What's the keto diet good for?

2

Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I took some ideas from the Mediterranean diet so it definitely benefited me. The benefit of flexible eating is that you can study other diets and pick and choose the parts you think are good ideas.

    And again, EXACTLY!!
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    The benefits of the Mediterranean diet:
    * May slow down cognitive decline and can be protective against Alzheimer's
    * Can improve the mental health of people with depression
    * Reduces inflammation
    * Can prevent heart disease and promote metabolic syndrome remission
    * Associated with improved osteoarthritis symptoms
    * Has a dose-dependent protective association with the presence, number, and thickness of plaques independent of other risk factors.

    I can go on and write pages of this for the Mediterranean diet, and then start an even longer list for a vegetarian or vegan diet. I may even dabble in the effect of flexible dieting on mental health and eating disorder prevalence.

    Yep, you could. I did say that many of the benefits that I listed could be found in other diets, with weight loss or drugs. There are only a few of the items that seem to be due to ketones only, but there would be health benefits seen in some other diets that are not seen in keto, I'm sure.

    My friendly suggestion to you. Look at posts made by those following keto and compare the posts of those that continue to get woo's and those that don't. There is a reason for it. Your wording gives the impression that keto is some magic diet with so many medical benefits even though you believe your wording says differently. Most of these things happen because of weight loss, increased physical activity and potentially a decrease in processed foods, not because of keto itself. You know this, you think this is what you are saying, but it is not how people are interpreting what you are saying.
    Until you can see this for yourself you are more likely to be a hinderance rather than a help to those wanting to start out.
    On the flip side, when your posts are in relation to difficulties some are having with keto (salt deficiency for example) they are totally on point because they are based on fact rather than woo and personal opinion.

    As @psulemon pointed out, Likes and Woos are pretty much meaningless in determining the value of content. I would also submit that people's interpretations of what others are saying is influenced by their personal feelings about the person themselves or the topic in question. The original response did include the words "may" and stated that not everyone would experience the listed benefits, and that those benefits are not exclusive to the diet and could be achieved with other diets - those are pretty fair statements in the discussion of any diet.

    I've seen numerous statements over the years from people talking about the benefits of weight lifting, and how "the fat is melting off" - well, picking up a weight isn't causing the fat to melt off, it's the calorie deficit....but I have never seen anyone come in and correct someone when they list that as a potential benefit of the exercise. So it seems to me that many of the "misinterpretations" are less about what the person is saying and more about people's personal opinions about the topic and what content they think should be allowed on the forums.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    The benefits of the Mediterranean diet:
    * May slow down cognitive decline and can be protective against Alzheimer's
    * Can improve the mental health of people with depression
    * Reduces inflammation
    * Can prevent heart disease and promote metabolic syndrome remission
    * Associated with improved osteoarthritis symptoms
    * Has a dose-dependent protective association with the presence, number, and thickness of plaques independent of other risk factors.

    I can go on and write pages of this for the Mediterranean diet, and then start an even longer list for a vegetarian or vegan diet. I may even dabble in the effect of flexible dieting on mental health and eating disorder prevalence.

    Yep, you could. I did say that many of the benefits that I listed could be found in other diets, with weight loss or drugs. There are only a few of the items that seem to be due to ketones only, but there would be health benefits seen in some other diets that are not seen in keto, I'm sure.

    Sure, but what's the point? Since most diets provide benefits (most of which are achieved through weight loss, anyway) why make these lists? It oversells the diet. Keto is currently a craze, so contributing to it with such assertions isn't doing people any favors. People are feeling "forced" to join the craze because "it's the best diet ever that will give you the best results and health benefits and if you're not doing it, you don't care about your health" and "carbs are scary and will make you gain weight or kill you". They don't need more encouragement than the current media barrage, they need more toned down info to encourage realistic expectations and focus on preference and sustainability above all.

    Because they asked. It was the entire point of this thread.

    I did not say best diet ever, or that all others are inferior. Nor did I mention the horror if carbs. I gave them the information requested, and will assume they are grown ups and will look into it if interested. The OP stated they were not going to try it. No one tried to push him to try it. I don't think people need a censor checking on what content they are allowed to see.

    Evidence either way, good and bad, is what I think people should be given. Keto is no worse or better for weight loss. I think sustainability is about similar too. It has health benefits for some (although those with familial hypercholesterolemia could be hurt by it) I can't see why people should not know about keto when they ask. Knowledge is power.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Actually, most woo'ing occurs based on internet personalities (one group vs another). I have 2 or 3 people who woo my post regardless of what i say... Even when i promote the keto/lchf diet).

    Ultimately, most claims for most diets are baseless or have little relation to the diet itself. Its generally the improvements to food quality, increase in activity and controlling calories.

    Eta: the same goes for likes.. people get likes based on cliques. I often get less likes with details responses as compared to the person quoting me saying they agree.. probably because i am a mod.

    I have a woo stalker too. I've been getting a woo on most of my posts (at least the ones the stalker catches) even if they're 100% benign and uncontroversial.

    Lol! Me too.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Deviette wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    The benefits of the Mediterranean diet:
    * May slow down cognitive decline and can be protective against Alzheimer's
    * Can improve the mental health of people with depression
    * Reduces inflammation
    * Can prevent heart disease and promote metabolic syndrome remission
    * Associated with improved osteoarthritis symptoms
    * Has a dose-dependent protective association with the presence, number, and thickness of plaques independent of other risk factors.

    I can go on and write pages of this for the Mediterranean diet, and then start an even longer list for a vegetarian or vegan diet. I may even dabble in the effect of flexible dieting on mental health and eating disorder prevalence.

    Yep, you could. I did say that many of the benefits that I listed could be found in other diets, with weight loss or drugs. There are only a few of the items that seem to be due to ketones only, but there would be health benefits seen in some other diets that are not seen in keto, I'm sure.

    Allow me to explain why people have an issue with what you're saying using an example:
    Statement:
    "Some find easier to control weight when counting calories"
    This is a fact. Some do find it easier to control weight when counting calories. However, other do not. This accounts for this variation in opinion.

    Statement:
    "I find it is easier to control weight when counting calories."
    This statement is an opinion. It is clearly your own opinion and should be viewed as such.

    Statement:
    "It is easier to control weight when counting calories."
    This statement is an opinion but is presented as a fact. It implies that everyone finds it easier, when this is not the case.

    Presenting opinions as facts is something that really grinds people's gears. Mostly because there will be people who do not recognise that that you have said is opinion, and will assume it is fact.

    People woo those who say "keto is the best diet" because there is evidence that disproves this statement. This statement is an opinion. That is not a fact, but it is masquerading as one. However "keto is the best diet for me" doesn't get woos, because it's clearly an opinion.

    I understand what you've said, but no one said keto is the best diet here. No one. I pointed out the possible benefits of keto for some people. I never said it applied to everyone.

    I did not give my opinion on how keto should affect people. I listed how it might affect some people - possible benefits that could occur.

    Sadly "keto is the best diet for me" does get woo'ed. It's the norm for MFP. It's reputation is keto unfriendly. If you look through most keto threads, they tend to end up like this one. That's why very few people will start a second keto thread on the main forums. They usually retreat to the low carb or keto forums, or leave the boards entirely.

    But I agree with others that the woo button is pretty useless. I don't often use it or even notice it.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,438 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2018
    Responding to posts and answering questions - even if biased by personal experiences - is not a poor message, dishonest or hype - that's your bias. I'll woo that BS all day long.

    Ironic post is ironic.

    I prefer to take evidence based on meta analyses rather than investigative studies and anecdotal evidence.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    The benefits of the Mediterranean diet:
    * May slow down cognitive decline and can be protective against Alzheimer's
    * Can improve the mental health of people with depression
    * Reduces inflammation
    * Can prevent heart disease and promote metabolic syndrome remission
    * Associated with improved osteoarthritis symptoms
    * Has a dose-dependent protective association with the presence, number, and thickness of plaques independent of other risk factors.

    I can go on and write pages of this for the Mediterranean diet, and then start an even longer list for a vegetarian or vegan diet. I may even dabble in the effect of flexible dieting on mental health and eating disorder prevalence.

    Yep, you could. I did say that many of the benefits that I listed could be found in other diets, with weight loss or drugs. There are only a few of the items that seem to be due to ketones only, but there would be health benefits seen in some other diets that are not seen in keto, I'm sure.

    My friendly suggestion to you. Look at posts made by those following keto and compare the posts of those that continue to get woo's and those that don't. There is a reason for it. Your wording gives the impression that keto is some magic diet with so many medical benefits even though you believe your wording says differently. Most of these things happen because of weight loss, increased physical activity and potentially a decrease in processed foods, not because of keto itself. You know this, you think this is what you are saying, but it is not how people are interpreting what you are saying.
    Until you can see this for yourself you are more likely to be a hinderance rather than a help to those wanting to start out.
    On the flip side, when your posts are in relation to difficulties some are having with keto (salt deficiency for example) they are totally on point because they are based on fact rather than woo and personal opinion.

    Eh, I don't get the "magic diet" impression from @nvmomketo's posts at all. I think she does a great job qualifying statements. And I have to give her major props for being willing to support keto out here on the main boards.

    Thank you. :blush:
    thats kind of you to say.
This discussion has been closed.