Kristin Grayce McGary: The Ketogenic Cure
Health and lifestyle expert Kristin Grayce McGary LAc., MAc., CFMP®, CSTcert, CLP is an internationally recognized authority on autoimmunity, functional blood chemistry analysis, thyroid & gut health, family wellness, extreme exhaustion and food as medicine. Kristin Grayce specializes in integrating mind, body, and spirit in healthcare. Renowned for her ability to work with successful high achievers under stress, Kristin Grayce works to resolve patients’ root imbalances, helping them to regain lasting energy and live with more vitality. She empowers patients to revitalize and reconnect to their most brilliant self, helping them to fulfill the mission of sharing your gifts with the world.
She is the author of an upcoming book titled The Ketogenic Cure; Heal Your Gut, Heal Your Life.
The Ketogenic Cure: Interview with Kristin Grayce McGary
OMTIMES: Who is Kristin Grayce McGary and what does she do?
Kristin Grayce McGary: I’m a holistic healthcare practitioner but better known as a health and lifestyle alchemist. I am passionate about empowering people to heal on all levels. I’m a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, certified in functional medicine, advanced craniosacral therapy, somatoemotional release, neural and perineural therapy, and homeopathy and so much more. I offer patients the opportunity to see and understand what’s happening inside their bodies through functional blood chemistry analysis, so they can become informed consumers of their healthcare. I bridge the gap between the Western medical model, Asian medicine, Functional healthcare and the mind, body, spirit connection so that lasting transformation occurs. I am called to participate in the alleviation of suffering on our planet through sharing my skills and gifts.
OMTIMES: You are renowned for helping people who are suffering from troublesome symptoms—and long-term debilitating health conditions—find relief and live a vibrant life. Please tell us about that.
Kristin Grayce McGary: I help people identify the causes, get to the root of symptoms and imbalances that few others can find. I help them transform those symptoms into vitality and freedom. I do this by individualizing each session and honoring the wholeness of each person. I help them shine a light on their unconscious patterns of imbalances, strategies of protection, and self-sabotage to release the blocks to lasting vibrant health. I educate and empower patients with their nutrition and lifestyle choices, so they can truly thrive. I uniquely combine dozens of healing tools that I’ve mastered over the last 21 years, to peel off the layers of illness and dysfunction so their beautiful light can shine brightly. I guide people on a unique journey of self-discovery and lasting transformation, so they can fulfill their purpose and passion on the planet.
OMTIMES: What is Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis and how do you use it in your work?
Kristin Grayce McGary: Blood chemistry analysis is an effective and efficient tool for identifying imbalances in the body metabolism. Unfortunately, few Western-trained MDs and NMDs are versed in Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (FBCA), nor do they know how to order comprehensive panels, since they are overly constrained by what health insurance will cover. I offer this to my patients as a way to empower them to understand what’s happening on the inside of their body. It takes the guesswork out of health care, nutrition, and lifestyle because it can inform appropriate action and change in a person’s health and life. Conventional reference ranges on a regular lab are compiled from a population of mostly sick people, so falling within normal ranges means, you’re average compared to sick people, which is not entirely useful as an indicator of health. Functional reference ranges are compiled from a population of healthy people, so results inside or outside of functional normal range are more meaningful. Functional lab results help me find imbalances years before a patient develops symptoms, exhibits signs of tissue damage, or a diagnosable disease. FBCA is a powerful tool for prevention.
OMTIMES: You are writing a book entitled The Ketogenic Cure. Can you tell us about that and what the reader of it will learn?
Kristin Grayce McGary: The information in my book is cutting-edge for halting, healing, and preventing autoimmune challenges. It explains the importance of gut health, why we all have gut damage, and how to repair it through a ketogenic gut-repair nutritional program, which is entirely different from a standard ketogenic diet. I offer supplements that help heal the gut and modulate immune function. I also explain the Asian medical view of the intestine, how the gut has feelings too, and I offer contemplative exercises around nutrition, food as medicine, and even how to eat. I explain the importance of the enteric nervous system and discuss the research about the gut as the second brain. I write about functional testing, food sensitivity testing, predictive antibody testing, etc. At the end of the book, I offer transitional recipes for people moving away from carbohydrates to a more Paleo, Primal or Ketogenic plan as well as Ketogenic gut repair recipes and desserts. Just about everyone can benefit from a ketogenic gut repair nutritional plan. It improves brain function, balances blood sugar, supports a healthy metabolism, decreases inflammation, turns off sick genes, repairs the gut, and combats autoimmune issues. I understand everyone is an individual and that genetics only play a small part in our health because genes can be turned on and off through nutrition, lifestyle, and environmental factors. This book explains this and so much more.
OMTIMES: Many of our readers suffer from autoimmune conditions and diseases. What is your advice for them?
Kristin Grayce McGary: Don’t give up. It takes courage to continue on this healing path. If you think you’ve tried everything and done it all, I promise you that there is more. I firmly believe your body can fully heal. Become an informed consumer of your health care, stand in your power, even if you feel emotionally or physically tired. Take simple steps like getting the right kind of support. Find a healthcare provider who approaches you as a whole person, not someone broken. Someone who individualizes treatments rather than following a standard protocol or printout from a computer. It’s important to know that autoimmune issues appear in multiples. If you have one, you will likely get two, three, or more. There is a predictive antibody test through Cyrex Labs that can identify targeted tissue before you have a full-blown disease. The test can guide your healthcare provider in protecting those tissues and halting the attack. Autoimmune issues invariably lead back to the gut, so take your time to repair the gut which means addressing food sensitives, lifestyle, stress, emotions locked in your body known as cell memory, unconscious patterns of protection, and the eight blocks to healing. It’s important to take a very comprehensive and individualized approach. I like to support people to find their edges in their health, relationships, and life, and lean into them to discover real gems for their healing.
OMTIMES: One of the populations you work with is people with food sensitivities. How do you help them?
Kristin Grayce McGary: I help people identify immune dysfunction and then empower them to regulate their immune systems. Food sensitivity is a symptom of immune dysfunction, as are autoimmune issues, allergies, cancer, etc. The gut is always involved because approximately 70% of immune function originates in the intestines. By healing the gut, many food sensitivities vanish. Avoiding gluten, dairy, other foods that cross-react to gluten, corn, soy, lectins, sugar, and processed foods can help, but sometimes it’s not enough. I also look for the emotional and spiritual aspects of food and environmental sensitivities and deal with the unconscious patterns that cause these reactions. I believe in a very holistic and comprehensive approach.
OMTIMES: You also practice death midwifery. What is that, and how does it work?
Kristin Grayce McGary: Just as a birth midwife helps babies enter life, a death midwife can help someone exit this world. I can help someone with a terminal illness to transition with more peace, ease, and dignity. I empower the family to move through the dying process with love, acceptance, and peace. In our current culture, death is viewed as something bad or scary. However, it is an integral part of life. I’m not afraid of talking about death; I see it as a holy sacrament. I want to help people embrace their death with courage, peace, and ease. The fact is we are all going to die, so let’s get that on the table. There are ways to die with dignity, with conscious awareness that brings incredible healing to the individual and their family. What I offer is not hospice, although at times I work alongside hospice nurses. Depending on the state in which you live, laws exist that allow you to care for your family member after death, at home, and even make their casket. Our societal habit is that when someone dies they are quickly removed, and everyone averts their eyes, but this shows an unhealthy imbalanced relationship with death. Rather than having them removed and embalmed immediately; one practice is to keep the body on dry-ice for three days, so family and friends can hold a vigil in their honor. This practice allows people to grieve completely. It also allows the person’s spirit to pass over gracefully. If we can work with death in a more profound way, then we can grieve and heal quicker. There are many supportive practices for working with someone and their family during the dying process. I advocate and empower people to find what works best for them and their families.
Continue to Page 2 of the interview with Kristin Grayce McGary
