My version of keto activism is to explain it to anyone who asks. Occasionally, I see an opening in the conversation that I hope represents an open mind but, boy, was I wrong today.
See, I shopped at a grocery store I haven’t been to since last summer before I was keto. I knew all the cashiers there (I know everybody everywhere) and one of them sidled up to me at the self-check station, looked down into my bag with a twinkle in his eye and teased, “No crackers?”
“What?”
“Don’t you usually get Cheezits?”
I smiled broadly. “I’m keto now.”
“What?”
“I’m keto now, I’ve lost 20 pounds since last October.”
His eyes got wide and he lowered his voice. “That’ll ruin your kidneys.”
You could hear my eyes rolling from across the store. “No, it won’t. Who told you that? You’ve got some reading to do.”
“Oh, yes, it will. I’m a Type 1 diabetic and it ruins your kidneys. They shut down, it practically makes them explode.”
He looked so solemn and serious. I tried not to laugh. “Actually, diabetics go on this diet to help their kidneys. I know of several Type 2s who have gone off insulin altogether and at least one who was able to significantly reduce the amount they take. But, you know, Big Pharma really likes people to keep buying their drugs and insul–”
He shook his head and insisted, “No, no, no, my doctor said–”
Now, I’ll admit I zoned out at this point. Any doctor who tells their profoundly diabetic (and rather pale and pasty) patient that a ketogenic diet will make their organs explode is not worthy of my attention. Anyway, I was born with 2 1/2 kidneys (I have a special back-up kidney on the left side with double ureters) so if there had been any explosions, mine would definitely be loudest. I don’t think I could’ve missed that.
I grabbed my bags and asserted, “Just read the science not funded by the food industry, big pharma, or the USDA and you’ll find out what I’m talking about.”
“Oh!” he assured me with a smile, “I don’t believe anything my government tells me!”
I high-fived him to keep the peace and left, muttering to myself, “Oh, you sure the hell do, you just don’t realize it.”
I felt so bad for the guy but, you know, you gotta pick your battles. A guy who eats junk food and beer right after his injection isn’t ready to hear about bacon and freedom.
