Uncategorized

Today’s article will look at the Keto diet vs Atkins diet. Which is better and safer? We shall do our best in comparing these two diets and trey to answer that question to the best of our ability.

These are two of the most popular diets on the market today and we were very curious not only how they stacked up against each other but if one was safer than the other. We recently wrote up an article on the keto diet here, and explain it well, but today, we’ll compare it to a seemingly similar plan: The Atkins diet.

So, in this article, we will look at what each diet is, how they compare to each other and the safety of both.

What is the Keto diet?

This diet is designed as high fat, low carb, and we mean very low carb. This diet is based on the Atkins diet.

When you eliminate carbs and replace them with good fat you create a metabolic state in the body called ketosis.

Once your body reaches the state of ketosis it becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat and using that fat for energy.

It also turns fat into ketones in your liver and this is what is called brain food as it supplies energy directly to the brain!

Another wonderful health benefit from this diet is lowered insulin and blood sugar levels, which can create great results in combating type 2 diabetes.

Four basic choices with this diet

• SKD or STandard Keto Diet
• CDK or Cyclical Keto Diet:
• TKD or Targeted keto Diet
• High Protein Keto Diet

While the choices are awesome only the standard and high protein diets are commonly used by most people and they have had extensive research with interesting results. The others are used basically by athletes and bodybuilders.

Health benefits of the Keto diet

Studies have proved that you will lose weight more quickly with fewer health risks than the low carb programs on the market today, and not only will your health risks be lower, you will see improvements in your health as doctors are now using this diet to treat:

Heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, cancer, brain injuries, Parkinson’s disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, and even acne!

Losing weight on the Keto diet

Numerous studies have concluded that with this program you can lose up to 3 time the amount of weight in the same time period as other low carb programs and 2,2 times the amount of low-calorie diets without any calorie counting or food tracking.

There are also health benefits that include lowered sugar levels, increased Keytone levels and even improved insulin sensitivity.

Summary

This program surely has many benefits and though numerous studies have proven it is not only low-risk health-wise it will improve your overall health and is the choice of many doctors for numerous health issues!

Now let’s take a look at the Atkins Diet and then we will conclude by seeing how they compare!

What is the Atkins Diet

Doctor Robert C. Atkins created this diet and wrote a book introducing it to the world in 1972.

It is a low carb high-fat diet that lets you eat just about anything that falls into those categories and when first introduced it was deemed unhealthy due to the intake of high fat to lose weight.

After more than 20 controlled studies involving low carb high-fat programs, it is now considered if not the best way to lose and maintain weight loss it surely is at the top of the list.

While most people will not see any raised levels of bad LDL there are some people who will be affected by this so it is wise with any weight loss program to monitor your results.

How Atkins works

This is broken into 4 different phases

• Phase One: this is limited to 20 carbs a day and is what they call the kick start and consists of low carb veggies and high protein meats
• Phase Two: This phase slowly introduces some fruits and nuts and more low carb veggies.
• Phase Three: You can now see the results you are looking for and as you approach your target weight you can add more carbs until you level out.
• Phase Four: Here you can eat pretty much anything as long as you monitor your weight and if you start to put it back on you can go back to previous phases for maintenance.

Many people have modified this with great results as it can get pretty complicated keeping track of all the different phases.

Others stay in phase one indefinitely and this is called the Keto Diet.

Foods To Eat

Healthy fats such as avocados, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil. Low carb veggies such as broccoli, spinach, asparagus and Kale

Meats such as pork, beef, chicken, bacon, and lamb. Eggs, nuts, and seeds, salmon, sardines, and trout are also recommended.

Food to avoid

As with any program, the really good tasting things that got us where we are today are not going to be allowed on these programs such as sugars, vegetable oils, diet, and low-fat foods.

Also not allowed are high carb fruits and vegetables, starches, trans fats, and grains.

As you can see with this diet many different foods are allowed and that is a good thing in our book but there are also many things we are used to eating that just are not allowed and it can get confusing at first.

Summary

This program does work, it backed by many different studies, and has a proven track record and is a great way to both lose and maintain weight loss in a healthy way that also benefits your health with most of the same claims as to the Keto diet.

Our Take

Both The Keto and the Atkins diets are healthy ways to lose and maintain weight loss and it is hard to say which one is better.

breaking it down it all depends on how much work you want to put in and how much food you want to give up.

The food choices are much wider with the Atkins but the health claims are better with the Keo and we are going to leave the final decision in your hands by giving both of these programs a huge thumbs up!

Thanks for checking out our article and happy dieting!

We will be exploring the question is the keto diet safe in this article. This is a big question that many experts have brought forward simply because of the low carb high-fat requirements.

In the past high fat intake was considered a great way to an early heart attack but as more and more studies have been completed this thinking has changed and it pays to take a goods look into this if you are thinking of starting a Keto Diet.

Ketosis is a process that must be understood to make any kind of decision on weather it will be good or bad for a person so let’s take a look at this process.

What is Ketosis.

ketosis is a process of breaking down fat and turning it into energy. In a normal diet, the body will break down carbohydrates such as pasta, grains, starch, fruits, and vegetables into glucose which the body then burns for energy.

When the body has too many carbs to burn as energy it turns into fat and is stored.

This process can happen due to many different reasons, for example:

• Age: As the body ages it tends to burn calories much slower than in younger years.
• Lifestyles: As we become less active and more sedimentary we will require fewer carbs to burn for energy
• Overeating: With today’s choices of so many carb-filled foods that taste awesome we tend to overeat and thus we have excess fat build-up.

By putting the body in Ketoses you will then be burning fat as energy instead of carbohydrates, thus your body starts burning fat and you can then use this process to lose weight.

This process is achieved by removing virtually all carbs thus driving the body into Ketosis. By doing this we accelerate the fat burning process and weight loss then begins.

Now that we understand how ketosis works let’s take a look at the effects this can have on the body.

What to expect from a diet using Ketosis

If a person is thinking about starting this or any other weight loss program it pays to enter with as much knowledge as possible.

There have been many studies involving this diet and the finding are interesting.

The best way to figure out if this diet is safe is to look at what these studies have determined so let’s take a look.

Increased Energy

The first thing that happens when going on this program is what is called “The keto flu” In other words the body feels off and sluggish and your energy levels will be low as you adjust to Ketosis.

This usually lasts for anywhere from one to two weeks as the body adjusts then the process is reversed.

Energy levels not only increase but people experience even higher energy levels than before they started this program and their energy level will be steady and consistent because you will not be experiencing sugar highs or sugar crashes.

Bad breath

Elevated Keytones in the body tend to create what is called “acetone breath” This is a fruity-smelling breath that can not be taken care of by brushing alone.

Many people have found they like the smell and those who do not have used sugar-free gum. This is only a temporary situation that lasts around a couple of weeks.

High Keytone blood levels

These levels are nothing to worry about in themselves but when these levels are elevated they tend to lower blood sugar levels and this will need to be monitored if dealing with diabetes or pre-diabetes. it would be wise to work with your doctor if this describes your situation.

Increased ability to stay focused

Many people have reported that once they get through the first two weeks of this program they start experiencing the ability to focus much better than previously.

Doctors are prescribing this diet to people who are dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases and studies are ongoing as to the long term effects might be obtained. Stay tuned on this.

A decrease in exercise stamina

The first few weeks the body changes and as ketosis starts happening the body loses glycogen stores in our muscles. People see a slow down in their ability to maintain there pre-diet levels of exercise but this is only temporary.

Something worth noting is many athletes find after going on the Keto diet they have better results with this than preloading carbs before a performance.

Changes can cause digestive issues

People have reported diarrhea and constipation the first few weeks after switching to low carb high-fat foods and this makes sense as the body needs time to change from one type of nutrient like carbs to another like high fat.

This will pass and is only temporary.

Reduction in appetite

This is a major selling point in this diet as studies claim that not only do Keytones reduce the appetite, the lack of carbs plays the same roll so you get a double whammy and we all know less appetite means less intake of food which of course means weight loss!

People have reported experiencing insomnia

Just like many of the other symptoms when starting this diet this will be temporary and usually clears up within two to three weeks.

melatonin can help but it is advised to consult your doctor before treating this symptom as it is natural for the body to become restless as these changes occur.

Our View

After reviewing medical studies and weighing the good versus the bad when using this program we have to give this one a huge thumbs up.

While there are some things to be concerned about especially if you are dealing with disease, the general results point to this diet not only being safe to use but the health benefits are huge!

As always what works for one person may not work for another when dealing with health issues, but the overall consensus is this diet works and is good for you.

Thanks for checking out our article and happy dieting!

My own personal experience with keto dieting explained.

I didn’t exactly try the most traditional way of doing the keto diet, but in my case, what I did was, I cut sugar consumption and made sure to go to sleep hungry.

I also increase the amount of healthy fats I ate. This combination of ways of losing weight did trigger my body at times to enter a ketogenic state and this did indeed help me lose weight. Although in my personal experience, having a cheat day is important because for me personally, maintaining a ketogenic lifestyle was extremely difficult.

I read Grain Brain and in this review, I’m going to explain exactly what it teaches about grains and what to eat if you want to improve health.

Grain Brain is not just another diet plan which demonizes wheat and grains as being harmful and eliminating them to lose weight, but it also gives a lot of science to suggest that when you correctly feed the mind with proper foods, you will improve mental health and at the same time burn calories and this review will explain which foods you need to eat and avoid.

Why this plan focuses on the mind more than on weight loss:

The biggest goal in the book is to help readers see how important it is to take care of your brain health because it is the tool which can lead to a longer life.

David Pulmutter, the author makes a very strong case for this by explaining how most people do not even think about their mind as being something they need to take care of.

Their bodies yes, but he mentions that the mind is one of the most important organs to help flourish because many problems such as obesity, heart disease also greatly increase chances of deadly, deteriorating diseases like Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders which usually strike elderly people.

But what about weight loss? Here’s how Grain Brain helps achieve that…

If you can properly take care of your mind, you won’t just reduce the risk for having neurological problems, but because they are connected with general problems such as being overweight, you will also be able to treat that.

In this diet plan, the same foods and lifestyle changes that are suggested feed the brain and also help get rid of fat. However, I never saw any average results listed however, you can lose a lot of weight by following this plan.

How does the Grain Brain diet specifically work?

If any food, drink or lifestyle you have harms the brain, you need to eliminate that from your life right away. They may be causing your brain to become damaged which can cause headaches and if not handled, more major problems.

And the same things that damage the brain also damage the body, making it more fat and unhealthy. So obviously treating the brain also treats the body.

The diet approach is eating high fat, VERY low carb foods but that comes from putting a few other diet plans together:

Paleo. This plan is very close to a paleo style in that you eat a lot of vegetables and proteins from eggs. However, where paleo would endorse eating any kinds of fruits, Grain Brain does not allow for a lot of them because they can contain a lot of carbs.

Carbs and grains are basically the enemy of brain health if you consume too many of them.

In the book, David points to the paleolithic age people and shows a picture where most of their diet was eating fat and some protein, while the least was carbs since it was difficult to find. 

He also showed a picture of people today whose diet is very different from that and their main consumption is carbs. He draws the connection that because we eat so many carbs, that this has led to increases in weight and diseases.

Eat Fat!?

High fat doesn’t mean saturated fats. There are very healthy fats which do not ironically make you gain weight and you will get a list of them. Another diet (2 Week Diet) also proves you can lose weight doing this. And another GREAT book on fat eating is Eat Fat, Get Thin.

Gluten free. There are a lot foods that contain wheat and grain and many of them also have gluten, which David Pulmutter is also a major enemy of having a healthy mind.

There are a lot of stories David talks about where he helped patients (A child, middle aged people and elderly peopl) get rid of huge issues like ADHD, insomnia, ED, irritability, headaches, and more by just making these people change their diet. The diet helped get rid of the problems.

He often mentions the term “gluten sensitivity” which he recommends people get a test for if they have a number of symptoms which the book will list. If you have those symptoms, you may have sensitivity to gluten in which case you need to eat foods free of that ingredient (gluten free diet).

Ketogenic diet. David recommends calorie restriction and sometimes fasting as a means to help the body get into a ketogenic state where it will burn fat that will help brain health improve.

David makes cholesterol sound like a good thing!

Throughout the book, the theory of cholesterol being a horrible thing and it leading to blood clots and heart diseases is shut down by David. He says that a quarter of all cholesterol in the body is taken by the brain so cholesterol is important to consume if you’re going to have a healthy mind.

And the theory that it leads to diseases is actually refuted and he says that other things people do such as smoking, drinking, eating unhealthy carbs and inflammation in the body is what can lead to those things, not cholesterol.

He does talk about LDL and HDL but really says that eating fat such as from eggs is very important.

I have also been eating much less grains (no cereals, no bread). The only wheat I eat is organic wheat seeds but I do believe eating less grains makes you healthier.

The 30 day plan (called the 4 week plan):

Week 1: You stop eating any non approved grains/wheat and start eating a lot of foods with fat, protein and vegetables. You are allowed to only have up to 40 grams of carbs a day. 

Supplements are also recommended included DHA which is omega 3. You can get them as pills, but you can also get them from fish. 

Week 2: David recommends you have some kind of exercise routine where you work out the majority of the week. Even walking is good for brain health.

Week 3: You have to set a sleeping pattern which you follow all the time and get 7-8 hours at least. A good sleep is also very important for the health of the mind.

Week 4: Everything you did for the 3 weeks are now added together and week 4 basically is a sample of the way you should live life after you end this week. Every week before added to the previous one and this one connects everything.

Also there is a preparation before you start your plan where you are recommended to get a blood test and compare it after you finish the 4 weeks.

A sample of the food list you get with Grain Brain:

Foods and oils with fats you can eat: Sesame oil, coconut oil and coconut, avocado, flax seed, chia seeds.

Proteins: Poultry, eggs, oysters, sardines, clams, salmon, shrimp.

Fruits (Low sugar only): lemons, eggplant, avocado. You can eat berries, but a sample menu recommends a small portion a day.

Vegetables: Kale, garlic, spinach, ginger, bok choy, mushrooms.

The sample menu in the book recommends eating 4 times a day. There was no number of calories allowed, but the sample look like it was under 2,000 calories a day. I think anyone who does this diet should follow the rules, but not torture themselves by being very restrictive. Eat based on BMR.

In addition to this sample, there are many also recipes. 

Grain Brain diet score:

3 stars out of 5.

Great plan for the brain and health! 

Conclusions on the Grain Brain:

The Grain Brain is a plan that may suit 40 and above people better than it does younger people. If you are elderly or if you have ANY sensitivity to gluten and/or neurological problems, the Grain Brain may be exactly the best diet plan for you. I think this book and it’s recommendations are perfect for elderly people. 

If you’re young and just want to diet, this plan may be too radical and you should try the 3 week plan, a different diet that is excellent for weight loss and flexibility in eating, but you should also try to completely eliminate most grains out of your diet, even whole grains.