How do you know, your body is in a state of ketosis? KETO STRIPS /KETO STICKS : A review!
‘Keto sticks’ are an indispensable part of a keto regimen.
Keto sticks as we may call them, are actually ketone urine strips, available very easily at any medical store. Why do we need them?
If your body has switched to burning fat (both ingested and from stored body fats), you are in ketosis. There will be ketones in your urine, and that is what the ketosis test strips are for.
They will tell you if there are any ketones in your urine, thus letting you know that you are in the fat burning stage of the diet.
What happens inside the body, when you’re in a state of Ketosis?
A ketogenic diet, involves very high consumption of fats and proteins and very little to no carbs. This causes your body to switch to fat as the primary source of energy.
The fats travel through the blood circulation to reach the liver where they are processed into ketone bodies. The ketone bodies then circulate back into the blood stream and are picked up by the muscle and other tissues to fuel your body’s metabolism.
In a person without diabetes, ketone production is the body’s normal adaptation to starvation. Blood sugar levels never get too high, because the production is regulated by just the right balance of insulin, glucagon and other hormones.
Optimum ketosis for weight loss ?
Below 5 mmol/L is not considered “ketosis”. At this level, you’re far away from maximum fat-burning.
Between 0.5-1.5 mmol/L is light nutritional ketosis. You’ll be getting a good effect on your weight, but not optimal.
Around 1.5 – 3 mmol/Lis what’s called optimal ketosis and is recommended for maximum weight loss.
Why do you need to check your ketone levels?
Excess of ketone accumulation in the body, is dangerous for health. This doesnot, in any way mean that you should not follow a keto diet.
Ketosis is a 100% natural state, under full control by the body. It can be caused by a low-carb diet or by a brief period of fasting. The only fact is, that you have to be careful, and follow this diet with the right approach.
Ketoacidosis is a condition where the levels of ketones in the body are abnormally high, poisoning the body. It is a serious and dangerous condition that can quickly develop, sometimes within the space of 24 hours.
Most people who eat a strict low-carb ketogenic diet never reach levels higher than 3 millimolar or so. But ketoacidosis occurs at levels of 10+, most commonly 15+.
Diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to severe illness or even death.
PRECAUTIONS that you should take while being on a keto diet:
Use ketone calculator, to know the right amount of macronutrients that you need.
You need to be vigilant, and very careful to know the level of ketosis.
When using ketosis test strips, you can tell if there is a problem with your low carb eating plan. There are times when there are hidden carbs in foods, or perhaps you have used something that has carbs but you thought it was a safe food
Keeping all dangers at bay, the most easy, and economic way of testing ketone levels that is recommended and used are these strips.
What to look for, while buying ketone strips?
Cost
Number of strips in the pack
Should be convenient to use
Easy to understand instructions leaflet should be included
Should be high on accuracy
CARE TO BE TAKEN WHILE TESTING KETONES IN URINE:
YOU SHOULD BE HYDRATED AT AN OPTIMUM LEVEL.
TOO LITTLE WATER, OR TOO MUCH EXCESS OF IT WILLL GIVE FALSE RESULTS.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
We recommend perfect keto as a very useful and resource to help you through your keto journey.
