Clinical Effects Of The Ketogenic Diet
Insulin reduction and improvement of insulin sensitivity contribute to the clinical effects of KD. Insulin resistance is an impaired response to insulin stimulation of target tissues, primarily liver, muscle and adipose tissue . Insulin signal is conducted through complex intracellular mechanisms regulated by multiple kinase enzymes . One of the most prominent applications of KD is for the purpose of weight loss and a meta-analysis of 60 dietary trials of weight loss suggested insulin reduction as a primum movens of weight loss . Another clinical manifestation of KD related to glucose metabolism and insulin regulation can be observed in patients diagnosed with glucose transporter 1 mutation, which have impaired absorption of glucose from the blood, leading to a reduced supply of nutrients to the brain that manifests as epilepsy. In these patients, KD caused a significant improvement of seizure frequency . Furthermore, KD has been evaluated as part of cancer treatment protocols in brain, colon, breast, and lung tumors. These studies resulted in beneficial effects when used alongside chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both . Additionally, KD can be used in the setting of Alzheimer’s disease, with an increase in cognitive function , and therapeutic effects have been proposed also for neurologic conditions characterized by substantial motor dysfunction .
Ways Ketogenic Diet Benefits In Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the bodys immune system attacks its own healthy cells.
This causes inflammation, swelling, pain, and redness of the bone joints. It can affect any joint of the body .
Rheumatoid arthritis mostly affects women than men .
The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not identified but it may be related to genetic, environmental and hormonal factors .
Inflammation involves the accumulation of immune cells at the joints which are brought about by biochemical compounds called inflammatory mediators .
Diet control can have a great influence on disease control . One such unique diet proposed to reduce inflammation is called Ketogenic Diet.
Before we discuss its benefits let us know a little about this diet.
Ketogenic Diet In Rheumatoid Arthritis
Several studies have been conducted to investigate the role of dietary interventions in RA . Available evidence suggests the potentially beneficial effects of anti-inflammatory diets on disease activity . Products such as red meat, salt or high-fat diet may trigger inflammation, while fruit, vegetables and fish may exert an anti-inflammatory action . Nevertheless, there is no specific dietary recommendation in RA.
A systematic review of 70 dietary studies revealed that fasting, omega 3 and vitamin D3 significantly reduced RA symptoms . Fasting and calorie restriction, in particular, were associated with improvement of RA activity, with stronger effects on subjective symptoms .
KD may affect RA in several different ways. First, BHB suppresses macrophages and neutrophils’ synthesis of IL-1 by inhibiting NIC and thus reducing TNF-α . Secondly, BHB has been shown to suppress proinflammatory interleukins including IL-1, IL-12, and IL-6 by activation of HCAr . Furthermore, BHB may inhibit the release of IL-1β and IL-18 mediated by NLRP3, contributing to the anti-inflammatory role of KD .
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The Keto Diet: How It Effects These 5 Types Of Arthritis
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate protein diet. It has a range of proven health benefits which include alleviating the symptoms of some types of arthritis. The purpose of the keto diet is to enter into a state where your body burns fats instead of carbohydrates for fuel.
There are several macronutrient variations of the ketogenic diet. However, a fairly common breakdown will comprise of the following:
- 20-30% of calories from protein
- 70-80% of calories from healthy fats
- 5% or less of calories from carbohydrates
When you eat a carbohydrate rich diet your body converts those carbs into glucose. This spikes your blood sugar levels, which in turn signals your body to create insulin. The insulin hormone carries glucose to your cells, and your cells then use that glucose for energy. This is an insulin spike
As long as you keep eating carbohydrates, your body will keep turning them into sugar which it then burns for energy. But when you severely limit your carbohydrate intake, you force your body to burn fat. When this happens, your body converts fatty acids into ketones, placing your body into a metabolic state known as ketosis. By following a keto diet, your body will become keto-adapted, i.e. more efficient at burning fat. This is the essence of the ketogenic diet and is important if you suffer from arthritis.
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Physiological Effects Of Ketogenic Diet
The mean time for achieving nutritional ketosis is generally 3 days, although longer periods up to 10 days have been documented . During the first 3 days, the ketosis induction phase, the patient may experience adverse effects including headache, nausea, asthenia, fatigue, constipation. These effects tend to disappear at the end of the induction phase . A different type of adverse effects may be seen in long-duration KD, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, uric acid increase, electrolyte imbalance and hyperlipidemia .
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This Is Where The Ketogenic Diet Comes In
By significantly reducing your carbohydrate intake, you can significantly reduce the amount of inflammation in your body. In fact, a 2010 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found a direct link between people with a high carb intake and inflammatory diseases. This is because a high carb diet means your blood sugar levels remain elevated and lead to a state called hyperglycaemia. This state is highly-inflammatory. The keto diet is low-carb so suppresses your blood sugar levels. Whats more, the keto diet is high in healthy fats, which helps to regulate both your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Another beneficial aspect of the keto diet is that ketones are a much cleaner energy source in comparison to sugar. As a result of using ketones, your cells create fewer reactive oxygen species than they would from glucose. ROS are a byproduct of energy metabolism. Some ROS are a good thing but excess ROS causes oxidative stress which increases inflammation.
The ROS reducing effects of ketones has actually been measured in a laboratory setting. In a 2004 study, researchers fed mice either a standard diet or a ketogenic diet. They then measured ROS levels and mitochondrial respiration. In the ketogenic group, not only were ROS reduced, but the maximum mitochondrial respiration nearly doubled. It means that a keto diet offers you more energy at the same time as creating less inflammation.
Going Forward With Gout
So what should you eat when you have gout? I recommend copious amounts of whole grains, plant-based protein, fresh vegetables and fruits, daily nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy, oily fish, and chicken and eggs in moderation, says Dr. Beyl.
He suggests that gout patients avoid red meat, shellfish, high-fructose corn syrup, refined sugar, liquor, and beer.
Its important to remember that the right kind of diet can play an important role in managing gout, as long as its used with and not in place of prescription drugs. I always encourage strict compliance with our gout medications, but try very hard to emphasize the importance of diet to treat the patient as a whole not just their arthritis, says Dr. Beyl.
In other words, the diet that is sustainable, helps you feel great all around, and helps keep gout symptoms controlled is the way to go.
If you do decide to make a change in your diet for any reason, seek out medical supervision from your doctor or a registered dietitian who is experienced with inflammatory conditions.
Get access to our Gout Patient Guidelines by subscribing to CreakyJoints today.
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Can Keto Help With Joint Pain
What you eat nourishes all the cells and organs in your body. Your nutrition plays a large role in youre the health of your entire body. The foods in your diet can influence your well-being in a positive or a negative way, depending on what you choose. Knowing this, you might be asking yourself, what things should I eat? Or perhaps, what should I avoid eating? When it comes to a chronic issue, your diet is even more important. It is important to use your diet to your advantage. You should be fueling your body in a way that minimizes symptoms and gives you the best quality of life possible. Have you experienced joint pain? What caused it? Think about how you managed the pain. Maybe you have chronic joint pain and you are hoping for some relief. In this article, we will talk about what joint pain is, causes, symptoms, and address keto joint pain.
Joint pain
Joints are where the parts of your body meet such as knees, shoulders, hips, elbows. Joint pain shows up in your body as discomfort such as achiness or soreness. There are various causes of joint pain. The most common cause is arthritis which we will delve into further below. Other less common causes for joint pain includes: lupus, gout, osteoporosis, tendinitis, fibromyalgia, injury, cancer and infections including influenza, mumps and hepatitis.
Final Thoughts Can Keto Help With Rheumatoid Arthritis
When dieting, it is best to limit carbohydrates to 20g per day, and ideally, you should aim to keep this amount below 30 grams. However, if you are looking to lose weight, it is better to eat less carbs every day. When you do eat carbs, you should consume them as protein, with fat filling up the remainder. Depending on the type of food you ate, you may have to cut back on the amount of total carbs you consume, but the results will be worth it.
To maximize the benefits of the keto diet, you should eat more fat-rich foods. These are generally higher in saturated fat than those found in other food groups, and therefore contain more sugar than is recommended. High-fat food sources are often associated with contaminants and hormones, so it is advisable to buy products from organic sources. You should also try to eat as much produce as possible that is local and organic. The Environmental Working Group provides a list of the least-contaminated foods and the ones that should be avoided.
While many people might think that avoiding processed meats is difficult, this isnt true. Some are high in carbohydrates but low in vitamins and minerals. You should also avoid breads made from flour, which are often highly processed. Moreover, try to eat more seafood and shellfish instead, as they contain significant amounts of carbohydrates. To keep your body healthy, it is important to maintain a proper mindset, which is essential to follow the ketogenic diet.
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Keeping The Weight Off
You might have listened to the widely estimated statistic that 95% of people that slim down on a diet regimen will restore it within a couple of years or perhaps months. While there isnt much hard evidence to sustain that insurance claim, it holds true that many weight-loss strategies fall short in the long-term.
Usually thats merely due to the fact that diets that are too restrictive are very tough to keep in time. Nonetheless, that does not indicate your weight-loss efforts are destined failure. Vice versa. Keto Diet And Rheumatoid Arthritis
Given that it was established in 1994, The National Weight Control Pc Registry in the USA, has actually tracked over 10,000 individuals that have shed substantial amounts of weight and also maintained it off for long periods of time. The research study has located that participants thatve achieved success in preserving their weight-loss share some typical strategies. Whatever diet regimen you utilize to drop weight to begin with, embracing these habits may assist you to keep it off:
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What Is A Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet is a fat rich and low carbohydrate diet.
The carbohydrates consumed in a normal diet are converted to glucose and used as energy. The fats in the diet are usually stored in the body .
When there is a low intake of carbohydrate in the diet the body is forced to metabolize fat. This allows the body to depend on fat rather than glucose .
Fat metabolism results in the release of ketones into the blood, which provides energy to the body. This state of increased ketones in the body is known as ketosis .
A ketogenic diet mainly focuses on achieving the state of ketosis and these ketones provide the energy required for the bodys functions .
The total calorie intake is restricted to three-fourths of the normal calorie intake but, the volume may appear much smaller .
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Cultivate A Healing Mindset
Making food and lifestyle changes isnt easy. In fact its very hard. It takes time, preparation and dedication to focus on the goal of becoming pain-free and BELIEVING it can happen. I followed stories of people who had walked this path before me and knew that it was possible. This helped motivate me on the hard days.
I also tried to reframe the illness by seeing the symptoms as information my body was giving me. I used it like a compass to guide me in the direction that reduced pain and inflammation.
What you focus on expands. Focus on Healing.
The mind is a powerful tool which can be harnessed to help heal. I used healing visualizations and affirmations and expressed gratitude each day for the evidence of healing in my body. As the expression goes: what you focus on expands. I wanted my body to heal so that, rather than the pain, was my focus.
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Why Keto Is A Short
The goal of the keto diet is to get your body into a state of ketosis, which is when your body doesnt have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy, so it starts to burn fat instead. If you can get through the first three days to get into ketosis, it can help to shut down appetite and control cravings, says Sandon. From a weight loss perspective, it can be effective in the short term. But eventually you do get hungry, and you need to get back to eating regular food again.
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The Role Of Diet In Gout Management
Gout is a common form of arthritis. It develops when too much uric acid builds up in the body, forming painful needle-like crystals in the joints. Treatment of gout is centered on medications that help control uric acid levels, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs that can ease the pain of acute gout attacks.
Diet can also play a role in managing gout. Foods like liver, anchovies, trout, turkey, and bacon are high in substances called purines, which your body breaks down to form uric acid.
For decades, eating a low-purine diet has been administered as a part of the gout treatment plan to help lower uric acid levels, says Sophia Kamveris, MS, RD, LDN, a Boston-based registered dietitian and author of The 28-Day Gout Diet Plan.
A ketogenic diet is typically high in purine-rich animal protein foods, which makes keto a counterintuitive choice for managing gout. However, there has been limited research that flies in the face of long-held beliefs about diet and gout, suggesting that keto might help in managing painful gout symptoms but more research is needed.
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More Help For Those With Ra
There is no doubt that the neck is often affected by this disease . The laxity of the vertebrae and ligaments inhibit the immune system from working properly by blocking signals sent from the brain.
The majority of surgeons will recommend surgery to stabilize the neck. Seeing a chiropractor at the onset of symptoms may help to realigned and strengthen the neck before surgery is considered, however.
While chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine will not cure RA, it may improve symptoms including less numbness, fewer headaches, and less general body pain.
**Note: Those with osteoporosis or other skeletal abnormalities should not receive adjustments to the cervical spine.
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What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis affects millions of people worldwide causing chronic pain, decreased quality of life, and huge medical bills.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease a condition in which the immune system attacks otherwise healthy tissue. This immune reaction, marked by high levels of rheumatoid factor antibodies, causes joint inflammation and damage.
RA symptoms include:
- Infectious disease
In all cases, a low level inflammatory immune response underlies this chronic illness. But does inflammation cause RA? Or does RA cause inflammation? Maybe a bit of both.
Either way, to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, you need to address the inflammation and the standard approach is to use disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for this purpose. DMARDs work by suppressing the immune system and reducing joint inflammation.
More recently, doctors are starting to use a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs called tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis.
TNF- is an inflammatory particle, so reducing it can help with chronic inflammation. There are, however, concerns over the toxicity and potential side effects of these drugs.
Fortunately, drugs arent the only way to lower inflammation. Diet, sleep, and exercise can lower inflammation too.
Since inflammation lies at the heart of rheumatoid arthritis, its important to learn more about it.
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