When using the ketogenic diet, your body becomes more of a fat-burner than a carbohydrate-dependent machine. Several researches have linked the consumption of increased amounts of carbohydrates to the development of several disorders such as diabetes and insulin resistance.
By nature, carbohydrates are easily absorbed and therefore can also be easily stored by the body. Digestion of carbohydrates begins the moment you put them in your mouth.
The amylase (an enzyme that digests carbohydrates) in your saliva is already acting on carbohydrate-rich foods as soon as you start chewing them.
In the stomach, carbohydrates are further broken down. When they pass through the small intestine, they are absorbed into the bloodstream. When entering the bloodstream, carbohydrates usually raise blood sugar levels.
This rise in blood sugar levels stimulates the immediate release of insulin into the bloodstream. The greater the increase in blood sugar levels, the greater the amount of insulin released.
Insulin is a hormone that removes excess sugar in the bloodstream to lower blood sugar levels. Insulin takes the sugar and carbohydrates that you eat and stores them either as glycogen in muscle tissue or as fat in adipose tissue for future use as energy.
However, when exposed to such high amounts of glucose in the bloodstream, the body can develop a condition known as insulin resistance. This scenario can easily lead to obesity as the body quickly stores any excess amount of glucose. Health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease can also result from this condition.
The keto diet is low in carbohydrates and high in fat and has been linked to reducing and improving many health conditions.
One of the most important things the ketogenic diet does is stabilize your insulin levels and also restore leptin signaling. Lowering the amount of insulin in the bloodstream can make you feel fuller for longer and have fewer cravings.
Medical Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet
The application and implementation of the ketogenic diet has expanded significantly. The keto diet is often indicated as part of a treatment plan for many medical conditions.
epilepsy
This is basically the main reason for the development of the ketogenic diet. For some reason, the rate of epileptic seizures goes down when patients are put on a keto diet.
Pediatric epilepsy cases are most responsive to the keto diet. There are children who experience an alleviation of seizures after a few years of using the keto diet.
Children with epilepsy are usually expected to fast for a few days before starting a ketogenic diet as part of their treatment.
cancer
Research suggests that the therapeutic efficacy of the ketogenic diet against tumor growth may be enhanced when combined with certain drugs and procedures under the “press-pulse” paradigm.
It’s also worth noting that ketogenic diets drive cancer cells into remission. This means that the keto diet “starves the cancer” to reduce symptoms.
Alzheimer’s disease
There are several indications that Alzheimer’s disease patients have improved memory after using a ketogenic diet.
Ketones are a great source of alternative energy for the brain, especially when it has become resistant to insulin. Ketones also provide substrates (cholesterol) that help repair damaged neurons and membranes. All of these help improve memory and cognition in Alzheimer’s patients.
diabetes
It is generally believed that carbohydrates are the main culprit in diabetes. Therefore, by reducing the amount of ingested carbohydrates using a ketogenic diet, the potential for improved blood sugar control increases.
Furthermore, combining the keto diet with other diabetes treatment plans can greatly improve their overall effectiveness.
gluten allergy
Many individuals with a gluten allergy are unaware of the condition. However, following a ketogenic diet has been shown to improve associated symptoms such as digestive discomforts and bloating.
Most carbohydrate-rich foods are high in gluten. Thus, using the keto diet, gluten consumption is minimized due to the elimination of large amounts of carbohydrates.
weight loss
This is arguably the most common “intentional” use of the ketogenic diet today. It has found a niche for itself in mainstream dieting trends. The keto diet has become a part of many diet plans because of its well-thought-out side effect of aiding in weight loss.
Although initially maligned by many, the growing number of favorable weight loss results have helped better adopt ketogenic as a leading weight loss program.
In addition to the above medical benefits, ketogenic diets also offer some general health benefits which include the following.
improved insulin sensitivity
This is clearly the first objective of the ketogenic diet. It helps in stabilizing your insulin levels thereby improving fat burning.
muscle protection
As protein is oxidized, it helps maintain lean muscle mass. Losing lean muscle mass slows down a person’s metabolism because muscle is generally very metabolic. Using the keto diet actually helps you preserve your muscle mass while your body burns fat.
controlled pH and respiratory function
A keto diet helps reduce lactate thereby improving both pH and respiratory function. The state of ketosis therefore helps to keep your blood pH at a healthy level.
better immune system
Using a ketogenic diet helps fight aging antioxidants and also reduces gut inflammation thereby strengthening your immune system.
lowered cholesterol levels
Consuming fewer carbohydrates when you’re on a keto diet will help lower blood cholesterol levels. This is due to the increased state of lipolysis. This leads to a decrease in the level of LDL cholesterol and an increase in the level of HDL cholesterol.
loss of appetite and libido
Adopting a ketogenic diet helps you reduce both your hunger and cravings for calorie-rich foods. As you start eating healthy, satisfying and beneficial high-fat foods, your appetite will naturally begin to decrease.
Source by Marcus J Michael
