Trying out a keto diet: what are the benefits

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If you are looking to make a change to your diet or lifestyle this year, perhaps the first thing which comes to mind is something like the ketogenic diet. The Keto diet is a high fat, low carb and medium protein diet. It is one which aims to get more calories from protein than from carbs, therefore depleting our bodies sugar levels and making you lose weight. Learn more about keto diet  here

This may sound a little complicated to do to start off with, and because of this you might want to use a website like Gundry MD to do some research on the supplements and skincare that are transforming our understanding of health and wellness. Supplements and skincare that are transforming our understanding of health and wellness. . A ketogenic diet can be a huge lifestyle change and it can make a massive difference to the way your body processes fat and your health too. If you are thinking of taking up a keto diet this year, here are some of the things you can expect to happen.

1. You'll lose weight

The most well known benefit of a ketogenic diet is the weight you will lose along the way. It’s takes a lot more work for your body to turn fat into energy than it does carbs, and this is why when you eat a diet which is rich in carbs, you end up using those carbs as your energy rather than the fat which is already in your body. By cutting down the volume of carbs you eat every day, your body will have no choice but to burn fat instead.

2. Reduces acne

Acne is caused by many different reasons: your skin may be more sensitive than others, you could be genetically predispositioned or you could simply eat a greasy diet void of vitamins and minerals. The way you eat affects what happens on the outside of your body more than any other factor, which is why cutting down your blood sugar and eating more fresh foods is key to being healthy. For example drinking lemon water every morning has been proven to have an effect on your skin and make you glow.

3. It reduces cancer risk

As with any new type of diet which comes into the public eye, the ketogenic diet faced a lot of skepticism and therefore scientists carried out a bunch of research into what this diet will actually do to the body. They found that the ketogenic diet will not only reduce the risk of developing some forms of cancer, but it can even used as an alternative treatment for chemotherapy and radiation. The reason for this is that it causes stress within cancer cells which could help to kill them off. You can find out more by reading this article: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/ketogenic-diet-weakens-cancer-cells/

4. It gives you a healthy heart

The key to making sure the keto diet is healthy for you is to make sure that you consume healthy fats rather than saturated ones. Instead of thinking if this as an excuse to eat lots of bacon, you will want to consume healthy fats like avocado or oily fish. This will reduce cholesterol and keep your heart healthy and strong.

5. It can protect your brain

The brain is a delicate thing which can be weakened throughout the years of your life and can cause you to develop conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. However by eating a healthy diet and keeping a healthy lifestyle, you can protect yourself from these diseases by keeping your brain healthy and strong.

6. It can reduce seizures

The core of the ketogenic diet is the process known as ketosis. Ketosis is the elevated level of ketones in the blood, and is achieved by altering the way we all consume the different macros we need to survive. Ketosis is proven to actually reduce the incidence of seizures in people who suffer from epilepsy, therefore it could be a life changing diet change for any sufferers.

7. Improves health in women suffering from PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder found in women which is characterised by enlarged ovaries and ovarian cysts. It is a condition which can be serious in some and even affect fertility if left untreated. The introduction of high carb foods into the diet is bad for PCOS sufferers, which is why switching to a ketogenic diet can be highly beneficial.

Risks to be aware of

Any time you change some part of your diet or lifestyle there will be certain risk involved, and you should never make a dramatic change to the way you eat before you have consulted your doctor for advice. When starting a ketogenic diet your body may take a while to get used to the new way you are consuming fats and carbs, but as long as you stick it out and make sure you are still getting all of the nutrient you need, you will adapt to the change.

There are some side effects or things you may experience when switching over to this diet which will mostly occur as our body tries to adjust to the change. If these issues carry on for longer than a few weeks you may want to consult a doctor to see why this is happening. The side effects you may experience are:
kidney stone formation

constipation
sluggishness
low blood sugar
acidosis

severe weight loss

muscle degeneration

As long as you are careful about approaching this new way of living, you shouldn’t suffer any consequences that last longer than a couple of weeks. It might be a difficult diet to come to terms with at first but it will bring your body a ton of amazing benefits which outweigh the issues you might have initially. Take some time to get used to the diet at first and maybe even slowly transition rather than jumping right in. A good idea would be to have 2-3 days per week complete ketogenic to start with and then as you get used to it, increase the days until you are on the diet full time. It will be well worth the time and effort you take to transition to this diet.