You might have heard of a little known diet called the Ketogenic Diet by now…also known as the Keto Diet.  It has definitely been a buzz word this past year.  And, I’m sure you have heard good and bad things about it.  I’m here to break down what the Keto diet really is…is it good, or is it bad?

 

The Ketogenic Diet is actually a very old diet in terms of the diets that we look at today.  In fact, the diet dates back to the 1920’s and was used by doctor’s to help control seizures on patients with epilepsy.  However, once anti-convulsive medications became mainstream, the diet went underground and seemingly was almost lost until recently.  It started to make a comeback, back in the 1990’s when an episode from the TV show Dateline discussed the case of a boy named Charlie, a two-year-old with severe epilepsy whose seizures were out of control and only started to gain back control through a Ketogenic Diet.  This started to attract the attention of others, and even though it is not fully known when it was discovered as having more benefits (including weight loss), what we do know now is that the Ketogenic diet has made an impact on many and will most likely be here to stay.

 

So what is the Ketogenic Diet?  And why such controversy behind it?  The Keto Diet is a very low-carb, high fat, and moderate protein diet.  The reduction in carbs puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis.  When ketosis happens, the body begins burning fat for energy (instead of glucose/sugar).  It turns fat into ketones in the liver which supplies energy for the brain, hence the name ketosis.  Once the body becomes an efficient fat burner, you can see massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels, and in turn weight loss and can lower risk factors for disease.  One of the most popular reasons why people choose to do keto is because it is so satiating, that you do not feel deprived, and you often don’t have to track calories to be successful.  Yet, as with many diets, there are different ways to approach it, and the keto diet is no different.  If you find yourself on Pinterest searching for the latest Keto bacon and cheese pizza, then you might be looking in the wrong place!  We have been told for many decades that fat makes us fat, and fat free is the way to go, only to see a rise obesity and diabetes in the process.  So there has to be something wrong with this information.  When doing a ketogenic properly, individually designed for your own body, you can see many heath benefits!

 

What makes a keto diet unhealthy comes down to the choice of foods used.  Yes, you can approach a keto diet using the basic principles, but not using quality foods to get into ketosis.  You can eat unhealthy fats in high percentages, and chemical “sugar-free” additives that claim to be low-carb, and eat toxic proteins, that might get you into ketosis, and you might even see weight loss…BUT, you will become unhealthy down the road, and sickness will occur.  All healthy diets need high quality, healthy ingredients for the body to truly accept and thrive.  Keto is no different than any other whole food based diet.  You need to eat high quality healthy fats, eat plenty of healthy low-carb veggies, and make sure the quality of protein is clean.  This can make all the difference in a successful healthy keto diet or not.

 

Healthy Keto and benefits –

  • Plenty of low-starch veggies
  • High quality healthy fats
  • Clean quality proteins (and yes you can be a vegan and do the keto diet successfully!)
  • Not a lose weight quick scam
  • More energy
  • Clear headed, less brain fog, sharper focus
  • Restful sleep
  • Less pain, inflammation reducer
  • Food cravings diminish
  • Blood sugar levels normalize
  • Better overall mood
  • Not as hungry, eat to nourish the body
  • Better sense of self and feeling signals to what the body needs

 

Unhealthy Keto –

  • Eating processed foods/beverages with low-carb counts (i.e.Diet Coke)
  • Unhealthy fats (like soybean, vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils)
  • Unhealthy proteins (the quality of your protein is important and should always be organic/grass fed as much as possible, unhealthy meats store their toxins in the fat, that’s the kind of fat you do not want, and always make sure fish is wild, do not eat farm-raised)
  • Fat free low-carb foods (often filled with chemicals)
  • Sugar-free candies (yes they will spike your blood sugar, and are often filled with chemicals to artificially sweeten them)
  • Plenty of dairy in all forms (dairy should be eaten in moderation and could easily be eliminated, but when consumed should only be organic)
  • Store-bought salad dressings (filled with junk ingredients and often a hidden source of unhealthy fats)
  • Beware of products labeled “Keto”, read the ingredients, and the carbs to truly know what you are eating

 

In short, don’t replace high-carb junk with keto junk…junk is junk.  I like to quote the title of a book called “Junk Food Junk Mood”…enough said!

 

Does this mean that if you start on a keto diet you have to stay in ketosis permanently?  Well that is entirely up to you!  You really don’t have to, but getting into ketosis helps clear your mind to understand what your body needs, and once health goals are achieved, you can often go just eat healthy whole foods, or moderately low-carb and feel great!  You learn how to do what your body wants and where it will best thrive, and that is unique to each individual.

 

The most important takeaway is to understand that our bodies only know how to process real whole food, not the man-made processed “frankenfoods” that are on our supermarket shelves today.  When we are struggling with sugar cravings, blood sugar issues, inflammation/pain, diabetes/pre-diabetes, and looking to lose weight, keto can be the way to go.  Get the support that you deserve to see if Keto is the right program for you.  There are plenty of whole food healthy approaches to diet and lifestyle that can make a tremendous difference in your health journey!  Get the tools you need to be successful and sit down for a consultation to customize your best approach to diet and health.  Statistically you are 90% more successful on any health journey when you have an accountability coach.  Where do you want to fall?  As an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, I work as your guide on the side to truly help you thrive.  

 

Wishing you much health and wellness!

 

Anoosh Ivezaj, INHC