There’s a lot on the internet about the advantages of eating a high fat, low carb ketogenic diet. Most will say it works best when you’re doing intermittent fasting. I agree. I’ve been doing both for the past month.

I realized in addition to the health, weight loss, reduction of inflammation, metabolic syndrome busting effects, hair growth on your Uncle Larry’s head (sadly not true, but keto does fix a lot) there is a striking advantage I’ve never read about. I experienced it yesterday during my frustrating, miserable day.

I was a sad sack due to an accumulation of things, mostly having to do with a broken toe that still has me barely limping in a surgical shoe. That broken toe has made me a prisoner in my apartment; I’ve been feeling isolated. Not good for happy social hormones. I reviewed all my family members’ problems and felt overwhelmed by the abundance of Medicare papers I have to read. I also watched the Michael Moore movie, Fahrenheit 11/9. That got me entirely depressed. Then let’s not forget there’s always managing blood sugar on top of that. The sky was dark grey and so was my mood.

Yet – and here’s where the revelation comes in – I didn’t get any urge to eat! We’re always told we don’t just eat out of hunger, but when we’re sad, lonely, happy, celebrating, anxious, bored.  I was half those things combined, yet had no craving, no hunger, none of it. And trust me, I was always someone who would reach for food as solace, not lose my appetite to grief.

I realized that ketogenic eating and intermittent fasting doesn’t just stop cravings and lower appetite (because your hunger is satiated from fat, not spiked by carbs and you’ve likely worked your way out of your Leptin Resistance), but those benefits are with you during times of emotional stress too. Woo Hoo!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, dietitian or clairvoyant. I have lived with type 1 diabetes for (47 years in two weeks) dieted for years when I was younger, and have recently been experimenting on myself with high fat/low carb eating and fasting.