If you’re up on recent health and diet trends, chances are good that you’ve at least heard of the ketogenic (or just “keto”) diet. While it may seem like the latest fad diet, it’s actually the way we’ve been eating for the past 200,000 years — with the exception of the last 100 years, thanks to the advent of modern agriculture. Our biology is built for feast and famine cycles, not for 24 x 7 feasting and snacking. Until recent history, we feasted when food was available, and we stored it as fat to draw down on for longer periods of famine.
Turns out that the keto diet, partnered with periodic fasting, enables us to mimic ancestral feast-famine cycles. By emphasizing healthy fats, moderating protein intake and restricting carbs (roughly 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs), hunger is greatly reduced, calorie intake goes down, energy soars, brain function improves, inflammation is lowered, and insulin resistance can even be reversed.
Research shows that a ketogenic diet may be especially beneficial for people with neurological conditions including epilepsy or other seizure disorders, MS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s; and for people with type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and/or who are overweight or obese. As with almost anything that sounds too good to be true, there are cautions. Thanks to The Paleo Mom, Sarah Ballantyne, PhD, for sharing these red flags: The ketogenic diet may harm liver, kidney and thyroid function; it may mess with the balance of your microbiome; it can create hormonal imbalances; and may increase cardiovascular risk factors and lower bone mineral density.
Bottom line, before diving into a high fat, very low carb, ketogenic diet, work with your trusted healthcare practitioner to determine whether or not you are a good keto candidate. You will want to closely monitor your blood sugar levels, kidney, liver, and thyroid function, and markers of inflammation to make sure you stay out of the harm zone. For many people, dipping in and out of ketosis periodically, like a few times per week or 4 times per year, may be ideal to derive the greatest benefits while avoiding the biggest pitfalls.
For more help easing into a ketogenic diet consider these awesome books:
The Keto Reset Diet: Reboot Your Metabolism in 21 Days and Burn Fat Forever by Mark Sisson
Keto Quick Start: A Beginner’s Guide to a Whole-Foods Ketogenic Diet with More Than 100 Recipes by Diane Sanfilippo
Take good care!
