Lauren Kennedy West

For many people, interest in keto for mental health comes with real hope - but also real concerns.

People often wonder about things like:

- medication interactions or symptom changes
- whether it’s safe to do without medical supervision
- electrolyte balance or “keto flu”
- long-term health effects
- whether doing it wrong could make things worse

These concerns matter, and they’re part of why we’re developing resources to help people approach ketogenic therapy for mental health more safely and confidently.

We’re asking this question to understand WHAT SAFETY CONCERNS PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE, so the course can address them clearly and directly.

Short answers are totally fine. All experiences and perspectives are welcome. Thank you!

2 days ago | [YT] | 76

Lauren Kennedy West

Keto for mental health can be hard enough on a good day. When mental health symptoms get worse, it can become much harder to keep up with the basics.

That might look like:
- not having the energy to cook or plan
- struggling to shop, track, or prepare meals
- cravings or emotional eating feeling harder to manage
- brain fog making it harder to make decisions
- feeling too overwhelmed to stay consistent

We’re asking this question to better understand **what makes keto hardest to maintain during lower-capacity periods**, so the course can be designed with real-life fluctuations in mind (not just ideal days).

Short answers are totally fine. All experiences are welcome. Thank you!

6 days ago | [YT] | 83

Lauren Kennedy West

Starting keto for mental health can involve a lot of moving parts - learning macros, managing electrolytes, tracking ketones, navigating symptoms, and often trying to explain the process to clinicians or family.

Many people end up figuring most of this out on their own.

We’re asking this question to better understand what kinds of support people actually needed while doing keto for mental health, so we can build resources that make the process clearer, safer, and less isolating.

Some examples might include:
• clearer instructions on how to start
• help troubleshooting symptoms or side effects
• guidance around medications and prescribers
• practical meal planning or grocery help
• encouragement or accountability from others doing the same thing

Short answers are totally fine, and all experiences are welcome. Thank you so much for sharing!

1 week ago | [YT] | 115

Lauren Kennedy West

For some, keto for mental health can feel unrealistic.

That might look like:
• time or energy you didn’t have
• family or social pressures
• cost or food access
• symptoms that made consistency difficult
• needing more support than was available

We’re asking this to understand what makes keto feel out of reach in real life, so the course we're building can address those barriers directly - not assume everyone has the same circumstances.

Short answers are totally fine. All experiences are welcome. Thank you for your helpful insights!

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 154

Lauren Kennedy West

Exciting opportunity for any residents of the UK who are interested in trying ketogenic therapy through a research study led by a renowned Metabolic Mental Health practitioner and researcher - Dr Erin Louise Bellamy!

Learn more here: www.ikrt.org/trial

The study is set to take place from April - September 2026. If you have any questions or want to enquire about enrolling, email Dr. Bellamy at e.l.bellamy@uel.ac.uk.

3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 72

Lauren Kennedy West

Many people try keto for mental health with real hope - and then stop.

That can happen for lots of reasons, like:
• symptoms getting worse before better
• side effects or low energy
• confusion about macros or ketones
• lack of support from a care team
• it simply feeling unsustainable

We’re asking this to understand where things break down in real life, so the course can address those points directly - not just explain how it’s “supposed” to work.

Short answers are totally fine. All experiences are welcome. Thank you for your help!

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 132

Lauren Kennedy West

Many people tell us that one of the hardest parts of keto for mental health is not knowing whether they’re doing it correctly.

That uncertainty can come from a lot of places, like:
• mixed or conflicting advice
• unclear targets (macros, ketones, electrolytes)
• symptoms that are hard to interpret
• not knowing what’s “normal” early on
• trying to do this without clear clinical guidance

We’re asking this to better understand where confusion shows up, so the course can offer clearer guidance and reassurance where it’s actually needed.

Short answers are totally fine. All experiences are welcome, including if this uncertainty led you to stop. Thank you for sharing your experience!

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 79

Lauren Kennedy West

We’re in the early stages of building a free course on keto for mental health, and we want to ground it in real experience.

For many people, the hardest part of starting isn’t the same thing. It might be:

• motivation or confidence to begin
• knowing what to eat or where to start
• low energy, brain fog, or early side effects
• managing mental health symptoms at the same time
• lack of clear guidance or support
• trying to do this without help from a care team
• something else you didn’t expect, or that’s hard to put into words

We’re asking this question to better understand where people actually struggle at the beginning, so the course can focus on what matters most in real life — not just theory.

Short answers are totally fine. All experiences are welcome, including if you tried and stopped.

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 146

Lauren Kennedy West

This is so cool! If you are a psychologist/therapist/mental health clinician interested in learning how to support your clients in using ketogenic metabolic therapy - check out this webinar (with CE credits!) being put on by Nicole Laurent (‪@BrainFogRecoverySource‬).

www.pesi.com/item/ketogenic-therapy-mental-health-…

🙌 🥑 🧠

3 months ago | [YT] | 62

Lauren Kennedy West

I'm so excited to be speaking at the Inner Compass Initiative Conference this Thursday December 4 in West Hartford, CT. I'd love to see you there!

Learn more and purchase tickets at: www.theinnercompass.org/conference. Use my code FRIEND10 for 10% off your ticket. (There's also livestream options available if you aren't able to make it in person!)

3 months ago | [YT] | 88