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Six Ways Diet Can Affect Your Mental Health



Six Ways Diet Can Affect Your Mental Health

Discover the powerful link between diet and mental health in this deep dive. It’s not nearly as simple as most people think. Learn six different ways that your food choices can impact mood, energy, and even severe mental health conditions. From nutrient deficiencies to the Mediterranean and ketogenic diets, I unpack the science of food for brain health. Don’t miss this transformative guide to eating for your mind!

Read more about this topic in our Brain Energy article: https://newsletter.brainenergy.com/the-role-of-diet-in-mental-health-a-complex-web-of-mechanisms/

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
01:13 – Nutrients
02:27 – Food Sensitivities
03:00 – Harmful Substances
04:24 – Mediterranean Diet
06:41 – Ketogenic Diet
08:36 – Gut-Brain Connection

Dietary interventions have significant potential as a transdiagnostic treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders in Epilepsy, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Migraine, Anxiety Disorders, Stress-Related Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Studies and mentioned:
Sapien Labs report looks at the impact of ultra-processed food on mental wellbeing: https://sapienlabs.org/whats_new/report-out-from-sapien-labs-examines-impact-of-ultra-processed-food-on-mental-wellbeing/

Diets and Disorders: Can Foods or Fasting Be Considered Psychopharmacologic Therapies?: https://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/can-foods-or-fasting-be-psychopharmacologic-therapies/

SMILES Trial: https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y

PREDIMED Study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1800389?query=featured_home

The Ketogenic Diet as a Transdiagnostic Treatment for Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Mechanisms and Clinical Outcomes:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40501-024-00339-4

I hope this video answered some of your questions about how food and dietary interventions can impact and improve mental health.

#mentalhealth #diet #food #mentalhealtheducation #gutbrainconnection #ketogenicdiet #mediterraneandiet #brainenergy

I am a Harvard psychiatrist and researcher working at the interface of metabolism and mental health. I am the Founder and Director of the Metabolic and Mental Health Program and the Director of the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. For almost 30 years, I have held administrative, educational, research, and clinical roles in psychiatry at McLean and Harvard. I have been pioneering the use of the medical ketogenic diet in the treatment of psychiatric disorders—conducting research in this area, treating patients, writing, and speaking around the world on this topic. Most recently, I have proposed that mental disorders can be understood as metabolic disorders affecting the brain, which has received widespread recognition in both national and international media outlets.

For more information:

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Chris Palmer, M.D.

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48 Comments

  1. @Listenandthink-19 on

    Dr. Palmer, I have followed your work for a couple of years now and cannot express how important it is. I’ve listened to your audiobook and watched many of your interviews. There’s a lot more people who are looking into this and getting amazing results from your work. I can say that I’ve personally seen the potential results that a diet like the Ketogenic diet can bring. It is life changing. Thank you so much for your work in this field and wish you all the best.

  3. @Manship_CCBeckBeck on

    Dr. Palmer, keep me posted on anything I can do to help in approaching policy to require that mental health providers MUST provide information on correct diet/nutrition and exercise OPTIONS to people they diagnose. My daughter is off of all medications after having been diagnosed as Bi-Polar then Schizo-affective over a period of 10 years. She watches her diet and is on a lot of supplementations. She has a job and is living on her own successfully. She told me for the first time in many years she is excited about her creative writing talent again. Our mental health system is set up to paralyze and imprison people, you are setting us all free. I'm willing to volunteer time, just let me know where we can start and if you have started with this approach.

  4. @neopets4ever on

    Thank you for creating this channel and for advocating so greatly for mental health. Life has been hard lately so I haven’t kept up with your content but I’m so happy that you are here sharing this with us for free ❤

  16. @icydragon12 on

    @ChrisPalmerMD, I appreciate the content you put out, but I wish you would talk about metabolism more holistically. As I dig into the topic more thoroughly, I've come to realize that metabolism can go awry in myriad ways, and that successfully modifying metabolic health can require far more than dietary intervention. Could you also discuss how to identify/address ETC blocks/metabolic bottlenecks, how to avoid nutrient deficiencies which are critical to metabolism (when 75%+ of your energy intake comes from fat), how to synergize ketosis with zone 2 training, how to objectively measure metabolic health etc.

  18. @lde692 on

    Thank you for your life changing work, you are changing the world. Can I ask you to address how this relates to sleep. Have been a terrible sleeper my adult life. Can this help?

  19. @nmn5550 on

    "No fit all diet" – EXACTLY!
    I'm on Carnivore (eggs + meat, but coffee and tea too) but there are certain foods I'm longing after and are willing to experiment, carefully not to disturb the ketosis, which has greatly healed 85-90% of my ailments (including mental/emotional) but also made me sensitive to all other foods.
    I already know cheese and almond flour make me feel deliberately bad, even in small doses. But I tried Dijon mustard, for instance and it had a tremendously positive effect on my wellbeing, so careful experiments continue until I figure out the 'right' diet, primarily for mental health as well as physical.
    Totally agree some people do well on diets someone else would consider to be completely irrational, like the guy who eats at McDonalds all the time – and is slim and healthy. Some people do well on sugars, while others, such as myself, suffer (that I also know, as a matter of fact, I hate sweets).

    Thank you very much and God Bless for everything you're doing, Dr Palmer!!

  21. @swanee22 on

    I went low carb in 2017 after listening to (and later meeting and talking to Ben Bikman) whose book Why We Get Sick was a huge turning point in understanding insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity. Now, at 74, my blood work looks great with triglycerides in the 60s, HDL in the 70s, HOMA-IR (homeostatic measure of insulin resistance) 0.08, C-reactive protein at 0.26, and arterial calcium score of 6. I would certainly liked to have known about all of this about 50 years ago…but who did? Not many at all.

  22. @scottc3165 on

    I've been on a martial arts monks diet for 35 years that mimics the Mediterranean style diet but contains lots of meat and fat. In my mid sixties now and still very physically fit and mentally alert. Hard physical labor is also a prerequisite as is moderation in alcohol. No prescription or recreational drugs, no synthetic anything and no processed food. They've been doing this for thousands of years and I'm glad our doctors are going beyond prescriptions and the SAD diet. Thank you Dr. Palmer. Glad to have found your channel.

  23. @1litreTearz on

    Dr Palmer, does keto help with a manic episode? my family member is having delusional mania and psychiatrist recommends increasing the anti seizure meds which will inhibit ketosis level. Can keto diet help manage a manic episode so that the dosage does not have to be increased? The person was on a ketogenic diet but had to stop as a result of the severe symptoms (not sure if it’s due to the withdrawal of the antidepressant) . There are no prescribers in canada who can answer these type of questions. Feeling hopeless as increasing dosage would mean that the ketosis cannot be increased to a medical therapeutic level so would have to give up on a keto diet. the keto diet can also reduce the effectiveness of the anti seizure meds (valproic acid ie) and could cause mania. I don’t know how the keto diet can help with mania with psychotic features

  24. @HildeMLunde on

    I have never commented on any YouTube content, but I just have to try. Last october I went to my doctor and asked for help: my wheigt is high, I struggle and don't know what to do. The doctor looked at me and said: lets try low carb. "Your daily intake of carbs should be 20-30 grams." Well, 4 weeks into this new food regime, I had to stop taking medication for my hypertention… It gets better: I have post traumatic brain syndrome, and menopause (or to quote my doctor: a sh*tstorm). About 8 weeks in, my "friend" – the daily fatigue seemed to disappear. I have accepted that my brain will never get better (accident 8 years ago…). I am now reading books – and my concentration, focus and endurance is better than it has ever been. So I came across "Brain Energy" by dr Chris Palmer, and "Change your diet – Change your mind" by dr Georgia Ede, and I am still down the rabbit hole – and enjoy every moment. Learning so much! Thank you, Chris Palmer for your work!!

  25. @irfanjabran8848 on

    Sir Dr Chris Palmer i have depression, OCD and delusions, ptsd for about 10 years now. I feel suicidal. Sir i cant afford the ketogenic diet. I reallly want to go on keto tho. Sir kindly advise me something that works just as good. Please respond

  29. @mathematics-w7b on

    I HAVE heard and listend to majority of your book and podcost with huberman @hubermanlab thanks but sir after a time with ocd recurrent negative thoughts fluoxetine does not work so what to do ,and kindly do one podcost on power of God religion belief as it helps depression and mental illness

  31. @agape8812 on

    Hi Doc I am a person from India , don't know whether you would see it or not .I have different diagnosis ; schizophrenia, ocd with absent insight and psychotic symptoms etc. I decided to take my life when I had psychosis and went into an asylum .I lost everything my studies ,my future and now I am in my Father's aid .I am planning to start a ketogenic diet .Do you think it will help me out

  37. @Jan_Jan_7 on

    different diets fit different people, inclusivity is being inclusive of people's health needs. I wish this was mainstream knowledge. Thank you Dr Palmer 🙏 ❤ Greetings from India

  39. @carolebradford9187 on

    Thank you for this incredible information.I bought your book Brain Energy and share your information. Please come to NB & NS Canada and share this research at our Universities. Dr. Palmer's metabolic approach has the potential to radically impact the world's mental health epidemic so that Mental health care is no longer the "Orphan of our Healthcare system!"

  40. @tsaprojectsbyplatt on

    I started the ketogenic diet to loose weight, but quickly noticed my Bipolar 2 symptoms were significantly improved even though I take 100mg of Lamictal. It was like my meds were doubled. My High blood pressure has dropped to normal levels. I bought both your book and Dr. Ede books and audio books. I watch every podcast I can about metabolic psychiatry. Everything I have learned I share with my DBSA (Depression Bipolar Support Alliance) Group, family and friends. Loosing weight is great, however your Brain Energy Theory is improving my total metabolic health. God Bless you and your cohorts who are committed to this ground breaking new therapy for all of us. Count me as a disciple.

  41. @danielrichards9783 on

    Nutrition is the new frontier for mental and physical health. It will change the world for those who live long enough to see it flourish and replace outdated allopathic medicine which ignores nutrition almost entirely.

  43. @DennisNedry123 on

    I’ve had severe GAD for more than a decade with terrible mental health symptoms (chronic brain fog, inflammation) and I started a ketogenic diet last year and my cognition drastically improved. I couldn’t believe how well it helped me with my mental health.

  44. @sharilee4412 on

    Saw you on The Diary of a CEO. Subscribed. Cannot wait to watch your videos. Diagnosed with ADD AT 62. Struggled ALL MY LIFE. Many medications, nothing works Yet no doctor ever asked about diet. Food manufacturers poisoning us. Politicians take payoffs from lobbyists. I have been searching for this supplement and that. Classic ADA always issue. Thought something was just wrong with me. Nothing has really helped. I have thought diet. Need your videos so I can get on track at 64.

  45. @hannahbroughton on

    I’m in recovery from 3 psychotic episodes in 3 years. I was recommended your page! Thank you for sharing this advice – I’m going to give the keto diet a go. 😊