Metabolic Mind

Are we destined for cognitive decline as we age, or do we have more control than we think?In this conversation, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with neuroscientist and researcher Dr. Tommy Wood to explore a powerful shift in how we think about brain health, aging, and dementia prevention.Dr. Wood challenges the common belief that cognitive decline is inevitable, highlighting how lifestyle, environment, and daily habits can meaningfully shape our brain’s trajectory over time. He introduces his “3S Framework”—Stimulus, Supply, and Support—to explain how brain function is built, maintained, and optimized across the lifespan.In this interview, you’ll learn:Why cognitive decline isn’t inevitableHow mindset and engagement can influence brain agingThe role of metabolic health and energy supply in brain functionHow nutrition, sleep, exercise, and social connection interact to support the brainWhere ketogenic therapy and ketones may fit into brain health and cognitive declineHow to navigate modern challenges like technology, AI, and information overload from a brain health perspectiveDr. Wood also shares insights from his upcoming book, The Stimulated Mind, offering a practical framework to help individuals “future-proof” their brain and stay sharp in an ever-changing world.The key takeaway: brain health isn’t about a single intervention. It’s about consistently engaging, fueling, and supporting the brain in ways that promote resilience over time.💡 To learn more about metabolic approaches to brain and mental health, visit metabolicmind.org or sign up fo the Metabolic Mind newsletter at metabolicmind.org/newsletter🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #DementiaExpert Featured:Dr. Tommy Woodhttps://www.drtommywood.com/https://www.instagram.com/drtommywood/Resources Mentioned:Dr. Wood's Bookhttps://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mindGoogle effects on memory: cognitive consequences of having information at our fingertipshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21764755/Adult Changes in Thought study: dementia is an individually varying convergent syndrome with prevalent clinically silent diseases that may be modified by some commonly used therapeuticshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22471861/Dietary cholesterol or egg consumption do not increase the risk of stroke, Finnish study findshttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190520093448.htmMultimodal strategy to rescue the brain in mild cognitive impairment: Ketogenic oral nutrition supplementation with B vitamins and aerobic exercisehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9541319/Free CME Clinician Trainings:Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-ytFollow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/About us: Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

In this second video of our Bounce Back Series, Dr. Georgia Ede shares practical, compassionate guidance for returning to ketosis using simple, effective strategies rooted in diet and lifestyle.Rather than approaching setbacks with frustration or perfectionism, Dr. Ede emphasizes a mindset of curiosity and learning. Falling out of ketosis will happen and it’s not a failure. With the right tools, you can use that information to refine what works best for your body.In this video, you’ll learn:Why “ketosis interruptions” are normal and part of the processHow mindset plays a critical role in long-term successSimple strategies to return to ketosis quickly, including fasting and exerciseHow food choices can support appetite regulation and metabolic stabilityThe role of supplements like exogenous ketones and their limitationsWhy personalization is key to sustainable metabolic healthDr. Ede also explains the underlying physiology of ketosis: how insulin, glucose, and stored glycogen influence your body’s ability to shift back into fat-burning mode.The key takeaway: consistency matters, but perfection isn’t required. With the right approach, you can recover quickly, learn from the experience, and continue moving forward.💡Learn more about navigating setbacks on the mental health journey in our blog: How to Bounce Back from Challenges and Setbacks.Check out part 1 of this series: https://youtu.be/C4KCNIO31tM🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatryExpert Featured:Dr. Georgia Edehttps://www.diagnosisdiet.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemdhttps://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaEdeMd/https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/?hl=enFree CME Clinician Trainings:Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-ytFollow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/About us: Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

If you only read the headlines, it sounds simple: plants are protective, red meat is harmful. But when you examine the actual studies behind those claims, the conclusions aren’t nearly so clear.In this video, Dr. Bret Scher takes a closer look at two recently published papers, one linking red meat consumption to diabetes risk and another suggesting vegetarian diets reduce cancer risk. Both studies rely on observational nutrition data, which can reveal associations but cannot prove cause and effect.In this video, you'll learn:Why many nutrition headlines oversimplify complex researchThe difference between observational studies and causal evidenceHow healthy user bias and lifestyle confounding can distort resultsWhy hazard ratios in nutrition studies are often too small to draw meaningful conclusionsHow media coverage and expert commentary can reinforce existing dietary narrativesDr. Scher explains why these studies may say more about overall lifestyle patterns like calorie intake, diet quality, alcohol use, and smoking, than about individual foods like red meat or plant-based diets.The bigger takeaway: nutrition science is nuanced, and the best diet for metabolic health may vary from person to person. Instead of focusing on simplistic narratives like “meat bad, plants good,” we should focus on improving overall dietary quality and metabolic health.💡If you’re looking for deeper, more nuanced discussions about nutrition, metabolic health, and mental health, explore our resources at metabolicmind.org.#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.Expert Featured:Dr. Bret ScherBaszucki Group Medical Directorhttps://x.com/bschermdResources Mentioned:Vegetarian diets and cancer risk: pooled analysis of 1.8 million women and men in nine prospective studies on three continentshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41416-025-03327-4Association between red meat intake and diabetes: a cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of US adults (NHANES 2003-2016)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41667215/Free CME Clinician Trainings:Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-ytFollow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/About us: Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

In this special episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Julie Milder, Director of Neuroscience at Baszucki Group, speaks with Dr. Fabiano Gomes, psychiatrist and researcher at McMaster University, and the inaugural recipient of the Baszucki Group Metabolic Psychiatry Scholar Award.Dr. Gomes recently published a pilot feasibility trial of a ketogenic diet for depression in the Journal of Affective Disorders. In this conversation, he shares how the study came together, what the results revealed, and why metabolic approaches may offer new hope for people struggling with treatment-resistant depression.In this episode, they discuss:The pilot ketogenic diet trial for depression and its key findingsHow the study successfully transitioned to a fully remote clinical trial during COVIDWhat the results suggest about feasibility, adherence, and clinical improvementsThe role of nutritional ketosis in mood disorders and metabolic psychiatryDr. Gomes’ vision for launching a Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic in CanadaPlans to integrate biomarkers, brain imaging, and real-world clinical careThe importance of training clinicians and dietitians to expand access to metabolic therapiesDr. Gomes’s work represents an exciting step forward in the growing field of metabolic psychiatry, which explores how metabolism and brain energy may influence conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health disorders.The conversation also highlights the importance of building clinical infrastructure and training programs to make metabolic therapies more accessible to patients today.💡Learn more about the growing research on metabolic psychiatry and depression on our Depression Topic Page: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/keto-for-depression/👍 If you found this discussion helpful, please like and subscribe for more conversations about metabolic health and mental health.🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #DepressionExpert Featured:Dr. Julie Milderhttps://www.metabolicmind.org/team/julie-milder-phd/http://linkedin.com/in/juliemilderDr. Fabiano Gomeshttps://www.instagram.com/dr.fabianogomes/linkedin.com/in/fabiano-gomes-b03b492a/https://x.com/fagomes1981Resources Mentioned:https://canbind.ca/Medically supervised ketogenic diet as an adjunctive treatment for moderate to severe depression: A pilot studyhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.121079Free CME Clinician Trainings:Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-ytFollow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/About us: Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Dr. Matt Bernstein, psychiatrist specializing in recovery and crisis planning, offers practical approaches to weathering mental health downturns. He discusses preparing for setbacks, spotting early warning signs, building written plans like WRAP, using mindfulness as rehearsal, and designating trusted proxies for crises. Short, actionable strategies for regaining momentum and resilience.

A deep dive into whether a ketogenic diet can affect mental health. Short rundowns of early trials from Stanford, Edinburgh, and Ohio State. Personal recovery stories that amplify scientific signals. Discussion of ketogenic therapy as an adjunct approach and the push for larger, rigorous trials and public funding.

Dr. Megan Kirk Chang, a senior metabolic psychiatry researcher at Oxford with a PhD in kinesiology, co-led the DIME randomized trial testing a ketogenic versus plant-rich diet for treatment-resistant depression. She discusses trial design, why the modest keto signal matters, adherence and cravings, ketone monitoring choices, and plans for larger follow-up studies.

A deep dive into a new meta-analysis that grabbed headlines but may not match the data. Short randomized trials, LDL as a surrogate, and why confidence intervals matter are discussed. The conversation highlights how food quality, carbs, processing, and lifestyle shape outcomes. It emphasizes looking at whole dietary patterns and metabolic context rather than isolating saturated fat.

They dissect a high-profile paper linking ketones to heart risk and show why the data were misinterpreted. They explain that measured ketone levels came from a general population, not people on ketogenic diets. They outline non-diet reasons ketones can be elevated and highlight epidemiology pitfalls like confounding and reverse causation.

Dr. Karen Jerome-Zapadka, a gastroenterologist using ketogenic care to reverse metabolic liver disease, and Dr. Amy Goss, a pediatric nutrition scientist studying low-carb effects on liver fat, discuss why metabolic dysfunction drives rising fatty liver rates. They explore carbohydrate restriction, ketogenic nutrition, pediatric trials, clinical reversals, comparisons with other treatments, and practical metabolic care steps.