28 cleaneating.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
ask dr. jonny
JONNY BOWDEN, PhD, CNS Board-certified nutrition specialist, motivational
speaker, author and expert in the areas of weight loss and health. LEAD^ KETOPHOTOBYCIVIL/SHUTTERSTOCK.COMQ: Everyone is talking about autophagy – what is it?
Autophagy refers to a kind of cellular cleanup in which old, broken down
or dysfunctional cells are removed and recycled and the process of cellular
repair is initiated. It’s a kind of evolutionarily determined self-preservation
mechanism on the part of the cells, the cellular equivalent of a reboot button
on your computer. The word autophagy combines auto- (“self”) with -phagy
(“eating”) and can be thought of as a kind of cellular cannibalism that your
body performs to get rid of the bad stuff and strengthen the good.
Autophagy is believed to play a big role in longevity and optimal health.
A great way to “turn on” autophagy is with a keto diet and/or with intermittent
fasting. Why?
Autophagy is also an adaptive response to starvation; the cleanup process
starts when you stop eating. That’s why intermittent fasting is so good for
turning it on. For reasons not clearly understood, the keto diet accomplishes
the same thing. And don’t hit the panic button on the word starvation. There’s
a reason why intermittent fasting is intermittent — your fasting window is just
temporary (but highly effective).
Will Cole, IFMCP, DC, author of Ketotarian, puts it this way: “Keeping
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levels balanced and prevent accelerated aging and disease.”Q:I’m hearing a lot
about “dirty” vs “clean”
keto. What gives?
As you probably know, ketogenic
diets are about getting your body
into a state called nutritional ketosis,
where your body is producing
measurable amounts of ketones,
a great source of fuel for the muscles
and brain. This is accomplished by
eating minimal amounts of carbs
and front-loading the diet with
healthy fats, a strategy designed
to keep blood sugar from rising
too high and too frequently.
So far, so good.
Thing is, gasoline probably doesn’t
raise blood sugar at all, but that
doesn’t mean you’d want to drink it.
You can front-load a keto diet with
junk fats (like trans fats and
vegetable oils) and with processed
deli meats like salami, and you’ll
probably still get into ketosis. But
you certainly won’t be eating healthy.
And that is what’s meant by
“dirty keto.” Dirty keto is about
getting into ketosis without caring
how you get there. Obviously, I don’t
recommend that. Meanwhile, “clean
keto” is exactly what it sounds like- a mashup of clean eating and the
ketogenic diet that’s also eminently
doable. A clean keto diet is heavy on
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and other whole foods.
Buzz-Term Update:
Dirty Keto
& Autophagy
Dr. Jonny Bowden’s got the DL on
the latest buzzwords making their
way through health circles.