Author: Mostly Me + Certain Others

Of every 10 women who start with my Keto for Menopause programme, on average half of them indicate on their intake form they eat 1,200 calories or less per day. So why is that?

‘If I eat more I gain weight’ or ‘If I eat more I don’t lose weight’

Let me put this into perspective for you:

• the energy requirement of a girl aged 4-8 years is 1400 calories
• that of a girl between 1-3 years is 1000 calories

And here I see adult women eating like a small child. Women with jobs, families, busy social lives, sports, studies, informal care, you name it.

Can you spot the insanity?

I can definitely spot the long-term consequences:

• HUNGER!
• hair loss
• feeling cold
• too little energy
• skin issues
• disturbed sleep
• vitamin deficiencies
• bad mood
• thyroid issues

…and yes, an inability to lose weight. Because ‘I gain weight when I even look at food’. Even if someone is otherwise eating very healthy, or even already doing keto.

It’s called a damaged or down-regulated metabolism.

I should know, by the way, because that’s exactly how it works for me: if I unconsciously eat too little for a long time (too busy, don’t feel like cooking, don’t feel good about myself, etc.) I gain weight. When I start eating enough, I lose weight.

And that brings me straight to the solution, which is to start eating enough, as in:

• the right amounts to meet your energy needs
• in the right macro proportions (fats! proteins!)
• at the right times of the day
• unprocessed food

The Metabolism Reset.

And that can be quite scary. Because yes, you may initially gain weight. And if you don’t know that this is temporary, you may panic. And then quickly fall back into old habits, thinking ‘told you so!’.

But you won’t get anywhere that way.

If you consider that five out of every ten women struggle with this, chances are you will recognise your own struggles. Would you like t to get started with a proven and, above all, safe method to fix this? Then sign up now for the Keto for Menopause programme and we will get right to it.

What is candida?

Candida (albicans) is a common type of yeast, or fungus. You can find candida in different parts of your body such as the skin, mouth, intestines and vagina. When healthy, you will usually not notice anything about it’s presence. But if candida increases and starts to dominate the good bacteria in your bowels, you may suffer from unpleasant symptoms. We call this candida syndrome.

Mainstream medicine does not recognise the syndrome because the symptoms do not seem to be directly related to a specific health issue. In practice, however, it often turns out that there are good reasons to assume that someone is suffering from it. The symptoms of this yeast overgrowth vary from person to person and can make diagnosis of candida syndrome a little bit more complicated.

So what are the symptoms?

In a healthy and balanced presence, candida is a yeast that helps with nutrient absorption and digestion. But if that balance is disturbed and candida increases, typical candida overgrowth symptoms can occur. Usually those symptoms are very common in nature and more of a nuisance than pathological. These symptoms can include:

• chronic fatigue with no apparent sleep disorder
• unexplained mood swings
• vaginal yeast infections
• oral thrush
• sinusitis, persistent cough or post-nasal drip
• suddenly developing food intolerances or increase in symptoms of already established intolerances or allergies
• intestinal symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, belching, constipation or diarrhoea
• brain fog and associated concentration and memory problems
• skin and nail fungal infections
• persistent obesity and inability to lose weight
• leaky gut
  
  

What causes this increase in candida?

When candida presence is balanced it is helpful for digestion. But the following factors can disrupt that healthy balance:

A sugar-rich diet
Fungus thrives on sugar: it helps it multiply and grow more quickly. Eating too much sugar can also negatively affect your immune system, making you more susceptible to that rapid growth of fungus. So sugar plays a double role here.

Antibiotics
When antibiotics do their job, they kill both good and bad bacteria. This imbalance can contribute to candida overgrowth.

High oestrogen levels
Any hormonal imbalance that can cause a spike in oestrogen can also contribute to candida growth, for example during pregnancy or if you use hormonal contraception.

Uncontrolled diabetes
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are medical conditions associated with candida. When blood sugar is not under control and there is an excess of glucose throughout your body, it provides the perfect environment for candida to grow.

Certain medical conditions and treatments
Medical conditions known to affect the immune system, such as AIDS or cancer, and certain medical treatments, for example steroids and cancer treatments, can weaken your immune system, increasing the risk of candida growth.

Can I test for candida syndrome?

Besides an evaluation of symptoms, there are a few other ways to diagnose candida syndrome:

• a comprehensive stool test is the best method to determine what is happening in the gut. You collect your stool using a stool kit and send it to the lab
• a candida antibody test checks your blood levels of IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies for an immune system response
• an organic acid test in turn checks the urine for organic waste left by the fungus
  
  

Why is keto recommended?

Treating candida is not always easy. It takes time to regain a healthy candida balance. The emphasis lies heavily on diet and certain supplements.

A keto diet is naturally low in carbohydrates and completely free of added sugars. The candida will therefore starve itself; after all, it needs sugar to thrive on.

By eating less than 25 grams of net carbohydrates and consistently choosing unprocessed gluten-free foods without sugars and other unhealthy additives, you are meeting your own nutritional needs and help kill the bad fungus.

Keto foods to avoid

If you have candida syndrome, you will have to be a little more careful about what you eat compared to a regular keto diet. Fermented and mouldy foods that feed the fungus should be avoided, as well as:

• cheese and other dairy products
• wine
• mushrooms
• melon
• peanuts, pistachio and cashew nuts
• alcohol
• regular vinegar
• soy sauce

However, apple cider vinegar, kefir, mozzarella and goat cheese are allowed.

Other remedies you may consider

Oregano oil
This is a natural remedy with a powerful taste that can help treat candida.

Coconut oil
Coconut oil is high in medium-chain triglycerides (caprylic acid, capric acid and lauric acid). These acids have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

Probiotics
A probiotic helps rebalance the gut. Choose an enteric-coated probiotic that contains multiple strains of at least one million good bacteria. Specific strains of probiotics that help fight candida are:

• Saccharomyces boulardi (Brewer’s yeast)
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Bacillus subtilis
• Bifidobacterium
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Lactobacillus helvecticus

Do you have candida syndrome and would you like to start with keto? Always do this with proper guidance so you can be sure you are applying the lifestyle in the correct way. Would you like to learn more? book a free advisory consultation below.

If you suffer from migraine, you agree that it is something you don’t wish on anyone. You also welcome anything that reduces attacks or their severity.

Research suggests that because of the reduction of inflammation in the brain, a keto lifestyle can be beneficial. In my own practice, I also notice that clients suffering from migraines achieve very positive results. So how can that be?

What is migraine?

In most cases, migraines cause severe pounding pain in the front, side or back of your head. An attack usually lasts between 4 and 72 hours. Apart from pain, a migraine attack is often accompanied by other severe symptoms such as:

• nausea and vomiting
• dizziness
• blurred vision
• extreme sensitivity to light, sounds and smells

About a third of all migraine attacks are accompanied by aura symptoms:

• seeing spots, flashing lights or other visual distortions in both eyes
• tingling or a numb feeling in the limbs, face or lips, usually on one side of the body
• difficulty speaking just before the attack

It is estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide have migraines. About twice as many women as men suffer from these headaches: fluctuating oestrogen levels during puberty, the menstrual cycle and menopause are known triggers of migraines. And does migraine run in the family? Then you are more likely to get it too.

Some other things can also trigger migraines:

• certain foods such as chocolate, cheese, alcohol, sweeteners and food additives
• too sudden withdrawal from caffeine
• dehydration
• eating too little or fasting
• lack of good sleep
• stress
• changes in weather and air pressure
• depression

The frequency of migraines varies from person to person. Some get an attack a few times a year, others once or twice a month. People with chronic migraines may even experience headaches for 15 or more days a month.

Painkillers, triptans and other medications can help reduce symptoms in acute attacks, anti-epileptics and other types of drugs can help prevent migraines. The downside is that you do have to deal with possible side effects. Moreover, some people develop drug-resistant migraines.

In a nutshell
Migraine is a severe headache usually accompanied by nausea, dizziness and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines are more common in women and can be triggered by hormonal changes, certain foods, stress and other factors. Medications offer relief for some people, but often have side effects.

How keto can help

The exact mechanisms behind migraines, despite many studies, are not yet known. It is generally thought that inflammation, chemical imbalance and disturbed energy metabolism in the brain play a role. Some research suggests that in response to an energy deficiency or chemical imbalance in the brain, the migraine attack itself may be an attempt by the brain to restore balance.

Interesting to note: epilepsy is another neurological condition that appears to be related to migraines and may have similar mechanisms. The keto diet has long been used to treat epilepsy and is also an approved therapy for people who do not respond to anti-epileptic drugs.

So a keto lifestyle may work similarly for migraines. Besides acting as an alternative energy source for the brain, ketones can also reduce inflammation and favourably influence other factors involved in migraines.

Small studies show that a keto lifestyle reduced the frequency and severity of migraines which led to reduced use of medication in some participants. However, this improvement did not occur in everyone. So more research remains necessary. Would you like to take a look at the research yourself? You can do so here

In short
Migraines seem to involve inflammation, chemical imbalances and disrupted energy metabolism in the brain. Some researchers think that a keto diet may relieve migraines by reducing inflammation and having other beneficial effects on the brain.

What I see in practice

In recent years, more and more people reported to my practice with migraines. These are always women. The vast majority of them indicate that their reason for starting a keto lifestyle was not the migraine per se: obesity, menopause symptoms and lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure were usually the deciding factor to take this step.

A comprehensive intake form is always completed before starting a programme and discussed during the intake. If I see migraine on this form, I take my time discussing it: it is important for me to know the nature of the migraine and what possible triggers exist. During the course of the programme I can then keep a close eye on the influence of the keto lifestyle on the attacks.

In the vast majority of cases, the results were exceptionally positive and included:

• less frequent migraines
• reduced severity of migraines
• improvement in symptom management
• disappearance of migraines

These kinds of results obviously pay off tremendously in everyday life:

• less off-time in your social life and in the workplace
• increased productivity
• reduced mood swings and feelings of a depressive nature
• less or no use of medication
  
  

About to start with keto?

• make sure you maintain a properly formulated basic keto diet with 25 grams of net carbohydrates or less; do not make the mistake of thinking that a carbohydrate-restricted diet with, for instance, 50 grams of net carbohydrates is also sufficient, the aim is to get and stay in ketosis
• be well prepared; read all the information on this website and do not get distracted by what a neighbour or colleague tells you about keto
• make sure you avoid keto flu and pay special attention to magnesium; research shows that magnesium supplementation can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.
• avoid all sweeteners for at least the first three months, including natural ones; these can trigger attacks. After that, you can try using them but in general caution is advised with them, even if you don’t suffer from migraines. Read here why that is
• don’t go on a deliberate fast and make sure you eat three satiating meals in a time frame that is acceptable to you
• are you on medication? If so, always discuss the switch to keto with the prescribing doctor first
• give it time; although improvement is sometimes fast, I regularly see that it can take longer. So be patient and make sure you strictly follow the keto lifestyle for at least three months

Do you want to start with keto but scared to do this on your own? I understand: it IS a big change and proper support makes the difference between failure or success. I am here to help: start by scheduling a free advisory consultation first.

You have every reason to give those skin tags the side-eye, so that is why I always ask:

Do you have skin tags? For example, in the neck or groin, or under the armpits or breasts?

The answer is often ‘yes’ followed by ‘But they don’t bother me, I just don’t think they are very pretty’. Also often heard: ‘That’s what you get when you get older’.

Sometimes people say they have them removed by a dermatologist or beautician. Or they do it themselves, with vinegar, for instance, or a drugstore remedy. Occasionally, people say they use scissors, ouch!

Harmless but not innocent

It is true that skin tags in themselves are harmless. They are simply a benign disorder of the connective tissue. They are considered cosmetically unattractive, which is the main reason why people want to get rid of them. Sometimes they are also located in places where clothing rubs against them and this can also be a reason to remove them (or have them removed).

But what most people don’t know is that the presence of those skin tags, expecially when clustered, indicate insulin resistance. Those who start a keto lifestyle and become insulin sensitive soon notice that the skin tags ‘just disappear’. They literally fall off.

So it is important not to view skin tags as ‘Not so pretty but harmless’.

Insulin resistance is anything but harmless.

Insulin resistance is the precursor to type 2 diabetes.

Do you want to get rid of your insulin resistance and improve your metabolic health? Then sign up now for keto coaching!

One article after another seems to appear in the media about losing weight with the drug Ozempic. They usually point out that it’s misuse threatens to create a shortage for people who actually need it. So what is all the fuss about?

Ozempic is a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. It increases insulin release and decreases glucagon release. The result is a reduction in blood glucose. An additional effect is that it also slows gastric emptying by stimulating the ileal brake. This brake is a hormonal response to food intake. It slows gastric emptying and this increases your feeling of satiety: the faster food digests, the faster you will get hungry again.

When we eat certain foods, this causes a release of different hormones that influence what happens to that food and how it is digested. Ozempic contains one of these hormones that slows down stomach emptying and that is how it seems to affect weight loss. It simply makes you eat less because you are full for longer. So there is nothing magical about it but there are definitely downsides to such delayed gastric emptying.

So what are these downsides?

First and foremost, there is a long list of side effects of the drug itself. You can expect to experience:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• abdominal pain
• constipation

Other side effects classified as mild are:

• flatulence and burping
• dizziness
• fatigue (lack of energy)
• changes in perception of taste

Serious side effects are:

• hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) when used with certain other diabetes drugs
• pancreatitis (inflammation in the pancreas)
• diabetic retinopathy (eye damage caused by diabetes)
• kidney failure
  
  

OKay, but does it at least work?

Sure…but only if you take it for life.

This study shows that users of the drug lost about 10% of their body weight in 20 weeks. Then they took some of them off and gave them a placebo and saw that those who used the placebo regained 7%. Those who kept using it continued to lose weight, but only 8% in the next 48 weeks compared to the 10% they lost in the first 20 weeks.

At best, the drug loses effectiveness over time, just like any other diet will. So the downside is that to gain further benefit, you have to keep using it. Some people accept the risk of the side effects to get those results but, as you can see, the efficacy also decreases.

what’s the alternative?

There is, of course, an alternative that works in a similar way: the high-fat aspect of keto. Fat is a known stimulator of ileal inhibition (see also here).

Since you eat plenty of healthy fats with a keto lifestyle, you stimulate this effect naturally without side effects and also keep it up longer. Add to this the natural lowering of insulin levels and you understand why a keto lifestyle is a much safer and more pleasant method for sustained fat loss.

Are you about to put keto to the test but don’t want to go ahead without proper guidance? Then sign up now for a 30 minute advisory consultation, free of charge.