Currently, one in five Americans live with a mental illness, and these rates have been tracking alongside increases in metabolic disease. Yet, conventional psychiatric care does not typically include discussion of food or an assessment of metabolic dysfunction, obesity, or insulin resistance in the evaluation or treatment of mental health conditions.
On this episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, I was happy to sit down and talk with Dr. Shebani Sethi Dalai about the relationship between mental health and metabolic disease, and how we are gradually coming to understand that inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance may represent important root causes of many chronic brain illnesses, including many psychiatric disorders.
Dr. Shebani Sethi Dalai is a double board-certified physician in Obesity Medicine and Psychiatry. She is the Founding Director of Stanford University's Metabolic Psychiatry program and Silicon Valley Metabolic Psychiatry, a new center in the San Francisco Bay Area focused on optimizing brain health by integrating low carb nutrition, comprehensive psychiatric care, and treatment of obesity with associated metabolic disease.
This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market, Bioptimizers, and the Pegan Shake.
Right now, Thrive is offering all Doctor's Farmacy listeners an amazing deal. Select a free gift from Thrive Market when you sign up for a 1 year membership. And, any time you spend more than $49 you’ll get free carbon-neutral shipping. Just head over to thrivemarket.com/Hyman.
My new favorite magnesium is from a company called Bioptimizers—their Magnesium Breakthrough formula contains 7 different forms which all have different functions in the body. There is truly nothing like it on the market. Right now you can try Bioptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough for 10% off, just go to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use the code HYMAN10 at checkout.
The Pegan Shake features a combination of collagen, pumpkin, and pea protein with healthy fats from my two favorites: MCT oil which is great for fat burning and brain power as well as avocado oil. I’ve also included acacia fiber to help with gut motility and digestion. Check it out at getfarmacy.com/peganshake.
To fix the mind, first fix the body.
If you cannot get into your head, you have a lousy biological body…
I have a few mentally ill family members in my family, mostly on my husband’s side of the family. He has also had some episodes. I am forever trying to get them to understand how much their diet plays a role in their health. I’ve lost 3 family members to Dementia and Alzheimer’s on my father’s side of the family too. I am extremely interested in brain health. If I were younger, I would study this as a profession myself.
I guess she means using a ketogenic diet as a treatment approch, not as a permanent diet?
Permanent, yes. Low carb should do without or Greatly Reduced Junk food/processed. Daily total carbs no more than about 100 grams OR down to 65 grams/day to loose weight first, then gradually increasing Total Carbs until a slight weight gain is noticed and reduce again if required. There is no magical numbers as everyone is different. These numbers I gave work very well
After 12 yrs of dealing with an auto immune disease I discovered that what caused my disease was MSG. This stuff is in everything we eat especially fast food.
Msg trigger the nervous system by free glutamates attaching to glutamate receptors along the nervous system.. it then drains serotonin levels by triggering the release of serotonin by enteroendrocine cells
Thank you, Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Shebani Sethi Dalai! The content discussed on this edition of The Doctor’s Farmacy is Nobel Prize-winning material for sure — Best. Program. Ever.
It’s not only sugar causing the problems. Processed foods are deficient in synergistic nutrients that work together when we consume whole unprocessed foods as close to their natural state as possible.
The best podcast episode you’ve ever done! I have to stay on a keto diet for life. It controls my insulin resistance, IBS, and complex ptsd. Great information!! Thank you.
I totally agree with eating a whole food diet, instead of processed foods, but the Keto diet has been proven to be Not healthy long-term for most people. Lots of veggies, a Very small amount of meat and Lots of beans are what the longest lived people eat in the Blue Zones, including the Seventh Day Adventist in a California town.
Southern Grandma I would like to read that long term keto study, and see if it is a epidemiology study or something more solid. Would you be so kind to give me the source to that study that you are referring to?
A very pleasant and informative conversation. Thanks!
Great interview but… two thirds of it was Dr Hyman mansplaining about nutritional and metabolic psychiatry to the doctor who actually knows about it. I know you’re naturally enthusiastic but really, Dr Hyman, it makes you look so bad.
This is great information. So thankful for you both.
So right on, glad we are talking about how we can improve our lives.