How to Build a Vegetarian Ketogenic Diet for Mental Health

Hannah Warren spent years living with severe bipolar I disorder before discovering metabolic therapies in 2021. Today, Hannah has been in remission for more than five years, is no longer taking psychiatric medication, and works as Metabolic Mind’s Community Engagement & Advocacy Manager, helping others understand the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry.

In this course module, created as part of Nutrition Network’s broader low-carb course for vegetarians, Hannah combines her lived experience with practical guidance for using vegetarian and vegan ketogenic approaches to support metabolic and mental health.

She explains how ketogenic therapy differs from general healthy eating, how nutritional ketosis changes the fuels available to the brain, and why that shift is being studied in metabolic psychiatry

She also takes a detailed look at the practical side of vegetarian and vegan ketogenic therapy, including:

How to structure a meat-free ketogenic diet while maintaining ketosisWhy ketone testing is especially important for therapeutic useHow to think about carb limits, protein targets, and complete protein sourcesVegetarian and vegan sources of fat and omega-3sKey micronutrients and supplements to monitorMedication interactions and the importance of clinical supervisionHow to use lab testing to monitor metabolic healthCommon foods and meals that can make plant-based keto satisfying and sustainablePositive framing and behavior-change strategies that can support planning and long-term adherence

Hannah also shares the mistakes she made when first starting ketogenic therapy, the strategies that helped her refine her approach, and why she believes people should be able to pursue metabolic treatment options without giving up deeply held dietary values.

👉 Learn more about the benefits and implementation strategies for vegetarian low-carb diets with the full Nutrition Network course: courses.nutrition-network.org/p/low-carb-for-vegetarians

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

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Expert Featured:

Hannah Warren

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