Ketogenic Diet and Its Effect on Chronic Illnesses

By Jessica Majekodunmi, GCSOM, MBS 2019
Mentor: Darina Lazarova, PhD

Food can either be the safest form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.

Chronic illness plague the world we live in today and going back to basics in terms of food can be beneficial in reversing major diseases. The ketogenic diet is a diet based on the significant reduction of carbohydrates and an increase in fats and protein in one's diet. This allows the body to switch its energy source from the use of carbohydrates to fat. Now you may be a skeptic of the ketogenic diet because the body primarily requires the use of carbohydrates to function. You are not alone. Many are unaware that the human body is capable of burning almost all of its energy from fats. Eating healthy fats allows the body to digest and break down fat to be used effectively and produce energy.

Obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are variations of metabolic disorder and risk factors such as lifestyle and contribute to the exacerbation of these illnesses. These diseases have risk factors that strongly associate with excessive weight, insulin resistance, fat formation, hypertension, and heart disease. Cases of these diseases have increased in the last decade and continue to contribute to a higher death rate in the United States population. Oversupply of sugar keeps insulin and fat storage high. Under such conditions, there is no need for the body to use fat as an energy source.

A major issue in our diet is high amounts of refined carbohydrates, processed meat, and pre-packaged foods encouraging over consumption and unhealthy eating habits. Diets high in carbohydrates lead to and oversupply of sugar and the body can only handle so much sugar at a time and eventually starts storing it as fat. Researchers have studied the effects of a very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet and its effects on weight loss, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. disease. Most limit carbohydrate intake amount to about 20-50 grams daily. BMI, blood glucose levels, and triglyceride levels were measured prior to the study and after. It was found that the ketogenic diet had positive effects on weight loss, blood glucose levels, and decrease cardiovascular risk factors such as total cholesterol levels and lowered low density lipoproteins.

There is no other food that is worse for our health than sugar. Sugar is addictive and giving it up can be daunting. Like other addictive drugs when you stop eating sugar, you may experience symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, and headaches.

Studies show a diet with high unhealthy carbohydrates source lead to a host of diseases. There is a healthy and unhealthy way of eating a ketogenic diet. The unhealthy way would still cut carbohydrates and to induce a state of ketosis where the body is able to use fat effectively and reduce insulin levels. However, eating high processed meats and trans-fat can be detrimental and toxic to the body. Therefore; food quality is very important because all fats are not equal. The type of fat you eat on the ketogenic diet is important in staying healthy. Eating vegetables, whole foods, grass fed meat, fish, and staying away from chemical, and additives are important in reducing inflammation and maintaining great health.