The keto diet

The keto diet

The keto diet has its origins in studies to treat epilepsy. The trials were conducted at the John Hopkins Medical Center in the 1920s. Researchers found that restricting food intake for periods, or fasting, had significant health benefits and even reduced seizures in the patients. Other notable benefits have been improved heart health and insulin levels as well as weight loss.

Since fasting is not sustainable in the long term, the keto lifestyle has been developed to mimic these positive results for the body.

The standard ketogenic diet (or keto for short) consists of a high intake of fat, average protein and very low carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are sugars and starches found in foods like candies, grains, dairy products and starchy vegetables.

The idea is to train your body to process healthy fats instead of carbohydrates as an energy source by eating low-carb and high-fat foods. Some examples of healthy fats are avocados, cheese, whole eggs or oily fish.

Most of us would agree that we like to eat carbohydrates but hate the drop, as well as the many unwanted consequences it often has. When you eat a diet high in carbohydrates, your body stores fat while burning glucose for energy.

The ketogenic diet is, in principle, a natural diet to follow. With a wide range of foods containing protein and fat, you can prepare meals quickly and without hassle.

The primary goal of the ketogenic diet is weight loss for some and others, and this diet is used to treat their disease. In children as in adults who are subject to it, the Keto Diet allows them to provide energy through ketones, which are molecules obtained during the transformation of fat in the liver or muscles.

Ketosis is a natural metabolic state, which occurs when your body produces ketones. There are three ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate acid.

There are several signs that you may be in ketosis. First of all, bad breath by the release of acetone.

You may also experience a decreased appetite, nausea, short-term memory loss, feeling confused, muscle cramps, fatigue and dehydration.

These symptoms do not typically last more than 24 to 48 hours. The time that the body adapts to this new functioning.