I’m a bit of a nutcase on the best of day. I struggle with my mental health and recently have put all the pieces together to learn my mood swings are triggered by my hormonal fluctuations. This comes under the term PMDD – premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Over the past month or so, I sought to control the crazies with a change to my diet. The newest fad of Keto making waves in my peer group, I gave it a try, and while I haven’t been the best at staying Keto over the holiday season, I did learn a lot.

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After trying a few antidepressants without any success, I’ve seeked out other alternatives. Between my family doctor and my naturopath, I’ve had a slew of different options suggestions. Turns out there are a few suggestions not suitable to breastfeeding, and a few suggestions that just don’t kick the crazies. For years, my nautropath as lovingly suggested I reconsider my love affair with gluten. I brush her off because I love gluten, and the thoguth of giving up cake, donuts, and fried bread seemed like overkill. For some reason, her kind suggestion lingered in my head.

Keto is a low carb diet on steroids. That’s not an accurate representation of Keto, but if you’re unfamiliar with it that’s the idea. Google and find out more, but basically you’re monitoring the ingredients you eat and the carbs you consume. It’s not just eat low carb, high fat/protein, but also don’t eat certain foods that trigger certain processes in your body. This science is above me right now. Google it for more information 😉 There’s also different ways to do Keto. Not everyone Ketos the same way and different strategies work for different people. Remember how my body works isn’t how your body works. 

Regardless of my base level understanding of the Keto Diet, I dove in with a lazy mans approach. I opted to just eat a keto meal plan and try it out. I’m not very good at diving head first into anything. I need a relative amount of crazy and moderation to be successful. I’m not on Keto right now because I have zero self-restraint around sugar at Christmas. 

5 Lessons from the Keto Diet.

1. Meal planning is amazing.
   I’ve never meal planned before because of the fear I wouldn’t want to eat what was for dinner. Meal planning solves everything. There is no more uncertainty and bickering about whats for dinner, instead we just know and I have the ingredients. I grabbed recipes from different Keto-based websites such as this one. 
2. Food can taste good.
   It’s not just because of the butter, but during my weeks on Keto I cooked with spices, herbs, and other flavours I had never cooked with before. This reinvigorated my relatively bland existence. Guys, there’s a flavour  world out there that doesn’t involve sugar and carbs. #breakingnews
3. I don’t need Sugar.
   I’m not sure why I ever had sugar in my coffee, because the good coffee my husband purchases doesn’t need the sugar. It’s amazing, and maybe even better without sugar. 
4. I eat out too often.
   It’s not even funny, and I’m at a total loss most days when I forget to eat at home. Theres nothing more disappointing than showing up to a hike on an empty stomach. I missed convinience the most. 
5. Eat when you’re hungry.
   I only ever had empty hungry stomach when I forgot to eat breakfast and 11am rolled around and I was finishing up a hike or play date. Otherwise, Keto encouraged and reminded me to not boredom eat and to eat when I’m hungry. This is a good life skill. 

Did you try Keto? Are you trying this WOE?

WOE = way of eating.

My Keto results? I jumped the bandwagon because I fail at the holidays, but I have continued to eat a gluten free diet. My last menstrual cycle was one of my best mood wise. I was not suicidal. I did still get a little funky and depressed, but my symptoms were a 6 out of 10 compared to a usual 12 out of 10. Typically, I’m threatening to divorce my husband, leave the kids, and just peace out. But none of that. I hope in the new year to return to a Keto-inspired lifestyle because I think it will work for me. Keto isn’t for everyone, and you need to do your research and check it out.