The Ketogenic Diet – Good or Bad

My friend, who just became a nurse, said that Ketogenic diets could possibly be dangerous for you because it’s bad for your kidneys.

In addition to that, Lisa Cimperman, R.D.N., a clinical dietitian at University Hospitals Case Medical Center has said, “once your body enters ketosis, you also begin to lose muscle, become extremely fatigued, and eventually enter starvation mode. Then it actually becomes even harder to lose weight,”

“Keto diets should only be used under clinical supervision and only for brief periods,” Francine Blinten, R.D., a certified clinical nutritionist and public health consultant in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, told Healthline. “They have worked successfully on some cancer patients in conjunction with chemotherapy to shrink tumors and to reduce seizures among people suffering from epilepsy.”

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

The ketogenic diet, often nicknamed “keto,” is a high-fat diet that mimics fasting physiology. Your brain and body begin to use ketones (derived from stored or ingested fat) for energy instead of blood sugar (glucose)—a state called ketosis. The diet was originally developed to treat epileptic children, but there are many variations, including the Atkins diet. You can achieve ketosis through fasting, diet, exogenous ketones, or a combination.

If this diet was originally used to help epileptic children, wouldn’t you second guess using it? I question things.  Some doctors put patients with diabetes on it when others say “DON’T DO THAT!”  It can do more harm than good – damaging the heart, which is a muscle.

We fall prey to wacko diets, but the truth is there’s no quick fix.  Cutting refined carbs and replacing them with fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, cutting processed foods, and avoiding too many additives will keep you healthy in the long term.

If you desperately need a “purge,” consult a physician or doctor and get a few opinions.  Otherwise, you’re better just setting up a healthy meal plan and executing it.

• Meal preparation
• Exercise
• Implementing more good than bad

For example, anyone who asks me about losing weight, it’s easier to put in more than take out.  Having some lean protein and vegetables after a nice workout is a start.  One of my students actually dropped 6 pounds in just two weeks just by regular exercise and made one meal a day.  Yes, she still has her cheat meals, which we all need, but she’s just a bit more cautious.

Ok, so let’s say you don’t have time for exercise….could you walk for 10 minutes a day?  Just ten. That’s all I’m asking.  Tony Robbins has said, “if you don’t have 10 minutes for yourself in a day, you don’t have a life.”

Listen to a podcast or an inspiring speaker while doing this.  Afterwards, have some 12 grain bread, eggs, and broiled vegetables ready for consumption.  This right here will put you in the right direction rather than looking up information on wacko diets.

That’s just my opinion.