Ketosis

EDIT November 2014:

I no longer endorse Ketosis for the long term,  over the long term ketosis threw my body into complete disarray, my hormones and cortisol is really out of whack and I'm working really hard these days to get my natural energy and sleep balance back.  Please do your research and if something doesn't feel right then make sure you question it.

Hey guys, I have dipped in and out of ketosis for close to 5 years, I don't always stay in ketosis 100% of the time, we all know that I love to have indulgences every now and then and I like my treats, however the majority of the time I spend in ketosis is because it helps the myriad of health issues I have struggled with all my life and I feel my very best in ketosis.  

I've posted this video to help those of you that also may struggle with these issues.  Please don't think you have to achieve nutritional ketosis to get the same benefits as I have, we are all very unique and you need to treat your body with the respect it deserves.  Ketosis is a stress on the body much like exercise and calorie restriction (not always a bad thing) but if you are living a stressful life and already exercising and dieting then doing a ketogenic version of a primal or paleo diet may not be what is right for YOU! I cannot figure that out for you so please use a diary like I suggest to find your right version of Primal/Paleo.

If you have only been doing low carb for less than 6 weeks then you might be disappointed in the results if you buy one of these machines as you may not be keto-adapted yet. It can take 1-6 weeks to achieve ketosis.  See more information below.

When it comes to eating real food I believe that most people will experience some significant health and weight loss results without having to go on a ketogenic diet. 

Links for information about ketosis and where to get the ketone monitoring machine.
http://www.medica.co.nz/diabetes-care/blood-ketone-monitoring.html
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lose-weight-by-achieving-optimal-ketosis
http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/is-ketosis-dangerous
http://www.myfitnesspal.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP6DtqmZ3Mw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc96Lk1VVS4

Information below from DietDoctor

Ketosis

Ketosis is a state at which the body has an extremely high fat-burning rate. Even the brain runs on fat, via ketone bodies. These are energy molecules in the blood (like blood sugar) which become fuel for our brains after being converted from fat by the liver.

To encourage ketone production, the amount of insulin in your bloodstream must be low. The lower your insulin, the higher your ketone production. And when you have a well-controlled, sufficiently large amount of ketones in your blood, it’s basically proof that your insulin is very low – and therefore, that you’re enjoying the maximum effect of your low-carbohydrate diet. That’s what’s called optimal ketosis.

Measuring ketones

Today, there are reasonably-priced gadgets available for measuring ketone levels at home. One needle prick of the finger, and in just a few seconds you’ll know your blood ketone level.

Blood ketones are best measured on a fasted stomach in the morning (before breakfast, that is). Here are a few pointers on how to interpret the result:

• Below 0.5 mmol/L is not considered “ketosis”. At this level, you’re far away from maximum fat-burning.
• Between 0.5-1.5 mmol/L is light nutritional ketosis. You’ll be getting a good effect on your weight, but not optimal.
• Around 1.5 – 3 mmol/L is what’s called optimal ketosis and is recommended for maximum weight loss.
• Values of over 3 mmol/L aren’t neccessary. That is, they will achieve neither better nor worse results than being at the 1.5-3 level. Higher values can also sometimes mean that you’re not getting enough food. For type 1 diabetics, it can be caused by a severe lack of insulin, see below.

Many who firmly believe they are eating a strict low-carb diet are surprised when they measure their blood ketones. They may be at around only 0.2 or 0.5 – quite far off from the sweet spot! Why?

The trick here is not only to avoid all obvious sourced of carbohydrate (sweets, bread, spaghetti, rice, potatoes), but also to be careful with your protein intake. If you eat large amounts of meat, eggs and the like, the excess protein will converted into glucose in the body. Large amounts of protein can also raise your insulin levels somewhat. This compromises optimal ketosis.

The secret to getting around this is usually to eat your fill with more fat. For example, if you have a bigger helping of herb butter to your steak, you might not feel like having a second steak, and instead feel satisfied after the first one.

A popular trick people use to ingest more fat is “fat coffee” (sometimes called “Magic Bullet Coffee” or MBC). It involves adding one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of coconut oil to your (morning) coffee, and requires a food blender for the right texture.

More fat in your food will fill you up more. This will ensure you eat less protein, and even less carbohydrate. Your insulin will drop and, hopefully, you’ll be able to reach optimal ketosis. And that’s when many a stubborn weight plateau is overcome.