© 2022 Victoria Bowmann PhD
The discussions of the best dietary program that is right for you will go on, and on… forever, and for good reasons. Each individual has differing needs, whether they be blood type, allergies, food intolerance, preferences or availability. Many clients cringe when I start talking about diet because they fear restrictions, “it’s die with a ‘t’ ” and “what things do I enjoy that I can no longer have.”
Because I specialize in natural gut health, diet is a significant component that needs to be considered and addressed. Diet is actually defined as “selection of food.” What we select to eat will affect our nutritional availability, energy, cognitive skills, as well as digestive health. So, let’s choose wisely.
Food fads come and go, and in the last decade the keto diet has come into that realm. However, unlike most fads, this one actually has a long medical track record of positive health benefits for numerous conditions. It was introduced by modern physicians as a treatment for epilepsy in the 1920s, and was the protocol of choice for these conditions for over two decades. Then, with advent of modern anti-epileptic drug treatments, its use declined dramatically. However, we know that pharmaceutical medications come with side-effects, some of them tragic.
In recent years, many physicians and health practitioners have championed the *keto diet for bringing positive effects for weight loss, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart-disease, among many other health concerns. My approach has always been to utilize natural remedies as well as good food choices that can reduce the need for medications, and hopefully be able to eliminate them completely. Medications can be life saving, for sure, however they might also be crutches for poor food and lifestyle choices.
Historically, prior to the discovery of insulin, diabetics could consume a very strict diet with minimum carbohydrate intake and survive at least an extra few years with the disease. It was later discovered that the use of insulin can be greatly reduced with the selection of foods that produce a lower insulin demand in the digestive process. Enter the keto diet.
When we think about our organs and how they function as well as their needs, we must remember that our brains are 70% fat! Yup, we’re “fat heads!” For this reason, I choose a dietary approach that includes lots of fats, but not just any fats.
Fats in the presence of low carbohydrate intake is the basic approach of keto. Consuming unprocessed carbohydrates reduces the stress on the pancreas, while the higher level of good fats increase brain function and clarity. Science has been talking in recent years about our “second brain”; our precious gut, and the focus of my work for over four decades.
While the percentages might fluctuate slightly, depending on the study and healthcare provider, the generally accepted percentages for the keto diet consists of 5–10% of unprocessed carbs, 15–20% protein, and 70–80% fats! However, be aware that the kind of fat is critically important as it should not be from processed oils like canola, corn, soy, safflower, or other processed polyunsaturated oils.
The best fats come from saturated oils such as olive oil, avocado oil, butter, and the fats in meat and fish. In many respects, the keto diet is about avoiding processed sugar or starchy foods, giving the body a needed rest from inflammatory foods that are well-known to be allergens and digestively problematic. Meanwhile, the increase of good fats and proteins, which are slower to digest, bring greater satiation and far fewer cravings between meals. It has also been noted that IBS and other gut challenges, such as Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), respond really positively to keto.
With keto in general, inflammation in the body is greatly reduced, yet when considering our total gut health, we should consider a multi-faceted approach. In particular, one that is helpful to restore the microbiome of the large intestine, while also transitioning to a beneficial diet like keto. I call this reflorastation of the colon, and it is applied directly to the source with a rectal suppository. While this may sound slightly uncomfortable, it’s actually quite painless, quick, and easy to retain, with 100% of the healthy bacterium being introduced where it's needed. The re-population of the large intestine is fully colonized within an hour and completely stabilizes within 3 days. This treatment has been shown to produce stable and balanced bowel regularity, with general improvements in overall gut health, resolving many negative digestive issues that have been present for years.
Case #1: A 67 year old male with a history of UC had a heart attack with appropriate medical intervention. However, 3 years ago he investigated keto, to reduce the bad fats that aggravate UC, and within 5 months he completely transitioned to the keto diet with adding moderate exercise. Since then he reports that he has lost 46 lbs, has zero UC symptoms, and his gut feels as goods as when he was a young man. His A1C has been reduced from prediabetic to perfect levels, his cholesterol is in balance, and his blood-pressure and overall heart health are great.
Case #2: A 69 year old female who couldn’t reduce her menopausal weight, 20 extra pounds. She’s active, eats moderately, and knows how to employ a healthy lifestyle, yet to no avail. The weight persisted. She looked at the keto approach and thought what did she have to lose? 20 pounds! And 30 days later, she did, almost. Her weight loss was 18 pounds in those 30 days, she slept well, felt satiated, and had energy to live an active life. Keto diet and taking care of her gut with reflorastation.
So whether you need to consider the keto diet, or want to for general health purposes, it is time tested and can be a very enjoyable way to eat. Please contact me for more information on how I can help you at MyRealHealth.com.
*Always consult your physician or healthcare provider before starting any significant dietary changes.
