Get Your Brain off Grain: How a gluten-free diet could improve your mental and neurological health is a groundbreaking book that explores the compelling relationship between gluten and mental health. Combining personal experiences with cutting-edge research, the authors present a clear, evidence-based look at how gluten may influence mood, cognition, anxiety, and even severe psychiatric conditions. This accessible yet scientifically robust guide empowers readers with practical advice, screening tools, and dietary strategies that go beyond fads to deliver meaningful change. Whether you’re a clinician, a patient, or simply curious about how diet affects the mind, this book offers a new lens through which to view mental well-being.
But how did such a book come to be? It began with Dr Jessica Hellings, an award-winning psychiatrist who experienced a dramatic personal transformation after going gluten-free. Long-standing issues like anxiety, brain fog and nerve pain improved almost overnight, prompting her to investigate the growing body of scientific literature connecting gluten and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Her dual perspective – as both patient and practitioner – fostered a unique insight into how powerful dietary change could be. While researching for a review article, she came across the work of Dr Deanna Kelly, whose pioneering studies had already laid much of the foundation in this area.
Struck by the rigour and relevance of Dr Kelly’s research, Dr Hellings reached out in early 2020 with a proposal: to co-author a book that could translate their collective knowledge into something that could truly help people. Dr Kelly immediately recognised the synergy. Together, they decided to bring on board Sharon Pugh, a clinically trained researcher and nutrition expert with a deep understanding of gluten’s systemic effects, including on the brain.
Dr Deanna Kelly brought over 15 years of experience investigating the immunological and psychiatric effects of gluten. Her work at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, including NIH-funded clinical trials, was instrumental in showing how gluten could drive inflammation in the body and brain – particularly in people with schizophrenia. For Dr Kelly, the book represented a way to answer the recurring calls from families, patients and clinicians looking for actionable advice grounded in science.
Sharon Pugh added yet another dimension. With two decades of experience exploring the gluten–brain connection, she had seen how dietary interventions could dramatically impact patient outcomes. Her contributions in integrative nutrition and wellness coaching helped bridge the gap between theory and everyday clinical practice. When invited to join the project, it felt like a natural continuation of her life’s work.
Together, Dr Hellings, Dr Kelly and Ms Pugh shared not only professional expertise but also a deep personal and ethical commitment to bringing under-recognised science into public view. They recognised that the connection between gluten and mental health is still often misunderstood, dismissed, or ignored – despite the evidence. This book, then, is more than just a guide; it’s a call to re-examine how we understand brain health and to empower readers with knowledge that could transform lives.
Their collaboration is a testament to what can happen when diverse minds come together with a shared mission. Through Get Your Brain off Grain, they aim to spark a new conversation – one rooted in science, compassion and the lived experiences of both patients and professionals.
