Is The Ketogenic Diet Right For Me?
I ate a fairly strict ketogenic diet for a year. I learned a lot about eating a high fat and low carb diet. And experienced many of the benefits of that way of eating first hand. Low inflammation meant my body felt great and my mind was clear. I was certainly lean. And my energy was steady and I could go without eating for long stretches. I fully expect the ketogenic diet will be one that I utilize in the future as well. But I realized it’s not the best way for me to eat all of the time. And while for me it might be something to cycle in and out of, there may be others who do well on this diet all of the time. And there might also be those not really suited to it at all. We’re all different. Some of you may have dabbled in the ketogenic diet, or have considered giving it a try. And you may be asking yourself – is the ketogenic diet right for me?
After being in ketosis for a year, and then going back to eating some carbohydrates again, my answer to that question is now that it depends.
And I’d like to introduce a concept that helps explain why ketosis is better at certain times, and for certain people, than others.
The Oxidation Rate
For a car to run optimally, it’s engine has to be set to idle at the correct speed. When idling at the proper RPM, energy will be generated and utilized most efficiently The human metabolism, our biological engine, is similar. And the idling speed of the metabolism is called the oxidation rate.
The oxidation rate is essentially how well the body converts the food we eat into energy. To be used for moving, thinking, feeling, relationships, and staying alive in general.
If it’s too slow or too fast, the body isn’t idling at the ideal level and energy production will be inefficient.
A slow oxidation rate means a person isn’t producing enough energy to function well in the first place.
With a fast oxidation rate, a person produces energy but burns through it so fast that they tend to crash.
This means a balanced oxidation rate somewhere in the middle is ideal.
The Intersection Of The Ketogenic Diet And Oxidation Rate
Of course, you may be wondering what the hell the ketogenic diet has to do with the oxidation rate. But these two concepts do have an interaction. After all, the ketogenic diet is based around using specific types of foods to fuel the metabolism.
A high fat, low carbohydrate diet tends to help slow the oxidation rate down. While a lower fat diet that includes higher amounts of carbohydrates helps to speed up the oxidation rate.
And this is why I now see the ketogenic diet as a tool to be used at certain appropriate times. When the oxidation rate is high, the ketogenic diet is ideal for bringing the metabolic RPM back down toward an ideal level. It prevents the body from burning through fuel too quickly.
Conversely, when the metabolism is sluggish and we want to raise it, higher carbohydrate intake is beneficial.
Stepping Away From Diet Dogma
So it doesn’t have to be black and white, nor should it be dogmatic. Some will argue that we should eat a ketogenic diet all of the time or we’ll risk Type II Diabetes, heart disease, visceral fat accumulation, high inflammation, etc. This is probably true in the context of eating lots of sugar and carbohydrates all day, every day. But perhaps not if we’re adjusting the diet as necessary.
And while it’s always best to avoid simple sugars in junk food, soda, candy, and perhaps even the fructose present at high levels in many modern hybridized fruits, adding some lower glycemic carbohydrates at times may have its place for many of us.
Some will have valid arguments for why we should never eat carbohydrates, and that’s fine. That may be good for them and others, and it might be the key to their well being. More power to them. I’m just going to suggest that there may be a more scientific way to periodically adjust the diet based on lab testing. For what it’s worth. And while the following is anecdotal evidence, this approach has proven to be helpful for me.
When I Started Eating Carbohydrates Again
In the midst of some big life changes recently, I started to feel overwhelmed easily. I was irritable and wasn’t handling stress well. And I wasn’t sure why because the ketogenic diet had me feeling so good in previous months.
So I got in contact with a nutritionist I know and I sent along a hair sample to get my oxidation rate checked. More on that later.
Turned out my oxidation rate was very slow. And perhaps a year of eating high fat, low carb contributed to pushing the rate lower.
It was suggested I add some carbohydrates back to my diet. Some sweet potatoes, white rice, starchy vegetables, and other clean, low glycemic carb sources.
And within a couple of days I felt much calmer. I felt much more energetic. And quite honestly I just felt better despite the benefits I’d been seeing from a ketogenic diet.
And I also felt my athletic performance and strength gains improve. I’ve actually gotten leaner as well and put on muscle.
The nutritionist also dialed in a mineral and vitamin supplement program for me aimed at increasing my oxidation rate. This is not just a basic multi vitamin, but a very specific set of nutrients based on test results.
When my oxidation rate increases in a future hair sample, I’ll use the ketogenic diet and different supplements to lower my oxidation rate back down to proper idling speed.
On a bit of a tangent, another benefit of optimizing the oxidation rate is increased detoxification of heavy metals and other toxins.
How To Test The Oxidation Rate
If you’re asking yourself “Is the Ketogenic Diet Right For Me?”, you may want to consider taking a look at getting your oxidation rate tested.
You can send a hair sample to a lab called Analytical Research Labs and you’ll get a full report back that includes your oxidation rate.
This analysis is based on the ratios of certain macro-minerals found in the hair.
Don’t just look at the levels of minerals in the hair as an indication you require more or less of something. Sometimes a high level in the hair actually means we’re losing too much of certain minerals from our cells. Instead, just know that these ratios between the minerals will show how well the body is producing energy and dealing with stress.
And with that knowledge one can adjust their diet to either speed up or slow down the oxidation rate.
For a more dialed in interpretation of the hair test results, I’m happy to guide you to a great nutritionist who knows how to read a hair tissue mineral analysis, so feel free to reach out to me. In my opinion it’s worth the investment to work with someone knowledgeable and avoid guessing games.
Just a little actionable advice anyone can use to inform their diet. It’s a way to stop wondering “is the ketogenic diet right for me?”, and start using the right foods as a tool for optimal energy production and health.