Metabolic & Mental Health

Mental health is a deeply personal journey, and for many of us, finding the right approach to feel better can be challenging. Traditional treatments like medication and therapy are essential, but, often, they don’t work or only work for a period of time before you need a dosage increase or a medication change.

I recently discovered an exciting new treatment protocol that could help: metabolic therapy. Inspired by hours upon hours of research, I decided to explore how improving my metabolic health might enhance my mental well-being. Here’s my story.

Discovering the Connection

The idea that mental health disorders might be linked to metabolic dysfunction was a revelation. I’m not sure where it started. Whether it was YouTube videos of Lauren Kennedy on Living Well with Schizophrenia or my mom telling me about using the ketogenic diet as a treatment for bipolar disorder, it really clicked when I stumbled upon Dr. Chris Palmer’s book, “Brain Energy.”

“Brain Energy” proposes that mental health conditions should be viewed as metabolic diseases of the brain and suggests that conditions like bipolar disorder might actually be connected to how our brain cells generate energy. This concept encouraged me to consider new treatment options for my mental health conditions.

What is Metabolic Therapy?

Metabolic therapy focuses on improving how our bodies create energy, especially in our brain cells. Our brain needs a lot of energy to function well, and if something goes wrong with energy production, it can affect our mood and mental clarity. By supporting our body’s energy production, we might be able to improve our mental health.

You may have heard that mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells, but you likely have never learned all the important roles they play in our brain. Their dysfunction is linked to various mental health issues. Enhancing mitochondrial function could potentially improve, or even eradicate, symptoms of mental illness.

The First Step

This is the part where I try to write an upbeat disclaimer about talking to your doctors before starting any new treatment options to improve your mental health. No, seriously, talk to your doctor, your psychiatrist (or in my case a psychiatric nurse practitioner), your therapist, and a dietician if you can before you start something like this because there are several risks to consider. Okay, that wasn’t the most upbeat.

I was fortunate that so far, all of the above have been supportive. I meet with my dietician on Thursday, but we’ve already discussed the idea. I had to take an extra step and talk to my gastroenterologist about a potential conflict with my physical health. Basically, do whatever you need to do to start something like this safely.

What I Am Already Doing

I have instituted multiple metabolic therapies already and have a few more planned. So let’s start with the beginning.

Exercise and Time Outdoors

I started with exercises I enjoy like taking walks, Zumba, and yoga. Right now, I’m working out twice a day (which isn’t required, but I’ll explain why I’m doing that in another post). One of those workouts is outside.

So I walk for my outdoor exercise and do one of the others or walk again for my other exercise indoors. Walking outdoors even for a few minutes has a tremendous benefit for your physical and mental health. I recommend this to everyone.

Diet: The Key Ingredient

In my first stint in college, I did a research paper and presentation about how food is a drug, both positively and negatively. It can treat diseases as easily as it can cause them. I’ll save you the lecture and skip to the part where I tell you about the diet therapies I chose. I won’t go into detail on why until a later blog post. This is meant to be an introduction.

The Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet was my first big step into metabolic therapy as I was already exercising before this. This diet is not the fad diet you think you know about but, rather, a medical treatment similar in ways to the use of the ketogenic diet in epilepsy.

The diet is high in healthy fats, moderate in protein, and very low in carbs. It changes the way your body produces energy, shifting from using glucose (sugar) to using ketones (from fat). Ketones, produced from fat breakdown, provide a more stable and efficient energy source for the brain and can help repair the mitochondria.

Intermittent Fasting

Alongside the ketogenic diet, I decided to try intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting, which can further enhance ketone production and improve mitochondrial function.

We all naturally do periods of fasting when we sleep, but some people choose to extend this fast for the aforementioned health benefits. I chose the 16/8 method, where I fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window.

What I Plan To Do Next

I think this post has gone on long enough. I will cover my next steps another time but know that metabolic therapy involves a variety of factors. The ketogenic diet is the center stone of that therapy, but all the rest is important to grow the benefits from there.

Did you learn something? I hope so. Leave a comment and tell me what interests you most (and least if you want) or any questions you have. Until next time!