Our life on this earth is brief, the best way to make it worthwhile is to live meaningfully. And there will not be much time to make it meaningful unless one is healthy. An unhealthy body breaks down an individual's physical, spiritual and mental health, no matter how hard one tries to stay above it. More often than not, we take our health as granted. But once the body succumbs to poor health and illness, one is forced to realise that nothing, neither wealth, nor fame nor power matters.
The maxim, “Health is wealth,” could not be truer. “The first wealth is health,” was stated by Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American philosopher. My journey with “Low Carbohydrate Diet”, also popularly known as ‘Keto,’ began a month back. Some may feel it is too early to go on a discourse, but I could not hold myself back from sharing, about the positive changes it brought in my overall health, in a brief span. I have always been health conscious and I have been trying my best to eat healthy and exercise.
My sugar level is well maintained, with fasting blood sugar at 90-95 mg/dl and random 110 -129 mg/dl. However I had a mild heart attack, few years back, which made me rethink about my health status. On medical advice, I was asked to undergo an “Insulin Level Test” at Imphal and then onward submission to Kolkata. I was shocked when the reports came in, as normal insulin index shown was 3-5, whereas mine stood at 20.95, indicating serious repercussion on my heart health. No wonder I was feeling less energetic, problem with body balance and agility, my hands and feet also felt stiff, in the past. I learnt that presence of excess carbohydrate in the body caused dangerous blood thickening and clogged arteries. That is when I shifted to this “Low Carb Diet”.
“Low Carbohydrate Diet” is good for the heart, as it increases good cholesterol levels, decreases blood pressure and triglycerides levels, according to researchers. For the uninitiated, “Low Carbohydrate Diet”, as the name suggests, generally means restriction on carbohydrate consumption relative to one’s average diet. Foods high on carbohydrate is limited and replaced with high fat and protein rich diet. Eg: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, nuts, etc. as well as plenty of green leafy and fibre rich vegetables, such as cucumber, ladies finger, radish, fresh beans, brinjal, chayote and its leaves, fruits like pears, green apple or any fruit which has no sweetness, etc. No one can tell the exact measure, but the American Academy of Family Physicians specifies less than 20% of carbohydrate content.
I quickly gave up, mango, banana, jack fruit, apple, pomegranate, papaya, water melon, potato, carrot, dal, rice, bread, sugar to name a few. Vegetables, fish, and meat and green or black tea, without sugar took centre stage. Within five days, I felt better and regained my energy level, stamina, besides significant improvement in body balance and experienced weight loss. I can vouch that I am much more active, energetic, with better digestion.
It is indeed true that people taking low carb diet experience more weight loss, than those people taking low fat diet. Mine has reduced from 76 to 70 kgs in a matter of 19 days. As per information available on the net, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) states, “Reducing overall carbohydrate intake for individuals with diabetes has demonstrated the most evidence for improving glycemia (blood sugar) and may be applied in a variety of eating patterns that meet individual needs and preferences.” The US News and World Report reviewed it as the "4th best weight loss diets.”
Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the three main nutrients. The “Ketogenic Diet” is based on the premise that when the body is deprived of glucose derived from carbohydrate foods, it will produce energy from stored fat. Foods to avoid are sugar and starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, dry beans and potatoes. Foods with the go ahead are meat, fish, eggs, vegetables growing above ground and natural fats like butter.
However, people wanting to incorporate a “Low Carb Diet” should not jump into it impulsively, but first consult a dietician or a person who has the experience. The positive outcome from the “Keto Diet” has benefitted me, miraculously, so much that I felt an obligation to share it with anyone who might have struggled like me with regard to their heart health and diabetes, and in the hope that they find means to benefit from it.
Kuolachalie Seyie