A peaceful river scene to enjoy.
Guest post by Isabella Woods - the links are to a business that she freelances for.
Low Carb: Who Benefits?
Many people who start low-carb diets do so with the
intention of losing weight, often over a short period of time after which they
plan to go back to eating 'normally'. Sometimes they are encouraged by
celebrities who have lost weight quickly and publicly when following low-carb
diets, such as Jennifer Aniston and Geri Halliwell. Low-carb diets tend to be
seen as a quick-fix solution to weight problems. However, the potential of
low-carb is much greater than that. It can help many people, whether or not they
need to lose weight. Low-carb diets can have some specific health benefits for
people with certain conditions, and can also contribute to general well-being.
While low carb diets are not a cure-all, they can be a very useful way for many
people to change their lifestyle for the better. Here are some of the ways in
which eating low-carb can help people live well and healthily.
1) Long-term weight loss
Low-carb doesn't need to be a quick fix. In fact,
low-carb has been shown to be generally more effective in inducing long-term
weight loss than calorie and fat restriction diets. They work because they
force the body to burn stored fat for energy, and also because calories from
protein tend to be more filling than those from carbohydrate. So, someone who
relies on processed carbohydrates for a large part of their diet is likely to
eat more as they don't stay full for long. Low-carb doesn't have to mean
excessively restrictive either. Many people who don't need to lose weight but
just want to stop the pounds creeping up and stop their hunger pangs can
benefit from restricting their carb intake.
2) Diabetes control and prevention
Low-carb diets can help keep insulin levels under
control, and therefore they can be good for anyone who suffers from diabetes,
or who is at risk of it. Of course, losing weight will help prevent diabetes in
itself, and so low-carb diets can be beneficial for that reason. However, they
also help regulate glucose levels. High-carb foods turn into glucose very
quickly once eaten. This can mean that the body has more glucose than it can
process. That can obviously be dangerous
for diabetics, and help contribute to the development of diabetes too.
3) Improvement in epilepsy
While epilepsy is a complex disorder which needs to
be treated medically, there is some evidence that low-carb diets can help.
Specifically, ketogenic diets have been shown to help reduce the number of fits
suffered by some epileptics. Ketogenic diets are very low-carb diets which put
the body into a state called 'ketosis'. That is, because there is little
glucose in the diet, the liver converts fat into products called 'ketone
bodies'. These are vital for energy in the brain, and they seem to help improve
epilepsy symptoms as a result. Ketogenic diets can sometimes be prescribed by
doctors for patients with epilepsy.
4) Improvement in poly-cystic ovary syndrome
Poly-cystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is suffered by
10% of women. It can cause problems with fertility, weight can, menstrual difficulties
and susceptibility to diabetes. Women who have PCOS do not produce enough of
the hormone which helps the body to metabolize fat and sugar and as a result
suffer from insulin resistance. Low-carb diets can help sufferers because they
reduce insulin resistance.
5) Lowered blood pressure.
High blood pressure is often called 'the silent
killer', as it has few obvious ill-effects until it becomes dangerous,
increasing the likelihood of heart attack and stroke. Low-carb diets can help
lower blood pressure partly because they lead to weight loss, which is one of
the best ways to help lower blood pressure. However it also seems to have an
extra effect when compared to weight loss caused by other kinds of diets.
6) Improvements in mood and well-being
A low-carb diet can help people feel happier and more
energetic, as well as bringing the usual weight benefits of any balanced diet
which is a big allure for many wanting to squeeze into tighter clothing. Eating too many
carbs causes insulin spikes, which in turn makes people sluggish and tired
between meals. A carb-heavy snack will tend to increase energy levels briefly,
before sending them crashing back down. That often leads to a cycle of snacking
and crashing, which tends to lower the mood and to cause weight gain. Low carb
diets can help keep energy levels steady throughout the day.