Low Carb Diets And Breastfeeding
High protein, low carbohydrate diets like the Atkins diet and the South Beach diet are very popular. These diets can be helpful for diabetics and people with gluten intolerance. In these diets, protein and high fat foods are not restricted; vegetables are limited. The main difference between Atkins and South Beach seems to be that the South Beach diet is less structured and emphasizes eating healthier, mostly unsaturated fats. The primary objections I’ve seen to these and similar diets — and this applies to everyone, not just nursing mothers — is simply the fact that they are not balanced and thus have the potential to make you feel unwell. These diets tend to be low in phytochemicals, antioxidants and folic acid. They also tend to be low in fiber and minerals (including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus & potassium), and the Atkins diet may be high in saturated fats. Because of this, long-term adherence to these diets may increase your risk for various health problems. Since some of the weight loss from these diets is simply due to water loss, dehydration is a risk if the dieter is not careful to drink plenty of water. Some moms have found that very low carb diets decrease milk supply. Going off the diet generally brings milk volume right back up again. This decrease in milk supply may be due to several factors: Dehydration. The sudden decrease in calories when mom goes on the diet. If a woman is used to a certain level of calories, an abrupt drop due to dieting (or illness) may reduce her milk supply. This sudden decrease in calories can tell mom’s body that she is in “starvation mode” and to conserve on all fronts (thus less of her body’s resources go into making milk). Insufficient caloric intake. With a low carb diet, many people are not nearly as hungry Continue reading >>
Babies Thrive Under A Ketogenic Metabolism
Some people, even some scientists who study ketogenic metabolism, have the idea that ketogenesis is somehow abnormal, or exceptional; an adaptation for emergencies only. We disagree. One reason we think a ketogenic metabolism is normal and desirable, is that human newborns are in ketosis. Despite the moderate sugar content of human breast milk, breastfeeding is particularly ketogenic. This period of development is crucial, and there is extensive brain growth during it. Although the composition of breast milk can be affected by diet [1], it is reasonable to assume that breast milk has always been ketogenic, and this is not an effect of modernisation. When the brain is in its period of highest growth, and when the source of food is likely to be close to what it evolved to be for that period, ketones are used to fuel that growth. If nothing else, this suggests that learning is well supported by a ketogenic metabolism. It is also consistent with the ability of ketogenic diets to treat a variety of seemingly unrelated brain disorders and brain trauma. Newborn infants are in ketosis. This is their normal state. Breastfeeding is particularly ketogenic (compared to formula feeding). Breastfeeding longer (up to a point) is associated with better health outcomes. This suggests the hypothesis that weaning onto a ketogenic diet would be healthier than weaning onto a high-carb diet. (Mark-up ours) Human babies are in ketosis Soon after birth, human babies are in ketosis, and remain so while breastfeeding [2]. They use ketones and fats for energy and for brain growth. When this has been studied, in the first couple of hours after birth, babies aren't immediately in ketosis. There is a short delay [3]. During that brief period before ketogenesis starts, lactate (confusingly not to do Continue reading >>
Newborn Hypoglycemia And Breastfeeding
What is Hypoglycemia? “Hypoglycemia" is another name for “low blood sugar". Glucose is the body’s main fuel source. Your liver takes the carbohydrates you eat and turns it into glucose; the glucose is then sent into your blood stream and provides energy to the body. When the body’s blood glucose is low, it is called hypoglycemia. While a baby is in utero, he/she is continuously receiving glucose through the placenta. The baby will store some of this glucose as glycogen in the liver for after birth. This glycogen usually only lasts about 12 hours, in which time the baby will start producing his/her own glucose from the milk consumed. There is always a normal drop in blood sugar levels 1-2 hours after birth, this is as a result of the baby adapting outside the womb. It is important to get a second opinion on the diagnosis of hypoglycaemia in a baby. While one doctor may say that a baby has hypoglycaemia, another may say something different. Some babies may show low blood sugar levels, but may have absolutely no symptoms. Severe newborn Hypoglycaemia can deny the brain from fuel and cause seizures and even brain damage. Should a Hypoglycaemic Baby Breastfeed? Yes, in fact, it is really beneficial for a baby with Hypoglycaemia to breastfeed. Why? Breastfed babies produce more Ketones than formula fed babies. These ketones can be used as brain fuel. Breastfed babies can therefore tolerate lower levels of glucose without developing clinical symptoms. Interesting fact ~ Breastfed babies usually have a lower blood sugar level than their formula-fed counterparts. This is not an indication of a problem, but caregivers often take the physiology of artificially fed babies as “normal". What are the Newborn Hypoglycemia Symptoms? A high pitched cry. Weakness and fatigue. Si Continue reading >>
Breastfeeding And Banting: Is It Safe To Eat A Lchf Diet?
Breastfeeding and Banting: Is it safe to eat a LCHF diet? On this episode of The Ask Prof Noakes Podcast we address two concerns surrounding breastfeeding. Prof. Tim Noakes chats about what you should be eating for the benefit of the baby and how much of it you should be eating. Today we have got two separate questions but it is on the same topic. The first one was submitted by Kim and she wanted to know is it safe to be on a low carb high fat diet or the Banting diet and be breastfeeding. She wants to know, are ketones harmful to her baby’s health and will it affect her milk supply? The second question came from Christa and she wants to know is there special things you can do when breastfeeding, she said that her daughter has started follow the LCHF diet recently but she is feeling faint an hungry and the baby is still quite small, only eight weeks old? Prof Tim Noakes: Let us get to Kim’s question. Firstly, if babies were not able to metabolise ketones, they would all be dead because they would all die within a few hours of being born and before they are fed, so the ketone response is critical to our survival. Can infants metabolise ketones? Infants, when they are born, are ketotic and they burn ketones until they start getting fed which takes some hours as you can imagine so the fact that you might give the child a little bit of ketones in the breast milk is really unimportant. Ketones are one of the best foods there is, one of the best foods for the brain and for the muscles that there is. She need not worry about that. If her milk supply is struggling because she is on the Banting diet and she knows it absolutely is the case, then she needs to address that question, perhaps eat a bit more carbohydrate but that is not a common complaint. Many people will normall Continue reading >>
Is Safe While Pregnant And/or Breastfeeding?
KETO//OS is quite safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. It is recommended to choose the caffeine free Keto//OS and drink plenty of water. Ketones naturally exist in the body, and are created as a normal process of fat metabolism. KETO//OS simply provides these ketones from an exogenous source, but they have the same beneficial impact. However, if you suffer from any medical conditions, it is always safe to consult your health care provider prior to starting any new nutritional supplement. Continue reading >>
Is It Safe To Follow The Banting Diet While Breastfeeding?
Not all moms bounce back to their pre-baby body. If you’re considering the banting diet made popular by professor Tim Noakes in his book The Real Meal Revolution, read on before embarking on this journey, especially if you are breastfeeding. Q: I’m following the Banting diet and am breastfeeding my baby. Can it affect my baby negatively in any way since I’m not consuming carbs? I’m also curious if any other diets could affect breastfeeding babies, for example mothers who are vegans or don’t consume dairy? Nutritional therapist Hannah Kaye answers: Unless you are avoiding all fruit, vegetables and grains, you are, in effect, still eating carbohydrates. A cup of broccoli contains roughly 6g of carbs and a cup of cauliflower contains roughly 5g. For that reason, following Banting does not mean you are carb free. It only means that you are grain free (and legume free). However, there are potentially two issues when following a low-carb diet while breastfeeding. The first is related to entering a state of ketosis. This is when the body does not have enough glucose for energy. Stored fats are then broken down for energy, resulting in a build up of ketones (produced when the body burns fat fuel) within the body. There is not enough research to say whether the ketones that are excreted into the blood and urine are also present in breast milk and, if so, at what levels these would pose a danger to the breastfed baby. The second issue is related to rapid weight loss, which is more than 0.5kg per week while breastfeeding. Gradual weight loss has not been found to affect the mother’s milk supply or the baby’s health, but rapid loss has been linked to a decrease in milk supply. Additionally, toxins are stored in body fat. Rapid weight loss increases the release of thes Continue reading >>
Pruvit Keto Os And Bio Max Review Best Fat Loss Ketone Supplement
0320SHARES Share to FacebookFacebookFacebookShare to PinterestPinterestPinterestShare to PrintPrintPrintShare to MoreAddthisMore Keto OS is a DRINK that puts your body into ketosis in 59 minutes or less, without changing your diet! Puts your body into FAT BURNING MODE! Pruvit KETO OS and Keto Max Review: Does KETO OS Work? Prüvit’s proprietary formula, KETO OS, has been researched, tested, and is doctor approved. It is the first natural consumer product on the market to provide elevated blood ketone levels to the body. Profession athlete’s body builders, and every day people are using our products for fat loss, muscle preservation, appetite suppression, increased focus, better sleep and more! You simply mix Keto OS with water and drink it, 1-2 times a day to benefit from the amazing effects of Ketones in your body. What is Keto? Pruvit – KETO OS Review Save 10% on your order today by choosing today and smart ship option! No coupon code needed, discount is automatically applied for you! Have Questions? Click live chat at the bottom of the screen! What are the side effects of KETO OS? I get asked that question a lot. I realize it’s because most supplements out there have nasty side effects and you are often miserable while taking them. Often, at the same time you are dieting and starving yourself while on those supplements. Restricting calories makes you tired, hungry, gives you mental fog and makes you CRANKY and HANGRY! This is why many fail. You are depriving yourself and that is not a normal lifestyle or a long term solution. You will eventually give up, and all that you accomplished will be lost. Many end up bingeing on bad foods because they starved themselves for so long, quickly gaining all their weight back that they lost. Keto OS is different because it Continue reading >>
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Breastfeeding A Baby With Type 1 Diabetes.
This was sent to me by Caoimhe who is mum to Lorcan who has type 1 diabetes . The support and information for parents and professionals about breastfeeding a baby who has diabetes is very poor as you will see in the piece below . Lorcan has just weaned in the last few weeks at the grand age of 2 years and 4 months. This is due to his wonderful mums determination to listen to her gut instinct . Breastfeeding is the norm for babies , mothers should not have to defend it. Breastfeeding a baby or infant with type 1 diabetes is not an issue....or at least it shouldn't be. But in my experience, the issue is lack of knowledge about and experience of breastfeeding from hospital staff (consultants, doctors and dieticians). Lorcan was 13 months old and breastfed when he was diagnosed. There is a history of type 1 diabetes in my family so it was just bad luck on his part that he got it. Apparently people who get type 1 are born with a defective 6th chromosome (according to new genetics research that was published in Time magazine recently). Initially the fact that Lorcan was breastfed wasn't an issue. The priority once he was admitted to the childrens hospital was to stabilise him. His blood sugar level was very high and he had ketones in his blood - meaning that because his pancreas wasn't producing insulin and converting the sugar to energy, his body had started to convert fat to energy. The ketone smell of his breath was what caused alarm bells to ring for me - as soon as I got it I just knew he had diabetes. We were in A and E for around 10 hours, with Lorcan hooked up to various drips and subjected to serveral examinations and tests. I lost count of the number of different hospital staff who saw him during that time but the one abiding memory I have is that every time someone Continue reading >>
Atkins For Breastfeeding Mothers
For new mothers, losing weight is probably the furthest thing from their minds and in my opinion, this is exactly as it should be. I think that in our culture mothers are sometimes expected to bounce back to ‘normal’ as though nothing has changed! In reality, everything has changed and you have a lot more important things to think about in those first few weeks or months. As well as getting to know your baby, establishing breastfeeding, adjusting your sleeping patterns and often your expectations you need to try to give yourself time to rest and recover. However, at some point when you feel ready to begin losing the baby weight and you have consulted with your doctor, the Atkins Nutritional Approach is an excellent choice. This is true no matter how you feed your baby but when breastfeeding there are some extra considerations so I’ll focus on these for this article. Won’t breastfeeding make me lose the baby weight? While breastfeeding certainly helps with losing the baby weight more quickly, it’s not a magic fix. Just as you cannot ‘out-train a bad diet’ you can’t ‘out-breastfeed a bad diet’ either! There are many many regular gym goers and marathon runners that are overweight proving that exercise alone will not make you lose weight. In the same way, it stands to reason that if your diet is not good, the extra calories needed for breastfeeding will not make you lose the baby weight either. Should I wait until the baby is weaned? Sometimes you may see the advice to wait until the baby is weaned before starting a diet. However the World Health Organisation say: “Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.” Obviously, the deci Continue reading >>
How Many Carbs To Eat When You're Breastfeeding And Following A Paleo Diet
To carb or not to carb? That is the question....it seems like I'm asked about carb levels all the time and when I received an email from a client about a suddenly low milk supply after starting a Paleo diet, I knew her story would probably resonate with lots of other gals. So, here you have it. My former (most wonderful client) is about 4 months postpartum. She started going to Crossfit mom's as a way of connecting with other women and it was the only program in town that made it easy for her to workout with her baby. Since the start of the new year, her Crossfit group decided to start a one month "Paleo Challenge". Of course, I support this kind of awesome nutritional reset ANYTIME, no challenge required, but I was thrilled to hear she was going to give paleo a good ol' college try. 10 days into the challenge, she had lost 6 lbs. She wasn't sleeping and neither was her baby, who previously slept through the night. She also noticed that her milk supply had significantly decreased. What was going wrong? Should she give in to the bread cravings that were taking over her life? I asked her to punch her nutrition into an online app (I usually recommend My Fitness Pal) which as it turns out, she already did (she's so smart). When she told me her macro's, I instantly knew what the problem was. Carbs were only making up about 20-25% of her diet. Not by choice, just by accident. This would explain the insane weight drop, often caused by rapid water loss when switching from a SAD diet where carb levels are anywhere between 50-60%. The most common mistake folks make when going Paleo is going too low carb by accident. While a Paleo diet is typically lower in carbs than the modern SAD, it isn't designed to be a "low carb diet". Going low carb can happen by accident when we replace t Continue reading >>
Low Carb Diet While Breastfeeding: Is It Safe For New Moms?
Carbs still have a bad reputation in the dieting world, so it’s not surprising that many new mothers think that cutting out carbs will help them lose the baby weight quickly. While there are many effective and healthy low-carb diets out there, they aren’t all safe for a breastfeeding mom. The biggest concern is that carbohydrate restriction could interfere with your milk supply, so let’s take a closer look at the risks and benefits to a low-carb diet while breastfeeding. The Potential Risks of a Low Carb Diet While Breastfeeding The La Lech League has done a good job identifying the risks of cutting carbs while breastfeeding. Here are some of their concerns: Restricting carbohydrates can cause a mother to lose weight rapidly, and rapid weight loss is generally not advised while breastfeeding. It could interfere with milk supply when taken to the extreme. Low-carb diets can put you into a state of ketosis, which means that ketones are potentially included in your breastmilk. Little research has been done on the impact of ketones on a growing baby, so this is a big reason most professionals recommend that breastfeeding mothers include healthy carbs like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in their meal plans. Dieters often increase the use of artificial sweeteners when cutting carbs. While there is no scientific proof that these sweeteners are dangerous while breastfeeding, many mothers choose to stay away from them. There are some natural sweeteners that are approved for a low-carb diet, so you may want to stick with those! The La Leche League also points out that low-carb diets are generally higher in protein and fat than is recommended for breastfeeding mothers, but they also point out that this isn’t a major concern. You do need protein while breastfeeding, a Continue reading >>
Low Carbohydrate Diets And Breastfeeding
Article written by Dr Susan Tawia, Manager, Breastfeeding Information and Research team, for the January 2017 health professional member eNewsletter. Low carbohydrate (carb), high fat diets continue to be popular and women of reproductive age are following them. They will often change their diet to a more ‘conventional’ one during pregnancy, but are often keen to return to a weight-loss diet, that they have had success with, after the pregnancy. So, what do we know about the effect of low carb, high fat diets on breastmilk composition and on the metabolism of the breastfeeding woman? The lack of research on this type of diet, and the possible effect on breastmilk composition, breastfeeding women and their infants, was highlighted by both breastfeeding experts and dietitians in 2004 (Heinig & Doberne, 2004; Wood & Hilldebrandt, 2004) at the height of the popularity of the low carb, weight loss diet advocated by Dr RC Atkins — the Atkins diet. Research on low carb, high fat diets has been undertaken, but surprisingly, only one study has been done. Mohammad, Sunehag, & Haymond (2009) looked at maternal breastmilk production, infant intake and maternal glucose metabolism and broadly looked at the macronutrients in breastmilk. Two moderate hypocaloric diets (1785 ± 22 kcal/day) were assessed in a cross-over design: seven, healthy lactating mothers and their infants were studied on 2 occasions in random order for 8 days separated by 1 to 2 weeks. On one occasion, the subjects received the low carb, high fat (LCHF, 30% of energy as carbohydrate and 55% as fat) and on the other occasion received the high carb, low fat diet (HCLF, 60% of energy as carbohydrate and 25% as fat). It is important to note that the amount of carbohydrates consumed during the LCHF was around 150 Continue reading >>
- How Low Can You Go? Expert Advice On Low Carb Diets and Diabetes
- The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus
- The interpretation and effect of a low-carbohydrate diet in the management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Breastfeeding While In Ketosis: Round 2
Since my baby has been growing great, no issues breastfeeding, etc, and I found myself trending lower and lower in my daily carb counts; I decided I was going into full-on Keto again. I tend to average between 20 and 40 carbs per day. After a couple of days with this limit, I noticed Natalie wanted to nurse practically all day long. It seemed like a small drop in supply, as expected. However, the very next day my letdowns seemed normal, and I got the usual breaks between feedings. If some one else is consuming a high carb diet and wants to make the change with younger babies (~4+ months old), I would recommend starting at 100g carbs per day, and cutting 5g each day and monitoring your supply as you go along. More important than carb count while breastfeeding is your water and caloric intake. Be sure to be constantly drinking water; if you feel thirsty then you are already a little bit dehydrated. If you are having trouble with your calorie counts, I highly recommend MyFitnessPal. Great, intuitive site (and love the app!) with an extensive food database. Above all else, I recommend going gradually into ketosis and calorie restriction while breastfeeding, especially if your baby is young, and if you are not at home with the baby for unlimited nursing during the potential conversion. Check out my previous posts on breastfeeding while in ketosis - Low Carb or Keto While Breastfeeding Keto and Breastfeeding Introduction Keto While Breastfeeding: Days 1-5 Keto and the Breastfeeding Diet TIPS Continue reading >>
Here’s What Research Says About Keto While Breastfeeding
Did you know that soon after babies are born they enter a natural state of ketosis? Yep, you read that right — research shows that newborn infants are in ketosis and remain in this normal, healthy state while breastfeeding[*][*]. Furthermore, research confirms that breast milk from healthy mothers is actually made up of 50-60% fat, and the cholesterol in breast milk supplies babies with almost six times the amount that most adults consume in their diets [*]. So, if babies are naturally born in ketosis and benefit from using fat and ketones for fuel, then why would it be an issue for a breastfeeding mother to follow a ketogenic diet/lifestyle? What Does the Research Say About Keto While Breastfeeding? Unfortunately, the current scientific literature surrounding the ketogenic diet and breastfeeding is extremely limited. However, one study performed in 2009 compared a low-carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet to a high-carbohydrate, low fat (HCLF) diet in breastfeeding women[*]. Results from this study showed the following: Regardless of the diet, daily breast milk production and daily infant breast milk intake remained the same. Neither diet had an effect on milk lactose or protein concentration; however, milk fat concentration and the energy content of milk were higher during the LCHF diet than the HCLF diet. Infants’ energy intake (kcal/day) was higher during the LCHF diet than during the HCLF diet. The estimated average maternal energy expenditure and the sum of maternal energy expenditure plus milk energy content were higher during the LCHF diet than during the HCLF diet. Based on these results, researchers concluded that breastfeeding mothers could lose more weight while consuming a LCHF diet than a HCLF diet without affecting milk production and still supplying the Continue reading >>
Your Brain On Ketones
The modern prescription of high carbohydrate, low fat diets and eating snacks between meals has coincided with an increase in obesity, diabetes, and and increase in the incidence of many mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. In addition, many of these disorders are striking the population at younger ages. While most people would agree that diet has a lot to do with the development of obesity and diabetes, many would disagree that what we eat has much to do with our mental health and outlook. I believe that what we eat has a lot to do with the health of our brains, though of course mental illness (like physical illness) has multifactorial causes, and by no means should we diminish the importance of addressing all the causes in each individual. But let's examine the opposite of the modern high carbohydrate, low fat, constant snacking lifestyle and how that might affect the brain. The opposite of a low fat, snacking lifestyle would be the lifestyle our ancestors lived for tens of thousands of generations, the lifestyle for which our brains are primarily evolved. It seems reasonable that we would have had extended periods without food, either because there was none available, or we were busy doing something else. Then we would follow that period with a filling meal of gathered plant and animal products, preferentially selecting the fat. During the day we might have eaten a piece of fruit, or greens, or a grub we dug up, but anything filling or high in calories (such as a starchy tuber) would have to be killed, butchered, and/or carefully prepared before eating. Fortunately, we have a terrific system of fuel for periods of fasting or low carbohydrate eating, our body (and brain) can readily shift from burning glucose to burning what ar Continue reading >>
