Keto diet.Ketogenic diet, what is the essence?What are the keto diet results and 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 fuel the body's ketone bodies.
Why is the ketogenic diet effective, what are its contraindications and reviews, what is the principle of action?What should be included in the keto diet menu and what about reviews from those who have lost weight?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 available, this is the most common type of food.But what happened in the days when carbohydrate products such as grain or bread were not available due to crop failure, habitat or seasonality?
The carcass was forced to obtain energy from fatty acids and proteins.You may 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 let's briefly remind you that all our organs, which have mitochondria in the tissue cells, work perfectly on fatty acids.These are heart muscle, myocardium and skeletal muscles (the same ones we pump in the gym) and smooth muscles.
However, our brain, which is 60% fat, does not lose weight;Even prolonged fasting does not cause significant damage to mental abilities.whyThe reason is that the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the barrier that keeps the internal environment of the brain constant.It is he who does not allow fatty acids to pass - neither outside (which is why the brain does not lose weight), but inside.And the brain cannot use fatty acids as an energy source.
However, the brain cannot run out of fuel, and nature has ensured that as a result of a diet that does not provide enough glucose, the brain switches to an alternative source of fuel - the so-calledon ketone bodies.
- ketone bodies
The three substances are called ketone bodies
- acetoacetate (acetoacetate)
- Beta-aminobutyric acid (hydroxybutyrate)
- acetone
These substances are produced in the liver from fatty acids and this process is called ketogenesis.Not much acetone is produced;Our main fuel is beta-aminobutyric acid.This is what the central nervous system works on, for the most part, during the absence of carbohydrates in the diet.
Is the keto diet bad or not?
Ketogenesis is a completely normal metabolic process and there is no need to fear it.All fears stem from the fact that the state of ketosis - when the body works on ketone bodies - is often confused with pathological acidosis, which requires urgent intervention.But all this is different, and now we will discuss a little what the essence is.
Ketoacidosis
What is ketoacidosis?This is almost the same as ketosis, but when it is caused not by a lack of glucose from a lack of carbohydrates, but by a lack of insulin.Recall that our most important hormone, insulin, is a transporter.It's 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 carbohydrate-free diet, begins to feel energy starvation.As a result, the body produces a series of hormones that can break down fat (lipolytic, in this case they are called counterinsulin), and the liver begins to produce ketone bodies from fatty acids.then what happens
There is a lot of undigested glucose, there are also a lot of ketone bodies, and the kidneys try to get rid of excess ketones and glucose, which leads to 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 electrolyte balance is shifted towards acidity, and as a result, this ketoacidosis develops.All this requires immediate hospitalization, because the patient can move the horse easily.
It is quite clear that this situation is possible only in two cases
- Type 1 diabetes occurs 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 should not be afraid of ketoacidosis at all.In your case, the nervous system will work perfectly on ketone bodies.
So, how to use the keto diet
firstAnd the most important thing is to enter the state of ketosis.And this is one of the most difficult tasks.Since in most cases - remember I told you about homeostasis - people are eating carbohydrate foods for the first time in decades - this is a stress for the body.The body is not used to it and you will not enter the state of ketosis in a day or two.It takes time.First, the body will eat the remaining glucose and glycogen.It will then attempt to make 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 crunch, begins to transfer the nutrition system of the central nervous system to new rails.Remember - the skeleton really does not like homeostasis disturbances and resists as much as it can.
It is the first time that is the most difficult - you are bored, angry, you have no energy, your brain refuses to work, you have dizziness - and a lot of pleasure.And how long this condition lasts is different for everyone, but it can last up to two to three weeks.
second.To enter ketosis, you need to stop carbohydrates or keep them to a minimum - and this is another difficulty.There are organs that do not use either fatty acids or ketone bodies as energy.They need glucose, and only glucose - this is the intestinal epithelium, vascular endothelium, eye lens, adrenal cortex, something else - I don't remember.So you can't leave them without glucose.The skeleton will get glucose for them through gluconeogenesis either from your muscles or at least from the carbohydrates supplied by food.But here's the thing - remember about homeostasis - the desire to maintain balance at all costs - getting into ketosis is hard, but getting out of it is as easy as squashing a pear.And then say hello to fat deposits on the back.
third— To enter ketosis, you need to eat a lot of fat and under no circumstances exceed protein!!!!And it is also very difficult to control.Because if there is excess protein in the diet - with the help of gluconeogenesis, the carcass will immediately produce glucose from it - and you will again fall out of this difficult state of ketosis.If there is too little protein, I will gradually lose muscle.And it's very, very difficult for beginners to find that balance.Everything with fats is simple - 80% of the diet should be fats.
fourth- It is difficult for us to assess whether we have entered ketosis or not.
- Testing the presence of acetone in the urine with strips does not make sense.We can be in ketosis and not have acetone in our urine.
- It is possible to test blood using a glucometer with special strips for ketone bodies, but these strips are not cheap at all.
- Finally, there are special devices for detecting acetone in breath.They were invented for epileptics because the ketogenic diet is good for controlling epileptic seizures — but they also cost about $100.
Finally, if you decide to try the keto diet, how do you plan your diet?
- Protein - 1.5-2 grams per body weight.This is conditional.
- The rest are fats.
What foods are suitable for the keto diet?
- Egg with yolk
- All cheese
- Fat cottage cheese
- Sour cream
- lard
- pork
- nuts
- Salmon
- Trout
- Salmon
- Lamb meat