more carbohydrate adjustments are needed, and that’s where a nutrient dense Keto approach can be an amazing tool.


A Keto diet creates a shift in your body by switching fuel


sources from being a sugar burner (glucose) to a fat burner (ketones). When in “ketosis” we use stored fat along with dietary fat to fuel en- ergy requirements. Using ketones as fuel is a nice slow burn without the blood sugar swings many experience with a high carb diet.


A real food Keto approach is vastly different from the bacon, Can You Lose Weight with Keto? By Evelyn DeDominicis, MS


vention. Keto has become mainstream. So, you may be wonder- ing…will it work for you?


K


First, let’s start with some background: Keto isn’t new. The high fat, moderate protein, low carb approach to eating has been around for well over a century. It was used in Diabetes manage- ment and for the treatment of epilepsy, but it was left behind in favor of more profi table medications.


The fear of dietary fat that occurred with skewed science in the 70s, 80s and 90s, made no-fat and low fat diets, “healthy” and high fat diets “defi nitely NOT healthy,” so Keto/high fat approaches were sidelined even further. Attempts to re-introduce Keto prin- ciples occurred over the decades as its fringe application expanded for use in weight loss (with the popular Atkins Diet) and to support conditions such as Diabetes, Parkinson’s, ADD, autism, dementia and cancer, but high fat/low carb diets were met with criticism and concern over clogged arteries and all the other stigma that the low- fat craze caused.


Until now, with the evolution of the Paleo diet and emerg- ing evidence demonstrating that healthy fats in the diet is not only healthy, but that “healthy fats” are essential for optimal health. Coupled with the realization that too many carbohydrates in the diet are contributing to the rise in obesity and Diabetes, the Keto approach has fl oated back up to the top as a healthy option for many people.


As a functional nutritionist, I believe that a well-formulated, nutrient dense Ketogenic approach makes sense. Most modern disease – including weight imbalances – are rooted in blood sugar dysregulation. A high carbohydrate diet (which the S.A.D.- Stan- dard American Diet most certainly is) has the propensity to raise blood sugar, which creates a hormonal cascade that favors fat stor- age, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome.


For many, just switching from refi ned carbohydrates (sugary drinks, juices, breads, pasta, cookies, crackers, chips, etc.) to whole foods carbohydrates (fruit, veggies, beans, grains) with a balance of proteins and fats will turn things around beautifully. For others,


eto” or the Ketogenic Diet is #trending. More than half of the bestsellers in the diet book category are pro-Keto for its benefi ts with weight loss, brain health and even cancer pre-


cheese and diet soda of the early Atkins era. Functional Nutrition has an appreciation for anti-infl ammatory, nutrient dense foods – particularly fi brous vegetables - which support the gut microbiome and provide micronutrients to fuel cellular activity.


Our approach to Keto also takes out all the tedious tracking and the strict focus on “macros” - the percentages of fats, carbo- hydrates and protein consumed on a daily basis. We simply start with building our plates with a variety of non-starchy vegetables, moderate protein and several servings of healthy fats (3-5 per meal is usually a good amount to support ketosis).


What might this look like in a day?


Breakfast: Coffee/tea with coconut oil, 2 eggs with sausage, sautéed onions & mushrooms w/ baby kale cooked in ghee served with raw sauerkraut.


Lunch: Large salad with salmon topped with avocado, pump- kin seeds and olive oil with lemon juice, salt and pepper and a sprinkle of goat cheese.


Dinner: Roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts roasted with pastured bacon, olive oil and walnuts, mashed caulifl ower with pastured butter.


Modern Keto pairs really well with Intermittent Fasting too because eating a high fat diet is very satiating. Fat, protein and fi ber recalibrate ghrelin and leptin – our hunger and satiety hormones - so most people fi nd that they feel great with 1-2 meals a day instead of three - and snacking becomes a thing of the past.


So back to the original question: Can you lose weight with


Keto? The answer is: Yes, for most people. However, there may be cases where other factors such as genetics, stress, physiology and hormone imbalances play a part in blocking the body’s ability to lose weight. In this case, the Keto approach may need to be modi- fi ed for the individual. I’ll often cycle in whole food carbohydrates in cases where there’s more demand – such as fueling athletic performance or supporting thyroid function and hormonal balance – particularly with women. To fi nd your ideal approach to Keto, reach out to an experienced functional nutritionist to customize the right eating plan for you.


Evelyn DeDominicis, MS is a functional/clinical nutritionist at Collaborative Natural Health Partners in Manchester, CT. She has a Master's Degree in Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport along with various nutrition, culinary, yoga and energy healing cer- tifi cations. Evelyn is available for classes and one on one sessions. Visit ctnaturalhealth.com/events for a full schedule of her lectures. To schedule your appointments directly, visit www.evelynd.com or by calling 860-916-0330.


www.EssentialLivingMaine.com 11


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