What is Keto? A basic breakdown

Let me begin by saying that before you go on any restrictive diet...Please Please Please consult with a certified nutritionist or dietitian. A good primary care physician will refer you to a certified nutritionist. A good trainer or health coach will refer you to a nutritionist. As a health coach I am not qualified to put any one of my clients on any type of restrictive diet. Do not follow any random person on social media.

Keto has the benefit of weight loss, which is very attractive to man of us. But it is extremely restrictive and is not without consequences.

So what is it exactly?

Keto is a high fat, low carb diet that is intended to replace the body's use of carbs with fat in order to put the body into metabolic keto acidosis. This forces the body to use fat for energy rather than glucose.

Keto is very similar to the Atkins diet, which was popular about 15 years ago. The Atkins diet claimed to help people lose weight, feel better, give people more energy, and lower blood pressure. This diet encouraged people to eliminate carbs for protein and fat. Many people lost weight on this diet. Many of those same people gained it all back.

On the Atkins website, you will find a disclaimer that warns of potential side effects which include, headache, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, and constipation.

It is important to note that Dr. Atkins had a history of heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and hypertension. He eventually passed due to heart problems. His wife refused to release an autopsy.

If Keto is done without the guidance of a licensed professional, it can be very easy for one to end up creating more harm than good.

The body's preferred source of energy is glucose, which typically comes in the form of carbs. Glucose turns into insulin in the liver and is then either used for energy consumption, or stored in the body as fat.

The idea of the Keto diet is to reduce the intake of glucose, thereby reducing insulin and then forcing the body to use ketones for energy instead of insulin.

Too many people assume that the Keto diet then becomes a free pass to consume as much steak, bacon, and oil as they desire.

The problem with this is that although one may see initial results of weight loss, in the long term, this will most likely cause bigger problems in the future.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it can take the human body 2-3 days to digest one serving of meat. If someone on a high protein diet is consuming meat 2-3 times a day, the digestive tract is getting clogged up with rotting junk. Consuming too much meat, even once daily, doesn't give the intestines time to clear it out. Imagine constantly putting junk into a pipe before it has time to clear out what was put into it the day before.

This is the part about Keto that no one tells you.

Eating meat every day, or more, is going to build up in your intestines. It will turn into a toxic sludge, because you are not giving it the time it needs to pass through. All of this rotting buildup inside your body will grow parasites, will prevent nutrients from being properly absorbed by the intestinal wall, and will eventually cause more problems long term.

Side effects of Keto that you will see online, and hear people talk about in the gym, are...

1.Bad breath... (our mouths are an extension of our digestive tract. If our intestines are clogged with rotting meat, the stench will make its way out somehow, hence the bad breath.)

2. Constipation...(stemming from a clogged digestion. The food is not being processed, and the body is not able to pass it through.)

3. Irregular menstrual cycle.

4. Less bone density...(if your intestinal wall is coated with ama, a toxic sludge residue, the body is not absorbing all the vitamins and minerals necessary for maintaining strong bones.)

5. Problems sleeping...(if you can't poop, if your'e depriving your body of nutrients, your'e probably not going to be able to enjoy a good nights sleep.)

Not all is bad with Keto.

What is medicine for one person, can be poison for another.

While on the Keto diet, the liver is replacing insulin with ketones. Insulin turns unused energy into white fat cells and stores them for later use. Ketones created in the liver turn into brown fat. Brown fat can is not stored in the body, rather used for energy use and heat production. Studies, although preliminary, have shown that on average a person who reduces the consumption of carbs, also reduces the production of insulin, therefore reducing the storage of white fat cells in the body.

Some studies also show that once the liver is creating more ketones than insulin, the body actually begins to convert the stored white fat into brown fat. Brown fat is the type of fat that is constantly used for energy and heat production.

Bottom line is that Keto can be very dangerous if you do it without the guidance and supervision of a licensed professional. Any diet that asks you to restrict, or eliminate entire food groups should never be done with out the guidance of a qualified professional.

As a health and fitness coach, I can only advocate nutritional guidance. I cannot put any one on a specific diet. If you are thinking about trying the Keto diet, please find someone who is qualified, who can supervise you while you are on the diet, and who is able to help you adjust and modify the diet based on your body type and your specific needs.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.

As always, friends, much love and namaste.

Sabrina