Introduction: I’ve been in the nutrition field for about six years, after mastering extreme weight loss on a plant-based diet. Not a day goes by that I don’t see ads for foods that I no longer eat – from food delivery services to chain restaurants to supplement companies trying to get me to sell their products. Businesses are constantly piggyback marketing by creating new foods to make the latest diet easier on people by selling custom meals and supplements. If more people knew what I knew about these marketing tactics, they just might stop falling for it. In just the past year I’ve been bombarded with ads and inquiries about the new ketogenic diet. I finally decided to shed light on what this diet is all about including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Kelly Gibson - Nutrition Coach
The Keto Plate: The keto diet first came about in the early 1900s (1) but didn’t become a “thing” for quite some time. It’s been gaining popularity for quick fat loss recently, and even for cancer treatment. The ketogenic diet specifically aims for a macronutrient profile of 5-10% of calories from carbohydrates, 60-75% calories from fat, and 15-30% calories from protein. A lot of keto dieters aim for 30 grams or less of carbs, as a general rule of thumb; eat one banana and you’ve exceeding your carb limit for the day! The good thing about the keto diet is protein intake is moderate and people don’t have to stress over counting calories. Unfortunately, they need to achieve out-of-the-ordinary low-carb and high-fat goals in order to master the keto diet. This diet is primarily comprised of meat, eggs, oils, animal fats (like lard, tallow, bacon grease, and goose fat) in addition to full-fat dairy products (like mayo, butter, and heavy cream).
The Good: The main purpose of going keto is for the body to raise ketone levels and enter a state of ketosis. Ketones are – in simple terms – an alternative energy source to glucose, which our brain and body primarily functions on. Ketosis can happen when you take a break from eating carbohydrates and build up ketone levels. In ketosis, your body switches from carbs to fat for fuel, allowing it to perform key functions in the brain and body (Berardi 65). Some research suggests that ketones burn fat faster than glucose, which is why there is so much hype about this diet. A good thing about this low-carb diet is that people have no choice but to avoid processed sugar. Common benefits people have reported from going keto is lower triglycerides, more energy, and reduced seizure activity (3).
Sample keto dessert: gelatin gummy bears with artificial sweetener
The Bad: Even a little bite of fruit or dessert could throw you over your carb goal for the day, and kick you out of ketosis. Unfortunately, people resort to low-calorie sweeteners or even artificial sweeteners if they really want to treat themselves. Even though there are no carbs in sugar-free treats, artificial sweeteners can create an insulin response, increasing appetite and causing weight gain (5). Negative side effects that some keto dieters report is mood disturbance, fatigue, and lower motivation to exercise (4). This, in and of itself is counterproductive to weight loss and could be a sign of malnutrition.
The Ugly: You’ll be shocked at what you find out about the ketogenic diet… Go to the next page to reveal how ugly this diet can be.
White, A. M., Johnston, C. S., Swan, P. D., Tjonn, S. L., & Sears, B. (2007). “Blood Ketones Are Directly Related to Fatigue and Perceived Effort during Exercise in Overweight Adults Adhering to Low-Carbohydrate Diets for Weight Loss: A Pilot Study.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 107(10), 1792-1796. DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2007.07.009. https://asu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/blood-ketones-are-directly-related-to-fatigue-and-perceived-effor. Accessed July 17, 2018.
Yang, Qing. “Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings.” Neuroscience 2010. Yale J Biol Med. 2010 Jun; 83(2): 101–108. Accessed July 18 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/
Find out if you have the hidden condition that causes sugar cravings and endless health problems. Get answers to your questions "Why do I have sugar cravings?" and "How Do I get Rid of Sugar Cravings?" with a vegan candida diet. The health issue I am going to talk about today is the leading cause of sugar cravings.
Do you have sugar cravings? Read this blog to find out why!
Here is a list of symptoms that you may have this condition:
· Nail fungus or athlete’s foot
· Craving alcohol or sugar
· Bloating, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, gas, leaky gut, or other digestive issues
· Having an autoimmune disease
· Having symptoms of ADHD/ADD
· brain fog upon waking up
· poor memory
· irritability, mood swings, anxiety, depression
· seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, skin rashes
· vaginal or prostate infections; itching
· severe skin allergies to fabrics, seasonal allergies
· hormone imbalances
· thrush
Do you have brain fog? This might be why. Click the article to read the #1 reason why people get foggy brains in the morning. #brainfog #symptoms
If any of those symptoms apply to you, then you might be suffering from Candida Yeast Overgrowth! That's right, Candida Albicans is a naturally occurring yeast in the human body - not just for women, but men, too. You may think of Candida as a female problem, but yeast infections are only one of the many attributes of Candida Yeast Overgrowth. It’s a good idea to try a candida elimination diet if you have symptoms. Here are some risk factors that can lead to this nasty condition:
· being treated with antibiotics on multiple occasions, or long-term use of antibiotics
· consuming dairy products or meats derived from animals treated with antibiotics
· eating a high-sugar diet or highly processed carbohydrates
· having a high stress lifestyle
· taking oral contraceptives
· binge drinking or regular alcohol consumption
· being exposed to molds or chemicals
· consuming toxic metals like Mercury, food chemicals like MSG, or tap water.
Dieting for Candida isn’t something that people typically talk about, and is not something that medical doctors typically will test for either. It might be something for you to bring up to your doctor and ask for testing. Before you follow through with testing, there is a questionnaire you can take to see how likely it is that you do in fact have Candida Albicans.
Most of the information you find online about candida elimination base their foods around meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and even supplements not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. Unfortunately, vegans are given the least flexibility with Candida Elimination diets because we don’t eat animal products and most of us base our meals around starches or fruits, which can give yeast an environment to thrive. So, I’ve decided to put some time into sharing my experience with candida elimination on a plant-based diet. I’ve broken the vegan candida diet / plant-based candida diet into a few phases. If you've been wondering how do I get rid of sugar cravings, then here is how.
First, kill off as much candida as possible within the first week on the diet. The initial phase of this diet is a Candida Cleanse. It includes meals based upon whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, legumes, and low-sugar fruit. The first week can feel terrible, as there are Candida die-off symptoms (known as the Herxheimer reaction). As miserable as it may feel in the beginning, the more symptoms you experience, the more likely you are actually making progress with eliminating candida.
Do you have unexplained joint pain? It might be caused by the #hexheimer reaction. Click to read more.
Surprisingly, a major sign of die-off is worsening symptoms of your typical candida overgrowth:
stronger sugar cravings
skin rashes or lesions
digestive issues
vaginal or prostate infections
It can be tricky to tell whether or not you are making progress or getting worse, because everyone has different symptoms. The good news is, I can help! Contact me for Nutrition Coaching or stay updated with my blog and you could find more info on a candida elimination cleanse, recipes for fighting candida, and more information on how to combat Candida Albicans while maintaining a plant-based diet for optimal health.
Written by Kelly Gibson
*Disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical professional and am not diagnosing, prescribing a diet, or claiming to treat any illnesses. See my Terms and Conditions for more info.
Need Help Fighting Candida? Contact Me for More Info on the Candida Diet!
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Ask Kelly Athletics: How do I get Rid of Sugar Cravings?
By: Cheyenne W, vegan blog writer for Kelly Athletics. Revised by Kelly Gibson – Do Vegans Need Vitamin B12?
Have you heard the argument that vitamin B-12 is absent from a plant based diet and that vegans are deficient? Many of these arguments have spread propaganda such as “If you only eat a plant based diet, you will be deficient in B-12. Therefore you need meat and other animal products in order to survive.” But all this that has been said is completely false. It can be possible for anyone to be deficient of B-12 regardless of what they include in their diet. Often health problems such as gluten intolerance can lead to a B-12 deficiency. So, the question arises, do vegans get Vitamin B12 from their diet or should they supplement?
What exactly is Vitamin B12? B12 belongs to the B complex of vitamins. B vitamins are necessary for energy metabolism and other biological processes. The B12 vitamin is essential for the replications of DNA, the formation of red blood cells and maintenance of the central nervous system. Vitamin B12 in fact is derived from a bacteria in the soil that grow the plants we eat. So, do vegans need vitamin B12 or is it in our plant-based diet already?
Extensive use of pesticides and sanitation to the soil in which we grow our produce has diminished the soil of essential nutrients, which has lead to an absence of B-12 in plant sources. The amount of B-12 a person needs every day is very minimal and a person who eats animal products gets far more than they actually need. The recommended weekly allowance of B-12 is believed to be 2,000-2500 microgram. Like any other vitamin, too much B-12 has been found to be very harmful rather than helpful so moderation is important. There are many much healthier sources of B-12 that are free from unhealthy animal products and should be incorporated into a person’s diet.
One option is to take a B-12 supplement, best absorbed with methylcobalamin as pictured below. Cyanocobalamin can release cyanide into the bloodstream which can be harmful to our bodies. Be sure to get vitamins that are suitable for vegetarians and vegans because often the capsules are made from gelatin, which is derived from the connective tissue and bones of livestock.
Many vegan foods are fortified with B-12 such as foods made from wheat gluten and soy beans and other vegan meat substitutes. Make sure though that the meat substitutes are in fact vegan because often they contain eggs or milk, such as the morning star brand. Always check to see if they are vegan and fortified with B-12. The most famous of the foods that are fortified with B-12 is nutritional yeast. Brewer’s yeast and nutritional yeast are often fortified with B-12 and added to various foods as a source of this vitamin. Another great source of B-12 are fortified plant milks such as fortified soy milk.
Eating vegan foods fortified with B-12 at least three times a day have been found to give the full needed daily amount in place of supplements. B-12 supplements and foods that are fortified with B-12 are healthy sources that do not contain any of the unfortunate health consequences from animal derived foods. With careful planning and knowledge of nutrition, you will get every nutrient you need to live a healthy life from a plant based diet.
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