What is ketosis?
The body always seeks out glucose (and its stored form, glycogen) for fuel. Limiting carbohydrates mean limiting the body’s favorite fuel — and so it must adapt.The alternative solution is to burn stored fat instead. The metabolic shift from burning glucose to fat produces ketones. Ketones are important because while the body is burning fat for energy, the brain doesn’t have the ability to do this. Instead, the brain will fuel on ketones produced by the liver instead. Once the body fuels on fat and the brain fuels on ketones, you are in ketosis.
What is the ketogenic diet?
Today.com
The keto diet is one in which you drain your liver glycogen stores and force the body to find that alternative fuel. In addition to limiting carbohydrates to achieve this, protein content may also need to be reduced. That’s because protein actually has a small insulin-stimulating effect, which suppresses ketone creation.
I would say this is a good overview. Some of it is a little off the mark and Kristin Kirkpatrick doesn’t cover the part about how your body can make it’s own glucose through gluconeogenesis.
Gluconeogenesis – 24 hours to 2 days – The liver manufactures new glucose from amino acids in a process called “gluconeogenesis”. Literally, this is translated as “making new glucose”. In non-diabetic persons, glucose levels fall but stay within the normal range.
The Fasting Method
It’s a good introduction to keto and low carb lifestyles. I would suggest picking up some books though if you really want the details on a lifestyle that can have enormous health benefits for almost everyone.
Image by healthguru from Pixabay
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