Category: Anxiety

Articles about Anxiety from Lori Calabrese, M.D. | The Ketamine Blog

When you feel that sense of dread or uneasiness about something in the present or in the future, that’s anxiety. Everybody feels that way at some point. An interview for a job, meeting your fiancee’s family, a major exam…. But for some people, the unpleasant dread can be overly intense and ongoing. When it’s so intense that it interferes with your life, causing you to miss work, or miss social opportunities… then it may be a disorder. These articles about anxiety shed light on the difference between moments of anxiety, and a lifetime with a severe, debilitating disorder.
Anxiety can be as mild as a transient feeling of butterflies, or so intense and overpowering you think you’re having a heart attack so you call 911.

Types of anxiety disorders:

1. Social anxiety

is the overpowering and relentless fear of being watched and judged by others. It can cause you to feel afraid to meet new people, to believe everyone in the room is talking about you, and to feel intensely self conscious in the presence of others. This is a serious mental health condition that can prevent you from interviewing for jobs or excelling at the one you have, or from meeting new people and building relationships.

2. Postpartum anxiety

This is emerging as a serious disorder in woman, at least as prevalent as postpartum depression. It can express symptoms like panic, fear of harming the baby, poor bonding with baby, obsessive worrying, inability to eat, sleep, or relax. Also, it can include the obsessive fear the panic will never resolve.

3. General anxiety disorder

obsessive and continuous worry about one’s health, work, social contacts and interactions, as well as daily routine circumstances and experiences…that repeat almost every day for at least six months.

4. Panic Disorder

Characterized by repeated and overwhelming panic attacks with accelerated pounding heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and feelings of impending doom. Often brought on by triggers, but not always. The attacks lead to a fear of the attacks, and a driving desire to avoid them, which can often lead to agoraphobia.

5. Test anxiety

Irrational dread of testing in spite of being well prepared. The anxiety can rise until the person’s displaying symptoms of panic like accelerated heart rate, headache, nausea and sweating. Can result in the mind going blank, and general functioning shuts down.

6. Phobia-related disorder

Agoraphobia – fear of enclosed public spaces, fear of open spaces
Arachnophobia – fear of spiders
Acrophobia – fear of heights
Dentophobia – fear of dentists
Claustrophobia – fear of enclosed, confined spaces
Aerophobia – fear of flying
Aquaphobia – fear of water
Zoophobia – fear of animals
Coulrophobia – fear of clowns – (not officially recognized but widely claimed)

7. Separation anxiety

Occurs in children and adults, and expresses as fear of being apart from people to whom they’re attached. They often worry that something terrible will happen to the person they’re connected to, and so avoid separation from that person as well as avoid being alone.

8. Selective mutism

A rare disorder in both children and adults where people don’t speak in specific situations, even though they have well developed language skills. It’s often associated with extreme shyness and fear of social embarrassment, and usually begins before the age of five.

9. Obsessive -Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Considered to be connected to anxiety disorders, but there is controversy as to whether it belongs here. At the very least, that person who suffers from OCD has feelings of anxiety and usually feels powerless to control the intrusive thoughts they have, or their reaction to them.
This is not an exhaustive list, but rather examples of anxiety disorders.

Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

Some people suffer from a cluster of anxiety disorders and mood disorders combined, while some struggle with only one. Since anxiety disorders are best treated for the specific diagnosis, the more complex a person’s condition is, the more complex it may be to treat.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

demonstrates promising outcomes for some types of anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy shows the most promising outcomes as a form of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy combined with anxiolytic medicines, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) can be helpful, as well.

IV ketamine treatment has demonstrated favorable outcomes in some patients with some types of anxiety. Social anxiety can be debilitating and interfere with the desire to build life, family, and career. Ketamine treatment is one of the most effective treatments for social anxiety. There is exciting work being done with OCD patients and ketamine treatment also.
We invite you to continue reading the following articles about anxiety by Lori Calabrese, M.D.

A Ketogenic Solution for Anxiety Can Make All the Difference

Brittany tossed and thrashed in bed, restless and unable to get into a deep sleep. She felt panicky that she would have to face the day exhausted. Finally, she sat up in bed to check her clock. 4am. Sighhhhh. Her alarm would blare at 5:30…not much time to sleep left at all. She decided to stop fighting it and to get up and make coffee. Her mind had been racing all night. Drowning in all that could happen. Fear rose in her chest. As she sipped her coffee and became more alert, she knew her racing thoughts and gripping fears weren’t rational. What had started it, anyway? Even as she tried to analyze it all, her heart was still racing. She didn’t know that a ketogenic solution for anxiety was right in her kitchen.

Anxiety Symptoms Disrupt Everything

This wasn’t the first time Brittany had lost sleep. Over the years, there had been more fitful nights than she could count. If only she could get her mind to calm down before she went to bed. She’d tried a mountain of supposed remedies for sleep hygiene, as they called it: Unplugging screen time, reading calming poetry before bed, warm milk, avoiding exercise after 6pm. Nothing made a real difference.

Plus, insomnia was’t the only problem.

She had terrible nervousness before and during dental appointments, whether it was a painful procedure or just cleaning and maintenance. In the last ten years, that nervousness had escalated to panic during a couple procedures, where she would grip the assistant’s arm and eventually cry out loud. Humiliating. Naturally, she began to avoid the dentist.

And there was the crippling shyness that paralyzed her when she had to attend meetings with strangers… or even at parties. Occasionally, she had to make a presentation at work, before a room of 30-40 people…only a few of which were her coworkers. Her armpits and palms would sweat, her voice would shake…her mind would go blank… and sometimes violent nausea rose in her throat. So she learned to write meticulous notes to guide her.

Brittany could use a ketogenic solution for her anxiety. BADLY. She just didn’t know it yet.

Her presentation didn’t appear smooth or spontaneous, but it was better than going completely blank and shaking in front of everyone!

So she tried to avoid speaking at all, even though presentations were necessary if she was ever going to be promoted.

High Stress Meant Worse Agoraphobia

But eventually, as stressors at work increased, she found it harder and harder to leave her apartment and go in. It reminded her of her childhood, when at times it was just too hard to go to school. Some days she couldn’t face the social pressure or the demand to perform. She felt so inadequate, and so ashamed.

But Brittany just didn’t know what to do about it at the time. It happened again in college, and now…here it was again.

How could she succeed in her career —or her relationships —if she didn’t find a way to manage this?

After work, and a terribly difficult day, Brittany decided to go to her parents’ house to see if they had any ideas. She felt foolish to expect they would think of something she hadn’t. After all, she was an adult, right? — she should have things figured out for herself.

But her mom was a therapist, and her dad owned a medical supply company, so who knows? She could say something. Maybe they had run into something like this along the way…?

Her dad greeted her at the door.

Dad Has Some Good Ideas

“Britt! I was so glad for your call. It’s been awhile…we do like to have the chance to see you and catch up whenever we can. Your mom should be home within the hour. How are you?”

“Hi Dad…it’s good to see you too! I’ve missed you. Life has been a handful. I think I’m reaching a point of desperation, and I really need to find a solution.”

“What is it, honey?”

“It’s a lot of things. I’ve not been sleeping for some time. Every time I toss and turn all night, I’m a wreck at work all day. Then, the next night, when I need to catch up, it’s the same thing again. Then, the next day is even harder. When the stress mounts higher, I start having other problems. Like leaving my apartment. So walking out the door to go to work is so hard I’m choking and crying at times.

“And you KNOW how hard it is for me to go to the dentist. But now it’s also hard to go to the doctor, or the grocery store…or even take a shower. I feel so foolish that I can’t seem to manage my life.”

Her dad’s eyes filled with compassion.

“Oh Britt… I’m so sorry you’re going through this. We have to see what your mom says…I’m confident she’ll have some clear views about all this. But off the top of my head, I’m guessing it’s ALL anxiety of one sort or another.

“I’m hearing more and more people talk about how eating food that triggers your body to make ketones helps relieve anxiety and lots of other psychiatric disorders. People are saying this approach to treatment yields remarkable results. Maybe there’s a ketogenic solution for your anxiety..?

A Deep Dive on the Internet

Brittany pulled up close to her dad to see what was on his screen. He googled keto, ketogenic, psychiatry….anxiety.

“OH look! Here’s a psychiatric practice a short drive away that offers a program to treat this. Keto… not just for weight loss… rather for getting well emotionally and physically. Let’s see…”

“Here. I think this might be it. Here’s a metabolic psychiatry blog. I bet there’s lots of information here…”

He found a search box and typed in anxiety.

Then a list of blog posts came up about treating anxiety with keto foods. And one about “Food as Medicine”… All of this was new to her…food as medicine? But she was desperate, so she kept reading.

She learned that what she was experiencing could actually stop. She learned that while medication may help some people, it didn’t help others at all. Also, that symptoms of various disorders can overlap, and her impression was that the most effective approach was to treat the cause of the symptoms, rather than focusing on diagnoses, per se.

She kept reading to see if they had a ketogenic solution for her anxiety symptoms.

As she read she could see what she had in common with others whose stories described their symptoms, many of which were similar to hers.

This could work. And she wanted to do it right—so that it did. So she made the call.

And then felt so much better. Hopeful even. So she and her dad met her mom at a restaurant for dinner before she drove home.

Touchpoints 180™

A couple days later, she arrived for her appointment, and soon met with the doctor. A thorough evaluation of her metabolic health was revealing. The doctor explained things about her blood pressure, her labs — and her weight — all were signs of metabolic dysfunction. They talked about their program, Touchpoints 180™ and mitochondria and how transitioning to therapeutic ketosis could harness and amplify brain energy and anti-inflammatory signaling throughout her body.

How switching up and eating foods high in fat like she could find in cheeses, butter, olive and coconut oils, fatty fish, free range eggs, marbled beef, and fresh lamb could provide ketones for fuel – instead of glucose. She also explained how the mitochondria can make greater amounts of energy from ketones than from glucose.

The doctor gave Brittany a whole way to understand the science a little better, so she understood how and why this treatment works… this ketogenic solution for anxiety.

Then, their registered dietitian/nutritionist designed a meal plan for this dietary intervention, and showed her foods she needs to eat in abundance and foods she needs to avoid. She explained the food program the practice had arranged to make grass-fed and grass-finished proteins for her, organically grown produce, and all the foods she needed to include to be sure she was getting all the nutrients she needed.

They worked together to ensure the foods they chose for her plan were foods she liked, and worked it around her own schedule. The key was to be sure she was getting the amount of fat she needed through the day to feed her metabolism in the best way possible.

Once she got home, she cleaned out her pantry, fridge, and freezer of all high carbohydrate foods. She also tossed out ultra processed foods, like coffee cake, cookies, pizza, ice cream… Somehow all this gave her hope and purpose, so heading out to buy food wasn’t so difficult.

Putting Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy to Work

Soon, she was back home, and putting it all away. She’d always bought skinless chicken, but now she bought it with the skin on. Plus several cheeses, heavy cream, olive oil (she tossed out the seed oils), eggs, salmon, marbled beef, avocados, spinach, arugula, lemons, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, and mushrooms.

Now she had ingredients to make rich sauces, crunchy salads, and 3-cheese and mushroom omelettes in the mornings. This dietary intervention had so many delicious dishes to choose from.

So she started with dinner, which was easier than she expected. She’d lived on pizza and hamburgers, so this idea of cooking meals with whole foods instead of instant frozen meals, was an adventure. But if eating this way could reduce her anxiety and help her sleep better, it was well worth it. Hands down!

She determined to wake up 15 minutes earlier in the morning to pack her lunch, ensuring she had plenty of fat in her diet to keep her metabolism singing.

The meals she was cooking were not only healthy but delicious. She’d never eaten so well. (Some of them rivaled five star restaurants.) She felt pampered, even though she was the one doing the work!

After a couple weeks, she began to notice a difference. She’d been in ketosis, according to her meter, since the fourth day… and by now she was sleeping better, feeling calmer, more relaxed…and what was that feeling…more confident maybe? She wasn’t sure. But something was definitely changing. And she liked it.

Ketogenic Solution for Anxiety Leads to Remission

A few months later, her boss approached her about doing a presentation, knowing Brittany might balk. But strangely, Brittany wasn’t afraid. That panic that used to rise in her throat didn’t seem to be there.

So she quietly agreed…not knowing if she could do it, but hoping she could.

As it turned out, the panicky feeling seemed to be gone. She spoke with confidence, and everyone listened intently. Self respect and gratitude competed for dominance in her chest as she sighed with huge relief after it was over. This ketogenic solution for anxiety really was working. She was sold.

Once in her car, she called her parents first to tell them. They were thrilled to hear the Touchpoints 180™ program was working so well for her! She told them without their help she would never have found out about it.

Months of ketogenic metabolic therapy resulted in a slimmer figure, growing confidence, and better relationships. (She started dating!) But, the biggest benefit was that the symptoms of anxiety were gone. She was sleeping soundly, excelling at her job, and going out with friends.

She could never have imagined this much could change in a single year.

Need a Ketogenic Solution for Anxiety Symptoms?

Most people can expect fleeting feelings of anxiety in a stressful moment, like public speaking, or before a blind date. But if you find yourself escalating to feelings of panic, or fear you’re dying, or even avoiding situations in your life where those feelings can occur, you might need some intervention.

Much research has revealed that many psychiatric conditions that have traditionally been treated with medications can be resolved with a ketogenic diet, or eating food that helps your body produce an abundance of ketones. Ketones are produced in the liver when your body breaks down fat, and when glucose in the diet is reduced, those ketones become an amazing fuel. But that’s not all. They produce a wide variety of components your body needs, and trigger an assortment of processes that bring your mind and body into balance with a sense of wellbeing.

In a case series we published about our own results, patients achieved remission from anxiety, as well as depression, on a ketogenic diet. Our results made it to the top 5% of more than 26 million scientific papers within 6 weeks of publication—unheard of! And months later, it’s still at the 97th percentile. We’re not researchers. We’re a team that knows how to get results and we go for remission.

If you can relate to Brittany and her symptoms, call us.

You, too, can enjoy watching your symptoms disappear, with Touchpoints 180™, and getting well — this time for good.

We’re so excited to help you experience the healing outcomes of a ketogenic lifestyle.

To the restoration of your best self,

December 9, 2024
How Your Ketogenic Diet Dismantles Panic Attacks

Emily gripped the steering wheel with both hands. Her arms stiffly tried to guide the car as she became more nervous. Rigid. With pressure rising in her head and neck, she reached up to feel her pulse under her jaw. Boom. Boom. Boom…Panic was rising in her throat, and she feared where her emotions were going. What if she passed out? What if she had a stroke? She tried to take some slow breaths. She filled her lungs and tried to release the air in a slow, controlled breath. But, it wasn’t working. As terror rose, she took another long slow breath, and tried to pull her car over and park. Now her heart was racing, her hands were slick with sweat. She didn’t understand what was happening to her. If only she’d known a ketogenic diet could dismantle panic attacks.

She closed her eyes to try to block out the terror…and jammed her feet against the floorboard, desperately straining for control. What was happening to her?

She didn’t know. Was this a panic attack? This had never happened before. Finally, she dissolved in a flood of tears. She felt limp. Drained. Ashamed.

Cars whizzed by her, some honking, others screeching their brakes.

Tap – Tap – Tap!

She moved her hands off her face and looked toward the sound. It was the police, knocking on her window. She searched his eyes with a tear-stained face, and rolled down the window.

“Ma’am? You need to move your car. You’re parked on a busy boulevard. Are you alright?”

Emily blinked, wiped her face, and realized where she was.

“I’m sorry. I got scared and forgot where I was. This was the best I could do. I’ll move.”

She put her car in gear and moved forward, turning right into a nearby parking lot…then parked safely in a space, and turned off the engine. In a few moments, she saw flashing lights, and the officer pulled in beside her. Once again, he came to her window.

“Thank you for moving your car. That was a dangerous spot. You could have caused a collision. Can you tell me what happened?”

Emily closed her eyes, hard. So humiliating.

“I was driving along, and a terrible feeling started rising up inside me. My hands were sweaty, my heart was racing, I felt like I would throw up, and I was terrified. I don’t really understand what started it…”

“Maybe we should get you to a hospital. Please wait right here.”

He then picked up his radio and called for an ambulance to their location.

Within minutes she heard a siren. Then it got closer, and pulled into the same parking lot. The paramedics checked her pulse and blood pressure. By this time, she was much calmer.

They suggested she might have had a panic attack, and asked if it had ever happened before. She told them it hadn’t. And she assured them she didn’t need to go to a hospital. She just needed to go home and relax. After spending 30 minutes with her, they asked her to sign a release, and they drove away.

Emily thanked the officer for his help, and drove home.

Piecing It All Together

Once home, she made a cup of herbal tea, then sat on the sofa with her feet up, to sip.

What had happened?

She honestly knew she could not have driven any farther before parking on the road. Why?

As she thought about it, the memory began to come back. Someone had swerved and almost hit her…it frightened her…and the fear had become increasingly intense until she had felt it ballooning out of control.

So something had triggered it. Bizarre.

She knew she worried a lot. ALOT. Her family was always telling her to stop worrying. But this was much much worse than that. She had felt paralyzed. It felt like she was losing her mind. So frozen and afraid. So out of control.

Could She Find a Way to Dismantle the Panic?

After a couple hours, her husband, Tyler, walked in. He could see in her face that something was wrong. So he asked.

“Yes I’m ok. But something happened while I was driving that was rather traumatic. Someone swerved and almost hit me, and I started feeling more and more afraid and couldn’t calm down. In fact, I couldn’t drive. I did my best to pull over and park on Hartford Blvd. and was frozen, terrified… incapacitated.

“Emily. On Hartford??? That’s a busy road! I’m glad you weren’t hit!”

“I know…I am, too. The whole experience was awful. Just terrible. An officer called an ambulance, and they checked me out and stayed with me awhile, then let me go home. It was humiliating. But what’s important is knowing why it happened? What can I do to keep such a thing from happening again?”

“You know, Em, I work with a girl who sometimes has experiences like that. She calls them panic attacks and eats keto — says the food dismantles it. I guess that’s a Captain Obvious thing.

Anyway, lately, she’s been talking about a doctor who has helped her, and how it’s all about eating certain foods, and avoiding others. I’ll find out more from her tomorrow. Right now, I’m going to get dinner going so you can relax.”

Ketogenic Diet Dismantles Panic Attacks

The following evening, Tyler came in from work excitedly talking as he opened the front door.

“I got the doctor’s name, the program that’s helped my co-worker, and a website we can look at. The food she talks about eating is a ketogenic diet says it helps her achieve ketosis which just dismantled the panic attacks. She says you have to really reduce your carbohydrates so that you body can make ketones . At the same time, you add a lot of healthy fats. And that changes the fuel in your brain cells from glucose to ketones.

“When you do that, your body transitions to using ketones for fuel in the part of the cells where energy is produced and used: the mitochondria. I remember from biology class in high school — that the mitochondria are the power houses in every cell.

“When you eat carbohydrates, your cells get a spike of glucose for fuel, then it just drops out, and they’re in crisis as a result. But when you transition to ketones — which are produced when your body breaks down fat — the cells have an abundance of fuel, and the mitochondria can produce all the things you need, so you can be in the best health and balance.”

Emily and Tyler hopped on the internet to look up all the terms he’d mentioned, and to learn more about ketones and a ketogenic diet to dismantle panic attacks. They also looked up this doctor’s program, the one Tyler’s coworker had written down for them.

Touchpoints 180™ Is Keto for Panic Attacks

Through reading together, they learned that what Emily experienced probably was a panic attack. They learned that a ketogenic diet could reverse anxiety and dismantle panic attacks. And they read about Touchpoints 180™, that doctor’s program for this.

Together, they went into their kitchen and dumped the rice, potatoes, bread, buns, potato and corn chips, coffee cake, donuts, and cookies into the trash.

The next morning they started the day with eggs, until they could figure out what else they could eat on this ketogenic thing.

After Tyler left for work, Emily called this doctor’s practice to ask about Touchpoints 180™ and made an appointment.

The doctor evaluated her psychiatrically and evaluated her metabolic health, and the registered dietitian/nutritionist worked with her to create a personal plan (that they call a ketogenic metabolic therapy) that incorporated her likes, dislikes, that would address medical conditions, and help her psychiatric symptoms slowly go into remission.

She went on to explain that the program offered walks, talks, lots of opportunities for answers to questions, making connections, and encouragement. She even mentioned a fun book club to learn more.

When Emily left, she felt armed, like she had her power back. By eating different foods than she was eating, she could feel better, worry less, have more energy, and reverse all this fear.

Team-Focused Ketosis Dismantles Panic Attacks

Tyler enthusiastically listened that night to all Emily had learned. They started making dinner together, following the plan designed for her. It was so easy. Then they put their heads together to pack lunches from her meal plan, and to be sure they always had the foods they needed. They were learning that food was their medicine to reverse these anxiety symptoms. And they stuck close to their food “prescriptions.”

Even though Tyler didn’t struggle with panic per se, he worried about Emily, and felt she could do this more effectively if they were in it together. (A little aside: he had his own issues, and was curious to see if this program would help.)

They learned that her symptoms of panic and anxiety could be eased by neurotransmitters like GABA (the calming neurotransmitter) and serotonin (a ‘feel-good” neurotransmitter). That certain ketones can raise GABA levels in your brain which calm anxiety and those panicky reactions, and eating foods like salmon, eggs, avocados, and meats provided excellent and nutrient-dense, nourishing foods for her brain and her whole body.

In addition, they learned more about why eating sugar was harmful. That it triggers inflammation, and also feeds the wrong bacteria in the gut microbiome…those that promote depression and anxiety.

Learning all this opened their eyes. Neither Tyler nor Emily had any idea all this went on inside their bodies… and depended on what they actually ate… for better or for worse.

Ketogenic Diet Dismantled the Panic

Within only a couple weeks, they both realized how clear their minds were. So that was brain fog…! They had no idea until it was gone. What a relief!

After a few more months, they both noticed more and more that Emily wasn’t talking about worry nearly as much. She seemed to be taking life in stride instead of worrying a hole in everything. She had not had another panic attack. That was progress!

Who knew something so simple and straight forward could make such a dramatic difference?

She also noticed she felt more comfortable meeting new people, going out with friends, and inviting them over for a keto dinner.

In 6 months, she realized she’d never felt so free…so “normal.”

Tyler couldn’t get over the change in his wife… and his own blood pressure came down to normal limits. They both lost some unwanted pounds, to boot. But most important, they both felt relaxed and at ease with themselves and each other. In fact, with life in general.

Do You Need A Ketogenic Diet for Panic Attacks?

Or maybe just anxiety…and possibly depression? By eating a ketogenic diet, you can enter a state of therapeutic nutritional ketosis. In this state, your brain is empowered to heal and restore balance through a cascade of processes in your liver, your microbiome, and your mitochondria. It can make more GABA, serotonin, and more of those components that help you feel relaxed, at ease, and resilient.

If you struggle with panic attacks and worry, and nothing you’ve tried has helped, call us.

Our Touchpoints 180™ program is designed to help you transition from using the toxicity of glucose to the abundance of ketones in mitochondria in every cell of your brain and body. You’ll enjoy the new energy, clear mind, and balanced emotions that you can experience through therapeutic nutritional ketosis.

You’ll have access to walks and talks, personalized dietary intervention by our wonderful registered dietitian/nutritionist, phone calls, and your questions answered.

Join us as we learn together and thrive.

To the restoration of your best self,

August 5, 2024
Metabolic Psychiatry’s Secret Weapon: Therapeutic Nutritional Ketosis

The most remarkable, neuroscience-driven advances in psychiatry, are emerging after decades of research and evidence-based experience known as metabolic psychiatry. Metabolic psychiatry is all about understanding the connections between psychiatric symptoms and metabolic dysfunction. We’ve talked often about the reality that the brain is part of the body, and what goes on in the body affects the brain. If metabolic health is suffering, psychiatric health can not be at its best. If the mitochondria are suffering from energy shortage due to insulin resistance, so is the mitochondria in the brain. And when the brain’s energy is restricted, its compromised ability to function well results in symptoms like memory loss, brain fog, erratic shifts in mood and behavior, depression, and anxiety. But metabolic psychiatry’s secret weapon is therapeutic nutritional ketosis. More about that ahead.

Pearls from Dr. Ede

Dr. Georgia Ede, a psychiatrist who specializes in nutritional and metabolic approaches to psychiatric symptoms, recently joined an interview with Dr. Bret Scher, the director of Metabolic Mind, and Carlene MacMillan, Chief Medical Officer of Osmind. They discussed a subject you know is dear to my heart, which is how a ketogenic diet can improve brain health so beautifully that you can actually achieve remission.

It may surprise you to know that over 50% of all adults in this country suffer from insulin resistance, or the inability in the cells for insulin to process glucose. And that causes problems…lots of problems! It causes high blood sugar levels throughout the body because the cells aren’t able to pull the glucose out of the blood stream and put it to work in the cells.

And even worse, it keeps the brain from processing glucose, which creates an energy crisis for the brain. As we’ve talked about before, the brain is part of the body, and your metabolic health incorporates every organ in your body. When insulin resistance impairs your body’s ability to process glucose, all your organs suffer damage.

Crisis of Brain Energy

So, it’s vital that an alternate fuel source for the body, and especially the brain, is provided. When you consume a ketogenic diet, your body makes the shift from relying on glucose, to relying on ketones for fuel. Ketones don’t need insulin to be used in the cells, so it’s a limitless source of fuel.

Because the brain uses so much energy – a full 20% of what the entire body uses – it’s vital that its energy source be readily available and inexhaustible. And it is, as long as you’re eating ketone producing foods…or ketogenic foods…and your body’s fat stores serve as a supplement.

Metabolic Evaluation is Vital

Dr Ede talked about her wish to see every psychiatrist do a metabolic evaluation as part of the intake assessment of each patient. Every patient with psychiatric symptoms deserves a metabolic evaluation to see if there is metabolic dysfunction involved—because it can be so readily reversed. Everyone needs to know about evidenced-based ways to change their lifestyle to improve their overall wellbeing, as well as their psychiatric condition. Whether they incorporate a ketogenic diet or not, they need to see how they might improve their metabolic health. You can’t have excellent mental health unless you’re metabolically healthy as well. And honestly, metabolic psychiatry’s secret weapon is, after all, nutritional ketosis. That’s what causes the change and improvement.

I heartily agree, and a comprehensive metabolic evaluation is just one part of our deep-dive assessment for our TouchPoints 180™ program.

So, these are the elements she suggested for that assessment. Because when you use A1C as a marker for metabolic health, it’s not effective, — because it’s a measure of Type 2 diabetes after it has already taken hold. And it’s important to keep in mind that it can take up to 20 years of high-carb eating for Type 2 to develop. So the key is to discover the metabolic dysfunction before it does.

So what you really want to know is how much insulin your body is actually having to pump out day after day to counter the carbohydrate load you’re eating in order to maintain your fasting blood sugar in a normal range. She made the point that those climbing insulin levels are damaging your physical health — and your brain metabolism.

Brain Metabolism

When we refer to brain metabolism, we’re talking about the ability of your brain to turn glucose into energy. We test for the fasting insulin level, which should ideally be under 5. Yes, under 5. (In our practice, we actually run tests to determine your insulin resistance score, which gives you a numbered score if you are insulin resistant.)

You also should check triglycerides, which should be below 100mg/dL, and better yet, below 80 mg/dL. You want HDL to be above 40-50 (pushing 100 is better) and you want your waist circumference to be less than half your height.

As you can see, these are simple measures, easily available, and can easily give you a ballpark idea your current metabolic health—and there are many more sophisticated tests which take a deeper dive. When these numbers are out of whack, it’s a good indication that your metabolism needs an intervention.

The beauty is, that you can change these numbers very quickly with a ketogenic diet. Amazingly, you can drop your fasting insulin and triglycerides in days or weeks. You don’t have to lose 50 pounds to begin to see important changes! You just need to get your body metabolizing fat, and achieve nutritional ketosis.

Metabolic Psychiatry’s Secret Weapon

In fact, the ketogenic diet is not the only dietary intervention that will achieve this. The carnivore diet, or a vegetarian diet that’s low carb and high in fat, and that is properly formulated with the best quality proteins and all of the micronutrients you need. You can find a diet that helps you achieve therapeutic nutritional ketosis. It can be an adapted from carnivore, vegetarian, mediterranean… the goal is to find a dietary intervention that works for you; it just needs to help you maintain a consistent state of ketosis.

And it needs to fit your life.

This isn’t a solution that addresses the superficials. This solution attacks the root cause. Metabolic dysfunction throughout your body causes damage to your organs and brain because of an energy crisis in your mitochondria. It’s vital to improve your metabolic health by natural means.

What About GLP-1?

Dr. Ede states that GLP-1 such as Ozempic and others can help with some of these same things. But they are not what we recommend for our patients — they do not offer the sustainable cellular benefits of nutritional ketosis and have many potential short and long-terms side effects: continued use, weekly injections, huge monthly costs and copays, etc. The good news is that the same and more can be achieved with ketosis. Through a ketogenic diet without copays, without side effects, and without injections that disrupt your normal metabolic function, you can achieve remission.

I agree with her that a huge advantage to seeking metabolic health through dietary intervention is that it puts the power in your hands. We teach our patients how to do this, and offer dozens and dozens of personalized opportunities to help them make it happen. Unlike the old paradigm where the doctor prescribes the medication, and the patient takes it. In this approach, you learn to wield this tool to cultivate your own metabolic health.

It’s empowering, confidence building, and improves your own autonomy. It makes you proud of yourself to know you’ve made your body and mind healthy by changing your lifestyle and food choices.

You can give someone a fish, and they’ll eat a meal. But if you teach them to fish, they’ll have the knowledge to be able eat for the rest of their lives.

Education about metabolic health empowers people to restore their own metabolic health. And to restore their physical health and mental health as a result.

Why Does Ketosis Help Alzheimer’s, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia?

Metabolic psychiatrists know that if you have insulin resistance you don’t just have a blood sugar problem, you also have a brain sugar problem. The brain cannot utilize glucose without adequate insulin. Over time, slowly, the brain is losing its glucose processing power. By the time you notice any memory problems (this sets the stage for Alzheimer’s by the way) you can already have lost 25% of your brain’s glucose processing power. So you need a supplemental fuel source as a result. Ketones bridge that energy gap for you. They don’t need insulin to fuel brain cells. So the brain cells can go back to work doing their job at an optimum level. Because they’re fueled with ketones.

The key is ketosis. And it triggers a cascade of changes that put the brain cells back on their feet.

If You Suffer From Psychiatric Symptoms

Maybe you have tried prescription medications that haven’t improved your symptoms, or maybe psychotherapy hasn’t helped, either. Maybe you’ve been told your condition is “treatment-resistant.” Metabolic psychiatry may not be the solution to every single psychiatric issue, but it’s in your best interest to find out if it might help yours.

When you consider that more than half of all adults in the US suffer from insulin resistance, and insulin resistance contributes to psychiatric suffering, it’s not such a bad idea to find out if your symptoms could be related to your metabolism, your mitochondria, and the way your body and brain use energy and signaling.

Metabolic psychiatry’s secret weapon is therapeutic nutritional ketosis.

Join us in our TouchPoints 180™ program, and take charge of your own health, physically and mentally. Take back your life and your wellbeing.

We’re all about helping you build your life at its best.

To the restoration of your best self,

July 8, 2024
Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy (KMT) Can Fix Your Mood and Health

Brianna sank into the sofa, and groaned as she leaned over to pull on her shoes. It was hard to reach them, and she grunted repeatedly as she reached down to tie her laces. Uggghhhhh. She just had to lose weight. She was too big around her waist to comfortably reach her feet anymore. How did this happen? When did this happen? Was it the pandemic? She hadn’t noticed, but she had been forced to buy larger clothes to be comfortable. She should have noticed that! Or…maybe she had…and didn’t care enough to do something about it. Everything had seemed so futile for a long time…and it had been harder and harder to care. For things like her weight to even matter at all. While she drank her coffee she browsed on her laptop. Ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) showed up in an email, so she opened it.

Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy is Food as Medicine

The email was sponsored by a nutrition organization that touted this month, March, as National Nutrition Month by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Hmmmm. Why was she receiving an email from them?

I mean, she thought, I try to eat from the 5 basic food groups, but it isn’t always that convenient. I do eat a lot of fast food too, and frozen prepared food. Whatever I can manage.

Bottom line, she didn’t think it mattered much.

But she wondered why she felt so draggy. Did she sleep enough last night? Her legs felt heavy, and it was a chore to get ready for work. She’d been noticing this for a few months, and wondered if she’d gained THAT much weight in her legs specifically? Were they just so so much heavier than they had been? If only she’d known about ketogenic metabolic therapy.

As she walked to the car, she tripped and nearly fell on her face. It startled her, and sent a sensation of panic jolting through her. Her heart pounded, and she couldn’t catch her breath. It washed over her how awful it would have felt if she’d fallen hard on the concrete. She was only 25, but it would have hurt. Bad.

Absent-Mindedness Wasn’t A Joke

Once in the car, she couldn’t find her keys. She dug through her purse and didn’t find them. She went back in the house and looked everywhere! Where were they? Finally, she realized they were in her hand. She rolled her eyes. This happened... All. The. Time.

Even after she started the car and put it in gear, she was still shaking from that near fall. This had been happening more and more, where something unexpected struck her with a panicked feeling. Losing her keys hadn’t helped.

Why were her reactions so intense? For several months, she’d found herself making mountains out of molehills, mostly at work. But…at home too, now that she thought about it. She couldn’t seem to let things slide off her back. Everything was a big, bad event.

She felt raw…and volatile.

She determined she would look at that email that caught her attention after work. There was a lot to learn, and soon she would begin to learn about ketogenic metabolic therapy and how it can heal.

While she ate her dinner that evening, she scanned her emails to find the one about National Nutrition Month. It mentioned the concept of “farm-to-fork.” Farm to what? She followed links and kept reading.

Brianna learned about the nutrition found in foods grown on carefully managed farms, where soil was allowed to rest and restore nutrients, and how much that improved the nutrition of the vegetables grown there. She learned about grass fed beef, and grass finished beef. Now this was something she’d never heard of.

She knew grass fed beef provided more nutrition when you consume it. But grass finished? She dug deeper. And learned more.

Grass Fed Beef or Grass Finished Beef?

So it turned out that grass finished beef is very different from grass fed. “Grass fed” refers to cattle that were fed grass at some point in their lives… it might be that they started eating grass when they were young, then were fed other things, like grain. “Grass finished” beef refers to cattle fed nothing but grass their entire lives.

She learned that grass finished beef has a deeper red color than traditional beef because of its high vitamin E content from the grass the cow ate. Vitamin E is extremely beneficial in helping to balance cholesterol, reduce free radicals, improve vision…in fact, this said it seemed to lower risks of some types of cancer.

It also had nothing added, like hormones, and was rich in antioxidants vitamins like A, B6, B12, D and E. These improve skin health, strengthen immunity, and improve your memory and mood.

Hmmmm… my mood…and memory? This is surprising. I never thought much about nutrition before, and it sure never occurred to me that the food I eat can make my mood better or worse…or my memory, for heavens sake!

Brianna searched the internet for more articles about farm to fork… and nutrition… and mood. She saw articles about ketogenic diet and how it can help all sorts of medical problems. She ran across the term ketogenic metabolic therapy. Now this was brand new to her. The concept of using a ketogenic diet to treat metabolic illness.

Definitely not her wheelhouse.

But wait. The next article she scanned talked about metabolic syndrome, and metabolic conditions. And it described symptoms she actually had. Like weight gain, a spreading waistline, lack of energy, apathy, fatigue. People described feeling weighed down, emotionally and physically.

Brianna had to admit it to herself. This could be HER.

Then, she ran across a link to Metabolic Psychiatry so she clicked. It was informative, and described their program for helping people improve their outlook and mood, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and a host of other conditions by using light exercise and food as medicine. And she read about ketogenic metabolic therapy.

Wha…?

Food as medicine?

She learned that when a person has this “metabolic syndrome,” a most effective way to treat it is by drastically reducing carbohydrates, and eating a wide variety of farm grown foods that are first, low in carbohydrates, plus from all the color groups.

And to eat foods high in fat. So it might include avocados, and cheeses, coconut or olive oil (avoiding seed oils), grass fed butter, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and trout, grass finished beef, and heritage pigs that are allowed to forage in grass.

She learned that ultra processed foods like frozen pizza, lunchmeat, potato and corn chips (her weakness), donuts !!Oh NO!!, and artificial sweeteners, were all contributing to her metabolic problems.

It had never, EVER, occurred to her that her snacks and fast food – and frozen dinners with diet drinks – were all contributing to how bad she felt.

So, Brianna found a program on this website that offered support, a dietitian to help her with planning her diet, and group conversations along with walks in nature, to help her reset her life.

She called for an appointment.

Learning… To Improve Her Life

It was time to get serious, and learn.

She was able to get an appointment to learn about the program on Friday.

Brianna found out she was depressed and had moderate anxiety, as well as brain fog. No wonder she’d been so down. She also learned she was pre diabetic. Who knew? She should have, if she’d been paying attention.

But that was ok. She was paying attention now. And she was going to find out what to do to fix her mind and her body.

Brianna joined the Touchpoints 180™ program and got to work. She knew this was going to be challenging. But she wanted to improve her life. So she set herself up to start reading all she could.

The first thing she did when she got home was to throw away all the frozen pizza, burritos, TV dinners, ice cream, cookies, bread, rice, and potatoes. She knew this would surely be a learning experience, but those foods were glaringly obvious offenders.

LOW CARB. That was the ticket.

Then, a quick trip to the grocery store to load up on salmon, trout, scallops, grass fed beef. (They’d told her at the Metabolic Psychiatry office that they had sources for grass finished beef, so she’d find out about that this week.) She bought avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, kale, broccoli, eggs — good whole food, not powders, processed or commercial “keto”.

Once home, she prepared her first meal. “Wow! This is delicious!!” It was scallops sautéed in garlic and grass fed butter with a caprese salad of cherry tomatoes, thick mozzarella slices, and fresh basil leaves. It was a symphony of flavor! East. And night and day better and more delicious than fast food.

She hadn’t realized what she was missing!

Weeks passed. Her transition to therapeutic nutritional ketosis the first week wasn’t unpleasant, though she heard that it was for some people. It’s not to say that she never missed the junk food she’d lived on all her life. Sometimes French fries sounded appealing, but she would just eat a few avocado slices and the desire dissipated.

She was so focused on buying food, attending the nature walks, preparing meals to take to work as well as to eat at home, she forgot to weigh herself. So after 4 1/2 weeks she stepped on the scale before her shower.

Brianna’s jaw dropped.

She’d lost 18 lbs!! No wonder her clothes felt so frumpy.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled a big, bright smile. She hadn’t noticed, but she could see it now. She was slimmer. What a reward!

She decided she would go shopping on Saturday, and get some clothes that fit better. Maybe only a couple outfits, because she knew she would lose more.

After 5 1/2 months, she had lost 35 lbs, and was still losing. She had dropped 3 dress sizes so far.

But more important, the fatigue, anxiety, and depression were gone. She had energy, hope, and anticipation about the future. Her thinking was more clear and sharp than it had been in many years…well, since she was a child.

And she was feeling so much calmer, she was coping with life better, and enjoyed a wonderful feeling of wellbeing.

Plus, an important and added benefit revealed itself at her next doctor visit. Her A1C had dropped and was low enough she was no longer considered pre-diabetic. She’d dodged that freight train, too!

And this was all about the food she ate!

The term ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) had meaning for her now that she had experienced such improved health, and freedom from symptoms, as a result of the way she was now eating and her involvement in the Touchpoints 180™ program.

She knew this was not a fad. This was a whole new way of life that was solving her problems and removing her obstacles. And it was sustainable. She decided to maintain a low carb lifestyle and a ketogenic diet.

Her instincts told her if she went back to eating like she used to, she’d end up diabetic, sick, and depressed again. She wanted no part of that.

This wasn’t an experiment. This was a new and better way to live. And she was going to keep living it.

With joy.

What About You?

Do you struggle with symptoms of metabolic dysfunction, like erratic blood sugars, weight gain around the waist plus everywhere else? Depression, anxiety, brain fog? Maybe PTSD, OCD, or bipolar disorder?

Perhaps you haven’t realized that these conditions are metabolic, just as diabetes is. If not, you may not realize your symptoms can lift with a personalized, consistent, ketogenic diet that brings you into therapeutic nutritional ketosis.

Well, it can.

If you have symptoms like Brianna, and you hadn’t connected the dots to realize you can experience relief with ketogenic metabolic therapy, call us.

We’ve set up a way to help you get the relief you need through Metabolic Psychiatry, including therapeutic carbohydrate restriction with a personalized, whole foods ketogenic diet.

Let us help you achieve a whole new level of health and wellbeing. That’s what we’re here for.

To the restoration of your best self,

March 18, 2024
The Ketogenic Diet Turbo Scrubs Trauma, Depression, and Anxiety

Amanda screamed in pain, trembling… unable to move. The pain in her right leg was indescribable, more than she could bear. It seemed to spread to all of herself. Jillian had cantered by on her horse, but realized Amanda was no longer beside her, and turned around to find her. Then, she saw her on the ground, her right leg sprawled unnaturally over a rock. The horse she’d been riding was galloping in the distance toward the barn. As she got closer, she realized she could see bone and blood poking through Amanda’s jeans. Jillian pulled her cell phone from her pocket and called for help, then tethered her horse to a tree branch and rushed to Amanda. Removing her jacket, she folded it and tucked it underneath Amanda’s head. Amanda continued to cry out. What could be done to scrub this trauma, depression, and anxiety and give comfort to Amanda??

Trying to soothe her, Jillian held her hand, stroked her arm, and encouraged her to lie as still as she could. Within 15 minutes, they heard a siren, followed by an ambulance that worked its way along the bridal path then came to a stop. Paramedics rushed to Amanda to stabilize her leg, and started IV fluids. Then the sound of rotors as a Life Flight helicopter descended and landed nearby.

Before long, Amanda was secured in the helicopter and transported to the nearest trauma center. Once inside, she was whisked to surgery and put to sleep.

The next thing she knew, she was groggily waking up and she saw there was a cast on her leg that started at her waist. A nurse told her that her femur had been broken in two places, but it had been set surgically, and after some months of recovery to allow the bone to mend, she would be as good as new.

Whoa. What a lot to take in.

A day that began with a leisurely ride on her horse, with her friend, had deteriorated into a shocking crisis, and a major disruption of her life. After a few days in the hospital, she was transported to her parents’ home where a hospital bed waited for her.

This was going to involve months of laying on her back, using bedpans, and no freedom. How was she going to live like this? What a nightmare! She was stunned at it all, and wished something could scrub away the trauma, depression, and anxiety that suffocated her. She picked up her cell phone and called her boss, explaining what had happened and that she would need a leave of absence… if that was possible.

The doctor said she could be laid up for 5 or 6 months….

The first couple of weeks there was the novelty of it all. Being fed on her back, waited on hand and foot by her mom, friends stopping by for visits. But then the novelty wore off, and it was the day in day out of sameness. Boredom. Worries.

Amanda found herself dreaming of hopping in her car and taking off to meet friends for shopping, dining, or drinks, or a Saturday morning horse ride. She missed getting up, showering, dressing, and driving in rush hour to work. The energy in all that, the sense of anticipation and accomplishment. She missed it. Badly.

By the beginning of the third month, the walls felt like they were closing in on her. She felt so alone and isolated — even though her mom was there during the day, and both parents were there at night. She should feel lucky, right? Her thoughts drifted to a darker place, and even the lightbulbs seemed dimmer.. gloomier. It was as though her perception of her surroundings was filtered through her dark thoughts. (She was ashamed of the isolation she felt, because she knew what a sacrifice this was for her mom who tirelessly cared for even her most basic human needs.) But she couldn’t seem to help it.

But her mom’s presence just wasn’t somehow enough.

She just lay there.

Dull. Without stimulation or hope. A listlessness invaded her mind and body. Hopelessness.

Helplessness.

She craved sunshine, fresh air, activity, busy-ness. Excitement.

Oh how she wished for something to scrub away this trauma, depression, and anxiety. It was awful.

But in that room it was as though the sky was overcast, dark, the air heavy with dread.

And the room had shrunk to a postage stamp in the last two months. Sometimes, she felt a rising dread, nervousness she couldn’t explain, sometimes she even felt panicky.

Tears ran from her eyes onto the pillow.

In the fourth month, she was transported to the hospital to modify her cast and check progress. Her orthopedic surgeon said the bone was mending nicely. Her cast was reapplied so that it only came up to her hip and she could now sit.

Though there was some relief in that, she didn’t care. She was resigned to her isolation and helplessness.

Her surgeon could see she was emotionally flat. It oozed out of every pore.

“How are you coping with all this, Amanda?”

“Fine.”

He could see this wasn’t true.

“You know, being in a body cast is pretty hard on some people. Few of us are prepared for the sudden cessation of the life we’ve come to know. The lack of activity, social life, independence. It gets to people. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re an independent and capable young woman who has lost your independence. And even though it’s temporary, it can still take a toll.

“I’m going to set up a referral to another doctor who may be able to help you get through this less painfully.”

Once Amanda was home and settled into a wheelchair, the phone rang.

It was the psychiatrist her orthopedist had recommended. They agreed upon a tele psychiatry appointment for the following morning.

“Hi Amanda. I understand you’ve suffered an accident and a severely broken leg. Tell me what this has been like for you..?”

“It’s been hard. The pain was terrible at first, but I had pain meds. It doesn’t hurt much anymore, but the huge cast has kept me nailed to the bed. I just couldn’t have dreamed how hard that would be.”

After they talked about Amanda’s experiences the last four months, the doctor told her she was showing symptoms of depression, as well as anxiety.

“You need something that can scrub away the trauma, depression, and anxiety you’re experiencing. At our practice, we offer different treatment options to help your emotions heal — and one of them is treatment specifically that targets the metabolism deep within all your cells. Are you familiar with the keto diet, and what it can do?”

Amanda hesitated. “Keto diet? I know some people use it to lose weight…”

“Yes, that’s true. But in psychiatry, we’re learning more all the time about how a diet that produces ketones can help resolve epilepsy, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, psychiatric illness, and more. Since many people suffer from more than one ailment, a ketogenic metabolic therapy — a treatment that gets your body to produce ketones — can address multiple issues at the same time.

“For example, people with diabetes are more prone to depression, and people with depression often also have anxiety… and the list goes on. In your case, the trauma of your injury, and the subsequent treatment you’ve needed for it, have given way to depression and anxiety in you.

“By feeding the mitochondria — or power-producing mechanism in your cells — with ketones instead of glucose, your cells can able function more efficiently. The over-excitability in the cells that leads to anxiety can calm… and the cells that are functioning poorly can come up to speed, relieving depression symptoms, brain fog, hopelessness, and the other churning thoughts in your head.

“We’re experts at getting this to happen for you—safely.”

A flicker of hope flashed in Amanda for a split second.

“Amanda, I’m going to set up a full evaluation for our Metabolic Psychiatry program where we will help you upgrade your food choices so that you feel much better. Also, now that you’re in a wheelchair, you can roll yourself outside and soak up some sunshine. I want you to start doing that, in the mornings, if possible. Try to give it 30 minutes or so a day.

“Also, there is an online broadcast that can help you understand this treatment better. It’s called Metabolic Mind. I think you’d like it and learn a ton.

“Yes, I think so. I don’t feel like making effort of any kind these days, but I do want to feel better, and I don’t want more pills.”

The evaluation was incredible—so detailed, so comprehensive, joint feedback and she got more and more excited by the process, all the tools, the digital apps, the group support. It was so personalized, and the support step by step, the monitoring of her symptoms and labs…

She felt taken care of.

A couple hours later her mom returned with groceries, and enlisted Amanda’s help in preparing a simple but nutritious ketogenic lunch of salad with sliced avocado, grilled chicken, and almonds, with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

That evening, with salmon cooked in olive oil and feta-covered buttered broccoli for dinner, Amanda found she was really liking this new approach to food.

Within a week she could tell a slight difference in her outlook. Was it being able to sit up? Or maybe the daily patio sessions in the sun? Was it the food?

She wasn’t sure, but something was changing.

Two weeks later, her mind was clearing. That dark dread was getting lighter, the fogginess and difficulty thinking was gone. Gone.

The following month, she invited a couple friends for lunch, and they all hung out in the kitchen putting lunch together, chattering and laughing, catching up on the latest gossip.

Tears stung her mom’s eyes as she watched.

Another month later, and Amanda’s cast was removed. She went to physical therapy to work on getting her mobility back, and walked with a cane for awhile. Eventually, she was driving again, and finally started back to work. She was enjoying relief from the whole nightmare… it seemed as if her metabolic treatment had scrubbed the trauma, depression, and anxiety that had plagued her for months.

By the time she was back on the job, her leg was working better and better, but more important, her outlook on life was bright and hopeful.

Amanda realized that the worst impairment had not been her broken leg, but her shattered outlook, and she was beyond grateful to see clearly again.

Moving forward, Amanda didn’t want to risk the return of that anxiety or the depression, so it was a no-brainer to continue the metabolic regimen she had begun that had brought her so much relief. Besides, the weight she had gained lying in bed all those months was now coming off. What a relief. It had been a long seven months… but she was finally feeling like herself, and she was finally seeing the other side of this catastrophe.

Hope flourished.

Have you experienced a life altering trauma that you found almost impossible to cope with? Did it feel like you had lost those aspects of yourself that make you who you are?

If helplessness has turned into hopelessness and despair for you, call us.

We offer more innovations than ever to help you feel better, and pursue the kind of rewards you seek for a fulfilling and fruitful life.

To the restoration of your best self,

July 10, 2023
When You See that Not All Kids are Butterflies

Marc and Amber had two children. One who was outgoing and gregarious…who never met a stranger…and one who was shy, inhibited, and thoughtful, as well as very intelligent. Cecie was the outgoing one who lived in joy and exuberance, but not all kids are butterflies. Liam was the deep thinking, brooding one. When they were young, Marc and Amber thought they’d never have to worry about Cecie who seemed to have the world at her feet. But they did worry about Liam, as he usually seemed so tied up in knots, rarely relaxing. As the oldest, he looked after Cecie to some degree, but she tried to help him, too. When they were very young, Liam was too shy to order French fries for himself, or an ice cream. But Cecie loved to stand on her tiptoes, peer over the counter, and order for both of them. And Liam was happy for the help.

However, what really worried his parents was that Liam found it so difficult to make friends. Amber would accompany him to class on his first day of school the first few years, and strike up conversations with students at nearby desks. She saw it as priming the pump, so to speak. Once she could encourage conversation between Liam and at least one other student, she would bid him goodbye and leave the classroom. It was the best she knew to do to ease his pain.

Even as a young child, Liam’s palms sweated when he was in social situations. His face would freeze, and he’d be stiff all over. It was so difficult for him to relax and engage with others. He could hardly talk. He wanted friends, but couldn’t overcome the frozen state that would overcome him around his peers. Bottom line, it’s just a fact that not all kids are butterflies. What’s easy for one may be extremely difficult for another.

Giving Liam Tools

Amber worked with him from a young age to help him develop positive responses to new people, by smiling and reaching out to shake their hands… and saying, “I’m Liam. I’m glad to meet you.” Liam was relieved to have something he could memorize and do in those terrifying, awkward moments.

Marc recognized that his son struggled to function around people he didn’t know, but saw that he was relaxed and happy at home. He didn’t see what Amber saw, as Liam tried to navigate his way through so many situations. They enrolled him in Little League, to help him work with a team, and to have access to other boys his age.

Thankfully, there was usually a kid who was so outgoing that he reached out tenaciously to overcome Liam’s withdrawal and connect with him. If they hadn’t, he would have never had a friend. He just couldn’t ever seem to make any overtures toward others around him. When he was thrown into situations that presented him with mandatory interaction, Liam just tucked his chin and endured.

Amber worried.

She thought about what life would throw at Liam when he grew up. How would he apply for a job? How would he survive in college? Living with a roommate in the dorm? How would he ever relax enough to develop friendships with girls…? To eventually date? Would he ever become independent enough to build a rewarding, meaningful life? She recognized that not all kids are butterflies, but how could she help him overcome the obstacles he faced?

By the time Liam was in middle school, he was developing more and more interest in computers, software, apps, and games. He would play online games with others and found it so much easier to interact online where he was anonymous.

Marc and Amber were glad to see him spreading his wings, at least virtually. They were glad he was actually connecting with people he didn’t know. They talked with him about being safe, and not allowing himself to be lured away from the house, or to let anyone have access to his own computer from the outside.

With impatience, Liam said, “Of course not.”

They knew he was intelligent as well as self protective. In spite of being so withdrawn, he was also pretty savvy. They hoped that playing these games would help him develop social skills in a way that would eventually pay off in his life in a bigger sense.

Maybe a Party Would Help

They encouraged him to invite friends over…maybe have a party. He looked at them aghast.

“A party..? I have one friend. I don’t know people to invite to a ‘party’ for gosh sakes. But thanks for trying.”

Ok, so not all kids are butterflies. Amber knew so well that Liam marched to a different drummer. Even so, she tried to get acquainted with the parents of the one friend Liam spent time with. She encouraged Liam to invite the friend — Jason — to spend the night. She was always always looking for ways to help Liam branch out, relax, enjoy life, and make friends, even in little ways.

Meanwhile, Cecie’s social life bloomed constantly. She had slumber parties, pedicure parties, cookie swaps with her friends. She was always busy, always enthusiastically planning something new and exciting. It was all Amber could do to keep up with her daughter’s schedule.

You might say she had a child on each end of the extreme. One was such a social butterfly, she kept Amber exhausted. The other was such a loner, it kept her worried about whether he’d ever be able to function in the world.

She loved them both so much. How could she prepare both of them for what life would throw at them?

By the time Liam was in high school, his academic accomplishments were remarkable. But he refused to attend the awards ceremonies each year to receive his rewards for his performance. He wanted nothing to do with the crowded auditorium and the noise of all those people talking. Not all kids are butterflies, but it grieved Amber that her son couldn’t go to the ceremonies for the rewards he had earned.

By this time he had refused to go into another barbershop or hair dresser’s for a haircut. Again, he just couldn’t handle the noise or the people he didn’t know. So his hair grew. And grew.

And he spent his waking hours outside of school with his nose glued to the computer screen.

But, Marc and Amber had to admit that it wasn’t all bad. Liam was developing real, marketable skills in the thousands of hours he spent on the computer. He’d learned how to design and build apps and had even sold one to a business that offered fishing guides and tackle.

Even so…how would he go to college when he couldn’t handle noise or strangers? How could he live in the dorm…? How could he go to work eventually and support himself?

Permanently Dependent Middle Aged Child?

Amber pictured…in her mind’s eye… Marc and herself in their 60’s with their son in his 40’s still living at home and interacting with the world on his computer. What if he didn’t overcome this? It wasn’t that a job like that wouldn’t be honorable. It was that there needed to be more to his life than a computer screen. Marriage, children, baseball games, skiing, hobbies…all the things people enjoy when they aren’t working. It made her sick to think of her beautiful son withdrawn and dependent on his parents to protect him from a world of people and places. Sure, not all kids are butterflies, but didn’t he deserve to be happy? Was he happy?

She just didn’t know how to help him.

She and Marc talked about it from time to time, wondering how they might encourage his development. Such a gifted young man, but hidden away in his own personal cave.

Then, Marc read about depression and social anxiety. He recognized the symptoms that he saw in his son. Armed with that insight, he googled treatments for depression as well as treatments for social anxiety. IV ketamine treatment kept emerging in the articles he read.

Apparently, ketamine treatment demonstrated effectiveness in many cases of depression, and for some, could relieve the symptoms of social anxiety. He learned that social anxiety could critically interfere with social development, job interviews, and independence.

He talked with Amber about what he’d learned.

That Liam’s extreme withdrawal could actually be symptoms of a condition, as opposed to just being his personality. His sweating palms, shaking hands, frozen facial expression were caused by anxiety. And it could be treated.

He also talked to Amber about herself. Sixteen years of worrying about her son had become almost obsessive, and her tensions, fears, and exhaustion might also be symptomatic of depression and anxiety in her, too.

Amber agreed to call a doctor in their area who’d been mentioned in one of the articles they read. She made an appointment for all three of them to talk with the psychiatrist.

The doctor wanted to see Amber and Liam individually, then she spoke with all three together.

She agreed that ketamine treatment could be of great benefit to Liam, and could open up so many possibilities for him. She also agreed that Amber’s stress had worn down her resilience and hope.

The doctor encouraged the family to consider ketamine treatment for both of them, with the understanding that ketamine isn’t for everyone. In some cases, it didn’t result in the desired outcome…at least, initially. But in the vast majority of cases, it could be transformative…and even lead to remission.

Hope Rises

Liam felt hope for the first time in is life. He really wanted to receive the treatment, and they scheduled him for the infusions to begin that day. Maybe it could turn out ok that not all kids are butterflies. Maybe just maybe?

Amber was reluctant at first. But when she saw her son’s transformation over the next few weeks, she agreed with Marc that she should schedule treatments for herself, too.

Liam felt better after the first treatment. He felt like a load was being lifted off him. With each infusion, he felt more relaxed, more comfortable in his own skin, and more at ease with others. He signed up for the debate club at school and excelled at each competition. His confidence grew as his team mates praised him and patted him on the back.

Amber was amazed at Liam’s improvement. But it was like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. However, after her own third infusion, she noticed feeling better. She continued with 7 infusions in all, and found herself flooded with hope, confidence, and creativity.

As a family, the four of them began to enjoy each other in a new way. They laughed together with Liam cracking as many clever jokes as Cecie did. Liam found himself spending more and more time with his friends on the debate team, sometimes at his house, and sometimes elsewhere.

Confidence Helps Him Excel

By the time he graduated with his hair pulled back in a man-bun, he had earned 3 scholarships for the university he planned to attend. It no longer mattered that not all kids are butterflies. Liam was excelling for who he was.

Liam looked forward to college and to living in the dorm. He was ready to leave home and spread his wings. Marc and Amber could hardly contain the gratitude they felt about Liam’s blossoming.

And Amber had the energy and initiative to enjoy her husband on a new level, without the worry that had kept her captive for so long. She found new things to do with Cecie and enjoyed the trips they took together exploring universities for her.

Sometimes the stress of one family member spills over into others in the family. Sometimes there are those who suffer in the most obvious way, but others who suffer in the shadows.

Ketamine treatment is versatile, and can treat a variety of conditions.

If you or your loved one has suffered from symptoms like Liam or Amber did, and nothing else has helped, call us.

We want to see you bloom and enjoy the best you, you can be.

Give yourself the hope, creativity, confidence, and resilience you need to live your best life.

To the restoration of your best self,

February 27, 2023
Worry About His Apathy? IV Ketamine Treatment Can Help

Dan and Teresa were worried. It had been going on so long, they couldn’t remember when it started. Their son, Will, had been a good natured boy growing up, and had shown responsibility and good intentions when asked to tend to tasks to contribute to the family. He had always had a sparkle in his eye, enthusiasm for family projects, and did his best to carry his weight. But somewhere along the way, he had become more passive, quieter to some degree…and less interested in conversation with his parents. Or at least it seemed that way. It seemed that he honestly didn’t care about much of anything. Dan’s worry about his apathy was eating a hole in his heart.

Why Was Will So Apathetic?

He didn’t have many friends as far as his parents could tell, and showed little interest in inviting them over. He spent a lot of time alone in his room, playing video games or watching TV. He’d been a conscientious student through middle school, but now his grades barely passed. When they set limits on his alone time, and insisted he do his homework, it made only the slightest difference in his overall grades.

Dan and Teresa tried to talk with him but he just didn’t have anything to say. He just stared at his lap and said, “I don’t know…” over and over.

It was maddening, frustrating, and irritating. But mostly they were getting really worried about him. They didn’t seem to know Will any more. That was the worst of it. That and the fear they felt for his future. Their worry about his apathy dominated their minds.

After racking their brains to try to think of something to draw him out of his funk, it occurred to them he might enjoy a family camping trip… and maybe he’d relax enough to talk… even a little.

Family Camping Trip

So they scheduled it for a 3 day weekend that was coming up, and packed up his favorite foods for the trip. They also rented a kayak, hoping he might enjoy paddling around the lake.

Will didn’t fight the idea of going, but he also showed no enthusiasm for it. Even this! Teresa was tempted to feel offended, but she tried to push those thoughts out of her mind. Hoping for the best, the family took off for a state park an hour away.

Teresa tried to strike up a conversation in the car, but Will only answered her questions with a single word: yes… or no. Finally, she popped in a CD hoping that music would soothe whatever was wrong.

But what was wrong? Why did Will seem so disconnected? Did anything matter to him?

Dan was tied up in knots about it. He had trouble focusing on his job, or accomplishing much of anything. His intelligent and gifted son seemed to have checked out of life. In a couple years he would need to go to college to try to start to build his future, but Dan knew if something didn’t give, he’d never make it in college.

His fear for his son seemed to translate to stomach pain. The more he worried, the greater his pain. He knew he should probably talk to his doctor about it, but he just didn’t have time for this right now. It was such a distraction. He feared for Will. And his worry about Will’s apathy made him just want to put his fist through a wall. Would he ever be able to take care of himself?

Will Sheds Some Light

Their camping was uneventful until the second day. Dan and Teresa were cooking fish they’d caught in the lake over an open fire. Will was hungry and enjoyed the aroma of the fish and veggies cooking. He broke the silence.

“Listen you guys, I know you’re worried about me. I don’t know what to say. Just don’t feel like doing much of anything. I don’t care about school or friends. Really, I don’t care about anything. But I don’t know why. I know I used to when I was a kid. But it’s like something died inside me. I don’t know what happened.”

Teresa put her arm around her son.

“Thanks for opening up about it, Will. We’ll help. If you’re willing, we’d like to pursue some ideas to try to help you. Would you be willing to see a doctor?”

Dan added, “Sometimes pressures and hormones make it really tough to figure things out. Be patient with yourself, son.”

They ate the smoky food in silence, but some tension had been broken.

Dan Gets His Own Insight

Dan realized, in the relief of that breakthrough, that he’d let his own worry for Will overwhelm him and interfere in his life and work. He’d become irritable with his wife and son…and avoided emotional intimacy with them because he couldn’t face the failure he felt about raising a son who wasn’t OK, who might not be successful. He’d lost faith that his son was going to grow up to be OK.

He had to shake himself to remember that life can be messy. It doesn’t always follow a smooth, linear path to a happy ending. And his family needed him to be available, engaged, and caring. He needed to be on his game. But his worry about Will’s apathy was so intense at this point, he felt like he needed some help to be functional again…for his family and for himself.

After searching the internet to see what might help, he learned that ketamine treatment had proven particularly helpful for depression and anxiety. After studying what he could about doctors in his area who offered it, he settled on a psychiatrist with a strong reputation, and made an appointment to discuss it.

Dan Takes a Step to Get Help

It occurred to him that this same treatment might help Will, but he felt like Will needed some time to accept — and participate in — treatment, and he also knew that he needed help so he could help Will.

His initial consultation with the psychiatrist revealed he was actually depressed, and that since he had tried a couple different antidepressants (that didn’t help) the previous year, he needed something more.

IV Ketamine Treatment

So he was scheduled for IV ketamine treatment, which involved 6 or more infusions over about 3 weeks.

After each infusion, he felt a change. It was subtle at first, but by the third or fourth infusion he realized he was beginning to feel better about himself and his life. He felt some hope about Will, and began to know that Will was going to be ok with time and support.

He received 7 infusions in all, and continued to feel better and better over the next few weeks that followed.

A New Lease on Life

By then it seemed his patience had grown, as well as his insight into Will’s situation. Dan felt a new lease on life, to tell the truth. And he had more and more energy for engaging with his wife and son. He found ways to talk with Will that his son responded to favorably, and trust began to grow again between them.

Teresa was so relieved to have her husband back, and together they built their relationship stronger and deeper. Plus Will’s outlook began to also improve in that atmosphere.

Will finally told his parents he was worried about his own apathy, and that he’d like to talk to the doctor about ketamine treatment for himself. Watching the change in his dad gave him hope that maybe there was help for him, too.

The doctor explained that ketamine treatment wasn’t for everyone, but since Dan and Will were related and Dan had responded so well, chances were good that it could help Will, too.

As it happened, Will responded very well to his own ketamine treatment. Though he couldn’t tell any difference after the first few infusions, he could feel himself feeling again after the 4th. It wasn’t dramatic at first, but still undeniable.

After 8 infusions, Will’s motivation grew stronger, and initiative replaced the apathy that had plagued him. He started doing better and better in school, and by the end of the year was making A’s and B’s. Confusion and brain fog gave way to more clarity. The future began to matter to Will, and he started thinking about what career he might want to prepare for in college.

Life Takes a Turn

Dan, Teresa, and Will grew closer after weathering depression, anxiety, and hopelessness together, then recovering together after ketamine treatment. They had forged a bond, and developed insights together they hadn’t had before. They no longer worried about anyone’s apathy — because it just wasn’t there anymore — and were free to enjoy the richer aspects of life.

They branched out socially, like they hadn’t in years. Will developed more friendships and Teresa and Dan began to get out more, too.

It’s amazing how restoration of hope and resilience can affect so many aspects of life.

But it can.

If you’re worried about a family member, and it’s affecting your performance at home or at work, you can probably relate to Dan. Or maybe you struggle with apathy yourself…?

Apathy may not be a willful refusal to ignore what’s important. It can be a symptom of depression.

If you’re struggling a lot like Dan or Will, and you haven’t found anything that helps, call us.

As Will’s doctor pointed out, ketamine doesn’t help everyone, but it can be remarkably helpful to most who receive it.

Applying your efforts to building a healthy infrastructure, living a lifestyle that supports joy, and eating a diet rich in flavonoids and healthy fats, you can increase the benefits you receive from your ketamine treatment.

Let us help you celebrate your best self for a long time to come.

To the restoration of your best self,

February 13, 2023
When Life Tanks – You Can Still Land on Your Feet

Tom was worried sick. After twenty years of marriage, his wife had left. He had three kids, Bella and Dylan at home and Bodin in college, and he was desperately trying to keep their family afloat. His wife, Karen, had had an affair with the guy across the street. Then she moved out to pursue a new lifestyle. Her behavior had been erratic, and she was drinking heavily. Tom was afraid for the kids to be alone with her, afraid of the danger of her driving under the influence. The kids missed her dreadfully, and cried that she had left. They were too young to understand her behavior, and blamed Tom that he “drove her away.” When your family tanks–how can you land on your feet?

He not only felt helpless, he was helpless. And so betrayed. The kids seemed to be instinctively protective of her. He understood and tried to support their emotions, while continuing to be strong so they’d feel secure. But he didn’t feel strong. He felt like he’d unravel at any moment.

Friends of the family tried to help by taking the kids to school when they missed their bus, dropping by with dinner, and shuttling the kids to their practices and home again. Tom was beyond grateful for the kind souls who helped in so many ways while he was at work.

But in his core, he’d never felt so gutted, so without resilience, in the face of all this. Although he required they clean their rooms and help with folding clothes, he was tolerant with just how little they did; they barely completed their chores. Everyone was hurting.

Then the phone calls started.

Late night drunken phone calls from his estranged wife, accusing him of all sorts of despicable acts that came out of her twisted, inebriated imagination. She was immune to reason, and the fact that he had never even thought of doing the vile acts she accused him of made no difference. Her bitterness toward him drove her to tell all these horrors to the kids. And the trusting kids believed her.

After he would end the call, he’d quake with sobs, unable to believe his wife of over 20 years could even think these things. How do you land on your feet in this chaos?

But as terrible as all this was, his deepest fear was the potential damage to his kids. Bella and Dylan were in middle school. They were old enough to assert themselves and express their anger, but too young to be able to reason what was reality and what was imaginary on their mom’s part.

After living lives as a happy family, with activities, responsibilities, and rewards, this traumatic situation had crashed into them out of left field. Everything they had grown up to believe in was being shattered. Their trust was shattered. How would they ever be OK again and land on their feet?

How would they live their lives after seeing their very foundations disintegrate beneath them?

Next, it came out that his wife had been living with a new guy, but had left him and was living with another.

How could he let his children go to her house? In the midst of all that?? But if he forced his will, it would alienate the kids even more than they already were.

He told them often how much he loved them, and how heartbroken he was that they were going through this chaos, but it was hard for them to hear. They were torn about whether they could believe him because it would imply their mom couldn’t be believed. They didn’t really want to consider that.

And what about school? The trauma and chaos in their family life caused school to dim in importance for them. Tom talked with them often about how important it was to try to stay engaged in school and not let it slide. That their involvement in something steady, stimulating, and reliable could really help them get through all this.

Tom tried so hard.

To keep their home intact, eat evening meals at the table so they could talk about their day, to ask about their homework and how it was going for them. They insisted on going to their mom’s house so he gave in. But each time he worried and worried that they’d have access to alcohol, or some other substance. He knew his wife lacked boundaries when she was like this.

He also worried about a car accident if his wife drove impaired.

Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined he would one day use the courts to protect his kids from their own mom. She’d been a great nurturing mom up until now. It was shattering. He seriously wondered if there was any path back to restoring their family. He deeply feared he would have to parent the children alone. They deserved so much more. He desperately hoped they could land on their feet a year from now.

After the kids told him about a close call in the car, he talked to his lawyer to require the kids have visitation with their mom at his house, so he could keep them safe. And that made the kids more angry.

Tom’s work suffered severely. But after 25 years in a strong company, they were giving him lots of slack to manage the crises in his family. However, he just couldn’t seem to revive the creative thought that had earned him his position. When he was at the office, he was stymied by distraction, wondering how the kids were doing. He hoped his oldest was managing to keep his grades up in college.

Time would tell about that.

Finally, he had to sit down and think hard about the stress. The kids were suffering from a great deal of stress, but it wasn’t just the kids. He, himself, was suffering. And it was affecting everything. His work, his effectiveness with his children in their time of need, his own health and wellbeing. Something just had to give.

He decided to make an appointment with the psychiatrist his wife had seen. He wasn’t sure what he needed, or if he could get his feet back under him. But it just seemed like a good place to start.

The doctor was so sorry to hear what was going on with Karen. She hoped Karen would reach out for help. But she wanted to focus on Tom and how the traumas and tragedies were affecting him.

His constant worry, exhaustion, and anxiety plus added depression symptoms, made him a candidate for a special treatment.

Since antidepressants he had taken earlier that year hadn’t been effective, she recommended ketamine treatment to help him gain hope and resilience. She said it could also calm the unrelenting worry and fear and help him land on his feet again.

By the third or fourth infusion, Tom could tell he was changing. It was hard to put his finger on it, because it was subtle, but he was feeling stronger… and getting trickles of hope.

By the 6th infusion, he was laughing at times, and feeling a bit more relaxed.

He continued for 2 more infusions and began seeing a therapist to help him untangle the emotional paralysis he’d felt. Hope was growing inside him every day. The energy to tackle work was coming back.

And he began to rise above the chaos at home and think of fun things to take the kids to do, to help them unwind and talk more freely. As a family, they broadened in their thinking together as they communicated about what had happened with their mom, but also about their hopes and dreams for their own lives.

They enrolled in riding lessons together, so they could enjoy horses and the fresh air as a family. And they went camping, talking by the fire, making s’mores, and hiking in the mornings.

Little by little, over time, life began to balance out.

Meanwhile, Karen kept her appointments with her psychiatrist, and started taking her medications again. Her times with her children became more stable, and less traumatic.

Bella, Dylan, and Bodin learned to let go of their naive views of their parents, and by living the realities of the crisis, became more adapted to the humanness of their family members, as well as more forgiving. With counseling, they learned to support, rather than attack. They all worked together to land on their feet.

A family crisis can be shattering when it dismantles the preconceived views family members hold of themselves as a unit. When that happens, it can require energy, adaptation, and a changing perception of people and events. Ketamine’s ability to enhance neuroplasticity can help with this process. It can also repair dendrites and dendritic spines in the synaptic connections between brain cells to improve and increase signaling across the brain. Its action in the lateral habenula can restore your power to enjoy.

While ketamine treatment isn’t for everyone… for reasons we don’t really understand… it can work extraordinary results in so many people who are just trying to land on their feet.

If you identify with Tom and his anxiety, depression, and exhaustion in your own family crisis, call us.

Ketamine treatment can’t solve the fallout of divorce, but it can help you build resilience and hope for balancing out and living a rewarding life again.

Remember: we work every day together with you to help you live well again, and embrace the challenges you face, through treatment, diet, and a healthy life. Give yourself a chance at the best life for you.

To the restoration of your best self,

February 6, 2023
When Your Child Battles With Special Needs… It’s a Battle for You, Too

Angela unconsciously rubbed her forehead. She tried not to worry, but it was futile. Her son, Matt, was 17 and suffered with bipolar disorder, as well as a chronic condition that had caused him to lose most of his eyesight. Emotional regulation was very difficult for him, and his medications only helped slightly. The frustration he experienced from his impaired vision triggered frequent explosive reactions. She did all she could to help him cope, find better doctors, take his medication on schedule, etc. But it took all she had to give to try to help him stay on track in his life, and it wasn’t enough. Trouble was, she wouldn’t live forever. What would happen to Matt after she was gone? When your child battles with special needs, you may be the only one who can help.

She was startled from her reverie by a loud crash. Jumping up, Angela ran toward the sound and discovered Matt in the living room, holding a broken lamp he’d just slammed against the wall.

“Matt! Is everything ok..?” She kept her tone calm and reassuring. She knew if she showed alarm, Matt would likely escalate. Many years of experience had taught her to avoid inflections, tones, or facial expressions that could incite a reaction from her son.

“I couldn’t get the light to turn on. When I tried to turn the knob on it, I couldn’t see it and the lamp toppled. I tried to catch it before it fell but it slipped through my hands…!”

She kept her face frozen in a look of concern. “Oh Matt. I’m so sorry.”

Angela knew Matt hadn’t set out to break the lamp, but he had a short fuse, and responding to frustration calmly always seemed to be beyond his ability. She grabbed the broom and dustpan and swept up the mess then put it in the trash. Matt grabbed his white cane and exploded out the front door.

She didn’t know where he went, but they were way past the point where she could control what he did or where he went. Countless experiences like this assured her that he’d be back when he’d walked long enough to cool off. When your child battles with special needs, you learn how to navigate the hard moments.

She made a cup of coffee and sat at the table with it. As she sipped, she thought back over the last 8 years since Matt was diagnosed. Like that first time she saw him pick up a vase and smash it on the tile floor in a rage. The day their lives changed forever.

Angela felt like such a failure as a mother. She tried to convince herself that Matt’s problems weren’t her fault. That he was ill, and the loss of his eyesight just made it worse. But she often put her parenting under a microscope to critique all her decisions and responses, and it seemed to her that Matt’s behavior was proof that she didn’t have the wisdom to be his mom.

Once again, she got her laptop and googled facilities that could help her son learn to manage his life. He had never raised a hand to her, had never hurt her. But he had caused a lot of damage to property over the years.

As she searched, she found few places where he could go for long term treatment and training. Unfortunately, those she found were prohibitively expensive. She could send him to an Ivy League university for the amount of money required! But she was a single mom, and extremely high monthly tuition was just not available. It’s tough when your child battles with special needs, and you don’t have the funds to get the help for him you wish you could.

Just then the front door opened, and Matt walked in, stashed his white cane by the door, and looked sheepish. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Oh Matt, I do understand. You know that. Did the walk help?”

“A little. But a walk, even for a couple hours, doesn’t erase the shame I feel all the time. I can’t seem to control the way I react to things, and the shame erodes me. Like acid.”

Angela wished she knew someone who could help Matt, but she also wished she had someone to talk to herself. Worry about the future ate at her, and she wondered if Matt would ever be able to build a career, or get an education. In short, would he ever be able to take care of himself?

The life they had together seemed to mostly entail putting out fires, per se. Matt was so volatile he often interrupted classes, or skipped them altogether. His grades were barely passing… or in some cases, not even that.

One night, she realized he’d been quiet, and she walked through the house to find him. She found him sitting in a lawn chair in the garage, finishing off a bottle of wine. Her heart sank. Her child battled with disabilities, and now he was trying to manage his symptoms with something around the house.

She knew he was self-medicating, but adding alcohol to the mix of everything else was just going to make his life, and hers, all the harder.

Angela strode across the garage, gently but firmly picked up the almost empty bottle, and took it to the kitchen to pour out the rest. She then got the only other bottle of wine from the top shelf and carried it to her room, locked the door, and hid it deep in her closet.

Then she walked calmly back to the garage, and suggested he go to bed. He was drunk, and any discussion now would only lead to disastrous results.

“Mom, you know I can’t sleep. The reason I drank the wine was to help me sleep. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Ok, Matt, but I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. I hope you’ll be able to get some rest.”

Angela went to her room and locked the door. She didn’t want to leave the opportunity for Matt to come in while she slept, in hopes of finding the extra wine. She got in bed, put her head on the pillow, and stared at the ceiling. She was exhausted.

The challenges of daily life with him were overwhelming, but what would become of him after she’s gone? She wouldn’t live forever. How on earth could she help him find better psychiatric care, better management of his symptoms? And how would he manage in the world without someone to drive him around, guide him, protect him from himself and others? A child who battles with special needs is heartbreaking for a parent.

Her stomach twisted in a knot as she thought about it. In fact, she remained twisted up most of the time. Loving him took all of herself. If only she had money, so she could set up a trust for his care. But that wasn’t a possibility. She feared he’d drink too much and commit a crime no one could prevent. That he’d end up in prison, blind, volatile, and angry.

What would other prisoners do to him?

His condition wasn’t his fault.

But he’d be held accountable for anything he did that might not be lawful. When he was having one of his episodes, there was no telling what sort of trouble he might get himself into.

Her mind sped in spiraling circles. She had no solutions.

Fear rose up in her and threatened to make her throat close. She was terrified for her son.

She talked to her friend, Cherie, about her fears, and Cherie searched her face.

“Angela,” she said. “You look terrible. All this is taking a tremendous toll on you. You’re a wonderful mom. But you have to accept that the health problems Matt has are not something you could have prevented, or that you can control. You honestly need to take care of you, for a change.

“You probably don’t realize it, but the stress of Matt’s problems is wearing you down with worry. Angie, you need to find a way to take a break from it. In fact, I would seriously suggest you talk to a psychiatrist for your own needs. Do you realize how beat up you are emotionally? How much damage all this worry and anxiety can do to you?”

Angela hadn’t thought about that. She was always just putting one foot in front of the other, pushing through the current crisis. Her child who battled with special needs seemed to need everything she had to give.

Cherie dug in her purse and pulled out a card, which she handed to Angela.

“This is a psychiatrist I’ve heard wonderful things about. Why don’t you call and see if you can get an appointment? Maybe he can help.”

Angela thought a lot about her conversation with Cherie. She finally picked up the card and made the call. An appointment was arranged for the following week.

When Angela met with the doctor, they talked non-stop for nearly an hour. After listening intently to her, she explained that she had been living in so much stress for so many years, and had developed generalized anxiety disorder. She gave Angela a card to a facility that offered day supervision for people like Matt so their caregivers could get a break. She also recommended that Angela seek ketamine treatment, as it could be effective for the kind of anxiety she had, the kind that had just crept into her pores.

Since ketamine had been found to be so effective for restoring joy, hope, and resilience, it was a good match for Angela’s needs.

Ketamine treatment pushed the “Reboot” button.

She signed up with the psychiatric practice her doctor recommended to receive ketamine. After 3 infusions, she began to feel less stressed and more optimistic. In all, she needed 7 infusions, and experienced something wonderful a few days after the last one. For lack of a better description, it felt to her like resilience…like when things went wrong, she could bounce back on her feet and keep going. Who knew?

This resilience also helped her to have an optimistic outlook and to take each day as it came. Worry faded, and embracing the present became more natural. As a result, she learned to take each day as it came with Matt and he seemed to become a little more calm, too.

It wasn’t that Angela’s treatments solved all her problems. It was that she had more capacity to work toward coping and seeking solutions, while also taking better care of herself.

If your child battles with special needs of any kind and needs a great deal of your support, you may need someone to care for you, too.

Does Angela’s situation strike a chord for you? If so, call us.

We’re here to help you find relief, joy, and resilience through ketamine treatment so you can face your days as your best self, with hope.

To the restoration of your best self,

January 13, 2023
Struggling to Get Your Life Going?

Are you a young adult, say between 20 and 35 or so, and find it really hard to get out on your own? Maybe it’s been hard to do well in college, or to hold a job long enough to make real progress toward your independence and future. It can be daunting to know where to start, or start again, after feeling failure from your efforts time and time again. You’re not alone. The pandemic didn’t help. It seemed like it set a lot of people back. The declining economy, closed restaurants, universities reverting to online classes, making it necessary to live with your parents. Jobs fewer and farther between. When you’re struggling to get your life going, small bumps in the road can be like mountains blocking your progress.

Maybe you feel more defeated with every blow, every setback. Until staying with your parents in your family home is just your natural default existence.

Zach could sure relate to the way you may feel. In his case, a series of events kept tripping him up, leaving him discouraged, humiliated, and feeling powerless. He was diagnosed with a chronic illness, Type 1 diabetes, when he was in first grade, and his childhood consisted of special diet, multiple blood sugars daily, occasional hospitalizations, and difficulty fighting infection.

It seemed as though he’d be going along fine with school work, then he’d get sick again from the latest virus, miss a couple weeks of school, then work on makeup work to catch up what he missed.

Over and over.

There was always pressure from school work, managing blood sugars, sickness, and makeup work.

It was hard to find time to just relax and be a kid.

And then life got harder.

His parents’ marriage fell apart following his dad’s infidelity at the beginning of his senior year. He tried to hunker down and hold steady with his classes, but his grades slumped.

Then he just felt abandoned by his parents who were both in a chaotic tempest of anger, betrayal, humiliation, anxiety, and depression. Over the next couple years, he found himself hunkered in his mom’s house, which had always been home to him. Just holding a simple job seemed to be all he could manage. Struggling to get your life going can be an uphill, near impossible quest.

He began to feel fundamentally flawed.

The people he went to high school with were halfway through college now or had jobs on a career path. Zach became more and more reluctant to visit restaurants or other public places where he might run into them. His feelings of shame and failure covered him like a lead blanket.

His mom worked to make ends meet. When she came home from work she was exhausted, bitter, and heartbroken. Zach avoided her. It had been 2 years since his dad left, and it was just too hard to continue being her sounding board.

Zach hadn’t felt supported in years, and he was barely treading water himself. Managing his diabetes in terms of diet, blood sugars, insulin, and doctor appointments was all encompassing. Sometimes he let it slide, and then paid a big price.

His embarrassment about not going to college, and having a menial job…until he got laid off…made it too hard to face friends.

He heard about a job opening at the local auto parts store, and put in an application. He hoped it would give him a chance to excel over time and might be more rewarding than fast food preparation.

Thankfully, he was hired for the job. Surely this could be a new beginning for him. It offered health insurance, which would be a huge help. He felt hope creeping up inside him for the first time in years.

Zach really tried to make this job work. He was on time every day, and worked hard to learn the manuals, protocols and understand the organization of the store.

By the time he’d been there 6 weeks, he was beginning to feel like he was doing a good job and proving himself a valuable employee. His struggling to get his life going just might be paying off. Then, he had to be admitted to the hospital for diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that sometimes seemed to happen no matter how closely he managed his blood sugar.

He was in ICU for 11 days, and his boss acted like he was skeptical about whether Zach was a good fit for his store.

Then a month later, COVID happened. His boss laid him off, as he could only support a skeleton crew for the store.

And once again, Zach’s hope was crushed.

Zach looked for ways to make income online. He tried one thing and then another. But nothing really panned out.

As weeks turned into months, and months gave way to years, he began to realize he may never succeed at anything. He tried to help his mom out by cooking a meal now and then, doing some laundry… using the vacuum every month or two.

But the longer he stayed home, the less motivation he had to change his life. He just kept trying to get through the days. He read books, watched TV, and posted on Facebook. But he just lost his gumption to get out of the house. He lost confidence that he could accomplish anything.

Eventually he made some online friends and stayed in touch with them. He could be anonymous but feel some sort of connection.

Still, it didn’t change the fact that his self respect was shot.

Zach so wished he knew how to turn his life around from struggling to get it going.

After 2 1/2 years of the pandemic, the world seemed to be opening up and he decided to find some way of improving his life.

He called the boss at the auto parts store to see if he’d hire him again. Nothing came of that.

So he started researching. His symptoms, his disappointments, his failures.

It looked like — from what he learned — that he might actually be depressed.

That had never occurred to him. He’d just felt so ashamed. But apparently he wasn’t alone in his struggle to get his life on track. He researched his symptoms of poor motivation, feeling defeated, always struggling with his health, things happening beyond his control, the stress of his chronic illness, trying to hold a job only to be let go due to hospitalization, and on and on.

He found out he could get help with psychotherapy and possibly even more with ketamine treatment.

It was an eye opener to consider that his feeling of failure was more likely deep and persistent depression.

Was he really struggling to get his life going, or was he too depressed to succeed?

And that maybe, just maybe, with therapy and treatment he could still gain the ability and skills to build a life.

Zach talked to his dad for help with payment and he agreed to help. Zach wanted so much to break out of his “stuck” place in life and build some kind of life he could be proud of. After reading up on psychotherapists in his area, as well as ketamine treatment, he called and scheduled treatment.

Zach had read that there were better outcomes when ketamine treatment and psychotherapy were scheduled in conjunction with each other, so he began therapy, then began to incorporate ketamine infusions. After about 5 infusions, he began to notice changes in his outlook. As they moved forward with infusions and therapy sessions, Zach realized his hope was growing. His courage to reach out for job interviews grew. Finally, he realized he wanted to go to school and study to be a therapist himself.

So he enrolled in the local university and, with his parents’ help, he took a full load to help him earn his degrees sooner.

With the help of ketamine treatment and psychotherapy, Zach laid a new foundation for building his life. The struggle to get his life moving had become more manageable. He decided he was just a late bloomer, and felt deeply grateful for the changes he was able to make, the better footing he established, and that he completed his degree in 3 years. Years that would have just been more hanging out at home without the treatment he had received.

What about you?

Do you feel like you’ve been stuck? Has it felt like you were thwarted at every turn as you tried to build a life for yourself? Did the pandemic make it all that much harder?

If Zach’s story sounds familiar and you’ve been unable to get on track in your life, call us.

Ketamine treatment may give you the boost you need to overcome depression and anxiety, and invest yourself in your future.

We’re here to help you get better and experience the hope to change your life.

To the restoration of your best self,

January 9, 2023

Category: Anxiety

Articles about Anxiety from Lori Calabrese, M.D. | The Ketamine Blog

Types of anxiety disorders:

1. Social anxiety

2. Postpartum anxiety

3. General anxiety disorder

4. Panic Disorder

5. Test anxiety

6. Phobia-related disorder

7. Separation anxiety

8. Selective mutism

9. Obsessive -Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A Ketogenic Solution for Anxiety Can Make All the Difference

Anxiety Symptoms Disrupt Everything

Plus, insomnia was’t the only problem.

Her presentation didn’t appear smooth or spontaneous, but it was better than going completely blank and shaking in front of everyone!

High Stress Meant Worse Agoraphobia

How could she succeed in her career —or her relationships —if she didn’t find a way to manage this?

But her mom was a therapist, and her dad owned a medical supply company, so who knows? She could say something. Maybe they had run into something like this along the way…?

Dad Has Some Good Ideas

“Hi Dad…it’s good to see you too! I’ve missed you. Life has been a handful. I think I’m reaching a point of desperation, and I really need to find a solution.”

“I’m hearing more and more people talk about how eating food that triggers your body to make ketones helps relieve anxiety and lots of other psychiatric disorders. People are saying this approach to treatment yields remarkable results. Maybe there’s a ketogenic solution for your anxiety..?

A Deep Dive on the Internet

Then a list of blog posts came up about treating anxiety with keto foods. And one about “Food as Medicine”… All of this was new to her…food as medicine? But she was desperate, so she kept reading.

As she read she could see what she had in common with others whose stories described their symptoms, many of which were similar to hers.

And then felt so much better. Hopeful even. So she and her dad met her mom at a restaurant for dinner before she drove home.

Touchpoints 180™

Once she got home, she cleaned out her pantry, fridge, and freezer of all high carbohydrate foods. She also tossed out ultra processed foods, like coffee cake, cookies, pizza, ice cream… Somehow all this gave her hope and purpose, so heading out to buy food wasn’t so difficult.

Putting Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy to Work

Ketogenic Solution for Anxiety Leads to Remission

So she quietly agreed…not knowing if she could do it, but hoping she could.

Need a Ketogenic Solution for Anxiety Symptoms?

How Your Ketogenic Diet Dismantles Panic Attacks

She closed her eyes to try to block out the terror…and jammed her feet against the floorboard, desperately straining for control. What was happening to her?

Tap – Tap – Tap!

“Ma’am? You need to move your car. You’re parked on a busy boulevard. Are you alright?”

She put her car in gear and moved forward, turning right into a nearby parking lot…then parked safely in a space, and turned off the engine. In a few moments, she saw flashing lights, and the officer pulled in beside her. Once again, he came to her window.

“I was driving along, and a terrible feeling started rising up inside me. My hands were sweaty, my heart was racing, I felt like I would throw up, and I was terrified. I don’t really understand what started it…”

Within minutes she heard a siren. Then it got closer, and pulled into the same parking lot. The paramedics checked her pulse and blood pressure. By this time, she was much calmer.

Piecing It All Together

She honestly knew she could not have driven any farther before parking on the road. Why?

She knew she worried a lot. ALOT. Her family was always telling her to stop worrying. But this was much much worse than that. She had felt paralyzed. It felt like she was losing her mind. So frozen and afraid. So out of control.

Could She Find a Way to Dismantle the Panic?

“You know, Em, I work with a girl who sometimes has experiences like that. She calls them panic attacks and eats keto — says the food dismantles it. I guess that’s a Captain Obvious thing.

Ketogenic Diet Dismantles Panic Attacks

“When you do that, your body transitions to using ketones for fuel in the part of the cells where energy is produced and used: the mitochondria. I remember from biology class in high school — that the mitochondria are the power houses in every cell.

Emily and Tyler hopped on the internet to look up all the terms he’d mentioned, and to learn more about ketones and a ketogenic diet to dismantle panic attacks. They also looked up this doctor’s program, the one Tyler’s coworker had written down for them.

Touchpoints 180™ Is Keto for Panic Attacks

Together, they went into their kitchen and dumped the rice, potatoes, bread, buns, potato and corn chips, coffee cake, donuts, and cookies into the trash.

The next morning they started the day with eggs, until they could figure out what else they could eat on this ketogenic thing.

Team-Focused Ketosis Dismantles Panic Attacks

Ketogenic Diet Dismantled the Panic

After a few more months, they both noticed more and more that Emily wasn’t talking about worry nearly as much. She seemed to be taking life in stride instead of worrying a hole in everything. She had not had another panic attack. That was progress!

In 6 months, she realized she’d never felt so free…so “normal.”

Do You Need A Ketogenic Diet for Panic Attacks?

Metabolic Psychiatry’s Secret Weapon: Therapeutic Nutritional Ketosis

Pearls from Dr. Ede

Crisis of Brain Energy

Metabolic Evaluation is Vital

I heartily agree, and a comprehensive metabolic evaluation is just one part of our deep-dive assessment for our TouchPoints 180™ program.

Brain Metabolism

Metabolic Psychiatry’s Secret Weapon

What About GLP-1?

You can give someone a fish, and they’ll eat a meal. But if you teach them to fish, they’ll have the knowledge to be able eat for the rest of their lives.

Why Does Ketosis Help Alzheimer’s, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia?

If You Suffer From Psychiatric Symptoms

Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy (KMT) Can Fix Your Mood and Health

Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy is Food as Medicine

I mean, she thought, I try to eat from the 5 basic food groups, but it isn’t always that convenient. I do eat a lot of fast food too, and frozen prepared food. Whatever I can manage.

Absent-Mindedness Wasn’t A Joke

Even after she started the car and put it in gear, she was still shaking from that near fall. This had been happening more and more, where something unexpected struck her with a panicked feeling. Losing her keys hadn’t helped.

She felt raw…and volatile.

While she ate her dinner that evening, she scanned her emails to find the one about National Nutrition Month. It mentioned the concept of “farm-to-fork.” Farm to what? She followed links and kept reading.

She knew grass fed beef provided more nutrition when you consume it. But grass finished? She dug deeper. And learned more.

Grass Fed Beef or Grass Finished Beef?

Hmmmm… my mood…and memory? This is surprising. I never thought much about nutrition before, and it sure never occurred to me that the food I eat can make my mood better or worse…or my memory, for heavens sake!

Definitely not her wheelhouse.

Brianna had to admit it to herself. This could be HER.

*Hmmmm… my mood…and memory? This is surprising. I never thought much about nutrition before, and it sure never occurred to me that the food I eat can make my mood better or worse…**or my memory,* for heavens sake!