An integrative, compassionate perspective for adults — and for parents supporting children, teens, and young adults
A life-changing story: when a different question changed everything
For years, David Baszucki and his wife, Jan Ellison Baszucki, watched their son struggle with severe mental health challenges that deeply disrupted daily life. As a young person, he experienced intense mood instability and periods of psychiatric crisis that required repeated hospitalizations. Like so many families walking this path, they did everything they were told to do — consulting specialists, trying multiple medications, and following recommended treatment plans — yet meaningful, lasting relief remained out of reach.
Over time, the emotional toll was immense. Their son wanted a life that felt stable and self-directed, but his symptoms kept pulling that possibility further away. Eventually, after years of searching, the family encountered a question that reframed everything: What if mental health symptoms are sometimes connected not only to brain chemistry, but also to metabolic health — including how the brain and body are fueled?
Under careful medical supervision, their son began a ketogenic metabolic approach as part of a broader, integrative treatment plan. Gradually, his symptoms stabilized in ways that had not happened before. He regained functioning, returned to school and work, and began building a life with greater consistency and independence. The family has since shared their experience publicly, helping bring national attention to the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry and the potential role of nutrition and lifestyle in mental health care.
Their story — connected to the leadership behind Roblox — is not shared as a promise or a prescription. Rather, it offers something quieter and more important: hope, and permission to ask broader, more integrative questions when conventional approaches alone are not enough.
Why lifestyle matters in mental health (for adults and families)
At Mindful Child & Family Therapy (MCAFT), we often name this gently and clearly:
Mental health does not live only in the mind.
It lives in the nervous system, the gut, the immune system, sleep cycles, hormones, blood sugar regulation, relationships, and daily rhythms.
Whether you are:
- an adult navigating anxiety, depression, mood instability, or burnout, or
- a parent supporting a child, teen, or young adult who is struggling,
the foundations of daily life can meaningfully shape symptoms, resilience, and recovery.
For the Baszucki family, asking a broader question opened a door that had previously been invisible. For others, it may look less dramatic — but still meaningful — such as fewer emotional spikes, improved sleep, or therapy beginning to “work” more effectively.
The emerging science: nutrition, metabolism, and the brain
In recent years, researchers and clinicians have begun exploring how metabolic health — including blood sugar regulation, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and cellular energy production — may influence mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and psychotic disorders.
Early research from institutions like Stanford Medicine suggests that, for some individuals, interventions that improve metabolic health may also reduce psychiatric symptom severity when used alongside appropriate psychiatric and therapeutic care.
This research does not suggest that nutrition replaces therapy or medication. Instead, it points toward a more integrative understanding of mental health — one that considers how the brain is fueled, rested, regulated, and supported over time.
In the Baszucki family’s case, nutrition became one important piece of a much larger puzzle. For many others, lifestyle shifts may simply make symptoms more manageable and recovery more sustainable.
Core lifestyle pillars that support mental health
1. Nutrition: fuel for the nervous system
Food is not just calories — it is biochemical information.
For both adults and young people, nutrition can influence:
- mood stability
- anxiety levels
- attention and concentration
- emotional regulation
- sleep quality
Many people notice improvements when they:
- reduce ultra-processed foods
- stabilize blood sugar with balanced meals
- increase adequate protein and healthy fats
- address nutrient deficiencies and gut health
These shifts are often subtle and gradual — and they work best when approached with curiosity rather than rigidity.
2. Sleep: the brain’s primary repair system
Chronic sleep disruption can mimic — or significantly worsen — symptoms of:
- anxiety
- depression
- ADHD
- emotional dysregulation
For teens and young adults especially, sleep is frequently where symptoms first escalate. Supporting healthy sleep rhythms is often one of the most powerful — and overlooked — mental health interventions available.
3. Movement: regulating stress chemistry
Gentle, consistent movement helps regulate:
- cortisol (the body’s primary stress hormone)
- adrenaline
- mood-supporting neurotransmitters
This does not require intense exercise. Walking, stretching, time outdoors, or playful movement can all support nervous system regulation — particularly for anxious children and teens.
4. Stress, connection, and meaning
No lifestyle change works in isolation.
Human nervous systems heal best when there is:
- emotional safety
- supportive relationships
- a sense of meaning and agency
This is where therapy plays a vital role — helping people understand patterns, process emotions, and make changes in ways that feel compassionate rather than overwhelming.
In the Baszucki family’s journey, hope returned not just through a dietary shift, but through feeling less powerless and more engaged in the healing process.
Supporting children, teens, and young adults: a parent’s perspective
Parents often ask:
“Am I supposed to change everything at once?”
The answer is no.
Lifestyle-informed mental health care for young people is:
- collaborative, not controlling
- paced, not extreme
- respectful of autonomy and developmental needs
Even modest changes — more consistent sleep routines, steadier meals, reduced blood sugar spikes, and nervous-system-friendly rhythms — can support therapy and, when used, medication effectiveness.
Importantly, this approach is never about blame. It is about giving families additional tools when they feel stuck.
An integrative approach at MCAFT
At MCAFT, we believe the most effective mental health care:
- honors the complexity of each person
- integrates mind, body, and relationships
- meets people where they are
As part of this integrative lens, we are grateful to have clinicians who bring expanded training and curiosity into their work — including Jalene Salus, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who also offers Integrative Nutrition Consulting.
This work is always:
- ethically grounded
- collaborative
- individualized
- coordinated with existing medical and mental health providers when appropriate
Just as in the Baszucki family’s story, integrative care is not about abandoning conventional treatment — it is about widening the circle of support.
A gentle closing reflection
Mental health challenges can make life feel narrow and exhausting — for adults carrying their own symptoms, and for parents walking beside a child they love.
Sometimes healing begins not with a new diagnosis or medication, but with a new question:
What does this nervous system need to feel safer, steadier, and more supported?
Healthy lifestyle choices are not a cure-all. But for many people, they can be a powerful ally — helping therapy work more deeply, helping medications work more effectively, and helping hope feel possible again.
Ready to take the next step?
If you’re wondering how lifestyle choices, integrative healing, and therapy might support your own mental health — or help your child, teen, or young adult feel more steady and supported — you don’t have to figure that out alone.
We invite you to schedule a FREE 20-minute consultation with our intake team. This is a chance to:
- share what’s been feeling hard
- ask questions about therapy and integrative support
- explore whether MCAFT feels like a good fit for you or your family
There’s no pressure and no obligation — just a thoughtful, human conversation to help you take your next step with clarity and care.
Schedule a Free 20-Minute Consultation
Mindful Child & Family Therapy offers in-person services across the Bay Area and secure telehealth throughout California.