Our Keto journey began in 2018 as a lower-carb diet. We decided to go down this path as a 40-something-year-old couple, with Bethann leading the way and Dave following blissfully behind. After a few months, we noticed some slight increases in energy and overall well-being, as well as some minor weight loss. As we continued down the low-carb path, looking for ways to get better results from eating low-carb foods, we heard about this diet that folks were calling "Keto". We began researching the Ketogenic Diet, reading all we could online about it, and watched a Netflix film called, "The Magic Pill".
Between the research that we performed on our own and watching the film, we knew that we wanted to try Keto. In January 2019, we purchased a book called "Simply Keto", which you can get here on Amazon. (Note that we earn a minuscule amount of money if you purchase the book from this affiliate link, which does not change the price for you at all.)
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In early January, we began reading through this book, trying some of the recipes and started looking for changes in our health. With this time period being just after the holidays, and with Dave's birthday and the Super Bowl in early February, followed by Valentine's Day a couple of weeks later, we were not so strict in our dieting at first, but still noticed that we were having the same results as the low-carb diet we were on before, but within these few short weeks instead of months. We were on to something!
After Valentine's Day, we got serious. We download an app on our phones to keep track of our macros. This turned out to be key to our overall success. Within six months, we collectively lost more than seventy pounds together! Our energy was amazing, and we even started going to the gym on a regular basis, which is something we hadn't done for many years. We saw some amazing physical changes in our bodies and overall health!
Dave had been on blood pressure medication for more than ten years and had recently had to change to a different medication at a higher strength as his blood pressure began to slowly climb despite the medications. Dave was also taking Prilosec for nearly two years. For those who do not know, Prilosec was designed to be a two-week medication to help with acid reflux. Dave, through testing, also found out he was sensitive to gluten. Dave's bloodwork at the doctors always showed above-average blood-sugar levels, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and higher triglycerides. He was referred to a Gastrointestinal Specialist for his acid reflux and was told that he was pre-diabetic. In addition, the doctor recommended that he start Lipitor to help control cholesterol. During his annual physical in February, the doctor noted very minor changes in the blood-work, but they were slightly better than the year before. When Dave wanted to hold off on the Lipitor, the doctor recommended blood work again in three-to-six months to see where the cholesterol levels were at.
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Fast forward to May 2019. Dave's acid reflux completely reversed and was no longer having to take Prilosec. Dave had also been keeping close track of his blood pressure and watched it steadily go back down to normal limits. He went to the doctor to show him the records he was keeping of the readings. The doctor decided it was okay to take the medication down by half of a dose and asked Dave to keep writing down the daily readings. When Dave went back into the doctor's office three months later in August to get his paperwork for getting his blood-work done again, he also had a complaint about light-headedness and some dizziness. It turns out that his blood pressure was falling too low now! The doctor recommended that Dave stop taking any blood pressure medications and to closely monitor his blood pressure for the next few weeks for changes and come back with the results. When Dave went back three weeks later, his recordings showed that without any medications, his blood pressure was now within the normal limits and the doctor told him that he no longer needed those medications. In addition to that change, the doctor was amazed to see Dave's blood results. LDL cholesterol was down, triglycerides were down, and blood-sugar was down. In fact, he was no longer pre-diabetic at all... not even close! This was in addition to the almost forty pounds in weight that Dave lost. The doctor asked what Dave was doing, and he replied, "Keto and exercise". The doctor admitted that he heard of Keto, but had no knowledge of how the diet worked. He simply said, "Keep doing what you're doing and we'll see you next year".
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Now in 2020, we are still loving Keto. For us, it is a lifestyle, not a diet. We plan on eating this way for the rest of our lives. Dave's biggest hurdle was his sweet tooth. We began trying different recipes for sweets. Cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and candies. After trial and error and adapting several recipes to fit our own tastes, we found that the sweet-tooth cravings are fully satisfied with these treats. We began sharing extra treats we made with others who were on Keto, and received a lot of positive feedback on how great everything tasted. After a few months of friends and family telling us this and telling us that we should open a Keto Bakery up, we decided to give it a shot. Bethann came up with a business model and Sweet Desires Keto Bakery was born.
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This has truly been an amazing journey for us, and we are glad to be a part of your own journey to better health through smart food choices. While our journey was Keto, we know that our treats are great for those living with diabetes, gluten sensitivity, and just looking for healthier, sugar-free options. From the bottom of our hearts, we'd like to say thank you to all of our customers, friends, and family, who are making this dream possible and wish you well on your own health journey!
