Ketogenic Diet
Tweet Ketogenic diets are very effective at achieving two common aims of diabetes control, lowering blood glucose levels and reducing weight What is the ketogenic diet? A ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet, considered to be when you eat a level of carbohydrate of around 30g of carbohydrates per day or below. This encourages the body to get its energy from burning body fat which produces an energy source known as ketones. The diet helps to lower the body's demand for insulin which has benefits for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Note that it is important that you speak to your doctor if you are considering following the diet as precautions may need to be taken before starting. How a ketogenic diet works On a ketogenic diet, blood glucose levels are kept at a low but healthy level which encourages the body to break down fat into a fuel source known as ketones. The process of breaking down or ‘burning’ body fat is known as ketosis. People on insulin will typically require smaller doses of insulin which leads to less risk of large dosing errors. The diet helps burn body fat and therefore has particular advantages for those looking to lose weight, including people with prediabetes or those otherwise at risk of type 2 diabetes. How to follow a ketogenic diet Based on the understanding that carbohydrate is the macronutrient that raises blood glucose the most, the primary goal of a ketogenic diet is to keep consumption lower than that of a traditional low carbohydrate diet with moderate protein and a very high fat content. This will determine the nutrient density of the ketogenic diet as well as how to follow it, as different foods will have different effects on insulin and blood sugar levels. Which foods to eat on a ketogenic diet There are a number of differen Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet And Diabetes
The ketogenic diet was originally developed almost 100 years ago to treat epilepsy. Nowadays, it is used as a nutrition plan by health-conscious men and women to optimize body composition and athletic performance. Recent research suggests that high fat, very-low carb diets have another benefit: They may help control glucose, triglycerides, insulin, and body weight in people with diabetes. The research below shows the ketogenic diet may be an effective tool you can use to manage symptoms of Diabetes, alongside exercise and medication. Cutting through the Fat: What is Diabetes? Before we get to research, we need to review some basic medical terminology. Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases in which the body has elevated blood levels its main energy source: a sugar called glucose. There are two reasons why this occurs. In some people, there is insufficient production of a chemical called insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that lower levels of glucose in the blood. People who suffer from low insulin levels have type I diabetes and they comprise approximately 5 to 10% of all diabetics. [1] Type I diabetes is usually inherited and type I diabetics usually have to inject insulin to maintain proper levels of blood glucose. The other 90% to 95% of people with diabetes are type II diabetics. [1] In this version, the body doesn’t produce enough insulin for proper function or cells in the body do not react to insulin and take in sugar from the blood. Type 2 diabetes is not inherited. However, lifestyle factors such as high body weight, poor exercise and eating habits all increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. [2] It can be managed by improving dietary and lifestyle habits and also using proper medication. [2] Diabetes results in a higher concentration of s Continue reading >>
Keto Diet And Diabetes: What You Need To Know
The Keto Diet and Diabetes: What You Need To Know. The road to diabetes is paved with marketing schemes that make Americans fat, and the pockets of the food industry even fatter. ~ This post contains affiliate links to help you find the products we use. The Keto Diet principles lay the foundation for a healthy, more balanced way of eating than the standard American diet could ever offer. Its emphasis is on using healthy carbohydrates in balance with high amounts of fat, and moderate protein makes our bodies well-fueled machines and helps equalize hormonal imbalances. This is in stark contrast to what most Americans eat on a daily basis. The average American eats tons of “affordable” processed foods that have hidden sugars and highly processed carbohydrates. We are bombarded with messages that support terrible choices for our bodies. Chances are good these are the biggest struggles you faced when you started looking into the keto diet. I know I did. I was overcome with fear at times because I just didn’t understand how everything I had ever been told about food could be a lie. Keto Diet and Diabetes: What You Need To Know Here are just a few marketing schemes that we have been brainwashed to believe are healthy: Low-fat foods Low-calorie foods Portion control 100 Calorie Packs Calories in equal calories out Burn calories to lose weight Sugar and fats should be eaten in moderation You need carbs to fuel your body If you work out, you need carbs to gain muscle Low carb diets are not sustainable Eggs are bad for you, just eat the whites Turkey bacon and ground turkey are better for you Whole wheat will help you lose weight, especially your belly fat You can work out in 5 minutes a day and lose weight Keto Diet and Diabetes: The Lies These lies have put most of us on t Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet And My Type 2 Diabetes
I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in October 2008. This morning and yesterday morning my fasting blood sugar was 86. That is a non-diabetic fasting blood sugar. If you have Type 2 Diabetes, the likely answer to curing/controlling it is a high fat, low carb, ketogenic diet and lifestyle. I consider myself cured, but I know there are people out there who don’t like me saying that. To them I say, “Too bad.” My doctor told me that in my current state there is no way, no how that I would be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, so therefore I consider that cured. I began this way of life on March 3, 2014 and by early May 2014 I was off the diabetes medication I was taking, which was 1000 mg of Metformin per day. Initially, upon going off the meds, my blood sugars went up a little for about a week, but then gradually came back down when my body realized it could do the job it needed to do. I have been off the meds for 13 months. I do not poison my body or feed that disease with the food I eat. I eat real food. I eat food that has ingredients I can pronounce. I don’t eat processed food (the packaged high carb sugar laden “food”). I don’t eat artificial sweeteners anymore (although there may be an exception from time to time in a low carb baked good). I don’t eat Atkins bars/Quest bars or shakes anymore. I stick with eggs, bacon, meat, veggies, cheese (I have cut back on that too), nuts and berries very sparingly. I put butter and good oils on my food. I use salt. Let’s take a look at what the ADA says I should eat: Whole grain breads, such as whole wheat or rye whole grain Cereal Oatmeal Grits, hominy or cream of wheat Rice Pasta Tortillas Cooked beans and peas Potatoes Corn Sweet potatoes Winter squash Low-fat crackers Low-fat snack chips Low-fat pretzels Light Continue reading >>
Low Carb Guide To Healthy Eating With Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease that has reached epidemic proportions. It currently affects over 400 million people worldwide (1). Although diabetes is a complicated disease, maintaining good blood sugar control can greatly reduce the risk of complications (2, 3). One of the ways to achieve better blood sugar levels is to follow a low-carb diet. This article provides a detailed overview of low-carb diets for managing diabetes. What is Diabetes, and What Role Does Food Play? If you have diabetes, your body cannot process carbohydrates effectively. Normally, when you eat carbs, they are broken down into small units of glucose, which end up as blood sugar. When blood sugar levels go up, the pancreas responds by producing the hormone insulin. This hormone allows the blood sugar to enter cells. In healthy people, blood sugar levels remain within a narrow range throughout the day. In diabetes, however, this system doesn’t work the way it is supposed to. This is a big problem, because having both too high and too low blood sugar levels can cause severe harm. There are several types of diabetes, but the two most common ones are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Both of these conditions can be diagnosed at any age. In type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune process destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Diabetics must inject insulin several times a day to ensure that glucose gets into the cells and stays at a healthy level in the bloodstream (4). In type 2 diabetes, the beta cells at first produce enough insulin, but the body’s cells are resistant to its action, so blood sugar remains high. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, attempting to bring blood sugar down. Over time, the beta cells lose their ability to produce enough insulin (5). Of the three nutrie Continue reading >>
Best Ground Beef Taco Recipe (low Carb, Keto)
The best ground beef taco recipe for low carb Taco Bell style tacos, uses an easy homemade taco seasoning and cheese taco shells. At net 5 carbs each, they’re perfectly keto and gluten free, too. If you’re like me, a crunchy taco hits the spot when Mexican food cravings hit! I was thrilled that my family enjoyed this easy ground beef taco recipe as much as I did. Since the taco shells were already made, the meal came together in 20 minutes – faster than take out! Low carb Taco Bell? You betcha! Best Ground Beef Taco Recipe Many Americans grew up eating tasty ground beef tacos at home for Taco Tuesdays; you know the kind that resemble those from Taco Bell with the crunchy yellow corn taco shells, seasoned ground beef, lettuce and tomatoes. An easy taco recipe made with ground beef and a seasoning packet, it was a staple of my childhood. Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Meal Plan (with Recipes & Grocery List)
Ketogenic Meal Plan (With Recipes & Grocery List) This Ketogenic Meal Plan is simple, quick to prepare, and optimized with the right macro ratios already calculated for you so that all you need to do is make your meals. Each of the 4 meals in this meal plan take a total of 25 minutes or less, require minimal (if any) cooking, and taste amazing! If you dont want to read about how the meal plan works, CLICK HERE to jump straight to the ketogenic recipes. If you have diabetes and dont know if a Ketogenic Meal Plan is right for you, start by reading this comprehensive guide to The Ketogenic Diet and Diabetes . The meal plan has 4 daily meals with recipes that are exceptionally filling, and each meal is distributed equally in calories for maximum satisfaction. The reasoning for 4 meals rather than the usual 6 meals you find in other Diabetes Strong meal plans is due to the common appetite suppression brought on by a ketogenic lifestyle ( 1 ). When you eat a ketogenic diet , you switch your bodys fuel source to fat rather than the bodys usual source, glucose (1). From this fuel source switch, the hunger hormone, Ghrelin, is reduced which causes your appetite to decrease (1). Because of the reduction in appetite, it is easier to adopt an intermittent fasting approach or an approach that lessons unwanted eating behavior outside your desired hours (AKA curbs the late night munchies). Therefore, I recommend eating 4 bigger meals rather than 6 small meals on a Ketogenic Meal Plan. To make up for the 2 fewer meals, the 4 meals equally split the total calories (i.e. 400 calories +/- for each meal for a 1600 calorie meal plan). Therefore each meal is more fulfilling and eating 4 meals is far less time-consuming (think about it, you prepare 2 fewer meals each day). In this entire Ket Continue reading >>
Diabetes & Ketogenic Diet: Can You Manage Your Diabetes On A Ketogenic Diet?
In this article we will cover what a Ketogenic diet is and if you can manage your diabetes while on this diet. Ketogenic diet for diabetics is a highly controversial topic, but we will break down everything here for you! As a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), I have to tell you from the start I will have a biased view here. Sorry, but I feel that I need to be completely honest right up front! I will however, present all the evidence that is available currently on the subject. As a CDE, I have been taught to follow the American Diabetes Association Dietary Guidelines for Americans which is low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, with fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. The Ketogenic Diet this article will be discussing is much lower in carbohydrates, in order to promote the state of nutritional ketosis, or the fat burning state for weight loss. What is a Ketogenic Diet? The Ketogenic Diet is a low carbohydrate diet, consisting initially of less than 20 carbohydrates per day. Not per meal, yes, you heard me correctly, per day. It is not for the faint of heart and yes I am writing from experience. Of course I have tried it! Hasn’t everybody in America at some point who has wanted to lose weight? Does it work you ask? Of course it does! The problem is how long can you keep it up? Your body uses the carbohydrates you eat for energy, so if we restrict how many carbohydrates we eat, the body has to get its fuel source from fat. A byproduct of this fat burning state are ketones which are produced; this is called nutritional ketosis. You can determine if you are in this fat burning state by purchasing urine ketone testing strips from your local pharmacy. The Ketogenic Diet with Diabetes Some precautions must be made clear; this diet is not appropriate for people with any Continue reading >>
How The Ketogenic Diet Works For Type 2 Diabetes
Special diets for type 2 diabetes often focus on weight loss, so it might seem crazy that a high-fat diet is an option. But the ketogenic (keto) diet, high in fat and low in carbs, can potentially change the way your body stores and uses energy, easing diabetes symptoms. With the keto diet, your body converts fat, instead of sugar, into energy. The diet was created in 1924 as a treatment for epilepsy, but the effects of this eating pattern are also being studied for type 2 diabetes. The ketogenic diet may improve blood glucose (sugar) levels while also reducing the need for insulin. However, the diet does come with risks, so make sure to discuss it with your doctor before making drastic dietary changes. Many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, so a high-fat diet can seem unhelpful. The goal of the ketogenic diet is to have the body use fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or glucose. A person on the keto diet gets most of their energy from fat, with very little of the diet coming from carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet doesn’t mean you should load up on saturated fats, though. Heart-healthy fats are the key to sustaining overall health. Some healthy foods that are commonly eaten in the ketogenic diet include: eggs fish such as salmon cottage cheese avocado olives and olive oil nuts and nut butters seeds The ketogenic diet has the potential to decrease blood glucose levels. Managing carbohydrate intake is often recommended for people with type 2 diabetes because carbohydrates turn to sugar and, in large quantities, can cause blood sugar spikes. If you already have high blood glucose, then eating too many carbs can be dangerous. By switching the focus to fat, some people experience reduced blood sugar. The Atkins diet is one of the most famous low-carb, high-p Continue reading >>
Design A Diabetic Meal Plan
A successful diabetic meal plan is one that helps a diabetic patient avoid high blood sugar spikes, so that insulin needs are less, and blood sugar stays steady and at or close to normal ranges. Below I compare the ADA meal recommendations to a ketogenic recommendation and who what each meal does to blood sugar levels. The ADA Meal Recommendation Meal plans which don't support the goal of stabilizing and reducing blood sugar and insulin levels should be avoided. As an example, consider the meal plans suggested by the American Diabetes Association. The ADA website recommends guidelines for diabetics in designing a meal which put the carbohydrate level of each meal in the 60-75 grams per meal range. So what's wrong with ADA meal suggestions? The problem is they are too high in carbohydrate to maintain the blood sugar levels that the American Diabetes Association itself recommends for good health: A meal designed with ADA rules results in the consumption of about 60-75 grams of carbohydrate. At that single meal carb intake level, studies have shown that the post-prandial (after meal) blood sugar levels would average around 198 mg/dL. The ADA recommends that blood sugar measurements should be less than 170 mg/dl one to two hours after meals. Their own meal plan drives blood sugar almost 30 points above the level they recommend. In addition, this study demonstrates that ADA recommended foods such as "light yogurt" and potatoes would cause insulin levels to spike unnecessarily high. And here's a recent study in which the ADA diet is compared to a ketogenic dietary plan in a controlled trial. The people in the intervention group assigned to the ketogenic diet exhibited much better blood sugar control and reduce their HbA1c results, while the ADA group did not. A Better Diabeti Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet And Diabetes: The Definitive Guide
The Ketogenic Diet and Diabetes: The Definitive Guide The ketogenic diet has been around for a LONG time. Its popular. Its controversial. Some love it. Some hate it. Some even say it can help your blood sugars stay in better control. After thoroughly reviewing the scientific literature and trying the ketogenic diet myself for over 6 months, I am ready to unfold everything youve been hearing and let you decide for yourself what you think about the diet that has taken the world and diabetes community by storm. In this guide to the ketogenic diet and diabetes, I will cover the following: 7. Conclusion: Is a keto diet good for people with diabetes? This guide is relevant for people with any type of diabetes. I will mainly talk about insulin when I discuss how a keto diet affects blood sugar, but some studies also show a possible reduction in certain type 2 medications. Disclaimer: Please always consult with your medical team before you start a new diet, adjust your medication or change your diabetes management routine. Once upon a time, keto was the original diabetes diet prescribed to type 1 diabetes patients before the advent of insulin, as this would prolong their lives as it has less of an impact on blood sugar levels. More recently, Doctor Bernstein has popularized the keto diet for people living with diabetes in his book: Dr. Bernsteins Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars The ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet where you get only ~5% of your daily caloric intake from carbohydrates. By restricting your carbohydrate intake so severely, you force your body to get most of its energy from fat. A byproduct of this fat burning is the production of natural ketones in the body, hence the name of the diet. Burning ketones supplies the body with Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet And Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The immune system is a defence that guards the body against bacteria, fungi or parasites. A combination of genetics and an environmental (viral infection, vaccines, low levels of vitamin D, cows milk or increased insulin demand) trigger engages the immune system to attack and destroy the beta cells in the pancreas. After these beta cells are destroyed, the body is unable to produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes is the result of the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin. Type 1 diabetes can affect all age groups. Although the thought has been that type 1 diabetes appears during childhood, current research has found that adults are just as likely to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes; half of type 1 diabetics are diagnosed after age 30. ( 1 ) Yet, the rate of Type 1 diabetes in children, in the US, has increased by almost 60% in 11 years ( 2 ) and approximately 1 in 300 children in the US will be affected by type 1 diabetes by 18 years of age. ( 3 ) There are too many children who are effected globally. The highest rates are in northern Europe and in individuals of European decent. Men are more commonly affected in early adult life. ( 2 ) Data suggests the incidence of T1D has been increasing by 25% worldwide. ( 5 ) What Happens When Your Body Does Not Make Enough Insulin? Beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed by your own immune system resulting in too little or no insulin ( a hormone released by the pancreas ) produced. Without insulin, energy (sugar) from food cannot enter the cells. Instead of fueling the cells, this excess sugar circulates in the blood causing high blood sugar levels (also known as hyperglycemia). If there is no insulin to shuttle blood sugar into the c Continue reading >>
Does The Ketogenic Diet Work For Type 2 Diabetes?
You’ve probably seen dozens of headlines about the ketogenic diet by now, which has made its way into popular culture largely by celebrities and supermodels giving the long-standing fad diet a repeated stamp of approval. Is this the diet to follow if you have diabetes? Studies suggest the answer isn’t so simple. Some science shows its meal plan may be helpful, while other research, like one study published in September 2016 in Nutrients, highlights the importance of whole grains in the diets of people with diabetes — a restricted food category in the ketogenic diet. While the keto diet can offer many potential benefits for diabetes management, following it requires pretty serious commitment. So take a beat before you take the plunge — and consider these questions that can help you and your medical team determine if it’s right for you: How Does the Ketogenic Diet Work Exactly? There’s a good reason the ketogenic diet is also referred to as a low-carb, high-fat diet. Indeed, following the ketogenic diet means reducing carbohydrate intake to typically less than 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day, while increasing fat and protein intake, according to a review published in August 2013 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To put that into perspective, an individual on an average, non-restricted diet can easily eat more carbohydrates than that in one typical meal — for instance, a turkey, cheese, and veggie sandwich on whole-grain bread with a small, 1 ounce (oz) bag of classic potato chips would come in at around 51 g of carbs. These dietary changes drive down insulin levels, eventually leading your body into a state of ketosis, during which it is burning fat rather than carbohydrates. What Are Some of the Potential Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet for Continue reading >>
Can The Ketogenic Diet Treat Or Reverse Diabetes?
Can the Ketogenic Diet Treat or Reverse Diabetes? Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases in the country. In 2015, 30.3 million Americans (9.4% of the whole population) had diabetes and 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year[ * ]. These overwhelming statistics show that diabetes is a disease that must be addressed. Doctors from around the world can all agree that a healthy overall diet and consistent exercise regimen are the most effective natural solutions to prevent diabetes. But in the nutrition world, there is a lot of confusion as to which specific diet is best. Luckily, there is an overwhelming amount of research suggesting a low carbohydrate, high fat ketogenic diet may help ease symptoms of diabetes or, in some cases, eliminate it completely. In this article, well discuss the following: Before diving into the role of the ketogenic diet in diabetes, its important to understand how diabetes works and review some basic medical terms. Diabetes is a disease that can occur when your blood sugar is chronically too high[ * ]. Blood sugar (or blood glucose) is your bodys main source of energy and comes from the food you eat primarily carbohydrates. Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas. When you eat, glucose enters the bloodstream and insulin helps transport this blood glucose into your cells to be used for energy. When your body doesnt make enough insulin, or doesnt use it properly, sugar (or glucose) will remain in your bloodstream and wont reach your cells. Over time, you will build up excessive amounts of sugar in your bloodstream and develop diabetes. There are two main kinds of diabetes type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your immune system destroys the beta cells in your pancreas responsibl Continue reading >>
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The Ketogenic Diet And Type 1 Diabetes: What I Eat
I recently began writing about the ketogenic diet and type 1 diabetes in an attempt to optimize my blood sugar in relationship to athletic performance. This podcast episode can provide some additional perspective about how I arrived at the ketogenic diet for type 1 diabetes. It started with a low-fat plant-based diet and I have recently changed my approach (dramatically) to a Ketogenic diet (low-carb, high-fat). The results have been remarkable and I feel like this dietary approach is a worthwhile consideration for anyone who is in a position to optimize their diabetes management–or who just wants better energy with no “crashes” throughout the day. In case my standpoint isn’t obvious, let me clarify, there is no should or shouldn’t implied in my writing about this or any other diet. Some people eat pizza. Some people drink diet soda. Some never consume either–or do but always feel guilty. Still others know the drawbacks and act in moderation and feel great about it. My goal is to inform those who are interested in trying something new or just knowing what else is out there–not to persuade those who are happy with an already satisfactory approach. I wrote an eBook compiling my experiments with the ketogenic diet and type 1 diabetes which you can check out here: In my last blog I focused on the comparative results between the two diets, and this blog will hopefully answer the one major question I got–‘what do you eat on a daily basis?’ Not all low-carb diets are Ketogenic, but the Ketogenic diet is low-carb. In the coming weeks I will be sharing more about how my transition to this diet came together as well as mistakes I made along the way. I will also probably put up a post along the lines of “What is a Ketogenic diet?” although that is lower pri Continue reading >>
