What is the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic diet, often referred to as the keto diet, is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan that has gained significant popularity in recent years. This diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, which puts the body into a metabolic state known as ketosis. In ketosis, the body decreases the sugar (carbohydrates) intake down so much that it forces the cell to use fat for energy. The body converts fat into ketones, and the brain uses these ketones for energy instead of glucose.

I have implemented this diet as a tool to use on a regular basis and although it is not a long-term diet, using it short-term on a pre-determined schedule has had profound impact on my overall health. Let’s dive deeper into the background, principles, and potential benefits of the diet.

Background of the Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet was initially introduced in the 1920s by Dr. Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic as a treatment for epilepsy. The diet was designed to mimic the effects of fasting, which had been known to reduce seizure frequency in epileptic patients. By severely restricting carbohydrates and increasing fat intake, the body enters ketosis, a metabolic state where ketone bodies are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver. This provides an alternative energy source for the brain and other organs.

Over time, the ketogenic diet has been adapted for various purposes beyond epilepsy. Research suggests that ketogenic diets can have numerous health benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving blood sugar control, and promoting fat loss.

The Keto Diet as a Tool, Not a Long-Term Diet

While the ketogenic diet can be highly effective for weight loss and improving certain health conditions, it is not necessarily intended to be a long-term dietary approach. The keto diet is best used as a tool to achieve specific health goals, such as reducing inflammation, improving blood sugar control, and promoting fat loss. I use it as a tool to reach ketosis in order to rid my body of unhealthy cells and build new cells. I schedule keto diet days based upon my menstrual cycle and will eat keto for 10-15 days per month.

Keto and Metabolism: Achieving Ketosis

The primary goal of the keto diet is to enter a state of ketosis. Ketosis occurs when the body shifts from using glucose as its primary energy source to using fat. By getting fat adapted, the mitochondria begins burning fat, which breaks through to cell energy. This metabolic state is characterized by the production of ketone bodies, which are derived from the breakdown of fats in the liver. To achieve and maintain ketosis, carbohydrate intake must be kept very low, typically under 20-50 grams per day, depending on the person. It may take up to 2-3 weeks to reach ketosis.

A blood glucose and ketosis monitor can be used to check your ketone levels daily. The blood ketones mmol/L need to above 0.5 to each a state of ketosis. The device I use daily to monitor my blood sugar and ketone levels is the Keto Mojo.

Health Benefits of the Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet has been associated with several health benefits, making it an appealing option for many individuals:

1. Reduced Inflammation: Chronic inflammation is linked to various health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The keto diet may help reduce inflammation by lowering blood sugar levels and promoting the production of anti-inflammatory ketone bodies. Keto gets to the cell membrane. The cell membrane can regenerate itself and heal. It cleans up the body’s DNA (autophagy).

2. Improved Heart Health: Although the keto diet is high in saturated fat, research suggests that it can improve markers of heart health, such as reducing triglycerides and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels. However, it is essential to focus on healthy fats and avoid excessive saturated fat intake.

3. Improved Physical Performance: The ketogenic diet can enhance physical performance by promoting more efficient fat burning and improving endurance. By utilizing fat as the primary energy source, athletes and active individuals may experience sustained energy levels and reduced fatigue during prolonged activities.

4. Enhanced Mental Clarity: Many people report improved cognitive function and mental clarity while following a ketogenic diet. This is likely due to the brain’s efficient use of ketone bodies for energy. It has also has benefits such as increased memory, cognition, and clarity.

5. Weight Loss: The keto diet can promote significant weight loss by reducing body fat percentage and preserving lean body mass. This is achieved through a combination of reduced calorie intake, increased satiety from high-fat foods, and the metabolic effects of ketosis.

6. Blood Sugar Control: By minimizing carbohydrate intake, the keto diet can help stabilize blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, making it beneficial for individuals with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. It can curb obesity and metabolic syndrome while sparing muscle loss.

7. Preservation of Lean Body Mass: By providing an adequate amount of protein and promoting fat for energy, the keto diet can help preserve lean body mass during weight loss.

8. Enhanced Mitochondrial Function: By providing an alternative energy source in the form of ketones, the keto diet can improve mitochondrial efficiency and support their role in energy production. This can help restore normal cellular metabolism and reduce the stress signals that trigger the CDR.

9. Improved Cellular Resilience: The metabolic flexibility provided by the ketogenic diet can enhance the cell’s ability to cope with stress and recover from damage. By optimizing mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress, the keto diet supports overall cellular resilience and health.

10. Assists Women’s Health: increased fertility and stabilizing hormones

Foods to Eat on the Keto Diet

Following a ketogenic diet involves a significant shift in dietary habits. The focus is on consuming high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate foods. Here are some of the key foods to include:

1. Healthy Fats: Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, butter, and ghee are excellent sources of healthy fats.

2. High-Fat Dairy Products: Cheese, heavy cream, and full-fat yogurt are rich in fat and low in carbohydrates.

3. Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and macadamia nuts are great options for snacking and adding texture to meals.

4. Non-Starchy Vegetables: Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard, as well as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, are low in carbs and high in fiber.

5. Meat and Poultry: Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and turkey are excellent sources of protein and fat.

6. Fish and Seafood: Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and shellfish provide essential omega-3 fatty acids.

7. Eggs: Versatile and nutrient-dense, eggs are a staple in the keto diet.

8. Avocado: High in healthy fats and low in carbs, avocados are perfect for the ketogenic diet.

9. Berries: While most fruits are high in carbs, small portions of berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries can be enjoyed in moderation.

   Ketosis done right is a high-fat, low-to moderate protein, low-carb diet.

Foods to Avoid on the Keto Diet

To achieve and maintain ketosis, it’s crucial to limit carbohydrate intake. Here are some foods to avoid:

1. Grains and Starches: Bread, pasta, rice, and cereals are high in carbohydrates and should be avoided.

2. Sugary Foods: Sweets, candies, cakes, cookies, and sugary drinks can quickly raise blood sugar levels and are not suitable for the keto diet.

3. High-Carbohydrate Fruits: Bananas, apples, oranges, and grapes are high in carbs and should be limited.

4. Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are high in carbs and not recommended.

5. Root Vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots contain more carbs than non-starchy vegetables.

6. Low-Fat and Diet Products: These products often contain added sugars and lack the healthy fats needed for the keto diet.

7. Alcohol: Many alcoholic beverages are high in carbs and can disrupt ketosis.

Tips for Getting into Ketosis

1. Be aware of your macronutrient intake ratio: No more than 5-10% of your daily calories should come from carb intake, contrary to the 45-65% standard healthy diet. 30-35% should come from protein and 55-65% from dietary fat. For the average person, carbohydrates should remain under 50 grams of net carbs per day.

2. Drink more coffee: Studies have shown that having caffeine for breakfast significantly increases the production of ketones in the body.

3. Try intermittent fasting: Short-term fasting for 12-16 hours daily is an easy and straightforward way to get into ketosis, as long as you maintain the keto macronutrient intake ratio.

4. Exercise More: Exercising daily helps initiate ketosis. One way I help my body reach ketosis is by going on a walk after each meal (when time allows).

5. Watch for hidden carbs: Some of the carbs to watch out for or be aware of include: bread, fruit, dairy, sweet pastry, potato, sugar, jam, pasta, rice, legumes, juices, molasses, and fruit juice concentrate. Also watch out for sugars, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, and evaporated cane juice.

6. Avoid stress: Chronic or intense stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol increase blood glucose levels throughout your body making it difficult to reach ketosis.

7. Use a specialized ketone monitor and tracking app: I personally use the Keto-Mojo to check my blood glucose and ketones levels daily even when I am not doing the keto diet.

8. Toxicity in the body: One roadblock to achieving ketosis is toxicity in the body which means the cells are not functioning properly. This will likely require a detoxification program.

The Role of Mitochondria related to Keto

Keto allows for your body to become fat adapted and mitochondria begins burning fat, which breaks through to cell energy. Mitochondria are often referred to as the power plants of the cell because they are responsible for producing the majority of the cell’s energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). However, mitochondria have a second crucial role that goes beyond energy production: they act as a cellular surveillance system, constantly monitoring the cell’s environment and responding to stress and damage.

Mitochondria as Energy Power Plants

In their role as energy power plants, mitochondria convert nutrients from the food we eat into ATP through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. This energy is essential for numerous cellular processes, including muscle contraction, protein synthesis, and cell division. The efficiency of mitochondria in producing ATP is vital for maintaining overall cellular function and supporting physical performance, especially in high-demand tissues like muscles and the brain.

Mitochondria as a Surveillance System

Beyond energy production, mitochondria play a critical role in detecting and responding to cellular stress. This surveillance function is part of the cell danger response (CDR), a protective mechanism that is activated when cells encounter stressors such as infections, toxins, or physical injuries. When the CDR is triggered, mitochondria shift their focus from ATP production to generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and signaling molecules that help to coordinate the cellular defense mechanisms. This can lead to temporary metabolic changes, inflammation, and even altered cellular communication, all aimed at protecting the cell and initiating repair processes.

Cell Danger Response and the Keto Diet

The cell danger response is an adaptive process that helps cells survive and recover from stress. However, if the CDR remains activated for too long, it can contribute to chronic inflammation and various health issues, including autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. The ketogenic diet can be a powerful tool in modulating the CDR and promoting cellular health.

God put the mitochondria in the most important cells in your body in higher amounts, such as the brain, eyeballs, heart testicles, ovaries and other important cells. This is why ketones can be so healing. Ketones signal the mitochonadria to make more of themselves (mitogenesis).

Potential Risks and Drawbacks

While the ketogenic diet offers numerous benefits, it is not without potential risks and drawbacks:

1. Nutrient Deficiencies: The restrictive nature of the keto diet can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is crucial to consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and consider supplementation if necessary.

2. Kidney Stones: High-fat diets, especially those high in animal proteins, can increase the risk of kidney stones in susceptible individuals.

3. Digestive Issues: Some people may experience digestive issues, such as constipation, due to the low fiber intake on the keto diet. Including non-starchy vegetables and drinking plenty of water can help alleviate this.

4. Increased Saturated Fat Intake: While the keto diet can improve heart health markers, excessive intake of saturated fats from unhealthy sources can negatively impact cardiovascular health.

5. Keto Flu: During the initial transition to ketosis, some individuals may experience flu-like symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, irritability, and nausea. These symptoms usually subside within a few days to a week.

Understanding and Overcoming Keto Plateau and Keto Stall

Embarking on a ketogenic diet can lead to significant weight loss and health benefits, but many individuals encounter a frustrating phenomenon known as a keto plateau or keto stall. Both terms describe a halt in progress, particularly in weight loss, despite continued adherence to the ketogenic diet. While they are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between the two.

A keto plateau typically refers to a period where weight loss slows down or stops after initial success on the diet. This plateau can occur for several reasons, including the body’s natural adaptation to a new metabolic state. Initially, the rapid weight loss seen on a keto diet is often due to water weight loss as glycogen stores are depleted. However, as the body adjusts to burning fat for fuel, the rate of weight loss may slow down. This slowdown can be frustrating, but it is a normal part of the weight loss journey.

On the other hand, a keto stall is often used to describe a more prolonged period where weight loss ceases altogether for several weeks, despite continued strict adherence to the diet. This stall can be particularly disheartening as it seems like no progress is being made, even though efforts are consistent. Various factors can contribute to a keto stall, including hidden carbohydrate intake, insufficient calorie consumption, hormonal imbalances, or metabolic adaptations.

A plateau or stall can happen for several reasons including too much or insufficient amounts of fat in the diet, too much or too little exercise, or dehydration. There are many tricks to overcome this such as using digestive enzymes and intermittent fasting.

Conclusion

The keto diet is a powerful tool for achieving various health goals, including blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation. By drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat consumption, the keto diet puts the body into a state of ketosis, where it efficiently burns fat for energy.

While the keto diet offers enormous health benefits that I have experienced first-hand, it is important to practice diet variation so that your diet contains some days of feasting, some fasting, and some regular keto days. The ratio to feast-to-fast-to-keto depends is different each person and will depend on your metabolic and overall health. The keto diet is a tool that I have used in addition to other diets to improve my overall health and I highly recommend it.

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References

How to make the Keto Diet Healthy Mayo Clinic. Retrieved July 2024

What is the Keto Diet and How to do it for Weight Loss Ben Azadi. Retrieved July 2024