WE ARE IN THE AGE OF INFLAMMATION!

Additive sugar and processed foods increase inflammation in the body and brain. It can be found at the root of almost all modern-day health problems, including weight gain, heart disease, cancer, gut health, fatigue, and autoimmune conditions. Someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds, and one in two men, and one in three women, will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. While this is common, this is certainly not normal.

It also may increase your risk of developing depression and mood swings, as it increases the levels of opioids and dopamine inside the brain, a phenomenon commonly called “sugar rush.”

When cutting most of the carbs, sugars, and processed foods, we automatically trigger a complex biochemical process called ketosis. A process that directly fights inflammation, reducing and calming the chronic inflammation related to just about every health problem we see today.

As I was dealing with an autoimmune disorder myself and believed in the healing powers of plants, I was focusing on a plant-based version of a low-carb, high-fat diet. When it brought me into a state of Ketosis fast and could feel the benefits in body and mind directly, I started to do more research and write about it. For me it was quite logical; by providing the body with a more effective and sustainable form of energy found in fat (ketones) instead of quick-burning glucose from carbs, which runs out easily, I was lowering the inflammation levels inside my body, and yes, I could also feel that right away!

In the Keto diet, 75% of your calories should come from healthy fat, 20% from protein and only 5% should come from carbs, of course depending on each person’s conditions and/or lifestyle goals.

The conventional Keto diet can be extremely heavy in meat and dairy and doesn’t take into account the sensitivities that many people have to this food group, not to mention that it can harm the environment. 

In “Keto Detox” we focus on high-quality plant-based nutrition, that carries all of the benefits of eating a high-fat diet without the often-inflammatory effects of dairy and processed meats (which have been linked to cancer when consumed in high amounts).

I still remember in my vegan period, I actually became a “Carbatarian”, living on sweets, bread, pasta, and other grains, along with beans for protein. Sometimes without even realizing how much I was relying on these food sources, it increased the level of inflammation inside my body.

So the most beneficial aspect of the Plant-based Keto diet is to be able to reduce inflammation and burn fat as the ketones produced by our body. When we are in a ketogenic state, there are additional inflammation-fighting abilities through a variety of pathways. 

GUT HEALTH

If there’s one thing to know about the human body it’s that the human body has a ringmaster. This ringmaster controls your digestion, your immunity, your brain, your weight, your health, and even your happiness. This ringmaster is the gut!

Our gut is home to trillions of beneficial bacteria. We have 10 times more of these bacteria in our gastrointestinal system than we have cells in our body. This is where 80% of your immune system resides. 95% of your body’s serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone), is found not in the brain but in your gut!

Every system in the body is connected. Our digestive and hormonal systems, for example, aren’t independent of one another. At the center of it, all is a properly functioning digestive system.

THE GUT-BRAIN CONNECTION

The gut microbiome refers to the group of microorganisms that are living in our digestive tract. The gut and the brain are connected by way of the gut microbiome. This entire system is termed the enteric nervous system, and it is fascinating to think that trillions of microorganisms are engaging in a conversation with our brain by way of the vagus nerve, the longest of the cranial nerves which span from the brain stem to the abdomen.

In a healthy gut, we have a symbiotic relationship with the gut microbiota. Symbiosis refers to the mutually beneficial relationship that two different organisms share. We help the gut microbes by providing them with food so that they can thrive and in return, they help us in many different ways:

• They help us to digest the food that was not fully digested in the stomach and small intestine
• They help maintain and modulate the immune system through the production of numerous immune cells
• They help to produce vitamins including B vitamins and vitamin K
• They help to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine

Plant-based keto changes the microbiome and can starve pathogenic microorganisms. When removing nutrient-depleted, processed foods, along with sugar and grains, certain microorganisms will die. Death occurs because the preferred substrate, or energy source, is now gone.

Instead of that, we can include anti-inflammatory foods like nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and sulfur-rich low-carb vegetables. but also lots of healthy fats like olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, cacao butter, etc. They are not only anti-inflammatory but also stimulate the production of bile, which is needed for digestion and elimination.

Chronic inflammation is one of the main drivers of disease and is linked to neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. Removing sugar from the diet also means removing the process of metabolizing sugar which creates an influx of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the gut and body. ROS are molecules that oxidize our cells that can cause damage to our cells and to our DNA.

Furthermore, the reduction of carbohydrates will shift the body to produce ketones. One of the main ketones produced, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), has been shown to reduce the amount of ROS produced in the body by activating antioxidant activity in the body.

The production of ketones also inhibits certain inflammatory protein complexes such as the inflammasome which leads to the production and release of inflammatory responses in the body. Over-activation of the inflammasome has been linked to autoimmune diseases and metabolic diseases. Being in a state of ketosis and producing ketones, which can also serve as signaling molecules in the body, will benefit your gut and body by reducing cellular damage and inflammation overall. Altogether, a plant-based Keto reset can help heal the gut in many ways!

INTERMITTENT FASTING is a technique that involves restricting food intake to a certain time window each day and then fasting for a specific period. Fasting has been associated with major health benefits for the Heart, Immune system, Cholesterol, Blood sugar levels, and even Fat loss to name a few. Bad health conditions are often caused by inflammation in the body. By giving the body a break from digestion, you give it the time and space to recover and clean up the dirt where necessary, like a reset. That’s why fasting or intermittent fasting is one of the first steps to healing.

FASTING IN THE KETOGENIC LIFESTYLE can be incredibly beneficial as it can bring the benefits of your diet to the next level and help optimize your health. It is also thought to speed up ketosis by helping your body burn through glycogen stores more quickly, which can help sidestep symptoms of the “keto flu” to get faster results.
There are several fasting methods that can fit nearly any personal preference or routine. A few of the most common types of intermittent fasting include alternate day fasting, 16/8 fasting, and the 5:2 diet, each of which varies based on the amount of time you spend fasting during the week.

MY FAVORITE way to go is the Keto 16/8 or 20/4 Bullet Proof fasting plan most days of the week. On the other days, I will kickstart my day with the Pure Keto green smoothie or chocolate seed porridge. During the bulletproof fasting plan, I will limit my food intake to 4-8 hours daily. For me, this generally involves a breakfast of Bulletproof coffee or Matcha green tea with MCT coconut oil and raw cacao powder that keeps me full and energized till noon. So my “real” breakfast will actually be my lunch. 

On the 5:2 regime, you follow a standard keto plan for five days out of the week and restrict intake to around 500–600 calories for the remaining two days.

With 23/1 Intermittent Fasting, you should limit your food intake to just one hour per day and fast for the other 23 hours of the day.

On a standard keto diet, it typically takes around 2–3 days to reach ketosis, although it can take up to seven to ten days in some cases. However, I found that intermittent fasting can speed up the process of body burn through glycogen stores more quickly to help enter ketosis.

KETO FASTING PRECAUTIONS:
Although intermittent fasting and keto can be safe and effective for most, it may not be right for everyone. With any serious medical conditions ask a medical first.

The KETO DETOX PLAN will help you to get started with your healing and/or fat loss journey. It will guide you through the Keto Detox philosophy, nutrition guidelines, Intermittent Fasting regime, 22 plant-based Keto recipes, and a shopping list.

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