Immunology & PKD Research | Postdoctoral Fellow, Weimbs Lab UCSB | Scientific Director, Ren-Nu™ (Santa Barbara Nutrients) | PKD Scientist, Patient & Advocate
Santa Barbara, CA
Joined February 2021
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When @weimbslab discovered that diet and lifestyle could alter the course of ADPKD, it transformed my family's life—and my own. Today, I’m thrilled to share my first contribution as both a scientist and patient, with the hope of helping others navigate this journey as well. ❤️👇
Trigger Warning: How Modern Diet, Lifestyle, and Environment Pull the Trigger on Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Progression
doi.org/10.3390/nu16193281
Review paper just published from my lab. Must-read for anyone with interest in PKD
I had the best time speaking with @idlake about his new book, his incredible journey, and his approach to optimizing insulin. So many of the lessons he shared extend far beyond type 1 diabetes. Valuable insights for anyone seeking better metabolic health and overall well-being!
What does it take to manage Type 1 diabetes while cycling 1,000 miles?
Check out the interview below, in which our Ren-Nu Scientific Director, Dr. Melina Messing, speaks with Dr. Ian Lake @idlake about this extraordinary experience and the story behind his book, Shifting Gears: The 1,000-Mile Ride That Changed My Mindset on Type 1 Diabetes.
They discuss how Ian managed insulin, glucose, nutrition, and the physical demands of the ride, as well as the five pillars he considers foundational to health: nutrition, physical activity, mindset, environment, and circadian rhythm.
While the conversation centers on Type 1 diabetes, many of Ian’s insights into metabolic health, resilience, and understanding your own body are also highly relevant to people living with PKD.
📺: youtube.com/watch?v=uhe_cspH…
Get the book: a.co/d/02CY0RQg
#MetabolicHealth #Type1Diabetes #PKD #PatientEmpowerment
If you are at PKDCON make sure to say hi to our team!!
🌟Be sure to stop by the Santa Barbara Nutrients booth at PKDCON in Chicago at The Marriott Oak Brook.
Our team of nephrologists, dietitians, scientists, and fellow PKD patients will be on-site to discuss:
* The 12-month data from the Juntendo University trial.
* The mechanisms behind KetoCitra®and safe nutritional therapy.
* How to implement the Ren-Nu™program into your daily life to take charge of your ADPKD journey.
Melina Messing retweeted
My sugar infographics in 39 languages now!! 3 new languages up on the @PHCukorg website (BHS, Hebrew and Mandarin). Link below
1/7 My 7sugar infographics are back! They help people with T2D predict the glycaemic consequences of dietary choices. Carbs are the main drivers of blood sugar. Here I reinterpret the glycaemic load as approx. 4g teaspoons of table sugar. Freely available phcuk.org/sugar/
Melina Messing retweeted
I share this exact figure often in my talks. It's remarkable what a low-carb vs. high-carb diet does to GLP-1 levels in the body. Look at that drop in GLP-1 when subjects changed to a high-carb diet (the middle point) then went back to their low-carb diet!
Look !! Maybe this study helps explain why my low carb patients are so much less hungry? Perhaps they are getting free GLP-1 weight loss hormone ! pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/article…
Melina Messing retweeted
Did you know that someone with type 2 diabetes can come off of insulin?
Ketogenic metabolic therapy can do this. Here is an example (of many)
What happens when someone decides to take an active role in their health?
In our latest episode, we speak with Kent, a PKD patient whose journey is a powerful example of what can be possible through consistent lifestyle and nutrition changes.
When Kent joined the Ren-Nu™ Program, he was living with both polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and type 2 diabetes and required insulin to manage his blood sugar. Since then, he has lost nearly 40 pounds, successfully discontinued insulin, remained off insulin long-term, and experienced stabilization of his kidney function.
Kent shares the challenges he faced, what motivated him to make changes, and the strategies that helped him stay consistent along the way.
His story is a reminder that meaningful improvements in health can extend far beyond kidney disease and that it's never too late to make positive changes.
Watch the full episode here:
youtu.be/vs3n2wvwQpI
Melina Messing retweeted
@AKoutnik presenting today @keto_live in a snowy Switzerland Thinking about gestational diabetes and how best to improve outcomes. How about we begin with restricting foods that put up blood glucose ?
Melina Messing retweeted
Amazing results!
I’m amazed by what @virtahealth are achieving This on reducing liver disease by 62% using a low carb approach They have really HUGE numbers of clients lots of publications and are growing fast!! Dr Catherine Roberts presents at @keto_live in Switzerland 🤩
Melina Messing retweeted
Great to see this coverage of @GuidoFrank's recent pilot study showing the potential for ketogenic therapy in anorexia nervosa.
Thanks to @atstabile at @FoxNews for raising the profile of this work. See the link in the first comment 👇
I had such a great time interviewing Kent. His story is truly remarkable 👏
What happens when someone decides to take an active role in their health?
In our latest episode, we speak with Kent, a PKD patient whose journey is a powerful example of what can be possible through consistent lifestyle and nutrition changes.
When Kent joined the Ren-Nu™ Program, he was living with both polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and type 2 diabetes and required insulin to manage his blood sugar. Since then, he has lost nearly 40 pounds, successfully discontinued insulin, remained off insulin long-term, and experienced stabilization of his kidney function.
Kent shares the challenges he faced, what motivated him to make changes, and the strategies that helped him stay consistent along the way.
His story is a reminder that meaningful improvements in health can extend far beyond kidney disease and that it's never too late to make positive changes.
Watch the full episode here:
youtu.be/vs3n2wvwQpI
Melina Messing retweeted
Look it’s @AdrianSotoMota presenting @I_mitochondria work on the SUK diet given to ten previously Keto women ( 3 years) (SUK=standard UK diet!!) They looked at what then happened to their health markers @keto_live where it’s actually snowing!!
Melina Messing retweeted
Today in the @Telegraph Starting off a whole week on T2D we have a big piece on how our team have improved diabetes care for our UK NHS population 🥳 Just eat nutritious food that doesn’t put your blood glucose up!! 157 cases of drug free T2D remission @bigfatsurprise @KenDBerryMD @drjasonfung @lowcarb_aus telegraph.co.uk/health-fitne…
Melina Messing retweeted
We've been working on exploring the degree to which L-BHB (the lesser-known ketone) increases nitric oxide levels. The early data are shocking, and it could be a viable approach to increasing blood flow and reducing blood pressure.
Melina Messing retweeted
Kirk getting us off to a great start at the @keto_live conference in St Moritz Talking about the growing and very exciting field of nutritional psychiatry well supported by @Metabolic_Mind Like T2D the answer is not always about lifelong medication!
Melina Messing retweeted
This clip is a snippet from Dr David Unwin's (@lowcarbGP) talk, "Low Carb Diets: What Predicts Drug-Free Type 2 Diabetes Remission and How Best to Maintain It?", recorded at PHC Scotland 2023.
Watch the full talk: youtube.com/watch?v=aEKzvUid…
Interested in hearing Dr David Unwin speak in person? He'll be joining us at PHC Scotland 2026 this November.
Learn more and secure your ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/empowerin…
The @SBNutrients & @weimbslab lab team is at the @keto_live Conference in Switzerland! It's been an incredible event so far that reinforces just how powerful ketogenic metabolic therapy can be across a wide range of health conditions.
Melina Messing retweeted
@MelinaMessing and @GuidoFrank will talk at @keto_live in Switzerland. @MelinaMessing, Scientific Director of the @RenNuProgram, will discuss ketogenic therapy for ADPKD. @GuidoFrank, @SBNutrients advisory board, will discuss ketogenic therapy for eating disorders.
Melina Messing retweeted
We just finished the Loma Linda PKD Nutrition webinar with amazing educational sessions. ✨
@AbdipourPSRP @rahaai @weimbslab @SBNutrients @MelinaMessing
Thank you PKD Foundation for supporting us! @PKDFoundation 🙏🏻
Stay tuned for upcoming webinars!
Our new PKD patient podcast is out! Check out our first episode about ketosis as a treatment for polycystic kidney disease.
Doing a podcast series about Reversing Polycystic Kidney Disease! It worked for me! Ep.1 #PKDProofForRFK @RobertKennedyJr youtu.be/YQe2DhA9reY?si=FtB1…
Melina Messing retweeted
Doing a podcast series about Reversing Polycystic Kidney Disease! It worked for me! Ep.1 #PKDProofForRFK @RobertKennedyJr youtu.be/YQe2DhA9reY?si=FtB1…