Written by two mothers who have children on the Ketogenic diet, Fighting Back with Fat provides essential information to educate parents on the diets, as well as gives advice to parents to navigate the emotional minefields that often come with attempting these diets. Common stress factors such as fear of failure, hyperresponsibility, dealing effectively with a child's non-compliance, and educating non-supportive relatives, friends and peers, are all addressed in heart-to-heart frankness from mothers who have covered the territory personally.
The authors include first-person accounts of the successes and trails of other families as well as a rare glimpse of what kids think of the diets, in their own words.
The book closes with the KetoCalculator 101, with tips and advice from the Charlie Foundation's Beth Zupec-Kania, RD, CD, the Keto Calculator's creator and a recipe section offering simple, delicious recipes organized by age group, each with "Keto Bites," fun food facts or practical advice that correspond to each recipe.

Review

"Beyond being an invaluable resource for understanding and implementing diet therapies for epilepsy, Fighting Back with Fat helps you recognize that you're part of a community-a large, and caring, and supportive community. I literally got a lump in my throat remembering back to the mid-'90s when Charlie was on the Ketogenic diet and imagining how much clearer things would have been, and less isolated we would have felt, if my family had this information and support."-Jim Abrahams, Charlie's Dad, Director, The Charlie Foundation to Help Cure Pediatric Epilepsy

"Fighting Back with Fat should be required reading for everyone involved with the Ketogenic or Modified Atkins Diet. Whether you are a family who is considering the diet, are currently on the diet, or even neurologists administering the diet, this is everything you need to know about what it is really like, from parents who have been there. This labor of love is truly outstanding!"-Gerry Harris, The Carson Harris Foundation

" Through this book, keto moms Erin Whitmer and Jeanne Riether become keto coaches who are leveling the battleground for those who fight for seizure-freedom. You will be encouraged and empowered with information, testimonials, and yes, even recipes. Fighting Back with Fat invites you to put on the boxing gloves in the kitchen to win the battle over seizures."-Paulette George, Author of Good Morning, Beautiful: Winning the Battle Over Seizures

"Every keto diet team should read this and see the diet from a caregiver's eyes. Terrific insight into what families face when they embark on this journey. Every team all over the world, and every keto family, should read this very carefully."-Dr. Janak Nathan, Epilepsy and Keto Medical Research Trust, Mumbai, India

"Fighting Back with Fat is honest, compelling, and all-encompassing. It is exceptionally written by some of the best experts in dietary therapy for epilepsy, the 'keto parents' themselves, who offer unique perspectives and real-life accounts. This is a must read for anyone considering a diet for the treatment of epilepsy." -Christina Saninocencio, Founder and President, LGS Foundation

"If you or a loved one is battling epilepsy, you need to be armed with every weapon possible. Adding Fighting Back with Fat to your arsenal will bring you answers to many of your questions about the Ketogenic diet and the Modified Atkins Diet from people on the front line. Who is better to answer those questions than the ones who have tried the diets and developed strategies to make them work well?"-Debra Josephs, Executive Director, Anita Kaufmann Foundation

"The clarity, passion, wit, and determination that Erin Whitmer and Jeanne Riether bring to Fighting Back with Fat delivers a book for mothers of children with epilepsy that is full of information, knowledge, and no small gift to us-support! I am so impressed and grateful."-Susan R. Shreve, Founder of the MFA Program, George Mason University, and Novelist

"It is frightening when you first witness your child have a seizure, I know that when I first saw Matthew have a seizure I thought he was going to die. When the doctor gives you a drug and says 'that will stop the seizures' you then relax a little.... until it doesn't work, and the next doesn't work and so on..... Complex or uncontrolled drug resistant epilepsy is not just frightening it is terrifying. You need as much help and support as you can get in order to have the best chance for your child and your family... it is a battle so anything you can have in your armoury USE! The Ketogenic Diet offers hope of a better quality of life and for some, a complete cure and 'Fighting Back With Fat' you need in your armoury to help support you through it. Full of great ideas and tips for all situations I have no doubt it will become your everyday reading as well helping you through bad days and let's face it, we all have them! Sometimes you can feel isolated, even when surrounded by people but with this book to help guide you through the Ketogenic Diet, you won't feel alone... by just reading the pages you will know that others have felt exactly the same way as you do and they are there to support you. Happy Reading and good luck."-Emma Williams - Founder/CEO - Matthew's Friends Charity and Clinics (2012-11-30)

About the Author

Eric Kossoff, MD, is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics and a member of The John M. Freeman Pediatric Epilepsy Center, as well as the Division of Pediatric Neurology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is the Director of the Pediatric Neurology training program and co-author of Ketogenic Diets, Fifth Edition. Dr. Kossoff is the editor of "Keto News" at www.epilepsy.com. He has dedicated his career to investigating and researching the impact of putting children and adults with epilepsy on a 90% fat diet to control their seizures.

Jeanne L. Riether lives in China and co-founded and directs the Healing Young Hearts Project (healingyounghearts. org) to help young children build resilience in this challenging world. With little support, she started her teenage son, Jordan, on the Modified Atkins Diet. He is now seizure and medication free.

Erin Whitmer has an MFA in creative writing and has contributed to National Geographic Kids magazine. She lives outside of Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and two sons. Her son, Noah, was on the Ketogenic diet for two years and is now medication free, diet free, and seizure free.