A new series of 'FAB Focus' events - in which we answer your 'burning questions'
Veganuary Special
How can a plant-based diet support optimal brain health?
Embracing veganism or a plant-based diet offers more than just health benefits; it's a lifestyle choice promoting sustainability, environmental care, and animal welfare. With Veganuary inspiring thousands to explore veganism each January, there's a growing interest in how these dietary choices impact overall well-being and the planet.
Despite the benefits, transitioning to a vegan diet raises questions about nutritional adequacy, particularly in obtaining vital nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. Focusing on whole, minimally processed foods is crucial to ensure a balance of essential nutrients.
Enhance your understanding of vegan diets and their impact on brain health this Veganuary with our exclusive FAB Focus event. Join us for a deep dive into the fascinating world of plant-based nutrition and discover the science behind how a vegan diet can support optimal cognitive function and overall well-being.
The video recording of this event - together with downloadable handouts - is available
- FREE to FAB Associates (for other benefits of joining FAB as an Associate member - see HERE)
- Alternatively, this - and other individual FAB Webinars - can be accessed for a small fee via our FAB Webinar Library
A FAB Research Live Event and Q&A
with Dr Alex Richardson
This special FAB focus* session summarises and highlights the latest research evidence on:
- how a strictly plant-based diet can affect brain health & wellbeing
- how these implications vary across the lifespan
- vegan-friendly solutions for ensuring adequate levels of brain-critical nutrients
January is when many people experiment with veganism, or reduce their intake of animal products.
This Veganuary Special looks at both the benefits and potential risks of ‘plant-based’ diets, for mental health and wellbeing.
Find out more about:
- How you might know if your diet may be lacking essential nutrients in the quantities that you need
- What fortified foods or supplements are really needed on a strictly vegan diet
In addition to the presentation slides, you will also receive additional resources, downloadable handouts and other materials after the event on key topics discussed, including summaries of Q&A points.
Bonus: FREE with this webinar
Receive access to our first FAB Focus launch event (details here) when you book this webinar!
Dr Alex Richardson
Founder of FAB Research, world-renowned researcher, author, and educator.
Alex Richardson PhD, PGCE, FRSA is one of the world's leading experts in nutritional neuroscience, with 100+ publications including pioneering clinical trials. Her research centres on the importance of nutrition for neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions like ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Depression, Bipolar disorder and Schizophrenia; and their links with allergies, immune disorders and gut health as well as normal individual differences in brain development and functioning.
Her book for parents and professionals, "They Are What You Feed Them" explains how children’s diets can - and do - affect their behaviour, learning and mood, and offers easy-to-follow, practical and evidence-based advice.
Hazel De Maeijer
FAB Communications Officer and Volunteer Coordinator
Hazel holds a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in ‘Nutrition and Behaviour’, accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN). She also has previous experience as a Learning Support Practitioner for students with special educational needs, and a personal and professional interest ADHD, ASD and related neurodevelopmental conditions. She has already carried out research of her own with higher education students, examining ADHD-type symptoms, mental wellbeing, and dietary omega 3 intakes within this population.
In addition to further research, Hazel is now using her knowledge, experience and skills to assist FAB in develop educational resources for both health and nutrition professionals and the general public, aimed at improving understanding and support to help more neurodiverse individuals achieve their potential.
Answering Questions, and Putting Evidence Into Practice
In the 20+ years since FAB was founded, huge advances in research - from biological, psychological and social science perspectives – have brought important new discoveries in these areas. However:
- not enough of this information, and its implications, is even known yet to most people
- some of it is complicated, and can be confusing - and while evidence in some areas is both strong and consistent, others still need much more investigation
What’s more
- good research starts with asking the right questions
- translating the best evidence into practice is not easy, for many different reasons
Please join us for this special ‘FAB Focus’ event if you have questions of your own about the links between nutritional choices and sleep behaviour.
These FAB Focus sessions are aimed at:
Engaging the public, professionals, students and researchers with the work that FAB does
Communicating the crucial importance of food/diet/nutrition when it comes to 'behaviour' in its broadest sense
Providing opportunities for people to get involved with FAB Research - either as a volunteer, as part of a student placement, or in offering general feedback or ideas around our work
Focusing on one particular topic or theme in each event - offering the opportunity for detailed questions to be asked & answered, and for knowledge to be shared!
Book your place now:
All proceeds from this event will go to Food And Behaviour (FAB) Research to support its work Registered Charity No: SC034604, Company No: SC 253448. www.fabresearch.org
What others say about FAB Research
"Joining from across The Pond… These seminars are incredible! Looking forward to the next one. Thanks to all."
- September 2023
"Alex Richardson has the ability to bridge the gap between her knowledge from the forefront of science and the need to find good information as a parent. More than that –she genuinely cares about helping parents access up to date information on nutrition and behaviour."
- Parent with an Autistic child
"Very informative – will be able to advise parents (in my job as a school nurse) re the importance of diet – Dave Rex’s talk – some useful ideas to use at school along with teachers."
- School Nurse
"I learned a lot and found lecture very enjoyable and interesting. Many thanks."
- Comment on FAB's August 2023 webinar
"FAB has raised my awareness of the importance of a healthy diet for all, not just those with behavioural issues, problems."
- Early Years Officer, Local Authority
"FAB Research provides a wealth of valuable information which isn't always available elsewhere - and in an easily digested form."
- GP and Medical Advisor
Who is this Event for?
Anyone interested in how food and diet can affect mental health, wellbeing and performance, particularly those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet.
This webinar is designed to help anyone - whatever their specific background - who may be interested in;
- understanding why nutrition is fundamental to brain, as well as body, health
- appreciating that definitive conclusions about the links between diet and wellbeing are complicated by individual differences, and the complexity of both nutrition and human behaviour
- finding out how the best available evidence can be assessed and applied in practice by individuals, professionals and policymakers.
A recording of this live event will be available afterwards - along with access to handouts of the slides and additional materials on the topics covered in both the webinar presentations and Q&A.
Getting Involved
As always – we love to receive feedback from our supporters, and from those who take an interest in the topic of food and behaviour! If you have any topics of interest you want us to focus on please let us know!
Some of FAB's new activities and opportunities are likely to best suit students, trainees or professionals in health, education or allied areas. Others are open to anyone with a purely personal interest, even if they have only a few hours to spare.
A FAB Focus Event
*This is the third of our new 'FAB Focus' series, exploring the many ways in which Food Affects Behaviour, the implications of this, and what can be done to improve both research and practice.
These sessions add to our existing FAB webinars, providing in-depth but accessible information and resources on specific topics and areas you’ve identified as important to you, and allowing more time for your questions, discussion and input.
What is FAB Research?
Food and Behaviour Research (FAB Research), established in 2003 by Dr Alex Richardson DPhil (Oxon), PGCE, FRSA, is a charitable organisation dedicated both to advancing scientific research into the links between nutrition and human behaviour and to making the findings from such research available to the widest possible audience.
Our mission: We are committed to improving current knowledge and awareness of the effects of nutrition and diet on human behaviour, learning and mood. We aspire to be a leader of scientific research into how nutrition affects the human brain and mind, and an intellectual and strategic force for improving public education and professional practice in this domain.