Big Updates -- TWO NEW BOOKS!

Hey Everyone!

Lots of good news to share these days.

First: Big news – my book, The Stall Slayer, is now available on Amazon!!

YES! If you prefer reading hard copies of books rather than electronic versions, you can now order a paperback copy of The Stall Slayer from Amazon. And not just in the US – it’s available in many other nations. Check your local Amazon site to see if it’s available where you live. I’ve already had some fans buy it in Japan, Brazil, the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands. (If you happen to be reading this in the Netherlands, I think you have to order from the German site…amazon.de.) I’m even working with someone who’s translating the book into Thai – cool!

If you prefer electronic copies, you can buy The Stall Slayer for Kindle from Amazon, or as a pdf. (Click here to buy the pdf.) Unfortunately, we’ve hit a little snag with Kindle: the book doesn’t appear to be available for Kindle Paperwhite devices, but it works fine on older Kindles and on the Kindle app for PC, Mac, phones, and tablets.

Second: I have another book coming out this year!

This one isn’t just me, though. It’s co-written with the one and only Eric Westman, MD. YES! Can you believe it? I kind of have to pinch myself to make sure I’m actually alive and awake and this isn’t a dream. (I’ve been reading Dr. Westman’s published research for about 15 years, and now I’m writing a book with him. Whaaaat?! The world is a strange, beautiful place, my friends.)

The book is tentatively titled End Your Carb Confusion, but that is subject to change. We have an estimated release date of early December 2020, which is right around the corner. (Insert head exploding emoji.) We’re in the editing stage right now. Thank goodness, our publisher seems pretty happy with it and their suggestions are mostly related to grammar and structure rather than the content. 

What is End Your Carb Confusion about? It’s a guide to finding your own carb tolerance and building your diet from there. *Gasp!* What?! Not everyone needs extra-strict keto for their entire lifetime? Nope! This book will help people figure out where they fall on the carb tolerance spectrum, and how to move from one level to another -- i.e., how to INCREASE your carb intake safely and logically, if you want to. (Everyone can do keto for life; not everyone needs to. There IS room in life for more fruit, beans, starches, and other higher carb foods if they’re appropriate for you. Our book will teach you how to navigate it all.)

Don’t let all that fool you, though. It’s also a SIMPLE, down-to-earth “get started” guide that’s perfect for the person in your life who’s living with all kinds of health issues that would respond well to keto but who feels totally overwhelmed (or turned off) by the nuttiness and zealotry they see about this way of eating on the interwebs. It’s written in very layperson-friendly plain English -- no intense scientific gobbledygook that you need a PhD to understand -- and I know, because I wrote it!

Does keto work if you eat conventional (non-grass-finished) beef? YES! Does keto work if your food isn’t organic? YES! Are you the worst person in the history of the universe if you drink diet sodas or use artificial sweeteners in coffee or keto baking? NO! Isn’t keto only for people who are trying to lose weight? NO! If your blood sugar is normal, why would you bother trying keto? READ THE BOOK AND FIND OUT!

Stay tuned to the blog and my social media accounts for updates as the book release gets closer. Obviously I’ll have lots more to say about it.

Third: Sign up for my newsletter!

I’ve been threatening promising for a while now to resurrect the blog and start writing more regularly. Considering the two previous posts were from November 2019 and this past April, obviously that has not happened yet. I’ve just made a relatively big change in my professional life, though, and I might have some more time to devote to more frequent blogging. (If this actually comes to pass and I do manage to get myself to follow through with this, the posts will likely be shorter than my past fare, but more frequent. This is probably best for all of us – for me and for you, my readers. More succinct posts, but ones that show up more often.)

In the meantime, you can keep up with current goings-on in my corner of the keto universe by subscribing to my newsletter. The newsletter includes updates about my work, links to featured videos from my YouTube channel, plus book or product reviews & recommendations, supplements I trust, and whatever else I think is worth sharing at any given time. And I promise—no spam! (If you‘ve been around the blog a while, then you’ve come to know that I’m a total dinosaur with regard to technology and I wouldn’t know how to spam you even if I wanted to—which I do not.) The next newsletter will be coming out Monday July 13 – sign up now so you don’t miss it! (And it’s definitely coming, because I’ve already written and saved it, and it’s pre-set to go out that day.)

Fourth: I’m on Patreon!

Do you like my message of Keto Without the Crazy™? Want to support my writing books and blog posts, making videos, and being able to devote time to reading scientific papers and keeping up with the latest research about ketogenic and low-carb diets, plus nutrition, health, and physiology more broadly? Consider joining me on Patreon.

You can subscribe for as little as $2/month, although for $5/month and above you get special patron-only content. For $5/month, you get exclusive videos that are for patrons only and not for my public YouTube channel. (They’re shorter and a bit more ranty and free-form than my public videos. These videos are a place for me to vent about the craziness I see going on the keto world these days, but even more, they’re a place for me to think out loud and share with you various issues I’m tossing around in my head and trying to get a good perspective on.)

For $10/month and up, you get a monthly research review, in which I discuss in detail 2-4 scientific papers I’ve read that month. They’re always health- and nutrition-focused, but not always specifically about ketogenic diets. If you want to get your science on, that level is for you! A bit geekier than my public videos, but I try to keep things layperson-friendly to accommodate all who might be watching.

For a very generous $30/month, you get a weekly group Zoom call with me – ask me anything! (Well not anything. Do try to keep it related to keto/low-carb, health and nutrition, food, physiology, biochemistry, etc.) Keto Q&A, tips for eating this way long-term, and whatever else comes up in the conversation. My audience is very savvy, so you get to benefit from listening to everyone on these calls, not just from me. Ask questions or just listen quietly while the rest of us “think out loud.” Participate as much or as little as you like. At this level of support, you’ll get an hour with me each week – much cheaper than a single one-hour consultation!

Check out all the details and the different support levels here: Tuit Nutrition on Patreon

Thanks for sticking with me, everyone. I know that my actions don’t reflect what I’ve been saying for a while: that writing is my first love and always will be. (Then again, I did just finish writing two books…) Anyway, it was never my intent to abandon the blog. I guess I just started to get a little intimidated by my own blog style – sharing every detail about a topic and exploring every possible nuance to the point that blog posts could take several days to write (in addition to the time spent researching). I’ll have to go a little easier if I’m going to write more often. Making videos is so much quicker – I can get information out a lot faster when I talk than when I type. (It also seems that many more people prefer to watch videos these days rather than reading blog posts, so I can reach a larger audience with videos.) When it’s been a while since there’s been a new blog post, I welcome you to check out my videos, but I also vow to not let it be quite so long between blog posts going forward. Yes, I realize I have made this commitment several times in the past and not followed through. Thank goodness for second … and third … and fourth chances, eh?

See you again soon.

P.S. Do you live near the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area of North Carolina? Greensboro or Burlington? Guess what? I work at a farm in Efland! If you’re near the Triangle area of NC, check us out: Fickle Creek Farm. We do beef, pork, lamb, poultry, eggs, and produce. We’re normally at several area farmers’ markets, but with the virus situation right now, you can pre-order for on-farm pickup, and there are some drop-off/delivery points, too. You might get a dozen eggs that I gathered or washed, or some lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, peppers, or squash that I planted, weeded, tended, and harvested! The work is absolutely backbreaking and exhausting (especially in the heat of a southern summer), but it’s also satisfying and fulfilling in a way that sedentary work in front of a computer isn’t. (They both have their place in my life, though.) Here’s a video I did a while back talking about working on the farm: Dispatch from the Farm. (That was way back from last October. I had only been working there for a few weeks at that time. I’ve learned so much more since then…and lost a couple thousand buckets’ worth of sweat, if you must know. Also: a few educational and painful encounters with fire ants! Fun, fun, fun.) If you’re in the area, definitely check out our animal and plant foods, all raised and grown with love, care, and integrity. 

Disclaimer: Amy Berger, MS, CNS is not a physician and Tuit Nutrition, LLC, is not a medical practice. The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition and is not to be used as a substitute for the care and guidance of a physician. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links.

New e-Book: The Stall Slayer -- IT'S HERE!!

Hey all!

Not long ago, I told you about my e-book, The Stall Slayer. Well, I’m pleased to announce IT’S HERE!! It’s done, ready to go, and AVAILABLE FOR SALE NOW!!

Click here to see a short video I did introducing you to the book and what it’s all about. But the best place to go for all things Stall Slayer is: stallslayer.com.

Stalled fat loss is the #1 reason people contact me for help. Think you’re doing “all the right things” to lose fat on keto and it’s not working? You're not alone! I understand your frustration and disappointment. I wrote this book for YOU. The good news is, it’s easy to get the scale moving again with just a few simple tips.

Chapter highlights:

Too many carbs?

Stubborn fat not budging even though you’re eating low carb or keto? Maybe your carbs aren’t quite as low as they need to be for your fat loss to get into high gear. Learn how to troubleshoot “carb creep” in Chapter 4.

Too much fat?

Did you know it’s possible to eat too much fat on keto if your goal is to lose body fat? Yes! Chapter 5 will explain why even though this is a high fat diet, pouring unlimited butter and oil on your food isn’t a winning strategy if you’re already having a hard time tapping into stored body fat.

What about thyroid?

I’ve lost count of how many clients I’ve worked with whose fat loss was roadblocked by undiagnosed or improperly treated hypothyroidism. Don’t let a hormone imbalance stand in the way of you getting the physique you want. Learn the ins & outs of proper thyroid testing & treatment in Chapter 6.

Plus...

• Do you have to worry about macros?  
• Can you drink alcohol and still lose weight?
• Do you need to measure ketones?
• Is intermittent fasting required?
• What if you're taking medications that make you gain weight?

                                                              …all those questions answered and more!

In The Stall Slayer, I explain the science in plain English, bust myths with humor and wit (and maybe a touch of my trademark sarcasm), and arm you with the tools you need to break your fat loss stall. 

If you are struggling to drop unwanted pounds despite being keto-faithful, this is the book you need!

Get your copy NOW!

P.S. For now, The Stall Slayer is available only as an e-book in pdf format. Two different versions are available: one better suited for reading electronically, and one better suited for printing at home if you prefer to read a hard copy. (Details at stallslayer.com.) A Kindle version and a print-on-demand paperback version will be available on Amazon soon…can’t guarantee when, but stay tuned here to the blog, or follow me on Twitter or YouTube, and you’ll be sure to be among the first to hear when those are up and running.

Disclaimer: Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP, is not a physician and Tuit Nutrition, LLC, is not a medical practice. The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition and is not to be used as a substitute for the care and guidance of a physician. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links.

New Book -- Free Preview!

OH MY GOODNESS, EVERYONE!

My new book is almost done! The text is entirely written and it’s all laid out and formatted. Just waiting for my designer to put the final touches on things so we can make sure it's ready to go.

WHAT? I wrote a new book? Yes, sir, I did! And you can download a free sneak peek right here. (Download of the pdf will start immediately when you click that link.) 

As you can see, it’s called The Stall Slayer, and in case the title doesn’t make it abundantly clear, it’s about breaking fat loss stalls on ketogenic/low-carb diets. This is the most common reason people write to me for help – “Why am I not losing weight?” So, rather than write out the same email reply eighty-six thousand times (just kidding...not quite that many people have written to me), I decided to put it all in a book. But if you’ve been reading my blog for a while and you know I tend to over-deliver information (for better or worse), then you probably already figure the book is chock-full of helpful information that goes far beyond roadblocks to fat loss and what to do about them. 

What about fasting? What about exercise? What about thyroid problems? What about alcohol?!All in the book, along with lots of other helpful information and education on SIMPLIFYING things and doing what I've come to call “keto without the crazy.”™ Do you need to count macros? Do you need to measure ketones? Should you use MCT oil? If so, why, and if not, why not? 

I was tempted to post the table of contents so you could see all the juicy details, but...well...I’m kind of paranoid and didn’t want anyone stealing the ideas. I’m hesitant even about posting the cover and title here, but my excitement is outweighing the paranoia. 

The preview pdf here has one error...on page 2, my Twitter handle is @TuitNutrition, not @AmyBerger. (This will be corrected for the final version, but I couldn’t wait to get this posted for you and I knew you wouldn't mind this one little snag for now.) 

I hope to have the book out before the end of the year, but there’s a chance it won’t be available until January. That’s not a bad thing, though: considering the avalanche of people who’ll be looking for fat loss tips after the new year, maybe that’s actually the perfect time. *Shrug.* It’ll be available as a pdf, plus a Kindle version, and there’ll also be a print-on-demand option for people like me who still, in 2019 and beyond, prefer to hold a physical book in our hands – one we can highlight, fold down pages in, and simply have the tactile sensations that come along with reading a hard copy. (But remember, if you buy the pdf, you can always print it out at home or have a store like Staples or Office Max print it for you -- much faster! I assume there are similar printing services at office supply stores outside the US as well. [Pro-tip: If you go this route, consider having the store print it in black & white -- much cheaper that way, and even though I love the images in the book, you won't lose anything critical if you don't see them in full color.] )  

Special thanks to my designer, Sterre de Jager, without whom this would not be happening. (Y’all know I can write, but graphic design is not my forte! Exhibit A, this website!) How did I get connected to Sterre? I’ve actually never met her person. Her father is a fan and follows me on Twitter – all the way from the Netherlands! I tell you, friends, the world is a strange, beautiful place. You can find out more about this amazing serendipity in this video, in which I introduce the book.  

I hope you enjoy the preview, and of course, I’ll be making plenty of buzz when the final version is available for sale, so don't worry about missing it.

THANK YOU, as always, for your support and readership!   

Use this link to download your FREE sneak peek of my soon-to-come book, The Stall Slayer: Get my free preview! (Download of the pdf will start immediately when you click that link.) 

Disclaimer: Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP, is not a physician and Tuit Nutrition, LLC, is not a medical practice. The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition and is not to be used as a substitute for the care and guidance of a physician. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links.

Is Insulin Messing with Your Skin?

Question: Is there anything in the body insulin doesn’t affect?

Answer: From what I’ve seen, no.

If you’re new to my blog or are a newcomer to the science of the clinically therapeutic effects of dietary carbohydrate restriction, you might think of insulin mostly as a blood sugar hormone. People with diabetes have blood sugar that’s too high, so they take insulin to bring it down. Simple, right? Not quite.

I’ve written in past posts that reading and learning I’ve done over the past few years has led to me to the perspective that lowering blood sugar is among insulin’s least important effects. (In fact, insulin isn’t even required to lower blood sugar at all. Your body can do that just fine without insulin…even in someone with type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetics do need insulin, just not solely for the purpose of lowering blood sugar. Details on all this here.)

I’ve written articles about insulin as a major factor in the development of gout, migraines, Alzheimer’s disease, PCOS, erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, a.k.a. enlarged prostate), Parkinson’s disease, and more. The short list of things we know for certain are damaged by chronically elevated insulin and/or blood glucose (BG) includes the liver, kidneys, eyes, cardiovascular system (heart muscle and blood vessels), ovaries, the brain and nervous system. At this point, knowing what I now know about insulin, I don’t need someone to explain to me why insulin would affect any particular organ, gland, or tissue system; I need them to explain why it wouldn’t.

With this in mind, is it possible insulin is affecting your skin? You can’t see a fatty liver, polycystic ovaries or an enlarged prostate gland from the outside; you need special tests to determine for sure whether you have those. But what about acne, skin tags, psoriasis, and other things we can see just by looking at someone? Could insulin be playing a role here, too?

Tl;dr: If you want a brief summary of this article, read this. And if you have a few extra minutes and want to read one paper that will give you an enormous amount of insight into this topic, read this one. But if you come to my blog because you enjoy digging into the meaty details, stay here and keep reading. 

Get Early Access to Blog Posts

Hi all!

Just a quick note to let you know there’s a way to get early access to blog posts from now on. I’m on Patreon, and I’ve added a benefit to patrons who support me at the $5/month level. For the price of two or so cups of coffee, you can read new blog posts a few days before the rest of the world. If you have the means and want to check this out, see here for details.

In case you’re wondering what topics I'll be writing about next, right now I’m working on a post about the effects of chronically high insulin on the skin, and one on why people need to stop freaking out about slightly high blood sugar at random points in time. (See here for a preview of the one on insulin & skin. It’s a post I wrote on this topic for Designs for Health, but they don’t give me a byline. Trust me, it was me.)

The $10/month level gets you access to my monthly research review, wherein I discuss scientific papers I’ve read over the preceding few weeks. The papers cover a range of topics – whatever strikes my fancy that particular month, or whatever things I happen to be reading and learning more about. Sometimes it’s low carb and ketogenic diets, sometimes it’s diabetes, sometimes Alzheimer’s, sometimes cholesterol and statins…whatever papers catch my eye and that I think I’ll learn something valuable from.

You can also support me for as little as $2 or $3/month, but there are no special perks for that…unless you count my deep gratitude and appreciation for your generosity!  

As always, however, my blog itself is free and always will be. So if funds are tight and $5/month is beyond reach, no worries whatsoever. All posts will still be right here too. Patrons simply get to read them a few days in advance of the general public. And if you want to experience more of my approach to “Keto Without the Crazy,”™ remember my videos are all free as well, as is my Twitter account.

Here’s the link again to my Patreon page.

Thanks, everyone. I’m glad you’re here. In this age of quick sound bites and instant gratification, I’m thankful anyone out there still likes (prefers, even!) reading long, in-depth blog posts. I do love writing them, even if I don’t do it as often as I’d like to.

Disclaimer: Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP, is not a physician and Tuit Nutrition, LLC, is not a medical practice. The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition and is not to be used as a substitute for the care and guidance of a physician. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links.

Turning Wednesday into WINEDAY

Hey all!

Love keto? Love WINE? Join me and my friend Casey Durango (of Go Keto with Casey fame) on Wednesday September 4 for a fun & casual Wednesday “Wineday” evening. We'll sip wine, chat about keto, wine, the meaning of life, and whatever else comes up. (I’m guessing cheese and charcuterie at a minimum...probably because I’ll bring them up, hehheh!) It's online, so you can participate from anywhere...and there's zero travel required so you don't even need Uber or a designated driver. Get comfy in your PJs, grab a glass of your adult beverage of choice and log on.

Not an alcohol drinker? No problem! Water, coffee, tea, broth, or whatever else you prefer is most welcome. We just want your company; we don’t care what you’re drinking.

Click on this link for more information.

This is a great way to interact with me if you’ve been unable to attend any of the keto and low-carb events I’ve been at in the past couple of years. (See here for my upcoming public appearances; maybe I’ll be in your area soon.)

If you don’t know who Casey Durango is, she’s only one of my favorite people in the keto world and in my actual, “real life,” away from the interwebs. She has a fabulous transformation story and now shares the lessons learned, the trials and tribulations, and the straight-up way it works with others via her videos and other content. (By the way…how’d she lose almost 100 pounds? By following page 4 … with some wine here and there, of course. Let’s get real, friends…for some of us, it’s a lot easier to ditch the bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereal, cookies, and cake, if we can sip on a cabernet or pinot noir from time to time.)

See you on Sept 4!

P.S. Wondering if alcohol is allowed on keto? (First of all, who gets to say what’s “allowed” and what isn’t? Who died and made anyone else their food police? No one, that’s who!) Is wine keto? YES, you CAN enjoy alcohol on a ketogenic diet, provided you're intelligent about it. (See here for a video I did on this topic.)

P.P.S. I’m on Instagram now! I am clueless about how it works, so bear with me while I learn. You know me here; I’m a writer, not a photographer. I’ve been posting pictures of some of my meals, but I refuse to turn into one of those people who is physically incapable of consuming a molecule of food without telling the whole world about it and providing photographic evidence to go along with it. I don’t really know what I’ll be posting there, or even if I’ll stick with it. (There are only so many platforms and accounts I can keep up with. I'm an introvert, for goodness sake; this is all totally overwhelming for me!) I’m just trying it out for now, testing the waters a bit. I didn’t think I would like YouTube all that much, but it turns out I do have a few things to say and there are a lot of people who aren’t big on reading long blog posts who still need sanity and simplicity regarding keto. I’m happy to be filling that niche. 

Disclaimer: Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP, is not a physician and Tuit Nutrition, LLC, is not a medical practice. The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition and is not to be used as a substitute for the care and guidance of a physician. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links.