics specific types can be used for wrinkles. I mean, they’re, the types of what the types of results and things that they’re finding about the impact of, of probiotics is quite astounding. Even better than Botox. In fact, they, they did this one thing. Oh, probably not
Chris Gazdik: yeah, it’s, oh, well I tried ,
Cyrilla Purnell: but so it they, they did this one study where they introduced hu the probiotics from the intestines of depressed people into. Intestines, you said? Yes. Like the fecal matter that contains the bacteria from depressed humans and they put it into into rodents. Oh, and the [00:48:00] rodents actually showed that they became depressed.
Depressed. Yes. It altered their mood So truly there. Holy cow. When I tell you that the, the population and the diversity in that population of the microbes that live in your gut directly affect your mental health. It’s been time and time again that blows my brain apart in clinical
Chris Gazdik: studies. Amazing. Yes.
That is amazing. That’s okay. I just gotta take that in because there’s all of the micronutrients and basically crap that we eat that leads. Directly to depression. And in this study that you’re familiar with, they took that and basically depressed the hell out of rats by placing that somehow in them, and they monitored the rat behavior.
That’s, that’s what [00:49:00] you’re saying.
Cyrilla Purnell: That’s what I’m saying there. That was one of the studies that is
Chris Gazdik: amazing. Mm-hmm. , I don’t imagine you’re gonna be able to answer what was in it. like, oh, high carved content. High sugar
Cyrilla Purnell: content. Well, really, you know, what they were, what they were examining was was the microflora, the, all the, the, the population of microflora that was living in the person’s gut when it was placed into the animals’ intestines.
The, that particular microflora created a depressed mood. Wow. So the. The way that you can actually rejuvenate and repopulate and restore the gut. Okay, here’s a good question. Yeah. There’s ways that can be that, that, that can, that research has actually shown can lead to restoring [00:50:00] the the microflora in a person’s gut.
Chris Gazdik: And that I know a little bit about. Right? Oh, good. Like yogurt, you mm-hmm. you get I know this is gonna sound crazy guys in the listening world, but I will use like vinegar and put that in water, and I know that helps with gut functioning. We know like the fatty acids, everyone talks about fish oil and, and gut health, right?
So, so these probiotic influences in our microbiome improves our gut health, and we’re finding directly leads to. stabilizing in a moderate way over the long term. Your experience with depression. Did I say all that
Cyrilla Purnell: right? Yes. . So, but it, it, it’s like almost like the microbiota has a, a, a mind of its own and it actually communicates with the gut and does improve the health of the gut in, in addition, not just the foods that we eat, but also many lifestyle factors [00:51:00] contribute to to our microbiome and the health of our microbiome.
And this has been shown in studies improved sleep, improved exercise more having more exercise and controlling our stress are certainly huge, important factors in, in conjunction with having a very varied and healthy diet and also probiotic supplementation.
Chris Gazdik: So the reason why I’m glad you said that is because I, I was you know, it’s funny because I think that when I last tried to do a nutrition guest on the show, it was Dennis from HealthSmart and one of the things we talked about with the ideas of, of Western medicine and such, and I don’t mean to crash on doctors in medicine, Western medicine on far East guys do great stuff.
You know, and medications are important. We’ve increased our lifespan till like 80 years old or whatever. Like I, a lot of good stuff. I don’t want to hear interpretation of crashing on [00:52:00] doctors. Doctors are, doctors are great. Our medicine has helped us a lot. However, I think we missed the boat. . And what I mean by that is around the world, not so much in the States, but around the world, one of the first questions that doctors will ask is any idea, what did you eat for breakfast?
Ah, I wish that would be it. . I wish that would be it. What do they ask ? They ask, what is your exercise regimen? Oh, okay. Right. And they want to take your exercise plan. And that’s the first line of treatment. That’s the first line of treatment, not a freaking pill. Okay. That’s the main point. And I wonder if it’s reasonable to say a reasonable best practice to be developed around the world would be probably second, no offense Cilla, but probably second.
Maybe first. But would a second line of treatment choice be nutri? .
Cyrilla Purnell: Well, I [00:53:00] certainly think that it’s a tool that could help to you’re talking
Chris Gazdik: about fixing
Cyrilla Purnell: wrinkles, ? Well, you know, I mean, they’ve actually shown in studies that zinc supplementation Okay. Helps to oral zinc can influence the effectiveness of antidepressant therapy.
Oh, wow. Yes. Really? And yes,
Chris Gazdik: so they’re finding a connection between zinc, which, mm-hmm. , which I don’t know. I guess we all take zinc. Neil’s got onto me about when I get sick. Take your airborne stuff and what is it, zinc and calcium C in there and whatever. Yeah. Zinc and vitamin C. He’s a big believer.
Mm-hmm. when you’re, when you’re sick, that directly has been studied to increase the effe efficacy. , SSRIs, serotonin, re-uptake inhibitors,
Cyrilla Purnell: antidepressants, it of antidepressant therapy. Oh my
Chris Gazdik: gosh. That’s our, yeah. I’m
Cyrilla Purnell: not very up on my medications. It’s exactly all the nuances
Chris Gazdik: with that SSRIs, serotonin, [00:54:00] re-uptake inhibitors.
So, but this is again, gotta be somewhat new.
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. And I mean, nutritional supplementation has been being, they have been studying it in its effectiveness with helping as a tool in antidepressant for depression therapy and with other mental illnesses and even, even with the use of medications, because I’m definitely not trying to discourage the use of medications.
Right, right. But with compliance being. Oftentimes hard with medications. It’s wonderful to have other tools that hopefully can be incorporated in the future to help improve clinical outcomes in these areas.
Chris Gazdik: Okay. Boy, there’s so much I wanna talk to you about. I I, there’s so much
Cyrilla Purnell: to talk about ,
Chris Gazdik: right?
Yes. I, I’m not joking when I say I probably am gonna want to have you come back if, if, if you’re willing. Cuz [00:55:00] I, we didn’t even get to some of the things that I want to talk about, I think. But let, let’s go just a, just another minute or two here and then I want to open it up to whatever you think is, is important, cuz I know you’ve got so much in your brain to share with us.
And probably the question for that would be, so you can spin around in your mind, like, you know, what, what advice would you give to people directly for their eating and wellness with nutrition? And I think I actually have an idea of what you might say. Mm-hmm. . But before you do. What you’re talking about there takes me back to like, you’re gonna laugh at me, but there was a paper that I wrote in high school, I was proud of the name of this paper and, and my teacher was so impressed with it.
It, it was like an example for the class. It was like, Hey, I got a great moment in high school. Cause I wasn’t a good student until I reached college. But I do digress. So the name of my paper, you wanna know what it was? You have to, you have to, oh goodness. You have to say yes.
Cyrilla Purnell: Please tell me.
Chris Gazdik: America’s [00:56:00] unnecessary billion dollar supplement business.
yeah, yeah. Something like that. Right? I don’t know if I’m saying it exactly, but it’s pretty close. And the idea was we take . The idea is we take all these vitamins, all these supplements, all of these things. And really you end up having really cool looking fluorescent pee, if I could say that. Right? Like, of course we’re on a podcast.
Neil’s taught me, I could say anything . So. I thought of that as you were talking about supplements and your zinc statement is amazing. So what about this world of supplements? Is it necessary? Is it not? Are we learning better how to use it? Like what
Cyrilla Purnell: is this? So they’ve even shown that all kinds of supplementation can be used to, to support mental health.
For example the supplementation of amino acids have been shown great improvements. For example, like Ty Tyrosine [00:57:00] is the precursor is, which is an amino acid, okay. Is a precursor for dopamine and tryptophan, which is an amino acid, is is a precursor for serotonin. So when these acids are supplemented, they can actually help in the formation of some of these missing neurotransmitters and therefore improve mental, mental health and mood outcomes and calmness and wellbeing outcomes and things like that.
Chris Gazdik: Holy cow. So again, figuring this out together, what I hear you saying in some of the learning that humans are doing about amino acids specifically, and you mentioned a couple cool ones that are precursors, and that to me means. Building blocks building blocks, neurotransmitters. Very good, right? Yes.
Yeah. And I know about [00:58:00] the problems that we have in the neurons, and we’ve talked about it on the show before where dopamine and serotonin, incidentally, we also, I recently learned a lot about gabapentin, which we don’t do anything with gabapentin, and 80% of our brains run on gabapentin. Dr. Cheki taught us a anyway, and so nutrition builds these.
Yes. And if we don’t pay attention to the amino acid structures in our nutrition and food that literally might be a high contributor to a diagnosable condition, can we go as so far as to say that,
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. I think that if, if we’re missing those components, those important building blocks, then certainly it’s going to create a deficiency in those neurotransmitters.
Wow.
Chris Gazdik: Okay. Mm-hmm.
Cyrilla Purnell: and Omega three s are another. Very important concept. Amino acids or omega-3 S are fatty acids. Okay. And our brain weighs about three pounds. Okay. And 60% it’s the fattiest organ in our body. I know that. Yes. 60
Chris Gazdik: 60% because of my work with [00:59:00] cannabis and teaching the kids that we goes like directly to your brain in the fatty tissues.
Oh boy. Oh, yes. Oh, . I didn’t know. Oh, yes. Th d is a fat soluble substance and goes to fat as well, which also probably interacts with all the nutrients and stuff, but I interrupted you.
Cyrilla Purnell: Yes. Okay. So we have, so the omega three s that are actually, that our brain is actually made of it is about, adds up to about a half a pound.
Of omega-3 fatty acids in our brain because 60 to 70% of our brain, holy God, is made of fat. Really. And 30% of that 60 to 70% is specifically omega-3 fatty acids, d h a and e p a, which are two, the, the two omega-3 fatty acids that our brain is made of.
Chris Gazdik: Do you have a favorite of the
Cyrilla Purnell: two? Well, dha I Oh, you do?
How do you, you answered that, but I mean, EPA makes DHA this precursor, but it’s also [01:00:00] trying drive from your
Chris Gazdik: diet threes. Yes, but no, what I take away from that is really, I mean, if, if, if what you say, I mean, it makes sense to me, right? Three pounds, would you say a half of a pound is something that we need to have
Cyrilla Purnell: replenished and that we get from our diets, which is fish, fish, nuts and seeds in some leafy greens.
Chris Gazdik: Yes. Y’all need to find a dietician like this lady to work with. Because I, I, what’s funny is, is I was thinking about that as, as you just said that, and particular food choices, not even, I might wanna back up from that. You’re teaching me to pay attention to what we eat and the choices with that to build that foundation.
And it occurs to me that now you’re teaching me more at the show with the omegas and the aminos and the, all the cool stuff that is in your head. But when I’m working with you, I don’t need to know all that. I know that you [01:01:00] have taught me to eat these freaking things. Chia seeds, these flax seeds, these leafy greens, these different things that you add into your diet.
Like I’m now putting kale in with my rice to cook things. This is like, cool. So those all build in a fundamental way, your body, which enables you to feel the way that you feel. Yes. Is that a fair.
Cyrilla Purnell: I think that most people don’t realize that the foods that we’re, that we know that support our physical health also.
Our, this help to support our mental health, but now there are, this is why I wanted to do this show. There’s specific foods that actually are brain boosting, like the omega three s and the leafy greens and blueberries and red wine and chocolate, for example. Ooh, red wine . Yes. Five merlow ounce. A day of red wine is considered beneficial for the
Chris Gazdik: brand.
Oh, do we still have that stuff going [01:02:00] around? Is that true?
Cyrilla Purnell: Say that again. Okay. Yeah, it’s very true. And recent evidence has, has, again, shown this but it doesn’t have, if you’re not a red wine drinker, you can have pomegranate juice. I was
Chris Gazdik: just gonna say, can you not get the same thing from grape juice for crying out loud?
Like what
Cyrilla Purnell: are we talking about? Un unsweet pomegranate juice or grape
Chris Gazdik: juice. Yes. Yeah, because you know, it’s funny, I had, I have had so many conversations with alcoholics over the years and they’re like, you know, a little bit of alcohol is good for you every day. Look, I’ve heard that and I’m like, oh, wait a minute,
But I got us away. Having fun with, with that a little bit, the, there are a lot of food choices to learn out there about that. We’re not gonna be able to cover ’em all today, but let me kind of turn it over. Would you believe we need to taxi in for a landing? Like you’ve gotta come back. Will you please sometime
Absolutely.
Cyrilla Purnell: I would very much
like
Chris Gazdik: that. So, so, in a, in a broad sense, in a big picture, what sort of advice would you try? I know this is gonna be [01:03:00] impossible, broad for you. I, I apologize, but I don’t know, however, what else way to ask it? What would you, advice would you give for people to generally begin in a simple way that they can take tangibly with them to, to, to really make a little bit of an impact into their process if this is so important as to their mental health?
Cyrilla Purnell: Well, I would certainly say that even moderate applications of eating a diet that is rich in very nutrient dense foods can have extremely positive impact. So it’s, it doesn’t matter if I mean, it does matter because every bite counts. But don’t stop. If you if you find yourself indulging in foods that are maybe like highly processed or highly sugar sugary foods, I think that it’s just important to get, just accept that that happened and just to get right [01:04:00] back on your healthy eating plan and get and eat as many high quality, high nutrient dense foods that are really excellent for your body and for your brain as possible.
Chris Gazdik: I love that. What I hear you saying is, is look, lose the shame. Be careful about the guilt. Like, don’t, yes. That’s
Cyrilla Purnell: the worst thing you can do. Don’t
Chris Gazdik: beat yourself up about this. Don’t mm-hmm. . Yeah. You know, it’s funny I had a, a client just today, Is in recovery. And they shared with me an experience they had with somebody in the rooms.
And this person was celebrating a anniversary date or something, I don’t know, but they, they brought in feathers, right? Oh. And they gave everybody in the meeting a, a feather. And she said, look, I know that we have a strong tendency with this disease and trouble with addiction. You can apply it to whatever you’re dealing with in life, right?
To simply beat ourselves up [01:05:00] and to hammer ourselves and kind of, you know, just be super critical and, and be full of shame and guilt and, and all these things. So, so she said, the next time you want to hit yourself with, you know, a block or something, take this feather instead and, and, and lighten it up on yourself, right?
Like, give yourself some grace and stop crushing your own spirit. Absolutely. Yeah. I love that.
Cyrilla Purnell: That is beautiful.
Chris Gazdik: So we need to get outta here today. We we’re probably, definitely gonna have to have you back. I’m gonna hold you to that at some point soon. Is there anything that you’d like to say in summary?
And I wanna say before we lose it Cilla Parnell is with Aspire Integrative Wellness. And seriously, they are awesome and they are there to help you. They’re out on Mellick Street in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the North Carolina region as well. And if you don’t have the local ability, find a dietician in your local area, like you guys work with people just like you do in therapy, how cool is that?
Right? [01:06:00] So in town here, they’re 9 8 0 2 9 6 0 0 4 4 and I’m sure Neil will have it on the show notes and stuff. What would you say in kind of closing and wrapping us up? Well, , I put you on the spot, . I dunno what
Cyrilla Purnell: to say. I just think that the correlation between nutrition and mental health is so important and oftentimes unrecognized.
So I think that the growing awareness there is going to really help people in the future in applications of clinical applications and in just how we choose our foods at home.
Chris Gazdik: Right, right. Cool. I love that. You know, listen, I’ll take us outta here by saying I hope that you are having, or when the show comes out, had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas, new Year’s, we’re in the holiday season, and it’s also known that it’s a very, very tough time for people as well as a Mary and jolly [01:07:00] time.
So that hopefully you begin to think about. A positive relationship that you can develop with food in the new year. All these New Year’s resolutions and everything that people are getting ready to renew themselves with, they are great, and I have no problem with them. I would have maybe a resolution for you to begin to listen to what Crell has taught us with, with her amazing knowledge on this area, and you, and you’ll hear that she landed on, like, lose the shame.
Be careful about the criticism of yourself. Be careful about the, the, the, the pain that you inflict on ourselves when we become so self-critical, have some grace and enjoy a wonderful world of food. Like it’s amazing relationship with community building. It’s an amazing, awesome and fun way to create pallets and cravings for yourself that build your mental health.
How’s that sound for a New Year’s resolution? I love that,
Cyrilla Purnell: Chris.
Chris Gazdik: All right. Well, thank you so [01:08:00] much for joining us. I’m very, very grateful for that. And guys, we’ll see you soon. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. We’ll be riding with you through 2023. Take care and be well.