RE: LONG! New on Diet. Advice from the Experienced please.

[Guest guest]

What works for us (to get the fat in) is to whip together cream, oil,

sweetner and flavouring (you can use vanilla or order lots of different

flavours from Bickfords in the US). Whip it until it has consistency of

whipped cream you would put on fruit. This can take a while depending on

how much oil is in it, the more oil, the longer it takes. We keep

refrigerated and call it ice cream. You can keep in freezer if you

want, it makes it more like real ice cream, but can be harder to eat cuz

it is so frozen. Another option is stirring cream (and even some oil)

into diluted diet pop. Call it a float, it will taste okay but oil

changes the texture of it.

As far as siblings go, my 10 year old has been on diet 5 years. She has

7 year old sister. I would just approach it matter of a factly, this is

the way it is going to be and explain why to the level they can

understand it. I know some people won't eat " normal " food around their

keotkid. I have always looked at it differently. Jess was almost ready

to start school when we started diet and I knew she would be seeing

other kids eat so I figured she had to get use to it.

I carry a lot of guilt about my typical kid, but its not around the

diet. You " just " have to make sure you give special alone time to your

typical kid - and thats where I get exhausted and feel the guilt. But

the diet is a medical treatment, you wouldn't worry about jealousy or

what not around giving your child meds. The diet is no different. Try to

pitch it to siblings in a postive light and enlist thier help - if this

helps with your sister's seizures, we will all be able to spend more

time together doing fun things.

All easier to say but often harder to do. Just remember, the first month

can be hell, it does get better, trust me. We have been doing it for 5

years now

, 's mom

PS Watch for excess ketosis with the depakote on board. And I would tend

to push fluids a certain amount as long as she is on topomax. Do you

have any problems getting her to eat the keto meals?

chicot@... wrote:

> Hello Everyone

>

> For some months I have " lurked' around the edges, reading,

> as my daughter has been waiting to start the diet for a long time.

> She

> went into hospital a month ago and has been home 3 weeks, which I

> seem to

> have spent weighting, calculating and reading packets and tins!

>

> Some

> background: she is 10 years old, and was diagnosed at 4. She has

> tried

> various medications unsuccessfully including one horrendous year when

> she

> was like a zombie, because of drugs. Now she is on Epilim (Sodium

> Valproate) and Topamax, which is the best combination so far . She

> has

> a

> mixed seizure pattern: nocturnal tonic-clonic, usually leading to

> status

> epilepticus. (Fortunately she has not had one for almost 3 years) and

>

> hundreds of absences throughout the day. This has led to learning

> difficulties (she cannot write or do the simplest of maths, although

> can

> read, with gaps and words missing or added due to the absences - or

> possibly something else?)

>

>

> Normally we live and work in the Middle East,

> but as the country where we live does not offer the diet, my daughter

> and

> I returned home to the UK to start the regime. So far, she has

> managed

> to

> maintain ketosis easily and has shown improvement in her levels of

> alertness, concentration and memory. (I'm seeing the child within -

> you'll know what I mean)

>

> I would appreciate the group's experience with

> the following:

>

> 1. I'm trying to create meals that somehow use up those

> massive quantities of oil and butter. She does not like cottage

> cheese or

> mayo. She will eat cheese spread if it is disguised. Salad

> vegetables

> other than cucumber are always a dislike. At the moment I am relying

> on

> broccoli, cauliflower and turnip and spoons of oil (yuk). I have

> downloaded the software that helps calculate meals,from Stanford Uni's

>

> web

> site, but it's the creative input I need from those who have

> experienced

> this.

>

> 2. My younger two children (6 and 3) have remained in the Middle

> East and won't return until the end of the school term. Do parents

> find

> they have problems with either the keto kid or siblings when trying to

>

> organise family meals? Is there jealousy or refusal to eat meals

> (either

> keto or normal ones)? Obviously, my daughter already gets a lot of

> attention and now even more of my time will be taken up with preparing

> her

> meals. Any coping strategies?

>

> Sorry this is long. feel free to email

> off group if you'd prefer.

>

> Ginny

>

[Guest guest]

In response to your questions,

> 1. I'm trying to create meals that somehow use up those

> massive quantities of oil and butter. She does not like cottage cheese or

> mayo. She will eat cheese spread if it is disguised. Salad vegetables

> other than cucumber are always a dislike. At the moment I am relying on

> broccoli, cauliflower and turnip and spoons of oil (yuk). I have

> downloaded the software that helps calculate meals,from Stanford Uni's

> web

> site, but it's the creative input I need from those who have experienced

> this.

One of the biggest helps for us has been buying little ramikans (little 2 0z

plastic cups) and we melt the butter in it and have him dip his meat in it at

dinner and his veggies. He is so used to it that he asks for it. I put a

little garlic powder in it and its really good. We sometimes mix the cream and

butter for a gravy on his fish or his meat. He loves it. The best way to do

it is to cook it on the stove so it thickens and then measure it. It does

condense so you want to measure after cooking it and then stir in the butter.

If

she doesn't like white then add a few drippings from the meat. I always cook

the veggies and then put butter on them and dip whatever meat in the butter.

He is on 2:1 so we do bread and butter or french toast. Does she like choc

milk? If so, you could do cream, dilute with a bit of water and add stevia choc

flavor and stevia or sweetner. Then use the butter on the veggies.

Keto ice cream, pumpkin cheese cake, are popular. We have found that we must

rotate them . And the peanut butter cookies are a HUGE HIT. That is PB,

eggs, and butter. Whip eggs whites until stiff and then gently fold back in the

yoak. Then mix in PB and softened butter. I bake them in mini muffin tins.

350 degrees for 10 min Great keto mealor snack all in one.

we use butter and cream only- still won't do mayo

>

> 2. My younger two children (6 and 3) have remained in the Middle

> East and won't return until the end of the school term. Do parents find

> they have problems with either the keto kid or siblings when trying to

> organise family meals? Is there jealousy or refusal to eat meals (either

> keto or normal ones)? Obviously, my daughter already gets a lot of

> attention and now even more of my time will be taken up with preparing her

> meals. Any coping strategies?

>

For us, this has not been a big issue. We always have the meat and veggie

the same for all of us and then we do our carb and he gets his carb. We do his

ice cream and then gets his. We give them similar foods and always try

to make feel special.. Yes, there are episdoes of sneaking every

once in a while but then gets sick and we tell him that it is from

the food and he stops sneaking the food. We go out to eat and take our scale

with us. We bring our own butter and we know what places serve what ie. DOn

Pablos he gets chicken fajita meat and grilled zucchini and we bring his own

carb and they melt the butter for me or we go to Bob and do fish or

chicken with a veggie. We just put that scale right up on the table. We don't

act

ashamed of it and is proud of his diet and knows that it makes him

better. This diet for him and for us has given us our life back and our son

back so we just act positive about it and its contagious. People always are

willing to help us. I've had chefs offer to go to the store and get zuccini for

him.

Let me know if I can help and hang in there-it gets better.

mom to , 5 keto since Nov. 01 and 2 and s

biggest fan

[Guest guest]

I can only respond to the question about how to get fat into the

diet...

A lifesaver for us has been butter lollipops/candies. I let the

butter soften, add sweetener (we use liquid sweet & low), a flavoring

(Bickfords--mint is the flavor of choice right now) and food

coloring. Mix well.

Then, we either spoon & press into candy molds/lollipops molds OR use

a cake icing decorating funnel and tip to make stars. Freeze. Then

weigh (if you are making lollipops, don't forget to weigh a stick

first then zero the scale out to allow for that additional weight).

You can buy candy wrappers. We just keep them in the freezer in

individually marked sandwich bags--one for each weight.

We also make " special shake, " with heavy whipping cream (36% fat

content), light tasting olive oil, and sweetner/flavoring. Then we

add some diet 7-Up.

We have been buying disposable plastic cups, lids, and straws. I

write the menu on the side of the plastic cup in a marker (e.g. 70/9 -

-for 70 gms cream & 15 gms oil; 18 gms chicken, 42 gms canteloupe, 13

gms butter). Then I keep the premeasured drink in the fridge and take

it out when needed--the rest of the menu is written on it and I don't

have to look it up every time. This has been a lifesaver when I make

up 3 meals at night for dinner, breakfast, and lunch. Also good when

going out.

Hope that helps,

Patty (mom to , ketokid for 1+ years)

> Hello Everyone

>

> For some months I have " lurked' around the edges, reading,

> as my daughter has been waiting to start the diet for a long time.

She

> went into hospital a month ago and has been home 3 weeks, which I

> seem to

> have spent weighting, calculating and reading packets and tins!

>

> Some

> background: she is 10 years old, and was diagnosed at 4. She has

tried

> various medications unsuccessfully including one horrendous year

when

> she

> was like a zombie, because of drugs. Now she is on Epilim (Sodium

> Valproate) and Topamax, which is the best combination so far . She

has

> a

> mixed seizure pattern: nocturnal tonic-clonic, usually leading to

status

> epilepticus. (Fortunately she has not had one for almost 3 years)

and

> hundreds of absences throughout the day. This has led to learning

> difficulties (she cannot write or do the simplest of maths,

although can

> read, with gaps and words missing or added due to the absences - or

> possibly something else?)

>

>

> Normally we live and work in the Middle East,

> but as the country where we live does not offer the diet, my

daughter and

> I returned home to the UK to start the regime. So far, she has

managed

> to

> maintain ketosis easily and has shown improvement in her levels of

> alertness, concentration and memory. (I'm seeing the child within -

> you'll know what I mean)

>

> I would appreciate the group's experience with

> the following:

>

> 1. I'm trying to create meals that somehow use up those

> massive quantities of oil and butter. She does not like cottage

cheese or

> mayo. She will eat cheese spread if it is disguised. Salad

vegetables

> other than cucumber are always a dislike. At the moment I am

relying on

> broccoli, cauliflower and turnip and spoons of oil (yuk). I have

> downloaded the software that helps calculate meals,from Stanford

Uni's

> web

> site, but it's the creative input I need from those who have

experienced

> this.

>

> 2. My younger two children (6 and 3) have remained in the Middle

> East and won't return until the end of the school term. Do parents

find

> they have problems with either the keto kid or siblings when trying

to

> organise family meals? Is there jealousy or refusal to eat meals

(either

> keto or normal ones)? Obviously, my daughter already gets a lot of

> attention and now even more of my time will be taken up with

preparing her

> meals. Any coping strategies?

>

> Sorry this is long. feel free to email

> off group if you'd prefer.

>

> Ginny

[Guest guest]

Hi Ginny,

I have found some keto cooking revelations recently: EggBeaters(product

in the US which is egg whites and a little color and seasoning) and oil

whipped together in a one to one ratio makes a VERY CONVINCING pancake!!

We are also making brownie muffins with 60g Egg beaters, 60g oil, 28g

unsweetened baking chocolate, 10g butter melted with the chocolate,

sweetener, salt, and vanilla. My daughter, Lynden, wants a brownie

cupcake for a snack and with every meal. Poor little sweetie. The

amounts I listed makes 5 cupcakes. I bake at 325 degrees F for about

10-15 min. She can no longer tolerate the traditional 60g cream with

every meal.. She gets VERY nauseous and cannot finish. Using the oil

with eggbeaters has eliminated the fat problem in our diet. Please let

me know if you'd like me to calculate any of these for your daughter.

You say she was diagnosed at 4... What is her diagnosis?

We do have struggles with siblings as you do. I try to make keto

versions of favorite snacks for her to head off the fairness issue. But

my 3 year old son acts out and sometimes regresses to get attention.

Sigh..... We just take it day by day and ANY day that I can get up and

get my act together before they wake is a good day for all.

Best wishes,

Ann Shepard

Lynden, nearly 6, Doose's Syndrome

LONG! New on Diet. Advice from the Experienced

please.

Hello Everyone

For some months I have " lurked' around the edges, reading,

as my daughter has been waiting to start the diet for a long time. She

went into hospital a month ago and has been home 3 weeks, which I

seem to

have spent weighting, calculating and reading packets and tins!

Some

background: she is 10 years old, and was diagnosed at 4. She has tried

various medications unsuccessfully including one horrendous year when

she

was like a zombie, because of drugs. Now she is on Epilim (Sodium

Valproate) and Topamax, which is the best combination so far . She has

a

mixed seizure pattern: nocturnal tonic-clonic, usually leading to status

epilepticus. (Fortunately she has not had one for almost 3 years) and

hundreds of absences throughout the day. This has led to learning

difficulties (she cannot write or do the simplest of maths, although can

read, with gaps and words missing or added due to the absences - or

possibly something else?)

Normally we live and work in the Middle East,

but as the country where we live does not offer the diet, my daughter

and I returned home to the UK to start the regime. So far, she has

managed

to

maintain ketosis easily and has shown improvement in her levels of

alertness, concentration and memory. (I'm seeing the child within -

you'll know what I mean)

I would appreciate the group's experience with

the following:

1. I'm trying to create meals that somehow use up those massive

quantities of oil and butter. She does not like cottage cheese or mayo.

She will eat cheese spread if it is disguised. Salad vegetables other

than cucumber are always a dislike. At the moment I am relying on

broccoli, cauliflower and turnip and spoons of oil (yuk). I have

downloaded the software that helps calculate meals,from Stanford Uni's

web

site, but it's the creative input I need from those who have experienced

this.

2. My younger two children (6 and 3) have remained in the Middle East

and won't return until the end of the school term. Do parents find they

have problems with either the keto kid or siblings when trying to

organise family meals? Is there jealousy or refusal to eat meals

(either keto or normal ones)? Obviously, my daughter already gets a lot

of attention and now even more of my time will be taken up with

preparing her meals. Any coping strategies?

Sorry this is long. feel free to email

off group if you'd prefer.

Ginny

" The Ketogenic Diet....a realistic treatment option, NOT just a last

resort! "

List is for parent to parent support only.

It is important to get medical advice from a

professional keto team!

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[Guest guest]

Ginny,

Welcome to the list and the diet. We live in the UK and my son started

the diet when he was 11 yrs old. That was 3 yrs ago. Fortunately after

the first few days he was very compliant and actually started eating a

bit of lettuce etc which he didn't touch before.

However the main vegetables he has now are broccoli, runner beans

and sometimes courgette. I sometimes make a sort of quiche with

the cream, egg, cheese and meat or fish with a few cut up veg.

Most meals he drinks the cream and oil mixed together. If your

daughter won't have that you could try mixing the oil and cream

to make an ice cream. Just stir them together and it mixes well after

a while to this I add a saccherine tablet and some flavouring and freeze.

Rohan likes it flavoured with cocoa powder best.

There is a chicken soup recipe in keto recipe section you could use

which is good as a all-in-one meal. I do a pudding with egg/ cream/fruit

blended together and microwaved for about 2 mts. then cooled and

any oil mixed in at this stage (as it is better not to heat the oil)

Rohan is now at a very low ratio so we give him certain ready made soups

etc. which we'll have to cut out if we do the SCD in the near future.

BTW have you tried yogurt? We use bio goat's yogurt and mix in any

fruit that goes with the meal.

Ginny, at which hospital are you following the diet? We go to Cental

Middlesex.

Do ask me any specific questions you have about food here. If the questions

are not of general interest you e-mail me direct, with SARO in the title.

The diet gets very much easier as you go along. I too felt that I was

spending

all my time weighing etc. when we first started.

Good luck.

Saro.......mum to Rohan (14 yrs, complex partials started at 4 yrs but

now with

all types - some brought on by

AEDs but helped by

the diet.)

[Guest guest]

-----

1. I'm trying to create meals that somehow use up those

massive quantities of oil and butter.

It takes a while to figure out for each kid's tastes, but there are lots

of ways to get the fat in. My son, who is 8, won't touch mayo either.

Breakfast: usually bacon, eggs and cream cooked in butter, and some iceberg

lettuce with oil and lemon (if your daughter doesn't like lettuce, you can

start with cucumber. My son didn't touch veges until the diet. Now he likes

them. Chocolate cream or ice cream with every meal.

I make ice cream with heavy cream, egg yolks, vanilla or unsweetened

chocolate and sweetener (Stevia, Herbasweet or occasionally Splenda). Cook

like a custard then freeze.

For lunch my son usually has spinach pie, made from onions, spinach or

swiss chard, cheddar, eggs and olive oil. I bake about eight servings in

one pie plate. Bake in oven. Then cut and weigh. Its really good.

Dinner can be steak and broccoli (or any vege) stir-fried in olive oil and

garlic and served over iceberg lettuce (with whipped cream and fruit.)

I make french fries by deep frying strips of eggplant and salting them.

You can make a great chocolate cake or brownies with ground almonds for

flour, vanilla, eggs, unsweetened chocolate, butter and sweetener. Mix

unsweetened chocolate, whipped cream or sour cream and sweetener for

frosting. Serve with whipped cream.

For lunch I sometimes make turkey rolls -- thin slices of smoked turkey

filled with chunks of butter, cheese and cherry tomatoes. Sometimes wrapped

in lettuce. Kind of a sandwich without the bread.

My son also likes dinner " pancakes " made with a mixture of shredded

zucchini, eggs, onion, parmesan cheese, fried until brown in hot oil and

served with sour cream and applesauce.

We also make pizza with " egg " for the crust, topped with tomato sauce and

cheese. Broil in oven for a moment. Sometimes we throw on bacon or yellow

pepper or other toppings.

Maries salad dressings -- any flavor -- have tons of fat. If she likes

cucumber and tomato, she can use Mari'es as a dip. Its very tasty.

Those are some of our current favorites. I'd be happy to send you

recipes from our meal planner if you want them.

Jane -- mom to Leo, 8, ketokid 1+ years.

2. My younger two children (6 and 3) have remained in the Middle

East and won't return until the end of the school term. Do parents find

they have problems with either the keto kid or siblings when trying to

organise family meals? Is there jealousy or refusal to eat meals (either

keto or normal ones)? Obviously, my daughter already gets a lot of

attention and now even more of my time will be taken up with preparing her

meals. Any coping strategies?

Sorry this is long. feel free to email

off group if you'd prefer.

Ginny

[Guest guest]

<<1. I'm trying to create meals that somehow use up those

massive quantities of oil and butter. >>

Our favorite meals were a pumpkin custard..... canned pumpkin, egg, and cream

cooked together in the microwave for a minute.... butter, sweetener (we use

stevia only) and cinnamon added and stirred in at the end. Can also be made with

canned coconut milk and oil for anyone doing dairy free.

Another fave was similar..... sort of a " quiche " ..... grated zucchini, onions,

tomato, mushrooms, green pepper, broccoli or spinich (or any combination of the

above), egg, cream, butter, a little cheese and a sprinkle of salt, pepper and

dried basil..... microwaved. Can be made dairy free like the pumpkin custard.

You can also do this sort of meal with bacon or sausage, precooked and cut up in

small pieces.

Chicken soup: Saute onion, celery, other veggies of your choice......maybe a

little garlic..... add cooked chicken, cream, butter and/or oil, water and herbs

(salt & pepper, basil, curry, oregano, sage, etc.). Great for a sick kid. I had

to puree this for Katera since she doesn't chew well but just cut everything up

to whatever consistency your child likes or requires.

All of these can be " all in one " meals so basically every bite is at the same

ratio. I always stuck to the " low carb " type veggies..... the " Group A "

selections..... in order to get the most volume compared to the fat.

Good luck!

Patti