Dhru Purohit Show
How Inflammation, Microplastics, and Poor Nutrition Sabotage Our Brains and Make Us Depressed with Dr. Drew Ramsey
19 Mar 2025
This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers, Our Place, and Manukora Honey. Mental health disorders are on the rise in our modern world, as our brains and bodies face constant disruption from environmental toxins in the air, water, and food. Meanwhile, connection and stress look vastly different than they once did. Today’s guest sheds light on what has changed, why these disorders are increasing, and—most importantly—how to protect ourselves. Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Dr. Drew Ramsey to discuss the current state of mental health and treatment. Dr. Ramsey breaks down the top lies we've been told about brain health and healing. He also explores the challenges of modern life, how they disrupt our brains and mental well-being, and the lifestyle habits that make these disruptions worse. Plus, he shares the optimal diet for reducing the risk of depression and neurodegenerative diseases, along with the powerful impact of journaling, spending time in nature, and building community. Drew Ramsey, MD, is a board-certified integrative psychiatrist, best-selling author, and a leading proponent of Nutritional Psychiatry and Mental Fitness. He served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons for twenty years. Dr. Ramsey founded the Brain Food Clinic in New York City and Spruce Mental Health in Jackson, WY. A sought-after speaker, he conducts workshops nationwide, and his work has been widely featured in the media. In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Ramsey dive into: Top misconceptions about healing the brain (1:14) The biggest challenges impacting brain health today (4:12) How to protect your brain from microplastics (8:10) The top lifestyle habits damaging mental health (13:08) Which diets increase the risk of depression and neurodegenerative diseases (18:18) Is the chemical imbalance theory a myth, and the role of inflammation (26:42) How to improve access to better medications (35:12) The link between nutrition, depression, and finding the right practitioner (39:44) How journaling and nature impact mental health (43:09) Caring for elderly parents and the importance of community (47:57) The role of psychedelics in mental health treatment (51:44) How politics influence healthcare in America (1:17:40) How to connect with Dr. Ramsey (1:24:35) Also mentioned in this episode: Healing the Modern Brain How to prescribe physical activity for depression For more on Dr. Ramsey, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, and his Website. This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers, Our Place, and Manukora Honey. Go to bioptimizers.com/dhru now and enter promo code DHRU10 to get 10% off any order of Sleep Breakthrough and find out this month’s gift with purchase. Reduce your toxic load by upgrading your cookware! Go to fromourplace.com today and use promo code DHRU at checkout to receive 10% off any order. Upgrade to the creamiest honey, packed with antioxidants and prebiotics. Just go to manukora.com/dhru to get $25 off the Starter Kit and boost your energy, immunity, and digestive health today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Full Episode
Dr. Drew Ramsey, welcome brother.
Pleasure to have you here in LA. True. It's great to be back with you. It's such a treat for me to kind of have these touchstones in my life, get to come back and speak with you and talk to you about a new book.
Well, we're going to be talking about that new book. It's called Healing the Modern Brain. And we have a bunch of other things that I want to get a chance to ask you about that I've just been so curious. You've been on the podcast a few times, but now to have you back, there's been so much that's happened in that space.
Mm-hmm.
And one of those areas that I want to talk about is actually psychedelics. Because since the last time that we had a conversation, I've actually had my own experience with psychedelics. And I want to get your thoughts on the situation and where you see the movement going. But we'll come back to that a little bit later on.
Let's start off with some of the basics and the key concepts that you talk about in this book. And... I feel like some of those key concepts around the big lies that many of us have been taught when it comes to how to heal the brain and how to heal the body.
If you had to think about it, what are some of the top one or two big lies that are still out there that are governing how people are maybe misguidedly approaching healing the brain?
I think the one that sticks out for me is differentiating between treatment and that we have a lot of treatments that work. I think people are really misinformed. I think the idea that when you have depression or anxiety, you come to see someone like me, an expert in treating those that, you know, it's going to be an arduous or difficult or complicated thing, you know, sometimes for sure.
But I think a lot of people get better. I think another one of the pieces of misinformation that's out there and what's really changed, I think the motivation for this book is we've got to do a lot more, Drew.
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