Metabolism
Metabolism is a process that your body uses to make energy from the food you eat. The food we eat consists of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Chemicals present in the digestive system break down these macronutrients into sugar and acids, which act as the body’s fuel. Your body can either use this fuel immediately or store it in the liver, muscles, or body fat.
Metabolic syndrome and its causes
Metabolic syndrome occurs when certain conditions combine to increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, obesity, and high blood sugar levels may be caused by insulin resistance. In people with insulin resistance, cells don’t respond normally to insulin. As a result, glucose doesn’t enter the cells and blood glucose levels rise.
Symptoms
Having one condition doesn’t mean that you have metabolic syndrome. But it does mean that you are at risk of getting a serious disease. Now if you develop more conditions the chances of getting heart disease and type 2 diabetes may rise. Most of the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome don’t have obvious signs. But one sign may be a high waistline. And if you have an increased blood sugar level the symptoms may be excess urination, thirst, and fatigue.
Risk factors
As age increases, so does the risk of metabolic disease.
Carrying extra weight, especially around the waistline can be one of the major reasons for metabolic disease.
You are more prone to metabolic disorders if you have a history of diabetes during pregnancy or a family history of type 2 diabetes.
The risk of metabolic syndrome increases if you have PCOS or nonalcoholic fatty liver.
The keto
The keto diet is a carb-restricted diet that is just up to 40-45 grams/day while increasing your fat intake. By doing this you send your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body burns fat instead of glucose to get energy. It may take 2-4 days for your body to enter this stage, however, the time it may take depends on various other factors like
Age
Carb and protein intake
Sleep
Metabolism rate
Stress level
Physical activity level
The keto diet and metabolic disorders
Weight loss
When on the keto diet the person consumes mainly fats rather than carbs. Fats make us feel full for a longer time and suppress our appetite, promoting weight loss.
Improves heart health
There is a connection between heart disease and diabetes. Certain fats like saturated fats and trans fats are not healthy for the heart. Heart suffering may be because of inflammation and many times the cause of inflammation is high blood sugar levels. The keto diet helps to lower blood sugar levels and improves anti-inflammatory insulin function, thus helping to treat heart conditions. By controlling blood sugar levels, the keto diet raises HDL cholesterol levels and reverses type 2 diabetes. Both factors help improve heart health and lower the risk of heart disease. So when on a keto diet, increase the number of polyunsaturated fats in your diet. You should avoid sugar, vegetable oils, and processed foods. Eat fish, avocados, and olives. Also regularly check your biomarkers to rule out CVD risks.
Diabetes reversal
Type 2 diabetic patients experience a decrease in their blood glucose level, so they require fewer medicines. Making diabetes reversal last longer should be done under proper medical supervision. This is because the keto diet reduces blood glucose levels, thus medicine needs to be adjusted from time to time.
One last note:
The keto diet is a controversial topic. Some people assert that this diet increases cholesterol levels and may cause heart disease. However, in many studies, the keto diet is proven worthy and beneficial for health if taken under the guidance of a regular doctor or registered nutritionist.