Mental Illness, Perimenopause, & Mitochondrial Dysfunction with Dr. Chris Palmer

Dr. Christopher Palmer is today’s guest on the Better show. Today we talk about the metabolic underpinning of mental illness such as depression, anxiety, bi polar disorder etc. Chris received his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine, interning and doing his psychiatry residency at McLean Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School. He’s currently the Director of Dept. of Post Graduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital, and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. We begin by explaining the role of the mitochondria in our metabolism and it’s impact on the body and brain. We discuss new hypothesis in regards to mental illness maybe not being simply a chemical imbalance, and how exercise can aid in the remission of certain symptoms for a time. Chris educates us on the Over Active Brain, as well as the Under Active Brain, touching on the hormonal impact of menstruation and menopause on depression and anxiety. We polish off today’s incredibly insightful episode with the origin of the Ketogenic diet, and how it’s use can benefit certain people. Dr. Palmer describes the multitude of other benefits of tuning in your mitochondrial efficiency, including sleep regulation and sunlight exposure. A big thank you to Chris for coming on the show, be sure to be on the lookout for his upcoming book “Brain Energy”. If it was as educational as this episode you may want to pre order it at the link below.