There are more people than ever on the keto bandwagon, Glyco Care Formulablood sugar balance and it’s hard to blame them. The ketogenic diet is surrounded by tremendous acclaim. The growing body of scientific research shows that keto supports a long list of health benefits. But let’s face it, for most people, sticking to a ketogenic diet can be impractical and downright hard. What if you didn’t have to be on a full-fledged ketogenic diet yet still bear the fruit of the keto tree? What if you could be part-time keto and reap even greater rewards? It’s not only possible, intermittent ketosis may be an even better approach. Find out more about intermittent ketosis and how to put it into practice today! When it comes to the ketogenic diet, there’s little denying it can result in profound benefits. That being said, we’ll be talking about non-medical purposes. 1 RULE: Limit carbs to 30 grams or less per day. Simple as that. Of course, keto is more complex and nuanced than that, but honestly, this is THE rule.
In the case of the latter, by following the rule, your menu of food options gets limited tremendously. You take a ton of ultra-processed, calorie-dense, highly-palatable "foods" off the table. And when you do that consistently over time… Voilà! Improvements in virtually all aspects of life and health ensue. In other words, it’s not just about what you are eating. It’s arguably more about what you are not eating (read: processed junk food and abundant amounts of added Glyco Care Formulablood sugar balance and poor-quality fats/oils). In the case of nutritional ketosis (defined as ketone levels ≥ 0.5mM)-a powerful metabolic state during which the body is burning primarily fat (ketones are derived from fats)-it’s becoming increasingly apparent that elevated ketones have an array of important signaling functions (e.g., regulating inflammation and gene expression). And the metabolic shift to increased ketone use may be the secret behind a majority of the benefits of the ketogenic diet.
Want to know some good news? You don’t necessarily have to follow "the rule" to reap the same benefits. In other words, you can tap into nutritional ketosis without being full-time keto. And let’s face it, anyone can limit their consumption of ultra-processed junk foods-at least intermittently. Should we be living in a constant state of ketosis (which is the goal of a standard ketogenic diet)? I don’t think so, and science journalist, author of New York Times best-selling book Genius Foods, and Glyco Care Formulainsulin sensitivity support host of one of my favorite podcasts The Genius Life, Max Lugavere agrees, "If you are doing it for medical reasons, follow the advice of your doctor. Now, if you’re familiar with Max’s work or any of my ramblings, you know we don’t typically pull things out of thin air, especially bold statements like these, which are rooted in science and human physiology. Naturally, that leads to some questions.
For starters, what are the advantages of intermittent ketosis? Metabolic flexibility. The human body is designed to efficiently and effectively switch between using carbs and fats for fuel. Swinging the pendulum too far in one direction or the other (which keto does) for extended periods of time may lead to health complications. Intermittent ketosis promotes metabolic flexibility. Dietary flexibility. A standard ketogenic diet severely limits the menu and volume of plant-based, carbohydrate-containing foods, including many healthy options like vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Intermittent ketosis promotes dietary flexibility by affording you a greater menu of options and being less restrictive on quantities. Athletic performance. While a ketogenic diet naturally increases the body’s use of fat for fuel, the research is, at best, conflicting when it comes to keto and exercise and athletic performance. 5, 6, 7 While high-intensity, short-duration sports and activities seem to suffer the most, even endurance performance can be adversely affected. On the other hand, intermittent ketosis may promote exercise and athletic performance through improved metabolic flexibility.