Tag: glucose

A bit about the Keto Diet

Today’s post is about the Keto diet. This diet is currently the topic of study in my Nutrition subject and there are a few things I have learned about it that I thought I would share.

It’s origin

The ketogenic diet was actually developed in 1921 by Dr Russell Wilder as a way of treating epilepsy in children. It was created on the premise that using ketones to power the brain causes less seizures that using glucose. This is a fact that has been substantiated by many scientific studies since.

What is keto?

There are several forms of the keto diet that can be modified to suit the individual, but at its heart is the basis is that up to 60% of your diet should be fats, 35% protein and 5 to 10% carbohydrates. This switches the body’s fuel system from using glucose to using ketones. Which are essentially chemicals that the body uses to convert fat to energy instead of glucose.

Along the way, many people experience weight loss. That seems like a great idea you may say, and it is however, there are pitfalls to watch out for.

Are there risks?

There are some health risks or issues, associated with this diet. First of all, there is a feeling of unwellness called keto flu. This is experienced by many keto followers for a week or so after beginning a keto diet. It can include headache, fatigue, vomiting, insomnia, constipation and reduced tolerance to exercise, just to name a few.

Next is a risk of kidney stones. The high acid and phosphate content of a high fat diet can lead to kidney stones; however, this is mostly only a problem if you already have kidney issues. After that we need to consider the nutrient deficiencies. Because of the specific style of this diet there are several nutrients that are simply not there. These include vitamins C, D and E as well as magnesium and calcium.

While all of these can be fortified with supplements, perhaps the most important thing missing is fibre. You see fibre has several different roles. The main one being that it gives bulk to your stool which is one of the bodies main pathways of eliminating toxins. It also feeds the microbiome, which we have spoken about before and its importance in everything, from immune system to mental health.

Are there benefits?

On the plus side it has been shown to help with epilepsy in adults as well as children, which is what it was designed for. Several psychiatric disorders including depression, autism and schizophrenia have been reduced. This is most likely due to reduced inflammation and mitochondrial disfunction. Interestingly in people with a failing heart, a keto diet has been shown to help, as it is a more efficient form of energy for the heart to use.

There are many people for whom a keto diet will work but just as many people that should be wary of it. For example, anyone who has had a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) surgery, should avoid this diet, as the body’s ability to digest fats is reduced.

Ultimately this diet is useful in many situations. However, unless medically advised for specific reasons, there are other diets that can achieve similar results. The Mediterranean diet, with its focus on fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and good fats, it is a more sustainable and potentially healthier alternative.

As always, when considering making a radical change to your diet, seek advice from your preferred health professional.

We hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Muscle Soreness & Lactic Acid

Todays post is about muscle soreness and lactic acid.

As the year begins many people start a new exercise or fitness routine. Now for most, including myself, that means some sore muscles. The common belief is that a build-up of lactic acid creates this soreness. However, after conducting some research, I have found that this is not correct.

This is what I have learned.

First, what is lactic Acid?

Lactic acid, or lactate, is actually an organic acid produced by the body. It is formed and accumulated in the muscle under conditions of high-energy demand. This happens when glucose (sugar) is broken down to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy in the absence of oxygen.

More about energy and the muscles

When we exercise, our muscles need energy to work and enable our movement. As our bodies work harder to perform strenuous exercise, we begin to breathe faster as we attempt to move more oxygen to our working muscles.
Sometimes, when exercising at a high intensity, our muscles require energy production faster than our bodies can adequately deliver oxygen.
In those cases, the fast-twitch muscle fibres will kick in and start producing energy anaerobically (without oxygen.) This energy comes from glucose through a process called glycolysis. During this process, the glucose is broken down into a substance called pyruvate through a series of steps.

When the body has plenty of oxygen, pyruvate is further broken down for more energy. But when oxygen is limited, the body temporarily converts pyruvate into a substance called lactate, or lactic acid, which allows energy production to continue.
The working muscle cells can continue this type of energy production at high rates for one to three minutes. During this time lactate can accumulate to high levels.
Although blood lactate concentration does increase during intense exercise, it breaks down and is recycled to create more ATP.

Our body naturally metabolises the lactic acid, clearing it out. This conversion also reduces the acidity in the blood, therefore removing some of the burning sensation.
It’s also important to remember that the lactate, or lactic acid itself isn’t ‘bad’. In fact, research suggests that lactate is beneficial to the body during and after exercise in numerous ways.

For example, lactate can be used directly by the brain and heart for energy or converted into glucose in the liver or kidneys. Then it can then be used by nearly any cell in the body for energy.
This is a natural process that occurs in the body. Things such as stretching, rolling, or walking will have little to no impact.

What about the sore muscles?

Studies have found that lactic acid build-up is not responsible for the muscle soreness felt in the days following strenuous exercise. The burning sensation you feel in your legs probably isn’t caused by lactic acid, but instead by tissue damage and inflammation.

Researchers who have examined lactate levels right after exercise found little correlation with the level of muscle soreness felt a few days later. This delayed-onset muscle soreness, (DOMS) as well as loss of strength and range of motion, can sometimes continue up to 72 hours after an extreme exercise event.

Unfortunately, nobody really knows what causes DOMS, despite the fact that there are several scientific theories. The most common theory is that during the exercise the muscle structure and the surrounding connective tissue is damaged. This causes an imbalance of calcium, which leads to further damage.
After this, some inflammation kicks in. This stimulates pain nerves within the space of 48 hours and is accompanied by swelling, which makes the pain worse.

What can we do about it?

Try a massage, which might alleviate your pain, especially when applied 48 hours post-workout. Studies suggest that foam-roller massages can effectively reduce the pain.

A couple of smaller studies conducted recently, suggest wearing pressure garments after your workout and consuming milk protein can also speed up your recovery.

The good news is that DOMS will clear up on its own if you give your body enough rest between workouts.

However you choose to get through the soreness, keep up the exercise, as it is vital for good mental health.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.

Sources – Scientific America – Live Science – Medical News Today –

Diabetes, what is it?

Scott has written today’s post about Diabetes.

Most of us have heard of diabetes, in recent years it has become endemic in western culture and that is a clue to what it is.

Types of diabetes

There are 4 different types of diabetes:

  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Pre-diabetes
  • Gestational diabetes

First let’s look at the 2 most common types and what they are.

Type 1 diabetes is well known as being largely hereditary. However what many people don’t realise is that it is in fact an autoimmune condition. This is where the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin because the immune system has destroyed the cells in the pancreas that do that.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common and therefore well known for that reason. It also has a strong genetic component to it. However, it is relatively easy to stop and if caught early enough, it can be reversed with diet and lifestyle changes. For this reason, we will concentrate on type 2 for todays post.

So what is it really?

Diabetes mellitus, or diabetes, is a serious chronic health condition, which occurs when there is too much glucose in the blood. Without getting too technical it is basically a case of abdominal fat causing impairment in the uptake of glucose in the blood.

Over time high glucose levels can damage the body’s blood vessels and nerves, leading to long term health complications such as heart, kidney and eye disease, and nerve damage in the feet.

These in turn leads to other conditions like cardiovascular disease, hormone issues and even polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The impairment of glucose uptake means that the pancreas needs to produce more and more insulin to keep up with demand, which eventually wears these cells out.

What are the symptoms?

The signs of diabetes are also well known but people still miss them. They include excessive thirst, more frequent urination, cuts that are slow to heal, headaches and felling dizzy. This is not an exhaustive list and many of these symptoms alone do not necessarily mean you have diabetes but if you have several of them together then you should consider getting tested.

What if you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?

Diabetes can be managed with medication to support blood glucose levels. Though making healthy food choices assists with managing blood glucose levels. By keeping blood glucose levels within a specified range you can significantly reduce your risk of developing other serious health problems associated with diabetes.

Several studies in the UK have found that modified diet could achieve remission of Type 2 diabetes.

According to Diabetes Australia, less than half of patients that participated in intensive dietary modification reached remission, however the sooner the diagnosis the better the chances.

Lastly I thought I would mention something called “Syndrome X” also known as pre diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

This is a condition that happens before a diabetes diagnosis. It is a condition which lasts for years before the pancreas stops producing insulin. Syndrome X is preventable and modifiable with changes to lifestyle. Mainly by reducing refined starches, sugars and saturated fats while increasing exercise.

A person who is suffering from metabolic syndrome may also suffer from some mineral deficiencies due to poor absorption. There are some herbs and minerals that assist with balancing out blood sugar levels and mineral deficiencies. For example magnesium, zinc, omega 3, Gymnemia and Cinnamon. These are readily available at many health food stores.

If you think you may be suffering from syndrome X or are diabetic it is worth a blood sugar test as the earlier you catch it the better the chances of reversing it.

We hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – (Diabetes Australia – The Lancet )