When addressing chronic health problems, consider multiple inputs like food, exercise, sleep, stress (physical/emotional/trauma), time spent outside, vitamin D levels, environmental toxins, and chronic infections to identify and manipulate root causes.
If experiencing mental illness, focus on improving mitochondrial function in brain cells as a root cause treatment, as mental disorders are linked to metabolic dysfunction.
Prioritize eating real, whole foods and eliminate as much processed food as possible, while avoiding drinking any calories, to improve overall health and mental well-being.
Eliminate added sugar and artificial sweeteners from your diet, as new evidence suggests they may not be safe and can negatively impact metabolic and mental health.
Commit to eliminating sweets and highly processed foods for at least three months; initial cravings will subside, leading to improved brain function, sleep, mood, and a changed perspective on food.
Opt for water, unsweetened coffee, or unsweetened tea as primary beverages, as they are associated with better health outcomes and avoid the potential negative impacts of sweetened drinks.
To heal from trauma and PTSD, learn to sleep soundly without substances, reduce heart rate through practices like meditation or mindfulness, and adopt diet and exercise strategies to foster healing and return the body to a resilient safety mode.
Actively engage with other humans in person, as human connection is vital for mental and metabolic health, and can combat the epidemic of loneliness more effectively than screen-based interactions.
Parents should delay giving children cell phones as long as possible, as earlier cell phone acquisition is strongly correlated with a higher likelihood of developing mental disorders.
Schools should avoid assigning homework on brightly lit screens in the evening, as it can negatively impact children’s sleep, neurodevelopment, and increase risks of mental illness and cognitive impairment.
Minimize exposure to known mitochondrial toxins like alcohol, marijuana, and other toxic chemicals, as they can contribute to mental illness and metabolic disorders by damaging mitochondria.
For mental health improvement, implement simple changes like avoiding phone use for one hour before bed and one hour after waking, and replacing sugary breakfasts with protein and healthy fats to stabilize blood sugar.
When treating trauma, combine psychotherapy for psychological aspects and focus on physiological healing (e.g., sleep, stress reduction, diet, exercise) to address metabolic impacts and restore the body’s safety mode.
Do not attempt a medical ketogenic diet for serious brain disorders like epilepsy, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder without competent medical supervision from a physician or trained healthcare professional.
For severe, treatment-resistant mental disorders like schizophrenia, consider a ketogenic diet, which has shown to put symptoms into full remission for some individuals by improving mitochondrial function, but requires medical supervision.
Healthcare professionals should inform patients with epilepsy about the ketogenic diet as an evidence-based treatment option, especially for treatment-resistant cases, as it can lead to significant improvement or seizure-freedom.
For epilepsy, consider a low glycemic index diet as an evidence-based treatment, which involves restricting grains, sugars, and high glycemic index fruits, and may be easier to implement than a full ketogenic diet.
When using a ketogenic diet for severe mental illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, monitor blood ketone levels (ideally 1.5-3 mmol/L beta hydroxybutyrate) to optimize therapeutic effects, as symptom correlation can exist.
To achieve higher levels of ketosis for therapeutic effect, modify the diet by adding more fat (e.g., MCT oil) and/or further restricting carbohydrates and protein, especially under medical supervision.
Mental health care facilities and group homes should implement comprehensive lifestyle protocols, including appropriate diet, movement, strict screen time limits (e.g., no screens after 4 p.m.), consistent sleep schedules, and elimination of toxic substances, to foster recovery and remission.
When making significant lifestyle changes for health, seek support from dieticians, psychologists, therapists, or health and wellness coaches, as they can provide education, support, and help establish new habits.
Visit brainenergy.com for free resources, articles, and a self-assessment to identify potential biomarkers or symptoms related to inflammation, weight, or hormone imbalances, which can provide clues for discussing with a doctor.
Mental health professionals should educate themselves on the detailed cellular evidence linking mental and metabolic health to transform the field and improve patient outcomes.