It may seem like a ketogenic plan is no more than a new “fad diet” for losing weight. This is not the case. Ketogenic diets are neither new nor useful only for dropping pounds. Explore the pros and cons of the ketogenic diet to determine if it’s suitable for your health goals. Learn about its benefits, risks, and considerations.
Despite gaining recent popularity for weight loss, ketogenic diets have been used in modern medicine for greater than a century. Even the practice of fasting to promote healing, which is deeply rooted in numerous cultures, is a method for transitioning into ketosis.
While modern medical use of ketosis is primarily reserved for seizure disorders, there is a wide array of additional potential BENEFITS:
-Reversing metabolic disease and diabetes
-Decreasing symptoms of PCOS and hormone imbalance
-Weight loss and lean muscle building
-Stabilizing blood sugar
-Stabilizing mood
-Increasing energy
-Better cognition and memory
-Clearer skin
There are conditions and situations in which a ketogenic diet is not appropriate. Please look below for a list summarizing these.
If you are reading this, you’ve likely wondered “Can a ketogenic diet benefit me?” For most of us, the answer is yes. The more important question is HOW to transition smoothly and do it right so that you begin seeing and feeling those benefits.
Most Americans follow the SAD (Standard American Diet) high in refined starches and sugars which feed inflammation and chronic disease. A diet which reduces blood sugar levels and insulin resistance carries great potential in those cases. Even those on an organic, health-conscious diet may benefit from increasing ketones and decreasing sugars.
If you do not have one of the specific conditions in which a high fat, low carb diet is contraindicated, how do you decide if it is right for you?
If you struggle with 2 or more of these health concerns weekly, I recommend trying Keto:
OverweightFatiguePCOS
Diabetes/Pre-DiabetesAcneRosacea
Eczema Psoriasis Estrogen Dominance
Brain fog IBS Autoimmune Disease
High blood pressure Sugar Cravings Anxiety/Depression
You may also want to consider a ketogenic plan if you have multiple immediate family members diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, or dementia.
Ready to start?
I guide my patients through an introduction phase, gradually decreasing carbohydrates and introducing key vitamins and minerals to avoid the dreaded “keto flu.”
I recommend evaluating your current diet, becoming familiar with your macros (grams per day of carbohydrates, fats, protein) and making a plan when you are ready to begin. This includes deciding which ketone testing method to start with and planning for modifications that fit your individual needs. Not a fan of meat? You can do a ketogenic plan. Dairy free? You can do a ketogenic diet.
Remember, for most of us, HOW to do a ketogenic diet is the most important question.
Do NOT start a ketogenic diet if:
-You are pregnant or newly breastfeeding
-You are in kidney failure
-You have porphyria or a congenital fatty acid oxidation disorder
-You are on insulin and your physician will not be monitoring the diet transition
-You have significant vitamin/mineral deficiencies not yet treated
-You have untreated gastroparesis or active gallbladder disease
-You are already training for a marathon, triathlon or equivalent
Stay happy, stay healthy!
