Last week, we explored Dr. Chris Palmer’s revolutionary idea that mental disorders might actually be metabolic disorders of the brain. This week, let’s look at what that means for daily life and health.
The Modern Metabolic Storm
As Dr. Palmer explains, today’s common patterns—ultra-processed foods, insufficient sleep, chronic stress—create oxidative stress and disrupt circadian signals. The result? Vulnerable mitochondria, lower energy (ATP) output, and dimming “batteries.”
How it shows up in the brain:
- fatigue
- low motivation
- seasonal affective symptoms
- attention deficits
- memory issues
- brain fog
- anxiety or depression
How it shows up in the body:
- metabolic & hormone dysregulation
- gastrointestinal symptoms
- neurological issues
- autoimmune tendencies
- chronic illness
- aspects of cancer biology
(Note: these conditions are multifactorial — mitochondrial health is just one very important piece.)
Rethinking “Metabolic Health”
When we hear “metabolic health,” most of us think about blood sugar, cholesterol, thyroid function, or weight. Rarely do we connect metabolism with brain health.
Dr. Palmer’s idea—that mental imbalance is also a metabolic imbalance—was a mind blower for me. Maybe metabolic dysfunction in the brain is the missing “chemical imbalance” link behind many mental health disorders.
Replace Real Food with Whole Foods
Dr. Palmer zooms in on energy production in the brain. Meanwhile, Dr. Casey Means (our fall book club author) reminds us that mitochondrial energy production is the foundation of overall health.
Feed the battery with:
✨ real food
✨ sufficient sleep
✨ natural light/dark rhythms
✨ movement
Overload it with:
❌ processed foods
❌ late nights
❌ chronic stress
…and the battery runs low.
The hopeful part? Many of these factors are within our control. Small, consistent choices can make a profound difference in how much energy your brain and body have available.
Move of the Week
Support your mitochondria with one simple practice:
Take a 10-minute walk after meals.
This helps stabilize blood sugar, reducing oxidative stress on mitochondria and gently optimizing the systems that fuel both body and brain.
Save the date!
Hopefully, you’re starting to see that the things that are in our control can have a profound effect on metabolic health.
I look forward to diving deeper into these topics – both by sharing here in the newsletter and in the conversations we’ll be having during our second Procrastinator’s Book Club live virtual gathering:
Tuesday, December 9
7:00 PM Pacific
We’ll unpack Dr. Means’ Good Energy together and explore how to put these ideas into practice.
Warmly,
Dr. Krista
Olive Says:
My humans track their sleep, measure glucose, and research the perfect supplements for their precious mitochondria.
Meanwhile, I’ve mastered metabolic health without a single podcast: I eat when I’m hungry, sleep when I’m tired, and frolic like an agility course champion when I’m off-leash.
They could learn a lot from me—but instead they’re too busy taking notes on how to live like a dog.