Along with the New Year come the resolutions to get healthy and lose weight. If you’re like me, you have tried every diet imaginable. You probably think you have heard it all. Well, there may be something you might not have heard of. Did you know that fat can be good for you? The Ketogenic Diet is a low carb, low sugar, moderate protein, and high fat diet that turns your body into a fat burning machine. Most of us consume a lot of sugar and carbs which our keeps our bodies in a constant state of glycosis which basically means our bodies are burning off sugar, not fat. When you drastically cut your intake of carbohydrates and sugars, your body eventually enters a state of ketosis, in which it is getting its energy from the ketones causing fat to burn quickly. This is beneficial not only for weight loss, but other aspects of your health as well.
Some research suggests that a ketogenic diet can help lower your risk of heart disease. Studies have also shown that it may alleviate some symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS. This is thought to be because abnormal glucose levels can cause damage to neurons and ketones are believed to protect them. The Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York was the first to demonstrate that ketosis actually slowed down the progression of ALS in mice.
So how can you achieve ketosis?
The diet has a strict guide for the 3 main categories of food: 75% fats, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. Good sources of fat are from avocadoes, nuts (especially almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts), coconut and olive oils, butter, pumpkin seeds, whole eggs, full fat cheese, chicken thighs and legs, beef (make sure it’s not lean), pork rinds, sour cream, cream cheese, bacon, and fatty fish. Vegetables that are typical of a ketogenic diet include spinach, broccoli, asparagus and mushrooms. There’s actually a wide variety of foods that you can have, this is by no means an all-inclusive list. The internet is thriving with delicious recipes waiting for you to try. You can test your body’s ketone level with test strips available at most pharmacies to make sure you are in the optimal range.
One warning: Don’t get discouraged by “The Keto flu.” As your body is detoxing and switching gears to get healthy, you may feel sluggish and moody, almost flu-like. Like an addict kicking a bad habit, your body is craving the carbs and sugars it’s used to. Many people give up at this point, but if you persevere through it, you will see amazing results!
Remember to get your physician’s advice before beginning a new diet.