Is A Keto Diet Suitable For Seniors & Over 60's

In the absence of carbohydrate, our body is made to use fat as its fuel source instead. Fats are broken down in the liver to produce ketones, which can also be incorporated into respiratory processes to produce energy; hence, the keto diet.

Imagine repeating this process multiple times a day over the course of many years within a lifestyle that is also devout of other healthy behaviours (like regular exercise and adequate sleep for example). Over time our body will actually have to produce more insulin to achieve the same effect as our cells become increasingly more insulin insensitive. This insensitivity to insulin eventually leads to metabolic disorders like pre-diabetes and eventually type II diabetes itself; the main risk factor for all cause mortality related to heart disease.

Insulin resistance disrupts insulin action in cells, which can cause a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms. A primary feature of insulin resistance is an impaired ability of muscle cells to take up circulating carbohydrate. A person with insulin resistance will divert a greater proportion of dietary carbohydrate to the liver where much of it is converted to fat, as opposed to being oxidized for energy in skeletal muscle.

Both short and long-term studies have evaluated ketogenic diets in treating metabolic disorders and insulin sensitivity and found it to be significantly beneficial.

There are a number of mechanisms which could explain the consistent success attached to ketogenic dieting and weight loss;

Reduction in appetite due to higher satiety effect of more dietary proteins effects on appetite control hormones and to a possible direct appetite-suppressant action of the ketones themselves
Reduction in lipogenesis (creation of new fats) and increased lipolysis (fat breakdown).
Greater metabolic efficiency in consuming fats.
Increased metabolic costs of gluconeogenesis and the thermic effect of proteins i.e. we spend more energy creating carbohydrate and metabolizing protein.

An approach which facilitates you feeling less hungry and eating less, as well as reducing the amount of fat we are creating and storing and increasing our energy expenditure will be one that can certainly help with weight management efforts (and the research shows it!).

All of these factors are directly linked to a decreased risk of developing heart disease. Additionally, reversing metabolic disorder can also reduced the risk of developing heart disease. Statistics show that nearly 70% of people with a form of metabolic disorder will die of heart disease and over 15% die of having a stroke.

While more work needs to be done in the field, initial results are promising and suggest a significant neuroprotective benefit!

With loss of lean body mass / muscle mass comes increased frailty and risk of falling; falling accounts for the second great accidental mortality rate amongst elderly populations and increases the number of those who require additional care.

In clinical settings, when the diet is being coached and or provided by a team of expert researchers, the results are great and the approach appears to be completely safe.

One of the first things to mention is that many first-time keto dieters have reported suffering from flu like symptoms; the dreaded “keto flu“.

Included in the list of symptoms are: stomach pain, “brain fog,” dizziness or confusion, nausea, irritability, diarrhoea or constipation, muscle cramping or muscle soreness, lack of focus, sleep problems, and sugar cravings.

The severity of these symptoms may be worse in the first few days of a ketogenic diet.

Knowing that you may experience it and adjusting your schedule to prepare for this possible condition is important; a large focus on sleep should be emphasized, maintaining hydration levels and getting an intake of adequate electrolytes (find the best keto friendly ones here) and planning out a well-balanced, nutrient targeted meal plan.

If you find yourself struggling with the associated cough, we’ve also written about the best keto friendly cough drops too!

As you figure out which to keep in your dietary routine and which options you may have to minimize your intake of, using a fiber powder supplement can prevent you from suffering any digestive issues.

Incorporating a keto friendly multivitamin would also be recommended, at least in the initial stages of your dietary changeover.

As mentioned, one of the mistakes many first time keto dieters make is to cut out fruits and vegetables, which are naturally abundant in vitamins, minerals and unique, health boosting phytochemicals.

There are the initial considerations and hurdles (such as the associated flu, the necessity of fibre awareness and a potentially nutrient restricted diet depending on the food choices you make), however, the ketogenic approach does appear to get easier as time goes on. Our keto guide for beginners is a great read for those considering the approach after this article and reading about all the possible benefits it may confer.

For those who are utilizing a ketogenic approach to enhance their weight loss and subsequent management efforts, the rapid initial weight loss may actually increase long term adherence and motivation to continue the diet, thus giving a chance to develop a means of incorporating a keto approach fully into your daily life.

There are some who may encounter a plateau when it comes to their weight loss efforts however. While you simply can’t diet forever, we’ve tackled the topic of keto weight loss plateaus in a separate article so you don’t end up giving up on it because your progress has slowed!

Additionally, understanding how to manage your hunger on a keto diet is important too; with the reduction in food volume (due to reduced wholegrains and fibrous, voluminous fruits and veggies) it is only natural that you may be feeling a bit hungrier.

Increase your protein intake (pushing towards 30% of total energy intake if possible)
Ensure you’re getting adequate fiber intake (The American Heart Association recommends are between 25 to 30g a day; this is where a fiber powder supplement may come in handy!)
Ensure you’re adequately hydrated and even throw in some carbonated zero kcal drinks to help improve your satiety if you are still struggling!
Ensure you’re getting quality sleep and around 7 to 8 hours if you can (8 hours preferably!)
Ensure you’re managing the stressors in your life well
Exercise every day (at least 30 minutes of relatively intense work)

If you’re going out, plan in advance; we have a range of keto based articles for suitable options when eating out at different restaurants and takeaways!

Use the keto guide for beginners and resources such as this to determine which fruits and vegetables will be suitable for you and which you can incorporate.

Read up on keto-friendly recipes and books too; nothing helps more with dieting than being excited for what you’re going to eat!

But, ultimately, practice patience and compassion; don’t critique yourself for getting it wrong, that’s a predictor of future failure! Plan, learn, understand and slowly incorporate.

Source link