Ketogenic Lifestyle Transformed My Mental Health | Mood & Food Podcast Ep 74 – Healing Humanity & Recovery from Depression

In Episode 74 of the Mood & Food Podcast, chartered psychologist Andrew Bridgewater shares a deeply personal and passionate update on his journey with the ketogenic lifestyle—and why he believes it holds transformative power for mental health, physical wellbeing, and the future of human healing.

Over the past six episodes, listeners will have noticed a clear shift in focus. That shift is no accident. After discovering the profound benefits of a ketogenic approach in his own life and body, Andrew felt compelled to explore it further and share what he’s learning. He began following a ketogenic (and increasingly carnivore-leaning) way of eating in early April 2026. By mid-October—just over six months later—he describes the changes as life-altering, even from a starting point that was already relatively good.

The inspiration for this particular episode came from an interview with Kerry Mann on the Live Savage Podcast. Mann is the creator of the forthcoming film Healing Humanity, a project built around powerful personal stories of transformation. Andrew was struck by how closely Mann’s experiences mirrored his own. Twenty-one years earlier, the stress of buying a property in Cyprus triggered a severe mental health crisis. Andrew endured prolonged depression that escalated into psychotic depression—complete with hallucinations of sights, sounds, tastes and smells that weren’t real. He was hospitalised, tried multiple heavy courses of antidepressants (which he now views with deep scepticism), gained significant weight, and battled intense suicidal ideation. Looking back, he attributes much of the crisis to a combination of nutritional and mental habits that left him vulnerable under stress.

Mann’s story of long-term depression, anxiety, medication side-effects and weight gain resonated strongly. Both men found that conventional pharmaceutical approaches often made things worse rather than better. Andrew had previously explored and advocated an alkaline diet alongside the Three Principles understanding of how the mind creates experience. While he still values those frameworks, he now sees the ketogenic lifestyle as reaching deeper—addressing root causes rather than just symptoms. Beyond mental health, he highlights emerging evidence and anecdotal reports of benefits for diabetes, dementia, cancer, stroke and heart disease. He is careful to stress that anyone on prescribed medication should work closely with their doctor, but he urges listeners to investigate the science and real-world results for themselves.

Healing Humanity is scheduled for release on 23 October 2026 and is available for pre-order at a modest price (around £7.50 / $9.99). Andrew has already ordered his copy and believes the film, along with the broader movement it represents, has the potential to change millions of lives. He is candid about the powerful vested interests that resist a lifestyle-first approach to health, yet remains optimistic that personal stories of recovery will continue to drive change.

This episode is both a heartfelt recommendation and a call to action. Andrew encourages listeners to seek out the Kerry Mann interview, explore the growing body of ketogenic resources (including his own recent episodes), and—most importantly—put the principles into practice rather than merely studying them. His enthusiasm is unmistakable: after six months of lived experience, he is convinced the ketogenic lifestyle offers a practical, powerful path toward healing that goes far beyond what medication alone can achieve.

Whether you are navigating your own mental health challenges, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about a more fundamental approach to nutrition and wellbeing, Episode 74 offers an honest, hopeful and highly personal perspective from a psychologist who has walked the path himself.

Here's a link to the excellentKerry Mann interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2ENaP0GElQ&t=102s