Beware: The Ketogenic diet may not be as healthy as believed

A high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, known as the Ketogenic diet, has been touted as one of best weight loss programmes. At the same time, it has been dismissed by many.

 People who wish to give the Ketogenic diet a try, need to clearly understand if they will be able to sustain such a drastic change in eating habits, that too in a safe manner. According to USA Today, the ketogenic diet involves consuming a low carbohydrate, high fat and high protein diet. Out of the total daily caloric intake, nearly 70 to 80 per cent comes from fat, 20 per cent from protein and the remaining 5 per cent or so are derived from carbohydrates. 

The carbohydrate deprivation pushes the body into ketosis, which is a state where fat becomes its primary fuel source. Despite its ability to cause rapid weight loss, this dieting approach doesn’t find many supporters among medical professionals.

The Keto diet is usually not recommended by doctors for the reason that it excludes a wide array of essential food groups that are imperative for optimal health, such as grains, fruits, and some vegetables. Medical professionals caution people to be aware of the difference between weight loss and overall health.

Jeffrey Mechanick a medical director at Mount Sinai Heart’s Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Clinical Cardiovascular Health quite frankly stated to USA Today that “I wouldn’t recommend the keto diet to anybody.” Vasanti Malik, an adjunct assistant professor of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, expressed her concern regarding this extreme system of eating.

“You want to be mindful because these foods – whole grains, fruits, and vegetables – carry a number of beneficial nutrients – vitamins, polyphenols, fibre – that have been shown time and time again to be beneficial for cardiometabolic health,” Malik told USA Today. According to Mechanick, depletion of carbohydrates compels the body to scavenge upon its fat and muscle tissue to keep everything up and running.

“In theory, the Keto diet basically mimics starvation. If you don’t eat carbohydrates but you eat an excessive amount of fat and protein, you’re still going to waste tissue. The tissue is still going to burn off,” explained Mechanick. Fad diets such as keto also lead to weight rebound issues with people who are not able to stick to them after losing weight.

The answer for sustainable weight loss hence lies with emphasising on the quality of food and not exclusively the number of calories that are consumed. Mechanik suggests the minimisation of sugars and starches and an increased intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and beans. Malik recommends people to include more grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts, while limiting saturated fat, added sugar and added sodium. Tidying up your menu, in conjugation with daily physical exercise would be enough to create a solid foundation for health.

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Impaired liver function during pregnancy increases obesity risk in children

Impaired liver function in pregnant women may increase the risk of obesity in children by altering their gut bacteria, says a recent study.

The finding of the study has been presented at The Society for Endocrinology Annual Conference.

In a rodent of a model of the most common liver disease in pregnancy, the composition of gut bacteria in offspring was altered and liver function impaired, particularly when they were fed a Western-style, high-fat diet.

These findings suggest that children at risk should maintain a healthy diet and that interventions to alter gut bacteria may help reduce childhood obesity rates in the future.

The most common liver disease in pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP), reduces the release of digestive fluid bile from the liver causing bile acids to build up in the blood, impairing liver function, causing severe itching for the mother and increasing risks of stillbirth and preterm birth for the baby.

Previous studies suggest that children of women with ICP are more likely to develop childhood obesity. Growing evidence suggests the importance of the gut microbiome for good metabolic health and that altered composition can lead to impaired metabolism and weight gain.

No previous studies have investigated the effects of ICP during pregnancy on the gut microbiome of either mothers or their children. Understanding how ICP may lead to obesity in children could help prevent the risk of developing this serious and life-limiting condition.

Dr Caroline Ovadia from King's College London and colleagues investigated how gut microbiota are affected in the offspring of a mouse model of ICP.

The results reported that the offspring had a different gut microbiome composition and liver function, particularly when fed a high-fat diet, which could contribute to impaired metabolism and increase the risk of obesity.

"These findings further suggest that health during pregnancy can have long-term health effects on children, and in this case how gut microbiome alterations may increase the risk of obesity in children on a Western-style, high-fat diet," commented Dr Ovadia.

The results suggest that mice born to mothers with ICP, or other liver diseases, may benefit from maintaining a healthy diet and should avoid fatty foods. These findings also suggest that targeting microbiome composition with treatment strategies in pregnant women, such as using pre-biotics or pro-biotics, could help prevent the risk of child obesity.

"Understanding changes in the composition of the gut microbiome and their effects may provide new ways of diagnosing patients at particular risk of obesity before it occurs. We could then develop personalised medicine and target appropriate treatments to alter gut bacteria accordingly," Dr Ovadia added.

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Weight loss: 5 mistakes to avoid when following a keto diet

Ketogenic diet is the current rage. The controversial low-carb, moderate protein, high-fat diet is highly popular for losing weight and enhancing performance. Many people believe that following a keto diet is an easy ride as it just involves making some small tweaks. After all how difficult can it be to decrease your carb intake and eat more fat but that is where they make their biggest mistake. The keto diet is not an easy one. Many beginners follow this diet without doing proper research which does not make it an effective diet for them. Before embarking on this journey, you must have complete knowledge about a keto diet to prevent yourself from its nasty side effects. Here are some common mistakes people commit when following a keto diet.

Not drinking enough water

In a keto diet, your body burns fat for fuel and when the body initiates this process, it is crucial to increase the fluid intake. If you do not drink enough water your metabolism will slow down and you will not be able to lose weight. Water helps in proper circulation of nutrients, flushes out toxins and helps to burn fat.

Eating too much dairy

Dairy products seem like perfect low-carb and high-fat food sources, but an excess intake of dairy products like cheese can ruin your diet plan. If you do not keep a track of dairy products you are consuming, you may end up overeating. Moderation is the key. Moreover, many dairy products even contain sugar, so always check the nutrition label when purchasing them

Not eating enough fat

A typical keto diet is high in fat and most people are scared of eating too much fat because of the common belief that fat will make you fat. But since you are limiting your carb intake, it is crucial to take more fat. Not eating the right amount of fat may impair your hormone function and metabolism. Even after eating right, you will feel lethargic due to lack of micro and macronutrients. It is also important to eat the right kind of fat. Include animal fats, olive oil, monounsaturated fats in your diet. 

Too much snacking

Snacking is the easiest way to add extra and excess calories to your diet. Keto diet has a satisfying effect, which means when following this diet you must not crave for snacks. If you are still feeling hungry then make some tweaks in your diet or have snacks in moderation. You can eat seeds, cheese, avocado, and nuts. But do it only if you are feeling excessive hunger between meals. 

You are not getting enough sleep

If you want your keto diet to work, you need to get 7-8 hours of sound sleep. This will help your body to repair itself. Lack of sleep can increase the craving for sugary stuff and the stress levels, which can affect the production of the ketone in the body. High cortisol can lead to unwanted fat gain.

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Connection between gut and brain holds answers to obesity

A recent study  has revealed that there is a strong connection between your gut and brain which leads to weight gain by the consumption of those extra servings.

Mice consuming a high-fat diet show increased levels of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), a hormone produced in the gut that is involved in managing the body's energy balance.

The study found out that the excess GIP travels through the blood to the brain where it inhibits the action of leptin, the satiety hormone; consequently, the animals continue eating and gain weight. Blocking the interaction of GIP with the brain restores leptin's ability to inhibit appetite and results in weight loss in mice.

Researchers know that leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells, is important in the control of body weight both in humans and mice. Leptin works by triggering in the brain the sensation of feeling full when we have eaten enough, and we stop eating. However, in obesity resulting from consuming a high-fat diet or overeating, the body stops responding to leptin signals it does not feel full, and eating continues, leading to weight gain.

"My colleagues and I started looking for what causes leptin resistance in the brain when we eat fatty foods. Using cultured brain slices in Petri dishes we screened blood circulating factors for their ability to stop leptin actions. After several years of efforts, we discovered a connection between the gut hormone GIP and leptin." said the author and assistant professor of paediatric.

GIP is one of the incretin hormones produced in the gut in response to eating and known for its ability to influence the body's energy management. To determine whether GIP was involved in leptin resistance, researchers first confirmed that the GIP receptor, the molecule on cells that binds to GIP and mediates its effects, is expressed in the brain.

The researchers evaluated the effect blocking the GIP receptor would have on obesity by infusing directly into the brain a monoclonal antibody developed by a Dr. that effectively prevents the GIP-GIP receptor interaction. This significantly reduced the bodyweight of high-fat-diet-fed obese mice.

"In summary, when eating a balanced diet, GIP levels do not increase and leptin works as expected, triggering in the brain the feeling of being full when the animal has eaten enough and the mice stop eating," the Dr. said.


"But, when the animals eat a high-fat diet and become obese, the levels of blood GIP increase. GIP flows into the hypothalamus where it inhibits leptin's action. Consequently, the animals do not feel full, overeat and gain weight. Blocking the interaction of GIP with the hypothalamus of obese mice restores leptin's ability to inhibit appetite and reduces body weight," added the Prof.

Although more research is needed, the researchers speculate that these findings might one day be translated into weight loss strategies that restore the brain's ability to respond to leptin by inhibiting the anti-leptin effect of GIP.

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Holiday heart syndrome

This is once again the time of year when the number of people being rushed to the emergency room for heart attacks, irregular heartbeats and even sudden cardiac arrest goes up. This is due to the so-called “Holiday Heart Syndrome” or HHS.

This used to be considered a mere coincidence during the holiday season, but the problem has been reported in scientific journals and is now a real medical condition that everyone, especially those with known heart problems, has to be wary about.

The last thing we want is for a member of the family to spend the rest of the season in a hospital, or worse, for the family to grieve over the sudden death of a loved one. Yes, it can be a one-time, big-time heart complication with no second chances.

Merrymaking is a hallmark of the Christmas holiday, but when the wine, beer and other booze exceed healthy limits for drinking—aggravated by a high-fat diet, lack of sleep, stress over the traffic and last-minute shopping, plus of course, the cold chill this time of year—the toll on one’s cardiovascular health can be too much.

There appears to be a “conspiracy” of all adverse risk factors during the holiday season. These factors trigger an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation or AF, which can lead to heart failure, heart attack, stroke and other serious complications.

Mounting stress
Many underestimate the impact of mounting stress during the holiday season as we go from one Christmas party to another. Add to that the stress of making sure one has gifts for everyone, and the elevated adrenaline in our system fuels the engine of a cardiovascular catastrophe.

It’s good if one survives a heart attack or a stroke. Many are not that fortunate and succumb before reaching the hospital, or before they even swallow the chunk of crispy pata they sliced from the buffet table.

So, for people with risk factors like smoking, overweight, hypertension, cholesterol problems and diabetes, have a checkup with your family physician, and take the necessary preventive medicines and lifestyle measures to avoid being a victim of HHS.

Family physicians generally try to identify patients who are at high risk to develop HHS, so that they can be forewarned to take the necessary precautions. Someone who’s forewarned is better prepared to prevent whatever catastrophe HHS may cause.

Medicines may be adjusted, or some medicines may be added, but the best preventive measure is avoidance of all the risk factors mentioned.

Just say ‘no’
Here are some suggestions to avoid HHS:
1) Shopping for gifts could be done before the holiday rush.
2) Appointments for get-togethers and other Christmas parties have to be scheduled in advance, and one just has to learn to say “no” to some invitations.
3) Trips have to be planned to avoid the stress-inducing traffic.
4) For important occasions, it’s best to have an early start than fidget in the car because one is already late for the occasion.
5) Alcohol should be taken in strict moderation, ideally not more than one drink for women per day, and not more than two drinks for men.
6) Caffeine in excess should also be avoided.
7) Having a good night’s rest should never be compromised, even if we’re the first to say goodbye to everyone.
I usually recommend my high-risk patients, especially those with previous heart attacks and those with significant blockages of their heart arteries, to wear watches which can monitor their heart rates. They are advised to determine their regular resting heart rate (preferably 55 to 70 beats per minute).
If it increases by 15 percent or more even while at rest, it’s fair warning that their heart is experiencing some stress and strain from whatever they’re doing. One should then desist from all alcohol and HHS triggers, and maybe it’s time to go home and rest.

For example, if one’s usual resting heart rate is 70 per minute, and it goes up to more than 80 per minute, the heart is already saying, “I’m working harder now to cope with the stress of everything you’re subjecting yourself to.”

If the increase in heart rate is accompanied by symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations or sensation of pounding heartbeat, skipped beating of the heart or irregular heartbeat, it’s best to go to the nearest emergency room to prevent further strain or damage to the heart.

The holiday season is a season of cheer. Let’s keep it that way by making sure our loved ones who have heart problems are out of harm’s way.

Even if we don’t have heart problems, it’s still best to avoid all triggers for HHS. Remember, it can be a one-time, big-time catastrophe no one expects.

Here’s wishing everyone a joyous holiday season, and a healthy, successful and abundant New Year. God bless!

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.   

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