Medical Background

Hey everybody, so in this post I am going to briefly talk about my medical/food history and how the Ketogenic diet has helped.

So in 2008 I was diagnosed with a condition called RSD which is reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. It's a nerve condition that causes sever pain through out my whole body 24/7. You can read more about it in this link.RSDSA.org Well two years later in 2010 I was then diagnosed with a condition called Gastroparesis, which was caused from my RSD were my nerves stopped making my stomach work which caused paralysis of my stomach. I went through a struggle where I was on a feeding tube, IV therapy and even a time period where I relied on TPN which is Total Parental Nutrition as my main source of food (food through the vein.) Here is a picture of where my feeding tube was.

I struggled with my gastroparesis for about 2 years. I then learned what my body could eat and what it couldn't. For example I cant eat any soy products, anything with splenda, greasy foods, and spicy foods.

Jumping forward, during the school year of 2015 I became very fatigues. I couldn't so a lot of tasks including going to school, going shopping or hanging out with my friends. I was constantly tired all the time. I didn't understand why I couldn't focus and be up for most of the day. I was taking 5 naps a day and still feeling tired. By Christmas 2015, I had gotten to my breaking point. My weight was 205 pounds. I always told myself that I thought my weight was fine and if there was a problem with it then a doctor would have to be the one to tell me to change it, because I was not going to make the change on my own. Sad. I then got the news that I was prediabetic and i had severe insulin resistance. After trying to loose weight the normal way dieting and exercising and seeing no results, my doctor told me to try the Ketogenic diet.  Because of the TPN and feeding tubes it could be concluded that this was the reason I could not loose weight and so she told me to commit to the diet for 9 months and it would recent my metabolism and maybe I would loose weight in the process. I had my blood work done before I started the diet. My doctor found out that my insulin was very high at 164, normal is 10. She though I had a tumor, after finding no tumor she determined that I was just severely insulin resistant.

Well I started my Keto journey February 8, 2016. I got very depress in the beginning because I was sad that I would never be able to eat cake or donuts again. I also was told to do this diet with no help from a nutritionist. And i was doing this all by myself. I ended up doing my own research. I joined facebook support groups, watched youtube videos, and just familiarized myself with the keto lifestyle. I am very passionate about keto now. I believe in it and believe it is the only way my body works. Its been 7 months of keto and I have lost 32 pounds. I am now training with a personal trainer 3 times a day to build muscle and become more toned.

I am no longer fatigued that I need a nap to function, I can stay awake all day long. I can focus! I feel healthy!

Keto really has changed my life. The Ketogenic diet is also good for epilepsy, which I was diagnosed with when I was 10. A year ago I was able to come off my medication completely and to this day have been seizure free for 3 years.

So not only is Keto helping me reverse my prediabetic state, it is helping me with my epilepsy, and my gastroparesis. Also I had my insulin recently checked and I am not at a normal 10!

-Kari