I suffered from anorexia for 22 years and luckily I survived (sadly went down to BMI 9 😢). Eating a ketogenic diet gave me my brain back and I’m no longer “possessed” by toxic thoughts. Traditional treatments never ever helped me, they actually made me worse over time. I’m never going to change my way of eating now…I’m rediscovering my true self 😊.
Ketogenic is the closest I’ve ever gotten to quite the noise. Even somewhat. Nothing prescribed ever worked. I feel like it was worse. Thank you for this video- I love your stuff and get so pumped about what you put together for us!
When I was 13, I went through a few bouts of starving myself in secret. And while I didn't develop full blown anorexia, I still remember how the starvation made me feel: focused, calm, less troubled by the emotional ups and downs of puberty. I even had a name for the feeling: "the consuming". I thought it was some state invoked by living off my own body. I felt centered and in control. It was a quiet kind of power. It was only years later I recognised this as ketosis (some of those feelings returned when I followed a ketogenic diet). When I think back on this now, I see it as a form of self-medication that I stumbled upon.
An absolutely AMAZING story and discovery! I've been watching your interviews for years and just really appreciate the depth and breadth you bring to them. And I must say I'm amazed at the work being done at MM! Bravo for bringing fresh perspectives to this field.
I've increasingly heard clinicians and patients speak out on the benefifs of keto for anorexia treatment. I hope your channel will shine a light on this topic more over the coming months.
@Jan Ellison Baszucki thank you. Will the content be on this channel? Or another? I found MCT and exogenous ketones helped me manage refeeding syndrome in the community and also allowed me to sustain energy. Importantly, it also provided clarity of mind. It's a shame these principles are not embraced in healthcare and I hope the system changes.
I never knew about this study!! Intuitively I myself would recognize my mental health issues (borderline) as a combination of physiological factors and psychological ones. Mood disorders caused by the brain somehow not working make you interpret the world in a whole different way, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the same for some people with anorexia. Ketamine, in addition to the merely physiological aspects, is a massive tool for rebuilding new thought patterns, the combined therapy of keto and ketamine could definitely be a breakthrough for people responding to metabolic intervention.
I have struggled with anorexia for five years (going into the sixth year), and I've been in recovery for one year now. I've been to several traditional psychologists, psychiatrists, and nutritionists without significant results. They have told me that all food is good food and that I should eat whatever I want. I have always had the feeling that something was wrong when I ate gluten and too much sugar and I've felt SO terrible since I was young. However, they told me it was just the anorectic voice talking and that it's normal for anorectics to feel that way, and that I should just continue to overcome the "fear". My boyfriend and I had a feeling quite early on that it was the completely wrong approach for me, as my glucose levels always went sky high, my stomach always got upset and I felt more depressed and anxious than ever before. We had a feeling that a low glycemic, low-carb diet might help, so I stopped listening to the practitioners and started doing what our intuition told us. I quit gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and I never felt better. However, the voice in my head didn't completely disappear, and since psychotherapy didn't work for me, I started looking for alternative methods. I came across a study at Johns Hopkins on Psilocybin and Anorexia that had promising results, but since Psilocybin is illegal in Norway, I started looking at other alternatives with similar effects on the brain. That's when I found a clinic in Oslo offering ketamine and together with my boyfriend, we got to the conclusion that if ketamine can change the neuroplasticity in the brain in people with anxiety, depression and PTSD, and in some way tackle the underlying traumas, then it might help with anorexia as well. I have now done four ketamine treatments in combination with a ketogenic diet and my anorexia is gone. I then did some research to see if other people had experienced the same. That's when I came across this study and I was mind blown and so happy to see that there are actually studies looking into keto and ketamine, as I have experienced firsthand the amazing effects. I truly believe this is the way forward and that it can save so many lives.
Very well said! For those who need to lose weight, energy normalization can help with that. For those who's brain energy is suboptimal, energy normalization can help. It's an emerging paradigm that is getting difficult to ignore!
Lori, on the successful 5 were adults. The mind set at 30 is not correlate able to 12-18 year olds, without immense support. Wow the potential and future of this is huge.
I never did a keto diet, but I received 6 ketamine infusions. After 39 years of anorexic behavior, the bad brain has been silenced. There needs to be a push for more trials, as this treatment needs to be made available. It was not a guarantee, which made it hard to commit; insurance does not cover it and I had to pay 4000.00 out of pocket. But after years of treatment, inpatient and outpatient, I no longer have 'the voices' or my nutritionist calls it the bad brain. It is so wonderful to be normal.
The high sugar and refined food diet forced upon patients in eating disorder wards is just cheap and convenient for the hospital. But it often exasperates reactive hypoglycaemia. The endless swings of blood sugar highs and sudden lows affect every part of the mind and body. It fuels anxiety, energy levels, and impairs sleep. I was treated this way, and it triggered refeeding syndrome and worsened poor blood sugar control. I've always believed I felt better being low carb. But in hospital this was not permitted. In the community I can have high fat, supplement with exogenous ketones as required too. Force feeding patients cookies and cakes because its "normal". Forcing sugary drinks because its "normal". Forcing patients to consume things they dislike the taste of AND dislike the way it makes their mind feel is cruel. It is clear, quality of nutrition is key and that healthcare professionals need to take a personalised approach to treatment. Nutrition is essential in the treatment of any disease. But in anorexia, it is even more important. It nourishes the body, mind, and also the patient's relationship with themselves.
Just theorizing, carbs excites the brain circuits. But the anorexic brain does not have the lipid structure to handle that excitement. Resultimg in anxiety. Thus the relapse.
That is correct. It was using both keto and ketamine. Now, Dr. Guido Frank at UCSD is running a study using just ketogenic therapy, so we will see what kind of effect it has on its own. It's an emerging and very exciting avenue of research.
Well interestingly i tried atkins to lose weight. I lost weight for a while, like a month, and then after kind of gained weight. I tried to do it more strictly and i still gained weight. So i think some people's body can adjust, and live and even gain off of atkins.
The speakers addressed this, as did Caroline Beckwith in her interview. It may be worth listening to her describe it to get her perspective. ruclips.net/video/BhpkjLbCTAc/видео.html
That is correct. It was using both keto and ketamine. Now, Dr. Guido Frank at UCSD is running a study using just ketogenic therapy, so we will see what kind of effect it has on its own. It's an emerging and very exciting avenue of research.
I suffered from anorexia for 22 years and luckily I survived (sadly went down to BMI 9 😢). Eating a ketogenic diet gave me my brain back and I’m no longer “possessed” by toxic thoughts. Traditional treatments never ever helped me, they actually made me worse over time. I’m never going to change my way of eating now…I’m rediscovering my true self 😊.
Thank you for sharing your story, and congrats on your amazing recovery!
So glad to hear youre on the UPSIDE!!
Did you need to detox your gut before working on keto?
Ketogenic is the closest I’ve ever gotten to quite the noise. Even somewhat.
Nothing prescribed ever worked. I feel like it was worse.
Thank you for this video- I love your stuff and get so pumped about what you put together for us!
When I was 13, I went through a few bouts of starving myself in secret. And while I didn't develop full blown anorexia, I still remember how the starvation made me feel: focused, calm, less troubled by the emotional ups and downs of puberty. I even had a name for the feeling: "the consuming". I thought it was some state invoked by living off my own body. I felt centered and in control. It was a quiet kind of power. It was only years later I recognised this as ketosis (some of those feelings returned when I followed a ketogenic diet).
When I think back on this now, I see it as a form of self-medication that I stumbled upon.
That is so interesting! Thank you for sharing.
Wow. That definitely jibes with the discussion of anorexia being at least partly an addiction to ketones. Thank you for taking the time to share that.
I would not call it a ketone addiction. I'm sure the brain chemistry needs adjustment just like as in epilepsy.
An absolutely AMAZING story and discovery! I've been watching your interviews for years and just really appreciate the depth and breadth you bring to them. And I must say I'm amazed at the work being done at MM! Bravo for bringing fresh perspectives to this field.
I've increasingly heard clinicians and patients speak out on the benefifs of keto for anorexia treatment.
I hope your channel will shine a light on this topic more over the coming months.
We have more content coming, as well as more research.
@Jan Ellison Baszucki thank you. Will the content be on this channel? Or another?
I found MCT and exogenous ketones helped me manage refeeding syndrome in the community and also allowed me to sustain energy. Importantly, it also provided clarity of mind.
It's a shame these principles are not embraced in healthcare and I hope the system changes.
We plan on sharing more content on our Metabolic Mind RUclips channel and our audio podcast. Stay tuned!
I never knew about this study!! Intuitively I myself would recognize my mental health issues (borderline) as a combination of physiological factors and psychological ones. Mood disorders caused by the brain somehow not working make you interpret the world in a whole different way, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the same for some people with anorexia. Ketamine, in addition to the merely physiological aspects, is a massive tool for rebuilding new thought patterns, the combined therapy of keto and ketamine could definitely be a breakthrough for people responding to metabolic intervention.
I have struggled with anorexia for five years (going into the sixth year), and I've been in recovery for one year now. I've been to several traditional psychologists, psychiatrists, and nutritionists without significant results. They have told me that all food is good food and that I should eat whatever I want. I have always had the feeling that something was wrong when I ate gluten and too much sugar and I've felt SO terrible since I was young. However, they told me it was just the anorectic voice talking and that it's normal for anorectics to feel that way, and that I should just continue to overcome the "fear". My boyfriend and I had a feeling quite early on that it was the completely wrong approach for me, as my glucose levels always went sky high, my stomach always got upset and I felt more depressed and anxious than ever before. We had a feeling that a low glycemic, low-carb diet might help, so I stopped listening to the practitioners and started doing what our intuition told us. I quit gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and I never felt better. However, the voice in my head didn't completely disappear, and since psychotherapy didn't work for me, I started looking for alternative methods. I came across a study at Johns Hopkins on Psilocybin and Anorexia that had promising results, but since Psilocybin is illegal in Norway, I started looking at other alternatives with similar effects on the brain. That's when I found a clinic in Oslo offering ketamine and together with my boyfriend, we got to the conclusion that if ketamine can change the neuroplasticity in the brain in people with anxiety, depression and PTSD, and in some way tackle the underlying traumas, then it might help with anorexia as well. I have now done four ketamine treatments in combination with a ketogenic diet and my anorexia is gone. I then did some research to see if other people had experienced the same. That's when I came across this study and I was mind blown and so happy to see that there are actually studies looking into keto and ketamine, as I have experienced firsthand the amazing effects. I truly believe this is the way forward and that it can save so many lives.
Perhaps we need to address the ketogenic diet as an energy normalization diet vs a weight loss diet. Applies to AD, as well.
Yes indeed! That's our aim.
Very well said! For those who need to lose weight, energy normalization can help with that. For those who's brain energy is suboptimal, energy normalization can help. It's an emerging paradigm that is getting difficult to ignore!
Lori, on the successful 5 were adults. The mind set at 30 is not correlate able to 12-18 year olds, without immense support. Wow the potential and future of this is huge.
I never did a keto diet, but I received 6 ketamine infusions. After 39 years of anorexic behavior, the bad brain has been silenced. There needs to be a push for more trials, as this treatment needs to be made available. It was not a guarantee, which made it hard to commit; insurance does not cover it and I had to pay 4000.00 out of pocket. But after years of treatment, inpatient and outpatient, I no longer have 'the voices' or my nutritionist calls it the bad brain. It is so wonderful to be normal.
The high sugar and refined food diet forced upon patients in eating disorder wards is just cheap and convenient for the hospital.
But it often exasperates reactive hypoglycaemia. The endless swings of blood sugar highs and sudden lows affect every part of the mind and body. It fuels anxiety, energy levels, and impairs sleep.
I was treated this way, and it triggered refeeding syndrome and worsened poor blood sugar control.
I've always believed I felt better being low carb. But in hospital this was not permitted.
In the community I can have high fat, supplement with exogenous ketones as required too.
Force feeding patients cookies and cakes because its "normal". Forcing sugary drinks because its "normal". Forcing patients to consume things they dislike the taste of AND dislike the way it makes their mind feel is cruel.
It is clear, quality of nutrition is key and that healthcare professionals need to take a personalised approach to treatment.
Nutrition is essential in the treatment of any disease. But in anorexia, it is even more important. It nourishes the body, mind, and also the patient's relationship with themselves.
Thank you for sharing! We agree.
Just theorizing, carbs excites the brain circuits. But the anorexic brain does not have the lipid structure to handle that excitement. Resultimg in anxiety. Thus the relapse.
Are these people linking arms with CHRIS PALMER?! Hope they're working together.
They are on to something!
How can you tell what is workong when you changed the diet and used ketamine.
That is correct. It was using both keto and ketamine. Now, Dr. Guido Frank at UCSD is running a study using just ketogenic therapy, so we will see what kind of effect it has on its own. It's an emerging and very exciting avenue of research.
Well interestingly i tried atkins to lose weight. I lost weight for a while, like a month, and then after kind of gained weight. I tried to do it more strictly and i still gained weight. So i think some people's body can adjust, and live and even gain off of atkins.
It doesn't sound smart to give Anorexics a restricted diet. That is the opposite of what needs to happen.
The speakers addressed this, as did Caroline Beckwith in her interview. It may be worth listening to her describe it to get her perspective. ruclips.net/video/BhpkjLbCTAc/видео.html
You keep talking about using keto but you are also using ketamine...this doesn't sound like a very controlled study.
That is correct. It was using both keto and ketamine. Now, Dr. Guido Frank at UCSD is running a study using just ketogenic therapy, so we will see what kind of effect it has on its own. It's an emerging and very exciting avenue of research.