What You Need to Know BEFORE Starting a KETO DIET for Mental Health

Nutritional ketosis, or a keto diet, could help improve symptoms of mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and more. But please don’t start a keto diet to treat mental illness without first understanding common pitfalls and risks. A keto diet alters physiology in ways that could potentially initially worsen symptoms of mental illness. These alterations are typically short-lived but it’s important to manage them carefully, preferably under the guidance of a clinician.
Table of Contents:
0:00 - Introduction
1:17 - Disclaimer
2:18 - Four Concerns while Starting Keto
2:57 - Interview with Dr. Chris Palmer, pt 1
5:46 - You Deserve Professional Care
6:19 - Interview with Dr. Georgia Ede, pt 1
8:08 - Feeling Worse before you Feel Better
8:50 - Interview with Beth Zupec Kania
10:43 - Dealing with Keto Flu
11:42 - Interview with Dr. Georgia Ede, pt 2
13:08 - Do What's Right for You
14:24 - Interview with Dr. Georgia Ede, pt 3
15:51 - The issue of Sleep
17:58 - Interview with Dr. Chris Palmer, pt 2
19:20 - How to Talk to Your Doctor about Keto
21:58 - Outro
In this video, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with worldwide experts Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, and dietician Beth Zupec-Kania to help you understand how to work with your clinicians to initiate nutritional ketosis safely.
Experts featured in this video:
Georgia Ede, MD - www.diagnosisdiet.com
Twitter @GeorgiaEdeMD
You can find her document about how to talk to your doctor about ketogenic diets in psychiatric disorders on our website here: metabolicmind.org/resources/
Chris Palmer, MD - www.ChrisPalmerMD.com
Twitter @ChrisPalmerMD
Beth Zupec-Kania www.BethZupecKania.com
Twitter @KaniaZupec
Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and meet the visionary 2022 Metabolic Mind Award Winners at tinyurl.com/Baszucki-Group
About us:
Metabolic Mind™ is a nonprofit initiative incubated by Baszucki Group. Our mission is to provide education and resources in the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry, including ketogenic interventions for mental disorders.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST AT metabolicmind.org/
Other resources for Metabolic Psychiatry, metabolic neuroscience and ketogenic metabolic therapy for mental disorders:
Diagnosis Diet - www.diagnosisdiet.com/
New Study: Serious Mental Illness Improves on Ketogenic Diet -
www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl...
The Role of Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy on the Brain in Serious Mental Illness: A Review
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Chris Palmer MD - www.chrispalmermd.com/
Stanford Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic - metabolicpsychiatry.com/
What Is Metabolic Psychiatry? 5 Questions Answered by Dr. Shebani Sethi
med.stanford.edu/news/all-new...
Baszucki Group - baszuckigroup.com/our-work/me...
BipolarCast: Keto + Bipolar youtube channel, Hosted by Matt Baszucki and Iain Campbell, PhD
/ @bipolarcast1133
/ iaincampbellphd
Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
#MetabolicMind
#KetoForMentalHealth
#MetabolicPsychiatry
#BipolarTreatment
#MetabolicNeuroscience
#KetogenicMetabolicTherapy
#DepressionTreatment
#NutritionalKetosis
#MentalIllnessTreatment
#MentalHealthIsMetabolicHealth
#BipolarDiet

[@Green7JR]

Keto put my bipolar disorder into full remission. Good luck y’all

[@jeanpaultongeren125]

wow that's great

[@jamesg2382]

Working with a trained clinician is a LUXURY that many people who suffer from depression cannot afford.

[@sgibson4115]

My insurance is so bad that I couldn’t possibly employ a health practitioner to help me, so I dove right in. My family needs a functioning person, and that dream is happening.

[@TabsTheMan]

How’s it going now?

[@3Meitli]

Good advice that cannot be followed by most people. It takes up to two months to get a doctors appointment. They would look at you very strange if you came for a keto diet. Most of them have no idea what it is anyway.

[@pat4005]

Of course it can be followed by most people. Like anything, you have to CHOOSE to COMMIT to do it. If you are on meds, then yes, a doctors guidance is important, and it may take a while to find one. But also, starting very slowly and just taking baby steps towards the keto diet as a solution, is imperative (plus being on top of taking in your electrolytes). Even without a dangerous disorder, I think it's easier to achieve success and sustain it, by entering into the world of keto slowly, like keeping track of carbs and how you feel. Then slowly lowering carb intake while raising natural animal fats and coconut oil. And finding the right amount of protein for yourself. I find beef (especially grass-fed beef but that is a bit costly for me on a regular basis), the most awesome brain and charging food. So going slowly into it AND being on top of your electrolyte intake, you can avoid any "keto flu" symptoms. 😊

[@helenlawson3203]

MCT oil is a good starting place I believe

[@Niellibertad]

Agreed. I’ve told four different doctors I’m doing keto for bipolar. Two PCPs and two psychiatrists. Each of them had a slightly different but basically the same reaction “Oh. Ok. Well … cool. You can always stop if it doesn’t work. Don’t stop your med yet.” Unbelievably hard to find medical support so while that is the ideal, the reality is that doctors do not know how to support the administration of the ketogenic diet for medical purposes. Th

[@SeanMacdonald_CodeMonk]

agreed. The glib "discuss it with your doctor" advice is just so much cynical hand-waving. "You deserve compentent qualified care" sounds like a lovely utopian dream that none of us have the strength to fight for or the privilege to assume. So disconnected from the real world. Anyway, despite all that, there seems to be some good insight

[@martaelenaotaloranavarro5693]

I am a psychiatrist and I am seeing great improvements, with HealthKit diet, avoiding high-procesed foods, doing intermittent fasting and taking out added sugars. Now I want to know how to start patients on a keto diet.

[@caitlingray6550]

That’s great news! Have you found it helps for all mental health disorders as well as people on medication? Trying it for my mental health & hoping it really helps🙏

[@howdy2496]

​@@caitlingray6550I went full carnivore, and my depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, and procrastination went away about the 3rd week. I feel great! I'm glad to hear people in keto are having similar results. I didn't expect this. I was just trying to get my A1C down.

[@tby62]

@@caitlingray6550I’m on day 9 of carnivore -95% carnivore at least. I have wild blueberries sometimes with full fat Greek yogurt… but otherwise I’m beef, butter, bacon and eggs. First 6 days was tough… my symptoms of my mental illness got worse, but I just knew it would pass. I got lethargic, irritable and brain fog. I feel great now. I’m not on any meds and I don’t ever plan on going on meds. I’ve gone that route and made things worse. I have BP2.

[@Mexicochann]

Tell them about it! Period! As a life long depression sufferer who keto and fasting has helped tremendously I wish my psychiatrist and/or therapist had a serious discussion with me YEARS AGO about this. Instead I had to suffer with terrible depression until recently happening across KZbin videos!!

[@EthanE3]

I went cold turkey into keto from a S.A.D. it was worth it. Keto flu after 1 week. Lasted a few days. It's a special kind of bad feeling. Almost called it quits but it made no sense as to why carbs would be needed so I trusted the biological truth of what your body needs to live and I stuck it out. It was definitely worth it. I wish I knew all I needed was salt to feel better. Keto flu is just electrolyte imbalance. Easy to avoid

[@frannypalmer2726]

I also went cold turkey. I was desperate because my joints were hurting. They stopped hurting within 3 days. However I felt like crap every other day. I felt glitchy. It was weird. I should have done electrolytes and salt also. I don't know if it was Keto flu or not.

[@karenthorpe4387]

What about if you also are prediabetic?

[@itzkkkkkkaiman]

What's foods help with the electrolyte imbalance other than pickle juice and bone broth?

[@kenadams5504]

@@itzkkkkkkaiman you can buy electrolytes/sea salt ,in health food shops or online. Or, bananas have potassium .

[@billrener4897]

@@kenadams5504 Bananas on a keto diet?!

[@watchmethriving]

I talked about this with my psychiatrist this morning and she gave me the green light, especially since I told her I'm going to be working with a dietitian who specializes in this. I reassure her that I would not attempt to go off any meds unless it was under my psychiatrist's direction. I will be forwarding this video to her.

[@clindsay8362]

These messages are wonderful. 4 yrs keto and better health all around. 👏👏💜👏👏

[@frannypalmer2726]

I don't have a mental illness. I am a severe carboholic however. I have had a hysterectomy that could have been prevented if I had known about Keto. I told my gynecologist that I was doing keto and lost 30 lbs. She did not respond. Except for an angry look on her face. I was very disappointed about that.

[@InSync3912]

@frannypalmer2726, sorry to hear about that. I've also had my share with gynecologists, which eventually caused early menopasue at 35 :( I am still suffering from it symptoms. After starting ketogenic diet, did you notice positive effects on your female hormones?

[@HandsomeJigglypuff]

I have bipolar 1 with psychotic features and I started on this new medication regimen in the beginning of 2023 and also started keto at the same time. For about a couple months I did keto and took that medication regimen, and my doctor would tell me that I seem like the best I've ever been since being his patient. I figured it was the new med he put me on and he thought the same too but now I'm thinking it could be the keto diet (or possibly both). The medication eventually led to some intolerable side effects so I had to stop and I also stopped keto around the same time. But now I'm going to give it another shot and see if it helps my mental illness.

[@metabolicmind]

Thank you for your comment. I am glad to hear you had a positive initial response to keto. Hopefully that will continue. And it's important to realize that keto can be used together with medication as adjunctive therapy. Take a look at the directory at www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory to see if you can find a clinician to help you along your way.

[@bob15479]

I’m my experience ALL THE MEDICATIONS have near intolerable side effects. Lithium orotate isn’t tooooo bad.

[@tby62]

@@bob15479have you had bad side effects with lithium orotate?

[@xBettyjo]

Haha I'm 55 I've already been through all kinds of experiments with the doctors. They had their chance. I quit taking all my meds went on keto I didn't die

[@jayaom4946]

I totally relate and I don't trust doctors a lot of the time. I'm not taking meds for my epilepsy and I want to try the keto diet. I don't know of any doctor that could help me in this area but I have experienced a couple of times getting started with keto that my mental health declined. I realize that this can be very dangerous for people with serious mental disorders.

[@gsts379]

@@jayaom4946 Please stay on your epilepsy meds. Then after staying in ketosis for a few months, talk to your psych about tapering down the meds. A slow transition to keto may be easier on your body. Be sure to supplement with electrolytes to reduce keto flu. Eating carbs gives a surge of dopamine. Cutting carbs temporarily lowers dopamine until your brain and body can adapt and produce more. I know this can be a problem for people with depression, but it is fairly short time. Don't know how it affects other mental illnesses.

[@jesusislord27]

Metabolic Mind's mission is so powerful. The disclaimers are important and valid. I just hope that the fear of potential legal ramifications do not blunt your message going forward.

[@metabolicmind]

Thank you for your comment. Although to be fair, it isn't just a legal concern. It is mainly a concern for the safety of those embarking on this journey. As we detail in this video, there are real concerns people need to be aware of. But if someone is knowledgeable and working with their physician, there is no reason why this can't be done safely and effectively. We hope to help people see the potential and help facilitate their ability to start this with their healthcare providers. Thanks!

[@jesusislord27]

@@metabolicmind Thanks for the reply! I am so excited to see the collaboration of so many wonderful professionals on behalf of hurting people who long to be free. Best to you all as you continue this critical work.

[@jdschramm2]

The piece near the end on how to communicate with your doctor and family is pure gold. That would make a great video in and of itself.

[@KateInSaltLake]

So, what is someone supposed to do if their doctor isn't supportive of keto, or actually is very against keto? I started keto w/o a physician's help. Getting medical supervision isn't always available.

[@KateInSaltLake]

@@bradje12 Thanks, but that isn't the point of my comment. You have a nice day.

[@metabolicmind]

We know that can be a significant barrier to using therapeutic ketosis as a medical intervention. I am sorry you had to experience that. But stay tuned! Our next two videos will cover this topic in more detail.

[@scottgresham6759]

We need more men and women like him working to support the Mental ill-health cause.

[@papillonbleu721]

This video is very valuable. The advice is wonderful, and I appreciate the information from the experts. I appreciate the advice on how to discuss ketogenic therapy with doctors. It is very difficult to find a doctor to get on board with it, at least in my area. I use a low carb lifestyle for health reasons, not for mental health. However, eating this way does decrease my anxiety and makes me calmer and more focused. The brain fog disappears, and I don't get afternoon slumps of energy. I really hope that more mental health professionals will consider this approach. I am a nurse at a substance abuse treatment center. Our clients have primary diagnoses of some kind of substance abuse disorder. The majority of them have secondary and tertiary psychiatric disorder diagnoses. I've thought so many times that changing diet could really help these people. These clients eat processed junk food all day, from wake-up to bedtime. Regarding family support, I know in my own personal experience, my family is the LEAST supportive. They are the people most often insisting that I eat off plan with them. I have a couple of friends who are supportive and a couple of coworkers. I have also found a community in online keto/low carb forums that have been a blessing. Thank you so much for what you are doing.

[@metabolicmind]

Thank you for your comment. It is challenging when family and friends aren't able to provide support. We hope sharing our videos with them can help with that. Thanks again for your comments!.

[@pepper419]

I'm epileptic and have just changed my medication to one which is supposed to have rather nasty side effects. They should, or are supposed to make one bad-tempered and miserable but, in my case it's done the complete opposite. I can't help wondering if it's because I'm on the keto thing, I've been on for thirty years. These pills, I have to admit I'm delighted to be on. The last ones gave me urticaria, or (hives) but these have litterely made me happy. Really cheerful and the urticaria is gone.

[@MichaelBLive]

This is THE video we needed to point people towards this effort. Thank you everyone for all your efforts! Maybe we should record the date we each discovered this type of intervention. Like: “Hi, my name is Michael. I was diagnosed with bipolar type 2 on June 21, 2022 after many years of misdiagnosis and Igot better Dec 17, 2022 by starting a ketogenic based diet with my Dr”.

[@metabolicmind]

That's fantastic! Thank you for sharing :)

[@mymom9466]

So VERY HELPFUL! Thank you 🙏🏻

[@KetoCookbooksCorner]

*Thank you for this wonderful video* 😍

[@kmjansen]

I went straight to hardcore keto from 41yrs on S.A.D., and man I felt absolutely horrible. I had cold-sweats for 2wks like I was withdrawing from opiates and felt like death. The other disabling flu-like symptoms lasted more than a month for me. At about 10wks, they all resolved, and I've felt better than I've felt in 10yrs since then.

[@metabolicmind]

Sorry to hear that you had such a rough transition, but we are glad to hear you are feeling better. Just for reference, and to hopefully help others as well, here's a good resource www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/side-effects

[@kmjansen]

@@metabolicmind Thanks for all you do

[@HammyGirl999]

For some people who have been eating a diet high in plant foods, keto flu can be caused by oxalate dumping. Solution includes keeping a little bit of oxalates in the daily diet (drink some black tea or something) vs going cold turkey - which is dangerous for some people.

[@metabolicmind]

That's interesting to hear. I hadn't heard that before. Can you educate us more about your background and experience with this? Thank you!

[@HammyGirl999]

@@metabolicmind Hi sure…. After 20 years of overloading on oxalates via my healthy whole foods diet (raw vegan, paleo, keto), I developed mystery pains that shifted. They would seem like chiropractic back issues but then shift to other joints. When I stopped eating a high oxalate diet I experienced whole body pain… I have been getting great change and improvement from a very low oxalate diet the past 1.5 years (mostly organic carnivore, minimal plant foods)… plus supplements & saunas. I have degrees in Biochemistry, Public Health and am a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner. I have taken one course just on oxalates alone. All that said, experts with great KZbin videos on the topic include Elliot Overton (EO Nutrition) and Sally Norton. Sally has a new book out on the topic too. Please do learn and share about this topic. I think so many mystery aches, pains and other problems stem from accidental oxalate accumulation. You don’t notice it until the overload reaches some critical level, and then it takes time to reverse. They symptoms match the myriad symptoms of fibromyalgia. Many fibro patients are reversing their symptoms by addressing oxalates. So the sooner we can educate people about prevention, the better. Thanks for your contributions!

[@dana102083]

​@@metabolicmindI'd highly suggest you read Sally Norton's book about oxalates/dumping and have her on your platform!

[@ladyasaid]

Sharing with MED SHRINK before video even finished. "copy link" There is always hope in the back of my mind "someday".

[@helenlawson3203]

It's a pity so many psychiatrists are too closed minded to even consider this for their patients.

[@cocosilkworm]

I'm so glad to find a video like this with some precautions about the diet. I tried it after having gestational diabetes with my 3rd child at 44 years old. I did keto at the start but I got insomnia with anxiety so I would often just go and eat half a banana at bedtime because sleep was more important than anything with another baby in the house. I'm not sure, over the last 4 years, how much I was in ketosis. Probably less than I imagined. But I lost about 12 kg over the first few months. One other word of caution that I don't think was mentioned is that BEFORE starting the diet, if you have done low fat diets for any length of time, you need to have an ultrasound to make sure you don't have any gallstones that you didn't know about. I started having pain under my right rib after a particularly fatty roasted duck meal, and I didn't turn out to have stones but they thought maybe sludge was moving out of the gallbladder, but I still have discomfort on and off and do a self massage plus take global artichoke. I have heard numerous stories of people needing emergency gallbladder removal after going keto though so it is a big thing to look out for! I also wonder about keto vs low carb for women approaching menopause. There is another doctor - Mindy Pelz - who recommends cyclical fasting and carb cycling depending on where you are in your cycle- she thinks that woman might benefit from a few carbs at certain times during the month to help make hormones at the age when they might be dwindling. But it's hard to predict what to eat when if estrogen is flying around all over the place, high one moment, low the next. I assume keto is great to bring the levels of estrogen down. but you don't want estrogen to be too low either. Still looking for a study that shows its effect on progesterone and other hormones. I think it's known to lower testosterone, so that's something to watch. Also thyroid hormones are another one that some people report having changes. Sometimes good, sometimes not. Dr Ken Berry's wife is one who talks about Hashimoto's and keto. Last thing, the other most common complaint is how high your cholesterol will go. My young doctor admitted that I seemed to know more about cholesterol than he did when I showed him studies about LDL lipid subfractions when my results came back high. But I'm not 100% confident having sky high cholesterol is a good thing, even though my trigs are low and my CAC scan showed only about 1% build up in one artery. You have to do a head shift on cholesterol so it doesn't scare you off the diet. But even with all of these challenges, if it means avoiding medications, it's worth it. My mother had bipolar and was on lithium just long enough to give her kidney failure, and she died at 62. A bit too young if you ask me. If only we'd known about keto back then...

[@pepper419]

I absolutely agree. Food definately alters body and brain functions. If you eat the best it'll do the best for you.

[@AkshithReddy-213]

I’m from India. I suffer from bipolar type 2 and OCD and I’m on medication since years. I have stopped consulting doctor because she’s not interested in supporting metabolic changes or therapy . I not just stopped consulting for that reason but I felt the industry is corrupt. There are very few genuine doctors , they know keto will help they know intermittent fasting will help their patient but still they don’t diagnose or even suggest to follow those metabolic activities and changes. Im planning to start ketogenic diet after the blood tests. But for keto therapy there are very handful of doctors who suggest keto diet for mental health betterment or treatment. So I decided to do whatever it takes to learn on my own about metabolic therapy. And do own my own as much as possible Can you please make a video on how to start and consistently be on ketosis with the help of different tools like example keto mojo , and suggesting the resources from where I can learn about keto therapy by self diagnosis in a safe and proper way. Making a video on this topic will definitely help a lot of people from India and other countries for people ppl who can’t get the proper keto therapy or people who can’t afford to go for keto therapy clinic and psychiatric support along with that. Thank you so much for the valuable information you provide on your channel. Thanks a lot it’s changing a lot of peoples life who lost hope. 🪽

[@FindingFI]

If seriously mentally ill people are lucky enough to have insurance AND the wherewithal to locate a keto-positive provider that accepts that insurance, the few keto-positive providers out there are going to be flooded.

[@metabolicmind]

That is a great point. We hope more clinicians will take Dr. Georgia Ede's training course and start collaborating with dietitians and health coaches familiar with ketosis. Part of our mission is to help spread this message to doctors so more people can find care.

[@FindingFI]

@@metabolicmind please promote her course and call out the need for more keto therapy providers as part of your content cycle 🙏🏽

[@billrener4897]

Higher protein consumption gives me night time nervousness, with a lot of having to pee. Lower-protein keto allows me to sleep, however.

[@Lauren-fj2dm]

It would be useful to have some more specific recommendations for psychiatric providers about how often and how soon after starting the diet should lithium levels and other labs be checked and specific recommendations for electrolytes ( how much k? What foods?) needed to prevent keto flu.what labs need to be monitored on general and how often? Most providers have not and will not take dr Eden’s course.

[@metabolicmind]

Thats a great point. I really wish everyone would take Dr. Ede's course! But you make a good point. We will try to include some more specifics in future videos.

[@pointshealthcoaching8474]

There are no mefical providers to support this st least where I practice... there's only opposition... with the exception of keto for seizure control. Especially now that KZbin has control of any info in favor of keto....it's been mostly eliminated

[@metabolicmind]

You can check out www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory to see if there are any providers in your area!

[@PhilMorgan303]

Looking for neurologist in Boulder/Denver area for my 24 year old autistic son with epilepsy. Any suggestions would be great.

[@afraser4669]

As to your closing comments on working with your DR in a less confrontational posture; sure but that’s a two way street where a DR would also have to be receptive to some of the more recent research and clinically supported information. From cardiologist to cardiologist to cardiologist - good luck on finding one who’s only solution is NOT to push you onto a statin and if your choice is no on that, then good luck and go find another DR because I’m the DR and I know better than you.

[@stevec3872]

My 32 year old daughter has schizoaffective disorder & after my keto success several years ago I recommended she try it. This was before using it for mental health problems. At the time she was in a mental healthcare facility that provided her meals & would not accommodate her for a keto diet although they would for vegan. Knowing what I know now, I would not recommend keto for her because she has struggled for years now just to get out of the mental healthcare system, into a group home then independent living. If she got onto keto and it resulted in her becoming psychotic, in a heartbeat they would bounce her right back into a mental healthcare facility to start all over. Even with the benefits of keto, it's just not worth that risk at this time in her recovery. Frankly, it's also unlikely she could find a mental healthcare doctor who would go along with her living a ketogenic lifestyle.

[@btudrus]

First time I did keto I was fasting 3 weeks prior to that and before was on a time-restricted-eating (18~20/6~4) for more than a half year. So the transition to the keto was completely smooth. Actually, I had about ~7 mmol/l BHB levels before I started the ketogenic diet and by doing that it fell to 1~2 mmol/l. LOL

[@metabolicmind]

That's an impressive way to start ketosis! I wouldn't recommend extended fasting for everyone, but I am glad to hear it worked well for you!

[@sandipabejai8869]

I would really like to try the keto. I have Bipolar type 2. I cannot find a health care provider that will be able me with keto and mental health. I dont want to do this alone. But i dont think i have a choice.

[@metabolicmind]

Please explore www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory. If you can't find a psychiatrist to work with you, maybe you can find a coach or dietician who can coordinate the care between you and your regular psychiatrist.

[@MentalHealthWarrior]

My name is Danei Edelen. I am diagnosed with bipolar with psychotic features. I am launching a mental health warrior movement. We should talk!

[@metabolicmind]

Hi Danei. Thank you for reaching out. We got your email message through the website and will definitely reach out to connect. Thank you for all your work and advocacy in this space, and we look forward to collaborating!

[@petermadany2779]

Regarding the recommendation to consider sipping pickle juice, would it be best to use a straw to avoid exposing teeth to too much acid>?

[@metabolicmind]

Probably a good idea!

[@Figurefitout]

What if you can't find a doctor that agrees with keto? Especially living in a small town without a wide array of doctors.

[@metabolicmind]

That can be tricky! One option is to work with a coach or dietitian who can help you and help you communicate with your doc. In that setting, the doctor monitors you as they normally would for symptoms and medication management, and your care team helps you with the nutritional part and helps communicate with your physician about unique aspects of nutritional ketosis.

[@Man-u-flex]

The keto ppl say you sleep less but then they also say you need 8 hours but im pretty sure most ppl on keto sleep around 5-6 hours tops including myself

[@lotusflower3154]

Just do it

[@lexamdelac28]

What if we are unable to get a clinician onboard with the ketogenic diet, due to affordability and/or other reasons? Can we still try the keto diet? Or what would be a good next step?

[@metabolicmind]

You can try the directory at www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory to see if you can find someone to work with. Often times a good coach or dietitian can help bridge the gap with a prescribing clinician.

[@lexamdelac28]

@@metabolicmind Thank you!

[@lucygarcia7437]

Does starting a ketogenic diet help a person who has a schizophrenic-type, undiagnosed mental illness GAIN INSIGHT into their disease?

[@jbl2270]

Where can i find a list of psychiatrists who would know how to guide me on keto diet please? Does Dr Georgia still give consults?

[@metabolicmind]

You can go to www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory. We hope that helps!

[@dyaneharwood2023]

I take lithium for bipolar one disorder triggered postpartum. To my chagrin, I had no idea the ketogenic diet would affect my lithium blood level until after I had done it for about a month. That's when I discovered the Metabolic Psychiatry visionaries (Dr. Ede, Dr. Palmer, Dr. Campbell, Dr. Sethi, Dr. Scher, and Dr. Phinney) and their incredible research/findings. I was also ignorant about electrolyte levels at first; fortunately I researched that topic and started taking Codeage's Keto Electrolyte vegan supplement with magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium. It's a splurge but I feel it's worth it. I had initially informed my psychiatrist I was going to try a ketogenic diet, but he was not aware of any repercussions; he was only familiar with the Mediterranean diet. I did a lot of things wrong and I thank my lucky stars nothing serious happened. In retrospect, at the beginning of my amazing ketogenic experience, I wish I had read Dr, Georgia Ede’s excellent Psychology Today blog piece that detailed how the ketogenic diet affects psychiatric medications. I also wish I had my lithium blood level measured right before I began the ketogenic "plunge" as well. It's important to note that when I started keto, I became hypomanic for a few days without going into full-blown mania; I'm grateful the hypomania subsided very quickly. I was an irritable you-know-what but I thought it was because of the change in seasons, not the keto. Three months into my vegan keto diet, I had my lithium blood level checked. With my psychiatrist's supervision, I was able to decrease my lithium 300 mg/day yet I remained in the low end of the therapeutic range. As a long-term user of this medication since 2013, it's fantastic to be able to do that. My experiences taught me how powerful the ketogenic metabolic diet is--I believe it.truly is a form of medication--and I have the upmost respect for it! I've lost 47 pounds, all my adverse perimenopause symptoms vanished, I no longer need to nap each afternoon, and I'm far more productive and excited about life. Life remains stressful, of course. (I have 2 teens, an 87-year-old mother, and a 23-year-long marriage to nurture) but the combination of a well-formulated vegan ketogenic diet and my two lifesaving medications (lithium and the MAOI tranylcypromine) keep me stable, productive, and thriving. Lastly, I treated myself to a consultation with the veteran ketogenic nutritionist Denise Potter of Advanced Ketogenic Therapies. She has collaborated with The Charlie Foundation for years, and my time with her was incredibly helpful! Dyane Harwood, B.A. Author, "Birth of a New Brain-Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder" endorsed by Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison et al. Member, The Vegan Society Researcher Network

[@johnfreeman8677]

Wow great, will check out book

[@dyaneharwood2023]

@@johnfreeman8677 Thanks so much! :) p.s. My book was published 5 years ago by Post Hill Press; it was long before I discovered keto. However, the book I'm writing now will definitely address my experience with the vegan ketogenic diet.

[@tumbleweeduk7479]

Thank you for the paragraphs! Have you considered lithium OROTATE? There are plenty of videos describing the benefits of this gentle supplement, particularly Dr John Gray My friend has cured his 47 years of schizophrenia with just a fairly low-carb diet and 500 mg of niacin after each meal and 1800 mg NAC and two or three lithium orotate tablets. Plus Vitamin D3 with K2. He still smokes unfortunately as I think nicotine is actually a very beneficial drug in its pure form! After years of being virtually a vegetable he has got his power and motivation and amazingly his brain back. The research was available in the 50s and if I could find it the doctors should have done and should never have dumbed him down with dreadful toxic drugs with really horrible side-effects. At the moment he is too addicted to his carbs to go keto but he has given up milk and sugar in his tea and mostly intermittent fasting so there is still room for improvement. Namaste 🙏💜🙏

[@Jo-lp1px]

Do you know if keto decreased your lithium resulting in hypomania?

[@dyaneharwood2023]

@@Jo-lp1px Unfortunately I don’t know for sure because I didn’t have a blood test done the week before I began keto. If I could do it over again, I definitely would’ve had my lithium blood level checked before starting keto, as Dr. Georgia Ede wisely suggests.

[@lilytea3]

0:00: 🎥 The video discusses the importance of safely implementing the ketogenic diet for treating mental illness and improving metabolic health. 3:27: ⚠ It is important to seek professional help when treating serious mental illnesses with ketogenic diets due to potential worsening of symptoms during the adaptation phase. 7:21: ⚠ It is important to prioritize safety when starting a ketogenic diet and communicate with healthcare providers about any concerns or issues. 10:52: 💡 Increasing fluid intake and adding electrolytes can help alleviate keto flu symptoms, but caution is needed for those with high blood pressure or kidney disease. 14:05: ⚠ It is important to work with your doctor to monitor the effects of nutritional ketosis on medications, including blood sugar, blood pressure, and psychiatric medications. 17:00: 👥 It is important to monitor changes in energy levels during flu transitions, as they can worsen symptoms of depression or trigger hypomania or mania. 20:23: 📚 The video discusses the importance of educating clinicians about nutritional ketosis and its potential benefits for mental illness. Recap by Tammy AI

[@J-wd3kh]

Could you do a video on best practices to avoid potential long term side effects? Kidney stones, for example, are seen among epilepsic patients who've been on keto for so long. I have heard that drinking lemon juice daily could help. Is this true?

[@metabolicmind]

Thanks for your comment. We may do a video on that in the future. In the meantime, here's an educational guide that may have helpful information. www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/for-doctors/difficult-cases

[@J-wd3kh]

@@metabolicmind thank you!!

[@megan8832]

Is it safe to do it with just a nutritionist when doing it with a severe mental illness?

[@metabolicmind]

We recommend working with your psychiatrist and a nutritionist or dietician. You can find some at www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory

[@joefarrow1599]

"You deserve a clinician to do this with you" lol try telling the NHS that

[@sandan2358]

I suffer with long term treatment resistant depression. I can’t find support from physician or mental health provider in rural Kansas. Do any of these online pros take BCBS of Kansas? If not, how are people able to pay the fees when you’re retired & on a fixed income? Help please.

[@metabolicmind]

Hi San. Those are great questions, and I wish I knew the answers to them. Perhaps you can check the clinician directory at www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory to see if you can find someone. I hope you can connect with someone to help.

[@sandan2358]

@@metabolicmind - thank you, before posting my question and there are zero listed for Kansas, the nearest provider is in the state of Colorado and my health insurance doesn’t pay for out of network providers.

[@valdaynyc]

@sandan2358 I am in almost the same boat as you, but in NYC- even in a big city, it is hard to find an in network provider who understands this and is willing to work with me. I ended up finding an in network nutritionist (very keto fluent) who I meet with virtually. I have looped in both my Psychiatric NP and my PCP (who keeps track of my bloods and is the only one I see in person). I feel very supported in this journey, but it took a lot of digging to find a team I could afford who are open to nutrition changes for mental health. Being able to have virtual sessions was key. Hope you find support soon, it's out there!

[@lakshminarayananps3468]

Thanks for the wonderful video. Can you please suggest a good Functional Dr who uses keto to treat mental illness.

[@metabolicmind]

You can check out www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory to find a clinician near you

[@lexamdelac28]

Does the keto cause kidney stones? I had one 15 years ago and I was told it was from dehydration. I want to be able to do the keto diet but not increase my chance of getting another kidney stone.

[@metabolicmind]

Here's some info on keto and kidney stones. Hopefully this helps! www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/kidney-health#kidney-stones

[@lexamdelac28]

@@metabolicmind That is helpful! Thank you!!

[@HybridParentSupport]

Can a high omega 3 diet have similar results as keto?

[@metabolicmind]

Omega 3s have been shown to benefit mental health, the rest of the diet is still crucial.

[@mrwater2033]

Doesn't carnivore work better than keto for bipolar? I fear avocados and spices might trigger hypomania?

[@metabolicmind]

We haven't heard that or seen that in any of the pilot trials, but we have to acknowledge that individuals can all have slightly different experiences.

[@DAMIAN_SVHETS]

what's wrong with the spices?

[@podaly]

How do I find a trained and experienced clinician? My pdoc is fresh out of school and not interested. My dietician thinks its bs. Only my therapist is onboard. Even my primary care knows nothing and put the burden of research on me.

[@metabolicmind]

Try the directory here. www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory. We hope that helps!

[@podaly]

Only one in California?🤦🏻‍♀️

[@richardparis8738]

I got off one

[@EvaBogardFlorida]

What do they mean by "clinician"? Who is this? Any licensed dietitian?

[@metabolicmind]

Great question. "Clinician" can mean many things. In a perfect world, it would mean someone's psychiatrist or primary care doctor. But often it may be a dietician or therapist with special training in ketogenic therapy who can coordinate care with the treating physician.

[@nooks12]

Are you no longer director at diet doctor?

[@metabolicmind]

I am no longer with Diet Doctor. I am now the Director of Metabolic Mind. Take a look at all our new content and let us know what else you would like to see content on. Thanks!

[@katherenewedic8076]

THERE ISN'T ANY COMPETENT CARE, EVEN IF YOU PAY CASH

[@KmusikOne]

No. Not eating a ketogenic diet is what's unsafe. A ketogenic diet is safe for everyone, any time. Yeah, let me tell my classically trained psychiatrist who thinks Keto is for quacks that I want to go Keto... I'm sure he will agree to supervise!