39. Dr. Chris Palmer: Can Fixing Your Diet Help Treat Mental Illness? The Science Says Yes!

Have you ever felt like mental health care is stuck in the past? Why are rates of depression, anxiety, and even conditions like autism skyrocketing in today's world? And why does traditional treatment often fall short? Spoiler: the answer lies deeper than just brain chemistry… it's all about your metabolic health. In this week's episode of Extend, I'm joined by Dr. Chris Palmer, a psychiatrist and author of Brain Energy. Together, we're unraveling the powerful connection between your metabolic health and your brain, exploring how poor nutrition, environmental toxins, and lifestyle choices are driving the modern mental health epidemic. But this isn't just a conversation about problems, it's about solutions. Dr. Palmer shares groundbreaking insights into how addressing metabolic dysfunction can lead to dramatic recoveries for people with conditions once thought untreatable, like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression. Dr. Chris Palmer is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, researcher, and the author of Brain Energy, a groundbreaking book that challenges conventional views on mental health.His work integrates cutting-edge neuroscience with practical, science-backed strategies to heal the brain through nutrition, lifestyle, and metabolic therapies. If you're ready to transform the way you think about mental health and learn actionable steps to heal from the inside out, this episode will give you the hope and tools you need. Let's dive in! We Also Discuss: (00:08) Mental Health Epidemic and Root Causes (16:00) Metabolic Health in Mental Wellness (33:38) Metabolic Health and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (44:46) Holistic Approach to Mental Health (59:26) Lifestyle and Metabolic Health Strategies (01:13:16) Personal Stories of Dietary Transformation (01:24:03) The Power of Metabolic Health Thank You to Our Sponsors: TruNiagen: Whether you are looking to stay sharp, feel more energized or simple age better, go to https://www.truniagen.com/ IFit: If you are looking to elevate your home gym fitness experience with the best in fitness tech, choose IFIT. Go to https://www.ifit.com/ Nexthealth: NextHealth: Your destination for cutting-edge health optimization—from IV therapy to hormone balancing. Explore at https://www.next-health.com/ Vitaboom: Vitaboom: For supplements you can trust and wellness solutions tailored to your health, visit https://vitaboom.com/ Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darshanshahmd/ Learn more about Dr. Chris Palmer: Website: https://www.chrispalmermd.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrispalmermd