What’s the keto diet?

    The Ketogenic Diet is defined as an eating plan which is low in carbohydrates and high in fat with moderate protein restriction to induce ketogenic without restricting fat intake. It is based on significantly reducing carbohydrates and increasing the fat content of foods.

    A key benefit of the keto diet is the decrease in bad cholesterol. This is one of the main causes of heart disease. A high-fat diet increases the risk of coronary heart disease, so it’s important to monitor your bad cholesterol levels with regular blood tests. It will also reduce the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. The good news is that the ketogenic diet is safe for most people

    This diet forces the body to burn fat for fuel, rather than carbohydrates. This means fewer calories, but more fat and protein in the body. It is not a miracle cure, and you should not expect to lose weight on this diet.

    The ketogenic diet does not limit fat intake. It consists mainly of high fats, moderate proteins, and very low carbohydrates. The large nutrients are divided into about 55% to 60% fat, 30% to 35% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. Specifically, in a diet of 2,000 calories a day, carbohydrates reach 20 to 50 grams per day.

History and origin

    The concept of a ketogenic diet was developed in 1921 by Dr. Russell Wilder, according to a research review in Cureus Magazine. Russell Wilder first used the ketone diet to treat epilepsy in 1921. He also coined the term “keto-diet.” For nearly a decade, the Keto diet has occupied an important place in the medical world as a therapeutic diet for pediatric epilepsy and has been widely used until its popularity ceased with the introduction of anti-epileptic drugs.

    The re-emergence of the ketogenic diet as a rapid formula for weight loss is a relatively new concept that has proven effective, at least in the short term, according to a research review on the NCBI website in the United States.

How does the diet keto work?

    Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy production in body tissues, and when the body is deprived of carbohydrates because of reduced intake to less than 50 grams per day, insulin secretion decreases dramatically and the body exhausts glycogen stores, forcing the body to go through some metabolic changes.

    When glucose availability decreases, the body’s internal glucose production is unable to keep pace with the body’s needs and ketones begin to form in order to provide an alternative source of energy in the form of ketone bodies, replacing glucose as an essential source of energy.

Due to a lack of carbohydrate intake, the body breaks down fat into fatty acids, and fatty acids are metabolized pediatric into ketogenic bodies that accumulate in the body as the ketogenic diet continues.

   This metabolic condition is referred to as the “dietary ketone state”. As long as the body is deprived of carbohydrates, the metabolism remains in the ketone state.

    Ketone bodies manufactured in the body can be easily used to produce energy through the heart, muscle tissue, and kidneys. Ketone bodies can also cross the cerebral blood barrier to provide an alternative energy source to the brain.

Caveats and problems

    Although there may be some advantages of the keto diet, including curbing appetite and reducing fat and blood sugar levels, it is not always safe, especially in people with diabetes-2 and a higher risk of heart disease. These people should seek a doctor’s advice before beginning any new diet. Oftentimes, the keto diet is associated with the following negative health effects:

Short-term side effects: 

   The short-term and relatively common side effects of the keto diet include a range of symptoms such as:

• Nausea
• Vomit
• Headaches
• Exhaustion
• Insomnia                                
• Difficulty with exercise
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Mood swings
• Digestive disorders

  These symptoms, sometimes called keto flu, disappear within a few days to a few weeks, and ensuring that you take enough fluids and electrolytes can help you cope with some of these symptoms.

Long-term adverse effects:

   Although the short-term side effects of the ketogenic diet have been well reported, the long-term negative health effects are not well known. They include:

• Hepatic steatosis
• Blood proteins deficiency
• Vitamin and mineral deficiency
• “harmful” cholesterol rise that can accumulate in blood vessels and lead to blood clots.
•  A significant reduction in blood sugar can be caused by ketogenic diets in all people with diabetes, as warned by Doctor Ayuboglu.
•  Increasing kidney stones and, sometimes, slowing growth in children can be caused by changing metabolism.
• Lack of energy
• Fatigue
• Muscle loss, but you’re unlikely to lose any muscle mass on the keto diet.
• Weakness,
• Low performance during exercise can be felt at the beginning of the system.

• Heart disease: According to recommendations issued by the U.S. National Fat Association in 2019 and quoted by Reuters, although low-carb diets such as keto may help lose weight quickly, they have varying effects on health 
• indicators, which can contribute to the risk of heart disease.
• Fat: Previous research has found that people in the keto system usually eat little carbohydrates and consume too much fat, putting the body in a metabolic state known as ketosis, which makes the body more efficient in burning fat and leads to lower blood sugar.

What foods to eat during the Keto diet?

       To reduce the above side effects, dieters should: 

1. adopt a healthy eating plan. Although most fruits and vegetables are considered acceptable, it’s best to avoid sweetened fruits and desserts, which can add sugar to the diet. The diet’s restrictions on carbohydrates make it hard to choose which foods to eat. But here are some exceptions that are a great source of fiber and antioxidants:

•  cauliflower and broccoli, which are both high-carb and low-fiber pediatric. 
• Summer squash and cucumber, which contain six grams of carbs, while a cup of chopped cauliflower has four.    
• Avocados and strawberries, as long as they’re not too sugary. 

• Fatty fish, such as salmon, is also an excellent option because it is a good source of protein and is low-cab.
• Unprocessed foods 

• Eggs
• Grass-fed meat or lard, which has zero carbs
• Butter
• Nuts, such as walnuts, macadamias, almonds, and hazelnuts but in limited quantities
• Healthy fats
• Bell pepper
• Cabbage
• Cheeses of all kinds
• Vegetable oils such as olive oil
• Spinach and parsley

2. Gradually reduce carbohydrates over the weeks before the keto system begins, teaching the body to burn more fat before getting rid of carbohydrates.
3. Consider adding chiropractic care to your routine. Regular visits to a chiropractor will help maintain spinal alignment, which will unlock the body’s natural healing abilities. As a supplement, you should also 
4. Incorporate an exercise routine as a supplement that builds lean muscle and helps your body get more oxygen. 

  The recommendations warned patients with a history of dangerously high cholesterol levels from following a keto diet and low-carb diets.

    In conclusion, continuing in the keto diet for a long time without interruption can have serious health consequences. So it is recommended to start a diet and continue it carefully through consultation with a nutritionist. Those with a heart condition or diabetes should consult a doctor to ensure that they can safely follow the diet. A cardiologist can help you determine if this diet is right for you. In the first couple of days, you should eat more proteins than you normally eat. 

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
2. https://www.wikipedia.org/
3. https://www.aljazeera.net/
4. https://www.reuters.com/
5. https://pixabay.com/
6. https://www.cureus.com/

DISCLAIMER

I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, therapist, or professional, and I don’t play one on the internet. So the information provided herein is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Plus, before taking any decision based on what you find on this website, you are advised to consult a doctor or professional.