The natural turbo boost: ketogenic diet

Ketosis is currently the number one topic of conversation on nutrition and weight loss. What exactly does it mean with ketogenic nutrition and how can you replace glucose as the primary energy source of the organism, can be found here in the article.

What exactly is ketosis?

Let's start with a precise definition of ketosis:

Ketosis is the metabolic state that results from a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with moderate protein, in which your body goes from the use of glucose as a primary fuel to the use of ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are produced by the body burning fat. They are mainly used as an alternative energy source when glucose is not available. In other words, your body changes from sugar to fat burning. The transition can take a few days or several weeks or even months, depending on your current diet and lifestyle. So being "in ketosis" simply means you burn fat. Patience and stamina are an absolute must when following a ketosis.

Keto in short:

- Ketogenic diets have previously been used to treat epilepsy.

- Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets are often considered "extreme," but they are not.

- Ketosis causes your body to switch from burning sugar to burning fat.

- Ketosis is a completely normal metabolic state.

- Ketone bodies play an important role in human health from birth.

- Thanks to the ketone bodies, our Paleolithic ancestors were able to endure food shortages.

- The Inuit have recognized the importance of keto adaptation.

- The structural formulas of glucose and ketone bodies are very similar.

- Ketone bodies are the preferred fuel source for muscles, heart, liver and brain.

- When you are keto-adapted, your energy comes from the body fat and the fat that you consume.

- You should think about ketosis if you have problems with your weight or your health.

Unfortunately, the term ketosis is often confused with ketoacidosis.

- Healthcare professionals sometimes (falsely) think that ketone bodies are harmful.

- Ketoacidosis occurs when very high ketone levels occur simultaneously with a very high blood sugar level.

- Dietary ketosis occurs when elevated ketone levels occur simultaneously with low blood sugar levels.

The natural fuel for the body

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Ketone bodies provide an alternative fuel for the brain, heart and most other organs when blood glucose and insulin levels are low - that is, in a very low carbohydrate diet. Ketone bodies are preferred to glucose by the heart and can be used by most parts of the brain as well as glucose. There is a growing body of research that confirms its beneficial effects on aging, inflammation, metabolism, cognition, and athletic performance. Ketosis is also an excellent way to lose body fat. Ketone bodies are a byproduct of burning fat as fuel. In other words, burning fat produces ketones. If you are keto-adapted, you gain energy from both body fat and fat in your diet. However, if you consume excess carbohydrates, they turn into body fat that can not simply be burned as fuel. That's why you want to reach the state of ketosis: it is the paradise of fat burning! A low carbohydrate, high fat, ketogenic diet is a very powerful and highly effective way to burn fat, which is particularly suitable for overweight or obese people. Newborns who are exclusively breastfed, according to the pediatrician Dr. med. Mary Newport is in the state of ketosis within twelve hours of birth, and the ketone bodies provide about 25 percent of their energy needs. Ten percent of human breast milk fats are post-mortem medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs or MCTs), which are derived from the liver are converted into ketone bodies. This is one of the reasons why nearly every baby food sold on the market contains MCT oils and coconut oil "similar to fats in breast milk"

Ketosis in competitive sports and training

Ben Greenfield is a top triathlete who uses ketosis to optimize his athletic performance, explaining that for him, there are three main reasons to go for ketosis:

1. the superiority of fats as fuel in metabolism;

2. the mental improvement that occurs with a sufficient ketone body level;

3. the greater health and prolonged life resulting from the natural control of blood sugar levels in the presence of more ketone bodies.

Greenfield has been following a rigorous ketogenic diet for 16 weeks while training for the Ironman Canada and Ironman Hawaii 2013 competitions. He consumed far fewer carbohydrates (under 200 grams) than the typical Ironman triathlete (who often eats 600 to 800 grams of carbohydrate on a workout day) and supplemented the diet with coconut oil and MCT oil to help his body switch to fat as a fuel to help. Here are the biggest benefits that Greenfield experienced through ketosis:

- Increased metabolic efficiency and improved fat burning, which makes it "more powerful during the day": This is particularly useful for endurance athletes who participate in, for example, Ironman competitions and long-distance runs.

- Conserve glycogen stores, which also leads to increased stamina: It uses less muscle and liver stored carbohydrates, because he is able to burn fat more efficiently.

- Less inflammation, which allows the body to regenerate faster after training - due to the reduced formation of free radical and reactive oxygen species (cell damaging molecules) compared to a high sugar intake.

- More stable energy levels because blood sugar does not fluctuate as much as a carbohydrate-based diet.

Ketone bodies have become known as super-fuel because they provide more energy per oxygen unit than other metabolic fuels. This improved metabolic efficiency was initially demonstrated in sperm cells, where the presence of ketone bodies reduced oxygen consumption while increasing mobility. Later, this was confirmed in a study that showed that ketone bodies increased the hydraulic workability of the heart while reducing oxygen consumption. That might explain why there is a thriving and fast-growing community of keto-adapted athletes.

Ketone bodies are the preferred fuel source for muscles, heart, liver and brain. These vital organs can not handle carbohydrates well; they even take damage if we consume too many carbohydrates.

Here are some of the many health benefits of ketosis:

-natural control of hunger and appetite

-Easy weight loss and effortless weight maintenance

-mental clarity

- deeper, more restful sleep

-normalized metabolic function

- Stable blood sugar and restored insulin sensitivity

- less inflammation

Happiness and general well-being

Lower blood pressure

Increased HDL Cholesterol (Good Cholesterol)

-reduced triglycerides

Reduction or elimination of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)

-Ability to endure twelve to 24 hours without meals

Use stored body fat as a fuel source

- endless energy

-Release of heartburn

- improved fertility

Prevention of craniocerebral trauma

- Increased sex drive

-improved immune system

-reduced aging due to lower production of free radicals

- Improvement of blood chemistry

- Optimized cognitive function and improved memory

Reduction of acne and other skin problems

-increased understanding of the effects of food on your body

- Improvement of the health markers in the metabolism

-Faster and better recovery after exercise

- Reduced anxiety and mood swings

Ketogenic diet: desirable or a risk factor?

The superiority of ketone bodies over glucose energy is clearly due to the large amounts of sustained energy that is felt throughout the day, every day.

So, if ketosis is so desirable, why are the health authorities silent about it or even saying it negatively? Completely undeserved, she has gotten a bad reputation. This is especially unfortunate considering all the countless lives that could improve them. As with many things in life, fear and misunderstanding of what ketosis really means are the cause.

Part of the problem lies in the word ketosis itself, because it is very similar to ketoacidosis, a medical term that describes a life-threatening condition in type 1 diabetics. Many doctors find the idea frightening to allow one of their patients to go into the state of ketosis because they immediately think of all the negative side effects of ketoacidosis. This confusion may have kept many patients in a state of illness - while a ketogenic diet could have brought tremendous improvements to their health. It is a sad fact that there are many ignoramuses among doctors - as well as among the people on whose advice we trust in health matters.

Dr. William Wilson, general practitioner and expert on the relationship between diet and brain function, explains that "we humans have used both glucose and ketone bodies for energy throughout much of our evolutionary history." He assumes that our Paleolithic ancestors used glucose as the preferred fuel when non-animal food was available - but do you want to guess what they did in times of food shortage or if animal food was their primary source of calories?

Correct: ketone body! "Thus, our ancestors spent most of their time in the state of ketosis," concludes Dr. Wilson. He adds, "Had our early ancestors not developed a way to use ketone bodies for energy, our species would have been on the list of endangered species for ages!" The Inuit are a perfect example of a ketogenic race. For thousands of years, they have been consuming a very high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that provides them with complete energy and stamina. In 1879, Frederick Schwatka, a lieutenant in the US Army, doctor and lawyer, embarked on an Arctic expedition to search for the records of two Royal Navy ships that had disappeared in 1845. Schwatka began his journey in April 1879 with 18 people, including several Inuit families. They had enough food for a month and plenty of hunting equipment. He found that consuming Inuit food with lots of animal fat gave him strength after hours of adjustment, even with hours of walking. This was one of the first findings of keto adaptation, that is, the conversion of the metabolism. The process of transition from sugar to fat burning is still known today as the "Schwatka bid."

Recipe example of dietary ketosis

Keep in mind that it is very important for the maximum ketogenic effect to use the high-fat versions of these meats (not turkey bacon or turkey hack). I take the meatballs of a brand, which contains 13 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein per meatball - an impressive amount of fat (117 of the 140 total calories) compared to the protein content (only 20 calories). After that you should look for when choosing your foods.

Ingredients: 3 thick slices of bacon or 2 meatballs

55-75 g of pasture butter or coconut oil

4-5 biodynamic eggs

sea-salt

Parsley (or your favorite herbs)

55 g of grated whole fat cheese (optional)

45 g sour cream, for garnish

½ avocado, as a side dish

1. Fry bacon or meatballs in a medium sized pan over medium heat until cooked. Remove the bacon or meatballs from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside; the fat stays in the pan.

2. Add butter and place the whipped eggs directly in the pan as soon as the butter has melted. Add salt, parsley and cheese. Mix all ingredients with a spatula until well blended and seasoned to taste.

3. Serve eggs and meat with sour cream and avocado