Sleep, Nutrition, and the Mind | Dr. Ann Childers - E423

Dec 29, 2025

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Dr. Ann Childers is a pioneering psychiatrist who bridges the gap between brain health and metabolic health. As one of the earliest clinicians to integrate nutritional and lifestyle strategies into psychiatric care, she has helped reshape how mental health is understood and treated. Dr. Childers is known for her evidence-driven approach, showing how diet, sleep, and metabolic function profoundly influence mood, cognition, and overall well-being.

In this episode, Drs. Tro, Brian, and Ann talk about…

(00:00) Intro
(02:08) Dystonia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS), and metabolic health
(08:06) How Dr. Ann's stroke changed her life and led her to keto
(10:30) How keto impacts mental health and mood
(23:56) How low iron can have huge mental health consequences
(31:13) Iron deficiency and sleep issues
(34:35) The wisdom in traditional ways of eating
(39:27) The psychiatric benefits of avoiding the 'foods of society'
(40:27) CGMs
(47:34) Inflammation and diet
(51:59) Modern food and metabolic health
(53:24) Outro

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

Links:

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Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration (book): https://www.westonaprice.org/physical/#gsc.tab=0

Dr. Ann Childers:

X: https://x.com/AnnChildersMD

Dr. Brian Lenzkes:

Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Dr. Tro Kalayjian:

Website: https://www.doctortro.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro
IG: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

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