The Ketogenic Diet-What You should know

The ketogenic diet is a very high fat diet that relies on inducing a state of ketosis. The ketogenic diet is a mainstream therapy that was scientifically developed to improve on the success and limitations of the non-mainstream use of fasting to treat epilepsy. The ketogenic diet is also under investigation for the treatment of a wide variety of disorders other than epilepsy.

As of 2007, the ketogenic diet is available from around 75 centres in 45 countries. The ketogenic diet is endorsed by national guidelines in Scotland,[16] England and Wales[14] and by US insurance companies. The ketogenic diet is calculated by a dietician for each child; age, weight, activity levels, culture and food preferences all affect the meal plan. The ketogenic diet is not a do-it-yourself diet.

The ketogenic diet is one of the oldest treatments for epilepsy. The premise of the ketogenic diet is to lower endogenous insulin levels and promote the use of body fat as fuel. Perhaps the hardest part of the Ketogenic Diet is compliance.

A ketogenic diet is not appropriate for pregnancy and breastfeeding. The ketogenic diet is not nutritionally balanced, therefore, vitamin and mineral supplements are needed. Yes, the ketogenic diet is being used with infants under age 2 years, more now than in the past. The ketogenic diet is almost never prescribed to adults, who generally make their own food choices and often have difficulty complying with the diet’s strict guidelines.