Keto Diets

There is a lot of interest in keto diets these days and a LOT of confusion. Here’s a quick primer on what you need to know.

Keto refers to ketosis, which is the process by which the body burns fuel when it can no longer use glucose as fuel. Glucose (a sugar) is created and used as fuel by the body when we eat any carbohydrate.

It is, in fact, our body’s preferred fuel. If we stop eating (like when we fast), or stop eating carbs, our body will eventually switch to burning fat.

A keto diet has been used since the ‘20s to treat epilepsy. It’s sometimes used to treat other conditions, but the patient is always monitored closely. Why is the patient monitored closely you ask, when everyone and their aunt is trying this diet on their own? Ketosis is actually quite hard on the body over the long-term.

We all go into mild ketosis when we sleep at night or otherwise go more than 10-12 hours without eating. Ketosis over the long-term, however (2 or more weeks), can have some serious health consequences.

Along with an increased risk for kidney stones, you can also experience a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Cutting out all or most carbohydrates is restrictive and diets that are restrictive just don’t work in the long-term and can be incredibly dangerous for anyone with eating disorders.

You know what eating pattern has a litany of research out there and has been proven over and over to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimers? You guessed it - a whole-food, plant-based diet. High on the whole grains, legumes, veggies, fruits and nuts/seeds and low on animal products. It’s the way people in the Blue Zones eat!

Next blog post we’ll discuss the Blue Zones, but just know that there are heavily researched areas of the world where people, for generations, commonly live into their 100s in good health. Researchers studied why and came up with 9 lessons from these areas. The one I’m most fond of is, of course, eat mostly plants.