It’s time for the Week Two Weigh-In if you’re participating in the 2019 Keto Challenge! You can post your progress in the group thread, or here on this post if you prefer. It’s never too late to join in! See the challenge details here.
Metabolic Health Summit 2019 – Long Beach, CA
I’ll be heading to LA in a few weeks to attend this amazing “keto science conference” and I want to bring YOUR questions with me!
I’ve always been fascinated by the science behind the ketogenic diet, and even more so lately as I’ve been watching new research emerge and testing new things myself.
There are so many recent developments in the research and clinical practice of keto medicine, most of which you just get bits & pieces of – and that’s if you happen to come across them on the web.
And of course there’s tons of misinformation floating around online too, leaving people with A LOT of contradictions & questions!
The Metabolic Health Summit is “where keto meets society.” They bring together the world’s most respected scientists and clinicians to share their research and their results in clinical studies on the ketogenic diet and various metabolic therapies.
Topics covered at this event include fact-based findings on keto medicine and nutritional/metabolic therapies such as:
- insulin resistance
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- cholesterol
- type 2 diabetes
- cancer
- brain tumors
- hypertension
- inflammation
- alzeimer’s
- autism
- epilepsy
- mental health disorders
- testosterone problems
- cardiovascular health
- hormonal function
- autoimmune disorders
And much more, including weight loss and nutrition of course – covering the whole spectrum of keto science and therapeutic nutrition!
You can scan over the schedule & topics for MHS 2019 here:
https://metabolichealthsummit.com/pages/tentativeschedule
To say I’m excited about attending would be a HUGE understatement. 
What first piqued my interest in the event was a series of live videos and interviews leading up to this event, where they were specifically talking about Dementia and Alzheimer’s, and studies on the use of exogenous ketones to improve cognitive function in those patients.
I’ve mentioned a few times that I’ve taken a HUGE interest in this after reconnecting with my father recently.
This is a terrible picture of me lol, I was fresh off a day at the river!
At the point that we reconnected last summer, he hadn’t eaten solid food in almost two years. I discovered though that he LOVES the all natural nut butter packets and I’ve been finding ways to get a variety of nutrients in him with my “keto stash” of liquid or soft foods!
I was really inspired by the studies and results of a ketogenic diet for cognitive function in older patients in those studies, and have witnessed DRAMATIC improvements in my own father in short time too – specifically with his short term memory and level of alertness.
Some of the things that have worked well so far are the FBOMB Nut Butter Packets (his favorite!), Ketologie Keto Shakes (which have collagen and MCT in them), and also Pili Nut Butter – which is made from a very nutrient dense nut.
While I don’t expect to “save” my father, seeing IMPRESSIVE improvements in his cognitive function is both encouraging and interesting!
At this point it’s all about daily health & happiness, or simply: quality of life.
The fact that I’ve found things he ENJOYS (that also improves his health and daily life) makes our visits fun for us both. 
The Videos That Piqued My Interest
I think you’ll really ENJOY the Interviews and Educational Videos on their YouTube channel. I did! Those alone will answer A LOT of your burning questions on health issues as they relate to a ketogenic low carb diet (or vice versa).
Those are the videos that really pulled me in, and encouraged me to do more testing – both on myself and on my father. The fast results have just piqued my interest even more!
My Own Testing & Experiments
I’m not sure how much of this I’ve talked about publicly, or whether I’ve put it in one place where everyone would have seen it, but…
When I test a food, it takes me SIX FULL DAYS to do a clean keto testing experiment. When you’re doing true “clean testing” you only introduce ONE single new thing into your diet at a time.
Since it can take up to 72 hours to fully metabolize the foods you eat, I will eat super simple for three full days prior to doing a test.
This gets my body into optimal ketosis and at baseline levels. I then test ONE food, and otherwise continue eating super clean/simple for another three full days after.
During which there’s a lot of finger pricking and testing of course! 
I use the Keto Mojo Glucose & Ketone Testing Kit and we have a 15% off discount coded in my affiliate link here. I love mine!
This allows me to see how any given food or “keto product” affects me, impacts my blood glucose levels and ketone levels, and whether I experience any side effects from certain ingredients.
When I first tried Lolli’s Low Carb Granola for example, she had FOUR flavors. I tested each flavor individually, six full days per test, which took me almost a month! (lol)
But by doing such a “clean test” I discovered that not only are her products VERY keto friendly, they actually *improved* my ketone levels!
Of course they were delicious at first bite, but I like to KNOW if foods are truly “keto friendly” – or not.
~
Most of the time I stick to simple foods that I know WORK for me: raw pecans, berries in moderation, eggs, salmon, meat and greens (plain, just salt & butter), etc.
And of course I also enjoy the all natural macadamia nut butters myself, especially when I’m on the go or traveling – or hiking. They’re super convenient, satisfying and a perfect “energy shot” when you’re fat adapted.
In addition to hearing the science and studies that may benefit my father from the top physicians & scientists around the world (not just some random internet page)…
I’m interested to learn more from the case studies about the health benefits of intermittent fasting and also exogenous ketones (when to use them, and when NOT to).
Plus how to identify “food culprits” and properly test for intolerances or issues. And GUT HEALTH – I want to learn EVERYTHING that I possibly can about gut health!
One of the things I’m SERIOUSLY considering testing next is an all liquid keto diet. I’m thinking I’d like to try it for maybe 3 full days – with various broths, shakes, and maybe the liquid nut butter packets as well.
Why all the testing?
I suppose I went backward with this by not prefacing that first, lol – apologies.
I’ve mentioned here and there I’ve had some issues over the last year. Not just with long periods of weight loss stalls and odd weight fluctuations (even in ketosis), but also with my overall health.
Lately I’ve experienced inflammation again for example. But why?
While I’m working with my doctor on all the “usual things” I’m also very interested to experiment myself – and learn more about gut health issues, ingredient triggers, the benefits of going dairy free or doing intermittent fasting, etc.
All of course in clean testing “one thing at a time” mode, which requires tons of patience and discipline.
So yes – I’m STOKED about the Metabolic Health Summit!
I’ve been eating a ketogenic low carb diet for almost 8 years now, by the way. Even at my lowest weight, way below my goal weight actually, I continued “eating keto” for health reasons.
I was in a near fatal car accident when I was 20 years old that resulted in a head trauma and back injury. I’m deaf on one side and have regressive memory loss, but worse than that was the chronic pain from my back injury.
The older I got the less mobility I had as it turned into inflammatory arthritis, sciatica, and all the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Prior to switching to the keto diet there were days I couldn’t even lift my coffee cup to my mouth. I was in constant debilitating pain.
And now?
I got back up on a water ski for the first time in 23 years, LOVE hiking and rock climbing, and can dance for hours in 4″ heels.
I never in a million years would have dreamed that I could live a FUN active lifestyle again. It’s amazing to me how something as simple as your diet, the foods you eat, can impact your life SO much!
Like I said, I find this all deeply fascinating…
So much more information is available now than ever has been before. All of my adult life I honestly just thought food was for eating and for enjoyment. The concept of “food as medicine” (outside of weight loss being a healthy thing) never actually occurred to me.
Experiencing those results firsthand has me HUNGRY to learn more! Pun intended. lol…
What are YOUR biggest science & health questions or concerns as it relates to a ketogenic low carb diet?
Leave a comment and let me know. I’m taking notes and taking a list of questions with me to the Metabolic Health Summit conference – and will share the answers and information I learn there with you…
I’m curious: do you eat keto simply to lose weight or maintain your weight loss, or are you using nutritional ketosis for health reasons too – like I am?
NOTE: I personally don’t think you should EVER do anything just because everyone else is doing it, or because someone said it works for them. Knowing WHY you should test something, and what works for YOU (or with your combination of issues/needs) is the key to being the healthiest version of yourself.
Agree?
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. Don’t forget to weigh in this week!
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