Dr. Leonard St. George, MD. Alternative medicine’s best-selling author and founder of Raw Functional Medicine. Dr. St. George presents the latest findings, on how to not only lose weight but maintain it long term and get into a state of ketosis when you do!
You have tried everything to lose weight and keep it off. But did you know that there’s a diet that can help you lose tons of weight without starving? It’s the diet called the ketogenic diet – a diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in fat. Look beyond the name of this dietary plan & discover how you can start losing weight today on your own.
If you want to lose weight & keep it off, join thousands of happy people who already use the ketogenic diet to help them achieve their goals.
What is the ketogenic diet?
When you want to lose weight and get healthy, it’s important to know what’s true. Here are some of the myths about Ketosis and how they impact the health and wellness of our bodies.
I have been on a ketogenic diet for the past three months. I have lost weight, feel better and am less bloated.
The ketogenic diet is a way of eating that has been used by many people to lose weight and improve their health in general. It is not a specific diet plan but rather a way of eating where you limit your carbohydrate intake to 50 grams per day.(even sometimes 20) This is done to help you achieve body fat reduction as well as improve your health in general.
The ketogenic diet does not restrict calories but instead it encourages fat burning by limiting carbohydrates and increasing protein intake. This way you can reduce your body’s glycogen stores and boost your metabolism. If you start to eat more fatty foods such as avocados, coconut oil or butter, you will burn more fat for energy and this will help you to lose weight.
The ketogenic diet aims to keep the body “in ketosis.” Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the brain and other tissues in the body do not rely on glucose for their primary energy source. Instead, depend on something called ketones or beta-hydroxybutyrate.
What is a Beta-hydroxybutyrate?
Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is a ketone body found in small amounts in the blood and tissues of humans and animals. It is also known as 3-hydroxybutyric acid or 3-hydroxybutanoic acid.(source)
The brain uses BHB as its primary fuel source, especially when glucose levels are low during fasting or when glycogen stores are depleted. It’s also used by the heart and muscles to produce energy during exercise.
- BHB Salts or Beta-Hydroxybutyrate is a unique molecule produced in the body when the liver breaks down free fatty acids.
- Beta-Hydroxybutyrate is among the most abundant molecules found in the body to support energy production without glucose.
- Physiological changes from beta-hydroxybutyrate consumption include improved insulin sensitivity and increased production of ketones.
- Benefits of beta-hydroxybutyrate include increased fat loss while maintaining or gaining muscle mass, improved cognitive function, and increased athletic performance.
- When using beta-hydroxybutyrate and MCT oils, you can gain an even more potent form of ketosis.
Beta-Hydroxybutyrate is a unique ketogenic compound with numerous benefits, notably increasing energy and burning fat.
Here’s what happens during ketosis: Ketosis is the state of your body when it starts to break down fat into molecules called ketones. These little molecules can then be used as fuel in the brain and muscles. Ketosis is achieved when the body has limited carbs and moderate protein, with a hight amount of healthy fats.
For the state of ketosis to come about, you need to ensure about the followings:
- High-fat content in the diet (about 80% of total dietary calories)
- The low carbohydrate content of the diet (maximum 20-30 g daily)
- Moderate protein consumption (0.8-1.2 g protein per kg bodyweight daily)
- High fiber consumption ( to nourish the intestinal flora )
- Stress-reduced lifestyle (chronic everyday stress and lack of sleep sabotage ketosis)
All the benefits of the ketogenic diet at a glance
With that bit of introduction and now that we are all familiar with ketosis, I would like to give you an overview of all the known benefits of ketosis.
1.The benefit of the ketogenic diet: 24-hour fat burning
In ketosis, the body burns fat 24 hours a day. Ketosis is the best fat-burning workout you can do!
Research has shown that lowering your carb intake and replacing it with high-fat food can promote weight loss and other health benefits. It can even impact certain conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline.(source)
2. Keto diet: Increasing libido
Men, in particular, react to increased fat consumption (high-quality fat sources) with rising testosterone levels and an increased libido—the quality of life increases.
One study found low-fat diets could decrease testosterone levels by up to 12%, while another study found that a high-fat keto diet can increase testosterone levels by 13% (source)
3.The benefit of Ketosis: Increased Endurance
Athletes benefit here; because in endurance sports (aerobic intensity range), the body prefers to burn fat. And if fat burning in ketosis runs smoothly, resilience and endurance during sports also increase. 3 4 Therefore, ketogenic diet and exercise go well together.
4.Enhance Cognitive Functions.
Your body increasingly produces helpful hormones (e.g., serotonin, GABA, growth hormone). Also, ketones release more energy than glucose gram for when used for energy.
It’s been found that a ketogenic diet does not just have positive effects on weight loss but has superior benefits for cognitive function in older rats. Rats fed a ketogenic diet displayed improved memory and learning functions, lower anxiety levels, and increased activity in the prefrontal cortex.(source)
Following a diet that limits carbs over the course of six to twelve weeks may help improve memory in individuals who are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The studies were small and the results look promising for these people.(source)
Ketones significantly suppress intracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation and improve learning and memory function(source)
5. Keto Help Easy Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight, you have to burn fat. In ketosis, your body burns fat 24 hours a day.
Because of this and the other benefits of ketosis, weight loss is more accessible, less noticeable, faster, and longer-lasting than most other weight-loss strategies. 6
Great mood and more energy
Most “ketogenic communities” report a better mood, mainly due to the increased formation of GABA and serotonin. And the quality of life rises again!
In addition, many people feel more energetic. The mitochondria also multiply on the ketogenic diet.
6. Keto Better Sleep
The body regenerates while you sleep and recovers from the exertions of the last day. The brain also processes information.
Since ketosis provides the brain with more energy and many “garbage disposal programs” in the body, The Keto community reports reduced sleep quantity and better sleep quality.
Studies have found that a ketogenic diet can help promote adenosine activity in the body, easing stress and pain and improving sleep.(source)
The study, which was published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in June of this year, followed six teenagers who lost weight on a ketogenic diet. On average, they had less sleep and more slow-wave sleep.(source)
7.Ketosis and Stable Blood Sugar
Blood sugar is constant throughout the day because you take no carbohydrates through food. Fewer carbohydrates get formed in the liver, but hardly any are burned.
As a result, blood sugar is stable throughout the day, and the body requires insulin only in minimal amounts. Everyone who suffers from unstable blood sugar levels (including people with diabetes) also benefits in this regard.
8.Ketosis May help Less Hunger and Appetite
Most people in ketosis report less hunger, appetite, and cravings due to the stable blood sugar, the high level of satiety from food, and the changed hormonal situation. Your thoughts no longer revolve around food all day long.
Studies show ketogenic diets have helped weight loss, decreased hunger, and other benefits, including increasing ghrelin secretion.(source)
9.High Satiety From Ketosis
You consume a high fat and fiber content in this diet by using suitable recipes. And, of course, a high level of satisfaction. Why?
Fiber swells in the stomach, and intestines bind water and lead to satiety by activating so-called mechanoreceptors in the stomach (registration of a full stomach).
It works similarly with fat: not only does fat make you satisfied and is a flavor carrier, but there are also receptors for fat in the gastrointestinal tract, which lead to the release of hormones (e.g., peptide YY) that increase satiety.
Ketogenic diets suppress ghrelin and feelings of hunger which are often caused by the metabolic switch individuals go through when eating carbohydrates.(source)
10.Increased Energy Expenditure in Ketosis
Energy expenditure also increases slightly in ketosis, supporting those looking to lose weight. The beneficial effects of ketosis stem from the fact that the mitochondria use fats and not glucose as their super fuel
The Bulletproof Coffee fits in here perfectly.
11.Cellular Garbage Disposal
Due to the low insulin levels and the moderate protein consumption, the body and every single cell in the body starts the so-called cellular waste disposal ( autophagy, mitophagy, and pinocytosis).
With these heavy-sounding terms, the body breaks down old and broken things. This physical situation usually only happens when you fast, but it also occurs in ketosis. Old cells, but also old components of otherwise healthy cells, are broken down and replaced by new ones. A spring cleaning in the entire body!
12.Elevated HDL Cholesterol
The “good cholesterol” that prevents cardiovascular disease, HDL cholesterol, increases on a well-executed ketogenic diet (healthy fat sources). 14 The ketogenic diet is becoming more and more suitable for improving cardiovascular health.
13.The benefit of The Ketogenic Diet: Lowers Blood Pressure.
Because ketones also have all sorts of chemical effects in the bloodstream and reduce oxidative stress in the body, 15-16 they also lower blood pressure. So all the hypertensive patients would benefit as well.
14.The Benefit of Ketosis: Anti-Catabolic
This benefit comes from consuming only moderate protein and little carbohydrates in ketosis. However, this will not be the case if the calorie deficit is not too large (or if there is no calorie deficit at all
Because ketones also have an anti-catabolic effect on the body. (source) It also makes sense from an evolutionary point of view because of losing valuable muscles in times of food shortages? Instead of sacrificing fat reserves during ketosis, the body wouldn’t do that.
15.Keto May Help Allergy issues
The immune system relaxes in ketosis via mechanisms that we will clarify in this article. An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to a non-dangerous foreign particle. These reactions happen much less frequently in ketosis, and the body can actively address the allergic symptoms.
16.High Nutritional Value
A healthy and nutritious ketogenic diet includes many vegetables, fish, and other fresh foods. You will not have to worry about a deficit in certain minerals or vitamins. Here you will find 15 ketogenic recipes.
By the way, keto doesn’t mean that you only have to eat tons of animal products and green leafy vegetables—many healthy recipes for ketogenic bread, cereal, cake, and more. And with a bit of planning, keto can also be quickly done on the go or even on vacation.
17.Ketogenic Diet and Epilepsy:
People first used the ketogenic diet medically about 100 years ago.(source) The patients were epileptic children. With a pure fat diet, i.e., strict ketosis, an extreme reduction in epileptic seizures was observed.
It is quite conceivable that ketosis can also be very successful in children with ADHD since the underlying biochemical mechanisms are very similar
18.Keto Diet Scientifically Proven
More and more studies prove the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet in all sorts of applications. Hopefully, the studies will convince even more people of the significant effect in the next few years.
These were the well-known benefits of the ketogenic diet – with an explanation. Hopefully, you’ve seen the benefits for yourself and are just as much a fan of ketosis as we are at Primal State.
The Ketogenic Diet Takes Your Life to a New Level.
Keto adherents are on the rise. No wonder. Once you get through the often difficult first few days of the ketogenic diet, it’s all uphill. The only question remains how long you can go through with this diet. You can find out in our articles “Will the ketogenic diet go forever?”. Moreover, you can find helpful information in the “ketogenic diet mistakes you wish you knew.” article. If you need more information about keto, find the keto recipe book free pdf on the internet.
Beginner Tips For Those on Keto Diet
If you want to make your keto living day by day, you should avoid refined sugar and processed foods in particular. It is also essential to eat enough green vegetables and sources of fiber to ensure a sufficient supply of nutrients and well-functioning digestion.
Summary About Ketogenic Diet
If you’re looking for some way to reduce your risk of potential diabetes and achieve the top of your fitness goals – then you’ve come to the right place. And if you’re 66% of the way towards a healthy lifestyle? Great! We showed you how this article
With the ketogenic diet menu you can eat your favorite foods while maintaining minimal impact on your health. So what’s the best way to eat? Just follow this list: low carb meat (beef), low carb fish/shellfish (salmon especially), low carb fruit & veggies (sweet potatoes & spinach
Find the right way to diet
References
- “BHB Salts – The Supp Critic”. The Supp Critic. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 May 2017.
- “What Is Betahydroxybutyrate Or BHB? – Perfect Keto Exogenous Ketones”. Perfect Keto Exogenous Ketones. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 May 2017.
- 1 Roberts, M., Wallace, M. et. al. (2017). A Ketogenic Diet Extends Longevity and Healthspan in Adult Mice. 2 Newman, J., Covarrubias, A. et al. (2017).
- Ketogenic Diet Reduces Midlife Mortality and Improves Memory in Aging Mice. 3 Wallace. M., Aguirre, N. et al. (2021).
- The ketogenic diet preserves skeletal muscle with aging in mice. 4 Nguyen. H., Katta. R. (2015). Sugar Sag: Glycation and the Role of Diet in Aging Skin.
- S. Soenen 2010: “Efficacy of macronutrients on targeting Obesity and beyond.”
- S. Devkota, DK Layman 2010: “Protein metabolic roles in treatment of obisity.”
- PM Clifton, D. Condo, JB Keogh 2014: “Long term weight maintenance after