Most Replayed Moment: This Diet Could Fix Your Mental Health! - Dr Georgia Ede

The ketogenic diet’s original purpose and surprising comeback for brain health

The ketogenic diet is often framed today as a trendy weight-loss approach, but its roots run nearly a century deep and its original mission was to stabilize brain chemistry. Invented in 1921 to control severe epilepsy in children, the ketogenic approach was designed as a fasting-mimicking therapy that delivers nutrients while shifting the body into fat-burning mode. Modern research has expanded that origin story: ketosis does far more than alter body composition. It modifies inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin signaling—three metabolic levers now linked to many psychiatric and neurologic disorders.

How ketosis changes brain chemistry and cellular repair

When the body lowers blood glucose and insulin and depletes liver glycogen, the liver begins producing ketones—most notably beta-hydroxybutyrate. Once blood ketone levels reach roughly 0.5 millimoles per liter, a set of metabolic pathways become more active. These pathways support cellular cleanup, maintenance, and resilience in brain tissue by reducing oxidative damage, dampening inflammatory signaling, and improving energy reliability inside neurons. For people with treatment-resistant mental illness, sustained or intermittent ketosis can activate these recovery systems and change long-term outcomes.

Beyond a food list: focus on insulin and metabolic state

A common misconception is that a ketogenic diet is strictly a meat-and-dairy plan. In reality, ketosis is defined by metabolic state rather than a rigid set of foods: the aim is to lower insulin enough to mobilize fat and generate ketones. That can be achieved through various dietary patterns—omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, or even carnivore—if the effect on insulin and glycemic load is considered. Fat is the least insulin-stimulating macronutrient, which is why higher-fat meals help maintain ketone production once liver glycogen is low.

Practical challenges and how to transition without overwhelm

Switching fuel systems—from carbohydrate-dominant to fat-focused—can be uncomfortable for some people. The so-called "keto flu" often appears during this transition, marked by headaches, fatigue, or cravings. Two practical steps reduce discomfort: easing into lower carbohydrate intake over one to two weeks, and supplementing electrolytes to stabilize salt balance. A gradual approach protects metabolic flexibility and reduces the shock of switching operating systems inside the brain and body.

Why adherence can feel like a battle—and why it’s worth it

Because modern food environments are rich in refined carbohydrates and social eating cues, staying in ketosis requires intentional habits. Yet many people report that after an initial adjustment, appetite hormones steady, cravings subside, and focus improves—effectively turning ketosis into a protective suit of armor against sugar addiction and frequent snacking. For some with severe mental health conditions, sustained ketosis is transformative; for many others, intermittent periods of ketosis offer valuable time for cellular repair.

Measuring ketosis and realistic expectations

• Ketone testing: blood beta-hydroxybutyrate readings of 0.5 mmol/L or higher usually indicate therapeutic ketosis.
• Timing: fasting or strict carbohydrate restriction may take several days to a week to produce measurable ketones in many adults.
• Liver glycogen: the liver stores only a small amount of carbohydrate, so once depleted the body readily shifts to fat burning.

Diet flexibility and the role of intermittent ketosis

Not everyone needs to eat zero carbohydrates permanently. For many people—especially those who are younger, athletic, or metabolically flexible—allowing insulin to fall overnight or reducing carbohydrate frequency during the day may be enough to achieve intermittent ketosis and trigger repair pathways. Others with established metabolic damage or refractory psychiatric symptoms may need longer or more consistent periods of ketone-based metabolism to see clinical benefit.

Understanding the ketogenic approach means reframing diet as a tool to manage cellular energy, inflammation, and brain chemistry rather than a prescriptive food checklist. Measured ketone levels, a gradual transition, and attention to electrolyte balance make the process safer and more sustainable. Whether used as a therapeutic intervention for seizures and treatment-resistant mental illness, or intermittently to support brain maintenance and appetite stability, ketosis harnesses ancient physiology to support modern brain health. In short, ketosis is a metabolic repair state that can be accessed in different dietary patterns and offers concrete biochemical advantages for brain function and cellular resilience.