BENEFITS OF A KETOGENIC AND FASTING LIFESTYLE

You may be asking yourself why try something else, why will this work when all the other “diets” you have tried don’t.  The Ketogenic way of life is nothing new however, it is not the next fad diet.  It is the way our grandparents ate, before 1960,  it is the way our ancestors ate, just with a catchy name.  Like most things, the food industry and social media have grabbed hold and coined it the next Atkins or South Beach or whatever.  It might be best to think of it as a low carbohydrate, healthy fat (LCHF) way of eating, a lifestyle change. To think of it as the next diet to try out may very well lead to failure but to think of progressively moving towards a healthy way of eating might lead to greater success.

 

When you hear people talking about Ketogenic/LCHF,  it almost sounds like it’s the next snake oil, not the next greatest fad diet.  But it often comes from personal experience.  Many of the Keto Doctors and advocates on youtube, for instance, found improvements in health after making the dietary changes themselves, or hearing about it from their own patients.  The most obvious and common goal for many is weight loss, since nearly 80% of the population is overweight or obese,  but there are multiple secondary benefits as well.  

Decreases INFLAMMATION  – Inflammation affects our whole body, not just our joints.  Reducing inflammation can help our brain and body function better.

Improves MOOD – Has been shown to improve anxiety, depression, ADHD and even those along the autism spectrum

Improves MEMORY – The “brain fog” many of us experience as we age

Improves INSULIN RESISTANCE – The driver of pre-diabetes/diabetes which leads to chronic diseases like heart disease, hypertension, stroke, Alzheimers

Decreases FATIGUE – Improves sleep

WEIGHT LOSS – More specifically belly fat and visceral fat reduction 

SKIN – Improved the appearance and texture of skin

Increases METABOLISM

Decreases CRAVINGS and HUNGER

Is SUSTAINABLE for life

 

STOP STRUGGLING WITH DIETS

Now I’m not saying Keto is necessarily easy, and you might fall off the wagon a few times, but we can make it as simple and gradual as needed. For some this is an addiction problem, a substance abuse problem, and eliminating carbohydrates and sugar is like losing a good friend.  Some people will need slow, small changes, and some people may need to go cold turkey.   It is a personal decision.  Stop struggling with the next great packaged meal, point system or starvation diet that won’t last, start making the changes you need to start living again!  Many people need support in order to succeed with significant change.  Please contact me below if you feel you might need the guidance and support I can offer, as a nurse, a physiologist, and a person who understands carbohydrate addiction.

 

WORK WITH ME TODAY!

 

 

STEPS TO STARTING A HEALTHY KETO LIFESTYLE

Eliminate Sugar – Agave nectar, syrups, corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, honey, fructose, maltose, sucrose, cane sugar, etc.  

Eliminate Hidden Sugar and Starch – Foods made with processed flour, grains, wheat, corn, rice, cereals, some fruit, fruit juice

Eliminate Seed Oils – Vegetable, soy, corn, sunflower, canola, safflower, cottonseed, margarine, most salad dressings

Add Healthy Fats – Saturated fat from animals – high fat dairy eggs, meat, seafood, butter, ghee, and healthy oils including avocado, olive, coconut, palm

Eat Low Carbohydrate –  Leafy greens, non-starchy vegetables, berries, low-glycemic fruits

Eat Moderate Protein – Fish, beef, lamb, poultry, high fat dairy, eggs.

 

Note :  Individual needs, goals, levels of health and fitness, as well as beliefs should be considered and appreciated.   

 

HOW MANY CARBOHYDRATES SHOULD I EAT?

How many carbohydrates to eat depends on your current level of health, activity level and weight loss goals.  

Currently those eating the typical Standard American Diet are eating somewhere between 200-300 grams of carbohydrates a day.

So, a Low Carbohydrate diet is considered anywhere under 100 grams a day. 

A Ketogenic diet is considered under 50 grams a day. 

For those with Diabetes Type II, or obesity, under 30 grams of carbs a day, or incidental, don’t even eat carbs.  

Hopefully that gives you an idea of where to start.  Reading labels or using an app might be helpful in the beginning to get an idea of where the carbohydrates hide.  Many ask if you should count net or total carbs, especially when considering vegetables.  Personally, I advise counting total carbs.  The food industry makes labeling very tricky and this is just one thing they are using to sell their products – “Only 4 g net carbs” etc.  Be cautious!  I would love to help you sort out a plan that might work best for you and sort through the confusing labels and gimmicks.  This can be a very individual issue, and not everybody responds equally to carbohydrates, fats and proteins.  It may take some trial and error.  Good luck!

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