Keto F&Q

I'm just going to post the email that I got that has the facts and questions. It's very informative and will hopefully give you a better idea of what we will be dealing with. Part of the diet is that Jack can't have anything touch his skin that has carbs in it because he could possible absorb them and it could cause him to have a seizure. So all of our products are being put in a box. All of his soaps, sun screens, shampoo, bubble bath, diaper wipes, diaper creams, and toothpaste are being replaced with things that are Keto friendly. He also can't take children's meds of any kind so no tylenol or motrin, we'll have to split an adult tablet and get that into him instead.

How the diet works is that it forces your body into starvation mode and makes you produce ketones. When the ketones are high enough about 30% of the time it stops seizures. Jack is starting on a 3:1 ration so that's 3 grams of fat for every one gram of carbs or protein. It's a bit brutal and cooking the meals made me loose my appetite. The doctors keep saying how hard it is on families to follow, and it will be. We have no idea what we'll be doing about Christmas and Thanksgiving. But it can't be any harder than watching my baby have seizures day after day after day.

Anyways, here they are.

Frequently Asked Questions....

Starting the diet is a little daunting. Hopefully some of these FAQ's will
help as you begin to prepare for initiation and/or face some of the issues
that come up with the diet. Some of this may not make sense to you at this
point, so it may be helpful to print out a copy for your files!

What products can we get to help the diet be more palatable?

Sweetners: Many parents use Stevia, a natural sweetener found in most
health food stores. Sweet 10 or Sugar Twim may also be used. Most families stay
away from nutrasweet (aspartame) since it can increase seizures in some children

Drinks: Getting the fluids in and providing an enjoyable drink during
the day is always important.

Koolaide...the flavors that do not contain any thing that may
affect the diet are Black Cherry and Lemon Lime. Buy the unsweetened packs and
use a keto friendly sweetner. Look for flavors without Maltodextrin if your child is sensitive.
Adding a little club soda will give it a fizz.

"Fruit Waters"... Glaceau Fruit Waters: they are available in natural foods type grocery stores
and even now in some more regular supermarkets
like some Safeways. Good flavors are watermelon, cranberry mint, honeydew, strawberry banana,
raspberry lime. Many parents use 'fruit waters' like the Sam's Choice "Clearly American."
Most of these do contain Aspartame...a seizure trigger for some kids. If you use them, or any of
the diet sodas, be sure to watch for any signs that the aspartame may be a trigger.
Some of the Œfruit waters‚ also contain sugars...be sure to read the label.

Bickford Flavorings...great carb free flavorings to help create tasty dishes...
They are non-alcoholic, contain no sugar and no salt. Hundreds of flavors are available
by calling (216)531-6006 with credit card orders.
Bickford Flavors 19007 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, OH 44117
"sweetening ice cream, making popsicles, making "keto-drinks." So, far, I
use the strawberry, chocolate, vanilla and peanut butter to make ice cream.
I use the apple, with a little stevia, for "apple juice." They also have
colorings -- the beet red, annatto and brown are supposed to be the most
natural." DeEtte

What can we do about constipation?

Constipation is a common issue with our keto kids. These are some of the options parents on the list
are using:

Cal/Mag/Zinc II from Whole Life (1-800-748-5841). It doubles as the calcium supplement and constipation
remedy and is keto friendly.

Milk of Magnesia (original flavor) which can be purchased over the counter.

Mineral Oil is another option

Many times upping the amount of Magnesium will help.

Some have had success with Aloe Vera Juice

What do I do about a fever and pain????

Feverall acetominaphin suppositories...best for younger children given the way it‚s admninistered!
Can be purchases at most drug stores like Walgreen‚s, Eckerd‚s, or Osco‚s.

Adult Motrin...break tablet to get dosage right for older children.

Tempra Infant Drops

McNeil Brand Tylenol adult strength cut down to the appropriate dose.

How can I get keto friendly meds when my child is sick?

H-B Drugs. Full service compounding pharmacy specializing in
creating customized medications in order to most appropriately suit a patient's unique
needs with a special interest in pediatric epilepsy and the ketogenic diet.
1-888-383-2010 or 1-201-997-8488 FAX 1-201-9978488 located in N. Arlington, NJ

Ridge Road Pharmacy Ridge Road Pharmacy will compound any med in a keto friendly style.
They also compound keto friendly vitamin supplements. 1-800-Ridge Rx

For cold symptoms... Scott Tussin Original Clear Five Action Cold and Allergy Formula (sugar
free)
I called around and found it in stock at a pretty local pharmacy. It can
also be ordered, or you can get it shipped from some place in Rhode Island
1-800-638-7268


How can I figure a snack into my child‚s meals?

Though meals should be kept as equal and evenly spaced as possible,
many have found it helpful to add a snack during the day...either
to ease snack time at school, for an after school snack, or a pre bed time treat.
One method is to subtract the number of calories you want for the snack from the
total cals for the day and plan the snack using those calories. Use the remaining
calories split among the three meals.
A bedtime snack often helps keep the ketones up during the night, sometimes
helping to control night time or early morning seizures.

Where do I get a meal planner to plan meals at home?

One that's very easy to use and free is available for download at
http://www.ketogenic.org Just scroll down towards the bottom


How can I find nutritional information for foods I want to add to the meal planner?

The USDA site with info regarding nitritional info is at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl