Posted on 05/01/2021 4:12:46 PM PDT by nickcarraway
According to a recent study in JAMA Network Open, Americans gained about 1 1/2 pounds every month during stay-at-home orders last year. At the same time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2 in 5 are struggling with mental health issues. One local researcher believes a ketogenic diet could help address both issues.
Eric Rodgers was running marathons when his doctor said he was pre-diabetic. At the time, he was also taking anti-depressants.
"You would lose enjoyment in things. You're not looking forward to things that you used to look forward to," Rodgers said.
He started doing his own research and came across the ketogenic diet. It's a very low-carb, high fat option and has been around for 100 years, first used to control drug-resistant seizures in people with epilepsy.
Now, there's a growing body of research suggesting it can ease mental health disorders, as well.
"It's not far-fetched at all to think 'Wow, if this diet can stop seizures, maybe it could have a powerful effect for some people with psychiatric disorders as well,'" said Dr. Chris Palmer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
He also practices at McLean Hospital in Belmont and has used the ketogenic diet for 15 years to treat patients with treatment-resistant illnesses. He said it didn't work for everyone but for some people, he saw incredible results.
"Some people were actually able to get off of medications and be in full remission from their illness," Palmer said.
Palmer says processed foods high in fat and carbohydrates can negatively affect brain metabolism in anyone leading to stress, depression and anxiety. The ketogenic diet removes those foods.
"That results in an anti-depressant, anti-anxiety effect for at least some people," Palmer said.
If you're feeling anxious or stressed, Palmer suggests paying attention to what you're eating.
"Be more mindful. For the next two weeks try to change the diet, try to eat less processed foods, less junk food," Palmer said.
Rodgers cut out those foods four years ago and has followed a keto diet since. He reversed his pre-diabetes and was able to wean off his medication. He believes it's the diet that did it.
"If you're not happy with your health right now you should be looking into this," Rodgers said.
All the bacon and eggs helps a lot.
And budduh. Lots of budduh.
I tried this thing called eat healthy & burn more calories than you take in with daily aerobic exercise.
It’s working better than I could have imagined.
That’s racist.
Yes!
What are you telling us that ‘eat healthy’ means. Remember, you have to give one answer that fits the entire world.
Here we go again...
one word. omad.
Keto is amazing for health/weight loss, but most people can’t stick to it or even know what a carb is. Kind of sad.
I find that hard to believe.
I’ve been doing that since COVID-19. Only missed it about 4 times.
I think people have a hard time realizing, you are limiting protein too.
That’s why on Keto you have to watch the amount of meat, because if you’re not careful you’ll get too much protein.
Generally I try to stick to the rule of eating a portion of meat the size of a deck of cards.
Of course, you can do the Carnivore Diet, I’ve heard good things about that too, but I just don’t think I can do it.
Not really, just don’t do protein shakes and focus on protein and you’ll be fine. You get a TON of protein on keto - way more than non -keto - just don’t try to bulk on protein. A single steak has 100%+ of a typical protein needs. Throw it in butter, etc.
That unclear term “healthy”.
Because if you listen to fedgov, “healthy” has flipflopped all over the place over the last 50 years.
Fedgov “healhy” says humans hed to eat a high carb diet and cut proteins and fats, its a cattle diet, which is a diet they feed cattle to put weight on quickly. Gee how has that worked out for Americans the last 50 years. Diabetes and overweight. Thats how.
Most people assume overeating, so to them, “healthy” means eating less and exercising more.
I have been doing a variation of Keto and OMAD mixed with intermittent fasting (all food eaten in an 8 hour period, fasting 16 hours) and the pounds are falling off and I feel great. All annual blood tests came back perfect.
My daughter is 63 and on Keto ‘again’, for weight lost alone. All her lab numbers are great and loses weight fairly fast. It is a little hard to stay on unless you know what to use for substitutes, esp. things you really crave.
She knows what she can and cannot eat because of the ‘grams’..a math thing. lol
She says when she gets to a certain point she can add some things back in. She also says after starting a ‘flush’ of certain foods, she feels like she has a slight flu feeling for a day or two, then it’s Keto all the way.
Altho she has found ways to make say, a pancake using almond flour. So there are substitutes that can give one a little taste of the foods you miss.
My wife has had good results from low crb type diets.
One thing we found is that sometimes you can find a substitute.
Try this
https://www.healthylifebread.com
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