Keto and Low Carb for the Novice Cook - Unbounded...

Disclaimer and Copyright

All information provided within this eBook is for informational purposes only and is not to be taken

as medical advice or instruction. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on

any matters regarding your health and wellbeing or on any opinions expressed within this eBook. The

information provided in this eBook is believed to be accurate based on the best knowledge of the

author. However, you as the reader must be responsible for consulting with your own health

professional on matters raised within. I, the author of Keto for the Novice Cook, will not accept any

responsibility for the actions or consequential results of any action taken by any reader. Some of the

suggestions discussed in this eBook may be contraindicated with other medical conditions or indeed

medication, so speak with your health professional before beginning any diet.

While the ketogenic diet is accepted as a medical intervention for epilepsy, its use as a metabolic

therapy for cancer is experimental at this stage. There is no guarantee that it will improve your health.

Since every person is unique, I cannot guarantee any specific result with this book. Everybody reacts

differently to nutritional and supplemental changes in their life because of health history, dietary

history, genetic predispositions and emotional factors. The goal of this book is to encourage you to

become knowledgeable about your options and bring your health to the optimum level that is unique

to you.

No part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted or sold, in whole or in part in any form,

without the prior written consent of the author. You may print a single copy for your personal, non-

commercial use.

Please be mindful of copyright. Keto for the Novice Cook is intellectual property that is protected by

copyright law. It may not be republished or distributed, either for financial gain or not, without

written permission of the author, Patricia Daly.

Copyright Patricia Daly, 2016. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 1: Introduction Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 1 : Introduction

Welcome and thanks for purchasing my book! My name is Patricia Daly and I’m a qualified

nutritional therapist and author based in Dublin, Ireland. I specialise in integrative cancer care

and I’m delighted that you are interested in a topic that I’m very passionate about- the ketogenic

diet for cancer.

You might have seen that I’ve already written 3 eBooks: 2 contain detailed meal plans for cancer

patients and one is focused on endurance athletes. My online courses for both beginners and

practitioners on www.ketoforyou.com have also helped many people gain clarity about the safety,

limitations and correct implementation of a ketogenic lifestyle. In April 2016, I also published my first

print book with my co-author Domini Kemp. It’s called “The Ketogenic Kitchen” and it hit the

bestseller lists here in Ireland shortly after it came out.

The main goal of my books is to help people with the implementation of a strict ketogenic diet for

therapeutic purposes. A ketogenic diet that is so carbohydrate restricted needs close monitoring

by a health professional and proper guidance, at least in the initial stages. Many people are put off

trying it because it involves a radical change in eating habits and it can be daunting initially. I’ve met

many patients who were motivated to embark on the ketogenic journey. But they were so confused

that they ended up eating almost nothing for too long, which obviously can’t be the solution. I want to

put the theory of a ketogenic diet outlined by some brilliant minds into practice and prove that it can

be a healthy, nutritious, anti-inflammatory and, most importantly, enjoyable lifestyle.

Most importantly, I’d like to make the information available and affordable for anybody who wants to

embark on this journey.

This eBook here is different to my previous ones. With every book and the feedback it brings from

people from all over the world, I learn a bit more about the difficulties in implementing the ketogenic

diet and the challenges people face. So far, my focus has always been on meal plans, especially those

that are easy to make with a family in tow.

But I’ve had more and more requests to create a resource for people who aren’t into cooking

“fancy stuff”. There might be various reasons preventing you from cooking anything but really

simple meals:

http://www.ketoforyou.com/

Chapter 1: Introduction Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

You’ve never learned cooking anything but really simple things

You simply don’t like it and prefer spending your time otherwise

You’re too tired because you’re going through treatment

You’ve just been diagnosed with a chronic illness, e.g., cancer, and you’re too

overwhelmed to learn another new skill

With this eBook, I’d like to show that following a ketogenic lifestyle can be incredibly simple and

time efficient. Many people are put off starting a ketogenic or low carb diet because they lack the

food knowledge required to “do things properly”. The pictures in this eBook will give you lots of

knowledge in a very short period. Not only will you learn what all the different foods- that you

probably haven’t heard of before- look like. You will also see at a glance how much you can add to

the frying pan or straight to the plate to maintain your ideal ketogenic ratio (meaning the “correct”

amount of fat, protein and carbohydrates). In no time will you be able to create your own simple

meals without having to learn sophisticated cooking skills.

While I do my best in this book to give advice on how to use food, create recipes and meal plans

tailored to your needs, it is still very important that you follow the instructions of your doctor

and ideally also a qualified nutrition professional. They can tailor a protocol to your needs

and advise you on other lifestyle changes that can be beneficial for you while following a ketogenic

diet.

What I give in this book are guidelines and ideas and not instructions and it remains up to you

to change them according to your medical condition, your individual needs, social situation (how

much support from family/friends), potential side effects from treatments, possible food sensitivities

or food preferences.

Chapter 2: Tips for using this Book Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 2 : Tips for using this Book

1. If you’re following the ketogenic diet for therapeutic purposes, get help from a

qualified professional who can do the initial tests and then tailor a programme for

you while monitoring your progress.

2. Whatever support you get- one thing nobody can do for you is learn about food.

You might get meal plans from your dietician or be instructed to cook certain meals.

Unless you have your keto meals tailored to your needs delivered to your home on a

daily basis, you will have to start learning and cooking. Take this book to the

supermarket, learn about the various foods discussed and find where you can buy

them.

3. While there are no specific skills or equipment required to use this book, I’d expect

you to know a few basic things. How to fry meat or egg in a frying pan, for

instance. Or also how to use your oven because there’s nothing simpler than

throwing some vegetables and a leg of duck into the oven and read a book while it’s

cooking!

4. Also, there are a few pieces of kitchen equipment that I’d like you to consider

buying. They will save you so much time that soon you won’t know how you actually

lived without them:

If I had to choose one tool in my kitchen, it would be my blender (food

processor). It helps me make salad dressings, pesto, chia puddings, chop

vegetables, grind nuts, make smoothies or pates. The applications are endless

and if you have a look at my recipes, many of them say: “Put all ingredients in

the food processor, blend and store in the fridge”.

A set of good knives. Blunt ones can be so irritating and really put me off

cooking!

A good frying pan. It’ll make all the difference.

Chapter 2: Tips for using this Book Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Silicone ice cube and muffin trays to make fat bombs or also other easy

baking goods.

I hate to break it to you, but you still need a set of good quality food

weighing scales. Although the pictures will be a great help, it’s still

necessary to weigh certain foods- for the fat choices, for instance. At least until

you get the hang of it!

5. Here are a few simple tips that can make your life in the kitchen a lot easier within a

very short period. I suggest you learn some easy techniques that can be learned with

the help of a few videos:

Basic knife skills: This is a really important video for any beginner to watch-

not only for safety reasons, but it will also make cooking so much more

enjoyable when mastering these skills http://bit.ly/1IMRXOb

How to use a slow cooker: This comes in really handy when I’m short of

time, to make bone broth or also to make chicken super tender. This video is

for teaching purposes only. The meal would be way too carbohydrate-rich with

all the root vegetables. It’s a great family dish, though, and I just steam some

non-starchy vegetables by the side for myself and only have a small amount of

root veg http://bit.ly/1GOIbq3

How to cook vegetables: Here are 4 different ways, one also using a pressure

cooker. My preferred way of cooking vegetables is by steaming them. The only

thing I’d say is that I prefer roasting my vegetables on parchment paper or just

in a glass baking dish instead of using tin foil! http://bit.ly/1Eg46Vg

How to use a pressure cooker: This can be another really handy tool for

super busy people and families. Pressure cooking reduces cooking time

tremendously and it has been shown to preserve nutrients well, too. I’ve used

one for a good while and find it handy for stews if I forget to put them into the

slow cooker, for instance! It makes lovely soft stew in 20 minutes and

vegetables cook much quicker, too. You can check out this video that shows

you how to use it- it can be a big daunting initially! http://bit.ly/1EPXqAK

http://bit.ly/1IMRXOb

http://bit.ly/1GOIbq3

http://bit.ly/1Eg46Vg

http://bit.ly/1EPXqAK

Chapter 3: The Ketogenic Lifestyle Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 3 : The Ketogenic Lifestyle

Lately, the ketogenic diet has received a lot more attention from scientists, researchers and media

than in previous years. It's almost as if this dietary approach is going through a renaissance! And

rightly so: The are many potential applications of a ketogenic diet for chronic degenerative diseases

like epilepsy, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and neurological conditions like Alzheimer's or

Parkinson's.

Given my story and health history, I’m very interested in the use of a ketogenic lifestyle for cancer

patients. I actually don’t like the word “diet” too much because there are so many other ways to help

enhance the effects of this way of eating. Think exercise, stress management, sleep and sun

exposure, toxins or other environmental impacts.

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

Ketogenic diets have been effective for seizure control in epileptic children for almost a century. From

the 1960s onwards they have been widely recognized as one of the most common methods for

treatment of obesity-related disorders. Researchers are investigating the ketogenic diet as a

cancer therapy mainly because cancer cells rely primarily on glucose to fuel their metabolism. This

characteristic is the basis for tumour imaging (PET/CT scans): Before a scan, the patient receives

an intravenous injection of radioactive glucose. Because most cancer cells are highly metabolic and

rapidly synthesise the glucose, oncologists can effectively pinpoint the source of cancer and detect

whether the tumour cells are isolated to one specific area or have spread to other organs.

In simple terms, a ketogenic diet trains your body to burn fat instead of glucose. Most people use

glucose (or in other words sugar) as their main source of energy, especially those who follow the

traditional food pyramid. The cornerstone of a ketogenic diet for cancer patients involves severe

restriction of carbohydrates (2-4% of total calorie intake) to minimise the effect on blood

glucose. Carbohydrates are replaced with high amounts of fats (75-85% of total calorie intake) in

the form of coconut oils, avocados and oily fish as examples and adequate intake of protein (12-

20% of total calorie intake). Excessive protein consumption can also result in elevated blood glucose

levels through a process called gluconeogenesis. A ketogenic diet causes the body to enter a state


called ketosis, where ketone bodies are produced by the liver as a by-product of fat breakdown when

blood glucose is low.

It has been theorized that tumour cells do not seem to have the metabolic flexibility to use ketones for

energy. A ketogenic diet therefore leads to destabilisation of tumour tissue DNA, possible

reduction of tumour size over time and therefore enhanced survival rates for cancer patients.

There are several potential mechanisms that explain why a ketogenic diet can be added as a type

of dietary intervention in cancer treatment. The following paragraphs outline a few of them:

A ketogenic diet may work simply through limiting available glucose to cancer

cells. This is not a new concept: In the 1920s, German Nobel Prize winner Prof Dr

Otto Warburg demonstrated that cancer cells generate their energy predominantly

by a high rate of glycolysis (the breakdown of sugar). This process (called “Warburg

Effect”) has been confirmed in many studies and has now been accepted as a robust

hallmark of most tumours.

Contrary to our normal cells, data shows that cancer cells are unable to effectively

generate energy from ketone bodies. They heavily rely on glucose. This increased

appetite for glucose could result from the fact that most malignant cells have

deficient or defective mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell that create

energy. Rapidly growing tumour cells typically have glycolytic rates (the rate at which

glucose is transported into the cells) of up to 200 times higher than those of their

normal tissues of origin.

Due to their faulty mitochondria, cancer cells also depend on glucose to fix

free radical damage. Much like our normal cells, cancer cells are under constant

attack of free radicals. Since their mitochondria do not function properly, they rely on

even more uptake of glucose to counter free radical damage. Limiting this glucose will

inhibit their capacity to repair damaged cells. This may also be one of the reasons why

restricting glucose through a ketogenic diet may enhance the effects of

radio- and chemotherapy.

A recent study in advanced cancer patients tested the hypothesis that a carbohydrate-

restricted diet will slow cancer growth in patients by reducing the secretion and

circulating levels of insulin. Minimising the pathways that lead to cancer growth

or indeed activating those that limit it is another potential mechanism by which a

ketogenic diet can be effective.


It seems a reasonable possibility that a ketogenic diet could help to reduce the progression of some

types of cancer, although at present the evidence is preliminary. Most of the trials carried out on

the ketogenic diet have been animal studies and case-reports, with a few larger randomized,

controlled trials currently underway.

Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) and anticancer nutraceuticals (e.g., curcumin, omega-3

fatty acids, green tea polyphenols) are equally important and their content must be addressed when

discussing and evaluating a ketogenic diet. As with any dietary intervention during cancer treatment,

a multidisciplinary approach is vital, i.e. looking for synergistic interactions between different

therapies that may increase the efficacy of treatment.

Overall Health Benefits

In terms of overall health benefits, low carbohydrate and ketogenic diets have been shown to

lower blood glucose and baseline insulin levels

be anti-inflammatory

produce less oxidative stress during exercise

accelerate the use of saturated fat for fuel, allowing a high intake of total fats

(including saturates) without risk

lower blood pressure and decrease risk factors for cardiovascular disease

decrease triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol

enhance gut and immune function by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation

help brain function (clearer thinking)

reduce risk factors associated with cancer


Who Should NOT Go Keto?

There are a number of contraindications where a ketogenic diet cannot be implemented (Source:

Kossoff et al (2009) Optimal clinical management of children receiving the ketogenic diet:

recommendations of the International Ketogenic Diet Study Group. Epilepsia. 50(2): 304-17):

Carnitine deficiency (primary)

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) I or II deficiency

Carnitine translocase deficiency

b-oxidation defects

Medium-chain acyl dehydrogenase deficiency (MCAD)

Long-chain acyl dehydrogenase deficiency (LCAD)

Short-chain acyl dehydrogenase deficiency (SCAD)

Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA deficiency

Medium-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA deficiency

Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency

Porphyria

Caution is also advised with elevated liver enzymes, impaired gut function, history of kidney

stones or renal disease, certain heart conditions, history of pancreatitis or abnormalities in blood

chemistry. If you suspect that any of this might be an issue, please consult a functional medicine

practitioner who can run appropriate tests on you.

Whether you suffer from any health conditions or not, I always recommend having a complete

blood chemistry panel done before starting the diet. This is to make sure there are no underlying

issues (e.g., impaired liver function, kidney or blood cell issues, low levels of Vitamin D, lipid

imbalances, thyroid issues) that might pose a problem while you are on the ketogenic diet.

Please find an experienced nutrition professional who can monitor your progress instead of you

embarking on the journey on your own. Trained professionals will also be able to tell you if a


ketogenic diet is suitable in your case and how much monitoring you need.

Finally, don’t forget that the ketogenic does not suit everybody. Some people absolutely thrive on

it while others struggle with (fat) digestion, hormone imbalances or other issues. That’s why it’s so

important that you tune into your body, listen to its signs and do functional testing with an

appropriately trained professional.

First Steps To Get Started

If you are a complete newbie to this way of eating, please take the time to inform yourself. The best

thing to do in this case is to “clean up your diet” before you overwhelm yourself with carb counting

and introducing new foods at every single meal. I suggest reducing carbohydrates gradually so that

your system has a chance to adapt and you get plenty of opportunity to get your head around new

foods, cooking methods and shopping lists! However, some people prefer making radical changes and

starting the diet straight away, provided they do not have any underlying health issues (e.g.,

malnutrition, thyroid, cardiovascular problems).

If you’re unsure how to start and need some more guidance, I suggest visiting my websites

www.patriciadaly.com and www.ketoforyou.com for further resources, both free and paid. I have a

video-based “Keto for Beginners” course on beginners.ketoforyou.com, which has proven

invaluable for people wanting to get a concise overview. You can also have a look at my other eBooks,

which give clear steps to get you started. You will learn how to work out your daily

carbohydrate/protein/fat intake, how to monitor progress, how to deal with side effects and how to

make this lifestyle sustainable.

How Strict Do I Have To Be?

We know from the use of the ketogenic diet for epileptic patient that every single bit of food has to be

weighed. That meals have to be exactly calculated and tracked to make sure seizures can be avoided at

all costs.

Some conditions like epilepsy undoubtedly require precise calculations, especially for children. But

I've learned over the years that for other chronic illnesses like cancer, so many other factors play

an equally or sometimes even more important role than diet and exact amounts of carbohydrates.

This is the exact reason I prefer talking about a “ketogenic lifestyle” and not a “ketogenic diet”.

http://www.patriciadaly.com/

http://www.ketoforyou.com/

http://beginners.ketoforyou.com/

http://patriciadaly.com/practical-keto-meal-plans-for-cancer-2/


Blood glucose and ketone levels can also be influenced by food load per meal and meal timing but so

many factors other than diet can have an equally critical influence:

Hormones

Stress on the body and mind

Sleep

Exercise/activities and heart rate variability

Body temperature

Time of day

Medication and supplements

Air quality

Electrolyte status

So, instead of obsessing over every single gram of food eaten, my experience has shown that getting a

good handle on visual quantities can be equally effective. I do encourage you to weigh your

food in the initial stages together with the visual guides I give in this book. Once you’re “keto-

adapted” (which means that your body is predominantly burning fat) and more confident, you can

start “free styling” a bit more while still monitoring your blood glucose and ketone levels.

Chapter 4 : Food Pictures Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 4 : Food Pictures

Introduction

As I already mentioned earlier, the food pictures in this eBook are simply a guideline and don’t

entirely replace weighing your food. This is particularly important to note when you’re following

a ketogenic diet to manage seizures.

But if you’re new to the ketogenic diet and you have very little food knowledge, the pictures in this

guide will give you an excellent starting point. Not only will you see at a glance what food quantities

I’m talking about. Most importantly, you will learn about foods you’ve probably not even heard about

and how to best use them. This won’t just help you start a ketogenic diet, but chances are you will

dramatically improve variety of your diet and increase nutrient density.

You will see that I’ve created different categories of foods. Note that this is not an exhaustive list

and that there are other ingredients and foods that you can use on a ketogenic diet that I haven’t

captured here. Among those are, for instance, any processed foods (i.e. coming out of a package) that

are labelled and that therefore help work out the macro (protein, fat, carb) content. Other foods you

obviously won’t find are grains and pulses (legumes), milk, sugar-laden sauces or dressings and

any artificially sweetened products. If you need a food list and what foods I recommend excluding,

you can visit my website www.patriciadaly.com.

The different categories in this book that will help you create your menus are:

Vegetables

Fruit

Nuts and Seeds

Protein Choices

Mixed (Protein and Fat) Choices

Fat Choices

http://www.patriciadaly.com/


Recently, a debate has started whether low carb dieters should count total or net carbs, especially

on a ketogenic diet. Some people seem to struggle going into ketosis on a net carb diet.

Net Carbs = Total Carbs - Fibre

The effects of fibre on blood sugar and metabolism are still being researched. Up to date, it seems that

Assumption: Dietary fibre doesn’t affect blood sugar and our body cannot derive

calories from it. Research has yet to confirm that this applies to all types of fibre

(soluble and insoluble).

Advice: Start counting net carbs (all my food pictures and recipes are based on net

carbs) and if you struggle going into ketosis, focus more on total carbs. This is an even

stricter approach and you could hardly eat any vegetables!

The databases and sources I used for the calculations of macronutrients are as follows:

www.nutritics.com, which allows me to get a full macronutrient (fats, protein and

carbs) and micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) overview of each food and meal.

Material provided by www.matthewsfriends.org. I did “Keto College” in June

2016 with this fantastic UK charity led by Emma Williams. It provides keto support

for epileptic patients and has recently also started to help cancer patients.

I also often cross check with the USDA Food Composition Database on

https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/. This is a database I recommend you use if there are any

other foods you need to calculate.

For each food, there are always 2 pictures: One close up from the front and one from the top,

capturing the entire plate to give you a good insight into portion size. I always use a ruler as well to

show you more exact dimensions.

http://www.nutritics.com/

http://www.matthewsfriends.org/

https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/


Vegetables

The photographs on the following pages show you at a glance how much you can eat of each type

of vegetable to yield 1g of net carbs. Certain vegetables also contain some protein but in small

amounts. When applying a ketogenic diet, protein in fresh vegetables is not generally taken into

account. Apart from avocado (which contains 9.8g of fat in 50g), vegetables also contain very

little fat. Therefore protein and fat values for vegetables aren’t listed in this section. Please refer to

the appendix for an alphabetic list without any pictures.

In my view and experience, vegetables- especially the non-starchy ones- are an absolutely crucial

factor on the ketogenic diet- with a few exceptions. There are times or conditions that don’t allow for

an abundant vegetable intake. Here are a few examples:

At the beginning of a ketogenic diet, some people can be incredibly sensitive to even

the smallest amounts of carbohydrates, even in non-starchy vegetables. This usually

only happens in the initial stages and dramatically improves once somebody has been

in ketosis for a few weeks.

For seizure control and in certain cases of brain tumours, a very or almost

zero carbohydrate approach can be more effective. Please do get support if this is the

case.

Food sensitivities and allergies, like, for instance, to salicylates. These are

chemicals found in plants and can make it difficult to ingest any amount of vegetables

and fruit.

If you tolerate vegetables and feel well when eating them, I encourage you to find as many ways as

possible to incorporate them in your diet. Somebody who is well adapted to the ketogenic way of

eating can usually eat large amounts of non-starchy vegetables and particularly green leafy vegetables

without having any effect on blood sugar and ketone levels.

The following pictures will give you a big amount of choice and variety. You will see that I start

with the vegetables you can indulge the most and then the series ends with the ones you need to be

the most prudent with when following a low carb and ketogenic lifestyle. This doesn’t mean you need

to completely avoid them but- as you will quickly spot- to reduce them quite dramatically in some

cases.


Make sure you eat produce that is as local and seasonal as possible. If you can afford it, buy

organic vegetables or check out the research done by the Environmental Working Group

(www.ewg.org) on the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen”. It’ll give you guidance on where to set

priorities when choosing your vegetables and fruit.

I’d also like to remind you that often nutrients and fibre “sit” in parts of vegetables that most

people throw in the bin or compost. Here are a few examples:

Broccoli and kale stalks

The green part of leeks and spring onions

Cauliflower leaves

Beet greens

If you find ways of using those “woody” parts, you will add indigestible fibre to your diet, which

your digestive and ultimately immune system will be very happy about. But it’ll also help you keep

more money in your pocket!

You can always lower the carbohydrate content further by fermenting vegetables. This is because

carbohydrates are ‘eaten up’ by the bacteria cultures. You end up with food that has a greater level of

gut-friendly nutrients in a highly bio-available state. This means that your body will be able to

absorb it more efficiently. The longer the fermentation process, the more carbohydrates are eaten up

by the organisms, which results in a lower carbohydrate count. There are more and more good

companies selling ready-to-go sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) and other lacto-fermented vegetables

like carrots, fennel, beetroot and others. Just make sure the products are unpasteurised and of good

quality.

Another question that often pops up is whether vegetables should be raw or cooked. I generally

recommend a good mix: Green leaves, cucumbers, celery, avocado and fennel are lovely ingredients

for salads, for instance. Some people struggle with digesting raw foods and feel better when they have

them in the form of soups, for instance. And there are vegetables that should be cooked or at least

lightly steamed, especially Brassicas (cruciferous vegetables). When they’re raw, they contain a

substance called “goitrogens”, which can inhibit thyroid function. Another example are tomatoes,

which are a good source of the potentially cancer fighting antioxidant called lycopene. Cooking

tomatoes has been shown to enhance availability of lycopene.

http://www.ewg.org/


Finally, please note that in Europe, we use certain words you might not be familiar with if you’re

based in North America or elsewhere. But I hope the pictures will make it clear at a glance!

Aubergine = eggplant

Rocket = arugula

Courgette = zucchini

Spring onion = green onion/scallion

Swede = rutabaga


Fruit


of fruit to yield 1g of net carbs. Fruit contains negligible amounts of protein and fat, which

is why they aren’t listed. Please refer to the appendix for an alphabetic list without any pictures.

Fruit isn’t a staple on a ketogenic diet, definitely not. Although it has certain health benefits, it

doesn’t contain anywhere near as many nutrients as vegetables, for instance. You also find a

significant amount of sugar in the form of fructose and glucose. And, I hope you’re aware of

this now, on a ketogenic diet we’re trying to limit sugar and anything that turns into it in the body at a

very low-level.

My advice therefore is- at least in the strict initial phase when you transition into ketosis- to keep your

fruit intake to a minimum. Consider it a treat! You will see at one glance that you can eat a much

bigger amount of certain vegetables to keep your carbohydrate intake low. But boost your nutrient

intake a lot more! Once you’re well keto-adapted, you know that this lifestyle suits you and you maybe

also get more physically active, you can add more carbs. And start introducing more fruit if you feel

that this is suitable.


Nuts and Seeds


of nut or seed to yield 1g of net carbs. You will also see how much protein and fat each choice

contains so that you can take this into account when planning your meals. Please refer to the

appendix for an alphabetic list without any pictures.

For many people starting to eat low carb or ketogenic, nuts and seeds very quickly become their

favourite staple and “convenience food”. While they are certainly full of nutrients and can be very

beneficial, they can also pose a problem when eaten in excess (like most foods can, by the way!).

One of the reasons is that they generally contain more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty

acids. High omega-6 intake combined with low omega-3 intake can lead to thrombosis, inflammatory

conditions and poor cellular health. Because cancer often goes “hand in hand” with inflammation, it’s

particularly important for cancer patients to achieve an optimum balance between omega-3s and

omega-6s. Macadamia nuts contain the least omega-6 fatty acids and are mostly made of

monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids.

It has also been shown that some brain cancer cells can use certain types of omega-6 fatty acids,

which is another reason to keep an eye on it. There’s no need to completely avoid nuts and seeds- on

the contrary- as long as you also top up on omega-3s and keep the balance. Good sources of

omega-3 fatty acids are:

Oily fish (anchovies, sardines, mackerel, salmon, kipper, herring)

Grass-fed meat

Flax, chia and hemp seeds

Sea vegetables


Protein Choices

The photographs on the following pages show you at a glance how much you can eat of each type of

protein to yield either 10g or 20g of protein. The foods in this section contain negligible amounts of

carbohydrate and fat (under 2g per portion), which is why they aren’t listed. For protein-rich foods

that are also high in fat, go to the next section (“Mixed Protein and Fat Choices”). Please refer to the

appendix for an alphabetic list without any pictures.

Because these protein choices are naturally fat-free, it’s important that you add fat sources to reach

your daily target fat intake. You can go to “Fat Choices” to get guidance on this. But I have to

emphasize that I’m a big fan of eating fat in as natural state as possible because any “pure” fat like

butter, olive oil, coconut oil or lard has been “extracted” from the whole food. This means that I often

prefer fatty cuts of meat to the lean ones. For instance, choosing duck or chicken legs (the “brown”

flesh) to chicken breast. Or mackerel instead of cod.

I’ve also added protein powder to this list. Although this is technically not a “whole food”, I do like

to have it in my cupboard. It helps me when I’m in a rush, for instance, and just whip up a vegetable

shake. Or when I make chia puddings or energy bars. It’s by no means a “must” and you can easily

follow a ketogenic diet without any protein powders. My favourite one is Nuzest but I know there are

lots of other quality products on the market. Check the ingredient list for macronutrient ratios and do

a bit of research to make sure it’s a good choice.

It’s up to you- I like to have as much diversity and variety in my diet, which is why I sometimes pick

the fat-free protein choices and add a nice dressing or coconut cream with spices.


Mixed Protein and Fat Choices

After going through protein choices that contain very little fat, it’s time to look at the ones that are

more suitable on a ketogenic diet. The photographs on the following pages show you at a glance how

much you can eat of different foods to yield 10g or 20g of protein. You will see how much

protein AND fat each choice contains so that you can take this into account when planning your

meals. Carbohydrates are negligible in these foods, which is why they aren’t listed. Please refer to

the appendix for an alphabetic list without any pictures.

As I explained in the previous “Protein Choices” section, these are my preferred choices because you

don’t have to add as much fat. I added a soy-based product, tofu, to this section although I’m not a big

fan of soy. If you do use it, please do so sparingly and make sure it’s of excellent quality.


Fat Choices

Fat is obviously an important part on a ketogenic diet. For most people, it provides the bulk of

the calories, except if you follow a ketogenic or low carb diet for weight loss. That's when calories from

fat are generally also reduced but certainly not to 0!

As I explained in the "Mixed Protein and Fat Choices", one of the things I'd like to encourage you to

do is to look for the fat in whole foods. Meaning that you're not scared of eating fatty cuts of

meats, eggs or avocados.

But one of the misconceptions many people have is that you can eat unlimited amounts of fat on

a ketogenic diet. For instance, adding copious amounts of butter to your coffee, bathing your

vegetables in coconut oil or eating "fat bombs" till the cows come home. This is incorrect. Increasing

calories from fat might be okay in the short term- but can have detrimental effects in the long term.

I’m not an advocate of calorie counting. But I do believe calories matter, even on a low carb diet. You

will likely get a good handle on calories by keeping an eye on your macronutrients (fat, protein and

carbohydrates). But consuming an excess amount of calories in any form has a negative

impact on most people in the mid and long term.

If you're struggling to maintain or gain weight, please get help from a qualified professional. It

mightn't be as simple as to just increase fat intake to maintain or gain weight. A targeted protein

approach (i.e. supplementing certain amino acids) can sometimes be equally effective.

The following table will give you a good idea of fat sources that I recommend using as ingredients

in sauces and dressings or as a supplement if your protein sources are lean. Apart from walnut and

flaxseed oil, which I never heat, all these fats are suitable for cooking, gentle frying or baking with.

For protein and carb content (where applicable), please consult the table in the appendix.

Chapter 5 : Beverages Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 5 : Beverages

Non-alcoholic Drinks

Watching your fluid intake and making sure you’re staying well hydrated is very important. On a

low carb diet, it’s even more important to drink regularly and plenty. It seems that many people

underestimate the amount of water they need on a daily basis, especially when they’re starting to

lower their carbohydrate intake.

Here is a short list of beverages recommended on a ketogenic diet:

Clean water (depending on water quality in your location, you might want to

consider installing a water filter)

Sparkling/carbonated water

Fresh lemon juice: is a good natural flavour enhancer and makes a great addition to

sparkling water on a hot summer’s day. 5g (1 teaspoon) only contain 0.1g of carbs!

Apple Cider Vinegar: another flavour enhancer and excellent to stimulate gastric

juices about 15-20 minutes before a meal. Again, carbs are negligible with 0.1g in 1

tablespoon. Apple cider vinegar can actually help lower your blood glucose levels.

Herbal Teas are another good low carb choice (unless you spoon in the sugar!).

Coffee in limited amounts is fine, too, unless you get blood sugar spikes or you

simply don’t tolerate it well (i.e. it gives you headaches, makes you giddy or feel unwell

in other ways).

Almond milk is very low in carbs (unless it’s sweetened, of course) and can be used

in pancakes, hot chocolates or chia puddings as a dairy milk substitute. Dairy milk is a

great source of nutrition but it is not the best choice on a low carb or keto diet because

100ml contain 4.6g of carbs.


Alcoholic Drinks

Don’t get me wrong. I have no intention whatsoever talking you into drinking alcohol. If you’ve stayed

away from it so far- congratulations! Scroll over this chapter and please keep it this way.

As much as I’d like everybody to do so, I’m aware that this is probably wishful thinking… And that

most people REALLY enjoy their alcoholic beverages and need solid information rather than a clear

“no no”! This is why I’ve decided to include this section in the book.

Let’s start with a few ground rules…

Note that your alcohol tolerance is lower on a low carb or ketogenic diet. You

might have been able to drink a few pints of Lager without a problem before going

keto. Maybe followed by a couple of glasses of red wine and topped off with some

whiskey (this was one of my “protocols” before I was diagnosed with cancer!). Trust

me, this wouldn’t knock you out of ketosis just because of a very high carb count- you

would simply not be able to tolerate this anymore. My advice is to start with small

amounts (about 80ml) of wine or even less of hard spirits if you’re a beginner. More

“seasoned” low carbers can increase the amounts with caution but personally, I’ve

never had more than 2 small glasses of red wine.

While alcohol doesn’t generally turn to sugar in your bloodstream (which many people

believe), it can keep your body from burning fat, which we obviously want to

avoid. In some people, alcohol can also “kill ketones”.

Your appetite/food choices will be influenced by alcohol. As you know, going

for the fatty (but healthy) choices is okay as long as you stay away from the carbs. If

you have to have this cheeseburger because everybody else around you is having one,

by all means go ahead (preferably with a grass-fed burger ;)) but stay away from the

bun and the chips (French fries).

Not having alcohol on an empty stomach is a “rule” I think everybody has come

across and it particularly applies to ketoers. Have some good fat (ideally also medium

chain triglycerides or MCTs) and some protein before drinking alcohol.

Use your common sense: If a drink tastes sweet but isn’t sweetened (with artificial

sweeteners like aspartame or natural ones like stevia), it probably has quite a lot of

sugar in it.


As always- quality matters! Many commercial, “cheap” (under 10USD) wines have

slightly more residual sugar and some keto dieters have actually confirmed to me that

this has an impact on their blood glucose. My tip: Spend a bit more on a good quality

bottle because you won’t drink vast quantities anyway.

Being in ketosis can give false-positive breath-alcohol tests (Jones and Roessner,

Int J Obes, 2007)! You better have a good story ready if you have to do use a

breathalyzer!

Alcoholic drinks that we don’t even need to discuss because they’re too carby and

out of the question are the following:

Shots with fruit juice or other additions like soda because of the carb

count. Try and modify by using sparkling water, lemon and some sweetener like

Stevia.

(Fruit) Flavoured wines

Alcopops (flavoured alcoholic beverages) like Gin and Tonic, Bacardi Breezer,

Smirnoff ice, Hooch or Hooper’s. You can check out ideas for making low carb

mixers further down.

Jagermeister

Bailey’s Irish cream (I’m sorry!), Amaretto, Kahlua, Midori and all the other

super sweet beverages.


Beer

I have to admit, I’m a bit of a beer snob… Beer was my absolute favourite alcoholic drink before I went keto and I have many fond memories of cold beers after tough bike rides in the middle of a hot Swiss summer. So yes, when somebody asks what food I miss most on the ketogenic diet, my answer is “liquid bread”!

And I know there are low carb beers out there that could be a substitute but I just can’t get myself to drinking them. I prefer hanging on to my memories and remembering the taste rather than shattering them with some funny tasting yellow liquid….

BUT for those of you who actually like them, here’s a variety of options if you do have beer. And, who knows, maybe my taste buds have changed so much on keto for nearly 4 years now that I might give a low carb beer another chance!

The list below contains all the beers I could find (I’m sure there are more, though, just check local and microbreweries, too!) that have less than 3g of carbs per 12oz bottle. For those who count net carbs- beer doesn’t contain any fibre so total and net carbs are equal.


Wine

Surprisingly, wine is low carb in nature (although it’s made from grapes, a high carb food) and the

few carbs come from unfermented sugar. When a beverage is going through the fermentation

process, yeasts feed on carbohydrates and produce alcohol, heat and CO2 as by-products. A dry wine

has very little residual sugar but sweet wine obviously has quite a bit more.

In moderation, wine can definitely be part of a low carb and ketogenic diet. Stick to dry wines and

check out the calories and carbs in 5oz (approx. 150ml). Note that these are averages and obviously

depend on the producer.


For more info on sugar content in wines, please click here.

http://winefolly.com/review/sugar-in-wine-chart/


Champagne and Sparkling Wine

And let’s talk about champagne and sparkling wines, which both make a very common appearance at

most Christmas receptions and dinners.

There are various types of champagnes and they come with various amounts of carbs. Note that “extra

dry” isn’t the driest you can get and actually tastes quite sweet- look for extra brut. Avoid Prosecco

and Asti Spumante because they’re very sweet.

Winefolly do a good overview of what to expect when drinking champagne.

http://www.winefolly.com/


You see, it’s impossible to make a statement like “1 glass of champagne contains 3g of carbs”- it

depends on what type of champagne you’re going for. One of my favourite “bubblies” is probably

Veuve Clicquot, which has 100 calories and 2g carbs per 5oz.

Hard spirits

Generally speaking, spirits like vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, brandy, cognac and armagnac are virtually

sugar and carb free (yay!). BUT unless you like whiskey “straight” like me (I don’t even want ice

in it), you will want to add some sort of low carb mixers. Here are some ideas:

Fresh lemon/lime juice (there is 0.1g of carbs in 1 teaspoon)

Club soda or Seltzer water

Liquid flavour enhancers like Stur that comes in 8 different flavours can be fabulous to make

mixers. One example is to fill a tall glass with ice with a wedge of lime, add a shot of tequila,

then top up with orange sparkling water.

Stevia in granulated form (e.g., Dr Coy’s or Natvia) can be great to make mojitos.

Sugar-free syrups (e.g., Da Vinci) can also be an option to make the occasional treat. Keto-

friendly would be, for instance, an Irish coffee with some whiskey and heavy cream!

A nice Christmas recipe for mulled wine is here.

http://www.sturdrinks.com/

http://www.drcoys.ie/

http://www.natvia.com/

http://www.amazon.com/DaVinci-SUGAR-Coffee-Liqueur-Syrup/dp/B000UIAI18

http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2011/12/cranberry-ginger-mulled-wine-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html

Chapter 6 : Herbs and Spices Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 6 : Herbs and Spices

Numerous studies have explored the beneficial effects of herbs and spices, especially for cancer

patients. Research shows that herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory action.

It is such an easy and tasty way to add more beneficial and low-carb nutrients to your diet. It’s well

worth experimenting with different types of herbs and spices. I also like to use a mix of fresh and

dried herbs. The table below shows that herbs and spices add very little carbs to your diet.

They’re great to put spice into your life- literally!


Measurement Weight in g Net Carbs

Allspice, ground 1 teaspoon 1.9g 0.97g

Anise Seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.75g

Basil, dried 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.03g

Basil, fresh 5 leaves 2.5g 0.07g

Bay leaf 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.25g

Capers, canned 1 tablespoon 8.6g 0.12g

Caraway seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.25g

Cardamom, ground 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.77g

Celery seed 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.63g

Chili powder 1 teaspoon 2.7g 0.44g

Cinnamon, ground 1 teaspoon 2.6g 0.7g

Cloves, ground 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.68g

Coriander leaf, dried 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.21g

Coriander seed 1 teaspoon 1.8g 0.19g

Cumin seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.73g

Curry powder 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.02g

Dill seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.4g

Dill, fresh 5 sprigs 1.0g 0.07g

Fennel seed 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.25g

Fenugreek seed 1 teaspoon 3.7g 1.26g

Ginger, ground 1 teaspoon 1.8g 0.99g

Horseradish 1 teaspoon 5.0g 0.36g

Marjoram, dried 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.16g

Mustard 1 teaspoon 5.0g 0.09g

Mustard seed, ground 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.36g



Nutmeg, ground 1 teaspoon 2.2g 0.58g

Oregano, dried 1 teaspoon 1.0g 0.29g

Paprika 1 teaspoon 2.3g 0.44g

Parsley, dried 1 teaspoon 0.5g 0.15g

Pepper, black 1 teaspoon 2.3g 0.87g

Peppermint, fresh 2 leaves 0.1g 0.01g

Rosemary, dried 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.04g

Rosemary, fresh 1 teaspoon 1.2g 0.27g

Saffron 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.46g

Sage, ground 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.13g

Tarragon, dried 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.3g

Thyme, dried 1 teaspoon 1.0g 0.24g

Thyme, fresh 1 teaspoon 0.8g 0.1g

Turmeric, ground 1 teaspoon 3.0g 1.31g

Vanilla extract, no alcohol 1 teaspoon 4.2g 0.6g

Chapter 7 : Simple Meal Ideas Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 7 : Simple Meal Ideas

The goal of this section is to give you very simple meal ideas with the foods you learned about

earlier in this book. It’s simply an inspiration and not clear recipes- if you’re looking for more

sophisticated recipes, please have a look at my other eBooks and my website.

You do the following: Pick the recipe ideas that you like, go through the book and work out your

quantities that you need based on your own macronutrient (fat, protein and carbs)

ratio. An example:

You’ve been told to follow a plan that requires you to eat about 2,000 kcal a day (12g of net

carbohydrates, 75g of protein and 180g of fat).

You’re planning to at 3 meals a day, without any snacks. This means that with each meal,

you can have 4g of net carbs, 25g of protein and 60g of fat.

You can first pick your vegetables, fruit or nuts/seeds to get the carbs. Then, you go for

your protein choice and work out how much fat you need to add to get to your target.

With time, you will get very knowledgeable and experienced at creating your own meals.

Or, if this is too much hassle, you can learn some simple recipes and gradually expand your

repertoire as you go along.

When you cook, don’t forget to add some good quality salt, herbs and spices to your meals.

Many people forget that when you stop eating foods that come out of a package or also bread, for

instance, salt intake reduces dramatically. Therefore, you need to add it back when you’re cooking

your meals, making dressings or salsas.

As I discussed earlier, this book is for people who want to keep things in the kitchen incredibly simple.

And I hope this section will give you clarity on how to best use the food pictures!


Breakfast Ideas

Egg-based: Heat some coconut or olive oil in a frying pan and fry some sliced mushrooms

at medium heat. Crack open 2-3 eggs and scramble well. Add spinach, rocket and spices.

Bacon and eggs with added tomato and mushrooms.

A chia pudding with almond (or coconut) milk, a good quality protein powder, chia

seeds, cinnamon and coconut oil. Put all ingredients into a blender, whizz and enjoy!

Budwig cream with full fat quark or cottage cheese, milled flax seeds and flax oil, topped

with blueberries if you like.

Avocado wrapped with smoked salmon.

Nut porridge: Throw coconut flakes, macadamias, hemp seeds and other nuts into a

blender, add hot water and blend. If necessary, add some coconut cream or double cream.

A bulletproof-type coffee (with coconut oil, butter, ghee, cream or whatever fat source

your like) with a boiled egg or two as a “side dish” if you need to add some protein.

Lunch Ideas

A big salad with rocket, cucumber and with smoked mackerel and an olive oil based

dressing.

Grilled chicken wings (leftovers from a previous dinner) with greens and salsa.

Lettuce wrap: Take a big leaf of iceberg lettuce, add leftover fish or meat, avocado,

cucumber sticks, spices and a sauce of your choice. Mayonnaise works, too!

Bacon, egg, avocado and tomato salad with rocket greens. Make sure you have a nice

dressing to go with, for instance, a Tahini dressing.

Shrimp and avocado salad with pepper, lettuce and dressing.

Soups (that’s where the blender comes in handy) with vegetables, leftover chicken and

(coconut) cream, for instance. Don’t forget your herbs and spices!

The quick and easy vegetable smoothie: Pour about 200ml almond or coconut into your

blender. Throw in two handfuls of spinach, celery and cucumber. Add a protein powder of

your choice (Nuzest works great in these) and whizz everything to a smoothie.

Vegetables dipped into lamb liver or fish pâté, pesto or salsa.


Dinner Ideas

Ground lamb or beef with sliced bell peppers: All you need is coconut oil for frying,

and spring onions, ground lamb/beef, spinach, spices and bell pepper.

Chicken curry with vegetables: Fry the chicken breast in lots of butter and onion, add

curry spices, soy sauce and tinned coconut cream. Throw in vegetables of your choice and

let everything simmer (covered with a lid) until the vegetables are soft.

Portobello mushrooms (the big ones) filled with cheese, salmon, garlic and spinach.

Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Baked or steamed salmon or mackerel with broccoli and green beans.

Lamb and veg skewers: Put stewing lamb alternating with cubed vegetables

(courgette/zucchini, aubergine/eggplant, pepper, tomato, mushroom- you name it!) onto a

skewer (I use wooden ones). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and you’re ready to go.

Peppers (halved) stuffed with mince lamb and ground mushrooms. Top with

cheese and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

Vegetable omelettes: Chop vegetables of your choice into small pieces and put them into

a buttered (i.e. rub some butter inside the dish to prevent food from sticking to it) oven-

proof dish. Whip up 2-3 eggs, pour them over the vegetables and bake until the egg is set.

Mini pizzas: Instead of a “normal” pizza base, you can use minced meat. Press it down as

thinly as you can onto baking paper with your hands. Top with your favourite ingredients

before baking it in the oven. Great toppings are artichokes, olives, anchovies, peppers,

some sweet corn and onions.

Table of Contents Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Table of Contents

Title page

Disclaimer and Copyright Notice

Ch 1: Introduction

Ch 2: Tips for using this Book

Ch 3: The Ketogenic Lifestyle

Ch 4: Food Pictures

Vegetables

Fruit

Nuts and Seeds

Protein Choices


Fat Choices

Ch 5: Beverages

Ch 6: Herbs and Spices

Ch 7: Simple Meal Ideas

About The Author - My Story

Appendix - Quick Glance

Appendix - Vegetables

Appendix - Fruit

Appendix - Nuts and Seeds

Table of Contents Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Appendix - Protein Choices

Appendix - Mixed Protein and Fat Choices

Appendix - Fat Choices

Appendix - Herbs and Spices

Other Books by Patricia Daly

Copyright

About the Author Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 9 : About the Author - My Story

It was an ordinary morning in the office of the Bank of Ireland on a warm summer’s day in July

2008. Almost ordinary, I’d say, because I had this odd flickering in the corner of my right eye

that seemed to be determined to stay there, day and night, even when I closed my eyes. Initially, I

didn’t give it much thought, but because I’d had some temporary loss of vision for a good while the

previous evening, I decided finally to pick up the phone and call an optician.

When I described my symptoms to the assistant who answered, I was told to make my way across to

their practice immediately. I got a bit concerned because in Ireland, it can sometimes take forever to

get a doctor’s, consultant’s or any appointment!

My Cancer Diagnosis

I left work and cycled over to the optician. Then, everything happened very quickly. As soon as the

optician looked at the back of my dilated eye, I knew something wasn’t right. Apparently, I had a

detached retina that needed to be operated on immediately, which is why I was referred to one of

the top ophthalmic surgeons in the country. A few hours later, I sat on a chair enduring more

gruesome eye tests. Finally, I was told that yes, I had indeed a detached retina but this

wasn’t all. It was detached because a large tumour was growing underneath it - a melanoma.

To be honest, at the time I was not very well versed in medical language and I didn’t realise straight

away that I was dealing with a cancer diagnosis. I guess it was a mix of denial and ignorance.

Treatment Abroad

Because my type of tumour was still very rare in Ireland at the time, I had to get treatment abroad.

We travelled to Liverpool in the UK three weeks later where I went through eye surgery twice

within four days and had plaque radiotherapy.


One of the key moments during this time- and probably also in my life - was when I asked my

consultant if there was anything I could do to recover from surgery and treatment, to feel better and

protect myself from a possible relapse. He looked at me with a mix of slight bemusement, pity and

impatience. “No, there’s nothing you can do apart from taking it easy for a little while and

then get back to your old life.”

Time for Change

Now, this answer totally piqued my curiosity. Did I really want to go back to the same lifestyle that got

me where I was now? With cancer at the age of 28? Don’t get me wrong - I was never filled with guilt

or beat myself up that I had brought cancer upon me or anything like it - but deep down I knew that it

was time for change.

This is when my journey started - a journey of learning more about myself and of researching

everything that had to do with cancer, nutrition, the mind-body link and other lifestyle

aspects. So, in a way I thank my oncologist for his answer because ultimately it pushed me into

taking action myself.

A New Career?

Just four weeks after finishing my treatments, I started to study nutritional therapy. Initially this

was with a view to supporting myself, but very quickly I realized that my life really had been turned

upside down. I tried to go back to work in the bank after about two weeks after returning from the UK

- with disastrous results. Working on a computer screen for longer than 15 minutes proved to be

impossible and resulted in vomiting and headaches.

I had to seriously think about a new job that would take the pressure off my eyes and an

office job didn’t seem to be the right choice any more. That’s when I started to study even harder - by

recording all the study material so that I wouldn’t put any strain on my eye - because I felt that

becoming a nutritional therapist wasn’t just a way to help myself; it was also an amazing opportunity

to build a new career that I was genuinely passionate about.


A Baby and A Shock

About eight months after my treatments I got pregnant and a beautiful baby girl was born in

November 2009. My life was great: a new baby, a loving partner, we had just moved house and I had

a new career perspective. But then my old symptoms returned; my baby was just two months old

when I went for check ups. I voiced my concerns over the flickering in my eye, the floaters and the

fatigue, but the scans were clear and I thought it was probably just the tiredness that motherhood

brings.

I left the hospital with the numb feeling that something was terribly wrong. At that stage, I was so in

tune with my body that I knew I could trust myself more than a scan. And, four months later, my

worst nightmare came true: Another set of scans confirmed that the tumour had doubled in size and

was growing aggressively. I was shocked and a lot more shaken than when I was initially

diagnosed.

Treatment- Again. With A Baby In Tow.

More surgery and strong proton beam radiotherapy had to be performed immediately. I was told

that because the tumour had moved so close to the optic nerve, I would lose the sight in my right

eye within 12 to 18 months of finishing treatments.

I went through radiotherapy while feeding my 6-month-old baby and everything felt like defeat.

Although I had worked hard, educated myself and had made a lot of lifestyle changes, I found myself

in the same place as I had been 18 months before. But this time with a small baby in tow!

I felt that I had done everything I could, including dietary adjustments. My diet was full of healthy

whole grains, lots of fruit and vegetables, juicing and smoothies; I ate oily fish and hardly any meat;

and I had replaced all sugars in my treats with dried fruit.

Ready for Something Radical

In April 2012, when my second baby was eight months old, I was struggling with a lot of side effects

from the radiotherapy and surgery. I had developed radiotherapy-related retinopathy and there was

lots of swelling in the eye. On top of everything else, I had to learn to adjust to major sight loss. My

consultant told me that I was at risk of developing more serious conditions and eventually losing my


eye itself, not just the sight. The one option I had was to try Avastin injections to stop excessive

blood vessel growth, and if that didn’t work, we’d have to consider removal of the eyeball.

But I wasn’t prepared to give up just yet. I asked for a “grace period” of a few weeks and went back to

more frantic research than ever. And this is when I started studying the emerging concept of cancer

as a metabolic disease in-depth. I had already read papers written by a German researcher

showing that most cancer cells relied heavily on glucose for generating energy and promoting growth.

The suggested therapy to cut off this constant supply of sugar to the tumour was a radical dietary

change: adopting a so-called “ketogenic diet”. And I was ready for something radical!

The Ketogenic Approach

It sounded very counterintuitive to me initially: I had to start cutting down on carbohydrates.

I’m not just talking about white pasta, bread, rice, cakes and biscuits. This also included whole and

gluten-free grains like my beloved millet, quinoa or buckwheat. To compensate, I had to increase

my fat intake drastically to about 75-80% of total daily calorie intake. I started to eat avocadoes,

olives, oily fish, treats made with coconut oil, cacao butter, oily fish, duck and other fatty meats.

Getting my head around it wasn’t easy in the initial stages although I was nearly a fully qualified

nutritional therapist at that stage.

I had nothing to lose: According to studies, it was safe to follow a diet that had been used for

epileptic patients for a long time and if it didn’t have any effects, at least I could reassure myself that I

had tried everything to save my eye.

First Results

Admittedly, at the beginning it felt really odd to eat that much fat after being “low fat” for all my life,

especially saturated animal fat; thank goodness this myth has been debunked along with many others.

For me, turning the food pyramid upside down (with the very top chopped off, of course) was radical

but the results were astonishing. At my next check up a few weeks later, my consultant said that the

inside of my eye looked like “the calm after a big storm”. My eyesight had also started to come

back. He said that if this development continued, I might move myself out of the “danger zone” and

could possibly save my eye.


New Wellbeing

Ever since then, my eye has been stable. Five years after treatment, I still have my eyesight and

I’ve regained my health in general. My energy is great, and my digestion and hormones have

finally settled, which makes my skin glow. Another testimony to the ketogenic lifestyle and all the

changes I’ve made in my life is the fact that an extra ocular tumour, which had spread from the

inside of the eye to the outside, completely disappeared. It even survived very strong doses of

radiotherapy but a scan in December 2015 showed that it was gone- there wasn’t a sign of a lesion or

tumour at all!

And… my primary tumour in the eye hasn’t grown back. In the past two years, I’ve guided many

cancer patients through the implementation of a ketogenic diet and almost 1,000 people have bought

my eBooks with meal plans. The nutrition world is changing fast, governments are finally

starting to consider changing their food pyramids and oncologists are getting interested in how

nutrition can support their work.

No “One Size Fits All”

Although research into nutrition is and will remain challenging, I’m hopeful that we get more and

more clear on how to use it as an invaluable tool in the support of cancer patients and people affected

by chronic illness in general. We also have to stay realistic and acknowledge that there will never be

a “one size fits all” approach. Every personal challenge is unique. For some cancer patients,

nutrition will be paramount while others might benefit more from changes in other areas in their

lives, for instance, work on their mindset. We’re all on our own path and have to find our

“own truth”.

You Have Knowledge of Your Body

I’m a big fan of using evidence-based information and love researching everything before making

recommendations. But there is one big lesson that I’ve learned on my journey: Despite all the modern

technology and science, we mustn’t forget our own inner wisdom and intuition. I will never forget

the day when all my scans were clear but my inner voice told me that my tumour was growing again. A

client of mine who had a similar experience couldn’t have said it better: “My oncologist is a body of

knowledge but I have knowledge of my body!”


It is now my greatest passion - and privilege - to support and guide clients on how to safely combine

science with their own intuition and experience so they can become as healthy as possible, whether or

not they are living with cancer. And it is my hope that this book will inspire many of you to become as

healthy as you can, too.

Appendix – Quick Glance Keto for the Novice Cook : Patricia Daly

Chapter 8 : Appendix - Quick Glance

Vegetables

Net Carbs Quantity

Alfalfa Sprouts 1g 250g

Asparagus 1g 50g

Average Lettuce 1g 71g

Aubergine 1g 45g

Avocado 1g 50g

Bamboo Shoots 1g 143g

Beetroot 1g 13g

Broccoli 1g 31g

Brussels Sprouts 1g 24g

Butternut Squash 1g 12g

Cauliflower 1g 23g

Celeriac shredded 1g 43g

Celeriac Whole 1g 43g

Celery 1g 111g

Cherry Tomatoes 1g 28g

Chinese Cabbage 1g 71g

Courgette 1g 56g

Cucumber 1g 67g

Fennel 1g 56g

Garlic 1g 6g


Net Carbs Quantity

Gherkin 1g 38g

Ginger 1g 12g

Globe Artichoke 1g 37g

Green Beans 1g 33g

Green Pepper 1g 38g

Kale 1g 71g

Leeks 1g 34g

Mushrooms 1g 250g

Onion 1g 13g

Parsnip 1g 8g

Peas 1g 9g

Pumpkin 1g 45g

Radish 1g 53g

Red Cabbage 1g 27g

Red Pepper 1g 23g

Rocket 1g 50g

Spinach 1g 63g

Spring Onions 1g 33g

Swede 1g 20g

Sweet Potato 1g 5g

Sweetcorn Kernel 1g 7g

Tomatoes 1g 32g

Turnip 1g 21g

White Cabbage 1g 21g

Yellow Pepper 1g 22g


Fruit

Net Carbs Quantity

Apple 1g 8g

Apricots 1g 14g

Banana 1g 4g

Blackberries 1g 20g

Blueberries 1g 7g

Cherries 1g 11g

Galia Melon 1g 18g

Kiwi 1g 9g

Mango 1g 7g

Orange 1g 12g

Papaya 1g 11g

Peach 1g 13g

Pineapple 1g 10g

Pomegranate 1g 8g

Raspberries 1g 22g

Strawberries 1g 16g

Rhubarb 1g 125g


Nuts and Seeds

Net Carbs Protein Fat Quantity

Almonds 1g 2.9g 7.4g 14g

Brazil nuts 1g 4.9g 23g 34g

Cashew nuts 1g 1.1g 2.9g 6g

Chia seeds 1g 2.4g 4.1g 13g

Coconut flakes 1g 0.8g 9.3g 15g

Flaxseed 1g 14.7g 31g 67g

Hazelnuts 1g 2.5g 11.4g 18g

Hemp Seeds shelled 1g 5g 6.9g 14g

Macadamia nuts 1g 1.7g 17.1g 22g

Peanut butter 1g 3.5g 7.4g 14g

Pecan nuts 1g 1.7g 12.6g 18g

Pine nuts 1g 3.6g 17.8g 26g

Pistachio nuts 1g 2.3g 7.2g 13g

Pumpkin seeds 1g 1.7g 3.2g 7g

Sesame seeds 1g 22g 71g 122g

Sunflower seeds 1g 1.2g 2.9g 6g

Walnuts 1g 4.4g 21g 30g


Protein Choices

10g Protein Choices

Net Carbs Fat Quantity

Chicken, liver, raw 1.3g 56g

Crab 0.1g 49g

20g Protein Choices


Chicken breast fillet (raw weight) 0.9g 85g

Cod (raw weight) 0.7g 115g

Nuzest Vanilla Protein 0.6g 0.4g 1 scoop

Prawns (raw weight) 0.8g 115g



5g Protein Choices


Coconut flour 6.2g 4.5g 30g

Tahini 0.2g 15.9g 27g

10g Protein Choices


Anchovies (canned in oil, drained) 4g 40g

Bacon (raw weight) 14.9g 63g

Brie 14.6g 50g

Cheddar 14g 40g

Eggs, whole, boiled 6.7g 70g

Feta Cheese 13.1g 65g

Hot-smoked Salmon 0.5g 3.5g 40g

Smoked Mackerel 11.6g 48g

Soft goat 12.4g 48g

Tofu 6.3g 61g

20g Protein Choices

Fat Quantity


Fat Quantity

3 average-sized Eggs 14.4g 160g

Beef, mince, raw 16.5g 102g

Duck Leg 28g 76g

Lamb, stewing 11.3g 90g

Salmon, raw 15g 100g

Sardines (canned in oil, drained) 12.1g 86g


Fat Choices

10g Fat Choices

Net Carbs Protein Calories Quantity

Avocado Oil 90 10g

Avocado, Fuerte 0.9g 1g 99 50g

Bacon Fat 97 14g

Butter 89 12g

Cocoa Butter 90 10g

Coconut milk, canned, full fat 1.5g 0.6g 98 55g

Coconut Oil, solid 90 10g

Cream 103 53g

Crème Fraiche 0.6g 0.6g 94 25g

Double Cream 94 19g

Duck Fat 90 10g

Flaxseed Oil 90 10.5g

Ghee 89 12g

Lard, fresh 89 10g

Mayonnaise, e.g., Hellman’s 94 13g

Olive Oil, extra virgin 90 10g

Sour Cream 100 40g

Walnut Oil 90 10g


Herbs and Spices


Allspice, ground 1 teaspoon 1.9g 0.97g

Anise Seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.75g

Basil, dried 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.03g

Basil, fresh 5 leaves 2.5g 0.07g

Bay leaf 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.25g

Capers, canned 1 tablespoon 8.6g 0.12g

Caraway seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.25g

Cardamom, ground 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.77g

Celery seed 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.63g

Chili powder 1 teaspoon 2.7g 0.44g

Cinnamon, ground 1 teaspoon 2.6g 0.7g

Cloves, ground 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.68g

Coriander leaf, dried 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.21g

Coriander seed 1 teaspoon 1.8g 0.19g

Cumin seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.73g

Curry powder 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.02g

Dill seed 1 teaspoon 2.1g 0.4g

Dill, fresh 5 sprigs 1.0g 0.07g

Fennel seed 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.25g

Fenugreek seed 1 teaspoon 3.7g 1.26g

Ginger, ground 1 teaspoon 1.8g 0.99g

Horseradish 1 teaspoon 5.0g 0.36g

Marjoram, dried 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.16g

Mustard 1 teaspoon 5.0g 0.09g



Mustard seed, ground 1 teaspoon 2.0g 0.36g

Nutmeg, ground 1 teaspoon 2.2g 0.58g

Oregano, dried 1 teaspoon 1.0g 0.29g

Paprika 1 teaspoon 2.3g 0.44g

Parsley, dried 1 teaspoon 0.5g 0.15g

Pepper, black 1 teaspoon 2.3g 0.87g

Peppermint, fresh 2 leaves 0.1g 0.01g

Rosemary, dried 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.04g

Rosemary, fresh 1 teaspoon 1.2g 0.27g

Saffron 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.46g

Sage, ground 1 teaspoon 0.7g 0.13g

Tarragon, dried 1 teaspoon 0.6g 0.3g

Thyme, dried 1 teaspoon 1.0g 0.24g

Thyme, fresh 1 teaspoon 0.8g 0.1g

Turmeric, ground 1 teaspoon 3.0g 1.31g

Vanilla extract, no alcohol 1 teaspoon 4.2g 0.6g

Chapter 9 : Other books by Patricia Daly

Practical Keto Meal Plans for Cancer eBook

Practical 12-Gram Keto Meal Plans for Cancer eBook

Practical Keto Meal Plans for Endurance Athletes - Kindle UK

Practical Keto Meal Plans for Endurance Athletes - Kindle US

The Ketogenic Kitchen: Low carb. High fat. Extraordinary health - Kindle UK

Co-authored with Domini Kemp

The Ketogenic Kitchen: Low carb. High fat. Extraordinary health - Hardcover UK


The Ketogenic Kitchen: Low carb. High fat. Extraordinary health - Kindle US


The Ketogenic Kitchen: Low carb. High fat. Extraordinary health - Hardcover US


http://patriciadaly.com/ebook/

http://patriciadaly.com/practical-12-gram-keto-meal-plans-for-cancer/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PRACTICAL-KETO-PLANS-ENDURANCE-ATHLETES-ebook/dp/B00SWY8I28/

https://www.amazon.com/PRACTICAL-KETO-PLANS-ENDURANCE-ATHLETES-ebook/dp/B00SWY8I28

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ketogenic-Kitchen-carb-Extraordinary-health-ebook/dp/B01ERTKJHI/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ketogenic-Kitchen-Domini-Kemp/dp/071716926X/

https://www.amazon.com/Ketogenic-Kitchen-carb-Extraordinary-health-ebook/dp/B01ERTKJHI/

https://www.amazon.com/Ketogenic-Kitchen-Carb-Extraordinary-Health/dp/071716926X/

Online Courses

Free E-Learning Class

http://ketoforyou.com/free-e-learning-classes/

Beginner Keto Course


Masterclass Keto Course

http://masterclass.ketoforyou.com/

Live Keto Course

http://livecourse.ketoforyou.com/

http://ketoforyou.com/free-e-learning-classes/


http://masterclass.ketoforyou.com/

http://livecourse.ketoforyou.com/

Chapter 10 : Copyright

No part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted or sold, in whole or in part in any form, without

the prior written consent of the author.

Please be mindful of copyright. Keto for the Novice Cook is intellectual property that is protected by copyright

law. It may not be republished or distributed, either for financial gain or not, without written permission of the

author, Patricia Daly.

Copyright © 2016 Patricia Daly. All rights reserved.

patriciadaly.com

Cover and Book design by Patricia Daly

Internal Cover images obtained from Pixabay

Photography by Patricia Daly

http://patriciadaly.com/

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