IF + Healthy Keto = A cleaner house?! For me, yes! :)

I grew up on typical cheap American food (ramen noodles, peanut butter, and jelly, white bread, sugar, processed foods, etc.) As a young adult, in an effort to lose weight, I began trying to eat more salads and use "natural" sweeteners (agave syrup and honey) and eat more "healthy" foods (whole wheat bread, oats, fruit, and so forth). In an effort to "help" my metabolism and energy levels, I followed the advice I found on health blogs, and for many years ate "healthy" snacks several times between meals throughout the day. During my first few years of being a mom, I couldn't figure out why I had absolutely NO energy on most days. After all, I was trying to eat salads and healthy food!

I attributed my lack of energy to pregnancy, mothering small children, and a busy lifestyle. I thought the levels of exhaustion I was experiencing were normal. I could literally fall asleep at any time of the day. I had to eat first thing in the morning and immediately after working out, or I would feel nauseous and weak. On most days, I didn't have the energy to even clean up after meals or do other basic housework. As a result, the house was always a cluttered mess and stressed me out. To deal with the stress, I would eat more snacks, "healthy" and unhealthy, (which of course, did not give me any permanent energy).

I found Dr. Berg's channel and started IF and a low-carb diet in July 2021, just to try it out to see if I could lose the last few pounds that had hung on since my third pregnancy. Within two months, I was shocked at how good I was feeling and kept going. Little by little, I began fasting for longer periods. My hunger and cravings went away. I reached my weight loss goal and then went beyond it. My mood and energy were starting to improve greatly. I went from struggling to get up at ANY time in the morning to waking up at 4 or 5 AM and starting work or exercise with gusto. I went from very painful menstrual cycles to actually being able to carry on with life during that time of the month, and not having ANY pain or debilitating side effects.

I learned about estrogen dominance and implementing Dr. Berg's advice on what to avoid (dairy, endocrine disruptors, soy products, etc.) and his info on what to supplement with and which foods to increase in the diet (cruciferous vegetables) greatly improved my hormonal issues. I went from being a hopeless carb addict with irresistible sweet cravings to having ZERO cravings. I've gotten to where I actually hate the way I feel when I eat sugar or other refined foods, and "depriving myself" is not a sacrifice. I don't want or need it! I went from having insulin resistance and being dependent on constant snacks to be able to fast for long periods, and in general feeling much stronger. I don't feel the dependence on food the way I used to (i.e. having to take snacks in my purse wherever I go). I went from having extremely low energy levels to feel like an energy powerhouse. My productivity tripled or quadrupled.

After just a few months of IF, I finally had the mental energy to de-clutter much of our home. As a result, the house stays cleaner, and messes don't feel like overwhelming, never-ending tasks. This alone has greatly lowered my stress. I also have more time for doing things I've always wanted to do, like trying out small entrepreneur projects, having guests in our home more often, and experimenting with growing vegetables in the backyard. I have the stamina now to work and play hard with my kids, laugh and smile even at the end of a long day, and do various activities with them that I always had planned but never had the energy to carry out. Because I became more informed by Dr. Berg's videos on Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin A, I began taking cod liver oil and went from having constant skin issues (red bumps on the back of my arms that I was told were genetic, as well as dryness and acne) to enjoying smooth, clear skin. For as long as I can remember, I always had motion sickness and nausea whenever I traveled. Now I'm able to read, turn around and talk to people in the backseat, and in general, I feel much more adventuresome on trips, instead of miserable (which makes my whole family much happier!). I went from having debilitating brain fog to feeling clear-minded and much more mentally alert. My eating patterns now vary between two meals a day (a green smoothie at around 10 AM and a larger meal in the afternoon) and OMAD. I actually wish I could just go down to one meal a day, simply because I feel so good when I do it, but in an effort to get insufficient nutrients, I still do two meals most days.

I also do prolonged fasting (36 to 72 hours) once every one or two months and enjoy it, but it has taken me several months to work up to that. Following Dr. Berg's advice on taking electrolytes and other supplements while fasting has greatly improved my results. I am so grateful for Dr. Berg's videos and the confidence he places in the "average" person to understand the workings of their own body and to take control of their health. Many of the issues I had were things I thought (or had been told) were genetic, and that I would just have to manage as I got older. I appreciate the way Dr. Berg has looked for the root cause of the plethora of symptoms that many of us deal with and that we want lasting solutions to. This all doesn't mean that my life magically turned around overnight. I have been in this learning process for several months now, and still have so much more to learn about health and nutrition!

Life hasn't necessarily gotten easier, and I still deal with the hectic schedule and large amounts of stress I imagine most other people do. But the difference doing IF and Healthy Keto has made has been invaluable as I am able to come up against the challenges life presents with more physical strength and mental stamina, and I am so, so grateful. I am 28 years old and very thankful for the tools that have been made available to me to learn more about how to make healthy choices, and I looking forward to getting older if God wills it. :)

God bless you, Dr. Berg, and thank you.