I have suffered with chronic pain and stomach issues for as long as I can remember. My weight has been a real struggle, too. I have been up and down multiple times. I lost 40 pounds in the past year doing a Paleo-ish lifestyle and I am really working to keep the weight off this time. But my biggest goal is to find something that helps me feel better overall. With all the press lately about the Keto diet, it definitely has my attention.
The appeal of Paleo, for me, was the elimination of so many foods that had been a staple of my diet for years. I hoped that by eliminating so many things from my diet, that I might have relief and get to the root of my stomach issues. However, I still continued with the stomach issues. I did lose weight and that was great for my mental health. I also noticed that the arthritis in my knees became barely noticeable. So, there were some benefits.
I am becoming more convinced about the benefits of a low carb diet for me because of my health issues. I have gallstones and always hear of a low-fat diet as the way to go for gallstones. This goes against all the latest information I am reading about fat being good for you and not the enemy it has been made out to be for the last several years.
I was interested to read, in the magazine Health e Times issue 1. Vol 12 2019, that it was excess dietary carbs that promote gallstones and not fat; the article was written by Dr. Ronald Hoffman and taken from his website. This further was convincing me that a low-carb diet is good for me and also that maybe I should not be afraid of fat in my diet. I can’t do keto if I am worried about the fat.
I always pick up the free magazines at my health food store and several of them talk about the keto diet and the benefits of it. I picked up Paleo magazine’s special issue on the topic, as well. I find the information very convincing about the benefits of a keto diet. Everyone claims to have science on their side, so I do my best to find what works for me.
I feel like the Paleo diet has prepared me for keto. I have not dived right into it because I want to do it the right way. I know that doing it the wrong way can lead to problems. Doing it the right way involves clean eating. Lower carb vegetables are an important part of healthy keto, as are quality meats like grass-fed beef and pasture-raised poultry.
In preparation for keto, I have been reading The Keto Reset Diet by Mark Sisson. His name was familiar to me because of the Paleo diet and I am a fan of some of his Primal Kitchen products. I think he has a sensible approach. It starts out with a 21-day metabolism reboot where carbs are kept to under 150 instead of the 50 needed for keto. It also focuses on exercise, sleep and stress management.
I have some events that I want to get past before I dive in fully to the 21-day reset, but in the meantime, I am sticking with a mostly Paleo lifestyle. The biggest concern I have about trying keto is keeping track of everything. I don’t like to put too much math into my diet, other than weighing out portions. I always hold out hope that I will finally find the right diet lifestyle that will bring me the relief that I am always longing for from my digestive issues. May it be keto!
Faithful Homesteader resides in North Texas with her husband, cat, dog, chicken and fish. She likes growing her own food and learning new skills. Self-sufficiency and simplicity are important to her. She likes to share her passion for healthy living.
