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Reset Your Metabolism, Reboot Your Mental Health with Dr. Christopher Palmer

Dr. Christopher M. Palmer is a Harvard psychiatrist and researcher working at the interface of metabolism and mental health. He is 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, he has held administrative, educational, research, and clinical roles in psychiatry at McLean and Harvard. He has 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, he has 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.

Is medication always the answer to mental illness?

Anyone who has ever suffered from a mental health condition knows how isolating it can be. You’re desperate to get better, but often the answer is medication and management instead of actual healing. But there may be an entirely new range of treatment strategies available. Options directly tied to lifestyle factors crucial in changing your metabolism allowing you to manage a wide range of conditions.

I’m excited to welcome Dr. Christopher Palmer to the show today. Dr. Palmer is a Harvard psychiatrist and researcher who works directly with understanding the link between metabolism and mental health. He’s the Founder and Director of the Metabolic and Mental Health Program at McLean Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Palmer is here to talk about his new book, Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health—and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More.

Everything from depression to anxiety, and even more serious illnesses like schizophrenia, share underlying causes potentially rooted in your metabolism. And what you eat, how you sleep, your lifestyle choices, all play a profound role. It’s possible to change your brain energy and metabolism through practical everyday steps. If you feel like you aren’t getting better, like your ideas and questions are being dismissed, this episode is for you.

I invite you to join me in a world of limitless learning possibilities. Through my revolutionary Kwik Brain accelerated learning programs, I’ll guide you towards rapid growth and extraordinary achievements by unlocking the secrets of productivity, memory enhancement, confidence-building, and more. Unleash your true genius at http://kwikbrain.com and use code PODCAST15 at checkout for an exclusive 15% discount on any of our transformative courses as a thank you for being a loyal listener.

To learn more about your brain type and how to use this knowledge to create lasting change, visit kwikbrain.com/animal-quiz, and take the quiz today.

"There isn’t a one size fits all solution to mental illness and mental health; that’s why I want a thousand options available."

Dr. Christopher Palmer

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**This week’s show notes are taken from the video — enjoy!**

  • This is where Dr. Palmer’s journey with treating mental health began. [3:48]
  • What causes mental illness? Dr. Palmer’s answer might surprise you. [6:32]
  • When you understand this, you can open entirely new treatment strategies. [7:55]
  • Dr. Palmer has found that this is the effect diet can play with mental health and mental illness. [10:26]
  • While this may seem like general health and wellness advice, keep this in mind. [12:59]
  • This is the best starting point if you have a mental health condition. [14:01]
  • Dr. Palmer believes this is the biggest barrier when it comes to adopting these changes. [16:52]
  • These are the next steps when working towards improving your brain metabolism. [18:41]
  • This is what Dr. Palmer has found over and over again. [20:14]
  • There is more to your lifestyle than diet. Here are some other factors to consider. [23:18]
  • We are programmed for this. But overcoming it plays a dramatic role in healing. [29:11]
  • This can help you overcome that obstacle and find deeper purpose. [31:13]
  • These are some of the upcoming trends in psychiatry and neuroscience that Dr. Palmer is very hopeful to see producing new treatments. [34:27]
  • Take a screenshot, tag us (@jimkwik & @chrispalmermd), and share your biggest takeaway from this episode.
  • To learn more about Dr. Palmer and his work, visit his website, here.
  • Don’t forget to get a copy of his new book, Brain Energy, here.
  • If you want to read Victor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning, you can find it, here.

 

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