Honoring Nutrition Awareness Month with Jamie Smith, MS, RAP, CSG, LDN
March is Nutrition Awareness Month and, at Brinkley Brown Mental Wellness, we love any opportunity to talk about the connection between food and mental wellness — because what we eat doesn’t just affect our bodies. It profoundly shapes our mood, focus, energy, and even our ability to engage meaningfully.
We’re so grateful to have Jamie Smith, a Licensed Registered Dietitian with over 17 years of experience, as part of our extended care community.
Jamie specializes in the powerful intersection of nutrition, and mental health. She provides individualized, evidence-based support for clients navigating:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- Trauma-related disorders
- Neurobehavioral challenges
- Complex psychiatric needs
Her clinical background includes leadership roles at Holly Hill Hospital and New Waters Recovery as well as developing nutrition programs for individuals with traumatic brain injuries and complex psychiatric conditions.
But what truly sets Jamie apart is her approach: grounded in science and delivered with compassion. She understands that food is never “just food” — it’s layered with history, culture, emotion, access, and lived experience.
When she’s not working, she’s traveling with her husband, daughter, and 2 dogs because nourishment includes joy, connection, and life outside of work, too.
Why Nutrition Matters for Mental Health
We often see clients working incredibly hard in therapy — gaining insight, processing trauma, building coping skills, yet still feeling stuck.
Sometimes the missing piece isn’t psychological, sometimes, it’s PHYSIOlogical. Blood sugar instability can worsen anxiety. Nutrient deficiencies can mimic depression. Inconsistent meals can amplify emotional reactivity. Certain medications can shift appetite, metabolism, or body image. Nutrition isn’t a replacement for therapy — it’s a powerful partner to it.
When Should You Consider Working With a Dietitian
If you’re wondering whether nutrition support might help, here are some common situations where a referral to Jamie could be incredibly beneficial:
1. Disordered Eating Patterns
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- Restricting, bingeing, or purging behaviors
- Chronic dieting or weight cycling
- Fear foods or rigid food rules
- Emotional or late night eating
- Loss of hunger/fullness awareness
Food shouldn’t feel like a battlefield. If eating feels chaotic, stressful, or shame-filled, that’s a sign you deserve support.
2. If You’re Taking Psychiatric Medications
Many medications that support mental health can also affect:
-
- Appetite (increase OR suppression)
- Weight changes
- Metabolic side effects (Blood sugar, A1C, triglycerides)
- Body image distress related to medication
Rather than fighting your body, Jamie helps clients work with it to minimize side effects
while supporting metabolic health.
3. ADHD & Executive Function Challenges
Nutrition and ADHD are deeply intertwined. Common patterns include:
-
- Skipping or forgotten meals
- Relying heavily on ultra-processed convenience foods
- Late-night binge cycles
- Appetite suppression from stimulant medications
If meal planning feels overwhelming or inconsistent eating worsens focus and mood,
nutrition structure can be transformative.
4. Mood & Anxiety Disorders
You may benefit from nutrition support if you notice:
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- Mood swings tied to blood sugar crashes/instability
- Excess caffeine worsening anxiety
- Fatigue limiting your progress
- Food avoidance during depressive episodes
Stabilizing nourishment can aid emotional regulation.
5. Weight & Metabolic Concerns
-
- Desire for weight loss without restrictive dieting
- Insulin resistance, PCOS, or Pre-diabetes
- Perimenopause-related weight changes
- Body image distress
Jamie focuses on sustainable, non-restrictive strategies because punishment-based
dieting is not good mental health care.
6. Trauma & Your Relationship with Food
Food and trauma are often deeply connected.
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- History of food insecurity
- Shame-based eating patterns
- Control dynamics around food
- Childhood food-related trauma
In these cases, nutrition work is about safety, autonomy, and rebuilding trust with your body.
7. Medical Nutrition Concerns
Nutrition support can be essential for:
-
- Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes
- IBS or chronic GI symptoms
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Vitamin deficiencies or fatigue
- Elevated cholesterol
Mental and physical health are not separate systems. They constantly influence one another.
8. Adolescence & Family Support
Parents often reach out for concerns like:
-
- Picky or restrictive eating
- Rapid weight changes
- Body image distress
- Sports nutrition needs
Early support can prevent long-term struggles and help young people build a balanced
relationship with food.
A Gentle Reminder This March
If you are working hard in therapy (and life in general) and still feeling depleted, foggy, reactive, or stuck – it may not be a failure of effort —it may simply mean your brain needs more supply. Food is information for your nervous system. Food is fuel for cognitive processing. Food is foundational to emotional regulation. You deserve care that addresses the whole picture.
If you’re curious about whether working with Jamie could support your healing, we’re happy to talk through what that might look like. Nutritional support is about building stability, energy, and self-trust one step at a time.
This Nutrition Awareness Month, we invite you to ask yourself: “How am I nourishing not just my body, but my mind?” And, if the answer feels uncertain, you don’t have to figure it out alone — Brinkley Brown Mental Wellness is here to help.