Ketogenic Diet: Is It Good For You?
Posted by Brent Luck on
Daily we at The Tree For Life get asked about a ketogenic diet. But is it diet safe? Would one go for it to lose weight?
Despite the current hype, this diet is not something new. Doctors have been utilizing it for almost more than 100 years in the medical sector to operate drug-resistant epilepsy, especially in kids.
Dr Atkins, in the 1970s, introduced his very-low-carb intake diet for dropping weight to the world that started with a pretty strict 2-week ketogenic period. Over the years, other fad intakes diets included a related approach for weight loss.
What is a ketogenic (keto) diet?
In reality, it's a diet that makes the body release ketones into the bloodstream. This is because most body cells prefer to utilize blood sugar, which comes from carbs, as the body's chief energy source. So in the absenteeism of circulating blood sugar from the keto diet, we commence breaking down deposited fat into particles known as ketone bodies.
Once the body reaches the ketosis stage, most cells will utilize ketone bodies to generate energy until you commence eating carbs again. The transformation, from circulating glucose to breaking down deposited fat as a source of energy, normally happens over 2 to 4 days of eating fewer than 20 to 50 gms of carbs per day. However, this is an extremely individualized process, & some patients require a more controlled diet to start producing sufficient ketones.
Because it lacks carbs, a ketogenic diet is very rich in proteins & fats. It generally includes many portions of meat, processed meats, eggs, sausages, cheeses, nuts, fish, butter, seeds, oils, & fibrous vegetables. However, it's really hard to follow over the long run because it's so limiting or restrictive.
Carbs usually account for approximately 50% of the average American diet. One of the major criticisms of this diet is that various people tend to consume too much protein & poor-quality fats from foods, with very few vegetables & fruits. Therefore, victims with kidney disease must be cautious because this particular diet could worsen their condition.
Additionally, some victims might feel a little tired at the start. At the same time, some might have bad breath, vomiting, nausea, constipation, & sleep-related problems.
Is a ketogenic diet healthy?
We have really strong proof that a ketogenic diet decreases seizures in kids, sometimes as efficiently as medication. Because of these neuroprotective outcomes, questions have been proposed about the potential benefits for other brain ailments such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, sleep disorders, multiple sclerosis, autism, & even brain cancer. However, there are no real human studies to back recommending ketosis to treat these diseases.
Previous analysis shows significant evidence of a faster weight loss when sufferers go on a ketogenic or very low carb diet than people on a more conventional low-fat diet or even a Mediterranean diet. However, that variation in weight loss appears to disappear over time.
A ketogenic diet has been confirmed to enhance blood sugar control for sufferers with type 2 diabetes. However, there is even more debate when we examine the effect on cholesterol levels.
A few types of research show some subjects have a rise in cholesterol levels initially, only to understand cholesterol fall a few months later. However, there is no long-term investigation analyzing its results over time on high cholesterol & diabetes.
Key takeaways from a ketogenic diet review?
A ketogenic diet at The Tree For Life could be an exciting alternative to treat specific conditions & may expedite weight loss. But it isn't easy to follow. Moreover, it can be troublesome on red meat & on some additional fatties, processed & salty meals that are especially unhealthy.