BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Why the Ketogenic Diet Works In more than 30 years of medical practice, I have dissected every diet that exists. I have measured, counted and calculated. I have examined things at the cellular level to see what does and does not work for weight loss. I have monitored, advised and worked directly with thousands of patients to help them get healthy and stay healthy. With the ketogenic diet we are not repeating the low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat program promoted in the Atkins diet. Rather, this diet (and lifestyle) is very different in that it is a low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, high-in-good-fat diet. The high proteins in the Atkins diet were actually converting to sugars, which undermined the whole point of the diet. The ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrate intake to usually below 50 grams a day or less, sometimes as low as 25 grams a day, which causes the liver to produce ketone bodies (a byproduct of free fatty acids being incompletely broken down in the liver). This, in turn, causes a shift in the body’s metabolism. Instead of burning sugar as its primary fuel, which is what you burn when you consume the daily recommended allowances of carbohydrates, your body begins to burn fat—and especially belly fat. Burning fat is the goal of every diet. But it usually cannot happen with a 45 to 65 percent of calorie intake from carbohydrates, which also typically unleashes a ravenous appetite so that any weight loss is usually not maintained. A diet high in carbohydrates, sugars and starches drives up blood insulin levels. Insulin is a fat storage hormone that programs your body to store fat. It also stimulates hunger. A ketogenic, low-carbohydrate diet causes insulin levels to remain low, which triggers a shift in your metabolism to burn fat (especially the dangerous belly fat). In addition, it also significantly decreases hunger and cravings! Wouldn’t it be nice to burn fat and not be hungry? Being in ketosis simply indicates that fat breakdown has been activated. Some say, “I read about ketoacidosis, and it’s not good.” True, but ketoacidosis is not the same as ketosis. Ketoacidosis is potentially fatal and is the result of very high blood ketone levels, which can occur in type 1 diabetics or rarely in type 2 diabetics who have destroyed most of their insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and require insulin. In ketoacidosis, patients have very high blood sugars and high ketone levels. Nutritional ketosis is a healthy metabolic state in which the blood sugar is normal and the ketones are low. In this state of nutritional ketosis, you are burning fat and controlling hunger and appetite. To see if you are in ketosis, simple and inexpensive urine ketone test strips (Ketostix) are used to measure the level of ketones in your urine. Pass the test strip through your urine stream, and after 15 seconds compare it to the color chart on the side of the bottle. If there are no ketones registering on the stick, it does not necessarily mean there are no ketones in your blood stream. It means that no excess ketones are being excreted yet. Urine Ketostix are the least expensive means for measuring ketones and if you have ketones in the urine, then you are absolutely in ketosis. The downside is that you cannot use this method for long-term ketosis, which is generally longer than three to four weeks. Once you become adapted to ketosis, ketones in the urine usually disappear. Some patients will show ketones in their urine after only a few days, while it may take a week or two for others, such as type 2 diabetics and prediabetics. But rest assured, when you limit your carbohydrate intake to 50 grams or less (25 grams) per day, you will go into ketosis and your body will begin burning fat rather than sugar. After three or four weeks, ketones may not show up in your urine, but you can also check ketones in the breath by using a ketone breath analyzer or you can check ketones in the blood. **** article concludes on next page **** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SAMPLE MEAL OPTIONS: FOR BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE •2 oz heavy cream •6 oz almond milk or 8 oz high-fat, low-sugar coconut milk •1 tsp non-sugar dark cocoa •1-2 tsp organic stevia •1 tbsp organic peanut butter, almond butter or macadamia nut butter •1 tbsp extra-virgin organic olive oil or extra-virgin coconut oil •1 scoop plant protein or 10-20 grams of protein powder (no sugar/2 grams or less of carbs) OMELET •3-4 eggs (including yolks) •tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, spinach •avocado •1-2 oz cheese •1 tbsp organic butter •1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil TOMATOES & SALMON •3-4 oz smoked wild salmon •3-4 oz mozzarella or 2-3 tbsp cream cheese •tomatoes, onions, pepper SEED BREAD •1-2 slices low-carb seed bread •2 tbsp organic butter, olive oil, nut butter or cream cheese FOR LUNCH / DINNER START MEAL WITH A LARGE SALAD •1-2 cups greens and salad veggies (no croutons) •3-4 tbsp olive oil and vinegar •3-6 oz meat of choice CHICKEN / TUNA SALAD SANDWICH •1-2 slices low-carb seed bread •chicken or tuna w/olive oil mayo •boiled egg •onions, celery, etc. •2-3 tbsp cream cheese •jalapenos LETTUCE WRAP •3-6 oz beef burger •lettuce, tomatoes, onions •1-2 slices organic cheese SOUP •Organic chicken or beef stock and all green veggies i.e. string beans, broccoli, asparagus, Chinese veggies, cauliflower NO beans, peas, lentils, noodles, rice, potatoes •2-4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil or 2 oz heavy cream, 2-3 tbsp organic butter or a combination •onions, cilantro, garlic, avocado •3-6 oz rotisserie chicken, organic beef chunks or hamburger STIR FRY •beef or chicken, 3-4 oz (women), 3-6 oz (men) •Chinese veggies (no starchy veggies) •Fry in extra-virgin olive oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, organic butter or organic ghee GRILLED HOT WINGS • 3-4 oz organic hot wings (organic skins are OK to eat) Dip in cold-pressed organic ranch or blue cheese dressing (from health food store). 22 : BVOV

• Cover