Keto Diet and Diabetes

What is the Keto Diet?

The Keto Diet is described as a high-fat diet plan that involves only eating foods that are rich in fats. This eating option observes low-carb meals, comprising both unsaturated and saturated fats that enable the body to convert fat rather than glucose. The converted fat is then used as the main source of energy that the body needs, even providing medical therapy for diabetic people.

Since the body is forced to converting only fat-related foods for energy production, it alleviates the signs and symptoms of diabetes. Note that when someone has diabetes, one of the main targets is to lose enough weight, particularly with the second type of diabetes. This way, choosing to maximize the keto diet to lose weight is a better option for people who have diabetes mellitus, without fear to experiencing either increased or decreased blood sugar levels.

Before becoming a good alternative for diabetes management, the said diet was originally created for treating epilepsy. The diet plan was developed in the year 1920s, but when suppressants and drugs became available for epilepsy treatment, the dietary therapy was abandoned. Since then, and even to this very day, the Keto diet becomes an option aside from insulin injections to control the body’s blood sugar levels.

So, How Does Keto Diet Truly Work?

Just because this kind of diet involves eating fats in the majority, it doesn’t mean eating any food containing great levels of fat. Having a healthy diet is also a requirement in treating diabetes. Some of the most recommended foods are:

• Fishes that are high in Omega-3 (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, herring)
• Avocado
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Butter
• Bacon
• Lean meat (chicken breasts)
• Eggs
• Olive oil
• Cream cheese
• Leafy greens

Keto diet includes a meal plan that doesn’t only associate with fats but with healthy food options at the same time. Adding a little bit of protein-rich foods is also suggested, but only on a minimum percentage.

The Keto diet works by being an alternative to carbs. Typically, carbs-rich foods are converted into sugar, but this time, it’s the fats accumulated from the keto diet are being fueled for energy use. This makes it unnecessary for glucose production in the body, thus, eliminating the possibility of fluctuating and irregular levels of blood sugar. While this form of diet may be effective, discussing it with your medical specialist is still a must.

Ketogenic Diet and Diabetes

One of the major concerns with regards to a ketogenic diet is its safety to diabetic people. Is it good for diabetes? What are its functions to the disease? How can it help alleviate and ease the suffering of people with the condition?

The answer to these questions confides on what type of diabetes a patient has. Typically, the ketogenic diet mostly works for individuals who have type 2 diabetes. Why is this so? The main problem people are having when associated with the second type of diabetes is overweight. Losing weight is hard, especially when diagnosed with the more chronic type of the disease. In conclusion, the keto diet is safe for managing type 2 diabetes, but only if the patient is following an accurate and right food plan.

Meanwhile, for type 1 diabetes, there is no established study referring to its effectiveness to the condition. Still, a doctor’s consultation is required since medication for this type is different from its counterpart.

The keto diet can seriously cause decreasing levels of the body’s glucose production. In cases of an abnormal decrease in the condition of the blood sugar, ensure to get immediate treatment. Above all, monitoring your blood sugar levels is still obligatory.

Advantages and Benefits

The ketogenic diet is also known for having many beneficial effects on the body. Consider the following:

• Appetite Reduction – One of the diabetes’s major problems is extreme hunger. Once associated with the keto diet, the appetite is reduced, and low-carbs are consumed. This makes it easy to manage diabetes.
• Weight Loss – As mentioned above, type 2 diabetes is linked with a weight problem. Since fats are mostly consumed for the keto diet, the body is forced to burn fats and essentially reduce weight.
• Diminish the levels of insulin and blood sugar – Reducing carbs intake can prevent diabetes from emerging or causing more health complications. This makes the keto diet an ideal alternative and additional therapy for insulin administration.
• Prevent other medical complications – Since diabetes can cause other health dilemmas, one way to prevent it is by following a strict keto diet. Some of the diseases that be prevented are low blood pressure, heart disease, kidney damage, and stroke.

Common Side Effects of Keto Diet

There are common side effects of engaging in the Keto diet. These are as follows:

• Heart Disease
• Kidney Problems
• Absence of nutrients that the body needs
• Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level)
• Absence of fibre or constipation