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Can the ketogenic diet be healthy

Can the ketogenic diet be healthy: Desiree Neilson

Live Web Broadcast of the Dietitians of Canada Conference  in Vancouver, 2018

Really enjoyed the  presentation on low carbohydrate diets and cardiometabolic health by Dr. Sievenpiper and ketogenic diets in dietetic practice by Desiree Neilson, R.D.,, host of Urban Vegetarian.

Quite illuminating, it seems that the low carbohydrate diets have equal impact on weight loss  compared with low fat diets in the long term, the issue around sustainability of low carbohydrate diets remains questionable, and there is inadequate information about effect on mortality and CV events.  The research on protective effect on mortality has only shown significant differences with legumes, fruit, low glycemic foods, and increased dietary fibre, particularily soluble fibre.

Desiree Neilson a private consultant is working with a UBC project promoting the ketogenic diet for diabetes, type 2.  Her clients  who follow the ketogenic diet, need to achieve nutritional ketosis (0.5-5 mmol/l ketones) usually with less than 50g carbohydrate per day.  It usually takes 3-4 days for the metabolism to shift, the diet is 80% fat (mostly monounsaturated and saturated fat), 15% protein and 5% carbohydrate.  Omega 6 fatty acids drive inflammation so are avoided.

Perhaps the best way that this diet would be effective for my clients is that it  helps reduce cravings.   The diet is being promoted by  UBC Okanagan through pharmacist at Pharmasave, http://emil.ok.ubc.ca/?page_id=213

In fact, on April 28th, I complained to our local Pharmasave because their local advertisement stated they were providing a therapeutic diet without having a registered dietitian involved in their practice..  As a registered dietitian, responsible to the provincial college of dietitians, I need to meet a code of ethics  and our diets are individualized  based on evidence based research, as yet the ketogenic diet does not have double blind, rigorous testing  and we know clients require additional sodium, magnesium, thiamine, Vit D, Vit C, calcium, selenium, fibre and folate to meet their daily requirements.

Desiree explains that for the diet to be sustainable, clients need to be highly motivated and recommends the assistance of a registered dietitian to support clients changing back to a regular diet.

Desiree explained how she has modified the ketogenic diet with low carbohydrate fruits- berries, vegetables, nuts, and tofu to better meet clients nutritional requirements.

See her freebies:  https://desireerd.com/freebies/