Hack Your Hormones
Cracking the Keto Code: Keto as a Concept
Why MCT Keto Powder and MCT Oil could be your new best friends.
If you’re anything like most women, you’ve probably spent the majority of your adult life avoiding fat like the plague, feeling guilty every time you have succumbed, filled your bowls and plates with low fat alternatives, and as a result, spent most the time feeling hungry, miserable and in a constant state of deprivation.
Well, it’s time to get a grip, let go of the guilt, feel full for the first time and change the way you eat.
How? You say! Here are your need to knows about a keto diet in its simplest form:
The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat eating plan designed to shift the body into a state called ketosis. In ketosis, the body primarily burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates; therefore, you don’t hang on to it. Whoop Whoop! Ketosis isn't a spell from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; it's the magical state your body enters when you kick carbs to the curb. Think of it as your metabolic superhero, burning fat for fuel and turning you into a lean, mean, ketone-burning machine.
How?
When you limit your carb intake, the liver produces ketones, which are molecules created from the breakdown of fats. These ketones serve as an alternative energy source for the brain and body. Essentially, a keto diet aims to induce and maintain this metabolic state, encouraging fat utilisation for energy and potentially leading to weight loss.
So, welcome to the wild world of the ketogenic lifestyle and diet, where bacon is a food group, avocados are the Beyoncé of the produce aisle and carbs are like that ex you unfollowed on social media – you're better off without them! Today, we embark on a journey to demystify the secrets of keto, the diet that has everyone questioning their relationship with carbs and where losing weight is a side effect of actually eating the food you’ve always been afraid to enjoy. Think of it as the rebellious teenager of the diet world, flipping off carbs and embracing fats like a long-lost lover.
Let's Talk Good Fats and Cholesterol
Forget the outdated notion that fats are the villains in this culinary drama. We're talking about the fats that make your taste buds do a happy dance – avocados, nuts, olive oil, oily fish, red meat, dairy and yes, the almighty bacon (at WillPowders, we are doing our research on nitrate free bacon and would urge you to always opt for nitrate free if it’s available). It's like a parade of flavour marching straight into your mouth, with carbs desperately trying to crash the party; however, when you give your body what it needs to reach that satiety sweet spot, carbs will become but a mere memory! No longer will they have the power to spike your insulin or induce the snack attacks because you simply will not want them anymore. You’ve got fat on your team now!
Now, we know what you’re probably thinking…what about unhealthy cholesterol levels caused by a high fat diet?
In a world where avocados are hailed as green gold, and butter is having a comeback, the saga of good fats and cholesterol unfolds. Brace yourself for a journey through the mysterious realm of lipids, where the cholesterol rollercoaster takes unexpected turns.
Picture this: You're sipping your WillPowder's morning coffee, and as you revel in the rich goodness, a tiny voice in your head whispers, "What about cholesterol?" Fear not, intrepid WillPowderer, for this is the tale of how good fats may flirt with your cholesterol levels, but not all cholesterol is created equal.
HDL
Let's start with the unsung hero of this story – HDL cholesterol, the high-density lipoprotein, often dubbed the "Good Cholesterol”, created by good fats e.g. our MCT Keto Powder and MCT Oil. Picture HDL as the Marie Kondo of your circulatory system, tidying up the excess cholesterol from your blood vessels. It's the superhero swooping in to save the day, ensuring your cardiovascular highway is clear of debris..
LDL
LDL cholesterol, the low-density lipoprotein, or the "Not-So-Good Cholesterol" is the mischievous gremlin that can wreak havoc if left unchecked. But here's the twist – not all LDL is created equal. There's a good LDL and a bad LDL. The good LDL is the larger, fluffier kind that behaves and doesn't clog up your arteries like its smaller, denser counterpart.
Yes, the good fats in butter, MCT Keto Powder, MCT Oil, olive oil, oily fish, red meat, full fat dairy might give your cholesterol a little nudge, but fear not – they're doing it for a good cause. These fats can boost your levels of the fluffy, benevolent LDL, keeping the mischievous gremlins at bay. It's like having a bodyguard for your arteries, with a touch of culinary flair.
Food like avocados take centre stage. Creamy, green, and oh-so-trendy, avocados are the poster child for healthy fats. They're loaded with monounsaturated fats that not only cosy up to your taste buds but also dance harmoniously with your cholesterol levels. It's like a heart-healthy tango, where the avocado leads, and your cardiovascular system gracefully follows.
Bad LDL
It doesn’t take a genius to know that the dodgy LDL is created by processed fare and vegetable and seed oils. Stay clear of these, eat as clean as possible, and you’re golden! For more information regarding good vs bad fats, check out our blogs Fats: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Why Can’t I Stop Eating? A review of Davinia Taylor’s Hack Your Hormones. Here you will find a shopping list of what and what not to buy and what to chow down on. Alternatively, check out Davinia’s live with cardiologist Aseem Malhotra on Cholesterol.
At the end of day, the cholesterol tale is not a simple black-and-white narrative.
It's a vibrant spectrum of good and not-so-good, with good fats playing the role of the wise storyteller. It appears that cholesterol is the misunderstood protagonist, and statins are the dubious villains, so the next time someone questions your affinity for avocados and butter, just smile and say, "I'm keeping my cholesterol story interesting – with a dash of good fats and a sprinkle of wisdom." Then raise your WillPowder's coffee and cheers to a heart-healthy, cholesterol-conscious gastronomic adventure!
Don’t just take my word for it: enter Malcolm Kendrick, the maestro behind The Great Cholesterol Con. Kendrick is the Gandalf of high-fat wisdom and his book, “The Great Cholesterol Con”, guides us through the labyrinth of misconceptions about cholesterol. Kendrick's philosophy is like the Yoda of nutrition, preaching the benefits of a high-fat diet with the wisdom of a thousand butter sticks.
In a world where butter is both a spread and a source of controversy, Malcom Kendrick emerges as the unsung hero and advocate of a high fat, ketogenic diet, taking us through the maze of lipids, challenging the dietary dragons with a sword made of saturated fats and a shield crafted from the wisdom of a ketogenic diet.
A ketogenic diet is like the rebel yell in the nutritional realm. Kendrick champions the cause of embracing healthy fats, transforming the ordinary into extraordinary by challenging conventional dietary norms. Avocado aficionados and olive oil enthusiasts, rejoice! These good fats are the superheroes in Kendrick's script, promoting heart health and giving cholesterol a well-deserved makeover.
Keto as a Concept
Ladies and gentlemen, the ketogenic diet isn't just a trend; it's a lifestyle revolution, the holy grail of health, unlocking the secrets to sustained energy, mental clarity, and metabolic wizardry.
But why should we all jump on the keto bandwagon?
It’s simple: fat-fueled bodies are able to gracefully dodge the sugar-laden pitfalls of modern diets. Bid farewell to the carb-induced rollercoaster and say hello to stable blood sugar levels, hormonal harmony and radiant skin, increased brain productivity, increased absorption of nutrients, weight loss and cholesterol that works for you and not against you. Keto isn't just a diet; it's a symphony for your endocrine system, conducted by the virtuoso of good fats. Not only this, Russell Wider, an American physician, diabetologist, epileptologist, and medical researcher, known as one of the originators of the ketogenic diet, first used the Ketogenic diet to treat epilepsy in 1921, indicating its phenomenal impact on the brain, which incidentally is 60% fat. Studies have been published to this effect and with enormous amounts of favourable clinical data.
For those with an insatiable appetite for hard evidence, or for those thinking about going keto, we’ve dug out some further reading, evidence which has been conducted by medical professionals across a range of disciplines:
The Role of Ketogenic Diet in the Treatment of Neurological Diseases - PMC (nih.gov)
The Ketogenic Diet and Cardiovascular Diseases - PMC (nih.gov)
The Keto Flu
As you adapt to a keto lifestyle, beware the keto flu – the initiation ceremony your body goes through when it realises carbs are no longer on the guest list. Don't worry, it's not an actual flu; it's more like your body throwing a temper tantrum, demanding its sugar fix, highlighting the damage your diet has done. Stay hydrated, pop some ElectroTide to flush out the toxins, and remember, this too shall pass.
Embrace the fats, you must!
