Ketogenic diet.Ketogenic diet, what is the essence?What are the results of the ketogenic diet and what are the reviews?How does it work?Is there any difficulty?What is the ketogenic diet menu?Is it harmful?
- ketogenic diet
- The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet intended to fuel the body with ketone bodies.
Why is the ketogenic diet effective, what are the contraindications and reviews, what is the principle of action?What should be included in the ketogenic diet menu and what about the reviews of those who have lost weight?This is what we will discuss today.
How does the ketogenic diet work?
When our diet contains fats, proteins and carbohydrates, our body receives energy from glucose.We get glucose from carbohydrates.Now that grocery stores are close at hand, this is the most common type of food.But what happened in those days when carbohydrate products such as cereals or bread were not enough due to poor harvests, habitat or seasonality?
The carcass was forced to obtain energy from fatty acids and proteins.You probably remember my video on running to lose weight, here it is, in it I analyzed the process of obtaining energy through the oxidation of fatty acids.Now I will briefly remind you that all our organs that have mitochondria in tissue cells function perfectly with fatty acids.These are the heart muscle, the myocardium and skeletal muscles (the same ones we pump in the gym) and smooth muscles.
However, our brain, which is made up of 60% fat, does not lose weight;Even prolonged fasting does not cause significant damage to mental abilities.Because?The reason is that the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a barrier that ensures the constancy of the internal environment of the brain.It is he who does not allow fatty acids to pass, not even outwards (that is why the brain does not lose weight), but also inwards.And the brain cannot consume fatty acids as a source of energy.
However, the brain cannot run out of fuel and nature has provided that, as a result of a diet that cannot provide sufficient amounts of glucose, the brain switches to an alternative source of fuel: the so-called ketone bodies.
- ketone bodies
Three substances are called ketone bodies.
- acetoacetic acid (acetoacetate)
- beta-aminobutyric acid (hydroxybutyrate)
- acetone
These substances are formed in the liver from fatty acids and this process is called ketogenesis.Not much acetone is produced;Our main fuel is beta-aminobutyric acid.For the most part, the central nervous system works on this during the period of absence of carbohydrates in the diet.
Is the ketogenic diet bad or not?
Ketogenesis is a completely normal metabolic process and there is no reason to be afraid of it.All fears arise from the fact that the state of ketosis, when the body works with ketone bodies, is often confused with pathological acidosis that requires urgent intervention.But these things are different and now we will comment a little on what the essence is.
ketoacidosis
What is it?Ketoacidosis.This is almost the same as ketosis, but when it is not caused by a lack of glucose as a result of a lack of carbohydrates, but by a lack of insulin.I remind you that our most important hormone, insulin, is a transporter.This is our charger that knows how to transport glucose across the cell membrane.
When there is a lot of glucose, but there is no insulin or it does not fulfill its functions, the cell, as in the case of a carbohydrate-free diet, begins to experience energy starvation.As a result, the body produces a number of hormones that can break down fats (lipolytic, in this case they are called contrainsular) and the liver begins to produce ketone bodies from fatty acids.So what's going on?
There is a lot of undigested glucose, also a lot of ketone bodies, and the kidneys try to eliminate excess ketones and glucose, which causes dehydration, the so-called osmotic diuresis.As a result of diuresis, electrolytes are eliminated, and remember that this is very, very bad in this video, even two: the electrolyte balance shifts towards acidification and, as a result, this same ketoacidosis develops.All this requires urgent hospitalization, because the patient can easily move his horse.
It is absolutely clear that this situation is only possible in two cases.
- Type 1 diabetes, when the pancreas does not produce insulin
- Dehydration: diarrhea, vomiting, taking diuretics.
That is, if you are healthy and do not have type 1 diabetes, you should not fear ketoacidosis at all.In your case, the nervous system will function perfectly with ketone bodies.
So how to use the ketogenic diet?
Firstand the most important thing is to enter a state of ketosis.And this is one of the most difficult tasks.Since in most cases (remember I talked about homeostasis) people have been eating carbohydrate-containing foods for the first time for decades, this will put stress on the body.The carcass is not used to this and will not enter a state of ketosis in a day or two.It takes time.First, the body will use up the remaining glucose and glycogen.It will then attempt to produce glucose from amino acids, glycerol and lactic acid through gluconeogenesis.And only when it becomes completely impossible for him to start the process of ketogenesis and, with a crunch, he begins to drag the nutritional system of the central nervous system on new rails.Remember: the corpse really doesn't like disruptions to homeostasis and resists as best it can.
This first time is the most difficult: you are bored, angry, you have no strength, your brain refuses to work, your head is dizzy and many other delights.And the duration of this condition is different for each person, but it can last up to two or three weeks.
Second.To enter ketosis, you need to reduce carbohydrates or keep them to a minimum, and this is another difficulty.There are organs that cannot use fatty acids or ketone bodies as energy.They need glucose and only glucose - this is the intestinal epithelium, the vascular endothelium, the lens of the eye, the adrenal cortex and something else, I don't remember.That's why you can't leave them without glucose.The carcass will obtain glucose through gluconeogenesis, either from muscles or from minimal carbohydrates supplied with food.But that's the point: remember homeostasis, the desire to maintain balance at any cost;Getting into ketosis is difficult, but getting out of it is as easy as shelling pears.And then hello to the fat deposits on the sides of your back.
Third— to enter ketosis it is necessary to eat a lot of fats and in no case exaggerate with proteins!!!!And this is also very difficult to control.Because if there is an excess of protein in the diet, with the help of the same gluconeogenesis, the carcass will immediately produce glucose from it, and you will again get out of this hard-earned state of ketosis.If there is too little protein, I will gradually lose muscle.And it is very, very difficult for a beginner to find this balance.With fats, everything is simple: 80% of the diet should contain fats.
Four- difficulty in assessing whether we have entered ketosis or not.
- There is no point in checking the presence of acetone in urine with strips.We can be in ketosis and there will be no acetone in the urine.
- It is possible to perform a blood test with a glucometer with special strips for ketone bodies, but these strips are not cheap at all.
- Finally, there are special devices to detect acetone in breath.They were invented for epileptics because the ketogenic diet is good for dealing with epileptic seizures, but they also cost about $100.
And finally, if you decide to try the keto diet, how to plan your diet?
- protein: 1.5-2 grams per body weight.This is conditional.
- The rest are fats.
What foods are suitable for the ketogenic diet?
- eggs with yolk
- all cheeses
- fatty cottage cheese
- sour cream
- lounge
- pig
- walnuts
- salmon
- trout
- salmon
- mutton