‘My family believes it is a miracle’

After years of mental health struggles, Bibi’s health worsened in 2020 and she even began to have non-epileptic seizures. She became severely debilitated and could no longer live a normal life due to her symptoms.

Bibi, who is 53 years old and living in Australia, started researching cures. That’s how she first came to hear about the keto diet.

At first, Bibi thought keto sounded too crazy. But after realizing that she couldn’t go on the same way, she took the plunge. To her amazement, the seizures completely stopped after just two weeks of following the Diet Doctor recipes.

“Day by day, my mind became clearer, the PTSD symptoms slowly faded, and my anxiety stopped. My depression symptoms stopped, and most other symptoms like my legs not working, dizziness, aches, and pains all stopped,” Bibi says.

Here, Bibi shares her story of turning her life and health around with the help of a keto diet.

Bibi’s story has been edited for length and clarity.

Bibi’s story

My abusive and poverty-stricken childhood, my dad’s suicide, my mum’s near death, my sister’s death from cancer, and other traumatic experiences, such as sexual assaults, have led me to develop anxiety, depression, PTSD, agoraphobia, and weight gain.

Since Dec. 27, 2014, I have been under the care of a psychiatrist, different psychologists, and counselors for PTSD flashbacks and severe depression.

In June 2020, my grandson and I moved back to Queensland from Victoria to be together with family during these coronavirus times. This set something off in my brain, and I began to have seizures.

My anxiety levels went crazy, my vision grew foggier, my thinking got muddier, my body began aching in strange places, and I became unbalanced.

I became very sensitive to all noises. Sounds mingled together and became deafening. I had to escape the sounds, go up to my room, close all the windows and doors, and wear some noise-canceling headphones, or I would have a seizure.

I researched what the seizures could be and spoke to my counselor about it. She confirmed that the episodes matched her experience of non-epileptic seizures.

Basically anything that required thinking or decision-making triggered the episodes. Everything overloaded my senses, and the seizures got worse.

Researching different cures for seizures led to either medications or the keto diet. And at first, I thought the diet was crazy. But I learned that the diet helped treat children with uncontrollable seizures, and I wondered how a diet could help something so horrific, so out of control, like seizures. It seemed impossible that a diet could help.

My symptoms got worse for months, happening more often until I could no longer trust myself to walk alone, even in my home.

Eventually, I could not sit in the chair at my desk, I lost the right to drive, and I could no longer do my art. I could not talk or listen to my kids because their voices sounded loud, and their words muddled, and I would have a seizure.

Finally, my instinct told me to try the keto diet that kept coming up. I asked my children if they could make me low-carb meals. I asked them to stop making smoothies with fruit and to get me lots of cheese instead.

At first, the keto diet did not seem to work. I wasn’t sure if I was eating enough fat or cutting enough carbs. Although I did find I had more clarity of mind, which allowed me to do more research. That’s how I finally found Diet Doctor! I
became a member on Nov. 14, 2020.

Two weeks after beginning the Diet Doctor recipes, on Nov. 28, 2020, my seizures stopped. Day by day, my mind became clearer, the PTSD symptoms slowly faded, and my anxiety stopped. My depression symptoms stopped, and most other symptoms like my legs not working, dizziness, aches, and pains all stopped.

I have lost at least 11 pounds (5 kilos), the static foggy cloud in my brain has almost all cleared up, and I can go shopping, which I did even during the peak of Christmas shopping. The car movements do not bother me anymore. My counselor made one last appointment with me in February to finalize our sessions because I no longer need her help.

The neurologist told me there is nothing he needs to do or prescribe. He was surprised that I had tried keto because he said “only kids use it.” He ran some physical tests to check my body responses which came back a perfect score.

I told him that just two weeks ago, I would not have passed the tests. I could not even walk straight without falling. He suggested that I continue with the keto diet. Then he told me that I would not need to see him again.

My family believes it is a miracle. They have never seen me so happy, healthy, and talkative. My sister, who had not seen me in a few months, said I am like the old Bibi when I was a kid. My mum, too, said “the old Bibi” is back. My ex, a psychologist with over 20 years’ experience with mental disorders, said he thought I would never get over PTSD or the seizures.

And yet, here I am. I have changed, become a better version of myself. I know I will lose all the weight that has been plaguing me for years.

So, what do I eat now? I eat strict keto and use keto strips to monitor ketosis.

For breakfast, I have the Diet Doctor-inspired almond flour, almond oil, and egg pancakes fried in butter with whipped cream, a couple of pecan or macadamia nuts, and drizzled over with cinnamon, cardamom, melted butter, and monk fruit sauce. I also place a couple of dessert spoons of defrosted mixed berries on top of the pancakes.

For lunch, I usually have a salad made up of spinach leaves, avocado, two eggs, cheese, MCT oil mixed with apple cider vinegar, and a little monk fruit sugar. Or a couple of slices of tomato, a few squares of capsicum, a massive handful of spinach leaves, mozzarella cheese, and Italian herbs on top, then microwaved for a minute and a half.

For dinner, we try new Diet Doctor recipes. It is exciting to discover and cook new meals.

In between, if I feel low on energy, I will eat a fat bomb or have a slice of the paleo bread recipe with butter.

For my youngest son’s birthday, I made the keto lemon curd cake. It is the best cake we have ever tasted.

I swim every day for exercise, and soon I would like to go back to the gym. I have lost weight without much movement, but strength training will help me burn more fat.

I believe in Diet Doctor’s vision to help people like me to be healthy. It has worked for me, and I am going to live my best life being the best version of myself for my children, family, and myself, and one day in the not-too-distant future, I will go off anti-depressants for good and be free from all the things that have made my life a horror story.

Top three tips for keto

1. Find keto meals for two weeks that make you drool. That way, the initial changeover of fuel sources and keto flu will be worth it.
2. Think of keto as that secret answer you have been looking for all your life to help you with your weight and health issues.
3. Stick with keto; it is the new chapter in your life story that will help you live to your potential.

I wish you all the best with keto, your lives, and your families. Stay healthy, brave, and live your best lives because you matter.
Bibi

Comment

Congrats on your amazing success Bibi. Your description of how everyone sees you as “the old Bibi is back” is truly inspiring! Keep up the great work.

Best,
/ Dr. Bret Scher

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