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What to Consider Before Going on a Ketogenic Diet


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

For a variety of reasons, the ketogenic diet has gained a large amount of popularity in recent years.

From Dr. Perlmutter’s best-selling Grain Brain, to Bulletproof Coffee, to the emergence of the bodybuilding community widely using ketogenic diets to help attain very low levels of body fat before physique competitions, the diet’s visibility has never been higher.

That being said, there are many misconceptions about this approach to eating, and many questions for which even scientific experts still do not have all the answers.

What Is the Ketogenic Diet?

High in saturated fat, nearly devoid of carbohydrates, and limitless in bacon, the ketogenic diet defies conventional wisdom. Interestingly, the ketogenic diet has many scientific benefits in neurological health.

Researchers find that the ketogenic diet provides disease-modifying effects in a large range of neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Furthermore, patients with brain injuries or stroke history have seen benefits from adopting the keto approach.

But what exactly is the ketogenic diet? To answer that question, we need to cover the basics of what a regular, standard American diet consists of.

High in carbohydrates, the traditional Western diet provides lots of glucose, which your body uses as its go-to source of fuel. This type of eating approach is high in carbohydrates, low to moderate in protein, and fairly low in fat.

The ketogenic diet, in essence, flips this approach on its head. The ketogenic approach was originally developed for those suffering from epilepsy 

By removing most (if not all) sources of glucose, the ketogenic approach teaches your body to run more effectively on fatty acids.

This approach elevates circulating levels of the ketone bodies acetoacetate, β-hydroxybutyrate and acetone – which the liver produces. Additionally, the brain and other tissues may run more efficiently on these sources when compared to glucose.

How to Start a Ketogenic Diet

So if you are ready to try this approach, there are a few things you’ll want to consider before starting:

Enlist the Help of a Certified Professional

It’s important that you work with a qualified professional if you’re looking to adopt this diet. There are many things that can go wrong with this approach, which can throw your body into shock as a result.

Micronutrient deficiencies are commonly cited issues, along with trying to over-exercise, and burning oneself out. Endurance activities or glycogen-demanding exercise must be removed from one’s routine if you’re truly looking to utilize the ketogenic approach.

Stock Up on High-Quality Ingredients

If you’re ready to begin, you’ll want to load up on a few items at the grocery store. Grass-fed butter, coconut oil, and grass-fed beef are great ingredients to keep stocked. Again, get the highest quality you can afford.

If you’re really serious about the ketogenic approach, you’ll can opt for MCT oil, which has been shown to be better for the ketogenic approach. Don’t forget to fill your cart with plenty of green veggies like kale, spinach or broccoli – nothing too starchy.

Anticipate Low-Energy Activity

Depending on how many carbohydrates you cut out, you may not feel very energetic or happy during the first few days. Think about social situations, food shopping, and variety in your diet. Plan accordingly if your profession or schedule requires high-energy output.

It’s important to realize that a more realistic approach would be to moderately and slowly reduce your carbohydrate intake over a period of days or weeks. Ideally, you’ll want to be consuming between 30-80 grams of carbohydrates per day. This can vary from person to person, but you’ll be eating a large amount of meat, fat, and very little else.

Health Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet

As mentioned earlier, there are numerous benefits to adopting the ketogenic diet.

The best benefits may be neurological, but there’s also reports of weight loss that has become popular within the bodybuilding community. By keeping your protein intake fairly high (but not too high), you will spare your muscles and lose only the fat – the holy grail of every diet.

Despite the positive benefits of a ketogenic diet, there are a few downsides to discuss:

Difficult Long-term Compliance

For starters, it’s fairly hard to stick to this approach long term. The limited amount of foods, lack of glucose, social pressures, and diet compliance are much more difficult than with any other diet.

Limited Exercise Regimens

Another big downside is the lack of endurance or glycogen-demanding workouts one can participate in. If adopting this approach, one should basically walk, lift heavy weights, and sleep. This can again be very limiting when attempting to be social or participate in group activities like being on a sports team.

Depending on your stress level at your job and other lifestyle factors, you may feel low on energy compared with consuming moderate levels of carbohydrates.

Yo-Yo Dieting

Another problem associated with the ketogenic diet is yo-yo dieting. Because sugar is so omnipresent in society, it can be very difficult to abstain from it completely.

Additionally, when ketogenic dieters get a little taste, they tend to have a tough time not binging on the stuff completely. This gives credence to the fact that it may be better to go for a more moderate level of carbohydrate intake, occasionally dipping into ketosis, via intermittent fasting.

Pending Science Results

Then, there’s the lack of available, reliable, long-term data on what kind of effect this approach to eating has on our body. It may not be so great to be pounding our bodies with saturated fat, all day, every day.

Certainly, a Paleo approach, which is lower in saturated fat, seems much safer for the long term. That is not to say that the ketogenic diet could end up being totally safe; it just means that the jury (and scientific data) is still out on this particular point.

Watch this video –A Keto Diet for Beginners

The Bottom Line

I hope I have provided an in-depth guide for you on exactly what the ketogenic diet is about, how to implement it and what pitfalls you’ll want to expect and avoid.

As the scientific community rapidly gains more knowledge around nutrition, it’s interesting to see what data comes out.

Ten or twenty years from now, we may find that the ketogenic diet is the optimal way to eat – we simply do not have all the data yet.

Conversely, we may find that this approach is less than ideal for most people. More than any other diet, the ketogenic blueprint is very individualistic, meaning that some may find it works great, while others feel dismal.

You really won’t know if this approach is right for you until you try it for yourself. So if you are interested, make sure you enlist the help of a qualified professional, and get to work buying lots of butter and grass-fed meat!

Written by Casey Thaler

Author Bio:

Casey Thaler, B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS is an NASM® certified personal trainer and NASM® certified fitness nutrition specialist. He writes for Paleo Magazine®, The Paleo Diet® and Greatist®. He is also an advisor for Kettle and Fire and runs his own nutrition and fitness consulting company, Eat Clean, Train Clean®.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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The 3 Main Benefits of Combining Keto and Paleo


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Should You Combine A Ketogenic Diet With Paleo?

Have you noticed that you feel better after adopting a Paleo diet?

There’s actually one more tweak to your diet that you can make to feel more energized, lose weight faster, and become mentally clearer. That tweak is to convert your Paleo diet to a Paleo / ketogenic (Keto) diet.

Fair warning, a Keto diet isn’t appropriate for all people, but by the end of this article you will know if giving it a try is worth it.

A Crash Course in Keto

Glycolysis and ketogenesis are the two processes that the body uses to produce usable energy for your cells.

Glycolysis is dominant when carbohydrates are available. It involves converting glucose into pyruvate, which produces a net gain of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate, the basic unit of cellular energy).

But when your carbohydrate stores run out, that’s when it’s ketogenesis’ time to shine. Compared to the small amount of carbohydrate stores you have at any time, you have a massive reserve of fat that can be used for energy.

Through ketogenesis, stored fat is broken down and converted to ketone bodies (a type of molecule) which can then be used to create ATP. When your body is relying on ketone bodies for energy, it is said to be in a state of ketosis.

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

Remember that ketosis only occurs when you are more or less out of carbs. A ketogenic diet is designed to keep you in ketosis, mainly by limiting how many carbohydrates you eat during a day. The typical starting guideline is 50 grams per day, but some people need to restrict further than that, while others can eat more and still remain in ketosis.

It’s important to understand that the body takes time to adjust to using fats as the primary energy source. Depending on your current diet and health, if you switched to a ketogenic diet, it could take anywhere from one to four weeks to become fully adapted.

Take a look at the following plot from a study where blood glucose and beta hydroxybutyrate (considered a ketone body) concentrations were tracked:

Keto-adaptation was fully reached around day 24 when the beta hydroxybutyrate concentration plateaued.

The concentration of ketones can be measured by testing urine with Ketostix, or by using certain diabetic blood meters.

The big reason that interest in ketogenic diets peaked was the apparent neuroprotective effects that it can have. It’s typically prescribed to patients suffering with epilepsy, greatly reducing seizure frequency, and also might be part of an effective treatment against Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

A Match Made In History

Look around for more information about Keto and Paleo, and you’ll see that they are often compared to each other. This makes no sense, because Paleo and Keto diets are not exclusive to each other.

Some (but not all) Paleo diets are Keto diets, and some (but not all) Keto diets are Paleo diets.

Looking at the diets of current tribes, which we believe have similar diets to their Paleolithic ancestors, we can see that some tribes, like the Inuit, live the vast majority of their lives on a ketogenic diet. They have a diet that consists almost entirely of fish and meat.

That image also shows that other tribes likely don’t eat ketogenic diets, with fruits and vegetables (carbohydrate-rich) making up about 15% of the Hadza diet, and about 20% of the Kung diet.

The main takeaway: If you eat a Paleo diet, you have the option to also eat a ketogenic diet if you choose to.

The Main Benefits of Combining Keto and Paleo

The real question is: Is a Keto-Paleo diet better than just a non-Keto Paleo diet?

The simple answer is that it is for some, but not for others. In addition, sometimes a Keto diet won’t be better or worse, but just different.

We’ll look at who a Keto diet is right for soon enough, but first let’s look at the main benefits that might be reason enough to give it a try.

1. Simple Weight Loss and Appetite Control

Ketosis often has a great effect on hormone control, particularly those related to blood glucose, like insulin, and those related to appetite, like ghrelin. This is especially important for overweight people, who typically have worse hormone control than those of a healthy weight.

Overall, a lower appetite will lead to a smaller caloric intake in most cases, which will lead to fairly easy weight loss. If weight loss is a current goal of yours, Keto may be a great option to try.

If you’d like to learn more about losing weight with a ketogenic diet, check out HOW TO START KETO | lose weight with the ketogenic diet.

2. Lower Chance of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Even though some markers of CVD are debatable, others have been firmly established after rigorous evaluation, like triglyceride levels and HDL cholesterol.

In short, high triglyceride levels are bad, and the lower you can get them, the lower your chance of disease.

Triglycerides are fat molecules, so you might expect that they will rise on a ketogenic diet. However, despite the fact that it might seem strange, eating excess fat actually lowers your triglycerides and raises your HDL (the “good” cholesterol). Eating excessive carbohydrates happens to lead to high triglycerides.

3. Mental Clarity, Better Sleep, and a Stronger Immune System

In addition to those 2 main benefits, there’s a whole host of potential benefits. Here’s the thing though, these haven’t been studied much, so most claims of these benefits are anecdotal. That doesn’t mean that they may not happen, just don’t bank on them if you decide to try Keto.

First off is mental clarity. Although there is often a “Keto flu”, much like the “Paleo flu” while the body is first adjusting (although it might be possible to avoid it), many claim that they think clearer and can focus better once fully adapted.

One study looked at how a ketogenic diet affected elderly people with slight mental impairment, and saw that memory was improved after 6 weeks. It’s a limited finding, but interesting nonetheless.

Other studies have shown that going Keto reduces sleep irregularities in obese and epileptic patients. On the anecdotal side, many have claimed that going Keto has allowed them to sleep less without feeling tired.

Finally, there are concerns over Keto diets and the immune system. Some are worried that a Keto diet will starve gut bacteria that depend on carbohydrates, which it probably does.

Gut flora is tied to the immune system and much more that we are only beginning to understand. I was unable to find any relevant studies here, so we have to rely on anecdotes for now.

What I’ve seen are many cases of people getting sick less often on Keto, and very few cases of people having issues. Obviously this isn’t conclusive, but I also don’t think you need to be too concerned about this.

Is a Ketogenic Diet Right for You?

There’s one major potential drawback that a Keto diet can present!

Strength athletes require carbohydrates for short term energy. Even if you aren’t a competitive athlete, you will suffer a large performance decrease if you play any sports with a lot of quick movement (soccer, hockey, basketball, etc.), like to sprint, or lift weights.

However, endurance athletes can actually thrive on a ketogenic diet. How come? Because fats can produce energy more efficiently than carbohydrates, but they take longer to do so. As long as you don’t require an excessive amount of energy in a short time period, a body that is adapted to use fats will perform excellently during endurance activities.

Also, on an unrelated note, if you are diabetic, read up on ketoacidosis and consult your doctor before attempting a Keto diet.

Where Do You Go From Here? – Resources for a Keto-Paleo Diet

Now that you have a good idea of what a ketogenic diet is, how it fits in with Paleo, and the potential benefits, you can decide if you’re interested in learning more or not.

Here are some of the best reasons to try Keto:

  • You want to lose weight but have plateaued with non-Keto Paleo
  • You are worried about CVD for one of many reasons
  • You have issues with concentrating
  • You just don’t like carbs

If you are interested in learning more, consider:

visiting the Eating Academy for more in-depth science behind Keto learning from Jimmy Moore’s experience with Keto and browsing some great Keto recipes

Watch this video – Jimmy Moore – ‘Keto And Paleo Are A Match Made In Heaven’

Written by Dale Cudmore

Author Bio:

Dale is a nutrition writer, chemical engineer & professional soccer player who sees the results of proper nutrition every day in training and games. Connect with him at DaleCudmore.com

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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The 5 Biggest Reasons to Limit Your Fructose Intake


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Death by Fructose – How Too Much Sugary Fruit Can Affect Your Health

There are many different forms of sugar, and most are pretty bad for you. But where does fructose rank?

Everyone knows that sugar is unhealthy, but there are still mixed opinions about whether a little fruit is good in moderation.

As with many things, the answer is a little more complex than a simple “good” or “bad” response.

Here’s why too much fructose can be dangerous, and which foods it might be hiding in.

Different Types of Sugar

There are three types of sugar primarily found in natural carbohydrate-based foods: glucose, fructose, and sucrose. While they are all the same as far as calories go, they differ in how the body uses them for energy and how they affect our health.

Glucose is the body’s preferred form of sugar because it can most easily convert it and use it for energy. It’s also the least sweet form of simple sugars.

Fructose is found naturally in most fruits, as well as in honey, agave, certain vegetables, sugar cane, corn, and sugar beets.

Fructose extracted from sugar cane and corn is converted into the type of fructose that is added to foods and sometimes processed into high-fructose syrup. Fructose has the sweetest taste, but in a strict comparison, has a less spiking effect on the blood sugar.

Sucrose is half glucose and half fructose. It is commonly extracted and refined into the table sugar that is highly addictive though technically less sweet than pure fructose.

If fructose affects the blood sugar least of the three, why is it considered the most toxic form of sugar? Here’s how fructose is associated with insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and liver toxicity – and what to do about it.

5 Downsides of Fructose

When eaten, fructose is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream via the small intestine. While it doesn’t raise blood sugar as immediately as glucose, it has more long-term negative issues than glucose.

This doesn’t mean you should never eat fruit or honey, but it’s important to be mindful of how much fructose you’re eating on a regular basis. You should also avoid non-Paleo sweeteners that are high in fructose, such as agave and corn syrup.

Here are the biggest reasons to limit your fructose intake.

1. It’s Harder to Digest

While glucose is broken down and absorbed for energy fairly easily by the digestive organs, fructose needs a little extra help.

Fructose needs to be converted in the liver to be used for energy. Not only does this extra step require more effort from the digestive system, but when the liver gets a bigger hit of fructose than it can handle, it converts the excess into extra body fat, which can result in inflammatory problems and even cardiovascular risk. This can increase the risk of issues like obesity, fatty liver disease, and heart disease.

While small amounts of fructose here and there won’t overwhelm the liver, chronically high doses of fructose can be toxic and even lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. So, a daily soda can be just as detrimental as a daily alcoholic beverage.

2. It Can Lead to Type II Diabetes

Because the liver converts extra fructose to fat, it can have a strong influence on insulin resistance. In fact, too much fructose can even tug the body in the direction of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

While all forms of excess sugars in the diet can lead to insulin, blood sugar, and diabetes problems, fructose is by far the most damaging. This is due, in part, to how fructose affects the hormones that control appetite.

They don’t send the same sorts of satiety signals to the brain that glucose does, disrupting feelings of satisfaction after eating or drinking it, which perpetuates even more cravings.

3. It Increases Obesity Risk

Excess fructose gets converted right into belly fat, and can even increase your odds of obesity. Too much belly fat increases your risk of:

Research shows that people who drink fructose-sweetened beverages have an almost nine percent increase in belly fat, compared to those who drink glucose-sweetened drinks and gain a five percent belly fat increase.

This doesn’t mean that artificial sweeteners are any better. In fact, diet soda intake is linked with increased belly fat as well.

4. It Leads to Cravings

While all sugar can have an addictive quality, fructose is especially problematic because it doesn’t signal feelings of fullness in the brain after consumption. In fact, it can trigger desires for more, leading to more frequent cravings and even addiction.

In today’s sugar-driven society, it’s estimated that for the average person, as much as 10 percent of their day’s total caloric intake comes from fructose – not just sugar, but fructose alone. The more fructose that people eat, the more they want, leading to a perpetual cycle of overeating.

5. It’s Hard to Avoid

Trying to avoid fructose can get discouraging fast. High fructose corn syrup can be found in lots of processed foods, and just because something isn’t directly labelled as containing fructose, doesn’t mean it’s fructose-free. If you’re serious about avoiding fructose, be prepared to call manufacturers to ask where something is derived from.

Of course the simpler answer is to avoid processed foods entirely. You’ll still encounter fructose in fruits, but since it is also paired with glucose, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, it won’t affect the body in the same manner.

Watch this video –The TRUTH on Fruit & Fructose

Bottom Line

While a moderate intake of fruit is fine, processed foods containing added sugars will slam your body with high levels of fructose. This can lead to health problems like obesity, insulin resistance, and even sugar addiction. Try cutting back on processed foods to keep your health on track.

Written by Aimee McNew

Author Bio:

Aimee McNew is a Certified Nutritionist who specializes in women’s health, thyroid problems, infertility, and digestive wellness. She ate her way back to health using a Paleo diet, lost 80 pounds, and had a healthy baby after numerous miscarriages. She focuses on simple nutrition practices that promote long-lasting results.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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What Can Cause Eczema and Natural Eczema Treatment


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Eczema- What Is It, Causes & Natural Treatment

Do you struggle with chronic eczema or regular flare-ups throughout the year? You’re not alone.

Over 31 million Americans suffer from atopic dermatitis, the medical term for eczema, and over half of these people have moderate to severe conditions.

Eczema is an inflammatory skin disease that causes dry, itchy and thickened skin that typically appears on the flexor surfaces of your body (crooks of your elbows or back of your knees).  It’s not just an irritating skin condition; it also severely impacts your quality of life and psychological well-being.

What Causes Eczema?

Eczema is a multifactor disease, but a few of the most common triggers are the following: your genes, an overactive immune system, and environmental triggers.

Your Genes

Let’s look at your DNA first. If both your parents have a history of eczema, there’s about a 70% chance that you will acquire eczema. That drops to 30% chance if only one parent was affected.

How does this happen? A disruption of the epidermal (outer) layer of the skin, a hallmark of eczema, can be caused by mutations in the gene that encode fillagrin.

Fillagrin is a protein that matures the skin cells that become the protective, outermost layer of the skin.

This dysfunction of your skin’s defense mechanism allows for increased penetration of irritating substances, which increases susceptibility to skin infections and eczema. Unfortunately, you can’t choose your parents (but you can still benefit from the solutions below).

An Overactive Immune System

An overactive immune system is another hallmark of eczema. Your immune system has two main armies: the “first line of defense” innate immune system army that prevents infections and the “seek and destroy” adaptive immune system that knocks out intruders once they’ve penetrated your defenses.

An overactive immune system might be the cause of your eczema flare-ups.

Eczema is characterized by a Th2-dominated immune response, where your body’s “seek and destroy” immune system runs amok, leading to the production of IgE antibodies (i.e., allergic reactions) and an inflammatory response.

Environmental Triggers

The combination of bad genes, dry skin and disrupted epidermal barriers creates a hypersensitivity reaction towards irritating environmental substances. Irritants can vary; they include dust mites, temperature, clothing material, excessive washing, lotions, smoke, etc.

Ways to Reduce Eczema

There is no cure for eczema, but a variety of treatments can be highly beneficial in reducing itchiness and preventing further breakouts. Let’s take a closer look.

Remove Food Allergens and Additives

Skin is the largest organ in the body, and what you eat has a tremendous impact on its health. Food allergies and intolerances are incredibly common in eczema suffers, and the research shows that 90% of those allergies are due to cow’s milk, hen’s eggs (not duck or goose), peanuts, wheat, and soy.

Almost all of the offending foods listed here are NOT Paleo, so adopting an ancestral approach and removing these allergenic foods can significantly improve eczema symptoms.

For more in-depth dietary changes, try the Autoimmune Paleo diet (AIP) or an Elimination diet for 4-12 weeks and assess progress. If aggravating symptoms appear after reintroducing a food, it could imply intolerance to that particular food. Try an AIP or elimination diet to see if milk, peanuts, wheat or soy are contributing to eczema symptoms.

Food additives like tartrazine, sodium benzoate, monosodium glutamate, sodium metabolite and tyramine can also aggravate eczema symptoms. Simply removing these harmful additives from your diet (i.e., no more processed or packaged foods) has been shown to markedly improve eczema after 10 months.

Swap Coffee for Oolong Tea

Your morning cup of Joe might taste great, but unfortunately, coffee beans are one of the most heavily sprayed crops on the planet and can worsen an overactive immune system. Make the switch to Oolong tea to cool inflammation, the overactive immune system response, and your eczema symptoms.

The researchers found oolong tea showed significant improvement in 63% of patients who were not responding to conventional treatment. They believe the benefits were due to polyphenols present in oolong tea. To reap the benefits, steep a 10g tea bag for 5 minutes in 1 liter of water, and drink in three equal servings between meals throughout the day.

Add More GLA

If you’re a regular PaleoHacks reader, you’re likely well aware of the fact that today’s modern diet contains a dramatic overabundance of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats to anti-inflammatory omega-3. However, one key player in the omega-6 family is the gamma-linoleic acid (GLA).

Research suggests that eczema sufferers have impaired conversion of linoleic acid to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) due to a dysfunction in an enzyme called delta-6-desaturase, which leads to deficiency and causes the barrier of the skin to become impaired.

Remember, essential fats like GLA must be obtained from your diet, but even on a Paleo diet, GLA is not easy to come by.

The highest concentrations are found in evening primrose and borage, as well as hemp oil, which can easily be added to salads and put on top of veggies (do not cook with hemp oil).

If you struggle with chronic and long-standing eczema, you may want to consider supplementing with GLA.

Add Supportive Probiotics

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria. The more “good” probiotics bacteria have, the happier your digestive system, the root of all inflammation. Your digestive tract is home to over 80% of your immune system, and its first response to any foreign invaders or insults is to trigger inflammation.

Eczema is a chronic inflammatory condition, so keeping your gut healthy is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Probiotics help prevent the uptake of allergens that trigger eczema.

Probiotics play a key role in maintaining the integrity of your gut barrier, reducing leaky gut, and preventing the uptake of allergens that trigger eczema.

Natural sources of probiotics are fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchee, or kombucha tea.

Supplementation with probiotics can be highly beneficial if you struggle with long-standing eczema, so look for strains high in Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

Boost Your Zinc and Vitamin D Intake

Zinc is required for the proper function of the delta-6-desaturase enzyme discussed above (#3 GLA), and deficiency has been shown to exacerbate symptoms of eczema.

A Paleo-based diet is the ideal platform for optimal zinc intake, as animal protein is hands down the best source of zinc. Increase your intake of darker cuts of meat like beef, venison, bison, elk and lamb, as well as including more seafood like oysters and mussels.

Low levels of vitamin D are also associated with increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis. Supplementation with vitamin D may help treat eczema in those who are deficient, something to consider if you live in a city with a true winter climate.

Lavender and Coconut Oil Cream (Home-Made)

You may have the ingredients for a powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ointment right in your kitchen. Coconut oil is a nutrient-dense, gentle emollient that can be applied to the skin after a warm shower to help retain moisture in the skin.

Add some lavender essential oil, in a 1:5 ratio, to coconut oil to make a powerful and soothing natural ointment for irritated skin.

Reduce Stress Levels

Stress isn’t just pulling your hair out because you can’t cope, it’s also “being busy” from morning till after dark. Stress is a reality in today’s 24/7 society, and there is a positive correlation between stress and increased prevalence of eczema.

Stress reduction techniques like mindfulness meditation training, yoga or tai chi, coloring (yes, coloring books!) and singing all help to activate the vagus nerve in the brain that helps the body unwind and de-stress.

Maintain Your Ideal Body Composition

Today, two-thirds of the population in America is overweight or obese, and if you struggle with weight gain, the research shows it will increase your risk of eczema significantly.

Following a low-carb, Paleo-based diet, incorporating strength training and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) cardio is a great way to trim body fat and achieve your ideal body composition.

Quit Smoking

There is a strong association between smoking, exposure to smoke, and atopic dermatitis. The solution here is simple: stop smoking.

Detoxify

Eczema can worsen with exposure to allergens and irritants such as soaps, perfumes or laundry detergents. Use a mild detergent to wash clothing, with no bleach, dryer sheets or fabric softener. Use a scent-free, sensitive skin, hypoallergenic detergent that is free from dyes, fragrances and irritating residues.

Watch this video – How To Treat Eczema Naturally | Top Home Remedies For Eczema

Bottom Line

Eczema isn’t just annoying and irritating, it also deeply impacts your overall health and vitality.

This chronic and inflammatory skin condition can be reversed by removing aggravating foods from your diet, upgrading your digestive health, correcting nutrient deficiencies and cooling inflammation.

Find the right solutions for your body and put an end to the dry, itchy and sensitive skin that holds you back from feeling your best.

Written by Dr. Marc Bubbs

Author Bio:

Dr. Marc Bubbs, ND is a Naturopathic Doctor, Strength Coach, Author, Speaker, and Blogger practicing in Toronto, Canada. He believes that diet, exercise, and lifestyle factors have the most profound impact on your overall health and performance. Marc is the author of The Paleo Project – A 21st Guide to Looking Leaner, Getting Stronger, & Living Longer and currently serves as the Sports Nutrition Lead for Canadian Men’s Olympic Basketball Team.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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Here is Your Guide to Good vs. Bad Cholesterol


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Cholesterol has been blamed for heart disease for decades. But is it really as bad for you as you think?

New research is in, and cholesterol isn’t the culprit.

But if it’s not the villain the medical community has made it out to be, then what is it?

And what about the differences between “good” and “bad” cholesterol? Here are the basics of what you need to know in this simple guide to good and bad cholesterol.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an essential building block of cell membranes, and without it, we couldn’t survive.

We need cholesterol for these essential bodily processes:

  • Maintaining cell membrane structure
  • Producing hormones
  • Converting sun exposure to vitamin D
  • Insulating nerve fibers
  • Producing bile
  • Metabolizing fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)

Our bodies produce the majority of the cholesterol we need to stay healthy. The liver makes about 1,000 milligrams of cholesterol per day, or 85 percent of the required amount.

The remaining cholesterol comes from dietary sources, but it isn’t necessary to limit your consumption. When you eat higher levels of dietary cholesterol, the liver compensates by producing less. So while cholesterol levels can become elevated, it isn’t in response to what you eat.

Bottom line: Cholesterol, required for basic cellular health, is produced within the liver regardless of how much dietary cholesterol you eat.

What about Good and Bad Cholesterol?

Most people know cholesterol as the “good” HDL kind and the “bad” LDL variety. However, HDL and LDL aren’t even cholesterol! They’re lipoproteins that transport cholesterol throughout the body.

Lipoproteins are made of fats and proteins, and act as little carriages to transport cholesterol to and from the liver. LDL, or low-density lipoproteins, are bigger and carry less weight than HDL, or high-density lipoproteins.

HDL got its reputation for being the good guy because it collects cholesterol from circulating in the bloodstream and returns it to the liver to be broken down. People who believe cholesterol to be a cause of heart disease consider this to be protective.

However, they forget that while the liver breaks it down, it also manufactures new cholesterol each day and sends it back out. So, destroying cholesterol isn’t the endgame.

HDL and LDL are carriers that bring cholesterol to and from the liver in a cyclical rhythm. Neither kind is inherently good or bad.

LDL got its reputation as bad cholesterol because it takes cholesterol from the liver and carries to tissues. This was considered to be bad because it was assumed that this meant cholesterol was going to sit in the arteries to clog them up. However, LDL is really doing the body a favor by delivering cholesterol to the various places it’s needed.

When cholesterol is tested, it’s considered to be a good result when HDL is high and LDL is low, and when total cholesterol is low.

But keep in mind that diet isn’t what influences these numbers, and many other health issues can cause LDL to be high and HDL to be low, including:

Bottom line : HDL and LDL are carriers that bring cholesterol to and from the liver in a cyclical rhythm. Neither kind is inherently good or bad.

When LDL Cholesterol Can Be Problematic

While high LDL isn’t necessarily bad, it can still be an inflammatory marker associated with cardiovascular risk. LDL that is deemed high by laboratory standards can indicate inflammation or other problems in the body.

LDL becomes problematic once it has been oxidized. Oxidation in the body can be compared to the detrimental effects of rust on metal – it slowly erodes over time. This can lead to plaque build-up in the arteries, which is still a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to test whether your LDL is oxidized or not. This is why most doctors still associate high levels of LDL with an automatically increased risk of heart disease.

Ultimately, inflammation is the body’s natural and protective response to injury, because inflammation is meant to speed a healing process. When inflammation begins, regardless of the trigger, it’s possible that the liver sends out higher levels of LDL to fortify cells with nutrients and to improve hormone production.

When inflammation continues, however, LDL becomes prone to oxidation. Even if plaque doesn’t accumulate in arteries, long-term inflammation in the body will lead to disease formation, including cancer, autoimmunity, and other chronic conditions.

Bottom line: LDL cholesterol can be problematic if it becomes oxidized or damaged, but there is no easy way to test for this.

How HDL Cholesterol Can Be Helpful

So what do you do if your LDL becomes oxidized? Enter HDL, which saves the day by extracting LDL from artery walls and returning it to the liver for breakdown, reducing plaque build-up.

When your HDL numbers are low, it means there are less carriers to remove oxidized LDL. Increasing HDL is a health-protective measure regardless of what your LDL or total cholesterol numbers are.

This is because HDL also works as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent within the body, both of which are good regardless of what else is going on.

Bottom line: HDL works as an antioxidant within the body, and can help remove oxidized LDL.

Watch this video – LDL Cholesterol level: Your lab results explained

Written by Aimee McNew

Author Bio:

Aimee McNew is a Certified Nutritionist who specializes in women’s health, thyroid problems, infertility, and digestive wellness. She ate her way back to health using a Paleo diet, lost 80 pounds, and had a healthy baby after numerous miscarriages. She focuses on simple nutrition practices that promote long-lasting results.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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How to Make Your Own Coconut Yogurt Bites


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

These yogurt bites are made from dairy-free coconut yogurt and fresh, seasonal fruit for a yummy frozen treat.

All you need for this easy, freezer-friendly snack is coconut yogurt and fruit. This recipe uses blueberries and raspberries to create two separate flavors, but you can experiment with other fruit combinations like mango or strawberry.

To make these bites, use a high-speed blender to mix the yogurt and fruit until completely combined. Dollop the mixture into quarter-sized bites and freeze overnight.

The trickiest part of this recipe is transferring the coconut yogurt mixture to the baking sheet without the mixture getting runny.

To ensure this doesn’t happen, freeze the baking sheet for 20 minutes prior to making them, and place a large ice pack underneath the baking sheet to keep it cool while you assemble the bites. This process ensures the mixture stays firm, and will freeze nicely.

Serve the coconut yogurt bites as a cool party treat, pop them as a snack, or add them to smoothies!

Tip: This recipe doesn’t use any added sweetener, but if you want to add some, be sure to substitute with something sticky to ensure the bites hold together. Maple syrup would be too runny, but a ½ tablespoon honey or coconut sugar would work fine.

Coconut Yogurt Bites

Recipe by Megan Olson

These yogurt bites are made from dairy-free coconut yogurt and fresh, seasonal fruit for a yummy frozen treat.

Tools:

  • Food processor or blender
  • Piping bag
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Freezer-friendly container

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup coconut yogurt, divided
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • ½ cup raspberries

Instructions:

For the Blueberry Bites: In a food processor or blender, combine ½ cup coconut yogurt with the blueberries. Process until the blueberries are fully broken down and combined. Swipe down the sides, process again, then transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover.

For the Raspberry Bites: Wash out the blender, and combine the remaining coconut yogurt with raspberries. Repeat the same process above and transfer the mixture to a separate bowl.

Place both bowls in the refrigerator. At the same time, place a small baking sheet in the freezer. Chill for 20 minutes.

Take out the yogurt mixtures, and place each flavor in 2 separate piping bags; line the baking sheet with parchment paper. If you have one, put an ice pack underneath the baking sheet.

Using the piping bags, squeeze out 12 drops per bag ( 24 total), each drop about 1 inch wide.

Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours.

Remove bites from the parchment paper and place in a freezer-friendly container. Enjoy immediately, or store in the freezer for up to a month.

Watch this video – Easy Frozen Yogurt Bites

Written by Megan Olson

Author Bio:

Megan is the author of the gluten free website, Skinny Fitalicious where she creates easy, low calorie recipes. Megan is also a nutrition practitioner specializing in weight loss. When she’s not in the kitchen or coaching clients, she’s in the gym teaching group fitness. To view more of her work, visit Skinny Fitalicious.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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Fermented Foods Guide – Benefits and How to Eat Them


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

The Easy Guide to Fermented Foods- Benefits and How to Eat Them

Get to know the extraordinary benefits behind fermented foods, and discover the best fermented foods to add to your diet.

What Are Fermented Foods?

The process of fermented foods is pretty simple: they sit or “steep” until bacteria and yeast consume their natural sugars. This creates beneficial acids and “good” bacteria, which benefits your body when you eat it.

The fermentation process was originally used as a way to preserve foods.The lactic and acetic acids created through the process make it difficult for bad bacteria to grow, which makes food last longer without refrigeration.

You’ve probably also noticed that fermented foods taste stronger than many foods, with a pungent or vinegar-like flavor. For example, you can taste the difference between a cup of fresh cabbage versus a bite of sauerkraut (fermented cabbage). This is the bacteria at work, changing the structure of the cabbage down to its flavor.

Benefits of Fermented Foods

The most profound benefit of fermented foods is their impact on the gut and digestion. This is because fermented foods contain an abundant amount of probiotics, which help colonize your gut.

However, recent research shows that the benefits of these cultured foods spans far beyond your stomach. Read on to see what other benefits fermented foods and their probiotics have to offer.

1. Improves Digestive Disorders

If you suffer from digestive issues, a bit of fermented food may go a long way.

Studies show that probiotics help improve symptoms of ulcerative colitis, with one study finding that they were just as effective as prescription drugs at keeping symptoms in check.

Other studies show probiotics may also help improve irritable bowel syndrome and have also been able to reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (a fatal bowel condition in infants) by 50 percent.

2. Prevents Bad Bacteria Buildup

There are many things we do on a daily basis that can throw our gut bacteria out of balance, such as taking antibiotics and consuming artificial sweeteners.  When bad bacteria begins to take over in our guts, we might experience a range of poor digestion symptoms, such as bloating and gas.

Eating more fermented foods can help add more good bacteria to your gut to rebalance your microbiome and keep out bad bugs.

3. Soothes Eczema

Studies show that the probiotics found in fermented foods can also benefit skin conditions like eczema. One study showed that women who took probiotics while pregnant had children who were 83 percent less likely to develop eczema.

Another study found that infants fed probiotic-infused milk experienced an improvement in eczema symptoms, compared to those that were fed milk without probiotics.

4. Sharpens Mental Health

Interestingly, probiotics can also improve mental conditions. A review of studies in both animals and humans found that adding probiotics to participants’ diets can improve depression, autism, memory, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety. Probiotics can also help lower stress levels.

5. Boosts Heart Health

Fermented foods can also help keep your heart pumping strong. Studies show that the probiotics prevalent in fermented foods help break down bile, which can enter back into your bloodstream as cholesterol when not properly broken down.

Other studies show that probiotics can help increase good cholesterol and even reduce blood pressure.

6. Strengthens Immunity

The probiotics found in fermented foods may also help keep bad bugs away by boosting your immune system.

Our bodies produce natural antibodies and immune cells like killer T cells, which help identify and fight infections. Studies show that probiotics help produce these natural defenses, which may defeat colds and infections before they can catch hold.

7. Aids in Weight Loss

It turns out that eating more fermented foods may actually help you shed a few pounds.

One study showed that women who were dieting and took probiotics lost 50 percent more weight in three months than women who didn’t.  Others show that certain probiotics can also reduce belly fat, even at low doses.

The Best Fermented Foods to Eat

Trust us: There’s more than just sauerkraut out there! Check out these other probiotic-rich fermented foods.

1. Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from black or green tea and sugar. Don’t worry, the sugar feeds the bacteria, not you. When beneficial yeasts and bacteria form in the tea, it creates what is called a SCOBY, or film at the top of the mixture that is rich in probiotics and enzymes (don’t worry, the SCOBY doesn’t normally come at the top of store-bought kombucha).

You can easily find some at your local grocery store, or you can make your own kombucha at home! Try drinking a serving a day for a dose of probiotics.

2. Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that has traditionally been used in northern European cooking. It has a pungent, sometimes slightly sweet flavor that works great with meat dishes, and even stew.

Try this easy, healthy sauerkraut recipe and add a couple of spoonfuls to your dinner a few times a week.

3. Coconut Water Kefir

Kefir is traditionally a fermented milk beverage (like a drinkable yogurt). However, since we’re avoiding dairy here on the Paleo diet, it helps to know coconut water kefir exists, which is simply fermented coconut water.

Add a couple tablespoons to 1/4 cup of coconut kefir water to your diet a few times a week.

4. Non-Dairy Yogurt

Non-dairy yogurts made from ingredients like almond and coconut are great sources of probiotics and enzymes. Plus, they’re an easy way to get a healthy dose of good fats, and they make a great snack!

Try a non-dairy yogurt for breakfast topped with nuts, or have a cup as a snack. You can also try these homemade coconut yogurt bites!

5. Kimchi

Kimchi is similar to sauerkraut, but also contains other veggies, as well as spices and seasonings like garlic, ginger, pepper, and more.

Try this easy gut-healing kimchi recipe and use it to top a stir-fry or spice up a veggie dish.

Watch this video – The Complete Guide to Fermenting Every Single Vegetable

The Bottom Line

Adding fermented foods to your diet can be a tasty, easy way to cash in on the wide range of benefits of probiotics. Add several of these to your diet weekly for best results.

Written by Megan Patiry

Author Bio:

Megan is an inquisitive nutrition and wellness writer harboring an editorial love affair with the decadent and the nutritious. She is a dedicated researcher in all areas of ancestral health, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal trainer, and professional almond milk latte addict.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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Healthy Probiotic Breakfast – How to Make Dairy Free Coconut Yogurt


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Blend up this creamy, dairy-free Coconut Yogurt for a healthy probiotic breakfast or snack!

This dairy-free Coconut Yogurt recipe gives you all the gut-boosting benefits of a fermented yogurt while keeping it 100% Paleo. You’ll only need 3 ingredients – coconut cream, probiotics, and honey.

For the best yogurt, pay special attention to the quality of your ingredients. The coconut cream should be organic and from a BPA-free can. You can also substitute coconut milk with 2 or 3 tablespoons of tapioca flour to thicken, or just use unthickened coconut milk if you prefer a runnier yogurt.

To get the needed gut-friendly bacteria in the coconut yogurt, use a dairy-free, plant-based probiotic with various bacterial strains. The three most important to look for are: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus casei.

This recipe uses honey as a sweetener, but you can also substitute maple syrup, coconut sugar, stevia, or even blended fresh fruit if you prefer. Feel free to adjust the quantity of sweetener to your liking. You really can’t mess it up, and it’s so much better for you than store-bought yogurts!

After the mixture is blended well, transfer the yogurt to a glass jar with a lid, and let it ferment in the oven for a full day. Chill for at least two hours, then grab a spoon and dig in! Enjoy it as is, or try serving it with fresh fruit, raw nuts and seeds, or Paleo granola.

How to Make Dairy Free Coconut Yogurt

Recipe by Megan Olson

Blend up this creamy, dairy-free Coconut Yogurt for a healthy probiotic breakfast or snack!

Tools:

  • Food processor or high-speed blender (sterilized)
  • Sterile glass jar with lid

Ingredients:

  • 2 15 oz. cans organic coconut cream, chilled in the refrigerator 4 hours
  • 2 dairy-free probiotic pills with bacterial strains L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus and L. casei
  • 1 T honey

Instructions:

  1. Open coconut cream and separate the liquid from the cream.
  • In a food processor or high-speed blender, add the cream with the probiotic pills and honey. Process on high for 3 minutes until pills are broken down.
  • Check the consistency of the yogurt. If it’s too thick, add a little of the coconut water and blend.
  • Transfer the yogurt to a glass jar and seal with lid.
  • Preheat the oven to 100°F. Place the glass jar in the oven for 24 hours to ferment.
  • Once fermented, remove from the oven, cool and stir the yogurt. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Watch the video – Dairy Free Coconut Yogurt

Written by Megan Olson

Author Bio:

Megan is the author of the gluten free website, Skinny Fitalicious where she creates easy, low calorie recipes. Megan is also a nutrition practitioner specializing in weight loss. When she’s not in the kitchen or coaching clients, she’s in the gym teaching group fitness. To view more of her work, visit Skinny Fitalicious.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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Low vs High Fructose Fruits – High Fructose Consumption Risks


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Low vs High Fructose Fruits – The Difference and Why It Matters

Before you enjoy a big bowl of fruit salad as your next dessert, find out which varieties are high in fructose – and why it matters.

Everyone knows that too much sugar can be detrimental to your health. Even Paleo-friendly sweeteners, like honey or maple syrup, should be used only in moderation.

But fruit is a tricky subject. Are bananas, apples, and oranges a good Paleo snack, or simply too much sugar?

Nutrients in Fruit

Fruits are often loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which help to fight inflammation and the oxidation that causes cellular damage. Most fruits also contain a good amount of fiber, which is necessary for a healthy gut and proper elimination.

It’s important to know that certain fruits contain different forms of natural sugars, and these can affect how your body handles it during the digestion process. The two primary types of sugar found in fruits are fructose and glucose.

5 Negative Health Effects of Fructose

Fructose is typically the main source of fruit sugar whereas glucose is more often found in carbohydrate-rich foods like vegetables. Fructose tends to have more negatively associated health impacts, such as an increased risk for weight around the midsection which is considered to be the most dangerous kind.

Here are five common risks of consuming too much fructose.

1. Body Fat

When the body receives glucose, it is quickly processed and sent out to the cells for energy usage. When fructose is eaten, however, a large percentage of it gets converted directly to fat and stored in the cells because glucose is the preferential carb fuel of the body. This can be a direct cause of weight gain.

2. Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

The fructose-to-fat conversion can also tend towards insulin resistance, where the body becomes less responsive to insulin’s attempts to take glucose into the cells, and can even contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

This is closely associated with fructose leading to weight gain since being overweight can independently disrupt ghrelin and leptin, the hormones that regulate appetite.

3. Cardiovascular Disease

Fructose has been targeted as a potential cause for heart problems since it increases triglycerides and other risk factors. An excess of fructose can also increase the size of LDL particles in the blood, which, when oxidized, can lead to the narrowing of arteries.

4. Liver Toxicity

Similar to excessive alcohol intake, too much fructose can induce liver damage by altering metabolism and hormone signaling. When too much fruit is eaten, it can be converted to fatty deposits in the liver, reducing the liver’s ability to function and leading to digestive and detox-related problems.

5. Sugar Addiction

All forms of sugar can come with a hefty side of cravings, but fructose can be especially addictive. This is because fructose affects hormone levels in the brain that are associated with appetite, and can lead to decreased feelings of satiety after meals. This is particularly important, as it is estimated that as much as 10 percent of our daily calories come from fructose sources alone.

Too much sugar, even from fruit, can spike blood sugar and lead to destructive impacts on teeth, gum disease, LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation, and more.

So Is Fruit Unhealthy?

The US Dietary Guidelines recommend one and a half to two cups of fruit daily for men and women who are ages 19 and up. Every form of fruit counts as an actual cup, whether it be canned, frozen, or as 100 percent fruit juice, with the exception of dried fruit, which should be limited to a half cup daily.

The problem with these dietary guidelines is that all forms of fruit are considered equal when certain types and varieties can influence digestion, blood glucose, and even weight differently. Fruit juice, for example, contains little to no fiber and smacks a walloping punch of sugar when compared to consuming a whole piece of fruit.

These guidelines also do not differentiate between fructose or glucose, which should be considered by individuals who could be more sensitive to the effects of fructose, such as those with:

Fructose Levels in Fruits

So how do you know which fruits to eat, and how much is a healthy amount?

As a rule, fruits that are higher in glucose than fructose are digested more easily. These are also less problematic for people with insulin, glucose, hormone, or weight problems.

The following list of fruits shows grams of fructose per 1 cup servings:

  • Limes: 0g
  • Lemons: 0g
  • Cranberries: ½g
  • Raspberries: 3g
  • Clementine: 3g
  • Blackberries: 3½g
  • Strawberries: 4g
  • Nectarine: 5g
  • Peach: 6g
  • Banana: 7g
  • Blueberries: 7½g
  • Medjool dates: 8g
  • Apple: 9½g
  • Pear: 12g
  • Grapes: 12½g
  • Mango: 32g

So how much can you eat? Some research shows that 25 to 40 grams of fructose daily is acceptable. However, it might be more reasonable to keep your daily fruit intake locked into a 5:1 ratio of vegetables to fruit. For example, if you eat five cups of vegetables, you can then eat one cup of fruit.

By making your fruit intake dependent on your vegetables, you won’t over-consume fructose, and you’ll be getting plenty of glucose-based carbs and fiber that helps the body better handle all forms of sugar.

Watch this video – Fruit is BAD?? (7 Serious FRUCTOSE Facts)

Bottom Line

Fructose is a simple form of sugar that can be difficult to digest in large amounts, leading to problems with insulin sensitivity, hormone balance, and cardiovascular disease.

While fruit should be included as part of a healthy and balanced diet, it’s important to remember that sugar in any capacity should be limited. Be aware of which fruits are highest in fructose and remember to eat plenty of vegetables to help offset the risks.

Written by Aimee McNew

Author Bio:

Aimee McNew is a Certified Nutritionist who specializes in women’s health, thyroid problems, infertility, and digestive wellness. She ate her way back to health using a Paleo diet, lost 80 pounds, and had a healthy baby after numerous miscarriages. She focuses on simple nutrition practices that promote long-lasting results.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Posted on

What is the Best Way to Completely Reverse Gout Naturally?


Click HERE to Find How You Can Eliminate the Pain and Discomfort of Gout Naturally

Completely Reverse Gout Naturally – This Leaf Heals Gout (better than drugs)

In a new study, this leaf was proven to be just as effective as leading gout drugs, but without any side effects.

What’s more, if you’re lucky enough, this leaf may grow wild near you. If not, you can get extracts with the same benefits at your local health food store.

This study was presented in the Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Sustainable Innovation 2020: Health Science and Nursing.

Very few people have heard of a plant called Acalypha indica L., even if I use its better-known name: anting-anting.

Some people also call it Indian Copperleaf, Indian Mercury, or Indian Nettle.

It occurs naturally in tropical locations like Indian Ocean islands, West Africa, North Africa, and even in India, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. It doesn’t even have to be farmed, and it grows absolutely anywhere with disturbed soil.

It is especially rich in flavonoids, which drew the attention of the researchers responsible for this new study.

In particular, it contains plenty of quercetin and kaempferol, two flavonoids that the team noted have been linked to a reduction in uric acid.

Since uric acid is responsible for causing gout, they thought that anting-anting leaf could be a good candidate as a gout treatment.

To explore this question, they obtained an ethanol extract of anting-anting leaf and enrolled 25 rats in their study.

They divided the rats into five groups:

1. A group that was not given any medication.

2. A group that received allopurinol, one of the most common drugs that doctors prescribe for gout.

3. A group that received 3.15 grams of extract per kilogram of body weight (g/kgBW).

4. A group that received 6.3 g/kgBW of extract.

5. A group that received 12.6 g/kgBW of extract.

The researchers first measured the uric acid levels in all the rats, after which they induced high uric acid levels in all 25 rats by injecting them with caffeine.

They then measured the rats’ uric acid again. They administered the treatments for nine days, during which they kept on measuring the rats’ uric acid levels.

They performed the last uric acid measurements more than a week after the treatments ended.

Based on all this information, they determined that both the 3.15 and the 6.3 g/kgBW doses of anting-anting extract worked to lower uric acid—but the star of the show was the 12.6 g/kgBW dose that was given to group 5.

This amount of anting-anting worked just as well as the allopurinol that was given to group 2. This drug is usually given to people with gout.

The only problem that now remains is that this extract is not commercially available. If future studies confirm these findings on human subjects, it might become available.

Until then, you will have to settle for quercetin and kaempferol, the two flavonoids that are probably responsible for most of the effect.

You can find quercetin in commercially available capsules and in green tea, red wine, onions, apples, and berries.

Kaempferol is abundant in kale, spinach, broccoli, beans, and tea.

But an even simpler way to completely reverse gout naturally is to follow the few little steps explained here…

Gout’s #1 Cause Discovered (completely reverse gout naturally)

If you have been diagnosed with gout, you have probably been told to cut down on acidic food like meat, which is not bad advice.

But a study published in the latest edition of JAMA Network Open reveals the #1 cause of gout. Without addressing this one factor, all other methods are in vain.

The good news is that this factor can be fixed easily, using simple lifestyle changes to completely reverse gout.

A team led by researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School examined previous studies finding that a high blood urate level was the primary causal factor behind gout.

In addition, they reviewed studies showing that high urate levels could be lowered by tackling obesity, unhealthy diet, alcohol consumption, and diuretic use.

These two facts prompted them to examine exactly how many gout cases could be prevented by addressing these four factors. They designed a new study to find out.

They mined the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for data. This is a study of 51,529 male health professionals who were recruited in 1986 and had submitted a questionnaire every two years on their health, diets, and lifestyle habits.

The authors of the new study excluded subjects who had gout at the beginning of the study and for whom information was incomplete. Eventually they had a sufficiently large sample of 44,654 subjects.

They checked which of these subjects developed gout between 1986 and 2015.

1. Obese men with a BMI of 30 and up were 265% more likely to develop gout than those with BMI scores lower than 23.

2. Compared to those with BMI scores below 23, those with a BMI of 25–29 had an increased risk of 90% and those with a BMI of 23–24.9 had an elevated risk of 29%.

3. Diuretic use increased the subjects’ risk of gout by 210%.

4. Men who consumed at least five grams of alcohol per day were 20–110% more likely to develop gout, depending on the amount they drank.

5. Those who ate the perfect DASH diet with vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, and very little red meat were 26% less likely to develop gout than those who scored the worst on the DASH diet.

This means that 77% of these gout cases could have been prevented by having a BMI below 25, following the DASH diet, and refraining from diuretics and alcohol.

But here are the most important findings. DASH dieting and abstaining from diuretics and alcohol could have prevented 79% of cases among men with a BMI of less than 23, 69% of cases among men with a BMI of 23–24.9, 59% of cases among men with a BMI of 25–29, but only 5% of cases among men with a BMI over 30.

This shows clearly that weight is the single most important thing you must tackle to prevent gout. If you do everything else right but are still obese, your efforts will most probably be in vain.

But the scientist didn’t actually test for the real cause of gout. Because this cause isn’t well-known. But it’s one that’s very easy to completely reverse gout naturally —so you can cure gout for good, as I explain here…

And if you need to lose weight, you can do that in a breeze using the third element of weight loss. I explain this all here…

Completely Reverse Gout Naturally – The Misdiagnosis of GOUT

Gout is often treated as an afterthought in the medical system. Rather than a stand-alone disease, it is considered a consequence of one or more coexisting diseases.

Doctors therefore tend to focus on the primary disease rather than gout, leaving gout mistreated at best.

But a new study from the University of Gothenburg, Lund University, and the University of Auckland reveals that gout is much more serious than previously thought—and this changes everything about diagnosing and treating it.

The researchers consulted a Swedish population-based health survey to find people with gout and to investigate what co-occurring conditions they had. They were specifically interested in obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other fats, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction, smoking, and the use of diuretics.

With all of this health data at hand, they could divide their gout subjects into five distinct clusters.

1. Cluster 1 had no serious comorbidities. There were 16,063 people in this cluster.

2. All of the subjects in cluster 2 had kidney dysfunction but none had cardiovascular disease. There were 750 people in this cluster.

3. All of the subjects in cluster 3 had cardiovascular disease and 74% of them were smokers. There were 528 people in this cluster.

4. Cluster 4 had the highest percentage of obese people (34%) and 74% of them had high cholesterol or other fats in their blood. There were 3,673 people in this cluster.

5. In cluster 5, 51% had diabetes, 54% had high blood pressure, and 52% used diuretics. There were 1,043 people in this cluster.

So, what can we learn from this?

1. 73% of people with gout have either no comorbidities or few that are serious.

2. 17% of people with gout have a problem with obesity, cholesterol, or high blood fats.

This does not mean that the people with no or few comorbidities would not have developed comorbidities later, of course. But it does at least serve as a warning to basically healthy people that they should not discount gout as something that cannot happen to them.

This shows that gout is usually a stand-alone independent disease that needs to be addressed on its own.

Watch this video to learn how to completely reverse gout naturally – The BEST Video About Gout Ever Made

For years, we have been helping people to completely reverse gout naturally using the simple lifestyle changes explained here…

The post is from the End of Gout Program created by Shelly Manning. She is an accomplished natural health researcher and writer. She began her work on natural health remedies after suffering years of very painful arthritis.

The End of Gout  program offers natural ways to eliminate the pain and discomfort of gout. Unlike many conventional treatments, this program takes the main contributing factors, such as diet, stress, sleep and lifestyle, and teaches you natural ways to remove them from your life so you can begin to heal your gout from the inside out.

It’s 100% safe and natural and is highly based around science. It even comes with quick relief options for those days when you want to take the risk and cheat. So, if you’re ready to end your gout without having to restrict your diet and spend hours working out every day, here’s what you can expect from The End of Gout.

To find out more about this program, click on Completely Reverse Gout Naturally

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