There is quite a bit of attention surrounding the keto diet. Keto is short for ketogenic. The diet is high in fats, low in carbs, and with an adequate amount of proteins. The restriction of carbs promotes ketosis, which is the burning of ketones in a process known as ketogenesis.
With this important process activated, the body produces less insulin, burns more fat, and suffers less inflammation. Lots of research has gone into finding out whether the keto diet is everything it is claimed to be by its most avid evangelists. Here are some upsides to using the keto diet.
Health Benefits of the Keto Diet
1. Management of Many Chronic Health Conditions
The diet is good for people with many kinds of health conditions. These include heart disease, obesity, cancer, migraines, type 1 and 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar levels among other health issues.
2. Acne Reduction
There are many reasons why acne develops on the skin, and diet is among them. Diets rich in processed carbohydrates cause the body to experience wild changes in sugar levels due to the impact these foods have on the bacteria in the digestive system. Therefore, adhering to a keto diet is sometimes an effective way of dealing with acne.
3. Weight Loss
This diet requires that users cut their carb consumption considerably. In fact, this approach has been proven to cause faster weight loss as it promotes faster water loss in the body. Besides, the keto diet forces the body to use fat as a fuel source instead of carbs. However, fats require more energy to be prepared for this role, which adds to the weight loss benefits this diet has to offer.
4. Better Brain Function
The keto diet has plenty of benefits for the brain. In fact, the diet has been used in the past to treat cases of epilepsy given the significant effects it has for the brain. In general, the diet has been shown to improve memory, cognition, and even lower the incidence of migraines and seizures. In fact, the diet has been proven to be beneficial to individuals suffering from degenerative mental problems such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
5. Treatment of Diabetes
Keto diets are so effective at controlling the body’s blood sugar levels that people on diabetes medication have been able to avoid taking any medication after choosing to follow this diet. The diet helps to reduce blood sugar levels and also keep them under control. However, people who intend to use the diet for this purpose should consult with their doctors first. The drop in blood sugar levels the diet brings with it often necessitates a reduction in the drug dosage to avoid dangerously low blood sugar levels.
6. Anti-aging Benefits
A keto diet helps to lower the oxidative stress on the body. This has the benefit of increasing a person’s lifespan. This diet makes the body lower its insulin production, and this means ketones are used as fuel in the place of carbohydrates.
7. Dealing with some Cancers
There is research indicating that keto helps deal with some forms of cancer. The research showed that this diet made the body more unfavorable for the flourishing of the cancer cells in addition to increasing the odds of survival. The diet is specifically useful to cancer patients whereby the cells mutate to consume greater amounts of sugar.
Summary
There are a lot of ways to describe the keto diet. So, if you find yourself asking what is the keto diet? Above are some factors that can better explain what it is about. The keto diet is a medical solution to many chronic health issues, and a proven pathway to better health.
