Dr. Daniel Amen's: 11 Simple Food Rules for a Healthy Brain & BodyDr. Daniel Amen's: 11 Simple Food Rules for a Healthy Brain & Body
The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast
Dr Daniel Amen outlines 11 straightforward food rules aimed at improving brain function, mood, weight and immunity. Through personal stories and practical tips, he shows how changing what you eat may shift both mental and physical health.
46:40•10 Jul 2026
11 Food Rules Dr Daniel Amen Uses to Keep His Brain and Body Strong
Episode Overview
- Treat food as medicine by choosing items that support, not harm, your brain and body.
- Track and understand your calorie intake to prevent weight gain and protect brain size.
- Prioritise water and avoid drinking calories from juices and sugary drinks.
- Include high-quality protein and healthy fats at every meal to stabilise blood sugar and mood.
- Use elimination diets and intermittent fasting carefully to identify problem foods and support brain health.
“Only love foods that love you back.”
What drives someone to seek a life without brain fog, low mood and chronic health problems? In this talk, psychiatrist Dr Daniel Amen lays out why he cares so much about food, starting with a striking story of an autistic child whose language exploded after gluten and dairy were removed. That moment pushed him into researching the link between "food and mood, food and focus, food and anxiety," and he describes the science as "breathtaking".
Across the episode, he breaks his approach down into 11 practical rules. You’ll hear why his first principle is, "Only love foods that love you back," and how sugar, processed foods and "food-like substances" can turn into relationship wreckers for your brain and body. He compares calories to money, arguing that "I hate wasting calories" and urging people to measure what they eat, especially if weight is creeping up.
Dr Amen stresses hydration ("your brain is 80% water"), high-quality protein at every meal, and embracing healthy fats instead of fearing them. He lists brain-friendly options like avocados, nuts, grass‑fed meats and certain oils, while warning against trans fats and heavily processed products. Carbohydrates get split into "smart" and "dumb" categories, with colourful, fibre-rich, low‑glycaemic foods praised for feeding good gut bacteria and supporting immunity.
Herbs and spices are treated like a low‑cost medicine cabinet, with saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary and others linked to mood, memory and metabolism. A key section focuses on elimination diets for people with mental health or neurological issues. He shares the story of a man whose severe suicidal thoughts were triggered within minutes of eating corn, using it to show how powerful food reactions can be.
He closes by recommending intermittent fasting and a simple routine of "24 foods you love that love you back," urging you to use this unusual moment of extra time to protect your brain, body and immune system. What 24 foods would make your list?
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