Bipolarcast Episode 9: Dr Chris Palmer MD 

Bless your heart. Thank you for your efforts to raise awareness and create change. But of course it is difficult to change a system. I started my nursing career in acute care. Oh my, it was eye opening. It is one place that so heavily leaned towards the biomedical model. I think implementing metabolic therapies would make so much sense, even if it is to help patients tolerate the impact of those powerful medications. I remember, it was so shocking to hear the effects of those meds on patients. It's well known fact that so many psychiatric medications cause metabolic harm and we need to do everything to mitigate that risk. It would be the most compassionate and ethical thing to do. People need all the help they can get and why not address their physical health concerns while we tend to their mental health? We are integrated whole. Our bodies and brains are connected last I checked.

Thank you for sharing Sarah! So many people experiencing this. Would you be willing to come on the show to talk to us in more detail? Please email me if interested iainhcampbell@gmail.com

Do you mean dairy was an active cause for low energy and mental fog ? Nuts as well?

@@jean-sandropagnanelli6890 No...not low energy and mental fog. Extreme agitation and rage, more like it. Dairy and peanuts (which are legumes) were the culprits.

@SarahDale111 Well done and thanks for the inspiration. I am trying to alter my brain by changing diet too. It's such a shame that it's so hard to find anyone to guide us through this. 🙏

Wow! That's so powerful. It's amazing you figured it out and found your unique path to healing. I can relate to the antidepressant induced bipolar disorder. Similarly I went through a 13 year nightmare where I was swinging from the Chandeliers. As a Psych Nurse I was terrified to get on "mood stabilizers" and "Neuroleptics" and own the bipolar disorder diagnosis. It just felt like a prison sentence. The stigma too, in my mind I could hear the ridicule "Here comes the crazy nurse." I felt really isolated. Needless to say, what saved me was the keto diet too - I also cut out gluten and dairy. I use to have horrible pms and now I feel hormonally balanced. Hallelujah is right! Thank you for your courage, curiosity, persistence, and for sharing your story.

Glad you're doing well. Yes, this is a pretty amazing space. So much helpful knowledge and resources shared.

May I ask, how did you reduce your medications? I am also eating keto for past 6 weeks and interested to know any specifics about weaning off medication. 😊 Also unsure of fasting for more than 23 hours due to needing to take meds with a meal at night 🤔

@@michellegough179 I do either OMAD or a TRE of 20:4 to 18:6. I take all my supplements requiring food (abt 15-20 of them) with my main mail, or if I'm taking more than 15-20, I split it over a 4 to 6 hr period. I titrated down on my psych meds for as long as my psych team was willing to work with me, but when I got down to my last 2, there was a lot of arguing and I opted to do what I felt was best for me to the dismay of my docs. So, we parted ways and I slowly came thru the withdrawals without any medical intervention at all except for my Functional Med doc. I am getting ready to get off the last of my Wellbutrin next week! Taking high dose Omega 3, Magnesium, vit D, and LMNT electrolytes helped to save my life so I'd recommend taking those for several mos. to a year before getting off your meds.

Likewise:) As a Psych RN, I believe this book should be a required reading for all mental health, medical, and health professionals.

@@NeseretBemientyou’re doing them a disservice by gifting that book. Dr. Palmers information is not good. Don’t lead them astray with this misinformation

good doctors are rare

I’ve had a psychiatrist literally save my life by prescribing a medication that most doctors are too afraid to prescribe because they don’t think their patients are smart enough to follow the basic guidelines. On the other hand, I had a psychiatrist who told me about his personal problems with his ex-wife and his 5 (!) children and I was too depressed to say anything.

Agree 💯

I didn't know there was a Dr. Palmer army. Please sign me up! I love Brain Energy. Finally a psychiatrist who is willing to "listen" to their patients. What a radical idea, Dr. Campbell. lol I've had a share of working with psychiatrist in my 17 years as a psych RN, and so many are burnt to a crisp and have become so desensitized to human pain and suffering. It's sad for the clinician and for the patient. I agree with Dr. Palmer though, that "there are no bad guys, no one to blame - only broken hearts and scrambled minds" ~ Robert Burney. It's the blind leading the blind. Brain Energy sheds light in the sea of human suffering. It's a beautiful lighthouse. An anchor.

@@NeseretBemient so very true. We need a paradigm shift. Brain Energy was groundbreaking and now Dr. Ede’s book “Change Your diet, Change Your mind” is furthering awareness even more. These amazing people are paving the way for positive change in mental health care and I am loving it. Such a relief to see people getting out there and talking about this. You are one too! Thank you. I think the future is bright, no matter how slow it may seem, and we just have to keep living, learning, and sharing. ❤️

@@betsyfleetwoodgraver3682 I agree 100%. Small group of people can make great changes in the world. Progress is often slow but it will build momentum. And at some point reach a critical mass. So we just keep plugging away. lol

Thanks for listening! Did you decide to try Keto for T2D? Would be interested to hear. Dr Palmer's Brain Energy website is now live! brainenergy.com/

My greatest regret in life is that I didn't stop eating carbs in my teens. I'm 73 now, and after five years of low carb, it's not that hard, but I'm so much healthier than I was. "Medicine" was ruining my life. You'll feel so much better, even if you're not symptomatic (yet).

@@pmccord9 Real medicine is food. Clean water. Fresh air. Movement. The body is so resilient and will respond to any nurture. When we know better, we do better. You're doing that. Wishing you continued health, many blessings, and peace💌

All part of the movement:)

Thanks for listening Martin! Would love to hear what you're learning in your reading.

It really is pretty fascinating. Cell biology, neuroscience, nutrition, metabolism - it's like a gourmet meal. lol

What's the title? please

DBT is one of the most effective treatments for BPD. She'll definitely benefit from metabolic therapies as well.

Love these insightful thoughts Chris, thanks for commenting. Important to make the distinction between central nervous system insulin resistance and peripheral insulin resistance which can be independent of each other. And I agree it's important to point out that many things can lead to impaired glucose metabolism, TBI, hypoxia etc. I just published a paper on insulin signalling, bipolar and Lithium which goes into some more depth on my thoughts on impaired glucose metabolism in bipolar which may be of interest: www.nature.com/articles/s41398-022-02122-6

Wonderful to hear your husband is benefiting from Keto, congratulations! Please consider filling in this questionnaire survey I'm working on to help let Psychiatrists and others with Bipolar know about these effects! edinburgh.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/ketogenic-diet-questionnaire-study I'm carrying out a pilot clinical trial of keto for bipolar and would love to learn from your experience if you want to get in touch: iainhcampbell@gmail.com

​@@ketobipolarMy brother is bipolar and just starting keto. He has already lost 2.5" and 2 lbs in 2 days. He was against the diet at first, but now says it is awesome. No hunger and getting healthy in a matter of days.

The hormonal balance with this diet is incredible. I use to have horrible pms and now my cycle is so mild. I gave up the birth control pill 8 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made. On the same note, getting on birth control was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever done in my health journey. I paid a dear price for it too. And for people to think that the body can not manage to balance its' hormones and brain chemicals. It's just a complete set up. Our bodies go through a billion reactions every moment. Trusting in the wisdom of my body. Trusting and listening to my body and its feedback has been healing.

Amazing thank you so much Chris Palmer

Same here :) Great the see the website is now live! brainenergy.com/

It's one of the best things I've come across. There are millions of people who will benefit from this research and work. And yes Dr. Palmer is a real warrior and so is Matt and Dr. Campbell, because they are speaking up discussing something that goes against the grain. It take a lot of courage to do so. Those "analytical" folks are going to shred this to pieces. But I like Palmer's strategy - stick to the science and beat them with their own measuring stick. lol No I'm actually not advocating any physical violence. lol Although, sometimes it crosses my mind. The frustration is real when you have to witness daily the immense suffering people are going through. As a Psych Nurse, I have seen my share of human suffering. This information is a light at the end of very long and dark tunnel.

You need animal products to balance your body and brain. Saturated animal fat is the skeleton of all hormones in your body. Vitamins & proteins from plants are not as bioavailable as from animal products. Try it for one month.

Hi Kris, thanks for being someone who researches and seeks to understand your family member's condition. It's that kind of care and commitment to a bipolar person's wellbeing that makes the world of difference. If you decide to try a ketogenic metabolic therapy please do have a psychiatrist and dietician onboard, we have seen that this is essential to achieving consistent results. I look forward to sharing results from our pilot trial this year. Thanks for your comment, Iain

Being a support person for a loved one struggling with mental illness is not for the faint of heart. Your family member is blessed to have someone who understand this whole process. It is very hopeful. Bipolar disorder or any other mental illness doesn't have to be a life long prison sentence. Suffering can be optional. At least, if we are willing to put in the effort to educate ourselves and become aware. Then there's steps we need to implement to make change. I like that Dr. Palmer sets the proper expectation that this is going to be an arduous journey from day one. It's going to be challenging and sometimes overwhelming. You're going to have to work hard. But it is worth every step. What price can you put on your peace of mind?

Yes, an audio book version will be available by Nov 15!

@@ChrisPalmerMD Do you work with eating disorder patients bulimia anorexia extreme weight gain etc.?

@@andrechimene6300 The ketogenic diet is contraindicated for eating disorder patients. However, for individuals with extreme weight gain, that's a different type of concern. Ketogenic diet is helpful in weight loss.

Wow... I want to get off my meds I've been on for 15 years. But so scared of withdrawals. This gives me hope

Those who walk unafraid need no protection. The woman who is armed with knowledge, discernment, and wisdom can't be controlled.

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing this.

Thanks, Beth! Now I feel terrible that I didn’t mention Denise as a critically important partner in this work. Kudos to keto dietitians everywhere, yourself included!!

@@ChrisPalmerMD Matt mentioned his dietician -- the fabulous Denise Potter. What a fabulous team you all were for Matt. We can not recommend Denise and her practice enough. She is still meeting with Matt to track his progress, even after a year and a half.

@@jan_ellison_baszucki Thanks Jan! It is my pleasure to be a part of your team!

I would really love that too!

Yes, you are Dyane. It was your interview that made me the switch from vegan to ketovegan this year. All the keto gurus insist someow that "you need your meat because we evolved tis way". That may be even true, but I would need a damn good reason to break my covenant with Gaia. And since vegan keto worked for you, why shouldn't it work for me? And it's a scientific experiment(and that means fun to me!). I disagree with Margaret Mead here: It was the love of a mother to her son that brought us this change!! I also disagree that we should demand to have metabolic treatment incorporated anywhere. From who do you want to demand it? From Big Pharma/IG Farben? From the medical community that is full of narcissts? Or from their SS aka psychiatry that uptil recently did lobotomies and forced sterilization? It's not only psychiatry: cardiology and oncology are horrible as well!! People need education(and btw, your book is not freely available on libgen!!!). And we need more knowledge and understanding. Like how IF with low carb compares to keto-modified atkins. And a list of biomarkers that need to be tracked. It's funny that in neighbouring Poland I can go simply to a laboratory and give them my blood sample and tell what to check for. Just like that, without any doctor, formalities or any other BS. That's not possible in the country where IG Farben originated: you need to ask your doctor. Because only someone from the higher cast is permitted to take on some resposibility for your body. That's sick!!!!! The hydra must be cut down, or at least tempered a bit. There is something terribly wrong in a system where for someone without medical insurance it's trivially to get some dirty brown heroin on the streets but impossible to get thyroid medication. WTF? Some psychiatrists should step down from their positions and say "sorry, i can't work anymore for this evil organization"". People should be able to make dietary interventions by themselves. Without this mafia. And have their blood checked for whatever they want to. And have some stupid narcisst doctor get replaced by an app and a reddit channel!!!! These gangsters are useless :):):) Greetings from Berlin🧄🥦🥒🫑🌶🥑! It's so wonderful to sleep like a normal human for the first time in 30 years!!!

Thanks for sharing, would love to hear about your experience if you want to email me: iainhcampbell@gmail.com

Just do it! It works!! When I go off I feel worse- hard sometimes. I fast at least 18 h a day

Here is a great directory of clinicians who work with ketogenic diet: www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory

Can't wait for it to come out! www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/710914/brain-energy-by-christopher-m-palmer-md/

I had my notebook out and it turned out to be about 10 pages. lol Life changing information. Career changing for me:)

Wow, 10 pages! Fantastic. How did the information shared impact your career?

@@mariannemedina4202 Thank you for asking:) Well, I was a Psychiatric RN in the conventional system for 17 years. Now, since having a personal experience with the ketogenic diet and putting antidepressant induced bipolar disorder into remission - I started my own company. I actually did an interview on Bipolarcast recently. It's episode # 25. I share my personal and professional experiences.

Great question, I don't know if there is any evidence. You may find the literature on fasting and mental health interesting.

It’s never too late. One 70 year old woman with schizophrenia for 53 years had complete remission for 15 years. But there’s more to the treatment than just diet. Please get ALL of the information in the book.

@@ChrisPalmerMD Thank you so much, Dr. Palmer. I truly appreciate the time you take to answer, both here and on Twitter, even though I'm not your patient. I appreciate all you do to try to help people. Thank you for giving hope to hopeless people. It means a lot.

@MJ You could say the same exact thing about me that you described about yourself. I’m 52 and I’ve been through pretty much the worst you can imagine with bipolar one disorder with treatment-resistant bipolar depression. And I was told by several psychiatrists about the kindling effect. I’ve taken over 30 meds, I’ve had probably 40 ECT treatments (lifesaving But it’s not something I exactly wanted to do!) and over 10 psych ward hospitalizations and as I wrote in my previous comment that it’s early days in terms of incorporating a vegan ketogenic diet into my life, I’ve noticed profound results! I’m not going off my meds - I don’t feel the need to do that, At least not for the immediate future and that’s totally fine. I hope with all my heart you give it a try and research all you can research, and read Dr. Palmer’s book! While my psychiatrist is amazing and I give him 100% credit for saving my life by adding a MAOI to my lithium that lifted my treatment- resistant bipolar depression in three days, he was not familiar with the ketogenic diet. So you need to do this on your own, If that makes sense; in other words you can’t look to your psychiatrist to necessarily support you in this. It is your life.Be strong. You can do it!

@@dyaneharwood2023 yeah I have the same problem, nothing touches the depression. I can't see the point of a supposed curing diet if none of you are off medication. Well the keto diet has been a disaster for my mental health. Should not have stopped meds at the same time. Now I'm on far more meds than ever and still nothing for the depression. :(

@@fionen I'm so sorry to learn about this! I too wish you hadn't stopped meds at the same time. :* My heart goes out to you. I get it. I want you to be depression-free! Thanks for writing back, MJ! Let me ask you one question, and please forgive me if it comes across as lame in any way; I just want the best for you. When you did the keto diet, was it under supervision with a medical professional skilled in using ketogenic diets specifically for bipolar disorder, i.e. in which you closely monitored your ketones etc. as well as medication. It sounds like that did not occur. If not, I would consider working with a professional - Dr. Palmer could recommend one. I know, for me, the cost of consulting someone would be a huge prohibiting factor & my health insurance is a joke, but is there ANY way you could swing it???? I am rooting for you to get better!!!!

Nicole, have you been able to find success stories? My daughter started out on 20 mg Olanzapine and is now down to 2.5 ……. Keep hearing how the last little bit below this is the most brutal. Just hoping to find success stories.

The gut has my interests too. Fecal Matter Transplant has my attention right now, these diets NEED to be supervised. Go to a doctor that will oversee. It has to be medically assisted. Find one and keep trying until you do. For now, remove grains and sugars. Even artificial sugars.

It's on audible!

I’ve heard Dr Georgia Ede talk about the threes. It could be three days, three weeks or three months. If you are on meds be very sure to work with someone to help you through the process.

In epilepsy treatment it is recommended to try for 3 months

How do you know which one is which or are you stating that all bipolar DX are really "just" cptsd?

"Just"...that's funny. Cptsd also looks a lot like autism spectrum disorder, and likely most autistic people have cptsd. I do. I developed bipolar 2 from taking antidepressants. What a shit show. 🤪