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. Episode Overview: 0:00 Introduction 2:00 Metabolic Disorders of the Brain 6:00 Mitochondrial Health & Functions 16:00 Old vs New Hypothesis in Mental Illness 22:00 Exercise Efficacy on Symptoms of Depression 26:30 Over Active Brains 35:10 Perimenopausal Hormone Impact on Brain Function 38:30 Under Active Brains 49:00 Chris’s Take on the Ketogenic Diet 1:04:30 Other Benefits of Mitochondrial Efficiency 1:14:00 Conclusion Sign up for my FREE MASTERCLASS: HEALTHY OFFERS - for health practitioners looking for strategies to earn more money Are you A Healthcare Practitioner? Join The Estima Certification Program Here We’d like to thank our sponsors, Athletic Greens - redeem an exclusive offer here: athleticgreens.com/stephanie LMNT Electrolytes - A FREE 7-flavor sample pack! - https://www.drinklmnt.com/DrEstima Orion Red Light Therapy - Use the code STEPHANIE10 for 10% off https://www.orionrlt.ca/?ref=Stephanie Lumen - get $25 off your order with Promo Code “DRSTEPHANIE25” https://www.lumen.me/?fid=1799 PRIMEADINE - get 10% Off your Order with Promo Code “DRSTEPHANIE10” - https://oxfordhealthspan.com/products/best-spermidine-supplement BIOOPTIMIZERS - receive 10% off your order with Promo Code "ESTIMA" - www.biooptimizers.com/drstephanie The DNA Company - $50 discount using code "DRSTEPHANIE" at checkout. https://www.thednacompany.com/drstephanie HVMN Ketones - get 10% off your order with Promo Code “STEPHANIE” https://hvmn.me/STEPHANIE Follow Me On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.stephanie.estima Get yourself a copy of my best-selling book, The Betty Body - https://bettybodybook.com Join the Hello Betty Community here - https://hellobetty.club Dr. Chris Palmer's Links: Pre-Order “Brain Energy” https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/710914/brain-energy-by-christopher-m-palmer-md/ **************************** P.S. When you're ready, here are two ways Dr. Stephanie can help you: Subscribe: The Mini Pause — My weekly newsletter packed with the most actionable, evidence-based tools for women 40+ to thrive in midlife. Build Muscle: LIFT — My progressive strength training program designed for women in midlife. Form-focused, joint-friendly, and built for real results. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.