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While the pithy Editorial Reviews from academics and clinicians describing 'Brain Energy' are accurate, they might not speak to the average reader who is struggling with low mood, depression, or unresolved trauma. In this regard, 'Brain Energy' can help. Part 1 deconstructs the DSM-5 and describes the way that current practices in psychiatry and psychology result in a confusing myriad of overlapping diagnoses that often leave patients feeling neglected, misdiagnosed, and overlooked. The metaphor of 'mental illness' suggests that maladies of the mind can be treated as if they were infectious diseases -- e.g., with pills. If you're a patient with a DSM-5 diagnosis, you may have experienced years of changing diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and unsuccessful medications that left you feeling increasingly hopeless and misunderstood. Dr. Palmer suggests that the reason so many of the DSM-5 mental disorders are so similar is that they all have a common foundational cause in the metabolism of the brain. While he is careful to acknowledge that schizophrenia, anorexia, and Alzheimer's are different diseases (for example), by the end of Part 1 you will understand that mental disorders are often accompanied by physiological comorbidities relating to metabolism. The implication is that there can be multiple expressions the same energetic dysfunctions. Part 2 builds a convincing case that disorders of brain metabolism are the critical, overlooked risk factor in mental (or psychiatric) disorders. By itself, this is not a novel assertion. For example, we have known for decades that a ketogenic diet will control epileptic seizures. However, ketosis (or endogenous ketone ingestion) has an undeserved reputation as some kind of dangerous, radical fringe diet adopted by only by 'biohackers' and conspiracy theorists. Dr. Palmer advocacy for ketogenesis from his position at Harvard University (notorious for advancing now discredited theories of diet and nutrition such as the cholesterol-heart hypothesis) may in fact be revolutionary. Originally popularized by Dr. Robert Atkins as an effective strategy for weight loss, Dr. Palmer (a practicing psychiatrist) accidentally discovered improvements in mood among patients who adopted keto for weight loss. Although the discover was accidental, the mechanisms of action are not. When the body ingests more carbs than it burns, two things happen: 1) fat gain, and 2) insulin resistance. The later is a condition in which insulin in the bloodstream -- responsible for shuttling glucose across the cell membrane -- becomes increasingly less effective. That is, the cells resist the action of insulin, resulting in higher concentrations of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Although the evolutionary reasons for insulin resistance are unknown, it may be that lower concentrations within the cell walls give the mitochondria inside more time to process the carbohydrate without production of excesss reactive oxygen species. Overworked mitochondria can be more prone to damage by ROS, and damaged mitochondria in the brain are less effective for powering essential cognitive processes. Ketosis is a proven remedy for insulin resistance, and may rejuvenate the mitochondria throughout the body, including the brain. When your brain's mitochondria function better, you will feel a boost to both your mood and your mental energy. For example, ketosis has been shown to have an anxiolytic effect (which means it reduces anxiety) and consequently it has been used with some success in the resolution of anorexia nervosa. Part 3 expands the description of 'metabolism' beyond diet to include sleep, light exposure, exercise, drugs, and alcohol. The implication here is that the brain and body act as a complex system, and consequently systemic approaches to health will be more effective than focused strategies. While this is true, the unfortunate outcome for some readers, already discouraged, maybe to conclude that it is all impossibly complex, difficult, and too ambitious to fix. That's not true. The most important critique of Dr. Palmer's otherwise fine text is that the prescriptive section 'Developing Your Metabolic Treatment Plan' is too general. It lacks specificity and actionable recommendations that readers can implement immediately on their own. Instead, it funnels readers towards professional clinicians -- despite the fact that by Dr. Palmer's own description the vast majority of his colleagues are unwilling or unqualified to act on the type of science 'Brain Energy' describes. Thus, readers reaching the end of the book may be disappointed or confused about where begin their 'Brain Energy' approach to healing. An outstanding companion to 'Brain Energy' is Ben Bikman, PhD's book on insulin resistance called 'Why We Get Sick.' Professor Bikman explains insulin resistance in greater detail in a way that will help readers understand how to reduce their risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer, as well as improve their mental health. My own advice is to begin by eliminating refined sugar and flour (e.g., bread, pasta, rice) from your diet. Bikman gives some suggestions (e.g., Stevia) for sweeteners that will not spike your blood sugar. And Dr. Paul Saladino is well-known for advocating for honey and maple syrup as healthy sweeteners. Dr. Palmer doesn't mention these sweeteners specifically, but there's nothing in his 'Brain Energy' book that contradicts or is inconsistent with the Bikman & Saladino recommendations. More difficult is the elimination of seed oils. Called "vegetable oils" by the industry that invented them, these are cooking oils extracted from soybeans, corn, cotton, peanut, and other seeds. Unlike fruit oils (olive, avocado, coconut) the seed oils contain a type of fat that interferes with the proper function of cell membranes, and can result in insulin resistance. It's more difficult to eliminate them because they are cheap and ubiquitous. But you can reduce their intake by avoiding margarine, Crisco, soybean oil (e.g., in salad dressings) and fried potatoes. Finally, it sounds crazy to most people, but deliberate cold exposure (e.g., ice baths) is a proven method for increasing insulin sensitivity and resolving metabolic disorders. The cold will clear glucose from your bloodstream and recruit brown fat that helps modulate your thyroid function. As a bonus, winter swimming and ice baths have been shown to stimulate production of dopamine, which makes it impossible to stay in a low mood. In summary, Dr. Palmer's 'Brain Energy' book presents a convincing case that metabolic syndrome is a critical disorder that impinges upon mental health. Because this fact is overlooked by most, if not all, mental health professionals, it's easy to see why rates of recovery associated with mood-stabilizing pharmaceuticals and talk therapy are so low. Without fixing your metabolism, your efforts to fix your mental health will be challenged by a brain that is working without the energy it needs to perform demanding tasks like cognitive reframing and the executive functions necessary for mental well-being. However, once you and your mental health professional are convinced by Dr. Palmer that metabolism is at the core of your dissatisfaction, you will likely need to seek other sources to develop a successful metabolic treatment program.