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Valerie Anne Smith

Posted:

04/2025

In remission from

Schizophrenia, OCD & Anorexia

Started Journey

01/2017

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"In 2018, all of my mental illnesses went into remission. My life has been completely transformed and reborn like a phoenix rising from the ashes. What was deemed incurable was completely cured, and I have been set free to thrive in a joyful strong new mind and body."

My Journey

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My Strategies

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My THINK + SMART Profile

Key Symptoms Addressed

Complete remission of all mental illness symptoms. Schizophrenic voices and paranoid delusions gone. Anorexia and the drive to starve gone. OCD, cutting and trichotillomania gone. Depression and anxiety gone.

My Top Three Strategies

Ketogenic carnivore diet, fasting and weight vest power walking.

T H

Therapeutic

Traditional treatment physicians failed me for 40 years, so I turned to naturopathic and functional medicine doctors to collaborate with me on this healing journey.

I had already self-tapered off of psychiatric medications in 2015, 2 years prior to starting ketogenic carnivore therapy. The side effects from said medications were unbearable and the 15+ medications over the course of 30 years never reduced any of my mental illness symptoms.

I

Integration

In 2017, there was no guidance or resources to check ketones. I did a full 84 point panel of bloodwork and again after my healing and again in 2019 to assure myself that biomarkers reflected how great I felt mentally & physically.

I researched brain dysfunction and neurotransmitter health supplements and used them as support/complementary to ketogenic carnivore nutrition for brain and cognition.

Magnesium threonate, GABA, 5-HTP, iodine drops, methyl B12 sublinguals, L-theanine, tyrosine, carnitine, choline and glycine.

N

Nutritional

The 1st year to gain complete brain dysfunction healing I followed a ketogenic lion diet of beef only. Years 2 to the present, I follow a ketogenic carnivore diet including all animal foods, all animal fats. i.e. beef, bison, eggs, pork, seafood, poultry and animal fats of ghee, tallow, lard & duck fat. It is a pleasure and freedom to eat this way after abstaining from all animal foods for 35 years. There is no issue with adherence. I eat what makes me feel fantastic.

I eat 2 large meals within a 4 hour window and fast for 20 hours each day. I get the best of both worlds of the healing power of ketosis with the healing power of feasting at meals. I would adjust eating windows for family/holiday gatherings, bring food with me if need be, order extra meat items and request animal fats at restaurant gatherings. Being prepared is the key to relaxation, enjoyment and success.

Using a ketogenic carnivore diet, I never needed to track carbs. I do not consume dairy, so I had hardly any carbs. I would track protein and fat every few weeks to make sure I was increasing both, in order to not only heal mental illness but also to reverse hypothyroid, Ehlers-Danlos and osteoporosis with protocols I developed. Those physical illnesses require both high protein & high fat to go into remission.

K

Ketosis

In 2017, there was no information on tracking ketones, nor were there over the counter monitors. I knew I was in ketosis based on intermittent fasting, the carnivore diet devoid of carbs and how amazing I felt each day. My mental & physical improvements were my evidence that I was in ketosis.

S

Sleep

Daily sun exposure, grounding, weight lifting to encourage physical tiredness, completely darkened bedroom, no television in bedroom, sleep encouraging minerals i.e. magnesium, glycine, unrefined mineral Celtic salt at bedtime.

M

Move

Weighted vest power walking, strength training, weight lifting and swimming.

A

Avoid

I didn't have any substances to stop or abstain from since I was in self-starvation and overtaken by schizophrenia. I guess you could say I avoided salads, lettuce and spinach. I stopped counting calories and eliminated low calorie high oxalate vegetables that were causing physical illnesses. I stopped excessive cardio which was harming me and traded it for targeted weight lifting routines to build strength and muscle.

R

Rebuild

  • Prayer, worship, being led by God to start speaking publicly about my healing and the power of the ketogenic diet for remission of mental illness.
  • Watching/listening to podcasts by Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Ken Berry, Dr. Shawn Baker, Dr. Anthony Chaffee.
  • Doing the work with Nick Norwitz and Dr. Bret Scher to be included in the Journal Of Metabolic Health Anorexia Case Series published in 2023.
  • Being an advocate on Twitter/X.
  • Volunteering health coaching.
  • Lifelong fulfilled purpose to start on Instagram and Facebook building a safe space for others to contact me for help.

T

Track

In 2017, I kept a monitored journal of mental illness symptoms and daily nutrition using Cronometer. Every 3 months, I compared progress/symptom alleviation and reached complete 100% remission at the 12 month mark. I have never had any symptoms return so I have not needed to track, but I do check nutrition macros of fat/protein every few months just as assurance.