282: Dr. Deborah Snyder On The Low-Carb Cure For Epilepsy

Written on August 24, 2009

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Hello and welcome back to The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore!
Today Jimmy shares his conversation with Dr. Deborah Snyder, whose son Bryce was cured of epilepsy by a two-year stint on a low-carb, ketogenic diet. Relatively unknown by the general public, ketosis has been used by some doctors to treat seizures for many years now. Tune in to listen in to hear the details of this cutting-edge, science-based treatment and its positive effects on epileptic children.

ALSO: Today’s episode is brought to you courtesy of our sponsor Truvia, the natural low-carb sweetener made from the stevia plant.

LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 282
- Zero calorie, zero carb all-natural sweetener Truvia
- Keto Kid: Helping Your Child Succeed on the Ketogenic Diet
- Video of Dr. Snyder addressing the International Symposium on Dietary Therapy for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders symposium about ketogenic diets for seizure control
- The Charlie Foundation: Helping Cure Epilepsy Through The Ketogenic Diet
- Epilepsy Moms interview with Dr. Snyder

rachel allen

seems interviews like this are a big park of breaking up the zietgeist. ideas can get a foothold even if they arent given profit supported exposure. great interview JM!
http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog Jimmy Moore

Thanks Rachel!
http://howhavebabygirl.blogspot.com/ Baby Girl

Great interview, and lots of other stuff I’m going to have to read, Thanks Jimmy!
http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog Jimmy Moore

I’m glad you enjoyed it, Baby Girl.
Richard A.

This is an interesting clip about what parents could find themselves up against.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfmayl9JwtI
Is this clip from a movie?
Richard A.

That clip is from the movie,”First Do No Harm” (1997) (TV).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118526/combined

The movie is available on DVD.
http://www.amazon.com/First-Do-No-Harm/dp/B000068MBW/
http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog Jimmy Moore

Yes, that’s a movie starring Meryl Streep that was created by The Charlie Foundation mentioned during the podcast by Dr. Snyder, Richard. I haven’t seen it personally yet, but REALLY want to.
Richard A.

I didn’t even know of the movie until I saw the you tube clips. It is now on my buy list. In general, it seems to capture what is wrong with modern medicine. If it’s not a prescription drug or surgery, it can’t work. To often statins are prescribe while ignoring fish oil, vitamin d3, and niacin–for heart failure such things as CoQ10, d-ribose, and l-carnitine are ignored–for wound healing, expensive steroids while ignoring arginine.
http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog Jimmy Moore

You are so right.
http://vesnavuynovich.blogspot.com Vesna

Great interview! It shows the power of fat in nourishing the brain. I visited some websites and it seems that even within the pro-ketogenic diet community there is fear of cholesterol and fat. How sad. It doesn’t seem that a leap has been made to high fat being the natural healing diet for a wide variety of conditions. I wonder whether ketogenic advocates believe something approaching the ketogenic diet would be helpful for a wider population? Also I noticed that in the interview Dr. Snyder talked about “healthy fats” and mentioned canola, but not saturated fat from meat.

First Do No Harm is available on Netflix. I just put it at the top of my queue!
http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog Jimmy Moore

The fear of fat is a very strong one to try to overcome. I know Dr. Snyder said she’s not as fearful of fats as others in her profession, but it does seem there is somewhat of an aversion to saturated fat. But listening to her describe the meals she made for Bryce (eggs cooked in butter with heavy cream) made me smile from ear to ear. Obviously if she thought that was doing more harm to her son than good, she wouldn’t have done it.
Mary Titus

Thank-You Jimmy, again you are the man. I am sharing this blog with a good friend of mine. I had mentioned this to you before but I feel that the ketogenic diet would help a friend of mine. Although you are primarily discussing epilepsy, you do touch on the fact that this diet can be used by a variety of neuological disorders. I will be sending him and the Dystonia Foundation this podcast. I just hope that ears are opened to this and that more people can be helped.

The more that I listen to this the more insane it makes me, to think that so many medical orgnaizations are by-passing this viable source. Billy, this diet is so simple and it is enjoyable.

I’ve got more experts coming up soon who will address the neurological connection and I’ve previously spoken with Dr. Larry McCleary about that subject as well. THANKS for listening, Mary!

–Jimmy
Mary Titus

Yay, look forward to hearing Dr. McLeary again. If I were wealthy, I would fund a medical organization who used this diet for a neurological treatment and cure. One day, I will be wealthy, so they better be ready.
Debbie Snyder

Thank you again Jimmy for the opportunity to speak about the ketogenic diet on your show! In response to the meat question….I love meat! I promote low fat meat as an excellent source of protein to my patients and my own family. I do consider the saturated fat in lean meat to be a healthy choice, although I do feel that fish and poultry are better choices than red meat. Thanks again! Dr. Deborah Snyder