Lauren Kennedy, founder of the popular YouTube channel Living Well With Schizophrenia, is in the process of implementing metabolic and ketogenic therapies as a treatment for schizoaffective disorder. She documents her journey in real-time and interviews various experts in the field so that others can learn alongside her. Her holistic approach to metabolic treatments includes following a ketogenic diet, managing sleep routines, exercising regularly, and cutting out alcohol and drugs.

In this interview with Dr. Bret Scher and Hannah Warren, Lauren shares that she is highly motivated to adhere to metabolic therapies due to the tremendous benefits she has experienced so far. She discusses what it is like adapting to new dietary restrictions and following a keto diet while still needing to prepare carb-laden meals for her children. One of the challenges she has faced so far is addressing “potentiation” effects (increased sedative effects from psychotropic meds) while implementing ketogenic therapy, and needing to figure out how to safely taper medication with the aid of a psychiatrist who is not trained in metabolic treatments.

Lauren and Hannah discuss the mindset shift that comes with implementing metabolic therapies as a form of treatment that can help manage symptoms and often also address root causes and put severe mental illness into complete remission.

Follow Lauren’s journey on Living Well with Schizophrenia:
YouTube: @LivingWellwithSchizophrenia
Twitter/X: @LWSchizophrenia

Lauren’s Keto and Metabolic Health Project 2024 Playlist:
   • Keto and Metabolic Health Project 2024  

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Timestamps
0:00 Introduction
1:40 Why Lauren is trying ketogenic therapy for her schizoaffective disorder
3:35 Lauren's one-month keto for mental health update
4:50 Hannah's immediate depression improvement using keto
5:39 What helped with Lauren's transition into ketosis
7:01 How Lauren felt about food after starting a keto diet
8:06 Starting ketogenic therapy with a history of having an eating disorder
9:37 How Lauren is making keto work with her family
10:58 How keto impacted Lauren and Hannah's exercise
13:23 Reducing antipsychotic medication levels on keto
15:50 Working with a psychiatrist who is not trained in metabolic therapies
18:39 The impact of Lauren sharing her ketogenic therapy experience
19:37 Learnings from starting ketogenic therapy
20:46 Implementing multiple metabolic therapies
22:58 Lauren's metabolic therapy-friendly swaps
24:24 Response from the Living Well with Schizophrenia community
27:09 Ketogenic therapy as a way to repair root cause of mental illness
30:02 Destigmatizing mental illness
32:04 Conclusion

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