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Food 4 Thought : Episode 4
🧠 Fueling Teen Minds: The Keto Connection to Mental Health; Measuring your Ketones; & Medication Crisis
Geoff Hargreaves
April 13, 2025
Welcome Back KetopiansAnother week of fascinating insights and developments at My Keto Mind, your curated journal for Metabolic Mental Health and Mental Well Being through Diet. This week feature story is; 🧠 Boosting Teen Brainpower: How the Keto Diet Supports Mental Health We've included our first poll at the end to learn more about what you enjoy and discover topics that interest you. Tell us what’s rattling around in that noggin of yours! Cast your vote in our poll and keep feasting on the freshest Keto Mind news like it’s a low-carb buffet! |  Keto for Teens |
Feature Story
💡 Brain Fuel: Can the Keto Diet Turn Teenage Angst into Awesome-ness? (Spoiler: Maybe!)
Let's face it.
Navigating teenage years is like piloting a spaceship with a faulty joystick.
Emotions are wild, and the diet?
Let's just say beige foods and viral TikTok concoctions reign supreme.
So, when tackling youth mental illness, the ketogenic diet is emerging as a surprising contender.
Dr. Lori Calabrese, a psychiatrist at Innovative Psychiatry, has seen keto's power in adult mental health. But can it work for teens, those fascinating beings fueled by pizza and eye-rolls?
Dr. Calabrese has some insights.
Teens Aren't Just Shorter, Louder Adults (Who Raid Your Closet)
Treating adolescents isn't a mini-adult version.
Their changing bodies, hormone surges, and social media-centric lives make them unique.
A key difference?
Family involvement. Handing a teen a keto plan won't cut it. The whole family needs to be on board to avoid dietary chaos between households.
Operation: Get Teen Buy-In (Good Luck!)
Convincing a teen a new diet is cool is tough.
But Dr. Calabrese has a clever approach.
Parents talk first, describing their child before things changed.
Then, parents exit. (Teen bonus!). Dr. Calabrese asks the teen:
"What if I could help you get back to that person?"
This often sparks interest, especially if other treatments haven't clicked.
Does Keto Actually Work for Teens? The Plot Twist!
Dr. Calabrese believes keto can be more effective in teens than adults.
Their bodies often enter ketosis faster.
Plus, family involvement creates a shared experience, not dietary isolation.
Teens also tend to feel better quicker – sharper focus, better moods – fueling motivation.
Some even become keto converts, explaining their bacon obsession to bewildered friends.
Mental Health Hit List: What Can Keto Help?
It's not just one thing. Dr. Calabrese has seen success with:
First-episode psychosis
Major depression
Bipolar disorder
Autism
OCD
Anxiety
ADHD
The idea? Keto targets underlying biology, not just diagnostic labels.
But Pizza Night?! The Social Gauntlet
Teen social life often revolves around carbs. Dr. Calabrese's solution? A great dietitian who can "ketofy" favorites like pizza and milkshakes, so teens don't become social outcasts.
Can Teens Actually Stick With It? Surprisingly, Yes!
Once they feel the benefits, teens often commit.
They even get curious about metabolic flexibility – how to bounce back after occasional off-plan moments. It's like a dietary superpower.
The Takeaway: A Brighter Future?
Helping young people early can change their entire future. As Dr. Calabrese says, “If you can help an adolescent, you change the rest of their life.”
With family support, an open-minded teen, and kitchen creativity, keto could be a game-changer.
What’s been on our minds this week?
THIS WEEKS FOOD 4 THOUGHT TOPICS
 MEASURING KETONE LEVELAlright, buckle up, buttercup, because we're diving headfirst into the wacky world of ketone measuring! You're on a keto journey, feeling fantastic (maybe a little hangry?), and you're itching to know if those ketones are doing their thing. Fear not, intrepid fat-burner, there are several ways to peek under the metabolic hood! First up, urine strips. Think of them as the OG ketone detectives. You pee on a stick, wait a bit, and BAM! Colors appear, telling you roughly how many ketones your body is excreting. Simple, cheap, but not the most accurate – like shouting your secrets across a crowded room. Next, the blood ketone meter. This is the James Bond of ketone testing. A tiny prick of blood, a fancy gadget, and voilà! A precise reading of ketones circulating in your bloodstream. It's the gold standard, but those test strips can add up – think of it as paying for premium intel. Then we have the breath ketone analyzer. Blow into this futuristic-looking device, and it measures acetone, a byproduct of fat burning you exhale. It's non-invasive and convenient, though sometimes a bit finicky – like trying to get a straight answer from a toddler. Finally, the new kid on the block: the continuous ketone monitor (CKM). Stick a small sensor on your skin, and it tracks your ketones in real-time, sending data to your phone. It's like having a tiny metabolic spy living inside you! Pricey, but oh-so-informative. So there you have it, four ways to keep tabs on those marvelous ketones. Choose your weapon wisely, keto warrior! |  MEDICATION SHORTAGE? KETONES MAY JUST BE YOUR ADHD BACK UP PLANSo your ADHD meds are playing hard to get these days? With Ritalin and Artige joining the "sorry, we're out" club until 2025, you might need a Plan B! Before you panic or start rationing pills like the last chocolate biscuits in the tin, consider this kitchen-based strategy: ketosis! When you cut back on carbs and increase healthy fats, your body produces ketones NOW, think of these as premium fuel for your brain instead of regular unleaded. "Your brain on ketones is like your living room after a proper tidy-up—suddenly you can find things and get stuff done without tripping over mental clutter," explains neuroscientist Dr. Rodriguez. Some people with ADHD find they think more clearly and stay focused longer when running on ketones instead of glucose. The best part? You control this intervention. No waiting for supply chains to sort themselves out - just you making different choices at mealtime. Start by swapping breakfast toast for eggs with avocado. Replace pasta with zucchini noodles. Choose salmon over sandwiches. Just remember to chat with your doctor first! Consider this your sidekick strategy, not a solo superhero. |
 KETO KITCHEN COMMANDO: |  KETO Lasagne IF IT LOOKS LIKE LASAGNE, SMELLS LIKE LASAGNE….Keto Lasagna Recipe (Ricotta & Egg) - Metric Alright, buckle up for a speedy, cheesy adventure! This Keto Lasagna ditches the pasta for a clever ricotta-egg layer, making it totally guilt-free and utterly delicious. Let's get layering! Keto Lasagna: The Speedy Cheesy Dream! "Pasta" Power (15 mins bake): Whisk 8 eggs, 240g ricotta, 50g Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Spread on a lined 23×33 cm baking sheet and bake at 175∘C for 15-20 mins. Cool and slice into strips! Sauce Sizzle (15 mins simmer): Brown 450g ground beef and 450g Italian sausage. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, cook until soft. Stir in 800g low-carb marinara, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 mins – flavor explosion incoming! Cheese Cloud (quick mix): Combine 425g ricotta and 50g Parmesan. Layering Fiesta (10 mins assemble): Preheat oven to 190∘C. Sauce on the bottom of your 23×33 cm dish. Layer "pasta", half the ricotta mix, half the meat sauce, and 225g mozzarella. Repeat! Top with remaining mozzarella and 50g Parmesan. Bake Bliss (35-40 mins bake): Bake until bubbly and golden. Rest for 10-15 mins before slicing into cheesy, keto heaven! Enjoy! |
PODCAST OF THE WEEK
Ben Bikman, PhD | Reversing Insulin Resistance | The Metabolic Link
Okay, Metabolic Mavericks!
Ever feel like your body's speaking a language you just can't quite decipher?
Well, buckle up, because we dove into the fascinating world of insulin resistance with Dr. Ben Bickman on the Metabolic Link podcast, uncovering some juicy metabolic secrets!
Forget just blood sugar – Dr. Bickman brilliantly illuminated the dynamic duo of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels).
Your cells get meh about insulin's requests to let glucose in, so your pancreas pumps out more.
This can happen for YEARS, silently brewing while your glucose looks "normal." Sneaky!
Why not measure insulin more? Dr. Bickman highlighted the glucose-centric view of medicine.
It's like only looking at the smoke alarm!
Measuring insulin could give an early heads-up on metabolic mayhem.
The Chronological Crumble: Insulin often climbs first, years before glucose wobbles. Eventually, the overworked pancreas struggles, glucose rises, and diabetes is diagnosed.
Even if insulin decreases later, it rarely hits zero. Pumping in more insulin can be problematic.
Action Alert! Time to Ponder: Have you had seemingly unrelated health issues with a metabolic root? Why isn't insulin a standard test?
Not all insulin resistance is bad – physiological insulin resistance is temporary during growth.
Dr. Bickman highlighted adipose insulin resistance (fat's rebellion!) and an index measuring insulin and free fatty acids (NEFAs).
In healthy folks, high insulin means low NEFAs. In resistant folks, both can be high – a red flag!
He even suggested triglycerides might be a better heart disease marker than LDL! Interestingly, they often improve with carb restriction.
In a Nutshell (About 300 Words of Enlightenment):
Dr. Bickman reminded us to look beyond glucose when thinking about insulin.
Insulin resistance, even with high insulin levels, can go unnoticed and affect our health.
While some resistance is normal, the chronic kind deserves our attention. Fat tissue might be involved early on, and triglycerides are worth paying more attention to.
Here's a little task for your next doctor's visit: Ask about getting checked for insulin resistance.
Until next time, stay metabolically marvelous!
DISCOVERIES OF THE WEEK
WORLD KETO
This week, we're unveiling a delightful blend of culinary powerhouses from around the globe.
Enjoy
 Mexican-inspired keto and low carb recipes |  Spain on a Keto Fork |  Savour Italy offers 26 delightful low-carb Italian recipes to tantalise your taste buds. |
A Final KETO Mind Thought
“When unexpected joy arrives, it releases the anchors of doubt and resistance,”
Until next time,
Helping our loved ones, family and ourselves to a truely fulfilling outlook on life.
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