Podcast Summary: The mindbodygreen Podcast

Episode 605: The 9 Pillars for a Happier, Healthier Mind | Drew Ramsey, M.D.
Host: Jason Wachob
Guest: Dr. Drew Ramsey, Psychiatrist & Nutritional Psychiatry Pioneer
Date: July 6, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Jason Wachob talks with psychiatrist Dr. Drew Ramsey about his new book, Healing the Modern Brain, and the nine pillars—or “tenets”—of mental health he has identified as essential for living a happier, healthier life. They discuss modern challenges to mental well-being, from digital and environmental overload to nutrition, connection, and purpose. Dr. Ramsey emphasizes the hopeful message that everyone can take simple, science-backed actions to build mental resilience and fitness.

Key Discussion Points

1. The State of Mental Health in 2025

• Prevalence & Burden: Dr. Ramsey notes a persistent—and growing—crisis in mental health: “58 million Americans just with depression and anxiety. That’s now up to 61 million.” (01:42)
• Challenges for Practitioners: Mental health professionals are overwhelmed by the high demand and complexity of new environmental factors challenging well-being.

2. Modern “Enemies” of Mental Health

• Technology Overload:
  • The impact of constant phone use and “the neurochemical intrigue of the amount of content, volume that you have access to now” is significant, causing distraction, avoidance, and anxiety. (02:50)
  • AI tools (like ChatGPT) are now being consulted by patients in place of Dr. Google—a major shift in health information consumption. (03:45)
• Environmental & Social Stressors:
  • Urban living means exposure to noise, artificial light, and air pollutants, all of which are now linked with increased depression risk. (05:21)
  • Social polarization and the deterioration of collective ideals are harming communal mental health.

“There’s a lot of polarization. People are busy kind of fighting with each other online. There’s not a lot of hand holding and coming together.” — Dr. Ramsey (04:40)

• Toxin Load:
  • Plastic pollution and microplastics, even in the brain and liver, have become a concern. “I think I saw about a teaspoon of microplastics and nanoplastics in our brain… it just shifts how you’re thinking about things like exposure.” (07:36)

3. Empowering Science & BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor)

• Neuroplasticity Lens:
  • All 9 pillars are examined through how they promote brain growth and repair. BDNF is spotlighted as crucial for resilience, mood, and preventing aging-related decline.
  • Ways to increase BDNF include exercise, sleep, eating more nuts, and psychotherapy.
• Notable Quote:

  “You code for a protein in your DNA that signals to your brain and your brain cells to grow more, to make more connections, to repair themselves, and even to give birth to new brain cells. So that’s cool new science in my mind.” (09:24)

4. The Nine Pillars (“Tenets”) of a Healthy Mind

[A] Self Awareness

• Be conscious of your environment, habits, and exposures.

[B] Nutrition

• Eat for neuroprotection: focus on foods rich in B vitamins and omega-3s (like fatty fish, lentils, kombucha, sardines, nuts).

[C] Movement

• Daily Movement Over Rigid Routine: Foster fluid habits (“getting up and moving your body,” “stretching before bed”).
• Deep Squats for Brain Health:

  “I don’t know, it just feels like a kind of naturally very important exercise, especially for men, especially as they age...” (15:30-16:02)

• Recommendations: 150 minutes/week, mixing aerobic and weights for optimal BDNF and mental health. (12:45)

[D] Sleep

• Dreams as Diagnostic: Dream analysis is undervalued but can signal brain health.

  “Dreams are an undervalued mental health signal. Freud called dreams the high road to the unconscious.” (35:06)

• Sleep Hygiene Practicalities: Filter air, avoid candles/incense, regulate sleep with darkness and external noise, care for the glymphatic system (“your brain’s waste management system”—36:52).

[E] Connection

• Distinguish between “meaningful” and “loose” relationships.
• Map your social landscape (key people, institutions, places) for mental fitness.
• Gender Differences: Women tend to form better emotional connections and seek help more than men.

  “80% of men won’t ever seek help for their diagnosable mental health disorder.” (23:13)

[F] Engagement

• Cultivate curiosity, invest in hobbies and relationships, and stay active in activities that energize your spirit.

  “Being engaged is about being curious… investing time in activities, hobbies, relationships…” (34:44)

[G] Grounding

• Includes time in nature (“forest bathing”), spiritual practices, and intentional breaks from technology.

[H] Unburdening

• Acknowledge and process trauma, both “large” and “small.” Journaling, therapy, and self-reflection are valuable.

  “There are lots of ways to deal with our trauma besides going to therapy… journaling and some of my experience with journaling and that helping with unburdening.” (48:59)

[I] Purpose

• Having a sense of purpose is one of the strongest protectors against depression, anxiety, and cognitive disorders.

  “It’s like so many people are feeling fatigued and a little lost and confused, and so helping people think in a very simple way about your purpose… really bolsters your mental health.” (49:00)

Highlights & Memorable Quotes

• On the Modern World:
  “There's both new knowledge we should take into the battle for our mental health, but also… some new players in the space that you have to be more concerned about.” (01:37)

• On Technology’s Distraction:
  “It’s a type of euphoria that you can check on your finances, your sports team, your loved ones… it’s highly distracting.” (02:50)

• On Connection:
  “Vulnerability is an important word in mental health, but it’s not the only word… understand where your vulnerability belongs, which connections deserve and can handle your vulnerability.” (21:30)

• On Purpose:
  “People have a sense of intention or purpose… they’re just very protected against depression, against anxiety disorders, even cognitive disorders.” (49:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Prevalence of Depression/Anxiety: 01:05-02:39
• Technology & Mental Health: 02:50-04:00
• Environmental Toxins & Microplastics: 07:23-08:16
• Empowering, Hopeful Science: 09:05-11:22
• BDNF & Exercise: 12:27-15:14
• Importance of Deep Squats: 15:30-16:02
• Types of Connection & Gender Differences: 18:31-23:08
• Cultural Shifts—Alcohol & Wellness: 25:03-27:53
• Cannabis, Psychedelics & Mental Health Risks: 31:07-34:44
• All 9 Tenets Summarized: 34:44-35:06
• Dreams & Sleep Hygiene: 35:06-41:36
• Nutrition & Dr. Ramsey’s Grocery List: 41:47-44:44
• Supplements vs. Foundation Habits: 46:08-47:54
• Unburdening & Purpose: 48:59-51:00

Final Thoughts

Dr. Ramsey’s message is clear: While the modern world introduces novel challenges to our mental well-being, we can all build “mental fitness” by attending to nine foundational tenets—self-awareness, nutrition, movement, sleep, connection, engagement, grounding, unburdening, and purpose. Each pillar integrates both timeless wisdom and compelling new science, with practical, real-world steps for listeners.

“You deserve to take great care of your mental health and your brain health. And to do that, I think it requires a little bit more than we’ve ever had to do.” — Dr. Ramsey (49:00)

The episode concludes with a call to embrace these habits with joy and creativity: “All these things should be fun. They should be delicious. I’m asking you to dance more, to hug and kiss more, to write more journal entries, to go into the national parks and walk around out in the woods without your shoes on.” (54:25)

For full details and actionable insights, Dr. Ramsey’s latest book, Healing the Modern Brain, is recommended as a comprehensive guide to modern mental fitness.