The ketogenic diet, also known as ‘keto diet’, has been around for centuries, but it has recently begun to gain popularity as a way of life that’s good for both humans and animals.
The diet is often touted as being “good for the environment’” since more energy is obtained from fats than from carbohydrates, and therefore, fewer carbs are burned, which results in fewer air pollutants. Furthermore, when animals are fed a ketogenic diet, their fat content is often higher than normal, which leads to lower cholesterol.
History Of The Ketogenic Diet
Ketogenic diets have been used for many years in treatment of epilepsy, although it was not always considered a healthy option.
In the 1920s, people who were already familiar with its effectiveness as an anti-seizure diet began to promote it as a way of living, and the diet began to grow in popularity.
However, it was not until the 1950s that scientists began to understand the role that fats and ketones play in the body. It was then that scientists figured out that when the body is in a state of ketosis, it can operate at an optimum level.
How Does The Ketogenic Diet Work?
When you follow a ketogenic diet, your body enters a state of ketosis, which is a metabolic state where fat is the primary energy source for the body.
As a result of this, the ketogenic diet has been shown to be extremely effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels, especially in cases of atherosclerosis — the hardening of the arteries that can cause heart disease.
Why Should You Try It?
There are many advantages to following a ketogenic diet, and one of the biggest is that you’ll start losing weight almost immediately.
Not only does one usually lose weight on a ketogenic diet, but one also gets the added perk of increased mental focus and improved athletic performance. These are often the result of athletes who follow the diet reporting that their sports performance has improved, especially when compared to those following a carbohydrate-rich diet.
The ketogenic diet is also a great choice if you have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. The ketones that are produced as a result of this diet can lower your blood glucose levels, which is why it has been so effective in lowering cholesterol and preventing diabetes in people who have tried it.
The Pros And Cons Of The Diet
Although a ketogenic diet is good for so many reasons, it is not perfect, and there are some cons that you need to be aware of.
Firstly, it is very high in fat and can be very dangerous if you’re not careful. Therefore, you need to make sure that you’re eating the right foods and following the right portion sizes to ensure that you do not cause yourself any harm.
Furthermore, you need to make sure that you are always hydrated, as excessive dehydration can also lead to health problems. It is also worth noting that if you have kidney problems, then you need to be particularly careful when following a ketogenic diet, as high fat and high water content can exacerbate the issue.
On the positive side, the ketogenic diet has many health advantages, and it also has the potential to be highly effective in treating cancer. Here are the main reasons why.
Preventing Cancer
One of the biggest advantages of the ketogenic diet is that it has the potential to be highly effective in preventing cancer. This is largely due to the fact that fats and proteins are highly concentrated in cellular structures, making them difficult for the body to break down. As a result of this, nutrients are retained in the body longer, which prevents cancer cells from developing. This is why a ketogenic diet has been shown to be helpful in preventing breast cancer and skin cancer. Moreover, some research has shown that the ketogenic diet can even be an effective treatment for cancer, especially for people who have already been diagnosed with the disease.
Whether the diet works as a preventive or a cure for cancer is still under investigation, but it is clear that it can be helpful in both cases.
Detection And Treatment Of Cancer
Another major advantage of the ketogenic diet is that it can be helpful in detecting and treating cancer. Once again, this is largely because of the high nutrient content of proteins and fats in cellular structures. As a result of this, tumor cells are less likely to survive, which makes the diet an effective cancer therapy. Moreover, studies have shown that when the body is in a state of ketosis, it produces “new’” cancer cells, which means that the cancer is either in a state of remission or at the very least, very well controlled. Finally, it is worth noting that chemotherapy and radiation are sometimes ineffective in killing cancer cells, but can still be very damaging to the human body, especially over long periods of time. This is why many people are turning to alternative methods of treating cancer, and the ketogenic diet is certainly one of them.
A Healthy Choice
If you’re looking for an alternative way of eating that’s good for you and the environment, then the ketogenic diet is a great choice. Moreover, if you need to shed some pounds, then the diet can be very effective in helping you reach your goal weight without causing you any harm. Finally, if you’re an athlete, then the diet can help you gain more strength and endurance without causing you any damage.
To put it simply, there are many good reasons to try the ketogenic diet, and if you’re interested in trying it, then there are a few tips that you need to keep in mind.
Try It On A Research Basis
Although the ketogenic diet has been around for centuries, it has only recently begun to gain in popularity as a viable alternative way of eating and living. While this is a good thing, it means that there is still much that we don’t know about it. Thus, before you decide to try the diet, it is important that you do so on a research basis.
This way, you’ll have some knowledge of what to expect and what might happen. Moreover, you’ll also be able to compare these effects to those of a regular diet, which means that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to follow the ketogenic way of eating.
Be Careful About The Foods You Eat
One of the main things that you need to keep in mind is that not all fats are equal. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they go on the ketogenic diet is that they replace fats with carbohydrates, which are more easily digested and absorbed by the body.
However, the carbohydrates that are found in foods like apples, carrots, and beets are healthy carbohydrates that provide your body with essential nutrients. Moreover, these same foods also contain high levels of fiber, which helps the body to pass harmful substances more easily and prevents many diseases. Thus, it is crucial that you make sure that you’re eating the right foods if you want to follow a ketogenic diet, especially since the wrong foods can have the opposite effect and sabotage your attempts at weight loss.
Consult A Physician Before You Begin
It is also important to remember that you’ll need to consult a physician before you begin following the ketogenic diet. This is particularly important if you’re planning to try the diet for longer than a few weeks or months. If you’re not sure about what a physician is, then you can ask someone who’s been through medical school or someone who’s been trained in clinical medicine.
The physician will then be able to advise you on the proper way to proceed and what supplements might be necessary.
Monitor Your Body’s Weight
Lastly, it is important that you monitor your body’s weight while you’re on the diet. As we’ve established, the diet is extremely high in fat, so it’s important that you make sure that this tissue is being replaced with lean muscle mass. Thus, you’ll need to keep a close eye on your body weight to make sure that you don’t put on any unnecessary pounds.