How A High Fat Ketogenic Diet Saved My Life By Jeff Cyr
Editor’s note: Jeff is not 100% Zero Carb. He does eat 10-15 grams of carbs per day from cucumber, radish, and spinach. He also consumes coconut oil which most Zero Carb practioners do not do because it it from a plant. Jeff’s diet is 85% fat from meat, butter, and coconut oil. He eats only 75 grams of protein per day. In spite of these differences from a standard Zero Carb diet, I felt his story was too inspiring not to share. May it reach those who most need to hear it. In Jeff’s words… I realize some of you here have already seen these pictures of me and have read my story before. My only intend in re-writing this short story on what a ketogenic diet has done for me is to maybe give hope to some of you out there that may think there is no way out of your current situation. To maybe show you that no matter how bleak your situation may seem right now that there is a way out. I realize that following a ketogenic diet may seem a bit extreme to some of you. Some of you may be here to try and find out more information on what exactly is a ketogenic diet and what can it really do for you. Hopefully once you have read this short story some of you may be willing to give this a try. And who knows some of you may even save your own lives the way I have saved mine. I firmly believe I was born with a pre-disposition to insulin resistance. I was always overweight as a child and at the age of 17 I weighed 345 pounds. We were always taught to eat a high carb based diet and to never eat fat or cholesterol. I went on many diets during a 30 year span I must have lost 100-130 pounds on at least six different occasions always regaining all what I had lost and a little bit more. Those of you that have seen pictures of Butter-Bob Briggs on his website were he has a picture of himse Continue reading >>
The Only Diet You Should Ever Consider (ketogenic Diet)
You are what you eat. If you feel like shit – that’s because you eat like shit. Lately (last 3-4 months) I’ve been running several experiments to find a diet on which I can perform optimally. I’m a big believer that health is one of the key ingredients for a better life; If your nutrition is in order, you’ll have more energy. If you have more energy, your brain functions better. If your brain functions better, you make better choices. Your life quality is the product of your choices. Better input, better output. Simple, right? There’s a lot of conflicting opinions on this topic, but I’ve finally settled on a diet that seems to work great. In this article I’ll go in-depth on the ketogenic diet. I’m convinced that a diet, high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbohydrates is optimal for (almost) anyone. If the whole world would switch to this diet, we’d see a dramatic decline in health expenses globally (+-500B/year) I’ll also be using a Color code in this article, like so: Difficult words that make me feel smart That will be all. —————————————————- What Is A Ketogenic Diet? A ketogenic diet is a diet that is high in fat, moderate in protein and low (or no) carbs. It’s based on the premise that humans were never designed to eat so much damn carbs. In the paleolithic era, carbohydrates were only available seasonally. To supply food for a constantly growing population, we’ve turned to (cheaper) mass production of corn, wheat, soy and other modified crops (crap(s)). This hasn’t only degraded the quality of grains but also the amount it represents in our diet. Literally turning the food pyramid upside-down since agriculture became the established norm. Grains are cheaper to produce and maintain, compared to Continue reading >>
Keep Yourself In Ketosis
When talking about a Grain Brain lifestyle, and the very similar ketogenic diet, it’s frequently mentioned that we are aiming to keep our bodies in ketosis. However, if you’re new to my work, it may be that you’re not exactly sure what ketosis is, or why we should be worrying about getting our body into this state. Allow me to explain. Ketones are a special type of fat that can stimulate the pathways that enhance the growth of new neural networks in the brain. A ketogenic diet is one that is high in fats, and this diet has been a tool of researchers for years, used notably in a 2005 study on Parkinson’s patients finding an improvement in symptoms after just 28 days. The improvements were on par with those made possible via medication and brain surgery. Other research has shown the ketogenic diet to be remarkably effective in treating some forms of epilepsy, and even brain tumors. Ketones do more than just that though. They increase glutathione, a powerful, brain-protective antioxidant. Ketones facilitate the production of mitochondria, one of the most important actors in the coordinated production that is the human body. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Our bodies are said to enter ketosis at the point when blood sugar levels are low and liver glycogen are no longer available to produce glucose as a fuel for cellular energy production. At this point, not only is the body doing the natural thing, and burning off fat, it’s also powering up the brain with a super efficient fuel. We can jump start ourselves into ketosis with a brief fast, allowing our body to quickly burn through the carbs that are in our system, and turn to fat for fuel. A ketogenic diet is one that derives around 80% or more of of its calories from fat, and the rest from carbs and prote Continue reading >>
A New Life With A Keto Diet
If your muscles can’t use stored glycogen, is it then a good idea to eat a high-carb diet to compensate for this? Or can a keto diet help treat these rare glycogen storage diseases? Dr. Stacey Reason studies McArdle’s disease, one such disease, and she herself has been symptom-free on a ketogenic diet. Here she talks about the massively positive impact on everyday life a low-carb diet can have for this condition. Watch a part of the interview above (transcript). The full video is available (with captions and transcript) with a free trial or membership: A new life with a keto diet – Dr. Stacey Reason Join free for a month to get instant access to this and hundreds of other low-carb TV videos. Plus Q&A with experts and our awesome low-carb meal-plan service. Continue reading >>
A Comprehensive Beginner's Guide
What is a Keto Diet? A keto diet is well known for being a low carb diet, where the body produces ketones in the liver to be used as energy. It’s referred to as many different names – ketogenic diet, low carb diet, low carb high fat (LCHF), etc. When you eat something high in carbs, your body will produce glucose and insulin. Glucose is the easiest molecule for your body to convert and use as energy so that it will be chosen over any other energy source. Insulin is produced to process the glucose in your bloodstream by taking it around the body. Since the glucose is being used as a primary energy, your fats are not needed and are therefore stored. Typically on a normal, higher carbohydrate diet, the body will use glucose as the main form of energy. By lowering the intake of carbs, the body is induced into a state known as ketosis. Ketosis is a natural process the body initiates to help us survive when food intake is low. During this state, we produce ketones, which are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver. The end goal of a properly maintained keto diet is to force your body into this metabolic state. We don’t do this through starvation of calories but starvation of carbohydrates. Our bodies are incredibly adaptive to what you put into it – when you overload it with fats and take away carbohydrates, it will begin to burn ketones as the primary energy source. Optimal ketone levels offer many health, weight loss, physical and mental performance benefits. Make keto simple and easy by checking out our 30 Day Meal Plan. Get meal plans, shopping lists, and much more with our Keto Academy Program. Looking for Something Specific? There are numerous benefits that come with being on keto: from weight loss and increased energy levels to therapeutic medical appl Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet: Does It Live Up To The Hype? The Pros, The Cons, And The Facts About This Not-so-new Diet Craze.
If you believe the buzz, ketosis — whether via the almost-zero-carb ketogenic diet or via ketone supplements— can curb appetite, enhance performance, and cure nearly any health problem that ails you. Sound too good to be true? It probably is. Want to listen instead of read? Download the audio recording here… ++++ Wouldn’t it be awesome if butter and bacon were “health foods”? Maybe with a side of guacamole and some shredded cheese on top? “I’m doing this for my health,” you could purr virtuously, as you topped your delectably marbled, medium-rare steak with a fried egg. Well, many advocates of the ketogenic diet argue exactly that: By eating a lot of fat and close to zero carbohydrates you too can enjoy enhanced health, quality of life, performance, brain function, and abs you can grate that cheese on. So, in this article, we’ll explore: What are ketones, and what is ketosis? What, exactly, is a ketogenic diet? What evidence and scientific research supports the ketogenic diet? Do ketone supplements work? Is the ketogenic diet or ketone supplementation right for me? How to read this article If you’re just curious about ketogenic diets: Feel free to skim and learn whatever you like. If you want to change your body and/or health: You don’t need to know every detail. Just get the general idea. Check out our advice at the end. If you’re an athlete interested in performance: Pay special attention to the section on athletic performance. Check out our advice for athletes at the end. If you’re a fitness pro, or interested in geeking out with nutritional science: We’ve given you some “extra credit” material in sidebars throughout. Check out our advice for fitness pros at the end. It all started with the brain. If you’ve called Client Care at Pr Continue reading >>
My Ketogenic Life: Year One
On February 24, 2013, I weighed in for the beginning of a little experiment. About four months after learning I have a grade two brain tumour, I’d finally marshalled my mental resources and done some reading. I also made use of the expertise of a few valued coworkers and friends who are cancer and metabolic health researchers. I basically tasked a couple of these fellows with doing some reading for me, and telling me the stuff I needed to know, but nothing negative that was not actionable. I found I needed that small degree of shielding from the internet. I learned that there is a lot of good research out there that builds on foundational work done in the 1920’s by Nobel laureate Otto Heinrich Warburg, now referred to as the Warburg Hypothesis. Essentially, Warburg observed that a key difference in cancer cells compared to normal cells is that the way they generate energy for growth and reproduction is altered, replacing the way normal cells use oxygen, with fermentation of sugar. Although Warburg won a Nobel prize, much of his work was set aside as not causal of cancers, but perhaps just a side-effect. Also, in the 80’s and 90’s, we saw the rise of genomics and the Human Genome Project, which held a sexy promise of curing disease through the unravelling of the secrets of the genetic code of life. In recent years, interest in Warburg’s work has been renewed, including research on cancer as a metabolic disease. I’ve referred before on this blog to the work of Dr. Thomas Seyfried of Boston College, which is really the key information I found online that pointed me in the direction of the ketogenic diet. It was this presentation from Dr. Seyfried that set me feverishly to work trying to understand the ketogenic diet and whether it was something I could reasonab Continue reading >>
Your Guide To A Low Carb Whole Food Life
Upgrade your low carb diet with whole foods. Several years ago, I suffered from vertigo, the resulting anxiety that goes with it, fatigue, and like most of us who begin the journey to ketosis – I was overweight. After months of research into ketosis diet plans, the ketogenic diet itself, good fats, and the connection between sugar and cancer, I decided to dive into it. Within the first 24 hours of eliminating sugar and most carbohydrates, my vertigo was noticeably less and in turn, so was my anxiety. That first night I had so much excess energy that I emptied all my cabinets, cleaned and organized them. By the end of 30 days, my vertigo and anxiety was almost non-existent and I had lost 20lbs. That’s my short story. It hasn’t been a perfect journey, and I’ve fallen off the wagon plenty, but there’s one thing I always know: if I want to feel better, I need to eliminate sugar and carbs from my diet. And the best part: it’s easy. And it works fast. And every time you need to get back up – you need to start from scratch. That’s what Keto Life is for – starting over, or just starting in general. BONUS: When you purchase Keto Life, you get direct access to me, so you can email me with any questions you have along the way. Whether you’re using the ketogenic diet to lose weight, lean up, reduce anxiety, fight a nasty disease or just feel lighter and gain energy, this guide I’ve been writing for three years will be an invaluable resource to you. With that in mind, you should probably know that I do keto a little differently. I focus hard on good fats, veggies, and sneaking in fruits when I can. You’ll find that the recipes and tips in this handbook are often paleo-friendly and use whole foods whenever possible. In Keto Life you’ll discover: All of the m Continue reading >>
Effects Of A Ketogenic Diet On The Quality Of Life In 16 Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Pilot Trial
Go to: Abstract Tumor patients exhibit an increased peripheral demand of fatty acids and protein. Contrarily, tumors utilize glucose as their main source of energy supply. Thus, a diet supplying the cancer patient with sufficient fat and protein for his demands while restricting the carbohydrates (CHO) tumors thrive on, could be a helpful strategy in improving the patients' situation. A ketogenic diet (KD) fulfills these requirements. Therefore, we performed a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of a KD and its influence on the quality of life of patients with advanced metastatic tumors. Sixteen patients with advanced metastatic tumors and no conventional therapeutic options participated in the study. The patients were instructed to follow a KD (less than 70 g CHO per day) with normal groceries and were provided with a supply of food additives to mix a protein/fat shake to simplify the 3-month intervention period. Quality of life [assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 2)], serum and general health parameters were determined at baseline, after every two weeks of follow-up, or after drop out. The effect of dietary change on metabolism was monitored daily by measuring urinary ketone bodies. Results One patient did not tolerate the diet and dropped out within 3 days. Among those who tolerated the diet, two patients died early, one stopped after 2 weeks due to personal reasons, one felt unable to stick to the diet after 4 weeks, one stopped after 6 and two stopped after 7 and 8 weeks due to progress of the disease, one had to discontinue after 6 weeks to resume chemotherapy and five completed the 3 month intervention period. These five and the one who resumed chemotherapy after 6 weeks report an improved emotional functioning and less insomnia, while several other parame Continue reading >>
- A Website to Promote Physical Activity in People With Type 2 Diabetes Living in Remote or Rural Locations: Feasibility Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
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- Ketogenic Diet Aids Weight loss, Diabetes, Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis: Keto Starves Cancer
How Long Can You Stay In Ketosis Safely?
Are you looking for a diet for weight-loss or fat-loss? If so then you might be interested in ketosis. The question is whether you can stay on it permanently. That’s because it’s critical for any ‘diet” to become part of your everyday life and eating habits. It’s important to first understand what it is all about. It’s a natural state of the human body when it’s fueled almost 100% by body fat. This state takes place during a low-carb or “keto” diet as well as during fasting. It’s important to understand how this process is related to fat loss. The term originates from the fact that the human produce produces tin fuel molecules known as “ketones.” When the body doesn’t have enough blood sugar/glucose it gets energy from this source. The body produces chemicals when it gets a very low supply of carbs and a moderate amount of protein. The liver’s fat produces ketones then the body and brain use it for fuel. The process is especially important for the brain since the organ can only run from glucose/ketones. Medical research shows that early humans probably experienced the state very often. The reason is that hunter-gatherer societies ate a high-meat diet and had less access to carbohydrates than modern humans. As a result human bodies evolved so they could get energy from fat even though it mimicked starvation mode. Today there are various reasons why people use the ketogenic meal plan. Some of the most common ones are to lose weight or control epilepsy. The firm supporters point out the health benefits of the diet but others note that it’s a dangerous “hack” of the body’s regular metabolic system. These are the benefits to this process: Less eating due to no appetite More fat loss from abdominal cavity Lower blood sugar/insulin levels Lo Continue reading >>
Life On Keto – What To Expect On A Ketogenic Diet
A Ketogenic diet when done correctly, is a very simple and effective tool for fat loss and muscle gains. If you are unsure what a Ketogenic Diet is, check out my introduction post to Ketogenic dieting here. Speaking from experience of being on a personally modified Ketogenic diet for almost two years, I am going to enlighten you as to what you can expect when you undertake the low carb, high fat lifestyle. THE GOOD 1. Increased Testosterone Keto, when done correctly, and by correctly I mean eating a large quantities of meat, restricting carbs to under 30 – 50g per day and making sure you get a decent serve of veggies every day, you’re going to be naturally boosting your testosterone levels, and will notice that you will start feeling more and more awesome as time goes on. Cholesterol is a precursor for testosterone production and you should be eating a lot of cholesterol rich foods on Keto. When your body isn’t dealing with inflammation caused by the ignorant abuse of carbohydrates, you’ll notice that your blood work will improve from eating cholesterol rich foods (it’s the carbohydrates that cause the unhealthy levels), which is largely responsible for increasing your test levels. High testosterone will result in you becoming: More aggressive Stronger Smarter Leaner Happier More physically attractive More sexually aggressive and desirable More disciplined More awesome in all regards If you do Keto correctly and your testosterone levels will shoot through the roof. 2. Mental Focus When your brain is using ketones for fuel, you can literally feel the difference If you have ever successfully applied Ketogenic dieting before, you probably would have noticed an improvement in your mental focus. That’s because your brain operates much more effectively on ketones Continue reading >>
- Ketogenic Diet Aids Weight loss, Diabetes, Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis: Keto Starves Cancer
- The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus
- A diabetes diet for people who have tried everything else: this diet will change your life
