#228 - Why nutrition matters for brain health and how to modify your diet | Dr. Georgia Ede & Dr. Dominic D’Agostino
Aug 31, 2023
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Dr. Georgia Ede and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss the connection between diet and brain health, specifically the benefits of a ketogenic diet. They delve into topics such as how the ketogenic diet can ease symptoms of mental health conditions, the connection between gut health and brain health, and the individualized nature of dietary needs. They also touch on the use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) to track diet and health.
The ketogenic diet can have significant benefits for mental health by addressing metabolic health and insulin resistance.
Personalized approaches to diet, including eliminating foods that cause digestive issues, can improve overall well-being and mental health.
Inflammation is a key factor in mental health, and low-carbohydrate diets like the ketogenic diet can reduce inflammation and improve mental well-being.
Deep dives
The Gut and Mental Health
The gut plays a crucial role in overall health, particularly mental health. Certain foods, such as grains, legumes, and seeds, can irritate the gut and impact mental well-being. Many individuals with mental health symptoms also experience poor gut health. Dietary interventions, such as the ketogenic diet, have shown promise in improving mental health by addressing metabolic health and insulin resistance. Personalized approaches to diet, including the elimination of foods that cause digestive issues, can contribute to improved overall well-being.
Metabolic Psychiatry: Improving Mental Health through Diet
Metabolic psychiatry focuses on using dietary interventions to improve metabolic health, reduce insulin resistance, and ultimately enhance mental well-being. The ketogenic diet has shown potential as a powerful metabolic intervention for various mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder and epilepsy. By removing processed foods and focusing on whole foods, individuals can support their metabolic health and potentially reduce or eliminate the need for medication. Assessing individual dietary needs and metabolizing foods effectively can help improve brain health, sleep, energy levels, and overall well-being.
Personalized Diets and the Impact on Mental Health
Personalizing diets based on individual metabolic needs can play a crucial role in optimizing mental health. While a paleo-style diet, focusing on whole plant and animal foods, can be a beneficial starting point, some individuals may need to adopt a ketogenic or even a carnivore diet to address specific dietary needs and improve mental well-being. By reducing carbohydrate intake and customizing macronutrient ratios, individuals can stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce insulin resistance, and potentially experience significant improvements in their mental health.
The Role of Inflammation and Biomarkers in Mental Health
Inflammation is a significant driving force behind neuropsychiatric illnesses, making it a critical aspect to address in mental health treatment. Measuring biomarkers such as fasting insulin and C-reactive protein (CRP) can provide valuable insights into metabolic and inflammatory status. Low-carbohydrate diets like the ketogenic diet have been shown to reduce insulin levels, lower triglycerides, and decrease CRP, indicating reduced inflammation. Personalized approaches that consider inflammatory markers and metabolic health can help guide effective dietary interventions for improving mental well-being.
The Power of a Ketogenic Diet in Mental Health
The podcast episode discusses the remarkable benefits of implementing a ketogenic diet in psychiatric care. The speaker shares a case study where patients who had not responded to conventional treatments experienced significant improvements when placed on a ketogenic diet. Out of 31 patients, 43% achieved clinical remission, a result rarely seen with traditional psychiatric care. Additionally, the speaker mentions that the patients had previously been hospitalized without seeing similar positive outcomes, indicating the potential role of the ketogenic diet in their improvement. The episode emphasizes the need for further research in this area.
Ketogenic Diet for Women and Clinical Training Program
The episode addresses two additional topics: the implications of a ketogenic diet for women going through menopause and the availability of a clinical training program for practitioners interested in implementing ketogenic diets in mental health care. Regarding menopause, the speaker shares personal experiences and advises women in their 40s and 50s not to shy away from a ketogenic diet, as it can be beneficial for addressing physical, emotional, and cognitive changes during this stage of life. Furthermore, the speaker discusses her clinical training program, highlighting its purpose of expanding access to metabolic care for psychiatric conditions. The program includes comprehensive education on the science, implementation, and nuances of ketogenic diets, aiming to empower clinicians to support their patients' mental health with nutritional interventions.
The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that has proven benefits for brain health. Research shows that the keto diet helps ease symptoms of some mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder. But no diet, even keto, is one-size-fits all. Dr. Georgia Ede and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino discuss how diet and brain health are connected, how diet and gut health affect brain health, and how a ketogenic or other low-carbohydrate diets can be tailored to people’s specific needs.
Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.
Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.
