IKRT Mastery Program

I've had a BiPolar diagnosis since I was 23 yrs old and I'm nearly 60 now.  I'd been toying with keto for a while and even went carnivore for six months. But everything changed when I had to come off lithium after it damaged my kidneys (stage 3b). Suddenly I was in no man's land, 15 years free of any episode and terrified of relapsing or ending up back on medication. An episode isn't just an episode it's a trauma that takes the brain ages to recover from and I didn't want to go there again.

The US has plenty of champions of metabolic psychiatry and I'd been researching it for a while. What I couldn't find was a UK program that offered the education, life skills and ongoing support to make medical keto sustainable and not just another fad diet. That's the gap Integrative Ketogenic Research & Therapies (IKRT) filled. I wish I'd known sooner that this kind of structured, clinically-informed support existed outside the US.

I booked a call with Erin Bellamy PhD and started the Mastery Program about a month ago. I've done enough diets to know how to follow a regime so the structure itself wasn't the hard part. What stood out is that Erin and her team make it personal. It doesn't feel like being a customer, it feels like they actually care. Erin clearly knows the subject in depth and keeps the program updated with current research so it feels like a living process rather than a fixed script.

It hasn't all been easy. Changing my meal prep and decisions to stay within the food list and macros has taken some getting used to and logging everything to check I'm hitting those macros is still a habit I'm building. I think that's just the early stages though and I expect it'll get easier as I adapt and things become more fluid.

The real proof of this keto pudding is how I feel. As long as I'm in ketosis the shadows are quiet. No sugar cravings, little hunger, anxiety down to almost nothing. The negative voice that's followed me most of my life is either easy to ignore or just not there. I feel calm and content in a way I haven't in over 40 years. If this is normal then long may it last.  When I'm tempted to stray I just ask myself - carbs or my mental health? It’s a no brainer.

I can't recommend this course enough. I know I'm at the beginning and I'm sure there will be ups and downs but I feel that with the support, education, community and caring I'm receiving there can only be an upwards trend. I feel so empowered that I've taken my own health into my own hands and I feel confident it will be life changing. The best thing I've ever invested in for my mental health.

I’ve tried keto many times in the past for my mental and physical help but doing it solo i usually ended up feeling worse. Dr Bellamy is so knowledgeable and I’ve had all the information and assistance I could ever want in making the transition to the ketogenic diet. I’m only a week or so into producing keytones and I know the journey has a long way to go but I’ve noticed so many health improvements already, big and small.  I’m so excited for the future now and beyond thankful that I’ve been able to implement this diet in a way that hasn’t stressed my body or mind. 

Dietary change is challenging especially when food addiction is involved.  I have tried on my own but was not successful.  Having Erin and the group sessions is key to keep going.  Since i started 3 months ago I have seen improvements in mental health in small but measurable increments.  The feedback forms remind me of my progress and that it will take time for me but I can do it with support

With way too much information out there how do you know what will work?  This plan worked for my son. We have learned so much from our structured videos and also from each other.

My Ketogenic Therapy Journey with IKRT has been transformational. The education and support from Erin is outstanding. She is very empathetic and supportive, and super knowledgeable. If you have struggled to find a sustainable way to address mental (and metabolic) challenges, you have to give IKRT a try. I have learnt so much about keto as a way of leaving, about its therapeutic super powers and have experienced its effects first hand. Aside from the deep knowledge about keto and its benefits to our health, Erin is there to support and provide ideas to overcome any blockers in the keto journey. And the support from the community is fantastic, too. I have not only gained knowledge about ketogenic therapy, but also trust in my body, in my capacity and knowledge of it and myself. I can't recommend IKRT and Erin enough!