Julia Rucklidge - Mental Health & Nutrition Research: Te Puna Toiora

15/08/2026

Here I am explaining why we need minerals and vitamins for optimal brain functioning

15/08/2026

What a fantastic experience presenting at the 2026 GP Conference with Dr Andrew Hill, child and adolescent psychiatrist, on the use of broad-spectrum micronutrients in clinical practice.

We were delighted to have more than 80 GPs attend the workshop and engage in a thoughtful discussion about the growing evidence base for nutritional approaches to mental health. Also, hundreds of GPs heard about the recent teen study showing that micronutrients can reduce irritability, temper and suicidal ideation.

What struck me most was how much the conversation has changed. A decade ago, nutritional psychiatry was largely on the fringe. Today, many GPs are actively seeking practical, evidence-based ways to incorporate micronutrients into patient care. I know that some of you experience difficulty (including me!) in accessing the nutrients, but I was encouraged by the number of GPs wanting to know more about it. I think we are at a turning point. Don't give up! (more on this later)

An "interesting" contrast at the conference was the exhibition hall. Some of the largest displays were from pharmaceutical companies promoting new treatments (the GLP1s are clearly raking in the cash), while the mental health nutrition stand occupied a very small corner. Yet despite the enormous difference in marketing resources, the interest was evident.

To me, that reflects something important. Interest in nutritional psychiatry is not being driven by advertising budgets. It is being driven by clinicians looking for additional evidence-based tools to help patients achieve better outcomes. And the more consumers ask about it, the more they will want to know.

Thank you to everyone who attended, shared experiences, asked thoughtful questions, and helped make the workshop such a success.

For those wanting to explore broad-spectrum micronutrients in clinical practice, three pathways are currently available in New Zealand to obtain Daily Essential Nutrients:

1. DEN with lithium

Available through Stay Well Pharmacy (Christchurch).
Requires a GP prescription under Section 29 which means that the GP will likely want to prescribe it to treat something (hence why I had such difficulty with my GP). They can mail order around the country.
Website: https://www.staywellpharmacy.co.nz

2. DEN without lithium AND EMPowerplus

Available through Nature Zone Health.
Requires a letter from a prescriber authorising the sale of DEN or EMP. Lightning Sticks also available from NZH
Website: https://www.naturezonehealth.com

3. Importing either one through Hardy Nutritionals (that's also where you go to find out more about the research)
Website: https://www.hardynutritionals.com/products/

PLEASE NOTE: the products CANNOT be advertised in NZ so you need to contact the companies directly for more information.

The field has come a long way, but it feels as though we are only just beginning to see nutritional psychiatry enter mainstream healthcare.

Please share this widely to ensure everyone knows exactly how to access the nutrients

13/08/2026

Great to get the doco off the ground! Thanks so much to Prof Grant Schofield for expert knowledge on metabolic health.

08/08/2026

Loved chatting with Sophia Dawson, one of my talented PhD students, who has started a podcast. We dive deep into the problems of our health care system. We have such great options out there to help prevent and treat psychological symptoms but the infrastructure to support the dissemination is broken. Great conversation to get up to speed in this space.

The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast · Episode

28/07/2026

If the only legal way to access daily essential nutrients in New Zealand is through a section 29 prescription, does the pathway actually work? I decided to find out for myself. The experience raised some important questions about prevention well-being and access to evidence-informed nutritional interventions.

27/07/2026

If you want to know what the different political parties's policies on health are, have a read of this article - the majority are focused on the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff and we all know that's a bottomless pit of cash hungry entrenched sickcare systems....what if we focused on prevention and lifestyle medicine as cure? https://dailytelegraph.co.nz/opinion/politicians-stuck-in-scientific-purgatory-in-election-year/

23/07/2026

For those who want to hear more about the NUTRIMUM study from my lab...listen to Dr Anikó on the Nourished podcast. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5fRxgn804ATN0NnEUOxsJq?si=ieiAIeIdQ1-EpyVab8ClZw&utm_source=copy-link

20/07/2026

For those clinicians in Wellington wanting to upskill on nutrition and mental health...this workshop might be useful! How to talk about food while staying within scope.

NZCCP Te Whanganui-a-Tara branch hosts Prof. Julia Rucklidge for an evidence-based overview of the role of nutrition in mental health across the lifespan.

01/07/2026

I am so fed up about how impossible it is to get access to the nutrients my lab has studied that New Zealanders have funded and given their valuable time to help us conduct the research. Things have got to change. This is unacceptable. Please support the Make New Zealand Healthy campaign so that our politicians know that prevention and good health is a priority in the next election. Prioritizing and investing in our health should not be political.

17/06/2026

PLEASE consider partcipating in this important research! 50$ KOHA for a couple of hours of your time.