Ketogenic diet…Please… Don’t be Stupid!!!

Ok…here we go again.

The Devil's Diet Circle;

“A man lost in a desert can trudge for hours through the sands until he sees ahead of him an unmistakable line of foot prints leading to the horizon. But his joy on finding a trail turns to despair when he realizes the tracks are his own. Since one limb was a few millimeters longer than the other or habit or injury inclined him to step fractionally further with one leg, he consistently veered to the right or left. Without a path or landmark to guide him, he traced a vast circle while convinced he was walking in a straight line.”

Regardless of what our past diet history has told us, we feel compelled to struggle ahead, unaware that this diet is no different than the last. We are blinded by the illusionary promises that this time will be different than the one before.  We seek what makes us feel good, rather than seeking resolution.  Like an impulsive child with amnesia, we rush forward with no memory of past experiences, only caring about the emotional high that an illusionary promise provides.

Ok…enough of the poetic hyperbole.

“These diets work!”

If I had any hair left on my head I would pull it out when I hear that comment.

Clarification:

Number one... we’re all on a diet. It’s just some people's diets are more stupid than others.

Number two... just because you lose weight doesn’t mean it’s a “good thing” or that “it works!”

Let’s look at some of these diet methods that “work”:

-Starvation diets (Anorexia)

-Low carb diets (low-cal)

-Blood type diet (low-cal)

-Cleanse diet (Juice...really?)

-Eat and throw up diet (Bulimia)

-Crap it out diet (Laxatives)

And now!

Ketogenic diet!

Sigh….

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet involves eating foods high in fat such as meat, fish, nuts and cheese, and eating a very low amount of carbohydrates.

(*The ketogenic diet recommends taking supplements to make up for the nutritional deficiencies that the diet doesn’t provide. I’m sorry…how stupid do you have to be to start a diet that requires supplements to make up for the deficiencies of the diet???)

KH: Same as Atkins, sugar busters, zone, and so on and so on….they’re just repackaging the same stupid s--- for people who are looking for something other than eating healthy
This diet recommends that people eat 30 grams (g) of carbohydrates or below per day. The goal is to eat 3 to 4 g of fat for every 1 g of carbohydrate and protein.

Because the ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrates, there is not enough sugar available for the body to use as fuel, so it resorts to using fat. The process of breaking down fat is called "ketosis," and it produces a fuel source called ketones.

IMPORTANT!

KH: The body does resort to burning fat for fuel for muscle contraction; however, what does the brain use for fuel in the absence of carbohydrates?  The brain requires 120 grams of glucose (Carbohydrates) over a 24 hour period. When you don’t eat enough carbohydrates your brain sends a signal to convert muscle into glucose for neurological functioning. This process is called gluconeogenesis.

Gluconeogenesis is stimulated by the stress hormone cortisol.

Scientists have known for years that elevated cortisol levels: interfere with learning and memory, lower immune function and bone density, increase weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease... The list goes on and on.

Chronic stress (environment and nutritional) and elevated cortisol levels also increase risk for depression, mental illness, and lower life expectancy.

Other side effects:

As the ketogenic diet entails switching to a different source of energy, it can lead to some side effects. These may include:

-loss of salts

-keto-flu

-noticeable change in bowel habits, such as constipation

-uncomfortable leg cramps

-noticeable loss of energy

-mental fogginess

-frequent urination

-headaches

-kidney stones

-increased risk of bone fractures due to acidosis

Children may also experience stunted growth due to reduced levels of an insulin-like growth factor that can lead to bone erosion. This can mean weak bones that are highly susceptible to fractures.

Please… Don’t be Stupid!

The goal in our diet and life should be to reduce stress and become healthy. Reducing cortisol levels through healthy thinking and eating are definitely steps in the right direction.

Stress Reduction Techniques:

-Mindfulness (put things into proper perspective…less emotions and more logic)

-Balanced nutrition (55% carbs, 25 to 20% lean protein, 15 to 20% unsaturated fats)

-Exercise (Walk 20-30 per day, weight train 2-3 times per week)

-Prayer, meditation, yoga, reading, or various other peaceful moments in a chaotic world)

- “Pan Metron Ariston”…Moderation in All Things.

Moderation in all things is the key part of our personal growth. So the next time a “new diet” pops up… STOP. Awaken the impulsive child within us that wants immediate gratification and look for a long term solution.

It’s not about a radical new diet…it’s about a new radical lifestyle. That lifestyle is called self- control.

It’s not what we’re eating…it’s what’s eating us.....

Please…Don’t be stupid!