Love Your Body: Let’s Mentor Each Other On the Ketogenic Diet

Love Your Body: Let's Mentor Each Other on the Ketogneic Diet.

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

If you’ve followed my Love Your Body posts on the last Monday of the month, you know I’m not a fan of “diets,” especially those that limit or reduce a particular food group. I’ve heard of the Ketogenic Diet, as probably many of you have too, but always dismissed it since it goes against everything we’ve ever learned about eating large amounts of fat. I’ve always eaten healthy fat, but only in moderation and have enjoyed good heart-healthy blood tests over the years.

Now I’m suffering from a neurological disorder and on the sixth medication trying to control it. Many of you were following me earlier this year when the fourth medication led to numerous kidney stones and horrendous surgery. Since going off that med, I’ve tried two more and we’re running out of options if this one doesn’t work.

So I did what many of us do and started researching more to see if there was anything else I could try. Mind you, I had read and read about this condition and felt like I was doing everything the doctors and I could do, but still the symptoms or adverse reactions to a medication continue.

Then suddenly last week, while back on the internet, I saw this: Sometimes going on a Ketogenic diet can help. Whoa, why hadn’t that appeared in any of my previous research? I contacted my neurologist to see if they had any success with this diet and they hesitantly said, “Some, but you would need to be followed by a Pediatric Dietitian and it will not replace medication.” I was surprised about the “pediatric” part, but it could be because they’ve only used it with children, which my research showed was easier for kids to follow this diet than adults. I thought that was interesting.

Since many of you know my first career out of college was a Registered Dietitian, I felt confident I could figure this diet out on my own.

I mentioned the diet to my endocrinologist and he said, “Oh it’s just the Atkins diet, but it could really help your LDL levels” (which had suddenly started rising). He encouraged me to try it.

This diet is also supposed to help reduce causes of cancer, and since I’m a three-time breast cancer survivor, this peaked my attention too.

When I started checking out the diet on different websites, I became more and more confused. It’s not the old Atkins diet. Then a dear friend loaned me a big book by a doctor, and I’m trying to wade through it. I have so many questions, and I’m hoping some of you who have successfully been on this diet could mentor me and others thinking about also trying it.

[Tweet “If you’ve been on the ketogenic diet can you answers some questions for me?”]

Here are some of my questions. Please write in the comments at the end of this blog, if you have answers:

  1. Did you gradually go on the diet, how did if feel when you started, and how long did it take to go on it completely?
  2. What did you follow to know foods to eat and foods to avoid?
  3. How do you know if you’re in Ketosis? What do you use to test?
  4. Any websites or books you suggest reading to learn more and find recipes?
  5. Did you see any changes in your cholesterol or LDL levels?
  6. How do you feel after being on it for a while?
  7. I’m not trying to lose weight, but did you lose weight?
  8. Did your family go on this with you, and if not, how did you make it easy to cook this way just for yourself? Because if your family eats high fats and doesn’t reduce carbs, that can be bad for their health. I did figure that out, and I don’t think hubby is going to do this with me.
  9. How long did it take you to see results?
  10. Did you go on this diet for health reasons?
  11. What tricks do you have for eating out and staying faithful, especially with the holidays approaching?
  12. How do you prepare kale?

I could go on and on with questions, but I know your answers to these questions will help me get started, and maybe help others who have been considering going on it too.

Don’t feel you have to answer all these questions to respond, but I would love to hear from you in a comment below, so we could all learn about your experience on this Ketogenic Diet.

Also, feel free to ask more questions in your comments, because I’m sure someone is going to have the same question and/or know the answer.

This is Mentoring!

[Tweet “Mentoring is just sharing our experiences with those who are in a new season of life.”]

I hope you’ve had an opportunity to pick up a copy of my new book Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness. Mentoring is just what I’m asking us to do in this post . . . share our experiences with those who are in a new season of life. You may be younger or older than me, but you can help me learn more about the Ketogenic Diet. Then I can pass on to others the knowledge and help you’ve given to me and everyone reading this post.

Always exciting to see your new book Mentoring for All Seasons at LifeWay bookstore

I had fun last week stopping by our new LifeWay Bookstore in Boise to take pictures of Mentoring for All Seasons with the manager of the store. It never gets old seeing your “baby” on the shelf, and it was right in the front on the “New Release” shelf. If you have a LifeWay Bookstore near you, why not stop by, pick up a copy, and support your local Christian bookstore.

[Tweet “If you have a LifeWay Bookstore pick up a copy of #mentoringforallseasons and support your local Christian bookstore.”]

I didn’t hear from any of you last week, but the publisher is offering an incredible discount on 5 or more copies of Mentoring for All Seasons through the end of December. You can use it yourself, share with your church, your women’s ministry, small group, or whoever would benefit from the book. Contact me and I’ll send you the information.

You can also purchase on all the online bookstores, Amazon, or I’ll sign and personalize it from our website store.

[Tweet “Two are better than one, and I need help figuring out a Ketogenic Diet”]

Ok, remember two are better than one, and I need your help figuring out this Ketogenic Diet. I hope many of you will leave comments and give me some advice.

Two are Better thank one because if one falls down the other can pick them up!

If you receive this post by email, leave a comment here.

Return to top of page

Comments

  1. Tanya McIlravy says

    I have not tried keto, but I have had success with modified paleo for health issues. God led me to nutrition/supplements for healing because the standard medical route was unsuccessful as you are finding out. I’d suggest finding a functional medicine doctor or naturopath in your area to help you. https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/ There are facebook support groups as well where you could find support etc.
    I believe that God designed our bodies and that what we put into them matters, even though I am not living out my best in that area lately. He is faithful even if I’m not! I have a bio/chem degree and the more I research the more I am sure that diet and supplements are powerful tools and should be first line of defense/attack. I hope you’ll research alternatives for your particular condition and pray you’ll find a doctor to help you as well.
    Low dose naltrexone is something else you should look into. Again, look to sources who have experience and knowledge, not those that dismiss out of hand etc.

    • Janet Thompson says

      Hi Tanya, I absolutely believe that God designed our bodies to eat the food He naturally makes available to us and have eaten that way most of my adult life. I have not heard of LPN before although I notice that Jonathan in the next comment mentioned it also. I have asked to join the FB group. Thank you for that information. I do need to find a naturopath in our area. Thank you for the suggestions I’m sure they’ll help others also.

  2. I have Ehlers-Danlos++++.
    First step is to give up the sugar. Think of sugar as a poison. Just focus on that first step, which is the hardest can take about 2 weeks to lose the cravings.
    Past that step is to limit carbs to no more than a certain amount. My number is 20grams. I need to lose 10lbs. I eat meats, oils, butter, veggies.
    My splurge is fruit.
    I was prescribed Low Dose Naltrexone 4.5mg 2 years ago for pain and Dysautonomia and have never felt better. I am no longer bedridden. I got my jogging up to 13 miles. I am 53.

  3. Janet Thompson says

    Hi Jonathan!
    I had not heard of Ehlers-Danlos before but did look it up. I’ve never been much of a sugar eater so that part is actually easy for me, it’s eaingt all that fats that I’m finding difficult since I always ate a low fat diet and I do love fruit also. You and Tanya both mentioned LDN and I had never heard of that either but that’s what I love about sharing with each other, we learn about new things. Congratulations on your success and jogging 13 miles! Wow! I think I”m doing good walking 3 miles, although it is straight up hill on a dirt road. So happy to hear how well you are doing. Thank you for sharing.

  4. Tanya McIlravy says

    The low fat trend is bad science. High healthy fat (omega 3s, butter, olive oil, coconut oil) and low carb, avoiding grains, sugars, etc and intermittent fasting are the best advice in my opinion. Cholesterol is part of the myelin sheath on nerves, and if you are not eating it then it degrades and neuro issues result. Low fat diet is actually inflammatory, the opposite of what you need. I would bet your Vitamin D levels are low as well. Please get tested (order yourself at most labs or online) and make sure you get your levels between 70 and 100. See this article https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/disease-disorders/natural-treatment-for-seizures/ It mentions Dilantin, which Dr Whitaker also recommends. Do you have a Whitaker Wellness clinic nearby or are you near Witchita, KS Riordan Clinic?

    • Janet Thompson says

      Hi Tanya, my Vit D levels were high 3 months ago and doc said to stop taking it but bone density test went down so he just tested last week and waiting for results. I’ve been taking 3000 DUI before that. I just had a full lab panel done this month. Dilantin is an older RX and we haven’t tried it yet. I live in the mountains outside of Boise but am going to a specialist clinic there. I have heard of Dr. Whitaker. My doc is on the cutting edge of trying experimental groups so just need to get in to talk to him about the diet. Thanks for all your suggestions. I really appreciate it.

Leave a Reply to Janet Thompson Cancel reply

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Return to top of page · Copyright © 2024 Crown Laid Down Designs All Rights Reserved · Our Privacy Policy