What's all the fuss about going Keto?

Adekunle Oludele
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Apr 13, 2022

The Ketogenic diet, also known as the Keto diet, has quickly become one of the most popular diet plans available. However, when there are so many people enthusiastically touting its benefits – and an equal number of critics shaking their heads in disapproval – it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction.

What exactly is a Ketogenic diet?

The Ketogenic diet is all about cutting carbs and increasing fats. The goal is to get the body to burn fat instead of sugar. While everyone's body and needs are slightly different, that typically translates to – 60-75 per cent of your calories from fat, 15-30% of your calories from protein, and 5-10% of your calories from carbs. Low-carb vegetables (think bell pepper, cauliflower, spinach, and zucchini), eggs, cheese, unprocessed and grass-fed meat, and seafood are the most common Keto-friendly foods.

Why should you give this diet a shot?

In the 1920s, the ketogenic diet was first employed to treat epilepsy. The advantages of a low-carb diet, however, go beyond seizure therapy. It aids in the treatment of anxiety and sadness while also promoting weight loss and improving cardiovascular health. The metabolic flexibility of a Keto diet is its major benefit. When you can get energy from both glucose and ketones produced by your body, you're metabolically flexible, which offers health benefits throughout your body. Take into account the mind, body, and spirit.

Inflammation is also reduced by the keto diet. Reduced inflammation has numerous benefits, ranging from improving your skin to healing your gut and treating the symptoms of ailments such as acid reflux disease.

However, before jumping on the Keto bandwagon, you must first lay the groundwork. This entails reducing your carbs to less than 20 grammes for at least two to six weeks to become Keto-adapted." After that, you can enter and exit Ketosis and reap the benefits of not being glucose-dependent.

Who can profit from this diet plan?

This diet may help those with acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and dandruff. This is because eliminating sugar and high-carbohydrate meals from your diet allows your body to heal and cleanse itself of the chronic inflammation it is fighting.

If you suffer from headaches, joint discomfort, muscle weakness, or mental weariness, the Keto diet may be right for you. Furthermore, the Keto diet may be useful for mental health disorders such as depression, autism, and Alzheimer's. Women can also follow this food plan if they're trying to conceive because it boosts conception.

Who should stay away from the Ketogenic diet?

The keto diet, like other eating regimens, is not for everyone. It may not be suitable for people who have medical illnesses such as diabetes or kidney, pancreatic, or liver problems. In those cases, it should only be done under strict medical supervision. In addition, anyone considering the Ketogenic diet should have a health assessment to rule out any diseases that may be incompatible with this diet.

How to Make the Right Transition to a Ketogenic Diet

Recalibrating your body from a sugar burner to a fat burner can take anywhere from two to six weeks, depending on your current metabolic state, sugar dragon, and mindset. Change your mindset first and foremost around three very important facts: this is not just another diet, you don't have to live in Ketosis forever, and you will not be depriving yourself. However, if you are accustomed to consuming highly processed sweet foods and refined carbohydrates, you will need to ease into it.

When starting a keto diet, you should test your blood Ketones and keep track of your carb intake. You'll never know if you've reached Keto adaption if you don't have it. After you've passed the adaption stage and confirmed that you're in Ketosis, you may begin experimenting with Keto versions of foods you don't want to give up. It should be noted that the adaption phase is the most challenging and "usually mirrors how you were eating previously - could cause headaches, exhaustion, and withdrawals for some.

Conclusion

If you're already on the Keto diet and achieving nutritional, emotional, and cognitive success, keep doing what you're doing.

On the other hand, if you aren't feeling well, it could be time to reconsider.

1. Avoid the previously mentioned typical faults and try to cycle in and out of Ketosis - to give your body a rest and to train your body to be flexible in terms of what fuel sources it burns.

2. Some people include dairy in their Keto diet, while others do not. Your body will send you messages indicating how it reacts to different foods. It is up to you to listen and adjust your diet accordingly.

3. Consume organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed and finished pasture-raised meats, wild-caught seafood, and anti-inflammatory fats. Also, avoid using vegetable and seed oils.

4. Never forget, that to get the most benefits, you must stick to your eating plan and live a healthy lifestyle. This includes getting enough exercise regularly, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and avoiding additional pollutants and stressors.

Finally, keep in mind that the Keto diet is "a fairly restricting eating plan that is difficult to continue long-term, so you don't have to stick to it once you've reached your desired weight or fitness goals unless medically prescribed.