How Ketogenic Diets Impact ADHD & Mental Health

The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

My guest is Nicole Laurent, LMHC. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who helps people use ketogenic dietary therapy as a treatment for mental illness and neurological issues. She uses a variety of nutritional and functional methods of treatment in her work and provides evidence-based psychotherapy modalities in adult client populations. ​In addition to specialized training in clinical skills, including Behavior Therapy (BT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), she is trained in nutritional and metabolic therapies for mental health.

Through our discussion, Nicole engages listeners about the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry, including the significant role the ketogenic diet plays in improving mitochondrial function. We also delve into the reported advantages of the ketogenic diet for treating diverse neurological disorders and mental health conditions.

Nicole skillfully explains the particulars of utilizing the ketogenic diet as a tool for managing ADHD symptoms. She covers the importance of stabilization of the neural networks and the enhancement of brain energy metabolism, particularly in impulse control and focus areas. However, Nicole also emphasizes that not every child with ADHD may need a ketogenic diet, as there could be simpler ways to manage micronutrient deficiencies.

We venture to explore the underexplored nutritional dimensions of ADHD and mental health and discuss the critical role of essential nutrients in maintaining mental health. We challenge the prevailing psychopharmacology viewpoint and call for an urgent and nuanced understanding of the nutritional component of various mental health issues.

This episode is a valuable resource for every parent wishing to navigate the challenging waters of ADHD management and understand the implications of nutrition on their child's health. It emphasizes the potential benefits of dietary changes and the need to explore beyond stimulant medication.

We also critique the American diet culture and its implications on mental health while offering practical suggestions for making healthier eating choices.

We conclude the importance of proper nutrition in managing ADHD effectively and underline the vitality of educating oneself to ensure the best for a child's mental health.

Learn more from Nicole Laurent: https://mentalhealthketo.com/

Links to Resources mentioned in this podcast:

Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind by Dr. Georgia Ede

Finally Focused by Dr. James Greenblatt & Bill Gottlieb CHC

Sacred Cow by Diana Rodgers and Robb Wolf

Hardy's Nutritionals

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Topics covered in this episode:

• What is metabolic psychiatry?
• What is nutritional psychiatry?
• What is a ketogenic diet?
• Options to consider when the standard practice of care isn’t working?
• How a standard American diet is working against mental health?
• Nicole’s words of wisdom for parents raising ADHD kids?

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Thank you for listening!

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