I am currently experimenting with being on a true ketogenic diet. This diet is a high fat, low carb diet and consists of drastically limiting carbohydrates and consuming zero added sugar/sweeteners. Traditionally the percentage breakdown is 80% fat, 15% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. Protein is kept low, as excess protein will trigger insulin release and will be converted into sugar and then stored as fat. This diet is all about insulin and keeping it low to avoid fat storage and actually training your body to burn your own fat stores by achieving a state of ketosis (not to be confused with ketoacidosis which is a dangerous condition and side effect of Type 1 Diabetes). The goal is to get yourself - your body and brain as well - “fat adapted” and to use your own body fat as fuel. By doing this, you will be turning fat into ketones which are used as energy instead of relying on glucose (sugar). One thing that is imperative when attempting this diet is tracking your macros (fats, proteins and carbs). I have been keeping a food journal for the past week and I am noticing some positive changes in my health already, such as clearer thinking, some weight loss (most likely water from reducing carbs and also less inflammation) and believe it or not - clearer and brighter vision. I have actually had to turn the brightness down on my phone and iPad. This could be due to inflammation decreasing in my eyes as well.
The ketogenic diet has been used for over a century to help cure seizure disorders and type 2 diabetes, and some have even attributed this way of eating to shrinking cancerous tumors or helping curing their cancer altogether. I have always found it to be a bit controversial, as have many health professionals. The problem lies in that people associate the word “fat” with being fat, when really the culprit is excess sugar in the diet. Sugar is the one thing that really should be demonized in this country. It is what drives Type 2 Diabetes rates to have skyrocketed over the last few decades, and is also responsible for our nation’s obesity problem. Excess sugar/carbohydrate consumption has also been linked to heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and high blood pressure. Alzheimer’s Disease is now being called “Type 3 diabetes” and is escalating at an alarming rate. I could go on for days on this topic, but I’ll stop here for now.
If you’re interested in learning more, please let me know and I will share what I have learned and also provide links to information. I’ll also keep this blog updated in the coming weeks on my progress and any further health benefits I notice. Thanks for reading.