Close member in my family has this week undergone ketogenic diet…and the question is…what does this really mean. Have found that very practical commentary invariably generates from Valter Longo of the University of Southern California…who of course is world renowned for his book on the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) that was first published in Italian, and from which experience enabled him to readjust his own programs on Longevity and the fight against Cancer, that are currently underway in California. Ultimately this came down to actually providing the food to his subjects, rather than allow too much individual flexibility and discretion in this direction, as fundamentals are misinterpreted! His excellent interview well worth viewing…when it comes to just what Ketogenic and Intermediate Fasting diets really are! He dislikes both expressions really because without qualification they can be meaningless. This is a man whose mentor was renowned Roy Walford of Biosphere fame…when 8 persons spent two years in close quarters in an enclosed dome, really with multiple observations and experiments of how one to grow and feed in a contained environment. One that could be transposed to another planet, space station or probe. In Valter Longo`s mind it resolved many issues relating to Calorie Restriction long term. His view that Roy Walford really emerged emaciated, and that although there were some advantages relating to cardiovascular health for example…in terms of Longevity…and he thinks Stem Cell enhancement, there was confirmation that Calorie Restriction or really continued partial undernourishment was not the way to go! Longo then developed over two to three decades his research related to Longevity and Cancer and the final `coup de gras`..the FMD. As a result because of the overlap of disciplines and research he may be one of the best for comment on Ketogenic diets and the problems that may be encountered…really all coming back to what is a healthy diet and longevity formula. Partial Fasting & Ketogenic Diet Pitfalls!
This is best described by examples: there is a generally accepted concept…and personally fell victim to this…of skipping breakfast and restricting one`s diet to short window of eating that would be lunch and dinner. But risk is that exceeding 13 to 14 hours regularly invites other heath negatives such as gall stones...certainly no one needs increased risk of a gall bladder removal operation!..review of his other`pillars of wisdom`studies: that blue zones…(longevity geographical groups)…tend not to exceed that magic 12 to 13 hours, but also, they do not reduce below 12 hours of fasting overnight! Optimal is 12 to 13!..in addition most popular ketogenic discussion usually involves severe limit on overall carbohydrates and sugars. This, excellent but usually with ketogenic diets there is silence on amount of protein intake…it is here where there is a fine line! Most of us consume, and continue as a race, to consume far far too much protein...particularly vulnerable are meat eaters…(here the discussion is solely relating to amount of protein, vegetarianism and veganism, piscatorial diets all other issues!)…as a twelve ounce steak two or three times a week, often additionally coupled with eggs and bacon breakfasts, rapidly drives the percentage of protein stratospheric.
Ideally most persons, say in the 150 lbs range, do not require more than about 70 grams of protein…allowing for an increase for youth and seniors of say some 20%…thus the dilemma! North America consists of approximately two thirds of obese persons yet we have not grasped the protein issue! (agreed it is not solely the issue!) Very taxing on certain organs, such as kidneys, and just as driving, if not more so for metabolic syndrome disease! Partial Fasting & Ketogenic Diet Pitfalls!
The Atkins Diet is still really out there! To this day there is issue relating to Atkins heart health…this was a questionable backdrop…but in reality he fell in front of his New York office and badly damaged his brain…and that was immediate cause of a soon subsequent and unconscious death. Ketogenisis essentially means that a metabolism using fat as a fuel source as opposed to sugars, strangely an experience that maybe in excess of 99% in North America never experience!..this is also the concept with FMD…but over an entirely varied period of time, food category percentages, and metabolic concept! If one adopts the 60% good carbs, 30% good fats, and 10% protein, combination formula advocated by Valter Longo...varying this with a ketogenic diet of say 60% fats may just be apposite to a healthy objective…and then what fats! Heavy on saturated fats is not his advocacy. Essentially good fats boil down to Advocado, Olive, and perhaps Coconut…he is not keen on wallops of butter! Now there may be compromise here to some extent, as after all we are talking diet, and chemically butter does not break down with high heat…whilst many fats become carcinogenic! Perhaps a compromised place for high heat cooking with say healthy butter, but eliminating or draining as much as possible as a matter of course…this is an example as this blog maintains, of the 90% rule…deployment of which usually good compromise! Also, exactly what Valter Longo has applied and effectively proved with his FMD…it was unnecessary for him to completely eliminate all foods during fasting!..and yet accomplish that incredible rejuvenated Stem Cell benefit with serious Longevity advantage! Partial Fasting & Ketogenic Diet Pitfalls!
