When Dr. Bonnie Kaplan, a research psychologist at the University of Calgary, first set out to research the impact of nutrition on mental health, she had no idea she would be the author or co-author of more than 20 peer-reviewed studies on a supplement formulation that successfully treats mood and mental health disorders, let alone a best-selling book.

Decades ago, one of her proteges and now long-time research partner and co-author, Dr. Julia Rucklidge—currently acclaimed as one of the top 8 most influential women in New Zealand for innovation—started at the University of Calgary asking the question, "What if nutrients could treat mental illness?"

Together they have answered that question repeatedly and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that nutrition has a huge impact on mental health and optimal brain function.

In their best-selling book, The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition, Drs. Kaplan and Rucklidge highlight the importance of nutrition and its impact on mood and mental health. Drs. Kaplan and Rucklidge have spent most of the past two decades researching the effects of nutrients on brain health, specifically the effects of supplementing with broad-spectrum micronutrients for mental health.

This groundbreaking book, which now tops the bestsellers list in Calgary and is rising up the ranks on Amazon, features a foreword written by a world-renowned integrative practitioner and teacher, Dr. Andrew Weil. The Better Brain discusses how and why micronutrients can be used to ease symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, and other mental illnesses caused by a western diet or suboptimal nutrition. For individuals who can’t afford to take antidepressants every month or don’t want to deal with the associated side effects, the research presented in The Better Brain can make all the difference.

Backed by over 40 independent university studies for a wide range of mood and mental health disorders, Daily Essential Nutrients (DEN), a clinical-strength, broad-spectrum micronutrient formula, has been studied by both Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Rucklidge in their university labs for decades. You may be asking yourself why you've never heard of this approach before. The Better Brain explains several reasons for this: "[One] reason nutrient treatments have not yet received the attention they deserve involves our health care system. Pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in patients being prescribed psychiatric medications. It earns them billions in profits, whereas they cannot make the same level of profit from most nutrient products, as we explain in chapters 1 and 11. And because psychiatrists have become primarily psychopharmacologists—trained in drug treatment in medical school and later by the pharmaceutical companies—understandably, they practice what they've been taught."

While medications have their place and can undoubtedly be beneficial in the short term for many, Drs, Kaplan and Rucklidge have proven in multiple studies that nutrition matters regarding mental health. For instance, they have conducted and published multiple studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of Daily Essential Nutrients (DEN) for use in children and adults for mental health, including randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials for ADHD.

Why not just eat more fruits and veggies? Dr. Rucklidge and Dr. Kaplan are big proponents of eating healthy foods. The Better Brain has an entire chapter dedicated to "Eating Well: Mediterranean Style". The book says, "It's always best to get your essential nutrients from whole foods...but if you're doing your best to eat an excellent diet and are still having issues with your mental health or difficulty coping with stress, it might be time to consider adding a supplement." The book explains how to choose the right micronutrients to supplement with. While Drs. Kaplan and Rucklidge have no financial ties to Hardy Nutritionals, they have spent decades researching David Hardy's pioneering micronutrient formulations for mood and mental health. On page 260, The Better Brain recommends Hardy Nutritionals Daily Essential Nutrients (DEN) "For ADHD, smoking cessation, emotional dysregulation, symptoms associated with trauma, aggression, insomnia, stress, anxiety." 

 See a complete list of the independent studies conducted on David Hardy's formulations here.

“If you love facts…then you might tolerate reading the truths in this book. It’s fact-driven and well-written without an inkling of exaggeration or hype. Kaplan and Rucklidge make total sense of an unpopular discovery and do it in a way backed by solid data 25 years after the real curiosity about multi-nutrient treatments began. This work has me up nights absorbing the intelligent, methodical, and honestly entertaining uncovering of what is real regarding supporting brain health. I’m so grateful for their courage to continue when their work was shunned... We all need more of this real science so we can understand our actual options for health,” writes Dana, a reader of The Better Brain.

Throughout the book, readers are taken on a journey through fascinating independent studies at universities worldwide that demonstrate that a lack of proper nutrition can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. Citing research on clinical-strength micronutrient formulations created by David Hardy, founder of Hardy Nutritionals, Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Rucklidge explore what roles micronutrients carry out in the brain and how the gut and brain are intertwined. 

“This book will put the critical knowledge in your hands, and it will empower you to improve not only your life but the lives of your loved ones,” the book promises. “Making this happen is why we wrote this book. To work toward a more successful treatment approach, one that is more affordable and accessible to the millions of people who need it.”

Healthcare professionals across the globe have given praise to The Better Brain, calling it 'One of the most important books of the year’ and 'A model of good science writing.' Ready to learn how nutrition can combat depression and reduce ADHD and stress? The Better Brain will change the way you approach mental health.

Click here to order your copy of The Better Brain today.

About Hardy Nutritionals®

Hardy Nutritionals® multivitamin-mineral products are powered by our proprietary NutraTek™ mineral delivery technology, which combines each mineral with specialized organic molecules—just like nature—to optimize absorption and distribution to body cells. Our flagship supplement, Daily Essential Nutrients, is widely considered to be the most research-backed micronutrient treatment.