Virginia Mayer

I tried the ketogenic diet last year and I failed big time. It's a difficult diet to follow - getting used to the high amounts of fat, calculating macros at every meal, testing your blood or breath for ketones. But here are the three main reasons why I just couldn't make it work: my family wasn't on board (and I wasn't about to cook separate meals for us all), I needed more leafy greens and felt I wasn't getting enough, and the macros bit completely befuddled me and made me not want to eat altogether (who wants to plug in every morsel they eat into an app?! Not me.). 

Then I discovered the new KETO DIET by Dr. Josh Axe, author of the national bestseller Eat Dirt and leading authority on functional medicine, clinical nutrition, and natural health at DrAxe.com. I've been a consistent user of his website and products (Ancient Nutrition) since my Celiac disease diagnosis a little over a year ago and was thrilled when I read about his newest book (just published February 19, 2019). His 30-Day Plan to Lose Weight, Balance Hormones, Boost Brain Health, and Reverse Disease is, in a nutshell, completely doable. Here's why...

His goal isn't to just get your body into ketosis (which blasts fat), but to focus on creating your optimal environment for healing. He explains why the "bacon and butter" trend to fat-burning ketosis can backfire, and instead offers simple, wholesome alternatives. And, unlimited low-carb vegetables! Whohoo! Dr. Axe's patient-tested program focuses on "restorative nutrition," which includes the right vegetables (low-carb but with small amounts of moderate carb veggies like carrots and tomatoes), vitamins and minerals, herbs, even essential oils for overall wellness. 

Part one of Axe's KETO DIET starts with why the ketogenic diet is so effective, its common pitfalls, as well as testimonials from his patients in his Keto360 program. Part two breaks down the science behind keto and how it transforms your body on a cellular level to encourage deep healing both inside and out. In part three, he outlines five unique, no-brainer keto programs  - The Keto Basic Plan, The Keto Fasting Plan, The Keto Vegan Plan (yes, there's even a vegan and vegetarian version!), The Keto Collagen-Boosting Plan, The Keto Cancer Plan, and The Forever Keto Cycling Plan (designed to incorporate carb cycling days). Lastly, KETO DIET includes more than 80 super easy, delicious recipes, as well as shopping lists, exercises, and a useful resources guide. Did I mention no macro tracking? YAY!

Not once does Dr. Axe pump his Ancient Nutrition products in the book, so rest assured this is not a "salesy" book. But as an avid user of many of them, I highly recommend them (#notsponsored). I've been working hard at healing my gut from Celiac disease and I've found his Gut Formula products to be superior to anything else I've tried. I also love his powdered bone broths (Salted Caramel is the best!), as well as his Keto Collagen powders (flavored and non-flavored). Sign up for SMS messaging, and you'll get daily deals sent to your phone.

It's been a little over a week since I started Dr. Axe's KETO DIET and already I feel like I have more energy (plus, the meals are ones my family will actually eat).  I also feel more satisfied and satiated after each meal, not like I ate a brick of bacon. Here are some of the tasty meals and drinks I've enjoyed, including the creamiest, most delicious Turmeric Golden Milk (recipe below).

Wild Salmon Cakes with Asparagus and Greens

Collagen-Boosting Blueberry Muffins (with a Make it Vegan version)

Turmeric Golden Milk 
Makes 2 servings

3 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons coconut cream
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cinnamon sticks (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee 5 to 6 drops liquid stevia

Place the almond milk, coconut cream, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper in a high-speed blender. Pulse several times.

Pout the milk mixture from the blender into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until near boiling. Reduce the heat to low at the first sign of a boil.

Stir in the cinnamon sticks, coconut oil, and stevia, Stir, cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Discard the cinnamon sticks, stir again, and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.