The Purple Pumpkin Project 2022

HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR EPILEPSY BY JOINING THIS ARTISTIC PROJECT.

KetoCal is excited to be teaming up again with the Epilepsy Foundation to support the epilepsy community.

Did you know there are over 3.4 million people in the United States living with epilepsy? According to the latest estimates, about 0.6% of children aged 0-17 years have active epilepsy. Think of a school with 1,000 students – this means 6 of them have epilepsy.

The Purple Pumpkin Project started in 2012 as a social media page by Ron Lamontagne to raise awareness for his son’s epilepsy. It has since grown into a national campaign to raise awareness for epilepsy. KetoCal is working with the Epilepsy Foundation to help expand the reach of the Purple Pumpkin Project and raise awareness of epilepsy.

We want to tell the members of the epilepsy community that they are not alone in their journey. We are all here to support one another.

Join us in supporting the Purple Pumpkin Project 2022!

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

1. Buy a pumpkin.

2. Decorate your pumpkin purple. It can be with paint or any other purple decorations. Whatever inspires you!

3. Take a photo, post it, and tag it with #PurplePumpkin2022

It’s amazing what you can do with some purple paint and decorations! Check out pictures from previous years to get inspired! KetoCal is a medical food for the dietary management of intractable epilepsy and is intended for use under medical supervision. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine if KetoCal is right for you. NOTE: To qualify for a $20 donation you must use #PurplePumpkin2022.

Statistics sources in this blog are from Epilepsy Fast Facts | CDC

Time to go back to school! 4 Tips for Families on the Medical Ketogenic Diet to Make Going Back to School Easier! By Lindsey Thompson, Ph.D., RD, LD

For families with a child on the medical ketogenic diet, starting the new school year can be a mix of emotions. Here are some useful tips to help get you through these upcoming weeks as school approaches.

Tip 1: Meet with the teacher and staff at the school in person (or virtually, if necessary).
It is so vital, especially if your child will be at a brand-new school this year, to make sure all of the staff members who are in contact with your child are aware of his or her special diet and restrictions. If your
child has an
Individualized Education Program (IEP), you likely already have a meeting scheduled. Be sure to discuss:
• Dietary restrictions – Many parents I have worked with find it helpful to compare the medical ketogenic diet to a food allergy (“my son has an allergy to carbohydrates or sugar”). Although this is an oversimplification of the diet, sometimes using the comparison helps staff understand the scope of the medical ketogenic diet when applied to epilepsy management.
• Classroom items to avoid – In addition to the dietary restrictions, make sure staff are aware that classroom items containing carbohydrates could be harmful for a child on the medical ketogenic diet to use (for example, modeling clay/Play-Doh®, which contains flour). I tell classroom staff that when in doubt, have the child wear gloves when using a product in question.
• Parties & Special Events – It is also important to review the schedule of class parties or events that may involve food with the teacher. Have the teacher let you know in advance when there will be a party or food so that you can send an appropriate ketogenic alternative for your child.
Tip 2: Practice to ease into the school routine
Switching from the summer schedule to the school schedule can be stressful. Kids with epilepsy may especially need additional time to adjust their sleep schedules in preparation for school. Practice your family’s school routine a few weeks in advance, perhaps in preparation for a day at the zoo or another activity. Set the alarms, have your children get up and ready, and pack that keto lunch for your child. You may even practice getting to the bus stop or driving to school to estimate the amount of time needed. Practicing beforehand will make the first day of school go more smoothly.
Tip 3: Meal Prep
As any keto parent knows, meal prepping for the medical ketogenic diet is very time-consuming. Schedule a day or time to prepare ketogenic meals and snacks for school ahead of time. Many parents like to choose a day when a spouse or other caregiver is available to help keep the kids occupied, like a weekend day.
Try to keep school lunches simple. If your child likes to drink KetoCal®, your school can provide a serving of KetoCal for the same cost as a school lunch, which may save you time in having to meal prep. Contact Nutricia Navigator to find out more about KetoCal and the National School Lunch Program: https://Nutricia-NA.com/NutriciaNavigator Nutricia KetoCal (myketocal.com)
Tip 4: Helpful supplies for school lunches
Supplies that are helpful in medical ketogenic diet lunches include:
• An insulated lunch bag with an ice pack (to keep cream and other fats cold). Let your child pick out a fun lunchbox
• Small containers for holding the smaller portions of food required on the medical ketogenic diet
• Bento-style lunch boxes can be fun for kids as well as they have separate compartments for everything
Having a child on the medical ketogenic diet can be a lot of work and preparation, but it is worth the effort. All of you keto parents and caregivers are doing great! I hope these tips will help ease you and your child on the medical ketogenic diet into a safe and happy school year!
-Lindsey
I was paid by Nutricia for my time to write this post, however, my opinions are my own.
Plah-Doh® is owned by Hasbro Inc. and is not affiliated with Nutricia North America.
KetoCal is a trademark of SHS International Ltd.
KetoCal® is a medical food for the dietary management of intractable epilepsy and is intended for use under medical supervision. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether KetoCal® is right for you.

KetoCal® 4:1 LQ Red, White, and Blue-sicle!

By Chef Rachel Finn

Summer wouldn’t be the same without popsicles. Firecracker-type popsicles were my favorite as a kid. Using Powerade® Zero as the base with a little KetoCal® 4:1 LQ makes this high ratio (fat bomb) and approximately 100 calories. For a brighter color, you can use a few drops of blue food coloring.

Ratio: 4.8:1

Full batch (1 serving): Calories: 97; Fat 9.84 g; Protein 1.23 g; net Carbohydrate 0.82 g; Fiber 0.34 g

Ingredients:

60 grams (1/4 cup): Powerade® Zero, Red

30 grams (2 Tablespoons): KetoCal® 4:1 LQ, vanilla or unflavored

15 grams (1 Tablespoon): Powerade® Zero, White  

15 grams (1 Tablespoon): Heavy Whipping Cream

60 grams (1/4 cup): 36% Powerade® Zero, Blue

2-3 drops food coloring, if desired: Blue

Directions:

In either a popsicles mold, a plastic cup, or a popsicle-type zipper bag.

  1. Pour in 60 grams or ¼ cup of Powerade® Zero, Red into cup.
  2. Place either a stick or plastic stir stick in cup and freeze for 30 minutes. (Chef Rachel’s Note:  Use foil over top of cup to keep stick in place while freezing).
  3. In the meantime, mix KetoCal® 4:1 LQ with Powerade® Zero, White and Heavy Whipping Cream.
  4. Remove popsicle from step 1 from freezer. Add KetoCal® mixture from Step 3 and freeze for 30 minutes.
  5. Remove from freezer and add 60 grams (¼ cup) of  Powerade®  Zero, Blue.
  6. Freeze for another 30 minutes.
  7. Ensure popsicle is frozen and enjoy your summer treat!

Powerade is a trademark of The Coca-Cola Company Corporation and is not affiliated with Nutricia North America and has not endorsed the proposed use of their products in this recipe.

Specific brand names are referenced to ensure consistent nutritional composition necessary to maintain the medical ketogenic diet.

KetoCal® is a medical food for the dietary management of intractable epilepsy and is intended for use under medical supervision. Talk with your healthcare provider to determine if KetoCal is right for you. Brought to you by Nutricia North America. (2022)