macronutrients Archives - Amazing Health Advances

The Best Postnatal Vitamins for Mom and Baby

The AHA! Team — Fri, 17 May 2024 08:11:58 +0000

Christine Ruggeri, CHHC via Dr. Axe – You’ve likely read up on the importance of prenatal vitamins and how certain nutrients are needed in higher amounts during pregnancy, but did you know that the same is true even after you’ve given birth? Postnatal vitamins are used to ensure that new moms get the vitamins and minerals they need after giving birth. While eating a healthy, balanced diet is key or maintaining proper macronutrients and micronutrient levels, supplementing with the most important vitamins and minerals can support breastfeeding and recovery after giving birth. What Are Postnatal Vitamins? Postnatal vitamins provide the nutrients that women need during the postpartum period, after giving birth. While it’s important for women to maintain healthy levels of all macro- and micronutrients during this period, some vitamins and minerals play an important role in hormone balance, breast milk supply and healthy energy levels. Typically, a prenatal vitamin can be continued during the months after birth as well. Those nutrients are also needed during breastfeeding and the recovery phase. In essence, these vitamins are beneficial for women during their reproductive years. Best Postnatal Vitamins to Take The nutrients that are most important during pregnancy are also needed after delivery, especially for women who are breastfeeding. Here’s a breakdown of the most important vitamins and minerals for the postnatal period: 1. Iron Iron is an important nutrient during pregnancy and after birth. It helps prevent anemia, which can be exacerbated when a woman loses blood during delivery. If you have low iron levels and you’re taking a pre- or postnatal multivitamin, make sure it includes iron. If not, you can take a separate iron supplement for six to eight weeks after delivery or until your health care provider recommends stopping. The daily recommended intake of iron for women is 18–27 milligrams. 2. Calcium Calcium is needed for mom’s and baby’s bones, so getting enough while breastfeeding is important. Calcium is also needed for the circulatory, muscular and nervous systems to function properly. The recommended daily intake of calcium for pregnant and breastfeeding women is 1,000 milligrams. 3. Vitamin D Research indicates that efforts should be made to optimize vitamin D status in mothers during and after pregnancy to support healthy levels in the infant and mom. Not only do infants need vitamin D for healthy bones and teeth, but the nutrient also impacts women’s brain function, immunity, hormones and mood. Breastfeeding women should get about 600 international units (or 15 micrograms) of vitamin D per day. 4. Choline Choline is a nutrient that plays a role in nerve function, muscle movement, metabolism, energy and several other important body processes. The recommended daily intake for women who are breastfeeding is 550 milligrams of choline. 5. DHA Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential fatty acid that needs to be consumed in food or supplement form to maintain healthy levels. It supports infant development, and studies suggest that there are long-term benefits for infants with higher levels of DHA, including faster development of behavioral functions. Deficits in DHA may lead to learning impairments among infants. Babies get DHA through breast milk, so mothers need to make sure they get enough of the fat in food or supplement form. Breastfeeding women need between 300–900 milligrams of combined DHA and EPA (another omega-3 fats acid) per day. How to Take/Dosage Postnatal vitamins are taken after birth, typically for as long as you’re breastfeeding and your body is recovering from pregnancy. Speak to your doctor or midwife for usage and dosage recommendations for your body and lifestyle specifically. Postnatal multivitamins are available online and at health food stores. You can find them in capsule, gummy and powder forms. Look for a reputable brand, ideally with a USDA Certified Organic label and a full list of ingredients and dosage. If you’re going for a multivitamin, make sure to choose one that includes DHA. When you no longer need postnatal vitamins, you can switch over to a standard multivitamin to ensure that you maintain healthy levels of micronutrients, especially if your diet is lacking in certain areas. Food Sources The best way to maintain healthy levels of vitamins and minerals is by eating a diet rich in colorful, fresh foods, just like the pregnancy diet. Some of the foods that are highest in postnatal nutrients and should be incorporated into a woman’s diet after giving birth include: Yogurt Goat cheese Almonds Walnuts Broccoli Cauliflower Brussels sprouts Kale Spinach Swiss chard While beans Black beans Navy beans Chickpeas Split peas Lentils Wild-caught fish Organic poultry Grass-fed beef Cafe-free eggs Portobello mushrooms Pumpkin seeds Chia seeds Flaxseeds Women also need plenty of water during the postpartum period. Staying hydrated supports breast milk supply, energy levels and overall body function. Keep a water bottle close by throughout the day, and opt for drinking about 12–16 cups of water, depending on how often you nurse. Risks and Side Effects When it comes to getting enough micronutrients for optimal health, supplements aren’t a replacement for a healthy diet. They work best when taken as part of a balanced, healthy diet. Supplements can be used to cover any potential gaps in your diet. If you take any medications, check with your health care provider before using vitamin supplements. If you experience adverse reactions or side effects of a supplement, such as nausea, diarrhea, rash or flushing, discontinue use, and speak to your doctor. Conclusion Postnatal vitamins provide the nutrients that women need during the postpartum period, after giving birth. While it’s important for women to maintain healthy levels of all macro- and micronutrients during this period, some vitamins and minerals play an important role in hormone balance, breast milk supply, mood, brain function and healthy energy levels. Some of the most important nutrients during the post-birth period include iron, calcium, vitamin D, choline and DHA. You can get these vitamins and minerals from leafy greens, organic animal meat, dairy products, nuts and seeds, and legumes. Taking a postnatal supplement can help fill any gaps from your diet. To read the original article click here.

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11 Essential Nutrients Your Body Needs NOW

AHA Publisher — Mon, 25 May 2020 07:00:32 +0000

Rachael Link, MS, RD via Dr. Axe – With so much information circulating out there about nutrition, it can be challenging to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need each day. In fact, with some sources listing as many as 90 essential nutrients, following a balanced diet can quickly become overwhelming. However, getting all the nutrients you need doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, by just being mindful about a few specific nutrients, eating a healthy diet full of nutrient-dense foods can be pretty simple. Breaking it down into essential versus nonessential nutrients can help simplify and streamline your diet, making it easier than ever to achieve better health. But what are those nutrients, and what do nutrients do, anyway? Let’s take a look at the 11 essential nutrients your body needs, why and how to obtain them. What Are Nutrients? According to the dictionary, the official nutrients definition is “a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life.” This encompasses the broad spectrum of micronutrients, healthy fats, amino acids and other substances that your body needs to function, survive and thrive. Most of these are obtained through the things you eat, drink or supplement in your diet. However, this nutrients definition doesn’t differentiate between essential and nonessential nutrients. While there are thousands of specific nutrients, each with its own unique benefits and functions, there are a few specific nutrients that you should be especially mindful about incorporating into your day. And although there are technically six essential nutrients, there are certain healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that you should be sure to include in your diet as well. Essential Nutrients vs. Nonessential Nutrients So what exactly distinguishes an essential nutrient from a nonessential nutrient? There are six essential nutrients found in the body, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water, vitamins and minerals — with proteins, carbs and fats classified as macronutrients. These are the main classes of nutrients, which can further be broken down into specific micronutrients that are especially important for health. Essential nutrients cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained through other means while many nonessential nutrients can be both synthesized and absorbed from food. Cholesterol, for example, is needed to produce hormones and maintain the cell membrane, but it can be either obtained from food or produced in the body. Benefits Meeting your essential nutrient needs can come with major benefits in terms of your health. In fact, these nutrients are called “essential” for a reason. Without these crucial nutrients, vitamins and minerals, your body would not be able to function properly. Meeting your potassium needs, for example, helps your heart pump blood throughout your body, while calcium and vitamin D keep your skeletal framework strong and sturdy. Other important benefits that come with getting enough nutrients include improving your immune system, building muscle, keeping your heart healthy and staying hydrated — as well as sustaining life and keeping your body working efficiently. 11 Essential Nutrients 1. Carbohydrates Despite being demonized as “unhealthy” or “fattening,” carbohydrates are critical to the function of your body. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is the primary source of fuel for your body and brain. Not only do they provide energy for the body, but they also help stabilize blood sugar levels and preserve muscle mass by preventing the breakdown of proteins for energy. Plus, some of the world’s healthiest foods fall into the category of carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables, for instance, are incredibly nutrient-dense and loaded with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Even on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, you’re still taking in a few grams of carbohydrates here and there, making healthy carbs an important part of any diet. Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down, which can help you feel fuller for longer and keep blood sugar levels regular. Whole grains, vegetables and fruits are a few examples of healthy complex carbohydrates that can fuel your body and supply you with a megadose of nutrients. 2. Protein It’s no secret that protein is critical to good health. From forming muscle to creating new enzymes and hormones, getting enough protein in your diet is key. Proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids, which are composed of even smaller units called peptides. There are 20 types of amino acids, all of which are important. However, nine of these are considered essential amino acids because they can’t be produced by your body. The nine essential amino acids include: Histidine Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Valine While animal proteins provide adequate amounts of all essential amino acids, plant-based proteins are typically lacking in one or more. The best way to ensure adequate protein intake is to include a variety of protein foods in your diet, such as meat, eggs, dairy, nuts and beans. 3. Fat Much like carbohydrates, dietary fat has earned an undeservedly bad reputation because of its association with body fat. Fat is an essential nutrient that provides energy, boosts the absorption of certain vitamins and helps protect your organs from damage. Some types of fat are better than others, however. Trans fats, for example, are a type of fat found in processed foods, baked goods and shortening. This type of fat has been shown to significantly increase the risk of heart disease and should be avoided at all costs. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, can actually help protect the heart and aid in the prevention of heart disease. Healthy sources of fat include nuts, avocados, salmon, olive oil, flaxseed and nut butters. Including a few servings of these foods per day can help provide the fats your body needs and protect against disease. 4. Water The human body can survive for long periods of time without food. In fact, there have been case studies reporting on some extreme cases of people who have successfully gone without eating for 382 days under medical supervision with no negative side effects. Of course, I’d never recommend such extreme fasting — I simply point this out to highlight the importance of water. While you may be able to go without food for quite a while, even just a few days without water can be detrimental. Water accounts for a pretty big portion of the body, making up somewhere between 55 percent to 75 percent of your body mass. It plays an essential role in waste removal, digestion and temperature regulation and makes up a core component of every cell in your body. Dehydration can lead to symptoms like dry skin, dizziness, fatigue, a rapid heartbeat and even death if left untreated. In addition to the things that you drink, you also take in water through the foods that you eat as well. Fruits and vegetables, in particular, tend to have a higher water content and can help keep you hydrated. 5. Vitamins You’ve likely heard all about the importance of vitamins like folate, vitamin C and vitamin A, among others, so it should come as no surprise that vitamins make the list of essential nutrients. There are many different types of vitamins, each with its own specific function and role in the body, but all equally vital for maintaining optimal health. Vitamin A, for instance, is critical for the health of your eyes and skin, while vitamin K builds strong bones and is involved in blood clotting. There may be minute differences in the amounts of specific vitamins for men versus women, but in general, the essential vitamins that your body needs are: Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid and vitamin B12 The best way to get in all of these vitamins is to eat a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits. A multivitamin may also be useful to help fill in the gaps if you have a restrictive diet. 6. Minerals Much like vitamins, minerals are also important for helping your body function properly and stay healthy, and each comes with its own specific role. Iron, for example, is key to the production of red blood cells, phosphorus strengthens the bones and teeth, and magnesium is a crucial component of more than 300 reactions in the body. The minerals that your body needs include: Sodium Iron Potassium Calcium Chloride Magnesium Phosphorus Trace minerals These can all be obtained through food, so eating a nutritious diet can prevent deficiencies and make sure you’re getting the minerals that you need. 7. Calcium You probably know calcium as the most important nutrient for bone health, and that’s true. Although there are several nutrients that are key to building strong bones, over 99 percent of the body’s calcium is found in the bones and teeth. However, that’s not all calcium is good for. Calcium is also involved in muscle contractions, nerve function and the movement of blood throughout the body. Calcium is found naturally in dairy products, leafy greens, white beans, and certain types of fish like sardines and salmon. Including these foods in your diet is the easiest way to ensure you’re meeting your daily calcium requirements. 8. Sodium Although sodium receives a lot of negative attention for its association with high blood pressure, it’s actually incredibly important to health. Sodium regulates fluid balance and blood volume while also keeping your nerves and muscles working correctly. Of course, sodium should be included in moderation as excessive amounts can lead to high blood pressure in some people. The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day, which equates to about one teaspoon of salt. Sodium is found naturally in many foods, including seeds, nuts, vegetables, meats, grains and legumes. Intake of high-sodium foods like frozen and ultra-processed foods, salty snacks, and canned meats with added salt should be minimized. 9. Potassium Potassium is an essential electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance and blood pressure. It also is necessary for muscle contractions, heart health and regulating the pH level of your blood to prevent it from becoming too acidic. While most people instantly associate potassium with bananas, potassium is actually found in a wide variety of other vegetables and fruits as well. Spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, salmon and sweet potatoes are all other excellent sources of potassium. 10. Omega-3 Fatty Acids From optimizing brain health to preventing heart disease, omega-3 fatty acids are a vital component of many aspects of health. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that are considered an essential fatty acid. This means that, unlike other types of fatty acids, your body can’t synthesize omega-3 fats and needs to obtain them from food. Varieties of fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, are the best source of omega-3 fatty acids. These contain the active forms of omega-3 fats that can be easily used by the body. Some plant foods, such as chia seeds, flax and walnuts, also contain omega-3s. However, they contain a form of omega-3 fatty acid that is converted only in small amounts to the more active forms. You should include one to two servings of fish in your diet each week to help meet your omega-3 fatty acid needs. Otherwise, consider taking a fish oil or algae supplement to get some omega-3s into your day. 11. Vitamin D Also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” getting enough vitamin D is incredibly important. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary for the absorption of calcium and can promote good bone health, making it an especially important vitamin for women to help prevent osteoporosis. Additionally, some research shows that vitamin D could strengthen the immune system and influence muscle function. This fat-soluble vitamin is produced in the skin as a result of sun exposure and can be obtained in small quantities through foods like mushrooms, eggs and fish. Those who have dark skin, are obese or get limited exposure to sunlight are at a greater risk for vitamin D deficiency. For...

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Foods that Reduce Oxidative Stress and Prevent Cancer

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 07:00:17 +0000

Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc. via News Medical-Net – Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. In addition to genetics and environmental factors, the type of food we consume each day can play a role in cancer prevention and health after a cancer diagnosis. What are Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)? Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated from the metabolism of oxygen that occurs within the mitochondria of cells. This is a healthy process that occurs everyday. ROS are small oxygen-derived molecules that include: • Superoxide (O2•-) • Hydroxyl (•OH) • Peroxyl (RO2•) • Alkoxyl (RO•) • Singlet Oxygen (O2) • Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) The removal of ROS is normally achieved through various natural detoxification mechanisms, including enzymatic reaction (with molecules such as superoxide dismutase) and non-enzymatic molecules such as antioxidants. Low levels of ROS in the body allow for intracellular signaling processes and homeostasis to be maintained; however, when present at high levels, ROS can significantly damage proteins, lipids, and DNA. Oxidative Stress and Cancer Cancer cells exhibit high levels of ROS. There can be many reasons for this, including internal factors such as hormones, immune-specific conditions, and environmental factors (tobacco use, exposure to radiation, and infection). The role of ROS in cancer has been shown to be important to cancer cell survival, tumor cell proliferation, and invasion of surrounding tissues and distant metastasis. Antioxidants As previously mentioned, cells are equipped with various innate antioxidants to remove ROS from the body. For example, glutathione is an intracellular molecule that can protect cells against the deleterious effects of ROS. Luckily, there are numerous foods that contain important antioxidants that can help protect the body from damaging effects of ROS. Numerous clinical studies have found that a high intake of fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants not only protects cells from cancer development but also reduce mortality in healthy persons. Related Articles: “The Most Important Way to Prevent Disease, Including Cancer’: A Dose of Good Bacteria a Day Keeps the Doctor Away” Flavonoid-Rich Diet Protects Against Cancer and Heart Disease Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) As an essential nutrient, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant by virtue of its ability to function as a potent free radical scavenger. Vitamin C protects cells against oxidative damage caused from ROS by protecting against DNA mutations and damage to lipids that occurs through peroxidative stress; it also assists in the repair of amino acids that have been oxidized by ROS. The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 75 milligrams (mg) each day for women and 90 mg each day for men. Some foods high in vitamin C include: • Oranges • Bell peppers • Broccoli • Cabbage • Brussel sprouts • Kohlrabi • Snow peas • Cauliflower • Kale • Papaya • Strawberries • Pineapple • Kiwi • Mango • Beta Carotene Beta-carotene (provitamin A) has been associated with reduced cancer risk through improvement in white blood cell functionality to fight ROS. Although an RDA exists for vitamin A, there is no current RDA for beta-carotene. However, excessively high beta-carotene intake has been associated with carotenemia, a condition that causes the skin turns a yellow-orange color. Some food items that contain high levels of beta-carotene include: • Carrots • Squash • Collards • Spinach • Sweet potatoes • Strawberries • Cantaloupe • Broccoli • Vitamin E As another essential nutrient, vitamin E is responsible for helping to build normal red blood cells. The antioxidant properties of vitamin E have been shown to prevent the production of ROS in lipids that are undergoing oxidation. Plasma membranes of cells are comprised of a lipid bilayer that vitamin E has been shown to protect with respect to fluidity, phase separation, and lipid domains. These effects ultimately help maintain bioactivity. The current RDA for vitamin E is 15 mg per day. Food items that are high in vitamin E include: • Spinach • Dandelion greens • Tomato sauce • Swiss chard • Turnip greens • Red peppers • Avocados • Grain products • Eggs • Eel • Sardines • Tuna • Almonds • Sunflower seeds • Hazelnuts • Peanuts • Pine nuts • Brazil nuts • Vegetable oil Sources • Prasad, S., Gupta, S. C., & Tyagi, A. K. (2017). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cancer: Role of antioxidative nutraceuticals. Cancer Letters 387; 95-105. • An Introduction to Reactive Oxygen Species • Grosso, G., Bei, R., Mistretta, A., Marventano, S., Calabrese, G., Masuelli, L., et al. (2013). Effects of Vitamin C on Health: A Review of Evidence. Frontiers in Bioscience 18; 1017-1029. • Food Sources of Vitamin C • Beta-Carotene Molecule • Antioxidants as Part of your Cancer Diet • Traber, M. G., & Atkinson, J. (2007). Vitamin E, Antioxidant and Nothing More. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 43(1); 4-15. • Food Sources of Vitamin E To read the original article click here.

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Ketogenic Diet for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide to “Keto”

The AHA! Team — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNSD – In part, keto diet weight loss is a real thing because high-fat, low-carb diets can both help diminish hunger and boost weight loss through their hormonal effects. As described above, when we eat very little foods that supply us with carbohydrates, we release less insulin. With lower insulin levels, the body doesn’t store extra energy in the form of fat for later use, and instead is able to reach into existing fat stores for energy. Unlike many fad diets that come and go with very limited rates of long-term success, the ketogenic diet (or keto diet) has been practiced for more than nine decades (since the 1920s) and is based upon a solid understanding of physiology and nutrition science. The keto diet works for such a high percentage of people because it targets several key, underlying causes of weight gain – including hormonal imbalances, especially insulin resistance coupled with high blood sugar levels, and the cycle of restricting and “binging” on empty calories due to hunger that so many dieters struggle with. In fact, these are some of the direct benefits of the keto diet. What is the keto diet? Rather than relying on counting calories, limiting portion sizes, resorting to extreme exercise or requiring lots of willpower, this low-carb diet takes an entirely different approach to weight loss and health improvements. It works because it changes the very “fuel source” that the body uses to stay energized: namely, from burning glucose (or sugar) to dietary fat, courtesy of keto diet recipes and the keto diet food list items, including high-fat, low-carb foods. Making that switch will place your body in a state of “ketosis,” when your body becomes a fat burner rather than a sugar burner. Fortunately, if you’re new to this type of eating plan, a keto diet for beginners, or keto basics, is surprising simple to follow. Here’s how to do the keto diet: 1. Reduce one’s carb intake. 2. Increase your consumption of healthy fats, which help create satiety. 3. Without glucose coursing through your body, it’s now forced to burn fat and produce ketones instead. 4. Once the blood levels of ketones rise to a certain point, you officially reach ketosis. 5. This state results in consistent, fairly quick weight loss until your body reaches a healthy and stable weight. What Is the Keto Diet? What is the ketogenic diet exactly? The classic ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet plan that was originally designed in the 1920s for patients with epilepsy by researchers working at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Researchers found that fasting – avoiding consumption of all foods for a brief period of time (such as with intermittent fasting), including those that provide carbohydrates – helped reduce the amount of seizures patients suffered, in addition to having other positive effects on body fat, blood sugar, cholesterol and hunger levels. (1) Unfortunately, long-term fasting is not a feasible option for more than a few days, therefore the keto diet was developed to mimic the same beneficial effects of fasting. Essentially, the keto diet for beginners works by “tricking” the body into acting as if its fasting (while reaping intermittent fasting benefits), through a strict elimination of glucose that is found in carbohydrate foods. Today the standard keto diet goes by several different names, including the “low-carbohydrate” or “very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet”(LCKD or VLCKD for short). At the core of the classic keto diet is severely restricting intake of all or most foods with sugar and starch (carbohydrates). These foods are broken down into sugar (insulin and glucose) in our blood once we eat them, and if these levels become too high, extra calories are much more easily stored as body fat and results in unwanted weight gain. However, when glucose levels are cut off due to low-carb intake, the body starts to burn fat instead and produces ketones that can be measured in the blood (using urine strips, for example). Keto diets, like most low carb diets, work through the elimination of glucose. Because most folks live on a high carb diet, our bodies normally run on glucose (or sugar) for energy. We cannot make glucose and only have about 24 hours’ worth stored in our muscle tissue and liver. Once glucose is no longer available from food sources, we begin to burn stored fat instead, or fat from our food. Therefore, when you’re following a ketogenic diet plan for beginners, your body is burning fat for energy rather than carbohydrates, so in the process most people lose weight and excess body fat rapidly, even when consuming lots of fat and adequate calories through their daily food intake. Another major benefit of the keto diet is that there’s no need to count calories, feel hungry or attempt to burn loads of calories through hours of intense exercise. In some ways, it’s similar to the Atkins diet, which similarly boosts the body’s fat-burning abilities through eating only low-carb foods, along with getting rid of foods high in carbs and sugar. Removing glucose from carbohydrate foods will cause the body to burn fat for energy instead. The major differences between the classic keto and the Atkins diet is the former emphasizes healthier keto fats, less overall protein and no processed meat (such as bacon) while having more research to back up its efficacy. In fact, those differences with Atkins outline some of the popular keto diet myths, such as it being another high-protein plan, recommending any type of fat and that barely any science research backs up the benefits. These are nutrition lies, plain and simple. So is the keto diet healthy? If it’s done Atkins style? No. But if relying on healthy fats, greens and organic meats? Very much so. What Is Ketosis? What does “keto” stand for exactly? Keto is short for ketosis, which is the result of following the standard ketogenic diet, which is why it’s also sometimes called “the ketosis diet” or “ketosis diet plan.” Following a ketogenic diet puts your body into a state of “ketosis,” which is a metabolic state that occurs when most of the body’s energy comes from ketone bodies in the blood, rather than from glucose from carbohydrate foods (like grains, all sources of sugar or fruit, for example). This is in contrast to a glycolytic state, where blood glucose (sugar) provides most of the body’s fuel (or energy). This state can also be achieved by multiple days of total fasting, but that isn’t sustainable beyond a few days. (It’s why some keto diet plans for beginners combine intermittent fasting with keto for greater weight loss effects.) Although dietary fat (especially saturated fat) often gets a bad name, provoking fear of weight gain and heart disease, it’s also your body’s second preferred source of energy when carbohydrates are not easily accessible. How Do You Get Into Ketosis? So many people ask, does the keto diet work? Yes, of course, but only if you can get your body into ketosis. Here’s how you get your body into ketosis and start burning body fat for fuel in a keto diet for beginners: 1. Consumption of glucose from carbohydrate foods – grains, starchy vegetables, fruit, etc. – is cut way down. 2. This forces your body to find an alternative fuel source: fat (think avocados, coconut oil, salmon). 3. Meanwhile, in the absence of glucose, the body also starts to burn fat and produces ketones instead. 4. Once ketone levels in the blood rise to a certain point, you enter into a state of ketosis. 5. This state of high ketone levels results in quick and consistent weight loss until you reach a healthy, stable body weight. Wondering how many carb foods you can eat and still be “in ketosis”? The traditional ketogenic diet, created for those with epilepsy consisted of getting about 75 percent of calories from sources of fat (such as oils or fattier cuts of meat), 5 percent from carbohydrates and 20 percent from protein. For most people a less strict version (what I call a “modified keto diet”) can still help promote weight loss in a safe, and often very fast, way. In order to transition and remain in this state, aiming for about 30-50 net grams is typically the recommended amount of total carbs to start with. This is considered a more moderate or flexible approach but can be less overwhelming to begin with. Once you’re more accustomed to “eating keto,” you can choose to lower carbs even more if you’d like (perhaps only from time to time), down to about 20 grams of net carbs daily. This is considered the standard, “strict” amount that many keto dieters aim to adhere to for best results, but remember that everyone is a bit different. 6 Main Benefits of the Keto Diet 1. Weight loss Of the many benefits of a keto diet, weight loss is often considered No. 1., as it can often be substantial and happen quickly (especially for those who start out very overweight or obese). The 2013 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that those following a keto diet “achieved better long-term body weight and cardiovascular risk factor management when compared with individuals assigned to a conventional low-fat diet (i.e. a restricted-energy diet with less than 30 percent of energy from fat).” (2) A 2014 keto diet review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health states: One of the most studied strategies in the recent years for weight loss is the ketogenic diet. Many studies have shown that this kind of nutritional approach has a solid physiological and biochemical basis and is able to induce effective weight loss along with improvement in several cardiovascular risk parameters. (3) In part, keto diet weight loss is a real thing because high-fat, low-carb diets can both help diminish hunger and boost weight loss through their hormonal effects. As described above, when we eat very little foods that supply us with carbohydrates, we release less insulin. With lower insulin levels, the body doesn’t store extra energy in the form of fat for later use, and instead is able to reach into existing fat stores for energy. Keto diets are high in healthy fats and protein also tend to be very filling, which can help reduce overeating of empty calories, sweets and junk foods. (4) For most people eating a healthy low-carb diet, it’s easy to consume an appropriate amount of calories, but not too many, since things like sugary drinks, cookies, bread, cereals, ice cream or other desserts and snack bars are off-limits. Often caused by lymph node removal or damage due to cancer treatment, lymphedema occurs because there’s a blockage in the lymphatic system and results in the swelling in leg or arm. A 2017 study involved patients who suffered from obesity and lymphedema and who embarked on a 18-week ketogenic diet. Weight and limb volume was significantly reduced. (5) Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder, and it affects women of reproductive age. Symptoms include obesity, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. A pilot study took 11 women through 24 weeks of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (20 grams or less per day). Among the five who completed the study, they lost 12 percent of their weight on average and reduced fasting insulin by 54 percent. Additionally, two women who previously experienced infertility problems became pregnant. (6) 2. Reduce Risk for Type 2 Diabetes This process of burning fat provides more benefits than simply helping us to shed extra weight â€” it also helps control the release of hormones like insulin, which plays a role in development of diabetes and other health problems. When we eat carbohydrates, insulin is released as a reaction to elevated blood glucose (an increase in sugar circulating in our blood) and insulin levels rise. Insulin is a “storage hormone” that signals cells to store as much available energy as possible, initially as glycogen (aka stored carbohydrates in...

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