Keto diet.Ketogenic diet, what's the point?What are the results of the keto diet and what are the reviews?How does it work, are there any difficulties, what is the keto diet menu and is it harmful.
- Keto diet
- The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to feed the body with ketone bodies.
Why is the ketogenic diet effective, what are the contraindications and reviews, what is the principle of action?What should a keto diet menu include and what about weight loss reviews?This is what we will discuss today.
How does the keto diet work?
When our diet contains fats, proteins and carbohydrates, our body gets energy from glucose.We get glucose from carbohydrates.Now that grocery stores are easily accessible, this is the most common type of food.But what happened in those days when carbohydrate products such as grain or bread were insufficient due to crop failure, habitat or seasonality?
The carcass was forced to get energy from fatty acids and proteins.You probably remember my video on running for weight loss - here it is - in it I looked at the process of obtaining energy through the oxidation of fatty acids.Now I will briefly remind you that all our organs that have mitochondria in the tissue cells work perfectly on fatty acids.This is cardiac muscle, myocardium and skeletal muscle (the same ones we pump in the gym) and smooth muscle.
However, our brain, which is 60% fat, does not lose weight.even a long fast does not cause significant damage to mental abilities.Why?The reason is that the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a barrier that ensures the stability of the internal environment of the brain.It is he who does not allow fatty acids to pass - neither to the outside (that is why the brain does not lose weight), but also to the inside.And the brain is unable to use fatty acids as an energy source.
However, the brain cannot run out of fuel and nature has predicted that as a result of a diet that cannot provide sufficient amounts of glucose, the brain switches to an alternative source of fuel - the so-called ketone bodies.
- Ketone bodies
Three substances are called ketone bodies
- acetoacetic acid (acetoacetate)
- β-aminobutyric acid (hydroxybutyrate)
- acetone
These substances are formed in the liver from fatty acids and this process is called ketogenesis.Not much acetone is produced.Our primary fuel is beta-aminobutyric acid.In it, for the most part, the central nervous system works during the period of absence of carbohydrates in the diet.
Is the keto diet bad or not?
Ketogenesis is a completely normal metabolic process and there is no reason to fear it.All fears stem from the fact that the state of ketosis - when the body works in ketone bodies - is often confused with pathological acidosis that requires urgent intervention.But these things are different, and now we will discuss a little what the point is.
Ketoacidosis
What is ketoacidosis?This is almost the same as ketosis, but when it is caused not by a lack of glucose as a result of a lack of carbohydrates, but by a lack of insulin.I remind you that our most important hormone, insulin, is a transporter.This is our loader that knows how to transport glucose across the cell membrane.
When there is a lot of glucose, but there is no insulin or it does not perform its functions, the cell, as in the case of a diet without carbohydrates, begins to experience energy starvation.As a result, the body produces a bunch of hormones that can break down fat (lipolytic, in this case they are called anti-islet) and the liver starts producing ketone bodies from fatty acids.So what's going on?
There is a lot of undigested glucose, there are also a lot of ketone bodies, and the kidneys try to get rid of excess ketone and glucose, which causes dehydration - the so-called osmotic diuresis.As a result of diuresis, electrolytes are washed out - and you remember that this is very, very bad from this video, even two - the balance of electrolytes is shifted towards acidification, and as a result, this ketoacidosis itself develops.all of these require urgent hospitalization, because the patient can easily move his horse.
It is quite clear that this situation is possible only in two cases
- Type 1 diabetes, when the pancreas does not produce insulin
- Dehydration - diarrhea, vomiting, taking diuretics.
That is, if you are healthy and do not have type 1 diabetes, you do not need to fear ketoacidosis at all.In your case, the nervous system will function perfectly on ketone bodies.
So, how to use the keto diet
Firstand most importantly get into ketosis.And this is one of the most difficult tasks.Since in most cases - remember I told you about homeostasis - people eat food containing carbohydrates for decades for the first time - this will be stress for the organism.The carcass isn't used to it and you won't go into ketosis in a day or two.It takes time.First, the body will use up the remaining glucose and glycogen.It will then attempt to produce glucose from amino acids, glycerol and lactic acid using gluconeogenesis.And only when it becomes completely impossible for him to start the process of ketogenesis and, with a squeak, begins to drag the nutrition system of the central nervous system into new tracks.Remember - the carcass really does not like disturbances in homeostasis and resists as best it can.
It's that first time that's the hardest - you're bored, angry, you have no energy, your brain refuses to work, your head is dizzy - and a bunch of other pleasures.And how long this condition lasts is different for everyone, but it can last up to two or three weeks.
Second.To get into ketosis, you have to cut out carbs or keep them to a minimum - and that's another difficulty.There are organs that cannot use either fatty acids or ketone bodies as energy.They need glucose and only glucose - this is the intestinal epithelium, the vascular endothelium, the lens of the eye, the adrenal cortex, something else - I don't remember.So you can't leave them without glucose.The carcass will obtain glucose for these through gluconeogenesis either from your muscles or from minimal carbohydrates provided in the feed.But that's the point - remember about homeostasis - the desire to maintain balance at all costs - ketosis is hard, but falling out of it is as easy as peeling pears.And then hello to fat deposits on the sides back.
Third— to get into ketosis you need to eat a lot of fat and under no circumstances exceed protein!!!!And this is also very difficult to control.Because if there is an excess of protein in the diet - with the help of the same gluconeogenesis, the carcass will immediately make glucose from it - and you will fall back out of that hard-earned state of ketosis.If there is too little protein, I will gradually lose muscle.And it's very, very difficult for a beginner to find that balance.With fats, everything is simple - 80% of the diet should be fats.
Fourth- difficulty in assessing whether we have entered ketosis or not.
- Testing for the presence of acetone in the urine with strips is meaningless.We may be in ketosis and there will be no acetone in the urine.
- Blood analysis using a glucometer with special strips for ketone bodies is possible, but these strips are far from cheap.
- Finally, there are special devices for detecting acetone in the breath.They were invented for epileptics because the ketogenic diet is good for treating seizures - but they also cost about $100.
And finally, if you decide to try the keto diet, how to plan your diet?
- protein - 1.5-2 grams per body weight.This is conditional.
- The rest are fat.
What foods are suitable for the keto diet?
- eggs with yolk
- all cheeses
- fat cottage cheese
- milk cream
- Hello
- pork
- nuts
- salmon
- trout
- salmon
- mutton