High Fat—Low Carbs
The Paleo Diet or the similar Ketogenic Diet restricts carbohydrate intake and instead promotes eating high levels of fats and proteins. Dr. Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic developed The Ketogenic Diet in 1924. Back then, it was widely used to control epilepsy. With the advent of anti-seizure medications in the 1940s, however, the diet fell out of favor.
By 1994, nevertheless, it was back in the limelight when Charlie Abraham’s family started The Charlie Foundation, claiming the then toddler had recovered from his daily seizures through diet— after trying every anti-seizure medication available and enduring a traumatic brain surgery (10). Now, as a college student, Charlie continues following the diet and remains seizure-free today.
The premise behind the Ketogenic Diet is that by drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, and replacing it with fat, it puts your body into a metabolic state known as ketosis. This natural metabolic state forces your body to produce ketone bodies out of fat and uses these for energy instead of carbs. Kelly, like several studies, theorized that by reducing the intake of carbohydrates, thus promoting ketosis, it is possible to starve a tumor of fuel and thus stabilize it (11).
“It [the diet] works for epilepsy and diabetes, so why should it not work with cancer?” Kelly reasoned, adding, “This brain tumour is trying to kill me right now.” Kelly felt he had nothing to lose by completely changing his nutritional habits, and two years after his fatal diagnosis of brain cancer, he is alive and thriving.
“I’ve had five stable [CT] scans since January 2015 on this diet,” Kelly said, refuting his doctor’s claim that the Ketogenic Diet would not help him in any way.
Being A Paleo Brain Cancer Survivor
Kelly is fastidious about what he eats now. He regularly fasts as part of his regime and he restricts his calories. His only source of carbohydrates is from green vegetables. He has cut out all processed foods, refined sugars, root vegetables, starches, bread, and grains. As part of the program, he measures his blood sugar twice a day and he takes supplements, including natural anti-inflammatory agents to ensure his body receives everything it needs to fight the brain cancer.
“This diet involves a lot of work, but it’s a matter of life and death for me.”
Kelly also wants other people to know that they have options—not just the ones being forced upon them by the medical industry. Anything “natural” or that doesn’t involve the pharmaceutical industry and the hundreds upon hundreds of drugs it pushes daily, is often presented as flakey by medical professionals. Doctors don’t give their patients the complete array of options—the ones that include safer, less invasive alternatives.
“It’s all quackery in the eyes of modern medicine but it’s clearly helping because I’m still alive,” Kelly said.
And according to this brain cancer survivor, that’s not okay. He thinks more people need to understand that there are ways to treat diseases like cancer without harmful medications.
“To my knowledge, I’m the only person with this type of brain tumor that isn’t having therapy or surgery and is still alive today.”
Kelly stresses that he wants people to see his success and advocate for the diet. “The tumor is still there, but I can live and love my family and hopefully start my own family one day.” And Kelly hopes that others can do the same.
