Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.

Keto diet = good or bad

1161719212229

Replies

  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    For me, getting a good amount of fiber is difficult on Keto. High fiber is pretty essential for digestive health. It is possible I guess to reach 30 grams/per day without fruit, lequmes, grains but I would have to eat an enormous amount of vegetables. I have been doing the Med. diet which also reduces inflammation and has helped my spinal arthritis.

    May be of interest

    https://blog.virtahealth.com/fiber-colon-health-ketogenic-diet/

    I stopped reading once I realized that site is selling a $199 a month subscription (plus a $500 sign up fee).

    And someone above thread said people weren't cashing in on keto :p

    They are doctors. The service is for them to be your doctor if you’re T2D. Do you know any doctors that work for free?
    They have published some very impressive studies showing a 60% reversal of T2D in one year. I don’t know many diabetics that wouldn’t save money reversing their diabetes even if using a private service like this.

    I pay $75 to meet face to face with my doctor. That also includes getting health markers checked (blood pressure etc). No way would I pay $200 a month (plus a $500 sign up fee), for an internet doctor on some website.

    It’s nice to have many options based upon your goals.
    Those “internet doctors” have real offices where they see patients in person as well. They are actually running a long term study right now. The internet option brings their expertise to a much larger population. It’s a choice for anyone to use their service.
    Sad that a team of doctors doing what has been thought to be impossible, gets reduced to being called “internet doctors” just because they make their services more widely available.
    I guess you think it’s better for them to stay only minimally available for some reason? That’s weird.

    But why do these internet doctors need to do this? For altruistic reasons? Or to make a lot money? They are in it for the money. Honestly

    I find it funny you don’t question the motivations of the people that buy the service. The 60% of them that are reversing their diabetes by following the guidance the service provides. It’s information that is readily available by all of the same doctors in their podcast interviews, websites, Ted talks, blogs and by reading their published papers. A person, and many do, can apply the same lifestyle changes on their own from the free information these same doctors provide but plenty of people are overwhelmed and don’t fully know how to start or more than likely, don’t have the support of a knowledgeable, local doctor to help them along the way.
    This service exists because of need. It should be commended because they are literally doing what has been thought to be impossible. Reversing diabetes at a rate of 60% in one year.
    You ask why these doctors do it? I don’t know each of their specific motives but I don’t think it’s solely money driven. There’s too much free information on that very website that you never need to pay a dime for to suggest they’re greedy. It’s full of tips, recipes and resources a person can use to live a low carb life without a cost at all. Then they publish their study progress and tell exactly what they are doing to achieve the results they are. I think that pretty much clears greed as a motivator.
    There are thousands of other services, programs, websites designed as a membership or for pay to guide people choosing a multitude of dietary options. That’s because people often need help making positive, long term change no matter what their focus or dietary choice is.
    Groups like this one and a million others are available for free and prove to be very helpful for many people. Some people need more help than this and that’s ok.

    Do you know these doctors? I'm asking because you seem super-invested in validating their business model and their personal motives.

    I don’t know them. Not at all. I think it’s great work they are doing. If I were T2D I would be very motivated to do whatever I could to normalize blood sugar and avoid the complications of diabetes. My own Type 1 diabetic daughter works to be as healthy as she is able to be even with no possibility of reversal of the disease. I think the more resources available to people, the better. Especially if it’s proven to work so well.
    It would be a shame for someone to discount the possible help a service like that could offer because someone online made uninformed, negative comments about the doctors simply because it’s a pay service that’s easily available to people everywhere. Ie: online...

    But there are ways to potentially do that without paying $2,400 a year (plus $500 initially) to someone who will never even examine you in person. I may have missed it, but when was it proven to work well? Has a third party not involved with the business examined their work and their success rate? Do we know how many people pay for a while and then quit because they don't see results? The figure of 60% success is based on information they're providing, correct?

    Edit: It's actually $4,440 per year because the first year is $370 a month. The $199 is the monthly price after the first year. That their business model is structured to get more money early is interesting, perhaps they know something we don't about how motivated people are to continue after 12 months or so.

    Edit 2: Although you said earlier in the thread that people could get this information for free and apply it on their own, the website itself specifically cautions people against doing that, claiming that it is a safety risk. https://www.virtahealth.com/faq

    A person choosing to attempt low carb for T2D reversal, that is on diabetes medications would simply need to work with their own doctor so that medication adjustments can be made as needed.
    Which is just another reason that working with a doctor experienced with such a thing could be a great benefit.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    For me, getting a good amount of fiber is difficult on Keto. High fiber is pretty essential for digestive health. It is possible I guess to reach 30 grams/per day without fruit, lequmes, grains but I would have to eat an enormous amount of vegetables. I have been doing the Med. diet which also reduces inflammation and has helped my spinal arthritis.

    May be of interest

    https://blog.virtahealth.com/fiber-colon-health-ketogenic-diet/

    I stopped reading once I realized that site is selling a $199 a month subscription (plus a $500 sign up fee).

    And someone above thread said people weren't cashing in on keto :p

    They are doctors. The service is for them to be your doctor if you’re T2D. Do you know any doctors that work for free?
    They have published some very impressive studies showing a 60% reversal of T2D in one year. I don’t know many diabetics that wouldn’t save money reversing their diabetes even if using a private service like this.

    I pay $75 to meet face to face with my doctor. That also includes getting health markers checked (blood pressure etc). No way would I pay $200 a month (plus a $500 sign up fee), for an internet doctor on some website.

    It’s nice to have many options based upon your goals.
    Those “internet doctors” have real offices where they see patients in person as well. They are actually running a long term study right now. The internet option brings their expertise to a much larger population. It’s a choice for anyone to use their service.
    Sad that a team of doctors doing what has been thought to be impossible, gets reduced to being called “internet doctors” just because they make their services more widely available.
    I guess you think it’s better for them to stay only minimally available for some reason? That’s weird.

    But why do these internet doctors need to do this? For altruistic reasons? Or to make a lot money? They are in it for the money. Honestly

    I find it funny you don’t question the motivations of the people that buy the service. The 60% of them that are reversing their diabetes by following the guidance the service provides. It’s information that is readily available by all of the same doctors in their podcast interviews, websites, Ted talks, blogs and by reading their published papers. A person, and many do, can apply the same lifestyle changes on their own from the free information these same doctors provide but plenty of people are overwhelmed and don’t fully know how to start or more than likely, don’t have the support of a knowledgeable, local doctor to help them along the way.
    This service exists because of need. It should be commended because they are literally doing what has been thought to be impossible. Reversing diabetes at a rate of 60% in one year.
    You ask why these doctors do it? I don’t know each of their specific motives but I don’t think it’s solely money driven. There’s too much free information on that very website that you never need to pay a dime for to suggest they’re greedy. It’s full of tips, recipes and resources a person can use to live a low carb life without a cost at all. Then they publish their study progress and tell exactly what they are doing to achieve the results they are. I think that pretty much clears greed as a motivator.
    There are thousands of other services, programs, websites designed as a membership or for pay to guide people choosing a multitude of dietary options. That’s because people often need help making positive, long term change no matter what their focus or dietary choice is.
    Groups like this one and a million others are available for free and prove to be very helpful for many people. Some people need more help than this and that’s ok.

    Do you know these doctors? I'm asking because you seem super-invested in validating their business model and their personal motives.

    I don’t know them. Not at all. I think it’s great work they are doing. If I were T2D I would be very motivated to do whatever I could to normalize blood sugar and avoid the complications of diabetes. My own Type 1 diabetic daughter works to be as healthy as she is able to be even with no possibility of reversal of the disease. I think the more resources available to people, the better. Especially if it’s proven to work so well.
    It would be a shame for someone to discount the possible help a service like that could offer because someone online made uninformed, negative comments about the doctors simply because it’s a pay service that’s easily available to people everywhere. Ie: online...

    But there are ways to potentially do that without paying $2,400 a year (plus $500 initially) to someone who will never even examine you in person. I may have missed it, but when was it proven to work well? Has a third party not involved with the business examined their work and their success rate? Do we know how many people pay for a while and then quit because they don't see results? The figure of 60% success is based on information they're providing, correct?

    Edit: It's actually $4,440 per year because the first year is $370 a month. The $199 is the monthly price after the first year. That their business model is structured to get more money early is interesting, perhaps they know something we don't about how motivated people are to continue after 12 months or so.

    Edit 2: Although you said earlier in the thread that people could get this information for free and apply it on their own, the website itself specifically cautions people against doing that, claiming that it is a safety risk. https://www.virtahealth.com/faq

    A person choosing to attempt low carb for T2D reversal, that is on diabetes medications would simply need to work with their own doctor so that medication adjustments can be made as needed.
    Which is just another reason that working with a doctor experienced with such a thing could be a great benefit.

    Not according to that site.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    edited March 2019
    mummy_h wrote: »
    What is keto

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketogenic_diet

    Above is one medical reason for doing keto. I have been doing it for pain manage for 4.5 years with good pain management. Others do it for other health reasons that can often lead to a weight loss naturally as it did in my case for the first year and I have maintained that loss for over 3 years now which is a first in my 68 years of eating.

    Short answer is eating at or below 50 grams of carbs daily for nutritional ketosis for any reason.
  • magnusthenerd
    magnusthenerd Posts: 1,207 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    For me, getting a good amount of fiber is difficult on Keto. High fiber is pretty essential for digestive health. It is possible I guess to reach 30 grams/per day without fruit, lequmes, grains but I would have to eat an enormous amount of vegetables. I have been doing the Med. diet which also reduces inflammation and has helped my spinal arthritis.

    May be of interest

    https://blog.virtahealth.com/fiber-colon-health-ketogenic-diet/

    I stopped reading once I realized that site is selling a $199 a month subscription (plus a $500 sign up fee).

    And someone above thread said people weren't cashing in on keto :p

    They are doctors. The service is for them to be your doctor if you’re T2D. Do you know any doctors that work for free?
    They have published some very impressive studies showing a 60% reversal of T2D in one year. I don’t know many diabetics that wouldn’t save money reversing their diabetes even if using a private service like this.

    I pay $75 to meet face to face with my doctor. That also includes getting health markers checked (blood pressure etc). No way would I pay $200 a month (plus a $500 sign up fee), for an internet doctor on some website.

    It’s nice to have many options based upon your goals.
    Those “internet doctors” have real offices where they see patients in person as well. They are actually running a long term study right now. The internet option brings their expertise to a much larger population. It’s a choice for anyone to use their service.
    Sad that a team of doctors doing what has been thought to be impossible, gets reduced to being called “internet doctors” just because they make their services more widely available.
    I guess you think it’s better for them to stay only minimally available for some reason? That’s weird.

    But why do these internet doctors need to do this? For altruistic reasons? Or to make a lot money? They are in it for the money. Honestly

    I find it funny you don’t question the motivations of the people that buy the service. The 60% of them that are reversing their diabetes by following the guidance the service provides. It’s information that is readily available by all of the same doctors in their podcast interviews, websites, Ted talks, blogs and by reading their published papers. A person, and many do, can apply the same lifestyle changes on their own from the free information these same doctors provide but plenty of people are overwhelmed and don’t fully know how to start or more than likely, don’t have the support of a knowledgeable, local doctor to help them along the way.
    This service exists because of need. It should be commended because they are literally doing what has been thought to be impossible. Reversing diabetes at a rate of 60% in one year.
    You ask why these doctors do it? I don’t know each of their specific motives but I don’t think it’s solely money driven. There’s too much free information on that very website that you never need to pay a dime for to suggest they’re greedy. It’s full of tips, recipes and resources a person can use to live a low carb life without a cost at all. Then they publish their study progress and tell exactly what they are doing to achieve the results they are. I think that pretty much clears greed as a motivator.
    There are thousands of other services, programs, websites designed as a membership or for pay to guide people choosing a multitude of dietary options. That’s because people often need help making positive, long term change no matter what their focus or dietary choice is.
    Groups like this one and a million others are available for free and prove to be very helpful for many people. Some people need more help than this and that’s ok.

    Do you know these doctors? I'm asking because you seem super-invested in validating their business model and their personal motives.

    I don’t know them. Not at all. I think it’s great work they are doing. If I were T2D I would be very motivated to do whatever I could to normalize blood sugar and avoid the complications of diabetes. My own Type 1 diabetic daughter works to be as healthy as she is able to be even with no possibility of reversal of the disease. I think the more resources available to people, the better. Especially if it’s proven to work so well.
    It would be a shame for someone to discount the possible help a service like that could offer because someone online made uninformed, negative comments about the doctors simply because it’s a pay service that’s easily available to people everywhere. Ie: online...

    But there are ways to potentially do that without paying $2,400 a year (plus $500 initially) to someone who will never even examine you in person. I may have missed it, but when was it proven to work well? Has a third party not involved with the business examined their work and their success rate? Do we know how many people pay for a while and then quit because they don't see results? The figure of 60% success is based on information they're providing, correct?

    Edit: It's actually $4,440 per year because the first year is $370 a month. The $199 is the monthly price after the first year. That their business model is structured to get more money early is interesting, perhaps they know something we don't about how motivated people are to continue after 12 months or so.

    Edit 2: Although you said earlier in the thread that people could get this information for free and apply it on their own, the website itself specifically cautions people against doing that, claiming that it is a safety risk. https://www.virtahealth.com/faq

    The 60% success rate seems to be based on criteria for reversing T2D the researchers set. It is also based on the results of people that completed the program - people that dropped out of the program don't count against them.

    Thanks for looking that up. That's a very convenient way to measure it!

    The criteria is based on diagnostic requirement for T2D. Not something they made up.
    I don’t see any issue with saying that 60% reversal for the people that followed the plan... not sure why people that failed to adhere should be counted. They aren’t measuring adherence. They wanted to see what results were gained from those that followed it. Anyone not following it, added no data.

    Well if I can set adherence criteria myself, I can cure nearly 100% of T2D. My study only counts people that adhered to the plan of losing 10% of their body weight and maintaining that loss.

    It is also incredibly, incredibly compounded by the fact that there is no control group.

    The benefit of vetting sources and critical thinking.

    "Caveat emptor" is in a language that died before the internet era. Just sayin'. ;)

    I prefer cave canem, some studies go to the dogs.

    I think even granting it is possible to find a study to support any position, the chances of finding equally well done studies with conflicting results is low.
  • magnusthenerd
    magnusthenerd Posts: 1,207 Member
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    For me, getting a good amount of fiber is difficult on Keto. High fiber is pretty essential for digestive health. It is possible I guess to reach 30 grams/per day without fruit, lequmes, grains but I would have to eat an enormous amount of vegetables. I have been doing the Med. diet which also reduces inflammation and has helped my spinal arthritis.

    May be of interest

    https://blog.virtahealth.com/fiber-colon-health-ketogenic-diet/

    I stopped reading once I realized that site is selling a $199 a month subscription (plus a $500 sign up fee).

    And someone above thread said people weren't cashing in on keto :p

    They are doctors. The service is for them to be your doctor if you’re T2D. Do you know any doctors that work for free?
    They have published some very impressive studies showing a 60% reversal of T2D in one year. I don’t know many diabetics that wouldn’t save money reversing their diabetes even if using a private service like this.

    I pay $75 to meet face to face with my doctor. That also includes getting health markers checked (blood pressure etc). No way would I pay $200 a month (plus a $500 sign up fee), for an internet doctor on some website.

    It’s nice to have many options based upon your goals.
    Those “internet doctors” have real offices where they see patients in person as well. They are actually running a long term study right now. The internet option brings their expertise to a much larger population. It’s a choice for anyone to use their service.
    Sad that a team of doctors doing what has been thought to be impossible, gets reduced to being called “internet doctors” just because they make their services more widely available.
    I guess you think it’s better for them to stay only minimally available for some reason? That’s weird.

    But why do these internet doctors need to do this? For altruistic reasons? Or to make a lot money? They are in it for the money. Honestly

    I find it funny you don’t question the motivations of the people that buy the service. The 60% of them that are reversing their diabetes by following the guidance the service provides. It’s information that is readily available by all of the same doctors in their podcast interviews, websites, Ted talks, blogs and by reading their published papers. A person, and many do, can apply the same lifestyle changes on their own from the free information these same doctors provide but plenty of people are overwhelmed and don’t fully know how to start or more than likely, don’t have the support of a knowledgeable, local doctor to help them along the way.
    This service exists because of need. It should be commended because they are literally doing what has been thought to be impossible. Reversing diabetes at a rate of 60% in one year.
    You ask why these doctors do it? I don’t know each of their specific motives but I don’t think it’s solely money driven. There’s too much free information on that very website that you never need to pay a dime for to suggest they’re greedy. It’s full of tips, recipes and resources a person can use to live a low carb life without a cost at all. Then they publish their study progress and tell exactly what they are doing to achieve the results they are. I think that pretty much clears greed as a motivator.
    There are thousands of other services, programs, websites designed as a membership or for pay to guide people choosing a multitude of dietary options. That’s because people often need help making positive, long term change no matter what their focus or dietary choice is.
    Groups like this one and a million others are available for free and prove to be very helpful for many people. Some people need more help than this and that’s ok.

    Do you know these doctors? I'm asking because you seem super-invested in validating their business model and their personal motives.

    I don’t know them. Not at all. I think it’s great work they are doing. If I were T2D I would be very motivated to do whatever I could to normalize blood sugar and avoid the complications of diabetes. My own Type 1 diabetic daughter works to be as healthy as she is able to be even with no possibility of reversal of the disease. I think the more resources available to people, the better. Especially if it’s proven to work so well.
    It would be a shame for someone to discount the possible help a service like that could offer because someone online made uninformed, negative comments about the doctors simply because it’s a pay service that’s easily available to people everywhere. Ie: online...

    But there are ways to potentially do that without paying $2,400 a year (plus $500 initially) to someone who will never even examine you in person. I may have missed it, but when was it proven to work well? Has a third party not involved with the business examined their work and their success rate? Do we know how many people pay for a while and then quit because they don't see results? The figure of 60% success is based on information they're providing, correct?

    Edit: It's actually $4,440 per year because the first year is $370 a month. The $199 is the monthly price after the first year. That their business model is structured to get more money early is interesting, perhaps they know something we don't about how motivated people are to continue after 12 months or so.

    Edit 2: Although you said earlier in the thread that people could get this information for free and apply it on their own, the website itself specifically cautions people against doing that, claiming that it is a safety risk. https://www.virtahealth.com/faq

    The 60% success rate seems to be based on criteria for reversing T2D the researchers set. It is also based on the results of people that completed the program - people that dropped out of the program don't count against them.

    Thanks for looking that up. That's a very convenient way to measure it!

    The criteria is based on diagnostic requirement for T2D. Not something they made up.
    I don’t see any issue with saying that 60% reversal for the people that followed the plan... not sure why people that failed to adhere should be counted. They aren’t measuring adherence. They wanted to see what results were gained from those that followed it. Anyone not following it, added no data.

    There are at least two ways to diagnose diabetes that I know of hba1c and fasting glucose challenge. I recall criticism that A1C has been pushed because it is one draw instead of a patient being with a doctor's office for hours doing multiple samples.
    I'm not even saying I necessarily disagree with the metric. I do have some basis for thinking that a glucose challenge would be worse for a low carb diet group. It is worth keeping in mind diabetes is more an instrumental diagnosis than a true pathology.
  • lkpducky
    lkpducky Posts: 17,742 Member
    edited March 2019
    I think even granting it is possible to find a study to support any position, the chances of finding equally well done studies with conflicting results is low.

    And even if two well done studies appear to conflict, they might not after all once you dig deep into the details and find out that there are differences between the studies that would lead to the seeming conflict. like differences between the study populations that were difficult to account for or find.

  • soufauxgirl
    soufauxgirl Posts: 392 Member
    I couldn’t care less if there is a study proving any one thing or another.
    I tried keto and I liked it. It changed my behavior regarding food and changed my level of hunger and satiety and I even felt better and more energy pretty much immediately. My blood work is stellar, I’ve reduced meds for ADHD and eliminated all of my IBS symptoms once I eventually began a carnivore diet after my first year of keto.
    I have lost weight to my current weight in the past and spent my entire adult life constantly swinging up and down 30 pounds. I could never maintain the weight loss and could only lose the weight if I worked out and spent a lot of time being hungry.
    At the same weight as I had previously achieved, I am 2 pant sizes smaller now and have maintained this size without effort for 4 years now simply by remaining keto, and now carnivore. I eat until I’m satisfied and I do not work out and I do not have to cycle in and out of dieting to maintain the weight. I do not have to spend time being hungry in order to not overeat. I simply do not overeat without trying.
    I have never maintained a consistent weight for 4 years ever before and I certainly didn’t expect to find this kind of stability going into my 40’s.
    So I don’t care what any study says or doesn’t say. I don’t care about yours or anyone’s belief regarding calories or hormones.
    All I care about is my results and how I’m doing and that’s damn good!

    Did/do you count calories though? That would help you maintain right?
  • Daisy_Girl2019
    Daisy_Girl2019 Posts: 209 Member
    If you do it, watch your cholesterol. When you do your yearly check-up ask your Dr to check your fasting labs and lipids.
This discussion has been closed.