“ADHD medication never worked on me, not for my entire life. Ketogenic therapy improved ADHD like symptoms without the need for a complex psychopharmacological treatment plan.”
My Top 3 Strategies
Socialization with friends, sleep at regular times, ketogenic therapy.
My journey with ketogenic therapy began as an act of solidarity with my teenage son, who lives with bipolar disorder. As a therapist, I already had a working knowledge of what a ketogenic nutritional approach can offer people managing bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Before introducing it to my son—who not only navigates bipolar disorder alongside OCD, Tourette's, and ADHD, but also has a rare genetic condition affecting his heart—I wanted to fully understand the day-to-day practicalities of living this way myself. I felt it was important to work out the details firsthand before guiding him through it. What I didn't anticipate was what it would do for me personally. The ADHD I had acquired from a brain injury in childhood had shaped my life in ways I had long since accepted as simply part of who I was. But once my ketone levels reached 2.5 or above, those symptoms went into remission. For the first time, I understood what it felt like to have genuine focus, steady attention, and sustained energy throughout the day. Tasks that once felt fragmented or exhausting became manageable. My mind felt organized in a way it never had before. This shift came at a time when my life demanded a great deal of me. My husband is living with stage four cancer, my son requires significant support due to the complexity of his mental health needs, and I continue to work in my field as a therapist. Despite carrying all of that, I found I could move through my days with a clarity and sense of capability that genuinely surprised me. Things got done. I stayed present. The mental noise quieted. I eventually had to step away from the ketogenic diet after receiving a lupus diagnosis, as my health circumstances required a different focus at that time. But I am now returning to it, and I find myself looking forward to what lies ahead. I am hopeful that I will once again experience that remission from ADHD-like symptoms, and I am curious to see what other ways this approach may support my wellbeing as I begin this chapter again. Soon my son will be joining me in participating in ketogenic therapy. He is in full remission from bipolar symptoms at this time. We are excited to see how ketogenic nutritional therapy may help him sustain long-term remission.
How I build clinical & emotional support & manage medications
My care team and support network came together from several different directions. Early on, the Children's Mental Health Resource Center was a support. Now my primary care doctor and psychiatric provider are my primary support systems.
I went off medication at the start of ketogenic therapy. I was taking Ritalin and Wellbutrin.
I stopped taking medication prior to starting the ketogenic therapy because they were not working well for me at any point.
I
Integration
Lab results I track & supplements I take
I currently have to have prescription iron due to pernicious anemia from lupus.
Liver function, thyroid function, kidney function, and A1C.
N
Nutritional
How I eat, incorporate fasting, & approach macronutrients
I aim for 75 percent fat, 20 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs.
I don't eat after 7 PM or before 8 AM.
K
Ketosis
Target ketone levels & testing methods
Yes
Blood tests for ketones every day, twice a day.
SMART
Everyday Strategies
M
Move
How I keep active
Walking.
A
Avoid
What I limit or stay away from
I did not smoke or drink.
R
Rebuild
How I manage stress, build resilience & find purpose
Meaningful work: I helped support families in the process of engaging in ketogenic therapy.
