How to Start and Maintain the Ketogenic, low-carb Diet Correctly

 The Complete Guide to Keto.

Keto for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Hello Everyone,

With all the research I have done into eating healthy, the keto diet in particular, one would think I knew everything there is to know about it. Yet, there has been so much change and refinement in Ketogenic research in recent years that it is now a healthy way of life for me rather than just a diet.

For those who are looking for an alternative treatment for Auto-immune disease, low immunity, Weight gain, Depression, and other illnesses, this healthy lifestyle is a blessing.

This article is based on the 2023 updated research into the Ketogenic Diet and has been my guide since I came across it four months ago (2024). 

This guide is based on a video from Thomas DeLauer that’s easy to understand for a non-scientific brain like mine and in it he provides all the references needed to research and inform readers.

What is the Keto Diet?

The Keto diet is a fasting-mimicking diet… using the benefits of fasting by having food in our system.

Fasting has the benefits of slowing down or resetting the body to aid certain diseases, but you can’t expect people to fast indefinitely. 

So, researchers found that if we deprive the body of glucose we can have the same benefit of fasting without actually fasting.

Keto is a crafted diet with

• Moderate amounts of protein.

• Relatively high amounts of fat.

• Low amounts of carbohydrates.

• Moderate to high amounts of vegetables.

• Small amounts of fruit.

So the Ketogenic diet is a good, wholesome, whole-food diet. Living as close to the earth as we can… Organic, grass-fed, free-range.

What the Ketogenic Diet Is Not.

• It is not copious amounts of junk meat and processed dairy.

• It is not a diet that takes away insulin.

  The brain needs glucose to function. This diet allows the brain to use up the glucose in our blood so our body doesn’t have to.

  Note: The Ketogenic state means that the liver produces a different nutrient called Ketones. This is because we are not consuming carbohydrates. So to give the brain enough carbohydrates and glucose the Liver produces Ketones.

• It is not Diabetic Ketoacidosis. (when the ketones get too high in a diabetic)

  If you are a type one diabetic you need to investigate this further.

• It is not bad for the Kidneys.

  According to the British Journal of Nutrition, “Low-carb diets and high protein diets are not harmful to renal function.”

• It is not a mussel-burning diet. You will not lose mussel.

  With the Keto diet, we are more saturated so we don’t have the desire to eat and because we eat more protein the diet is a safe way to lose weight and spare muscle.

      Note: The only time the body will turn protein into glucose is if the body needs it.         Excess protein does not automatically turn into glucose.

Is the Ketogenic Diet Safe?

Research says yes. In some case studies the diet worked equally or even better than some of the other nutritional diets. 

One study in the nutrient reviews journal in 2022 found that in the first year of the Ketogenic diet, there was...

• Improvements in HDL Cholesterol levels.

• Improvements in Triglyceride levels.

• Improvements in fasting glucose and fasting insulin levels.

• Improvements in glycemic markers and others.

After one year, the diet was not worse or unsafe than other diets, making it a sustainable diet that we can keep going.

The Diabetology Journal study of 2022 determined that, with all the data behind the Ketogenic Diet, the diet “is a very viable solution to Metabolic Syndrome” that is Metabolic dysfunction, Mitochondrial issues, Diabetes, Insulin resistance, etc. 

The journal stated that "The diet is a safe diet with promising approaches for Metabolic syndrome and obesity.”

Macro-nutrient Ratios. 

 Ratios of Protein, Fats, and Carbohydrates.

Protein – now rated as one of the main benefits of the Ketogenic diet is 40-50% of the calories.

Fat – 40%. Predominantly mono-unsaturated fat (avocados, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil). Added to that are poly-unsaturated fats (fish oil, omega 3s, nuts, and seeds). 20% from saturated fat (good quality dairy)

Carbohydrates – 5 -10%

How to do Keto Correctly? The first week.

1. Stop night-time snacking. Don’t eat or snack after 5.00 pm. For every hour that we’re not eating we get into Ketosis faster and more powerfully than if we are spiking insulin every time we eat.

2. Increase Poly and Mono-unsaturated fats (not saturated fats). They convert to Ketones faster.

3. Workouts – glycogen depletion workouts. Resistance training a few minutes for every body part. Then on day four change to low-cardiovascular (swim or similar)

4. Increase Electrolytes. Electrolyte imbalance will naturally lead to Keto-Flu. You can avoid this by Increasing salt and potassium.

5. Stabilize your Microbiome, by increasing fiber. Add a good Probiotic.

6. Improve Insulin Sensitivity in the beginning. The carbs that we consume get absorbed into the mussel and don’t float around in the bloodstream inhibiting Ketone production.

   Follow these tips...

• Get enough restful sleep.

• Take Green Tea.

• Add Cinnamon to all meals. Cinnamon is an insulin mimicker and will help glucose be absorbed into the cell.

• Take raw Apple Cider Vinegar. Slows down the digestion of carbs which stabilizes blood sugar.

• Move around as much as possible. Moving mussels soak up more glucose and produce more Ketones.

Additional tip: Sip on bone broth during the first week to stabilize gut health with collagen and gelatin, and keep you satiated.

How to Tell that you are Producing Ketones without testing.

• Not feeling that hungry? This means you are feeling satiated. Ketones reduce hunger. You have no spikes in glucose.

• Improved aerobic performance. Not feeling unfit or gasping for air. Feeling energetic.

• Improved focus.

• Ketone Breath. Fruity taste on your breath.

What to Do When You’re on Keto for Months? 

Tips to a good Ketogenic Plan that works for you.

Don’t Chase Ketones, Chase Results. Watch for results of the diet instead of counting Ketones because some utilize more or less ketones than others and YOUR body only produces the right amount of Ketones for YOU.

Fat Adaptation. In the first 3 or 4 weeks you can expect a decreased physical performance. This is because the Mitochondria in our cells need to get used to transporting and utilizing Ketones. Four to six months in, your body starts coasting,. This is being fat-adapted.

Best Time to Exercise. New research on Exerkines, molecules that are released by the mussels when we exercise, is telling us that training in the morning while on a Ketogenic diet is ideal for better Ketone production and glycemic response.

Diet Break. Reevaluate your calories every eight weeks, because the body shifts metabolically. If you find that your calories are low after 8 weeks, take a two-week break and go back for another eight weeks. Don’t add carbs, just increase your calories.

Gaining Weight on Keto? This is a problem I had and I couldn’t figure out why. Now I have my answer… This happens because you’re eating too much fat. “Eat fat to burn fat” is no longer recommended. If you have surplus fat you will store fat. So, reduce your fat intake.

Get Enough Sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep then take a break from Keto. Sleep is the most powerful performance-enhancing and body composition-improving drug there is so prioritize sleep at all cost.

Too many Carbs. If you find that you are consuming too many carbs cut back on the carbs.

Stress. If you are too stressed don’t do Keto because Keto is an oxidative stressor and will stress you out even more.

Glucose Tolerance. If you are on Keto for some time you will become glucose intolerant. You want to avoid this.

So, every couple of months exercise with carbs before your workout. It will allow the cells to remember how to use glucose. Do 30g to 40g of healthy carbs like honey or a slice of whole grain.

What can we now eat on Keto?

Low-carb, High-protein healthy food

Best Proteins to Eat. Learn to moderate fat cuts of meat. Chicken, leaner steak, fillets, and a fattier cut a couple of times a week instead of the full-fat cuts all the time as was once recommended. Eggs and fish are still the best protein source on Keto.

Best Vegetables to Eat. If it’s leafy, green, cruciferous, and fibrous eat as much as you want. High fiber veg is the best way to keep satiated.

Nuts and Seeds. Nuts and seeds can increase your carb content and calories so beware.

Don’t do without them completely, just limit your intake per day. E.g.: 4-6 almonds a day. Macadamia nuts are the only nuts low in calories and keep you satiated. Also Pili nuts and Sacha Inchi seeds.

Fiber should be the second importance behind protein. This is because more fiber helps produce more Ketones.

Fruit… berries. Opt for small amounts of fruits that have fructose (not glucose or sucrose) because it doesn’t spike much Insulin. Half to one cup per day after a workout.

Best Sweeteners. Allulose, Monk fruit, Stevia, and Erythritol. Allulose sprinkled over fruit can reduce the amount of carbs absorbed in the bloodstream.

Best Drinks. Coffee, Tea. Zivia, Carbonated Water.

Avoid drinks that add carbs and definitely limit alcohol to not more than a glass of wine per week.

Studies show that alcohol suppresses Melatonin, it suppresses Digestive Enzymes, elevates Cortisol, and affects Pancreatic cells by diverting blood flow.

Because alcohol is a toxin all forms of metabolism, including Ketone formation take a back seat to alcohol metabolism.

Supplements. Taking supplements is now about optimizing our intake and not about filling a gap in our diet. 

If you can fill your daily intake of necessary micro and macro nutrients with just your food then go for it. However, I doubt any of us can really say we are getting all we need through our food.

The recommended supplements are Magnesium (Dimagnesium Malate), Electrolytes (sodium), Cod liver oil instead of synthetic vitamin D, Creatine, and Probiotics.

When Necessary Keto Recommendations are Limited.

If you have been a regular reader of my articles, then you know the problems I have faced with the standard American Keto diet.

You also know that the solution to those problems was through informed trial and error. ThomasDeLauers’ video helped me perfect what I implemented. It gave me direction and an understanding of the areas that needed change.

Being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and then being told there is nothing more that can be done is something no one wants to hear. It's taken years for me to find an alternative treatment. 

Unfortunately, for a long time, we have allowed the pharmaceutical world to dictate what we put into our bodies, to our detriment.

This healthy lifestyle along with Homeopathy means I can function almost normally. God has given us the ingredients and the intelligence to use them. 

Being pain-free, and inflammation-free with no short-term or long-term side-effects to any medication is such a wonderful place to be. As research continues my hope is to update this keto lifestyle and keep it going... So stay tuned!

I hope this article has given you something to think about. Leave your comments below and let me know your thoughts and questions. What I blog about has worked for me. You may not agree with it and if you don't then pop your pills and live your life, I wish you well.

Until next time... Stay healthy!