Get The STUCK Out

There are thousands of molecules found in plants that are now known to impact everything from inflammation to the gut microbiome. They're called "polyphenols" and they may help explain why eating more whole plant foods is linked to better overall and brain health. For more, check out my website at Austinperlmutter.com

All of us hear about “superfoods” and amazing vitamins and minerals that will fix everything from poor memory to our mood. But what does the science say about the traits of the top foods for brain health? Here are some top takeaways: • Food turns into the building blocks for our brains, so eating more high-quality foods may be a good recipe for a higher-quality brain • Foods that are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants may be especially excellent for brain wellness (these are found in higher levels in herbs and spices!) • Certain fats (omega-3s in particular) seem to be key to brain health • Vitamins and minerals like zinc, magnesium and selenium are found in higher levels in nuts, seeds and leafy greens and are linked to better brain health, but by and large, eating a diversity of high-quality sources of especially plant and animal foods rich in vitamins and minerals seems key    For more, check out my blog article https://www.austinperlmutter.com/post/brainfoods For more free brain science, check out my weekly newsletter  www.austinperlmutter.com/newsletter 

Get the Stuck Out Shorts   Your brain uses more energy (by weight) than any other organ in the body. Your 86 billion neurons each contain up to a million mitochondria, responsible for generating power to keep your thoughts and consciousness running. When things go wrong, we may be at higher risk for brain diseases. So how does this complex system work, and what might we be able to do to improve it? Dr. Austin Perlmutter explains.    For a comprehensive + user friendly take on brain energy, Dr. Chris Palmer's "Brain Energy" book is great! #metabolism #brainhealth #brain #neuroscience

A recent study finds that erythritol may be bad for brain health. But how does sugar impact the brain overall, and what does the research say about sugar alternatives? Should we eat more honey? How does the microbiome factor in? For a nuanced conversation specific to the recent erythritol study, check out my blog at austinperlmutter.com/blog 

Depression is a worldwide issue experienced by hundreds of millions. For years, the main theory of what was going wrong in the brain focused on the neurotransmitter serotonin. This theory is called the serotonin hypothesis, and it's based on a number of data points. But recently, researchers have questioned whether serotonin plays a central or even a major role in depression at all. In this episode, I explore: -The current landscape of depression -The serotonin hypothesis and issues with it -The recent publication "The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence" From Nature's Molecular Psychiatry -Other systems involved in the brain in depression like neuroplasticity, inflammation and the endocrine system -How this research links to diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors -Where we need to go next Let me know what you think!

In this episode of Get the STUCK Out, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (Dr. B) explores the role of gut health on diseases like autoimmunity, allergy cancer and inflammation. We talk about the best diets to support gut health, and how the microbiome shapes us. We compare different diets (e.g keto and more plant based) for their effects on health and talk actionable strategies to improve gut health.  You can find out more about Dr. B's new book on his website, theplantfedgut.com.  For more tips and science on how to get your brain and body unstuck, join the thousands receiving my newsletter at austinperlmutter.com/newsletter.  Don't forget to subscribe! 

How does nature influence our brain function? In this episode we'll review the science connecting exposure to nature, or "vitamin N" with improvements in general as well as brain health, and the pathways that might help explain some of these findings. We'll cover the connection between nature and stress, the sympathetic nervous system and the immune system, and how our lives spent away from nature may be negatively influencing those pathways. Then we'll dive into the research connecting nature with brain function including better cognition, better interpersonal skills and even more creativity!  Links from this episode:  How air pollution changes our decisions:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-modern-brain/201910/how-air-pollution-changes-our-decisions How to dose vitamin N: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-modern-brain/201910/how-dose-vitamin-n  

Deep dive episode! With millions reporting symptoms of brain fog, depression, anxiety and trouble focusing alongside infection with COVID-19, many want to know: how is the virus influencing the brain? In this video, we'll explore: Historical context for microbes influencing brain function. Methods by which SARS-CoV-2 could enter the brain. Evidence for infection in the brain. Alternative explanations for brain-related symptoms related to COVID-19.  For more on the confluence between COVID-19, the brain and depression, see "Immunological Interfaces: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Depression" on pubmed or my website Full write up of studies cited soon available  My website: Austinperlmutter.com Social: IG:@austinperlmutter Twitter: @Austinperlmd FB: @austinperlmuttermd

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change itself over the course of our lives. Impairments in neuroplasticity have been linked to depression, and many antidepressive therapies may actually work in part by boosting neuroplasticity. In this podcast we'll cover: -How neuroplasticity changes over the lifespan -The connection between impaired neuroplasticity and depression psychology -How neuroplasticity maps onto imaging studies in depresssion -How antidepressants may increase neuroplasticity  -How psychedelics may augment neuroplasticity  -How lifestyle modification including diet and sleep and exercise can improve neuroplasticity  I will be updating the complete show notes on my website, austinperlmutter.com  Noted article from Peter Attia:  https://peterattiamd.com/my-nutritional-framework/    

Trauma is certainly a popular topic of conversation these days. But few in this space share the level of expertise offered by Dr. James. S. Gordon. Dr. Gordon has been helping people around the world to understand and heal from their trauma for decades. Listen as he shares his years of clinical and research experience on how trauma manifests in the brain, body and psychological state, and what to do to start healing it. Dr. Gordon's new book Transforming Trauma is exceptional, and we discuss it in depth in this powerful interview. You can connect with Dr. Gordon at cmbm.org. 

Anxiety is one of the most common states of stuckness today, and COVID-19 hasn't made it any better. In this episode I interview psychiatrist Dimitrios Tsatiris about his area of expertise: anxiety. We talk about what the term means, how it manifests, and what to do about it. Dr. Tsatiris is full of wonderful insight about this highly prevalent state, so you don't want to miss this one! You can find Dr. Tsatiris at: Twitter:@drdimitrios or dimitriostsatiris.com.

In this episode, I explore brain health with two physician scientists, Dr. Ayesha Sherzai and Dr. Dean Sherzai. It was one of my favorite conversations, filled with science, philosophy and psychology. We discuss the need for nuance and updated perspectives in scientific recommendations, the importance of listening to the community, and their powerful journey to becoming some of the leading brain health and brain nutrition experts. Be sure to check out their new book, The 30-Day Alzheimer's Solution! The Sherzai's website: teamsherzai.com The Sherzai's social accounts: @SherzaiMD      

In this episode I speak with Psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Angela Reiersen about her recent publication in JAMA, "Fluvoxamine vs Placebo and Clinical Deterioration in Outpatients With Symptomatic COVID-19." We discuss:  -How she stays focused and gets things done -Her research on fluvoxamine (an antidepressant) and COVID-19 -Why we need to go beyond the serotonin receptor in depression -What the sigma 1 receptor is, and why it matters -How sigma 1 agonists may reduce inflammation -The need for a wider view of antidepressant mechanisms -The importance of the connection between inflammation and depression -How understanding newmolecular patterns of depression opens the door to treatment -The importance of executive function interventions for children -How sleep may improve executive functions

In this episode of GTSO, I interview Wendy Wood, Ph.D. Wendy is a the Provost Professor of Psychology and Business at the University of Southern California and a prolific researcher in the field of habits. Her research addresses the ways that habits guide behavior—and why they are so difficult to break. She's one of the world's experts on habits, and shares some powerful wisdom on how to leverage this information for behavior change. She is author of the book, Good Habits, Bad Habits (2019), which I highly recommend. Tune in to learn more! 

In this short solo episode, I dissect the concept of plasticity and its role in enabling humans to be successful and adapt to changing environmental pressures. I discuss plasticity as it relates to our psychology, immune function and most notably, our brain function (neuroplasticity). I conclude by explaining why this is so relevant in the age of stress, fear and anxiety inducing content as well as our generally poor dietary choices. 

In this information-packed episode, I speak with Dr. Casey Means, an MD with a passion for maximizing human potential and reversing the epidemic of preventable chronic disease through tech-enabled tools. We discuss her journey in the medical world and spend time digging into the details of glucose, insulin, and continuous glucose monitoring. I think you'll soon see that she brings a fresh and powerful perspective to the show, and that the information we discuss is incredibly relevant to getting unstuck, especially if you struggle with metabolic health. 

In this overview episode, I begin to dive into the ways that what we take as true can be distorted, fabricated, or otherwise replaced by fiction. Examples I cover include popular social myths, the way that our medical research can be flawed, and the way our psychological operating system tends to distort truth. 

In this episode, I continue to lay the groundwork for the series with an explanation of the importance of cycles of behavior and thought in our lives. I discuss what I believe to be the most damaging cycles today, as well as some basic strategies to escape their grasp. Finally, I cover the basic framework for creating new, healthy cycles. We'll be building on this idea throughout the podcast. 

All of us are trying to improve ourselves. Whether it's eating better, exercising, or calling our grandmothers on occasion, it's so much easier to say we're going to do something than make it happen. Case in point: New Year's resolutions usually fail. Our inability to change our behaviors is a stuck point in our lives, and it's time we address this with honest questioning. What works? What is just a myth? What is popular but has no basis in science? For the most part, we are really ineffective in changing behaviors. And though there are tons of people out there telling you all you need is willpower, the willpower-based approach is limited, insufficient, and causes us to primarily feel blame and failure. So if that approach doesn't work, what does? In this episode of Get The STUCK Out, I highlight some of the basic frameworks for behavioral change interventions and then talk about some newer concepts that I believe to be gamechangers. In the course of this podcast, I'll be interviewing experts across the subjects I mention to give you the most practical tools possible for making behavioral change stick. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, and if you're liking the content, be sure to subscribe!