“I Fixed My Mental Illness Using the Ketogenic Diet” - How Hannah Warren Put Her Bipolar Disorder Into Remission Following this Groundbreaking Protocol
Dec 14, 2023
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Hannah Warren, artist, writer, and social entrepreneur, shares her journey of putting her bipolar disorder into remission through dietary and lifestyle changes. Topics discussed include her bipolar diagnosis, health modalities used, brain energy and cleaning mitochondria, contributing factors to mitochondrial disruption, the role of trauma, starting metabolic and ketogenic therapy, her daily schedule and diet, advice for helping those with mental health conditions, misconceptions about metabolic therapy, and making small changes for improvement.
Implementing a clean ketogenic diet and maintaining metabolic flexibility can lead to ketosis, resulting in significant improvements in mental health and overall well-being.
Metabolic therapies, such as the ketogenic diet, target mitochondrial dysfunction, promote cellular repair, and improve brain and body function, contributing to improvements in mental health conditions.
Behavioral and lifestyle changes, alongside metabolic therapies, play a complementary role in addressing mental health conditions, highlighting the importance of therapy and support alongside dietary interventions.
Metabolic therapies, including ketogenic therapy, show promise in managing and even putting severe mental health conditions like bipolar disorder into remission, offering hope for long-term healing and an alternative to traditional medication-based approaches.
Deep dives
Implementing Ketogenic Therapy as a Metabolic Treatment
Hannah Warren shares her journey of implementing ketogenic therapy to manage her bipolar disorder. After experiencing severe episodes and dealing with the side effects of medication, she discovered the concept of metabolic therapies and the power of the ketogenic diet. She found that following a clean ketogenic diet and maintaining metabolic flexibility allowed her body to switch from glucose to fat as a fuel source, leading to ketosis. Through intermittent fasting and incorporating healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados, she achieved ketosis and experienced significant improvements in her mental health and overall well-being.
The Connection Between Metabolic Therapies and Mitochondrial Function
Hannah discusses the connection between metabolic therapies, mitochondrial function, and mental health. The brain energy theory, as explained by Dr. Chris Palmer, suggests that metabolic therapies, such as the ketogenic diet, can target mitochondrial dysfunction and promote cellular repair. By removing carbohydrates and relying on fat as a fuel source, the body undergoes a process of ketosis, which can lead to mitophagy (cleaning up dysfunctional mitochondria) and mitochondrial biogenesis (creating fresh functional mitochondria). These processes help improve overall brain and body function and can lead to improvements in mental health conditions. Hannah emphasizes that metabolic therapies, especially the ketogenic diet, should be implemented under medical supervision.
The Role of Behavioral and Lifestyle Changes in Mental Health
Hannah highlights the complementary role of behavioral and lifestyle changes alongside metabolic therapies. Along with following a ketogenic diet, she incorporated practices such as meditation, journaling, positive reframing techniques, and regular exercise. These changes contributed to her overall well-being and positive state of mind. While metabolic therapies play a significant role in addressing the physiological aspects of mental health conditions, she acknowledges the importance of addressing the emotional and narrative components through therapy and support. Hannah emphasizes that metabolic therapies should be seen as a cornerstone intervention, rather than a standalone solution, and that individual experiences and needs may vary.
Hannah's Journey to Stability and Remission
Hannah shares her journey of stability and remission from bipolar disorder through ketogenic therapy and metabolic interventions. After experiencing severe psychotic breaks and the challenges of medication, she discovered the brain energy theory and started implementing metabolic therapies. She embraced a clean ketogenic diet, utilized intermittent fasting, and focused on stress reduction. By maintaining metabolic flexibility and achieving ketosis, Hannah experienced improved mental stability, reduced depressive episodes, and regained her energy, creativity, and sense of well-being. She highlights that while her experience may not apply to everyone, her story serves as an inspiration to explore the potential benefits of metabolic therapies for severe mental health conditions.
Metabolic Therapies for Mental Health
Metabolic therapies, including ketogenic therapy, show promise in managing and even putting mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia into remission. These therapies involve lifestyle changes such as following a ketogenic diet, exercising, practicing gratitude, and managing sleep. While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind these therapies, numerous case studies and testimonies highlight their effectiveness. The goal is to make metabolic therapies a standard treatment option for mental illnesses, offering hope and long-term healing to individuals who are currently limited to medication and management.
The Importance of Science and Evidence
To gain broader recognition and acceptance, metabolic therapies require rigorous scientific evidence to back them up. Clinical trials and case studies are currently being conducted to explore the efficacy and safety of these therapies. Without solid scientific evidence, it may be challenging for clinicians to consider these interventions as first-line treatment options. The need for more research prompts individuals and organizations like the Zucchi Group and Metabolic Mind to invest in clinical trials and provide resources for patients and families seeking alternatives to traditional medication-based approaches.
Overcoming Challenges and Building Support
Despite the growing interest in metabolic therapies, barriers still exist for individuals looking to explore these interventions. Resources and support, such as finding clinicians or nutritionists trained in metabolic psychiatry, can be limited. However, online communities and platforms like Twitter offer connections and information sharing among those implementing metabolic therapies. Additionally, the website Metabolic Mind provides resources, articles, and videos to educate clinicians and patients about these therapies, including monitoring lab tests and understanding metabolic changes. While challenges persist, efforts are being made to expand access and support for those navigating metabolic therapies.
Today on The Dhru Purohit Podcast, Dhru sits down with Hannah Warren. Hannah shares her experience of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her journey in implementing dietary and lifestyle changes, including fasting, exercise, and meditation, that helped her feel more like herself after experiencing manic episodes and suicidal ideations.*
Hannah Warren is an artist, writer, and social entrepreneur. She joined Baszucki Group and its Metabolic Mind initiative as a Mental Health Communications and Advocacy Manager. Hannah volunteers with the Brain Energy Movement, started by Dr. Christopher Palmer, to spread awareness of the brain energy theory.
In this episode, Dhru and Hannah dive into (audio version / Apple Subscriber version):
Hannah’s bipolar diagnosis and her journey (4:44 / 4:44)
The health modalities that Hannah used to help her with her diagnosis (22:11 /18:40)
Brain energy and the role of cleaning your mitochondria (34:20 / 28:34)
What contributed to Hannah’s mitochondrial disruption (38:19 / 32:51)
The role of trauma and mental illness (43:51 / 39:07 )
How Hannah started metabolic and ketogenic therapy (48:20 / 42:46)
Hannah’s daily schedule, diet, and journey to move toward ketogenic therapy (55:46 / 47:47)
Advice for anyone helping individuals suffering from mental health conditions (1:15:54 / 1:10:27)
Misconceptions about metabolic therapy (1:20:47 / 1:15:20 )
How to get started in making small changes in your lifestyle (1:27:22 /1:21:50)
Hannah’s journey to educate others on the options of metabolic therapy (1:32:46 /1:27:20 )
Why this discussion is pivotal for those suffering from mental health challenges (1:34:17 / 1:28:40 )
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*Disclaimer: Although Hannah was able to adjust her medications and start a ketogenic diet safely on her own, not all people can. We strongly recommend that people work with their healthcare providers to adjust medications and/or start therapeutic ketogenic diets as a treatment for mental health conditions. Please note that the testimonial featured today is only a reflection of her story, and nothing shared in this episode by Hannah Warren or host Dhru Purohit should be taken as medical advice.
