Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that in medicine is used primarily to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in fuelling brain function. However, if there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, a state known as ketosis, leads to a reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures.
See also : Peskin Protocol

Special Precautions of the Ketogentic Diet

• People say they're going "carb-free" when in reality if you actually did that, you would die...and most assuredly have very low energy before you keeled over.Fact is, carbohydrates provide glucose which is needed by your body to create energy. So you MUST have them to survive. The key is to be carb-savvy and know the good from the bad. Bad carbs include any type of refined carb (white flour, white sugar and all products made with them like white bread, rolls, pasta, pastries, cakes and cookies) and anything made with high fructose corn syrup. Good carbs include fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains.Don't swear off carbs--just choose them wisely and see your energy skyrocket.
• There are some risks associated with following ketogenic diets. An increased risk of kidney stones has been observed in some patients, as has dehydration, constipation and slowed growth. If you choose to follow the ketogenic diet as a weight-loss method or as a way to treat epilepsy, it is essential that you work with a health professional to ensure that your diet provides all the nutrients you need.

The benefits and uses of the Ketogentic Diet are

• Epilepsy : The ketogenic diet was originally designed as a treatment for a form of epilepsy that did not respond well to medications. Although safe, this form of the ketogenic diet is stricter than ketogenic diets used for weight loss, such as the Atkins diet. It generally involves eating 3 to 4 grams of fat for every gram of carbohydrate or protein. A ketogenic diet is especially useful for some forms of epilepsy, such as infantile spasms, Doose syndrome and GLUT-1 deficiency.
• Weight Loss : Low-carb diet plans designed to help people lose weight are sometimes also called ketogenic diets because they cause increased ketone levels in the blood. The theory behind these diets, a 2004 article in "The Journal of the International Society of Sports Medicine" explains, is that restricting carbohydrate intake forces the body to make ketones as a source of energy. Ultimately, this causes you to lose weight, particularly in the form of body fat. There are a variety of different low-carb diets that are generally considered safe.
• Cancer : Since 2007, some German cancer doctors and researchers have been putting cancer sufferers on a high-fat, low-carb, low-protein diet — the ketogenic diet — and have had some great results:

The good news is that for five patients who were able to endure three months of carb-free eating, the results were positive: the patients stayed alive, their physical condition stabilized or improved and their tumors slowed or stopped growing, or shrunk. These early findings have elicited “very positive reactions and an increased interest from colleagues.”

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.