5 Ways Your Health Can Benefit From the Ketogenic Diet

seeds, eggs, avocado, salmon and oil on table - 5 Ways Your Health Can Benefit From The Keto Diet - Article by Dr. Tara Clapp, ND

5 Ways Your Health Can Benefit From the Ketogenic Diet

You’ve probably heard plenty about the keto diet, but do you know what the potential benefits are? The basic idea of the ketogenic diet is to get your body into ketosis (burning fat for energy instead of glucose). When this is achieved, lots of health benefits can start to occur and many of these are backed by science. Here are just 5 of the things that can happen when you start eating keto!

woman measuring her waist holding a salad bowl - Weight Loss - Benefit of Keto Diet

Healthy and sustainable weight loss

According to studies, people feel fuller and consume fewer calories when they’re eating a high fat, low carb keto diet. If you’re looking to lose belly fat in particular, low carb diets work really well for this.

The main reason for this is ketosis. When your body reaches this state, your blood sugar and insulin levels go down. If you’ve been holding onto any excess water, it’s likely that this will be released straight away. The initial weight you lose on the keto diet is often linked to this.

Beyond this, you’re training your body to use fat (and not glucose) for energy and to burn its fat stores as part of this. The end result? Instead of gaining extra weight, you’re much more likely to lose it and keep it off.

Most people find that they have far fewer cravings when they eat keto. A huge amount of this is because you’re just not hungry for snacks, as you’re eating plenty of fat and subbing out most of the carbs that are linked to unhealthy snacking. This is where eating keto has a big advantage over most other eating plans as it’s much more sustainable than the average “diet” and doesn’t massively restrict calorie intake.

woman dancing to music wearing headphones - More Energy - Benefit of Keto Diet

More energy

In the early days, some people experience a type of fatigue known as “keto flu”. Even though it feels like the flu, don’t worry, you’re not contagious! You can be feeling super tired, achy, and maybe even have a few sniffles, but once you settle into eating keto, most people notice that they have a lot more energy than before.

Moving away from sugar highs and the crashes that follow afterwards are a big part of this. One of the big benefits of the keto diet is stable energy levels, which don’t fluctuate throughout the day. This means that your energy levels can stay constant and don’t spike or crash.

blood pressure cuff - Heart Health - Benefit of Keto Diet

Heart disease risk markers can decrease

Have you heard of triglycerides? They’re fat molecules that are found in your bloodstream and they can be a risk factor for heart disease. Carbs can be a big culprit, especially if you’re not very active. Cutting back on carbs often leads to a big reduction in blood triglycerides whereas low fat diets can make them increase.

Cholesterol is another area that can improve on a low carb diet. Studies have suggested that you can increase your “good” HDL cholesterol by eating more fats. And guess what? You’ll consume plenty of these on the keto diet! There’s another factor involved here and this relates to the size of “bad” LDL cholesterol particles. Having bigger particles can mean a lower risk of heart attacks and this is more likely to be the case on a low carb diet.

Other research has also found that a keto diet can improve metabolic syndrome. This is a cluster of symptoms such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides that can make you more likely to develop cardiovascular problems and diabetes in the future.

In short, low carb diets can be a game changer in keeping you healthy and improving heart health in particular!

Head and Brain Mapping Sculpture - Better Cognition - Benefit of Keto Diet

Better Cognition

When you’re eating a lot of carbs, your blood sugar will be going up and down throughout the day. This makes it hard for your brain to focus well and it can have other cognitive effects too.

Take those carbs out of the equation and your body has a much more stable source of energy. It also paves the way for a clearer mind. If you’ve been struggling with “brain fog”, it could be down to your carb consumption.

Eating keto gets rid of carb related “brain fog” and can make you feel sharper and more focused. Mental clarity, memory, learning and recall are just a few of the cognitive functions that can improve on a keto-style diet.

Studies on rats have shown great promise for this and the results have extended to humans too. One study found that a keto diet can improve mild cognitive impairment, for example.

woman rubbing her temples - Treating Migraines - Benefit of Keto Diet

Treating Migraines

If you suffer from debilitating migraines, eating keto could be life changing. Several studies have found that it can improve symptoms and make you less dependent on pain relief. According to a study published in the Journal of Headache Pain, a keto diet is recommended for helping to prevent migraines. It’s thought that encouraging the body to get into ketosis reduces neural inflammation and that this has an impact on how many migraines develop.

Want to start keto?

If you are ready to get started on a ketogenic diet and reap the benefits, join me! I have put together a 6 week program, KickAss Keto, that gives you all the tools and information you need to be successful: 6 weeks of menu plans and grocery lists, exercise manual, sweetener options, understanding the keto flu, keto swaps and substitutes, testing your ketones, and 12 educational videos!
Learn More or Enrol Now!

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17228046. The effects of a low-carbohydrate diet and a low-fat diet on mood, hunger, and other self-reported symptoms.
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1262445. Induction of hypertriglyceridemia by a low-fat diet.
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1386252. Effect of dietary fatty acids on serum lipids and lipoproteins. A meta-analysis of 27 trials.
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16424116. Carbohydrate restriction alters lipoprotein metabolism by modifying VLDL, LDL, and HDL subfraction distribution and size in overweight men.
5. https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-2-31. Carbohydrate restriction improves the features of Metabolic Syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome may be defined by the response to carbohydrate restriction
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21130529. Dietary ketosis enhances memory in mild cognitive impairment.
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3620251/ Short term improvement of migraine headaches during ketogenic diet: a prospective observational study in a dietician clinical setting.

In Health & Happiness
Dr. Tara Clapp, ND
Dr. Tara Clapp, ND

Dr. Tara Clapp, ND

Naturopathic Doctor Focusing on Anti-aging and Hormone Optimization

Dr. Tara Clapp, ND is a Board-certified Naturopathic Doctor and leading authority on Anti-Aging & Bio-Identical Hormones. Dr. Clapp, ND has taken numerous courses to advance her knowledge and has received certifications in Intravenous Nutrient Therapy, Mesotherapy & Injection Therapy for Anti-Aging  & Pain Management, as well as First Line Therapy Weight Management.

Dr. Tara Clapp, ND uses specialized, leading-edge laboratory testing for better diagnostics & health.  Dr. Tara Clapp, ND has special interests in anti-aging, bio-identical hormone therapy, food and nutrition,  metabolic and hormone imbalances and digestive disorders.

Being a naturopathic doctor has proven to be an especially rewarding experience to Dr. Tara Clapp, ND as it allows her to take part in people’s transformation and realization of their health potential. Consequently, Dr. Tara Clapp, ND continually updates her skills through new courses and conferences, and uses this information to better her clients.

Dr. Tara Clapp, ND is  a dedicated and caring physician, taking personal interest in her clients’ health and life.

Dr. Tara Clapp, ND has a passion for self-development programs that push her beyond regular physical and mental performance.  Dr. Tara Clapp, ND enjoys practicing yoga and meditation, has a love of photography, and relaxes by scrapbooking and enjoying long walks with her dog.

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Dr. Tara Clapp, ND - Anti-aging and Hormone Optimization

Hi! I’m Dr. Tara Clapp, ND

I focus on anti-aging and hormone optimization.

As a naturopathic doctor, I help women achieve radiant skin, maintain an active lifestyle and have lots of energy to do what they want. But what I’m really passionate about is teaching women how to harness the power of nature to change their biology, hormones, and genetic expression so they can live happier and healthier lives and achieve their vision of their best self!

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