If you have been checking out weight loss diets, it is highly unlikely that you haven’t come across the ketogenic diet. If not, on my last article I talk more in depth about what is the Keto diet and how you can start living a keto lifestyle.
The ketogenic diet or keto diet focuses on drastically cutting down carbohydrates and increasing the intake of proteins and fats. The whole premise of the keto diet is restricting carbohydrates instead of calories. When there are fewer carbs, your body breaks down fat as the main source of energy.
This leads to effective weight loss. But it’s not just weight loss that a ketogenic diet can help you achieve. A lot of studies have been conducted on how a keto diet can help and even prevent certain diseases.
Epilepsy
Sreemathy Venkatraman, Clinical Nutritionist and Dietician, Brains Hospital Bengaluru says that the high-fat low carb ketogenic diet is suitable for controlling epileptic seizures, especially in kids.
A trained dietician or expert should provide guidelines for while following the ketogenic diet for epilepsy.
Heart diseases
The ketogenic diet has the ability to lower bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increase good cholesterol. But if you are a heart patient, make sure to consult with your doctor before you embark on this diet.
Diabetes
The ketogenic diet helps in lowering blood glucose levels because it encourages low carb consumption. It lowers the insulin levels and is hence known to be good for dealing with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Schizophrenia
Studies have shown that the ketogenic diet can help alter behaviour in schizophrenics by fixing energy pathways in the brain that are responsible for the development of schizophrenic symptoms.
Parkinson’s Disease
The keto diet can help in alleviating symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s by helping the brain function effectively.
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome could benefit from the ketogenic diet because of its ability to control testosterone levels and body weight. Make sure you don’t follow the ketogenic diet for a prolonged period of time before consulting a doctor.
Lethargy and weakness
No doubt the ketogenic diet is a difficult diet to follow. After all, you have to give up on carbohydrates and replace those with high fat and high protein foods. Many people give up the ketogenic diet simply because they are unable to adhere to it.
Giving up carbs can make you feel weak at the beginning. However, once your body gets used to the diet, you are likely to feel more energetic and lean.
If you want to start the ketogenic diet but you have doubts about how you can live without carbohydrates, I invite you to do it gradually. And for this you can start with a simple 3 days challenge.
My 3-day Low Carb Cleanse will give you an idea of how to start and after that you can progressively start with the ketogenic diet.
Download the plan by downloading my app from Google Play by clicking on the image below.
Love And Wellness,
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
