As the final part of this series on #mentalhealth and baking/cooking, we review some of the evidence behind using food as a therapeutic modality for #mentalillness ...

While we posted this article as part of a "Psych In The News" feature a number of months ago, it is worth highlighting again and having a read through if you have not yet already ...

The article (a summary of which can be found here: http://www.medicaldaily.com/treating-depression-kitchen-cooking-baking-classes-can-double-therapy-313792), reviews how cooking classes are a quickly growing adjunct therapy for various psychiatric conditions, most notably depression.  Especially for affected teens, cooking classes can "soothe stress, build self-esteem and curb negative thinking".

"Psychologists say #cooking and #baking are pursuits that fit a type of therapy known as behavioral activation. The goal is to alleviate depression by boosting positive activity, increasing goal-oriented behavior and curbing procrastination and passivity.

“If the activity is defined as personally rewarding or giving a sense of accomplishment or pleasure, or even seeing the pleasure of that pumpkin bread with chocolate chips making someone else happy, then it could improve a sense of well-being,” says Jacqueline Gollan, associate professor of #psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago." 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-road-to-mental-health-through-the-kitchen-1418059204

CoolTan Arts, is a mental health charity located in England, that operates on the belief that "mental well-being can be enhanced by the power of creativity" and through the arts.  As part of their program, CoolTan offers a cooking club to their members to not only learn how to eat a healthy diet which is thought to improve the prognosis of various mental illnesses, but to provide a sense of community and support, as many of these individuals are used to eating alone or struggle to buy and cook healthy meals due to financial limitations. 

"CoolTan Arts believe there is a strong connection between food and mental health. Two years ago they started a cooking club for their members; many have experience of mental illness. Based in Southwark, south London, members meet twice a week to choose and cook recipes together.

The club adapts its recipes to cater to the needs of those who attend or for those on medication that can bring side effects such as weight gain or appetite loss. There is a strong link between mental health conditions (in particular, depression) and diabetes, which is taken into consideration, as is the need to be sensitive around those with eating disorders."

Find out more here:
http://www.cooltanarts.org.uk/
http://www.theguardian.com/society/christmas-charity-appeal-2014-blog/2015/jan/02/-sp-rosemary-shrager-cooking-mental-health

Never underestimate the power of cake is the underlying theme of "Saved By Cake" a new book by Marian Keyes, a well-known best selling author and one of the pioneers of the "chick-lit" genre".

While Saved By Cake is not the traditional novel one expects from Keyes, it is immensely more than just a cookbook detailing delicious and tasty recipes. Rather, it is a refreshing account of how baking helped Keyes through an incredibly difficult period of depression ...

"Marian had already made one suicide attempt, in her 30s, when she was suffering from alcoholism. Now, having tried everything from Bach Flower Remedies to time in a psychiatric hospital with no sign of improvement, she thought again about killing herself.

She made detailed plans, but ‘I did feel enough of a sense of responsibility to the people who loved me not to go through with it. Whatever was going on with me, I had to wait it out. I had to find ways of passing the time until I was restored to myself again’.

By chance, a friend was coming to visit who had a birthday coming up. Marian decided to make her a cake and something about the process of baking gave her comfort.

‘I need to tell you that ‪#‎baking‬ hasn’t “cured” me,’ she writes. ‘But it gets me through'".

Recommended For:
Sweet tooths, aspiring bakers and chefs, and those interested in the connection between baking and mental health

Cakes and cookies are for many seen as "comfort foods" when feeling upset or low, while for others the act of baking itself has been thought of as possibly therapeutic for those with depression‬. More recently however, there is an emerging trend of selling these beloved baked goods to raise money for mental health‬ initiatives...

The Depressed Cake Shop, is one such movement, which was started by Emma Thomas, who wanted to help raise awareness of and raise funds for mental illness. The Depressed Cake Shop is unlike any typical bake sale however, as all the baked goods sold can only be found in a shade of grey, often with a hidden pop of colour to symbolize hope.

While the project started as a series of pop-up shops around the UK, the idea has now caught on around the world. To date, Depressed Cake Shop pop-ups have taken place in Australia, India, Malaysia, Scotland as well as in the United States, and both amateur home bakers and professionals alike have come together to help ignite a conversation around mental health as well as share their delicious treats. Recently, the organization started a "Legacy of Laughter" project where a number of their "sugar artists" dedicated their cakes to Robin Williams (you can see some of the "art" on their website - link below).

What also makes the Depressed Cake Shop special is that "Many of the cakes were designed and donated by bakers who had personal experience with depression, and they used their creations to express their struggles with and experiences of their illnesses. Others were compelled to join because they had seen friends and family members suffering and wanted to be part of a solution."

To learn more about this initiative or how to get involved, check out:
http://depressedcakeshop.org/
http://munchies.vice.com/articles/these-depressed-cupcakes-are-getting-people-to-talk-about-mental-health