Important: It is not recommended to stick to the diet without prior consultation with your doctor.This rule is relevant not only for those who have identified diseases, but also for everyone else.
Unlike most currently popular diets, the goals of the ketogenic diet have been purely medical from the beginning.They remain on the agenda today.Generally speaking, the word "diet" originally had nothing to do with losing weight.This word means a set of nutritional rules that must be followed in a given situation - during the treatment of a certain disease, during the postoperative period.
The keto diet owes its resurgence in popularity largely to an American film producer whose child suffered from epilepsy for a long time.Despite numerous visits to the most famous and outstanding neurologists, who tried, it seems, all the most effective anti-epileptic drugs that exist in nature, the boy's condition did not improve at all.The almost desperate father read a lot of literature on the subject of epilepsy treatment in the local library and suddenly came across a description of the ketogenic diet, which had not yet been recommended to him by any specialist.He immediately put his son on this diet and found, to his great joy, that the frequency of the boy's seizures was greatly reduced.
So, the ketogenic diet was invented to reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures - mainly in children.There was no reduction in caloric intake;carbohydrates were simply replaced with fat.The children were put on this diet for 36 hours and their seizure frequency actually decreased.
The ketogenic diet is now used to treat not only epilepsy, but also Alzheimer's disease, fatty liver disease (fatty liver), and even some cancers.Overall, its medical benefits are undeniable.How about losing weight?
A ketogenic diet is a diet that consists of foods with a very high fat content (animal fats and some vegetable oils), animal proteins and very little carbohydrates, so that about 80% of the body's energy needs are met by the breakdown of fats (the fat content of the average European's diet provides 30-35% of the energy the body needs during the day).And similar to what happens during fasting, the breakdown of large amounts of fat leads to increased acidity in the body.This may possibly explain why the use of such a dietary complex leads to a reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures.
The goal of the ketogenic diet is to put the body in a state of ketosis.
Ketosis is a pathological state of the body in which ketone bodies predominate in its tissues.The state of ketosis means that the body exclusively uses fat stored under the skin to meet its energy needs, which prevents muscle breakdown.While in a state of ketosis, you will draw energy from ketones – carbonyl compounds that are formed when fat is broken down.By the way, ketones are an excellent source of energy for the brain, almost perfectly replacing glucose.
Another positive feature of ketosis is that in this state you will practically not feel hungry, therefore you will eat less, which means that you will not fully cover your energy costs.
To put the body in a state of ketosis, the diet is structured in such a way that fat clearly dominates the diet and mostly saturated fat (the diet consists of 90% fat, based on calorie content).
In fact, the diet that many professional bodybuilders use in the last week before a competition can also be called ketogenic: it consists only of salmon (usually grilled, but it can be prepared in other forms), peanut butter and green vegetables (lettuce, broccoli, spinach, cabbage).It is even better to add flaxseed oil or walnut oil to this diet.There are already many more proteins here, which reduce the problems, but do not eliminate them completely.
Pros and cons of the classic ketogenic diet
The plus side is that this diet is very effective, the diet works and how!The main thing is that you will practically not feel the feeling of hunger, which means that the restriction of calories in your diet will be quite easy to tolerate.Ketones are an excellent source of energy for the brain.
Importantly, the ketogenic diet also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease due to a sharp reduction in insulin secretion.But for people leading an active lifestyle, this plus can easily turn into a minus, since insulin is a powerful anti-catabolic agent.The decrease in insulin secretion is superimposed on the ability of the ketogenic diet to provoke acidosis in the muscles, which means that proteolysis is increased, that is, the breakdown of the body's own proteins is facilitated.And catabolism can get out of hand.Not immediately, of course, but after 3-4 days for sure.
It is simply impossible to follow the classic ketogenic diet for a long time - you start to feel bad in the most natural way.Not for nothing, for children suffering from epilepsy, the ketogenic diet was limited to a period of 36 hours.
The ketogenic diet is currently being used to treat certain types of cancer.Specifically, prostate cancer exploits the diet's ability to reduce the production of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1).
Another disadvantage is the decrease in the level of free testosterone in the blood plasma.
The main danger of the keto diet is the increase in ketone levels in the blood, which lowers blood acidity (pH) and can cause death in extreme cases.This condition is called "ketoacidosis".First of all, this applies to people with severe and moderate forms of diabetes.If it is not there, there is nothing to worry about, because the blood of healthy people contains exactly as many ketones as the body can process.
It takes time for the body to wean itself off glucose and learn to fuel the brain with ketone bodies, so the level of physical and mental activity may decrease during the first week.The main symptoms are lethargy, dizziness and mental fog.
Many people experience this condition extremely painfully and "give up" literally on the second day.But the state of health completely returns to normal on the third to fifth day, when the body recovers.
Lack of fiber leads to delayed bowel function.The main point of the ketogenic diet is complete abstinence from carbohydrates.Accordingly, the diet should consist of proteins and fats, and fibers are complex carbohydrates.It is possible to take fiber in its pure form and simply include in the diet green vegetables or lettuce leaves, which contain quite large amounts of rough dietary fiber.
An important drawback of the diet is the micronutrient deficiency caused by the exclusion of carbohydrate-containing foods from the diet.Essentially any meat or dairy products recommended on a ketogenic diet lack most vitamins or minerals.The best way to avoid deficiency is to take vitamin and mineral supplements that contain minerals.A number of minerals, such as zinc or magnesium, are critical for body function and hormone levels.
Contraindications
Ketogenic diets are contraindicated in the presence or history of liver disease, kidney disease, metabolic disorders (including congenital and genetically determined metabolic disorders), progressive encephalopathy, as well as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular and lipid diseases, as well as in the simultaneous intake of drugs with valproic acid (valproate).There are currently no known contraindications for its use.
When prescribing a ketogenic diet, the diet for each child and adult is calculated only by a doctor!Strictly individual, according to the diagnosis, age and weight of the child, his nutritional needs.The content of the main nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) in the food is selected in a certain ratio, which is determined only by a specialist!During treatment, this ratio can change, so constant monitoring of the patient by the attending physician is necessary, who, if necessary, makes adjustments to the diet.The patient's diet includes various types of fatty foods - bacon, cream, vegetable oils, such as linseed.In countries where the ketogenic diet is widely used, the food industry produces many special products that can provide a varied and nutritious menu.
For those starting a course of treatment, nutritionists have developed special milk shakes with a high amount of fat, which can not only be drunk, but also eaten frozen like ice cream.This helps the child get used to fatty foods and creates the necessary biochemical changes in the body that provide an anti-epileptic effect.During the treatment, the doctor requires great skill in drawing up a menu, otherwise the child will quickly get bored of the monotonous diet and may refuse to eat completely.During various diseases, such as a cold, the metabolism always changes.This can make the ketogenic diet less effective.In such conditions, you should definitely consult your doctor so that he can adjust the menu.
What can you eat on a ketogenic diet and what recommendations should you follow?
The ketogenic diet focuses on foods rich in protein and fat.It is important that moderate fat consumption is healthy and even necessary, because it is fat that causes a long-lasting feeling of satiety.
Fats can be divided into three groups:
- saturated fat (contained in red meat and dairy products);
- unsaturated (contained in vegetable oils and vegetables);
- monounsaturated (found in fish and olives).
Fats perform many functions in the human body:
- energy (in the absence of calories, fat can be broken down, providing the body with energy);
- protected (all organs are covered with a thin layer and have high thermal insulation properties);
- structure (part of cell membranes);
- enzymatic (some lipids are part of cofactors);
- hormonal (some lipids are part of hormones and mediators).
The best choice would be foods rich in protein - meat, fish, milk, cottage cheese, eggs, cheese, as well as their derivatives.Carbohydrates are acceptable, but only in small amounts.30-50 grams of fiber will be enough for digestion.
Products containing starch (cereals, pasta, potatoes) and sugar in any form are strictly not recommended.Almost all fruits contain a lot of sugar in one form or another, so they are also prohibited.It is always necessary to look at the composition of the product on the label, since even one glass of milk contains approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates.In addition, a list of basic nutritional supplements is being studied that will also need to be excluded, if only because they are harmful.
To promote weight loss, drink plenty of water.Water helps the body burn more calories and prevents constipation.Limit your caffeine intake.Exercise regularly.
Exercise will help you lose fat faster on a ketogenic diet.Take a walk, ride a bike, run in the park or work out in the gym.Incorporating physical activity into your daily schedule can help you maintain a healthy heart and lose weight.
Get a good night's sleep.In the early stages of ketosis, you may feel very tired.Sleep at least 7-8 hours a night to restore energy.Good rest will also promote weight loss.
Contact your doctor if you have cold-like symptoms.Many people feel tired and have a slight headache during ketosis.Sometimes side effects become severe enough to require medical attention.
When does the diet take effect?
The effect of using the ketogenic diet occurs gradually during the first 3 months after starting it. Long-term treatment is usually necessary (several years, usually 2-3 years), after which a steady improvement is usually observed, which continues even with a normal diet.Thus, there is no need to follow a lifelong ketogenic diet.
In many cases, the positive effect is noticeable already in the first or second week of treatment.But sometimes within one or two months of the application of the diet, no effect is noticed - in this case, it is too early to draw conclusions about the ineffectiveness of the treatment;perhaps the doctor should more carefully calculate the biochemical parameters.
In common understanding, this is largely a variation on the theme of therapeutic fasting followed by a "load" of ketosis-inducing foods.During the first three days of therapy, you must completely refuse any food and limit yourself to only drinking water in any quantity.Mineral water and artificially sweetened drinks with and without carbonated water, as well as juices, are prohibited.You can drink green tea.Water can be boiled or purified.During this period, it is necessary to reduce the physical activity of the patient;bed rest is sometimes indicated.During the next three days, you should slowly introduce food, a quarter of the usual portion.When choosing foods, you should be guided by the principle of 4 parts of fat to one part of proteins and carbohydrates.
The menu is somewhat reminiscent of the so-called fat diets for weight loss.The main thing is that you should completely exclude foods such as cereals, fruits, plain bread, carrots, beets, potatoes and pasta.
Complications
As with any treatment method, the use of a ketogenic diet in some cases is associated with some side effects, the main ones of which are listed below.
- Hair loss.Some children experience hair loss or sparse hair growth after long-term use of a ketogenic diet.This complication is thought to be primarily related to a mineral deficiency in the diet.
- Slow linear growth.This type of physical development disorder has been reported in some patients, but its relationship to the ketogenic diet continues to be debated to this day.Increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.The ketogenic diet, which consists of almost 90% fat, in some cases leads to an increase in cholesterol and other lipids in the blood.At any lipid content (cholesterol - over 800 mg%, triglycerides - over 1000 mg%), stopping the diet is not required.A reduction in the ratio of fat to protein to carbohydrate from 4:1 to 3.5:1 usually results in rapid reduction of lipid levels to acceptable levels.
- Kidney stones.This complication of the ketogenic diet affects approximately 1 in 6 patients.It is thought to occur due to insufficient fluid intake in children.Therefore, when conducting a ketogenic diet, a urine test is done to determine the density and detect impurities in the blood.If necessary, an ultrasound examination of the kidneys is performed.
- Drowsiness and lethargymay occur due to excessive ketosis or toxicity of concomitant antiepileptic drugs.Blood drug levels can increase during a ketogenic diet even without increasing the drug dose.For this reason, it is necessary to check their concentration in the blood and promptly reduce the dose of potentially sedative drugs such as phenobarbital and benzodiazepines.
- constipation, as a rule, are explained by relatively small portions of food while observing a ketogenic diet and limited water consumption.Increasing the daily volume of liquid consumed by 100-150 ml helps to avoid defecation disorders.
- Excess body weightpatients is caused by eating too many calories, not too much fat.Therefore, the energy content of the diet when prescribing a ketogenic diet should be adapted to their individual needs.
- Weight loss.This can be explained by some individual metabolic characteristics, as well as the patient's level of physical activity.If it turns out that the child's body weight has decreased by 400-500 g in 1 month, the energy capacity of the diet can be increased by about 100 kcal per day.It should be remembered that when increasing the calorie content of the diet of young children or patients with a low level of physical activity, the amount of energy consumed at one time does not need to increase by more than 25 kcal.
Once again, we remind you that your personal menu for this diet should be drawn up by a specialist!
When using a ketogenic diet, a thorough clinical and laboratory examination of patients is necessary before the start of treatment with recording of EEG and ECG data, as well as a biochemical blood test.