A Mind of Your Own: The Truth About Depression and How Women Can Heal Their Bodies to Reclaim Their Lives

by Kelly Brogan

All of my patients share similar goals: they want to feel physically vibrant and emotionally balanced, which I believe is everyone’s birthright—not perpetually drained, unsettled, mentally foggy, and unable to enjoy life. Under my guidance, they achieve these goals through very simple and straightforward strategies: dietary modifications (more healthy fats and less sugar, dairy, and gluten); natural supplements like B vitamins and probiotics that don’t require a prescription and can even be delivered through certain foods; minimizing exposures to biology-disrupting toxicants* like fluoride in tap water and fragrances in cosmetics; harnessing the power of sufficient sleep and physical movement; and practicing behavioral techniques aimed at promoting the relaxation response. These basic lifestyle interventions facilitate the body’s powerful self-healing mechanisms, and there’s plenty of science to support these protocols. This isn’t New Age medicine; I will prove my claims and back my

I do not deny that I have developed a sometimes belligerent relationship with much of conventional medicine over the past several years. After having witnessed the devastation this paradigm has wrought upon the lives of hundreds of my patients, I’m convinced that the pharmaceutical industry and its bedfellows, concealed behind official titles such as certain medical societies and associations, have created an illusion of science where none exists, in the service of profit over professional responsibility. I will myth bust just about everything you think you know about the role of drugs in the treatment of depression and anxiety. It’s time to turn the lights on in this dark room. Let’s open up this conversation and embrace a perspective on depression that radically challenges mainstream assumptions and theories. If I do my job well, you’ll never look at another ad for an antidepressant again in quite the same way.

Many women credit me with the initiation of life transformation. Because I believe passionately in the power of lifestyle medicine to produce changes that are greater than the sum of their parts—bigger, bolder shifts in how we relate to life, spirituality, the environment, and even authorities—I see myself as an ambassador to a new way of experiencing health and well-being. This way of being may be built on the ashes of suffering, but may be the way to rise up, phoenix-like, emboldened, and stronger than ever. That strength and resilience is yours, and it follows you everywhere you take it.

I’ve divided the book into two parts. Part 1: “The Truth About Depression,” takes you on a tour of your mental health’s friends and enemies, from everyday foods to common prescription and over-the-counter medications. You’ll soon be consuming more saturated fat and cholesterol and shopping differently in the grocery store and drugstore. In compelling detail, backed by science, I’ll expose the stunning relationship between your gut’s health and mental health. And I’ll do so within the context of inflammation, an overused buzzword today that most people still don’t truly comprehend, especially when it comes to its critical role in depression. I will prove that depression is often a result of chronic inflammation—simple as that. I also will explain the underlying responsibilities of your immune system in orchestrating all matters of mental health.

Part 2: “Natural Treatments for Whole-Body Wellness.” This is where I guide you through my program, a program designed both for women not taking medications and those who are and perhaps are dreaming of tapering off. Included is a four-week plan of action, complete with menu plans and strategies for incorporating new lifestyle habits into your day.

Today we continue to use the word to describe anything that disrupts us emotionally—we’re stressed, stressed out, under stress, and so on. Stress can also be described as the thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and physiological changes that happen when we respond to demands and perceptions. And if those demands placed on us overwhelm our perceived ability to cope, we experience “stress.” In our frenzied minds, we begin to pant silently like an animal and look for an escape.

The key players of the stress response, cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline), have both protective and adverse effects on the body depending on when and how much they are used. On one hand, these hormones are essential for the body’s ability to adapt and maintain balance (homeostasis), but if they are flowing for a prolonged period or needed relatively frequently, they can accelerate disease processes. The allostatic load, as it’s called, becomes more harmful than helpful. This load can be measured in physiological systems as chemical imbalances in the activities of the nervous, hormonal, and immune systems. It can also be measured by disturbances in the body’s day-night cycle (what’s called the circadian rhythm, another concept we’ll explore later), and in some cases, changes to the brain’s physical structure.

In fact, vaccines are the only pharmaceutical product acknowledged to cause injury and death that is nonetheless recommended to all individuals—regardless of personal or family history. Even the most basic vaccinated versus unvaccinated trials have never been conducted, let alone trials for combinations of vaccines routinely administered simultaneously. Most short-duration vaccine trials actually use another vaccine or an aluminum injection as the placebo! Remember those same pharmaceutical companies that were up to no good in the licensing and marketing of antidepressants? Well, their multibillion-dollar pet is vaccines, and corporations have been indemnified against the failures of these products since 1986 (you can sue Ford motor company for a failed seat belt, but my patient, for example, could not sue the pharmaceutical company responsible for her injury). They have sold you yet another string of tales. This time, that the vaccine science is settled, that they are perfectly safe and effective for everyone. This is what the average citizen has been taught to believe by the very corporations profiting from this belief system. So, despite this backdrop of corruption, and despite growing evidence of unpredictable vaccine effect without efficacy, outbreaks in even completely vaccinated populations are blamed on “not enough treatment” (despite repeating the shots over and over with “boosters”) and more clearly ineffective vaccines are recommended the same way more psych med...

Did you catch that? Far from germ theory saving the day, the incidence of “infection” only arose in the setting of nutrient deficiency requiring less than a milligram of a basic mineral a day. There are many other instances of these sorts of deficiencies in the infectious disease realm, including vitamin A deficiency in measles and vitamin C deficiency in tetanus. In short, the host matters, the germ less so.

Is it possible that vaccinology has applied a reductionist—one disease, one drug/vaccine—model to an evolutionarily adapted system with built-in complexities we have barely begun to appreciate? Is it possible that we have misunderstood immunity, or are still fundamentally learning about its most basic principles? If we are to accept that billions of years have gone into priming our physiology for interface with microbes, then we must acknowledge that there is more to immunity than simply jacking up antibody levels. What is sound advice today may not be so sound tomorrow.

For an annotated reference on the psychobiology of vaccination, see my website, www.kellybroganmd.com/book-resources.

Because you are reading this, your compass tells you that the truth may be something to dig for. As Mark Twain said: “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they are fooled.” Make yourself the exception.

I hope the first part of the book has gotten you started. Beliefs can change. You hold the power to transform them. I want you to get excited about vitalism: your body’s ability—its native desire—to recalibrate, reset, and recharge. I want to reconnect you to your inner and outer communities, to what food is really all about, to the idea that you’re here not merely to survive but to thrive. I want to see you emerge from symptom resolution to a whole new mind-set about wellness, or better yet, to experience your renewed wellness directly and daily. And this starts when you take some simple steps to send your body the right signals—the right “wonder drugs.”

I’m betting that you are ready to live a mindful life, to stop living in your head and to start connecting to your purpose. To live fully present. Your journey led you here, so there are no regrets, no apologies. Everything that has happened up until now needed to happen so that you would be ready for mental health and wellness. Release fear and all it prevents you from doing. Instead, cultivate your intuition and combine it with this newly discovered knowledge and you will no longer be dependent on any medication, any doctor, or even any system. You’ll be in your power. This is the new medicine. It’s a revolutionary paradigm that makes the old one obsolete. Now let’s go forward.

The idea that chronic inflammation and a perilous disconnect between the body’s inner ecology and the brain—not low levels of brain chemicals—is at the root of most forms of depression will only continue to gain traction in academia and medicine. This may also give way to new and promising treatments, but the truth is that the answer is already in our midst. And it’s so simple.

Many of my patients come to me like wilting, withering plants, propped up by sticks and tape, having lived in a dark room with recirculated air. My job is to give back the basics—clean air, water, and light, and to rehabilitate the soil of their health so that we can remove the scaffolding and create a lasting healthy foundation. It’s effective in ways I’m not sure we can totally comprehend. I always start with modification to their diets, which is the most powerful inroad to the changes I want to see. It’s also the most important area to address in terms of rebalancing the body and brain.

Teaching you how to take such proactive steps is the essence of this part of the book. The book ends with a step-by-step four-week plan that aims to relieve depressive symptoms and put out the fire that triggers those symptoms to begin with.

At the center of my message is the surprising relationship between the food you eat and your body and brain’s biochemistry. Food is indeed information. You must move away from the notion that food is just calories for energy (“fuel”), or that food is simply micronutrients and macronutrients (“building blocks”). Much to the contrary, food is a coevolutionary tool for epigenetic expression. In other words, food literally talks to your cells, neurons included, and that results in how your DNA functions.

My food plan minimizes modern highly processed foods containing gluten and dairy that trigger an unwanted immune response. It also increases vitally important fats needed for brain health and blood sugar stability and puts a premium on the sourcing of food—eliminating GMOs and carcinogenic, endocrine-disrupting pesticides.

Dietary change is a powerful if not the most powerful means of beneficially affecting the microbiome and gut-brain signaling.

it was through my exploration of the importance of fats and fat-soluble vitamins that I began to question my assumption that we can get what we need for health, and particularly reproductive and mental health, from a diet low in animal nutrition.

Because there is no one diet for everyone, I suggest a template that complements those who struggle with depression, referred to by Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez as “balanced carnivores.” Although my thirty-day plan may seem similar to a cookie cutter “Paleo diet,” I differ in my perspective on carbohydrates and in my ultimate permissiveness around reintroduction of gluten-free grains and beans. I have found that most women start to flag on a low-carb diet. I have yet to meet a woman on a long-term low-carb diet who is loving life. Back in my self-experimentation days, I spent two months on a carb-restricted diet, kicking starchy veggies, fruit, and grains to the curb. I felt great for two weeks, and not a day after. I felt cloudy, tired, and started obsessing about moisturizer and conditioner. So I allow for more carbs, which is crucial to a woman’s emotional well-being, as long as they’re the right carbs.

I should also add that people often mistake “Paleo” for super-low carb. That’s not so. Carbohydrates have been key to human evolution. There’s no way we could have developed such big brains had it not been for our access to carbohydrates in addition to high-quality protein. How and why we developed such large brains has been one of the most perplexing subjects in the study of human evolution, but we’re finally beginning to understand the answers thanks to new archaeological, anthropological, physiological, anatomical, and genetic data.

So there you have it. Carbs are good. But again, they must be the right ones—the unprocessed ones. You will become the balanced carnivore that your body wants to be. For the past eight years, I have used a moderate carb ancestral diet in the treatment of depression with astounding results. This diet focuses on tubers as a source of carbohydrate, and, after one month of slate-clearing (microbial shifting), reincorporates gluten-free grains, white potatoes, and even beans (soaked). In addition to providing a form of usable energy, these “cellular starches” (as opposed to flour-based starches, which are acellular) may play an important gut-rehabilitating role as microbiota-accessible carbohydrates or prebiotics.

Sugar and flour-based foods can be particularly problematic for those prone to anxiety and depression because of the simultaneous effects on the hormonal, inflammatory, and gut ecology level.

Processed food is, broadly, anything in a package.

in my practice I focus on the ways in which unstable blood sugar can masquerade as psychiatric conditions.

The experience of low blood sugar is one of discomfort and anxiety—jitteriness, nausea, irritability, cloudiness, fatigue—and the short-term antidote is often another blow to the body’s balance.

On my protocol, you’ll eliminate all refined carbs and flours. This includes all kinds of chips, pretzels, crackers, cookies, pastries, muffins, scones, buns, breads, pizza dough, cake, doughnuts, candy, energy bars, fried foods, and anything labeled “fat-free” or “low-fat” unless they are naturally this way (ingredients such as water or vinegar).

In addition to eliminating gluten, you will also evict all grains (not including quinoa and buckwheat, which are technically pseudo-grains), corn, soy, and dairy in the first month of the program. Then I’ll teach how to bring some of these back into your life if you wish. You won’t, however, reintroduce any gluten-containing foods again on this program.

Warning: breakfast cereals Don’t be fooled by so-called natural cereals. The cereal aisle in your grocery store is one big display of some of the most packaged, processed products around. Recent reports have exposed the dirty secrets behind popular brands, including Kashi. These boxes of “whole-grain goodness” are anything but; they are commonly contaminated with genetically modified ingredients and associated herbicides/pesticides.7 Most of these cereals also contain gluten, dyes, industry secret flavor enhancers, and myriad sugars. The effect on your body is a setup for abnormal hunger-inducing stimulation, insulin spiking, and cognitive clouding within an hour or two. Throw away your cereal boxes today.

Eggs are among the most wrongly accused foods of our era. The notion that dietary cholesterol, such as saturated fat from beef, converts directly into blood cholesterol is totally false.

Eggs are a perfect food, and the yolk is a nutritional gold mine.

Whole eggs—yes, yolks included—contain all of the essential amino acids we need to survive, vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants known to protect our eyes. And they can have far-reaching positive effects on our physiology. Not only do they keep us feeling full and satisfied, but they help us control blood sugar. In 2013, researchers at the University of Connecticut showed that people who ate whole eggs daily improved insulin sensitivity and other cardiovascular risk parameters.15 You’ll see that I recommend lots of eggs on my dietary protocol. Please don’t be afraid of them. Changing up breakfast is often the most powerful interventions I make for my patients, so stop eating cereal and start eating eggs! Eating an egg could be the best way to start your day and set the tone for blood sugar balance. There are so many ways to cook eggs—whether you scramble, fry, poach, or boil them or use them as an ingredient in your dishes, eggs are among the most versatile ingredients. Soft-boil a carton of eggs on a Sunday night and you’ve got breakfast and/or snacks for the week.

readily available dairy is a highly processed food.

Warning: legumes I advise my patients to avoid legumes entirely for the first month, as they have what could be described as “invisible thorns” called lectins that confuse the immune system and contribute to a wide range of health conditions related to an increase in inflammation.18 Popular legumes include beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts. In addition to being high in minerals, vitamins, and fiber, they are also high in what’s called resistant starch, which is a special type of fiber that can be helpful once the gut flora is better optimized (it “resists” being digested and helps you feel full). Beans are well tolerated by most and, with the exception of peanuts and soy, can be reintroduced. Unfortunately, peanuts are at high risk for mold and soy can inhibit thyroid and pancreatic enzymes. Once you’ve reintroduced legumes back in your diet, it’s best to soak them overnight in filtered water and rinse them before cooking.

Liver powder

Liver is a lost superfood and the best multivitamin money can buy, as it’s a unique source of fat-soluble vitamins including pre-formed A, D, K, and E; minerals; usable iron; antioxidants; and B vitamins.

Resistant Starch

After one month of a no-grain, no-added-sugar, high-natural-fat diet, introducing resistant starch can contribute to beneficial changes in the intestine that contribute to blood sugar balance and metabolism support. The best way to do this is with cooled white potatoes and white rice, as the cooling process increases the resistant starch.

for a shortcut, try potato starch:

Here’s where to source the full complement of fats: Omega-3 and omega-6 (polyunsaturated) fats: cold-water fish, flax oil, macadamia nut oil, grass-fed meat, eggs, nuts, and seeds Omega-9s (monounsaturated) fats: olive oil, avocado, almonds, eggs, lard (yes, lard) Saturated fats: red palm oil, animal meats, ghee, dark chocolate, coconut oil (remember, fats help with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins D, A, K, and E)

Eliminate all premade salad dressings, most of which contain vegetable oils; use olive oil and vinegar (apple cider vinegar and/or lemon are good choices).

there’s no better way to consume a rich array of healthy bacteria than to consume them through wholly natural sources, such as sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, and other fermented vegetables.

Bacteria consumed in this manner are exceptionally bioavailable (easily accepted by the body), and they go to work in numerous ways. They help maintain the integrity of the gut lining; balance the body’s pH; serve as natural antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungals; regulate immunity; and control inflammation.

What continues to impress me is that minimal but repeated exposure to probiotic bacteria is yielding positive clinical outcomes. A new term used in my field for these good bugs is psychobiotics, following studies showing a connection between their consumption and positive psychological outcomes.21 Every functional medicine psychiatrist like me has case stories of the “probiotic cure”—of a patient with debilitating symptoms, often in the obsessive-compulsive range, whose symptoms vanished completely with dietary change and probiotic supplementation.

One of my favorite books on the subject of how to free ourselves from the effects of stress is The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer.7

Singer makes the bold assertion that happiness and freedom are the result of cultivating “witness consciousness,” a state of willfully observing one’s own mind, emotions, and behaviors rather than feeling that you are these things. He argues that focus and awareness are what makes disturbances real—a hammer falls on your toe and your awareness moves there, then you hear a bang and your awareness moves there. He implores the reader to experience pain as energy passing through before the eye of consciousness and tasks us with the imperative to relax and release, stay centered, and resist the pull to engage in a reactionary way. Let the parade of thoughts and emotions pass by without running along with it to see where it’s going. You remain a quiet observer of your neurotic mind and eventually the chatter starts to go quiet.

This is a means of defining our comfort zones more broadly, appreciating the limitations of our preferences, and the impossibility of matching up our external world with our a...

Pop the right pills. Homeopathy gives us some additional tools. My top five picks: Nux Vomica 30C for tension and feeling overworked Ignatia Amara for feelings of distress and emotionality around insomnia Kali Phosphoricum 30C for nervous fatigue (mental fatigue from demands) Ambra Grisea 30C for sleepiness that disappears when you lay down Arsenicum Album 30C for waking with anxiety between 1 and 3 a.m.