Rebecka is currently undertaking training in new and exciting field of metabolic psychiatry, which is examining root causes of mental health and treatments involving changes to diet. Please get in contact if you are interested in using ketogenic diet to repair and optimise brain function.

Metabolic health and mental health disorders

The ketogenic diet and its use in stabilising the brain has been known and research since the 1920, yet in recent years there is a growing scientific understanding of the biological mechanisms and how it impacts our brain. Currently there is very exciting and promising research emerging demonstrating how a ketogenic diet and ketones can address a various of mental health conditions including major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, binge eating disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

What is a ketogenic diet?

A ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high fat diet designed to lower blood glucose and insulin levels into a healthier range. When glucose and insulin levels fall beyond a certain point, the body starts burning fat and releasing ketones into the bloodstream. This is called being in ketosis and is a metabolic state that means our liver produces ketones, which fuels the cells in our body and brain. Think about your brain as an organ who can use fuel like a hybrid - running on both glucose and ketones. Interestingly, studies have demonstrated that our brains prefers to use ketones for fuel if given the chance.

Our metabolic health have an impact on neurotransmitters, inflammation levels, oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Evidence now informs us that insulin resistance can be an obstacle in providing our brains with energy, with many psychiatric conditions sharing the feature of having trouble burning glucose for energy. Having too high of levels of glucose and insulin is not good for our brains. Chronic exposure to high blood sugar can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress which damages brain architecture and mitochondria - which are the tiny engines inside our cells transforming glucose in to energy. Ketones on the other hand, is a fuel that can be used by our cells for energy, to repair damage, and to protect.

Interest in ketogenic diet for mental health?

If you are interested in using a ketogenic diet for your mental health send us a message for more information.

Please put KETO in the subject field when messaging below.