Dr Georgia Ede is a Harvard trained psychiatrist specialising in nutritional and metabolic psychiatry. She is the author of the book, ‘Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind: A powerful plan to improve mood, overcome anxiety and protect memory for a lifetime of optimal mental health’.

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1. Metabolic Psychiatry and Root Causes

• Many mental illnesses are driven by metabolic malfunction rather than mysterious chemical imbalances.
• Three key root causes are brain inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance.
• Over 90% of Americans have insulin resistance, which disrupts brain energy production.

1. The Ketogenic Diet as Intervention

• The ketogenic diet switches the brain's fuel from high-carb and high-insulin to low-carb and low-insulin.
• This shift allows brain cells to heal and function more efficiently.
• A study in Toulouse, France followed 31 inpatients with treatment-resistant bipolar, depression, or schizophrenia.
• 43% of those patients achieved clinical remission.
• 64% left the hospital on less psychiatric medication.
• Personalization is essential based on metabolic health, gut function, and individual preferences.

1. Ketosis and Mental Health

• Ketosis is the state where the body burns fat and produces ketones, an efficient fuel for the brain.
• Transitioning into ketosis can cause temporary headaches and discomfort known as "keto flu."
• Easing into the diet and supplementing electrolytes can reduce this discomfort.
• Processed foods are engineered to be addictive and unsatisfying.
• Whole foods stabilize appetite hormones and break the cycle of constant craving and hunger.

1. ADHD and Nutrition

• Older European "few foods" studies showed 62-82% response rates in children with ADHD.
• Some children showed a 70% cure rate within weeks.
• Major health organizations do not currently recommend dietary changes for ADHD due to a lack of large-scale randomized control trials.
• Two major studies at Oxford and the University of Michigan in 2025 will investigate the ketogenic diet for adults with ADHD.

1. Practical Application

• The benefit of dietary change comes mainly from subtracting harmful ingredients such as refined carbohydrates and vegetable oils.
• Continuous glucose monitors and ketone meters help patients objectively track metabolic response.
• Successful treatment works best as a team approach including a nutrition therapist, a prescribing doctor, and a coach or therapist. :::