Deciding If the Keto Diet Is Right for Me

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.