Taking your Paleo Diet Keto
Is this the Super Diet?
Is combing these two ideologies the basis for optimal health and performance? Whether you started out on a Paleo, Primal, or Natural Humand Diet and are modifying your macros (Fat, Carbohydrates, and Protein) to go Ketogenic or maybe you have been Ketogenic and thinking about taking it Paleo, odds are you are searching yet again for that advantage. It could be to get that last few pounds of fat off your mid section, a stall, added performance, feeling that you could be just a little healthier or on the fence with which diet would be best for you and just decided to smash them together.
So if you started with a standard Paleo you are probably pretty acclimated to the menu. Meat, Veggies, Fruits, Nuts and Seeds. No Dairy or no grains. You probably bought into this with the idea of optimal health, fat loss etc, avoiding a host of Anti-nutrients and a pretty high Glycemic index and load. You were most likely very, successful as I was. This is a great leg up on the Standard American Diet S.A.D. full of *Carbage.
Now that ketogenic diets are picking up momentum, you are probably poking around finding out more about them. For those of you that don’t know what a Ketogenic diet is, it is a diet where you adjust your macro nutrients. (Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrates) This on average usually looks like, but not limited to, 5% carbohydrate and or usually under 50 grams of carbohydrate per day varying on individual and activity levels. Then moderate protein levels. This means 25-35% of your caloric intake and or not exceeding 20-30 grams of Protein per meal (for most) depending on your tolerance to Gluconeogenesis. (your body’s natural process for making Glucose from Protein) Then… keeping pretty high in Fats. 70% or more of your daily caloric intake.
Here is what you could gain if you take your Paleo Keto
Health:
Potential reversal or avoiding some metabolic diseases like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes & insulin resistance, obesity , cancer, Alzheimer’s (sometimes called type 3 diabetes)
Performance:
You will recover faster (actually, less oxidative stress in Nutritional Ketosis, so less damage, so appear to recover faster). Your body produces less CO2 per calorie burned resulting with less of PH drop. (doesn’t make as much acid) and less lactate. Lactate is also mobilized better. Since Monocarboxylic acid transporter actually takes up both Ketones and Lactate, and since there is more of it when ketones are high. Uptake of the lactate is much faster. You can burn more stored fat. Also, this metabolic pathway does not require to carry as much water making you lighter
Here is what you tend to gain if you take your Keto, Paleo.
Dropping the dairy may help you with losing that last few pounds. Avoid spiking your insulin. Even though not all dairy will show up as Glucose, some dairy items actually can cause a higher Insulin response. Dodging some extra IGF-1 that may be helping proliferate cancers. Dropping the all-natural healthy whole grains and their anti-nutrients may help with a host of and protein mimicry causing autoimmune diseases. No WGA with the absence of grains effecting plaque integrity. Better LDL particle size, meaning more type B particles.
There are many reasons to combine these two great ideologies for optimal health and performance and some of the benefits definitely overlap and complement each other. Do some research, make a decision and give yourself a legitimate time frame to see. I suggest 6-9 months to really find your groove and settle into Keto-adaption. I would recommend no less than a 12 week trial.
If you are looking for more information and details you may consider reading the sources below or checking out more of my Blog Posts!
(1)Bartley J, McGlashan SR Does Milk Increase Mucus Production/ Med Hypothesis 2010 Apr 74;(4):732-734
(2) The Paleo Answer: 7 Days to Lose Weight, Feel Great, Stay Young
(3) The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance
(4) Dairy: Milking it for all it’s worth. By Loren Cordain
*My friend Jimmy Moore’s favorite term for crap carbs.