Benefits of Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, limits the number of carbohydrates consumed while increasing the amount of healthy fats and protein consumed. The goal of this diet is that most of your calories should come from healthy fats rather than from carbohydrates. The keto diet depletes the sugar reserves in the body. When this occurs, the body begins to break down stored fat and uses it for energy. As your body burns fat, it leads to weight loss. Here, we look into the various benefits of the ketogenic diet.

Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet

Acne Improvement

There are many causes of acne, including your diet and blood glucose levels. Eating processed foods and refined carbs can alter the bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract and cause your blood sugar levels to rise and then crash. When your gut microbiome becomes imbalanced, it can affect all aspects of your health, including your skin. Inflammation can occur throughout the body, and the risk of acne increases. The keto diet focuses on healthy fats that reduce inflammation in the body and decrease the amount of carbs you eat, which helps regulate glucose levels and improve your skin health.

Cancer Protection

A ketogenic diet can reduce the risk of developing cancer. It can also be used as a complementary therapy alongside radiation and chemotherapy to help the body fight cancer. Elevated glucose levels, type 2 diabetes, and obesity have been linked to a variety of cancers, including breast cancer. Restricting carb consumption lowers blood glucose and insulin levels, which may impede tumor growth. Ketogenic diets may help slow cancer progression and improve the patient’s quality of life.

Diabetes

Individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes can benefit from the ketogenic diet. This low-carb diet helps you control your blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Studies have shown that following a ketogenic diet may help individuals decrease or discontinue diabetic medications within 16 weeks.

Epilepsy

Epileptic seizures are caused by excess brain activity. A ketogenic diet may help reduce the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures. This diet also helps improve brain patterns. The increased consumption of healthy fats helps decrease inflammation in the brain and provides the brain with the nutrients it needs to produce neurotransmitters.

Heart Health

Many people believe that the ketogenic diet’s high-fat, high-protein, and low-carb protocols are bad for heart health. However, the diet can reduce the risk of heart disease. It is designed to help improve heart health by lowering the markers of heart disease, including blood glucose levels, triglycerides, and cholesterol.

For years, it was believed that the leading cause of heart disease was a diet with high-fat consumption. However, recent research has found that systemic inflammation triggers the unhealthy buildup of plaque in the arteries. The ketogenic diet reduces inflammation in the body and provides anti-inflammatory protection.

Consuming healthy fats like avocados, nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans, etc.), olive oil, fatty fish, butter, and whole eggs provides the body with omega-3 fatty acids, which help neutralize inflammation, promote healthy digestion, increase fiber, and provide essential vitamins and minerals.

Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches cause pain, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, and nausea. Individuals who follow a keto diet may notice a decrease in the frequency and intensity of their migraines. Researchers are unsure if the reduced frequency of migraines is due to the diet’s ability to reduce inflammation or the increased amount of healthy fats consumed. More research is needed to determine the exact cause of why ketogenic diets reduce migraines.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis occurs when the protective covering of nerves becomes damaged, resulting in communication problems between the brain and the body. Symptoms include balance problems, memory issues, memory loss, numbness, and problems with movement. A ketogenic lifestyle suppresses the inflammatory markers associated with MS. In addition, MS reduces the cells’ ability to utilize sugar for energy. A ketogenic diet aids in cellular repair and energy production.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Due to fat stored in the liver, this type of liver disease is characterized by high liver enzymes. Following a keto diet helps reduce fat in the liver and can even resolve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in specific individuals.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease causes tremors, difficulty writing and walking, stiffness, and impaired posture. This nervous system disorder is due to low levels of Dopamine. A ketogenic diet protects the brain and the nervous system by reducing inflammation and providing the body and brain with the healthy fats needed for neurotransmitter production.

Weight Loss

The keto diet promotes weight loss by increasing metabolism and suppressing appetite. Typically, dieting results in hunger that causes the individual to feel so miserable that they eventually give up no matter how badly they want or need to lose weight. Studies have shown that following a low-carbohydrate diet automatically reduces appetite. Furthermore, as you cut carbs and increase the amount of healthy fat and protein in the diet, you will eat fewer calories because fats and protein fill you up quickly and keep you feeling satiated for an extended period.

Looking for a Healthy Diet and More

The World Health Organization reports that each year, more than 2.8 million individuals diet due to obesity-related diseases. The ketogenic diet helps to decrease weight, reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) levels, and lowers blood glucose levels. Additionally, an individual’s body mass index (BMI) is significantly reduced, triglyceride levels decrease, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) levels increase.

Ketogenic diets are often used to reduce weight and body mass index. However, this low-carbohydrate diet has been shown to relieve various disorders, thanks to its effects on the nervous system and metabolic health. The keto diet helps reduce inflammation throughout the body, nourish the brain, and regulate glucose levels.

Before proceeding with any diet, it is recommended that you consult with your healthcare practitioner to determine whether you are healthy enough to try the ketogenic diet. Individuals with eating disorders, kidney disease, pancreatitis, and insulin-dependent diabetes should avoid the ketogenic diet unless under the direction and supervision of a physician. If you are interested in the keto diet, our integrative practitioners can help. We will work with you to determine if this is the best diet for your unique health and guide you to optimum health.