How can all this fat be good for me?
LittleMamaVas
Posts: 35 Member
Hey there, I'm a newbie - like, only a few days into dabbling with keto- and while I understand and see the benefits of this lifestyle (and see the before/after pics), I'm still having a hard time getting past the idea that ingesting so much fat into my body is a healthy thing. I've heard the arguments for it, but I was wondering if anyone has come across actual medical evidence that proves that eating like this won't lead us down the road to a heart attack? I've heard one ketoer say that her cholesterol rose after starting on keto (obviously) but that this was a good thing. I don't understand how that can be, from a medical stand point. I feel like I'm 99% convinced already that I want to launch myself fully into this, but its just that one thought that keeps bugging me. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks everyone.
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Cancer cells feed off glucose (carbohydrates) and using ketones as energy rather than glucose starve off cancer cells or any non healthy cells. It's almost as if we were meant to eat this way.
Also our hormones run off cholesterol so without it we wouldn't be healthy.0 -
Check out the subreddit r/ketoscience, there's lots of information there regarding what you might be looking for.0
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Fats are your body's natural fuel. Only fats and carbs can be used as fuel - protein is a building material for muscles, etc. As such, you can't restrict both. Carbs require a ton of added things (fiber, vitamins, extra water, etc.) just to process them into useable form. As such, they are far less efficient. (I compare this to leaded and unleaded gasoline engines in cars - yes they can be modified to use the other fuel, but it will always run better on optimum fuel).
Carbohydrates store fat as a byproduct because the body will burn fat for fuel in times of stress, starvation, famine, etc. So carbs burn off what is needed as they are taken in. Then, they store any excess as fat, because that is the body's preferred fuel source... So when you eliminate your carbohydrates, your body stops stocking fat and starts burning it in that deficit. Fats themselves don't lead to the heart attack worries - it is the combo of high fats and high carbs that get dangerous.
My HDL has improved, my triglycerides have dropped, and my LDL has actually gone up - but that is from the amount of fat that I am burning. Once I have slowed on weight loss and maintained for 6 months, I'll retest the LDL, but the brain requires cholesterol to deliver fuel to the brain. If you don't eat it, the body manufactures it. The LDL can be different sizes - the large fluffy particles are harmless - they don't cause heart risk. The quantity and size of the particles is more important than that LDL number.
And EVERYONE, unless they have some odd cholesterol disease/condition, will have their LDL go up WHILE THEY LOSE WEIGHT. It is a byproduct of the fat burning process.
So, long story short, every number of my bloodwork panel has improved, except that LDL - and that's because I am losing weight/in progress, so the test they currently run is an invalid indicator of progress. Once you reach a weight and maintain it for 6 months, the test is valid again, but again, you need to consider particle size and concentration. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is what these tests are based upon, so the results and requirements do not mirror true health when eating on a ketogenic diet.
There are a huge number of threads on this in another group I'm in that covers all manner of low carbing, not just keto... I strongly suggest everyone join both. The stickied "launchpad" post there has a ton of info. There have also been many posts discussing these exact topics.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group0 -
I can only speak from my own experience. In 10 months my wife and I have lost a combined 120 lbs. I am a Type 2 diabetic, and now my blood glucose is normal. I no longer test as a diabetic and can pass any test.
Although my cholesterol went up slightly for a time after starting, my total cholesterol is now down overall from my baseline in 2014. In addition, HDL (good) cholesterol is up and LDL is down from the last test three months ago. My blood glucose levels continue to drop as well. But the biggest change is in triglycerides, which have dropped considerably - especially considering they were once over 300 .
Below are my last 3 blood test results. As they say, the proof is in the pudding...
6/20/2015 Test (on keto for 8 months)- Weight: 204
- Blood Pressure: 118/72
- Total Cholesterol: 178
- HDL: 61
- LDL: 99
- Triglycerides: 91
- HbA1c: 5.4 (NOT diabetic)
- Fasting Blood Glucose: 71 ( NOT diabetic)
3/24/2015 Test (on keto for 5+ months)- Weight: 224
- Blood Pressure: 128/81
- Total Cholesterol: 203
- HDL: 42
- LDL: 110
- Triglycerides: 139
- HbA1c: 5.5 (NOT diabetic)
- Fasting Blood Glucose: 77 ( NOT diabetic)
- VAP LDL Density Pattern: A ( primarily large, buoyant LDL - in other words, the good kind)
Baseline test - October 2014 (pre-keto)- Weight: 280
- Blood Pressure: 140/92
- Total Cholesterol: 195
- HDL: 34
- LDL: 95
- Triglycerides: 330
- HbA1c: 12.5 (diabetic)
- Fasting Blood Glucose: 288 (YIKES! Very diabetic)
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vasylchukp wrote: »Hey there, I'm a newbie - like, only a few days into dabbling with keto- and while I understand and see the benefits of this lifestyle (and see the before/after pics), I'm still having a hard time getting past the idea that ingesting so much fat into my body is a healthy thing. I've heard the arguments for it, but I was wondering if anyone has come across actual medical evidence that proves that eating like this won't lead us down the road to a heart attack? I've heard one ketoer say that her cholesterol rose after starting on keto (obviously) but that this was a good thing. I don't understand how that can be, from a medical stand point. I feel like I'm 99% convinced already that I want to launch myself fully into this, but its just that one thought that keeps bugging me. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks everyone.
There are a TON of studies about the health benefits of Low Carb-High Fat. Many many links on this forum. Start reading and you'll find all the information you need. Check out www.dietdoctor.com for many good, easy to understand videos. About how to live this lifestyle, why it works and the benefits. Welcome to Low Carb! It's the wave of the future!
PS: SteveKroll Those are great pics!0 -
Thank you everyone for the input -- very helpful. SteveKroll, seeing your results really does speak volumes to me. Thanks for sharing those and your progress pics. Fvaisey, I will definately check out that site and start researching more. By the way, I made your bulletproof coffee (your recipe from another post), with the egg in it, and it is so DEE-licious!0
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vasylchukp wrote: »Thank you everyone for the input -- very helpful. SteveKroll, seeing your results really does speak volumes to me. Thanks for sharing those and your progress pics. Fvaisey, I will definately check out that site and start researching more. By the way, I made your bulletproof coffee (your recipe from another post), with the egg in it, and it is so DEE-licious!
Yup, I love the egg-hot beverage of choice. I don't like coffee, so I make it with tea! I call it my LOADED TEA... hee hee. I do that every weekday I work0
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