Oxygen USA – July-August 2019

96 summer 2019

Keto HOWS AND WHYS

Low-Carb Living

Once upon a time, human beings had to hunt and gather food, which was

laborious and energy-consuming. These days, however, most of us are lucky to get

in an hour of exercise three to five days per week, and as a species, we no longer

need a super-high-calorie diet; any excess we eat will quickly turn to body fat —

hence the obesity epidemic.

Since we can’t rewire our ancestral DNA, it’s necessary to take a different approach

to the modern-day diet, and with this plan, the idea is to ingest your quick energy

sources — carbohydrates — only when needed and avoid them when you don’t. Carbs

are a great fuel source, and while you do need them for daily living and training, it’s

also very easy to go overboard. Controlling your carb intake will allow you to round

out your daily programming with nutrient-dense proteins and fats.

Can You Go Keto?

Ketosis ensues when your main energy source — stored glycogen/glucose from carbs

— has been fully depleted. In the absence of glucose, your liver takes stored fat and

produces ketone bodies to use for energy. This state is called ketosis.

A strict ketogenic diet contains less than 10 percent of your total daily calories from

carbs, which is pretty hard to stick to if you’re not on top of it 24/7. Even if you overeat

your carbs by just a few percent, you run the risk of interrupting your ketosis and you’re

back to square one. For ketosis to work properly, you also have to moderate your protein

intake. Too much meat can interrupt ketone production since your liver will naturally

convert some of the protein into glucose, throwing you out of ketosis.

If you’ve been playing with the idea of trying keto but know for sure you won’t be able

to resist the siren song of Krispy Kreme for the rest of your days, this plan is for you. This

is not a hard-and-fast ketogenic plan but rather a sustainable low-carb program with

periods of ketosis accomplished by short periods of fasting. Planning for one single day of

fasting is simple, and you can still reach temporary nutritional ketosis and reap some of

those benefits without having to eat a ketogenic diet all the time.

Benefits of Ketosis

BOOSTS BODY-FAT LOSS
Ketogenic plans outperform other diets in terms
of body-fat reduction, including the reduction of
visceral fat, which can lead to a higher risk of Type
2 diabetes, insulin resistance, heart disease and
even certain cancers. In a 12-week study of military
personnel, those with the largest improvement in
body composition were subjects who followed a
low-carb/ketogenic diet.

IMPROVES INSULIN SENSITIVITY
In that same study (above), subjects showed
a 48 percent improvement in insulin sensitivity.
Researchers speculate that this is because of
increased mitochondrial growth, part of the
mechanism ensuring you’re efficiently using
glucose when carbs are eaten.

REDUCES GUT INFLAMMATION
Grains, seeds, legumes and nuts contain high levels
of phytic acid and lectin, which have been shown
to cause an immunologic response. Repetitive
stimulation of this immune reaction can mean poor
gut health and could lead to autoimmune diseases
like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Benefits of

Short-Term

Fasting

Helps control

blood sugar and

decrease insulin

resistance

Fights

inflammation

Improves heart

health by reducing

blood pressure,

cholesterol and

triglycerides

Boosts brain

function and

increases nerve cell

synthesis

Aids with weight

loss by boosting

norepinephrine,

thereby boosting

metabolism

Fasting and

(Not) Furious

Caloric restriction is the most

popular model for weight loss, but

in the long term, this just leads to

a slower metabolism. With fasting,

however, your metabolism doesn’t

change; your body simply adapts

to metabolizing a different fuel

source — in this case, ketones.

During a fast, your body

cleanses itself of old cells and

protein aggregates like brain

plaque — the main culprit

in cognitive diseases such as

Alzheimer’s. Giving your body a

break from digestion means more

time to eliminate these wastes and

help prevent disease.

A study from the University of

Southern California showed that

a short 72-hour fast can reset your

entire immune system. Whether

your gut is in distress because of

antibiotics use or just poor food

quality, these easy fasts can help

rebuild your gut health. Use these

tips to have a successful fast.

1 /If you’re new to fasting, start

slowly. Try the short, easy fasts in

this plan and work your way up

to 72 hours.

2/Don’t expect to train with the

same intensity on your fasting

days. Instead, go for a long walk,

an easy hike or do a slower-paced

resistance-training workout.

3/Keep your electrolytes up to stay

energized and hydrated. Add a little

sea salt and a few drops of lemon

juice to your water. Small amounts

of citrus have a nice alkalizing effect.

4/Drinking caffeine is fine

during a fast, but skip the

sweeteners; even artificial

sweeteners can cause gut

discomfort during a fast.

5/Don’t binge afterward. Most

people feel like they deserve a treat

when completing a fast, but you

can completely negate the benefits

you earned with a single binge.

Stick to your planned meals, and

eat any treats in moderation.

Fasting

gives your body

a break from

digestion, helping

reset your system

and prevent

disease.