Category: keto tips

Protein supplements have always been popular among athelets and gym goers. But off late, people who are on strict dieting too have started using them. If you are looking forward to build muscle, exercise nad do it all while being in ketosis, you might be needing one for sure!

Which protein supplement to take on a keto diet?

WHY PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS are always in demand?

Proteins being the packets of energy are absorbed by the cells in our body thus acquiring the energy that the cells in our body require.

We can say that proteins rejuvenate us from the cellular level thus providing us with the energy to overcome the tiring training sessions. That is why the gym goers always carry with them protein bars or protein drinks along with them to recharge themselves instantly and to accelerate the growth of muscles.

You can decide your dietary needs based upon your activity.

Athletes need more protein because they are using their muscles more and therefore building more muscle and burning up more protein. Getting more protein is important to help build strong muscles and keep them energised.

Protein is basically the fuel for healthy muscles and a lack of protein can mean difficulties building and maintaining muscles.

Athletes are not the only group of people that can benefit from taking protein supplements. Vegans and vegetarians who do not eat large amounts of protein containing foods may also benefit from the extra protein of a supplement.

They are popular for they are handy, if you are not getting enough protein from your diet, you can get it through these.

They are essential for everyone who wishes to attain a fit physical form. These supplements help in providing us the energy that we require thus helping us to gain the most out of the workout sessions along with repairing the minor in the muscles.

CHOOSING THE BEST PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT!

When purchasing a supplement always check out whether it contains whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate.

• The purest and most concentrated form of protein that you can get is whey protein isolate because they contain around 90 percent of protein and a very minimal amount of lactose and fat. Therefore going for a supplement that says whey protein isolate on its label will be a great option for you.
• Another difference that lies between one company’s supplement and another company’s supplement is the way they have manufactured their whey protein. There are different methods of making whey protein in which differing quality factors can arise. The factors that distinguish one supplement from another are its taste, fat content, purity, absorption and digestion rate, and the quantity and number of amino acids that it contains. When choosing which brand’s supplement to purchase compare the different bottles based on these factors.
• You have to be very careful because a cheap and low quality supplement can actually damage your health and cause grave side effects. Buy only a brand that has the most recognition and you know for sure that it is a safe to use supplement. Here it is best to ask your personal trainer or other such expert for advice.

Protein to Carbohydrate ratio:

A good quality and pure Protein Supplement will always have Carbohydrates to Proteins in the ratio of 1: 5. It means for every gram of Carbohydrates, there should be 5 grams of Proteins. A good quality Protein Supplement will never have more than 4 grams of Carbohydrates. Always remember to check total Carbohydrates, if it is more than 4 grams think twice before buying that supplement.

PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT ON A KETO DIET:

First of all you should know that..

Eating adequate amount of protein, is important while on a Keto diet:

Gluconeogenesis is the reason behind urging you to eat sufficient protein.

People that are on extremely low calorie diets, occasionally have eating disorders, or are hungry begin losing muscle mass. That is because your body will start breaking down your lean muscle tissue to make glucose energy and regulate your blood sugar if it is not getting enough through dietary intake

You should also not become hypoglycemic (too low blood sugar) on a Ketogenic diet or any way of eating that substantially cuts carbohydrate intake is because your body naturally regulates your blood sugar, keeping it at maintenance levels, via gluconeogenesis.

Enter into healthy ketosis: Lose fat not muscles!

Too much of protein will also be bad. The body can again start generating glucose via gluconeogenesis from your dietary protein, other than using up fats for energy. It is thus, recommended to intake protein in the right amounts and from the right supplement source to aid you gain muscle but not hinder ketosis in any way!

There are various types of protein supplements in the market, depending upon their source:

• Whey protein
• Grass fed animal protein
• Vegan protein
• Egg protein

All of them have specific attributes linked to them. We cannot recommend any one of them for you, since it depends on your requirements. The type of diet you depend on (considering which protein your’e losing out on) and your physical activity will determine for you the one that you should use.

Suggestions:

First of all, we will rule out egg white protein supplements since this tyoe of protein is easily available from eggs.

Next comes grass fed animal protein. This is a very good source of protein, and will provide you the needed protein if you’re vegetarian.

Whey protein too is a good option since it contains essential amino acids and is easy to digest and absorb.

Vegan proteins are from legumes, peas, millet, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, garbanzo etc. If you include a good amount of these in your diet then you mustn’t go for it.

Once you know your macros ratios, you can determine how much of a supplement you need. Since a keto diet is high on fat and moderate in proteins, you might need them, if you indulge in exercise and want to build muscle. Moreover, you may also need if your diet restricts some essential protein element from plant or animal sources.

What we have not mentioned is protein ‘Collagen’!

Al of us know that collagen is one of the most abundant protein found in our body. Its production declines with age and is needed for flawless skin, hair, shining nails and overall good health!

Collagen directly aids in:

• Energy production
• Building healthy DNA
• Detoxification and digestion
• Rebuilding joints, tendons, cartilage, skin, nails, hair, organs, etc.

It is important for you to know, that some people are allergeic to egg protein, while beef protein may cause inflammation in some.

Whey protein, suits almost all. But what we recommend is to know about the manufacturing process of protein supplements too, so that you know whether they are preserved nutritionally or not!

EDITORS’ NOTE: We recommend  ‘KETO COLLAGEN’ as the most promising and well balanced protein supplement to help you through ketosis.

REFERENCES:

https://ezinearticles.com/?Protein-Supplements—Who-Should-Use-Protein-Supplements&id=1392793

https://ezinearticles.com/?Protein-Supplements-Energise-to-Build&id=9566218

https://ezinearticles.com/?What-Makes-Protein-Supplements-So-Good-for-the-Body-and-How-to-Know-Which-Ones-Are-Worth-Taking?&id=6490110

https://ezinearticles.com/?Checklist—Things-to-Remember-When-You-Buy-Protein-Supplement&id=5421769

(What to eat and what to avoid)

A keto diet is recognised for being a very low carb diet, in which the body produces ketones in the liver to be utilised as energy. It’s known as many distinct titles — ketogenic diet, low carb diet, low carb high fat (LCHF), etc..

By now we know that the body uses fat stores for energy due to a lack of glucose from carbohydrates.

Keto meals are based around meats, poultry, fish, eggs, higher-fat dairy (like butter, cheese, and cream), healthy fats (like oils, nuts, seeds, and avocados), and vegetables that are low in carbohydrates (like green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, squash, peppers, etc.). All starchy vegetables, grains, fruits, dairy such as milk and yogurt, natural and refined sugars and sweeteners – or anything that would increase carb intake to above 5 percent of calories – should be avoided.

How do you know, the KETO macros ratio?

What to eat and how much to eat?

The exact amounts of fat, carbs, and protein (also known as ‘macros’) you need to eat in order to get into ketosis will vary from person-to-person. Keto, for weight loss restricts to to around 20 to 25 grams of carbs a day.The amount of macronutrients needed depends on your body weight, so it differs dramatically for every person.

It can be easily calculated via a KETO macronutrient calculator.

KETO DIET food list (Permissible food list) in a go:

• Non-Starchy Vegetables
• Berries
• Meats
• Organ Meats
• Peas and green beans
• Healthy Fats (e.g., ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.)
• Limes and lemons
• Nut butters and nut milks
• Bone broth
• Gelatin
• Vinegars
• Shellfish and other seafood
• Nuts and Seeds
• Herbs and Spices
• Fish
• Avocado
• Olives
• Coffee
• Tea
• Coconut
• Eggs
• Stevia
• Mustards

EDITOR’s NOTE: Use this very useful resource, 3-2-1 keto meal plans,  which provide you customised keto meal plans, shopping lists, and delicious recipes that include not too many ingredients, keeping it low budget too.

Preparing weekly grocery lists can be tough, especially when you are on a diet. Wracking your brain on what is permissible and what is not. So we simplified it for you.

Go through this very comprehensive guide that may help you choose the right keto foods to prepare  grocery lists, and menu for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Keto VEGETABLES : Try to stick to green leafy vegetables and avoid root vegetables to keep your daily carbohydrate intake low.

Arugula (Rocket) Artichokes Asparagus
Bok Choy Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts Butterhead Lettuce Cabbage
Carrots Cauliflower

Celery
Chard
Chicory Greens Chives
Cucumber Dandelion Greens Eggplant (Aubergine) Endives
Fennel

Garlic
Jicama
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Leafy Greens (Various Kinds)

Mushrooms (All Kinds) Mustard Greens
Okra
Olive

Onions
Parsley
Peppers (All Kinds) Pumpkin Radicchio Radishes
Rhubarb
Romaine Lettuce

Scallion
Seaweed (All Sea Vegetables) Shallots Spaghetti Squash Spinach
Swiss Chard Tomatoes Turnip Greens Watercress Zucchini

FERMENTED VEGETABLES  Kimchi Sauerkraut

FRUITS

Most fruits are off limits on a ketogenic diet. Some small amounts of berries are considered ok, but watch how much you eat!

Avocado Blackberry Blueberry

Cranberry Lemon Lime

Raspberry Strawberry Olives

MEATS

Beef Pork
Bison Quail Chicken Rabbit
Deer Reindeer Duck Sheep
Elk Turkey
Goat Veal
Goose Wild Boar Lamb Wild Turkey Pheasant

Fish is highly nutritious, but buy wild-caught fish whenever possible. You can buy this fresh or frozen or even canned (choose fish canned in water or olive oil).

Anchovies
Bass
Cod
Eel
Flounder Haddock Halibut Herring Mackerel
Mahi Mahi Mackerel Orange Roughy

Perch
Red Snapper
Rockfish
Salmon (including Smoked Salmon) Sardines
Tilapia
Tuna (including Albacore)
Sole
Grouper
Turbot
Trout
Shark

FATS

Fats play a huge part in the ketogenic diet (they make up the majority of your calorie intake), so make sure you’re taking in plenty of healthy fats.

Avocado Oil Ghee Coconut Oil Lard

Tallow
Olive Oil Macadamia Oil Red Palm Oil

Duck Fat
Coconut Butter
Cocoa Butter
Walnut Oil (small amounts) Sesame Oil (small amounts) MCT Oil

NUTS AND SEEDS

Palm Shortening
Duck Fat
Coconut Butter
Cocoa Butter
Walnut Oil (small amounts) Sesame Oil (small amounts) MCT Oil

Almonds Hazelnuts Macadamias Pecans

Pine Nuts Pistachios Pumpkin Seeds Flax Seeds

Psyllium Seeds Hemp Seeds Sesame Seeds Sunflower Seeds Walnuts Cashews

Chia Seeds
Various Nut Butters

EDITOR’S NOTE:  If you want to make you Keto drill easy, enjoyable, and low on budget we recommend ‘The Essential Keto Cookbook’  as a very useful resource.

Include more info, from your previous articles

For losing weight, ketosis is the best diet and is not a fad. In a keto diet, one would eat lots of protein and fats and little carbohydrates to get there body in a state of ketosis. Since there is no more glycogen in your body, from the lack of carbohydrates, your body will build ketone bodies from your fat tissues to fuel your body and your brain. As long as you are eating enough protein, you will preserve your muscle and lose pounds of fat easy.

Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body produces ketones to be used as fuel by some organs so that glycogen can be reserved for organs that depend on it.

When you stop eating glucose (ie: carbohydrates), your body begins the process of ketosis. In ketosis, the liver starts unpacking fat cells so that your body can use the fatty acids for fuel. It also produces ketone bodies, which the body also uses for fuel – especially the brain. The benefits of ketosis are numerous – lowered blood pressure, lower cholesterol, low triglycerides, improved insulin sensitivity, and weight loss without regard to calorie count. Other reported benefits are common – lack of hunger, lack of cravings, improved mood, lessened anxiety, and greater mental concentration. Variations on ketogenic diets are used to control various medical conditions including acne, heartburn and acid reflux, thyroid problems, epilepsy, and type 2 diabetes.

Negative side effects of a ketogenic diet include light-headedness, headache, lethargy, weakness, feeling cold, diarrhea, and nausea. These side effects are only temporary and go away once the body has fully made the switch from burning glucose to burning fat (within the first week). They are almost universally acknowleged as symptoms of withdrawal from sugar.

If you’re looking to lose weight without eating less, improve your mood and mental acuity, or even to solve some common health issues like acne or acid reflux, a ketogenic diet (also called a homeostatic diet) may be exactly the right tool for you. Just keep an eye out for the symptoms of ketoacidosis, and you should have no problems at all once you get past those nasty withdrawal symptoms.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2289059

Getting into ketosis takes about 3-7 days depending on your current glycogen storage. Ketosis feels odd at first because you will be lethargic and may experience headaches and even nausea. However, these symptons go away. You will also drop lots of weight at first because of water weight.

Typical foods on a keto diet include nuts, whey protein, eggs, bacon, sausage, olive oil, butter, salmon, etc; anything that contains a high amount of protein and fats and no carbs. A vitamin pill is often taken in a keto diet since you can’t eat much vegetables. (however you can eat at least one bowl of salad)

It takes strong willpower to stay on keto because if you cheat once or eat something bad your body will be out of ketosis. A process that took 3-7 days now has to be re-done.

In short, Keto is the best short-term diet you can do for cutting.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2544985

Stuck with weight loss?

Weiht loss at a halt? Or weight loss?

When you actually know that thereal problem, is that you are not losing any more fat!

Tried all, weight loss pills, oct solutions, crash diets, and xexercise.

Find the answer to you problem in a simple eating solution.

A litte bit of change in your eating habits, can break that plateue.

Why take fat blockers or fat burning pills. Instead turn your body into a fat burning machineand be at oeace for no side effects or health risks.

Ketosis, that is guided and or you can say nutritional ketosis is the answer to your problem.

Follow tketo diet with, fulfilling and tasty meals, enjoyy the drill, which is’nt to restrictive.

Reap the benefits and you can after a 2,3 weeks or month move to a CKD. OR MODIFIED KETOSIS.

 Thus you will break tha weight loss halt, 

To embrace this weight loss regimen, be fully aware about it, to make all initial symptoms easy to bear, navigat through and embrace it in all good will, we recommen l’The keto begining’ and perfect keto as a very useful resource!

(What are the dangers of keto diet? ketosis side effects)

Every diet has a set of challenges as we all know. Are you dreading about the dangers of going on a keto diet?

Getting the right information will, will help you make a better decision for yourself as you might have been deluded by many people who might have shared their experiences with you..

Lets find out the truth, keeping in mind that everyone’s body reacts uniquely or differently to biological changes.

KETOSIS, in the most simple terms  is a normal metabolic process. When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead; this results in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body.

How do I know I am in ketosis?

Getting into a state of ketosis requires a little work and adjustment, but you will find it a lot easier than many diets in the long term since the menu is likely to include foods you like. Start by restricting your carbohydrates, hitting your macros daily, and incorporating MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) to your diet–olive oil, organic butter, organic milk, and palm kernel oil.

This type of fat causes your body to start producing more ketones.

You should reach ketosis within two or three days.

Initial symptoms and keto adaptation phase comes in with a bit of challenges.

Dominic Agostino says: The worst part is the initial drop in energy that you’ll experience while your body is still craving carbs, but, according to him two to three weeks is all you need to adapt.

A number of initial symptoms will give you a clear indication of being in ‘KETOSIS’!

Brain fog:

It isn’t a condition for which you might need medication. It typically alludes. To feeling a little fatigued in the brain, such that your brain is not functioning at its full potential! You might have a little difficulty in concentrating and recalling things.

This happens in the initial days of starting a keto diet since your body is glucose starved and is using up stored glycogen stores and transitioning to utilising fat for energy. On recovering from the initial days, about a week, when your body becomes ‘Keto Adapted’ will make you enhance in focus and mental clarity since ketones are a very good source of energy for the brain.

Dizziness:

Yet another unpleasant symptom is feeling dizzy, or hazy. Initial days of keto adaptation may make you feel sick. It can cause headache too. This is because you have suddenly cut down your calories dramatically and the body needs time to switch to a new source of energy.

Fatigue:

This is something that is very obvious and very easy to understand. Your source of energy till now was glucose. It came from grains, starchy vegetables and sugary fruits. Now when you cut all of them down and move to a high protein and fat diet, you will lose on that instant energy that you used to get, initially.

In the absence of glucose you are bound to feel lethargic and fatigued.

This is also an initial symptom and should be warded off as your baody adapts nad the production of ketones starts.

It is a problem only when you are on a keto diet since long and still do not feel energetic, at that time you need to see whether your meal contains enough fat or not. Or is adequately balanced to suit the keto regimen.

For evading symptoms of lethargy, and be in a healthy state of nutritional ketosis, use a good supplement that takes care of you energy levels.

Ketosis breath:

One of the outcomes of cutting carbohydrates in our bodies is that we begin to use more fat for energy. This procedure creates molecules known as “ketones.” 1 type of ketone, known as acetone, will be excreted both in the urine along with the breath. The description of the odour varies, but it’s often referred to as “fruity” or like the smell of apples that are “past their prime” (not fresh or nearing to being rotten).

Keto-breath usually doesn’t last forever. It diminishes down after a few weeks or at the most a few months.

You can mask your breath using mouth freshners, if its unbearable.

These symptoms may tell you, without even testing ketone levels that you’re in ketosis.The more accurate way of knowing whether you’re in ketosis or not, is to test ketone levels!

How long do I stay high?

Excess of glucose which is not immediately used by the body, is stored in the form of glycogen, in the liver and muscles. So, glycogen is readily available form of glucose.To enter into ketosis, first the body will utilise the stored glycogen.

Within 2, 3 days of moving on a low carb diet, the glycogen stores in the liver are being used up.

Then the body switches to fat burning mode and production of ketones.

So, you will experience low energy initially, and then you will slowly regain energy and activeness within a week of becoming ‘keto adapted’.

USE MCT OIL for CONTINUOUS ENERGY:

MCTs are a clean, fast-acting energy source for the body and brain, so you can experience:

• Sustained higher energy levels, without crashes
• Sharper focus
• Enhanced weight loss
• Decreased inflammation

These initial symptoms which can well be managed may let you know, that you are in ketosis. Moving a little further, we will discuss some side effects that can occur on not following the ‘Keto diet ‘ correctly.

They are:

Abdominal discomfort:

If you’ve found people discussing about share or severe stomach pain or discomfort, and never known the answer. You don’t need to be too worried since the underlying reason is not a serious one.

It happens only due to less of water in your in your body!

• During your keto adaptation phase and even after that you need to take care of hydrating yourself to an optimal level because: It will help to retain the most needed electrolytes in your system.

• • Include more fat, so that ample of ketone bodes are produced and you don’t feel low on energy.uscle tissue is made up of over 70% water and it is very important to cellular activity, so you should make sure you consume plenty of water throughout the day. The more protein you eat in your diet, the more water you will need to help clear the waste products such as ammonia and urea.More over, a calorie restricted diet will produce less glucose triggering low insulin. This leads to hormonal signals via the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, signalling your kidneys to excrete MORE water and retain LESS.

   

  • Take care to include, fiber supplements, and products like psyllium husk to maintain a clear system, since constipation can be a reson for abdominal discomfort too.

Muscle cramps:

Muscle cramps, especially in the legs, are a common symptom for many while adopting a very low  Carb diet. It occurs during the adaptation period, but sometimes they can continue for longer.

When you first go on a low-to-no carb diet, you lose a lot of excess fluid from your cells. As this fluid gets flushed out from your body, it carries electrolytes with it. Electrolytes like potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium all play important roles in muscle function.

Take care to include which contain them, leafy greens, meat and of course supplements will help.

Constipation/digestive problems:

Reduction of dietary fiber intake may lead to constipation, it is a very well known fact. Let us turn towards a keto diet, what is it composed of ?

Including fiber and improving your water intake will relieve you of this problem. Irregular bowel movements can owe to constipation.

Coconut oil or use of MCT oil can serve as laxatives apart from having other multiple benefits. So, you can include them in your diet, to be at ease.

Frequent urination:

During Ketosis, your body is burning up the additional glycogen (stored sugar) in your liver and muscles. Using up glycogen releases a good deal of water. As your carbohydrate intake and glycogen stores fall, your kidneys will begin dumping this extra water.

Additionally, as your blood glucose levels fall, your kidneys begin excreting excessive sodium, which will also cause more frequent urination. This happens in the initiation.

But you should take care of keeping yourself hydrated, and maintaining enough amounts of electrolytes in your diet, or use supplements to overcome it, if this issue persists.

Nausea:

Becoming keto adapted means your body is can now easily converting fats you’re eating into ketones. In the beginning, the body may not be well equipped to convert.

We all have fat hydrolysing enzymes, but their amount  drastically increases when keto adapted.

Nausea can also be caused by the lack of fat converting enzymes. When you start a low carb diet,  (going from almost no fat a day to eating all the fat they can get their hands on) the body takes time to adjust. Some fats which are left undigested or difficulty in digesting them may be a reason for nausea.

Being low on energy, may also cause you to feel nauseated. Manage your diet in the right manner and feel best.

The study would be incomplete if we do not explore the rare side effects too! Actually they are rare to ‘nutritional ketosis’ but can happen if uncontrolled ketosis goes on..

Uncommon side effects!

Ketoacidosis:

The unnecessarily dreaded phenomenon, ketoacidosis! Let’s make it clear to you, what actually it is, and who is at risk to such a problem?

Ketosis and ketoacidosis are NOT the same thing.

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.

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+.

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.

There are several different potential triggers for ketoacidosis. It is most commonly caused by illnesses that lead to the production of higher levels of hormones that work against insulin.

High levels of ketones in the urine and high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) are signs of ketoacidosis and can be detected with kits in the home.

Ketosis generally isn’t dangerous. It’s usually related to a planned low-carbohydrate diet or a transient condition related to diet only!

Must know!

In diabetic patients, ketosis can occur due to the body not having enough insulin to process the glucose in the body. The presence of ketones in the urine is an indicator that a patient’s diabetes is not being controlled correctly.

A ketogenic diet is recommended for individuals with type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). With type 2 diabetes, the body still produces some insulin but is unable to properly use the insulin to transport glucose into cells for use as fuel.

Patients with diabetes who follow a ketogenic diet need to carefully monitor their ketone levels. A serious condition called ketoacidosis can occur if these levels get too high, and although it is most prevalent in individuals with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes can also develop ketoacidosis sometimes.

Kidney stones:

Kidney stones develop when a hard mass of crystals develops from the urinary tract.The cause of kidney stones is not known, but a few folks appear to be more prone to developing them than others, so there can be a hereditary tendency behind it.

When the body to shifts into a fat-burning state called ketosis, the production of ketones that results can alter the composition of urine to a certain extent, and sometimes increase the risk of kidney stones.

Lets see what a diet that is high in animal protein and low in carbs can do to make you susceptible to developing kidney stones:

Consumption of high amount of animal protein:

• increases urinary calcium loss

2)   decreases urinary pH (more acidic)

3)   decreases urinary citrate levels

4)   increases urinary urate

On the other hand, reduced carbohydrates reduces urinary calcium.

Most importantly calcium and uric acid when increased in amounts can crystallise to develop stones.

What you must take care is to drink enough water, to flush out wastes from your system, and ket not any sort of accumulation take place. Balance your  protein intake with generous green vegetable intake, magnesium and potassium supplementation too.

NOTE: In the end what most dietitians and nutritionists have concluded is that, those who are hereditary prone to kidney stones fall in the most susceptible group, on a low carb diet. Others may not be in same position of risk. However there are many ways by which this risk can be mitigated.

CONCLUSION:

The final answer, to the question that is KETOSIS dangerous, is NO!

IF nutritional ketosis is used for weight loss, in the right and proper manner, it will not cause you harm.

The benefits of a ketogenic diet, far outweighs the side effects. As we have already seen that the side effects are very manageable. You cannot call this diet ‘dangerous’ in any manner. But, yes it should be followed with care and proper knowledge about it and guidance should be taken.

Editor’s note: – If you are interested in ketosis, and following ketogenic diet plans, we recommend two very useful resources – Perfect Keto, a natural supplement to get you into the state of Ketosis as quickly and effectively as possible, and The Essential Keto Cookbook, a great way to kickstart your Keto journey.

References:

https://www.livestrong.com/article/487944-symptoms-of-ketosis-on-diet/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/ketogenic-diet/ketosis-what-it-its-safe-how-achieve-it-symptoms-more/

https://ketosizeme.com/symptoms-of-ketosis/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketosis-safety-and-side-effects#section7

https://www.perfectketo.com/why-ketones-cause-stomach-pain/

https://www.tasteaholics.com/keto-diet/what-is-keto-flu-how-to-help/

https://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/low-carb-diet-side-effects.html

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/do-low-carb-diets-increase-kidney-stone-risk-lets-ask-the-low-carb-experts/10229

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/do-low-carb-diets-increase-kidney-stone-risk-lets-ask-the-low-carb-experts/10229

https://zerocarbzen.com/2015/08/17/muscle-cramps-on-a-zero-carb-diet/

https://thrivestrive.com/ketosis-signs/

One of the most common side effect of being on a keto diet is ‘Electrolytic imbalance’. A condition which is very easily detected and controlled, lest you know about it.

With all the benefits, that KETOSIS can provide, there are some aspects which need care and vigilance to be handled, so that you are at a no risk position. So, you need to know, about electrolytic balance too!

Editor’s note: – If you are interested in ketosis, and following ketogenic diet plans, we recommend The Essential Keto Cookbook, a great way to kickstart your Keto journey

Electrolyte balance is crucial for many body functions. The primary electrolytes in the body are calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium, and are actually considered macrominerals.

Electrolytes are important because they help

• Balance the amount of water in your body
• Balance your body’s acid/base (pH) level
• Move nutrients into your cells
• Move wastes out of your cells
• Make sure that your nerves, muscles, the heart, and the brain work the way they should

Electrolytes are minerals in your body that have an electric charge.

With these ions being intrinsic, or a part of the internal body’s system. How can their balance be disturbed?

You ought to be surprised to know, that we could lose them due to any waste flushing mechanism which works in the body.

Excretion of ions can occur mainly through the kidneys (via urination), with lesser amounts lost in sweat and in feces.

For eg: excessive perspiration can lead to a substantial reduction, particularly of sodium and chloride.

Severe vomiting or diarrhoea will cause a reduction of chloride and bicarbonate ions. The regulatory mechanism for the ionic equilibrium, operates via different hormones and kidney functions.

Some examples of what can happen from an electrolyte imbalance are:

• Elevated potassium levels which could lead to cardiac arrhythmia
• A decrease in extracellular potassium can cause paralysis
• Excessive extracellular sodium causes fluid retention
• Decreased calcium can lead to muscle spasms

The key to electrolytic balance:

Muscle tissue is made up of over 70% water and it is very important to cellular activity, so you should make sure you consume plenty of water throughout the day.

The more protein you eat in your diet, the more water you will need to help clear the waste products such as ammonia and urea. Sweating from a gruelling workout will cause you to lose more water as well.

Most imp electrolytes: Na, K, Mg. (During ketosis)

Why are they important?

SODIUM & POTASSIUM:

Blood Pressure

Because of sodium’s impact on your blood pressure, a boost in your daily potassium intake can help you to maintain a healthy blood pressure or lower it to healthy levels.

However, you cannot rely entirely on sodium and potassium to lower your blood pressure. In addition to obtaining regular exercise, your intake of fats, salt, cholesterol, protein, fiber, calcium and magnesium can also impact your blood pressure.

Muscular Function

Potassium is particularly important for the ability of your skeletal and smooth muscles to contract. Because of this, an adequate intake of potassium is important for regular digestive and muscular functioning. Potassium is also vital to the health of your heart, as a normal heart rhythm arises from optimal muscular functioning.

Nerve, Muscle Function

Ions of sodium, potassium and chloride trigger muscle contractions and nerve impulses when they shift places across cell membranes. When stimulated, potassium ions rush out of the cell as sodium ions rush in, creating an electrical signal or nerve impulse. A similar scenario occurs during the contraction of muscles.

Fluid Balance

Sodium also works in synergy with potassium to maintain normal water balance in the body. Each of the minerals chemically attracts water to itself, thus assuring that optimal levels of hydration are maintained both inside human cells and outside the cells, in the extracellular spaces that surround them.

Blood Volume

Closely related to sodium’s role in the maintenance of normal fluid levels is the part it plays in controlling your body’s blood volume and thus blood pressure.

MAGNESIUM:

Without magnesium we couldn’t create energy, our muscles are in a permanent state of regeneration, and we couldn’t adjust the degree of cholesterol produced and released into the blood stream.

Magnesium ions regulate over 300 biochemical reactions in the body through their role as enzyme co-factors. They also play a vital role in the reactions that generate and use ATP, the fundamental unit of energy within the body’s cells.

Magnesium is one of the most common co-factors in the body. Its presence is crucial to:

• Glucose and fat breakdown
• Production of proteins, enzymes and antioxidants such as glutathione
• Creation of DNA and RNA
• Regulation of cholesterol production

Why is there a risk for electrolytic imbalance during ketosis?

The reason is that there is less insulin produced as a result of the composition of the diet. This leads to hormonal signals via the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, signalling your kidneys to excrete MORE water and retain LESS.

Your kidneys shift from keeping sodium and water to dumping both at a faster speed!

Because of homeostasis, our bodies will attempt to keep sodium blood concentration within its normal range, which will only occur if blood volume shrinks. This shrinkage is what causes all of the ugly symptoms: nausea, brain fog, headaches, bad moods,

In response to the reduced sodium level, your kidneys will also begin dumping potassium to keep a decent sodium-potassium equilibrium.

As a result, you can experience some of the negative symptoms associated with the “keto flu”.

Ways to get the right amount of each electrolyte?

Foods that contain them:

Potassium

Potassium is the electrolyte which is most commonly deficient in diets. It can be difficult to consume enough potassium since many foods that are rich in potassium often don’t fit into a low-carb diet. However, there are some foods that are both low in carbohydrates and high in potassium, such as: avocados, nuts, dark leafy greens, and salmon.

Sodium

Being in ketosis will make your body wash out sodium faster. This is because as your insulin levels drop, the rate at which your kidneys extract sodium also drops. It’s easy to increase your sodium intake by adding salt to your meals and drinking bouillon or broth.

Magnesium 

Nuts, spinach, artichokes and dark chocolate are all rich in magnesium. Whilst a magnesium deficiency is less common than potassium or sodium deficiencies on a low-carb diet, if you are suffering from cramps and dizziness then you may need to increase your magnesium intake.

Do I need to worry? How do I know, that I am moving towards an imbalance?

The most obvious indication your electrolyte/mineral equilibrium is being influenced is an increase in urination. On a low-carb diet, insulin levels fall that promotes the secretion of sodium from the urine. Sodium pulls more water to the urinary system that then is excreted also.

Additionally, as your body burns through glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, excess water is discharged into the urinary system.

Whilst getting rid of this additional water is useful in releasing toxins in the body, you need to ensure that you are taking in extra fluids, electrolytes, and minerals to prevent other related side effects.

Constipation is an integral indication that you’re not maintaining electrolyte/mineral equilibrium during keto adaptation. The consistency of somebody’s stool, and for that reason the ability to manoeuver that feces, is heavily influenced by its content. The water content of your stool is similarly influenced by your general hydration levels.

What precautions to take?

The more protein you eat in your diet, the more water you will need to help clear the waste products such as ammonia and urea.

Sweating from a gruelling workout will cause you to lose more water as well.

The key factor, here is to Stay hydrated!

You can also use, keto supplements that will help you keep all dangers at bay.

Replenishing them!

Can supplements help?

On a low-carb diet it can be tricky to give your body with all the electrolytes it requires. On a diet of less than 50g of net carbs a day that your body is very likely to enter ketosis, meaning your body will use fat for fuel, as opposed to glucose, that is the most important energy source of high carb diets. Because your body retains less water whilst on a ketogenic low-carb diet, a lot of electrolytes will be flushed from your system.

Beginners to a low-carb diet may often neglect the need to replenish the electrolytes that they are washed out of their body.

Any sort of imbalance of electrolytes can cause fatigue, headaches, light-headedness, dizziness and muscle cramping – often known as ‘keto-flu’.

Do not be scared you away from a low-carb diet, it is easy to counteract these problems by supplementing your diet with extra electrolyte sources.

IMPORTANT: If you’re physically active that is,  involved in any sort of exercises, sports etc, as well as are following a low carb keto diet, you necessarily need supplements. Since, only dietary sources cannot provide you the right amount of electrolytes that you lose every day.

REFERENCES:

http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-benefits/what-is-function/

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/roles-sodium-2999.html

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/roles-sodium-2999.html

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/roles-sodium-2999.html

https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.html

https://ezinearticles.com/?Minerals-That-Help-the-Body&id=5220846

https://ezinearticles.com/?A-Guide-to-Proper-Hydration-and-Electrolyte-Balance&id=2235794

https://ezinearticles.com/?A-Guide-to-Proper-Hydration-and-Electrolyte-Balance&id=2235794

https://medlineplus.gov/minerals.html

https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.html

https://ketogasm.com/keto-flu-electrolyte-imbalance/

https://www.ketovale.com/supplements-electrolytes-on-keto/

https://ketogenic.com/overview/importance-electrolytes-ketogenic-diet/

https://ketogenic.com/overview/importance-electrolytes-ketogenic-diet/

(CYCLICAL KETO DIET)

Starting any new diet, comes with a lot of aprehensions!

Same is the case with ‘Keto diet’. Going extremely low carb and high on fat, moderate on protein scares away many in the inception only!

But you don’t need to be scared, since there’s ample of evidence which claims the keto diet to be nutritionally complete and that our body is designed to adapt to fat burning and using ketones as a source of energy, apart from glucose.

Still it has been modified a bit, to provide you the same fabulous benefits of weight loss and much more than that, but helping you to cope the stress nd regain energy.

That brings into th epicture, a completely new facet of a CYCLICAL  Keto diet.

What’s that?

A cyclical ketogenic diet is where you stick to a conventional ketogenic diet from Monday to Friday, integrating two/three workouts into your week, and on weekends you load up on carbohydrates and do not exercise.

This helps because carb intake permits you to store up some carbohydrate energy for the week ahead, assisting you to keep a reasonable amount of strength up for your workouts and preventing your body from going into “starvation mode” on those days.

NOTE: It isn’t suggested for beginners. It’s for people who want to follow the ‘Keto lifestyle’ and incorporate it in the long run.

Let’s analyse the pros and cons of keto dieting so that we know, why this concept came into the picture?

On a  Keto diet, we know that carbs are strictly restricted.

Since carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of fuel, limiting the intake of carbs will force your body to use other stored energy for fuel to run bodily functions. This energy will largely come from your stores of body fat!

There is one small bump in the road to the perfect fat loss diet though.

The human brain cannot run off of fat, it needs carbohydrates in the form of glycogen or some other suitable substitute in order to function properly and at full capacity. This substitute will come in the form of Ketones.

• Ketones are the byproduct of fat being mobilized and burned for fuel by the body. These Ketones can also be used to run some important bodily needs such as brain function.

• One other perk of using ketones for energy is that instead of excess ketones being stored as body fat like carbohydrates, Excess ketones are excreted through Urine.

• “Ketostix” are actually one of the best all-around ways to check if your body is in ketosis.

• Ketogenic Diets also control insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas that is used to carry carbohydrates in the form of sugar through to blood stream to the muscles and liver to be stored as glycogen. When these stores are full this hormone also aids in the storage of excess carbohydrates as body fat. Knowing this it is not difficult to understand why controlling your insulin levels through low carbohydrate intake keeps your body in fat burning mode due to the fact that there are no carbs entering the system which keeps insulin production to a minimum.

• This diet will cause decreased hunger due to fat having a satiating effect.

Of course there’s a flip side too. There are some side effects which include:

• Brain fog during the transition period from carb metabolism to fat metabolism also known as the “Metabolic Shift”. This is when your brain is learning to use ketones as fuel.

• Poor gym performance since your body can not store or use ketones in the same was as glycogen essentially depleting your body’s stores of “Quick Energy”.

• Fatigue and dizziness.

• Constipation due to a lower fiber intake although the majority of these diets make green vegetables an “Unlimited” food choice.

All the symptoms can be well managed and evaded.

Taking in th eright amount of fats, protein and supplements that give you a perfect balance of electrolytes, needed vitamins and minerals are of great help.

But, the problem still remains for  many serious strength trainers and athletes is the poor gym performance. Your weights in the gym WILL drop while on this diet and you will not be able to sustain the same intensity as when you were taking in higher amounts of carbohydrates.

 This introduces the concept of CKD!

Important:

Even though fitness competitors aren’t measured on strength it does not mean that a diet can ruin and deteriorate muscle tissue that has taken years of hard work and sweat to gain. This is where the “Carb Up” day comes into play.

Once or twice a week there is a scheduled day that you can ingest carbohydrates in order to replenish your muscle glycogen allowing you to train harder in the following couple days as well as give your mind and will power a rest from the strictness that comes along with this diet.

For boosted energy and good work out and athletic performance you can use some trusted and ready made drinks too.

Now that we have discussed the pros and cons of a ketogenic diet and how we can turn it into a cyclical ketogenic diet.There are many variations and strategies to get your body into ketosis but they all have a generally common set of guidelines:

– Intake as few carbs as possible (Between 0-50 Net Carbs)

– Follow a 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrate macro ratio

– Eat your fiber! “Net carbs” is made up of total Carbs – Fiber. Fiber is crucial to keeping your plumbing in order!

– Schedule a carb up day on the weekend. It can be used as to have your cheat meals too!

Final word:

If you can tolerate the metabolic shift and the somewhat lacking food choices (including eggs, meat nuts etc are very enjoyable for some)  this diet may be the best way to loose fat fast. Although many have successfully followed this diet and for extended periods of time and had great results.

If you’re still reluctant or cannot bear the initial phase then Cyclical Keto diet is for your rescue!

Moreover, it helps people who are involved in high intensity work outs.

Editor’s note: – To assist you and more over make your keto journey enjoyable we recommend two very useful resources – Perfect Keto, a natural supplement to get you into the state of Ketosis as quickly and effectively as possible, and The Essential Keto Cookbook, a great way to kickstart your Keto journey.

REFERENCES:;

What is the Cyclical Ketogenic Diet?

https://www.ruled.me/cyclical-ketogenic-diet-indepth-look/

Article Source:  http://EzineArticles.com/8449054

(carbs in vodka, whisky, rum)

Wanting to lose weight, but dreading to give up alcohol completely, is a concern for many. Does alcohol actually interfere with the weight loss process?

The subject of alcohol and weight loss is a controversial one, mainly because the main fate of alcohol is NOT to be stored as fat.

Can Ketosis and alcohol consumption go hand in hand?

Remember, being in a state of ketosis means a normal metabolic process where the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead! This, amazing fact that our body burns fat to gain energy, when enough glucose is not available, has been used to propose the ketogenic diet plans! It is a well established fact, backed by scientific research.

A strict low carb diet, will of course be disrupted by ingesting calories that acohol is bound to provide you. Let’s find out how?

The main problem:

In fact, less than 5% of the alcohol you drink is turned into fat. Rather, the main effect of alcohol is to reduce the amount of fat your body burns for energy.

Alcohol is labeled as containing 7.1 calories per gram. But the real value is slightly lower. Alcohol raises your metabolic rate for some time after you drink it.

Once this rise in metabolism is taken into account, which is larger than the rise seen with carbohydrate or fat, the “true” number of calories in a gram of alcohol is around 6 calories.

So, the problem that you are likely to encounter, is that your body will shift from the fat burning mode, to utilising the calories alcohol has provided you, as long as they are available. Once your body finishes off with them, it can again go back into ketosis.

What is alcohol? How is it made?

It is a must know that alcohol is actually produced by the fermentation process. Essentially, a sugar compound is acted upon by yeast and the yeast produces alcohol and carbon dioxide.

‘Depending on the type of sugar compound, you get different kinds of alcoholic beverages.’

By way of instance, beer is made with, essentially four ingredients. Barley, hops, water, and yeast. Barley is the principal ingredient, it is where the sugar (maltose) comes from for the yeast.

It is also very much like wheat. It’s a really bad carb. And it is the reason that some people today call beer “liquid bread”. It’s far too full of carbohydrates, not only the sugars, but another “glutenous carbohydrates”. So, Beer doesn’t fit to a ketogenic lifestyle.

Secondly have wine, which is made from fermented grapes. The issue with wine is that everybody reacts differently to it. It is better to play it safe and be the person you want to be than it is to have the temporary enjoyment of a glass or two of wine.

• Lastly, there are spirits, hard liquor. Since these are essentially just alcohol and water (assuming we are talking gin, tequila, vodka, whiskey, or rum), these do not affect your insulin levels and, more than likely, do not affect your ability to stay in ketosis. Having a couple of cocktails, provided they do NOT contain sugary additives, is perfectly fine.

Clear liquors at about 40% alcohol are a safe bet and are considered keto alcohol, and anything that tastes sweet is not! Acceptable keto alcohol includes:

• Vodka
• Tequila
• Gin
• Whiskey
• Rum
• Scotch
• Brandy
• Cognac

Beware!

Flavor infused spirits have some sugar in them. The label does not mention it. They are not sweet like liqueurs, but if you leave it to evaporate you’ll find they leave a sticky residue. The flavored vodka can disrupt ketosis!

Low carb alcohol and ketosis?

Alcohol have an effect on weight loss through a ketogenic diet, even once you drink low carb or carb free alcoholic drinks. This is because the body is able to use alcohol as a source of energy.

It is not stored as glycogen, such as carbohydrates, so once it’s burned off you’ll go straight back into ketosis, however this does mean you’re losing weight burning time when you drink.

How much this affects your weight loss varies between people. Some folks find their weight loss stalls if they drink anything alcoholic, whereas others find they could drink accountable amounts of wine, hard liquor or a low carb beer (they do exist) and keep losing weight.

Need to DETOX? You can go ‘Keto’!

The ketogenic diet might even assist alcoholics detox. The US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bethesda, Maryland is now beginning a new clinical trial to investigate the use of the ketogenic diet through detox for alcohol addiction. Principal investigator Corinde Wiers, PhD, notes that a variety of observations and studies on brain energetics imply that the ketogenic diet is a promising supplemental intervention for alcohol use disorders (AUD.)

Best to be on the moderate side!

Research says:

Moderation in drinking is still an important recommendation, together with a healthy lifestyle not conducive to weight gain. (NCBI)

Cheating on a keto diet!

If, for some reason, you do cheat on the keto regimen and take in alcohol someday. You don’t need to worry too much. There’s no use sitting and calculating or worrying about the number of calories in vodka, whisky, rum etc.

Just follow a simple rule that as long as you’ve not ingested too much, your body can get back into ketosis easily.

When the calories that your drinker had provided are burned off, you can take help of exogenous ketones supplements to easily get back into ketosis. Now you may follow your keto diet plan and be at peace.

Editor’s note: – If you are interested in ketosis, and following ketogenic diet plans, we recommend two very useful resources – Perfect Keto, a natural supplement to get you into the state of Ketosis as quickly and effectively as possible, and The Essential Keto Cookbook, a great way to kickstart your Keto journey

REFERENCES:

https://www.ketovangelist.com/ketosis-and-alcohol/

https://www.ruled.me/ketogenic-diet-and-alcohol/

https://www.tasteaholics.com/keto-diet/the-ultimate-guide-to-keto-alcohol/

http://www.theketogenicdiet.org/keto-diet-and-alcohol/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4338356/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16047538

https://muscleevo.net/alcohol-weight-loss/

https://www.paleohacks.com/ketosis/can-drinking-kick-you-out-of-ketosis-11223

Put an end to all confusions..

If you’ve heard about ‘Ketosis’ you might have had a chance to hear about ‘Gluconeogenesis’ too. People talking in complicated language, using hefty terms, stating scientific facts might not have been of any use to you. Some minutes of reading will today help you to understand the real story.

It is important to know both these terms to avoid the most common pitfalls of ketosis.

Let’s get started with the most simple question:

What is glucose?

Glucose is a simple sugar molecule that is produced in the body from the foods we eat and is utilised for energy by the brain cells and other arts of the body.

Excess of glucose which is not immediately used by th ebody, is stored in the form of glycogen, in the liver and muscles. So, glycogen is readily available form of glucose.

Do NOT  confuse glucose with, the ONLY or the PRIME source of energy for the body.

Ketones which are produced during ketosis, are an equally good source of energy for the body too. The fuel that the body may utilise to fulfil its energy needs, depends upon its availability.

What is Gluconeogenesis?

Gluconeogenesis is a metabolic process of making glucose, a necessary body fuel, from non-carbohydrate sources such as protein (amino acids), lactate from the muscles and the glycerol component of fatty acids.

KETOSIS recap:

Ketosis is a natural process by which the body helps us to survive when food intake is low. During this state, we produce ketones, which are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver. On a ketogenic diet your entire body switches its fuel source almost entirely on fat.

The Dilemma!

Gluconeogeensis and ketosis, both come into play when enough glucose is not available to fulfil the body’s needs. On cutting down the carbohydrate content or during starvation, the body may ressort to one or both of these mechanisms. But how and when? Which process supercedes the other? 

What you should know:

If the body is deprived of adequate carbohydrates, it will use the processes of gluconeogenesis (making of new glucose) and ketogenesis (making of ketones) to provide energy for vital functions.

The major source of raw materials for making new glucose will come from the amino acids in muscle protein.Whenever the body breaks down protein, the various amino acids are released.

Some of these amino acids are suitable for making glucose (glucogenic), some are suitable for making ketone bodies (ketogenic), and some can be used for either purpose.

As a result, low carb diets can become starvation diets and they can cause the body to cannibalize its own living tissue (muscle) when it is starved of a vital nutrient (carbohydrates).

Why should I care?

When we restrict carbohydrates, which are metabolised to form glucose then this happens:

1. The stored glycogen is used up (by a process called glycogenolysis)
2. Gluconeogenesis may start to provide the body with new glucose

We need to overcome ‘Gluconeogensis’ to enter into nutritional ketosis!

Eating adequate amount of protein, while on a Keto diet:

Gluconeogenesis is the reason behind urging you to eat sufficient protein.

People that are on extremely low calorie diets, occasionally have eating disorders, or are hungry begin losing muscle mass. That is because your body will start breaking down your lean muscle tissue to make glucose energy and regulate your blood sugar if it is not getting enough through dietary intake.

It’s quite significant on ANY way of eating to offer your body sufficient food in general, and protein particularly, so it does not have to use your lean muscle tissue to self-regulate.

You should also not become hypoglycemic (too low blood sugar) on a Ketogenic diet or any way of eating that substantially cuts carbohydrate intake is because your body naturally regulates your blood sugar, keeping it at maintenance levels, via gluconeogenesis.  

Enter into healthy ketosis: Lose fat not muscles! 

Gluconeogenesis is the metabolic pathway your body uses to turn non-glucose sources into glucose for energy — a life-saving pathway. But it also can keep you from losing fat, gaining muscle, and burning ketones. So, it is important that you enter  into ‘ketosis’ the right way.

Important takeaways:

• Eat adequate amount of protein (nether to less, nor too much). To do this you need to know, what is the right amount of protein intake for you. Use ‘keto calculator’/ macronutrient calculator to determine this, for your body type.
• Take exogenous ketones to ease you rjourney into nutritional ketosis. 

Keep all dangers and complications at bay, using the right way to enter into ketosis. 

Editor’s note: – If you are interested in ketosis, and following ketogenic diet plans, we recommend two very useful resources – Perfect Keto, a natural supplement to get you into the state of Ketosis as quickly and effectively as possible, and The Essential Keto Cookbook, a great way to kickstart your Keto journey.

References:

https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Low-Carb-Diets&id=641963

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose

What is gluconeogenesis?

https://www.ruled.me/what-is-gluconeogenesis/

https://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/gluconeogenesis.html

 

What for, should I go in for a ketogenic diet? Has this, question ever crossed your mind?

You’re not foolish, infant you’re smart and it is true that you can’t be lured into liking and then embracing anything be it a  product or service, likewise any diet plan, when it isn’t backed by a plethora of advantages that it may bring to you.

You are at an impressive advantage, if you’re considering the ‘Keto diet’ to be you’re saviour! We will explain to you, precisely that its not just a hype, but science bears testimony to the huge number of positive effects it may have on your health.

A ‘Keto diet’ triggers ketosis in our bodies, switching from glucose to fats as the chief source of energy. It is diet that involves high amounts of fat, moderate protein and very little or no carbs.

Let’s delve into what benefits, such a diet can bring to you.

Not bragging about, it even in the least, we will put forth the real picture.

1. First of all, the most obvious and most coveted benefit that it brings about is WEIGHT LOSS!

Studies show that people on low-carb diets lose more weight and much faster than people on low-fat diets even though they might restrict calories.

This reduction in carbohydrate forces the body to uses its fat storage to create the energy it needs to function. And this will not be simple weight loss! The icing on the cake is that, maximum weight loss will be from you abdomen. Ketosis will improve your waistline.

You may read more about it.

2. Apetite Suppression

If you’ve tried dieting, and failed it is but obvious that you might have fallen prey to your hunger pangs! Any dieting whatsoever that fail to keep you fulll, actually fails to give you good results. The best thing about a ketogenic diet is that, it helps to suppress hunger in good way.

You can very well understand that a high fat and protein diet, tends to last longer in terms of energy and satiety. Research also shows this.

Find answers to all your queries and right guidance for your Keto journey.

3. Anti ageing

Life span is increased when oxidative stress is lowered. It seems that by lowering insulin levels, oxidative stress in turn is decreased. A ketogenic diet decreases insulin levels – allowing the formation of ketones to be used as fuel.

Many experts are turning to ketogenic diets in a quest to slow down aging

By way of instance, burning sugar for fuel generates more reactive oxygen species. These reactive oxygen species cause damage, inflammation, and cell death when they collect. This is the reason why consuming too much sugar is known to impair brain function and lead to plaque build up in the brain.

On the other hand, ketones offer a more efficient energy supply and help protect neuron cells in the brain. This is partially because burning ketones for fuel decreases the production of reactive oxygen species and enhances mitochondrial function and generation.

4. Brain function

Your brain will work better  in general when burning fat as opposed to sugar, as fat was shown to be equally neurotherapeutic and neuroprotective. While fats are unable to cross the blood brain barrier, ketones, being fat-soluble fats, can cross it and feed your mind. Many times, enhanced cognition and mental acuity are one of the first things people notice when entering nutrient ketosis. Anecdotes certainly suggest that otherwise healthy individuals are able to experience cognitive advantages from brain usage of ketones.

There is ample of anecdotal evidence that shows, healthy people can experience cognitive benefits from brain utilization of ketones.

Despite high glucose availability, the aging, epileptic, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s brain can’t utilize enough of it to handle cognition. Ketones provide a vital and alternative source of energy for the glucose-starved brains. It’s no coincidence that ketogenic diets can improve symptoms (and in some cases abolish them) and cognitive function in all four conditions.

5. Longevity:

Ketones are longevity metabolites.

Several studies, have proven this. One study showed that elevated ketone levels extended life span by 26% in worms, and the other showed that ketones corrected the metabolic defects in a mouse model of accelerated aging.

6. Lowered blood pressure

If you eat more carbohydrate than required, which is primarily true for high-glycemic carbohydrates which are quickly digested, such as white bread and pure sugar. So, Based on how sensitive you are, you may be experiencing the exact symptoms from more complicated, lower GI carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate begins getting broken down to simple sugars when it arrives on your stomach (by way of example, starch in bread and wheat becomes sugar) which raises your blood glucose the minute it’s taken up by the blood. The body then produces more of the hormone insulin, so as to care for this blood sugar.

Raised insulin levels seem to lead to the accumulation of fluid and salt in the body. This increases blood pressure.

7. Helping the eyes (more stable vision; less risk for cataracts)

As any diabetic will tell you, it’s well known that high blood glucose has a detrimental effect on vision and contributes to an increased risk for cataracts. It is therefore not surprising that maintaining blood glucose levels low improves vision and eye health, as a gazillion people have shared online, and as associated diabetes research has proven.

8. Women’s health

The Keto Diet, or Ketogenic Diet, can be undertaken by both men and women. This diet relies on a high intake of protein and fat such as meat, seafood, olive oil, eggs and small amounts of vegetables.

Women can experience a number of health benefits with this diet including hormonal balance, weight loss and even an anti-aging effect.  A multivitamin and mineral should be taken to supplement the Ketogenic Diet.

As a woman, you might benefit from a ketogenic diet if you:

• have PCOS
• have irregular or absent periods
• have imbalanced thyroid hormones
• can’t lose or gain weight no matter what you try
• have terrible PMS
• have adrenal fatigue
• feel tired or unmotivated
• get hungry and need to always have a snack handy in between meals
• want to increase your performance in the gym
• have an autoimmune disease you would like to manage

9. Decreasing inflammation

A ketogenic diet decreases insulin levels – allowing the formation of ketones to be used as fuel. Whereas, burning sugar for fuel creates more reactive oxygen species. These reactive oxygen species cause damage, inflammation, and cell death when they accumulate.

So, following a strict low carb/keto diet causes reduction and relief in inflammation.

10. Improved sleep and energy levels

Once your body gets adapted to ketosis, and you overcome the initial phase where you feel low, a new burst of energy and enhanced mental clarity and focus sets in.

This happens because, insulin levels are low and ketones are a better and cleaner fuel for the body. The body wins the battle against carb cravings and utilisation of fat as fuel produces more energy.

Having less reactive oxygen species increases energy efficiency, because of better mitochondrial function.

Better brain function, leads to better sleep cycles too.

That’s not the end. The trail still continues…

There are many other advantages that a keto diet may bring about. Keep reading to find out, that which are specific conditions where this diet provides cure and relief.

Editor’s note: – If you are interested in ketosis, and following ketogenic diet plans, we recommend two very useful resources – Perfect Keto, a natural supplement to get you into the state of Ketosis as quickly and effectively as possible, and The Essential Keto Cookbook, a great way to kickstart your Keto journey.

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS

Apart from all the general benefits that we’ve mentioned there still a lot that keto diets offer to your health!

Its a known fact by almost all of us, that ketogenic diets have long been used to treat special disorders like ‘Epilepsy’!

Why not know all this from, one of your favourite coaches on ketosis ‘Dominic D Agostino’!

He says “ Not everyone is going to adapt to the ketogenic diet or low carbohydrate diet but my mind at least 90% of the people will have an improvement in metabolic health, in their sense of wellbeing, and pretty much all markers of health will improve with carbohydrate restriction that I’ve seen.”

This type of diet, can be used to treat a variety of health conditions like:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Type 2 diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Cancer
• Acid reflux disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzhiemer’s disease
• Mental trauma

Cardiovascular diseases:

Several lines of evidence point to favorable effects of VLCKD on cardiovascular risk factors.

Studies indicate that the initial ketogenic diet may initiate a heart disease, whereas the weight-loss version lowers the risk factors for heart disease. This suggests that overweight people with heart failure may benefit from adhering to the weight loss form of the ketogenic diet.

Type 2 diabetes:

As a  consequence to conducting off ketones allows someone to control or lower, their glucose is because of reduced insulin levels. The ability to use fat and ketones as fuel for your body imply a pre-diabetic or possibly a type 2 diabetic, where we can eliminate the need for exogenous insulin without being worried about glucose levels!

Bistrian et al recorded in the 1976 study how Type 2 Diabetic patients on a ketogenic diet no longer needed insulin and they shed plenty of body weight.

These findings have been backed up in a 2012 study that had obese diabetics follow a ketogenic diet for 12 months. The researchers found lower fasting glucose levels, enhanced cholesterol markers and enhanced HA1c readings. Bear in mind, carbs and glucose aren’t required when on a ketogenic diet, as stable, clean burning energy is obtained from fat. This makes controlling glucose levels near foolproof.

Epilepsy:

The ketogenic diet has been successfully used with people suffering from epilepsy. In actuality, the ketogenic diet has been initially developed in 1921 to deal with drug resistant epilepsy in children. Since that time, a lot of studies have been done showing how ketosis can assist with epilepsy.

There is ample evidence that epileptic children continued to be seizure free long when they ceased their ketogenic trials.

Cancer:

Taking into account the obvious relationship between carbohydrates and insulin (and IGF-1) a connection between carbohydrate and cancer is a possible outcome, and some links have been recognized since the 1920s when the Russo-German physician Dr A Braunstein observed that glycosuria falls off notably in diabetic patients who developed cancer.

By depriving a cancer cell of glucose by eating a ketogenic diet, we may be able to starve the cancer resulting in its death.

And science is now catching up, this review paper on ketogenic diets   as a form of cancer therapy concluded: “Although the mechanism by which ketogenic diets demonstrate anticancer effects … has not been fully elucidated, preclinical results have demonstrated the safety and potential efficacy of using ketogenic diets.. improve responses in murine cancer models”

While a mouse study found that ketone supplementation decreased tumour cell viability and extended survival rates in mice with cancer.

Acid reflux disease:

A study published in the Journal of Digestive Diseases and Sciences found that after after less than a week on a ketogenic diet, study participants with GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) all showed a reduction in acidity in the oesophagus (linked to heart burn) and the participants reported less intensity in their heart burn conditions.

All this results simply from taking cutting down carbohydrates and improving upon fat content.

PCOS

PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a common disorder among reproductive-aged ladies. Emerging research indicates that a ketogenic or low-fat diet can improve hormonal regulation, weight control and other PCOS-related difficulties.

Insulin-resistant PCOS sufferers also tend to have an extremely difficult time achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. In the US, about 80% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese.

Because obesity aggravates insulin resistance and hormone imbalances, these women are frequently asked to lose weight in order to reduce disease risk and improve their hormonal regulation. If anyone has struggled with this disorder knows, losing weight and maintaining the loss is often easier said than done.

A very low carb keto diet may help, women lose weight and resume the normal menstrual cycle, thus treating PCOS 

Treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzhiemer’s, Parkinson’s and Mental trauma:

Above all, keto diet also helps to restore brain health and battle the most dreaded mental problems.

Fndings from multiple and diversely structured studies support the concept that the KD offers broad-ranging neuroprotective benefits, and that the regimen merits attention as a therapeutic option for other neurodegenerative, cognitive and behavioral diseases beyond epilepsy.

• Typical mitochondrial respiratory chain damage that occurs in animal models of Parkinson’s disease was reduced by a ketogenic diet.

• Evidence is provided by a study, which reports that at least in selected conditions a significant clinical improvement was observed in Alzheimer’s patients fed a ketogenic diet

• Traumatic brain injury may lead over time to epilepsy. Because of the effective use of the ketogenic diet in reducing seizures (see above), it has been suggested that it may also improve the clinical status in brain injury, especially by reducing the incidence of long-term consequences, such as epilepsy

With all that being said, you must know that a ketogenic diet has scientific as well as anecdotal evidence, to support the myriad of benefits that it can provide.

There is no doubt about it that it is becoming the most popular and most embraced diet plan, than any other. 

Editor’s note: – If you are interested in ketosis, and following ketogenic diet plans, we recommend two very useful resources – Perfect Keto, a natural supplement to get you into the state of Ketosis as quickly and effectively as possible, and The Essential Keto Cookbook, a great way to kickstart your Keto journey.

REFERENCES:

https://www.ruled.me/benefits-ketogenic-diet/

https://ketoschool.com/the-43-health-benefits-of-ketogenic-dieting-in-addition-to-weight-loss-1e4ee4743f1f

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15123336

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17228046

https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/24-benefits-of-the-ketogenic-diet

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3826507/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945587/

https://ezinearticles.com/?Ketosis-and-Weight-Loss—The-Relationship&id=4085025

https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-017-0184-4

The Fat Burning Brain: What Are the Cognitive Effects of Ketosis?

https://www.nutritionexpress.com/article+index/diet+weight+loss/diet+plans+tips/showarticle.aspx?id=2247

Starting low carb with high blood pressure

How to normalize your blood pressure

End Fatigue Naturally with Ketosis

https://www.livestrong.com/article/536384-ketogenic-diet-and-heart-failure/