Expert warns: Is Keto silently destroying your liver?
The keto diet is just about the most infamous diet in current times. Short for ketogenic, this harsh regimen is restrictive: low carbs, moderate protein and high fat. This means that the body burns fat as its main source of fuel and breaks it down into ‘ketone bodies’ in a process called ketosis.
According to Kitty Blomfield, health and wellness icon, the personality behind the highly successful Kitty’s 7 Day Challenge and the founder of well known wellbeing brand, NuStrength, the problem with the keto fad is that there is little evidence to recommend it as a long-term weight loss technique for healthy people.
“One of the key factors in keto is cutting the carbs, but I can explain to you exactly why carbohydrates are so important in our diets,” Blomfield said.
“For years, I’ve experimented with all sorts of different diets that just don’t work in the long-term. Many of them can deliver short term results but what’s the point of it all if you’re just going to spring back to square one after a few weeks. You would have done all that hard work and sacrifice for nothing.
“This is why so many women I have mentored over the years have been astonished at how easy it is to lose weight and keep it off by including carbs in their diet. The key is to ensure you are including a mix of certain foods that will promote and support energy levels and muscle maintenance. Muscle is metabolically expensive and burns more calories at rest.”
Understanding why carbs are important
“Once women understand and become more informed about the importance of carbohydrates and their function, they will better understand why keto is a poor dietary choice to follow,” Blomfield said.
“What it essentially does by depriving the body of carbohydrates is that it forces the body into a state of stress and increases stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. This is not good for our short term health or our long term health.”
The liver needs carbs to do its job
“When we restrict carbohydrates we force the body to make glucose using a process called gluconeogenesis,” Blomfield explained.
“This process forces the body to release excessive amounts of cortisol to break down muscle tissue to send to the liver to turn into glucose. It burdens the liver and decreases the conversion of T4 into T3 as the liver requires adequate carbohydrates for thyroid hormone conversion.
“Less glucose means that the body is lowering metabolic function to conserve energy.”
The body slows digestion to cope
“Being constantly stuck in a fight or flight state pulls blood away from our digestive organs, slows digestion, affects stomach acid production, bile flow and digestive enzyme production,” Blomfield said.
“It depletes the body of minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium and affects sex hormone production. It’s not a healthy state to function in the long term and it causes problems. Your body should be switching between utilising fats and carbohydrates, not fighting to keep its organs alive by shutting down core functions and ravaging the body for energy.”
Damage to your body
“Apart from the known health issues with keto, what I find in women who I mentor after they have done keto is they suffer from brain fog and memory issues. Their sleep is terrible and their hormones are also impacted, so their sex drive often disappears. Don’t worry about having a headache, you’ll have lots more problems if you persist with keto. Many people on keto diets experience significant hair loss. For women the impact is horrible and very stressful,” Blomfield added.
Sustainable weight-loss
“If you want to lose body fat in a healthy and sustainable way, you definitely shouldn’t be going on the keto diet and completely cutting sugar, carbs or entire food groups out of your diet. This is a form of wellbeing suicide,” Blomfield said.
“The best way to lose weight and to maintain the weight loss while also increasing energy and overall wellbeing is to get on to a program that provides a comprehensive approach to wellness. Once women hit 30 they start to lose muscle. Muscle is metabolically expensive so it burns more calories at rest, so the best approach is to provide the body with a balanced diet, movement and include muscle growth and maintenance as well.”
Kitty’s Eat More, Train Less and Get Results 7 Day Challenge
Kitty’s iconic 7 Day Eat More, Train Less and Get Results Challenge was purposely built for women to achieve sustainable results without drastically cutting calories, carbs and working out nonstop.
It’s been developed over years and unlike other online programs, this holistic approach gives women everything they need for long-term success. Challenge participants receive a meal plan, a workout plan for the home and the gym, as well as training exercise videos to guide them through the workouts. In addition, it also includes advanced supplement guides, direct support and a private community to help participants along. It’s time for women to stop starving themselves and take back control of their bodies.
About NuStrength
NuStrength helps women transform their bodies through improved metabolic functioning and strength training. By focusing on educating and empowering people, Kitty Blomfield helps people to achieve the body they want with long term results. Her 7 Day Challenge encourages people to eat more, train less and get results. Through NuStrength’s programs, women of all ages can be empowered to be the healthiest and strongest versions of themselves.
Daily Bulletin
