Today, I review, post, link to, and embed Metabolic Mind‘s “Unlocking Mental Health with Ketogenic Therapy: A Beginner’s Guide” With An Additional Link.*
*The additional link is to Metabolic Mind’s Video Series On The Ketogenic Diet For Mental Health [15 very helpful videos]. Posted on November 13, 2025 by Tom Wade MD. These videos also contain important information on using the ketogenic diet for weight loss and for memory preservation.
All that follows is from today’s post.
Unlocking Mental Health with Ketogenic Therapy: A Beginner’s Guide
Timestamps:
- 0:00 Introduction
- 1:18 Ketogenic therapy is not a keto diet
- Work with your clinician
- Establish health goals
- Monitor for success and safety
- Develop a plan with your healthcare team
- 2:08 Ketogenic therapy prep
- Do your homework before you start
- Review Metabolic Mind’s Video Series On The Ketogenic Diet For Mental Health [15 very helpful videos]. Posted on November 13, 2025 by Tom Wade MD
- Have a firm understanding of foods that are keto friendly and of foods that are not keto friendly
- Stock the keto friendly foods at home
- Find an online resource for recipes and tips for maintaining ketosis
- Start by picking two recipes that are your go to for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and make sure you have the ingredients on hand
- Make sure you have keto friendly snacks available
- 3:12 Monitoring ketone levels
- Get a ketone monitor
- You can get a finger stick device like Keto Mojo
- Or you can get a breath meter like Biosense
- Don’t use urine strips as they aren’t [accurate enough]
- Testing your ketones is key
- 3:29 Preparing for the keto flu [the keto transition]
- Hydrate more than usual
- Supplement with electrolytes
- like LMNT
- or Keto Chow Electrolytes
- or taking salt in your food
- and taking magnesium supplements
- Don’t get caught off guard without enough fluid and electrolytes as you’re going through the transition
- 3:54 How to transition your diet for ketogenic therapy
- Slowly reduce your carb intake over one to two weeks to gradually transition as that may lessen the risk of keto flu or of hypomania
- Keto dieticians Beth Zupec Kania and Denise Potter recommend replacing one meal at a time.
- For example, have a keto breakfast for a few days without changing your other meals, then both breakfast and lunch for a few days, and finally all of your meals keto
- Alternatively, you can just cut the carbs in half for a few days, then in half again for a few days until finally every meal is keto after a week or two
- Just make sure that you are replacing the carb calories with fat and protein foods if you are getting hungry
- 4:37 How to know if you’re in ketosis
- Test, test, test
- So get your ketone meter and use it
- Eventually you may need to check only once a day or even once a week when you’re an old pro.
- But in the beginning you may need to test multiple times a day
- When in doubt, test
- What level should you shoot for?
- This one may need to be individualized
- In general nutritional ketosis is above 0.5 mmol/l
- and many recommend 1-2 mmol/l is for psychiatric benefit
- Again, there is a fair amount of variability in this. So test and see what works best for you.
- 5:20 Conclusion
- Find support, a keto coach or dietician, if you can
- Find online support [See resources below in the show notes]
What You’ll Learn
- The fundamentals of ketogenic therapy
- Guidance on starting and maintaining a ketogenic lifestyle
- Practical tips and resources for success on your ketogenic journey
This video was inspired by the wonderful comments on our previous videos. Thank you to everyone who shares their experiences and ideas – your feedback is invaluable! If you found this video helpful, please like, subscribe, and share it with others who may benefit. Leave us a comment to let us know your thoughts.
Related Videos Labs to Check Before Starting Ketosis for Mental Health
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Can a Keto Diet Cause Hypomania, and How Can It Be Avoided?
What You Need to Know BEFORE Starting a KETO DIET for Mental Health
esources Metabolic Mind’s Familes & Peers page: https://www.metabolicmind.org/familie…
Clinician Directory: https://www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory
Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry. Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/
About us: Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them. Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
