The Ultra Fat Diet

I know that Ketogenic Diets are used to treat children with refractory epilepsy. In fact recently, there was a study done to see if The Atkins study can be substituted. Apparently findings show that Atkins worked the same way but was easier to follow and more tolerable for the patients and families.
what do you know; Atkins finally comes in handy. (please don't jump on me for that comment, I've heard the arguments, I just needed a good exit)

First off, that image gives me the heebie-jeebies... Eugh. Moving on.

One question: Does the 90% fat [wow] thing mean PURE fat? For instance, from what I've read, 153ish of peanut butter's 190ish calories are from fat (the remainder, I assume, being carbs and protein). So, would peanut butter count as a fat source in this diet, or would the carbohydrates disqualify it? I notice a smidgen of protein is permitted.

Seems like a silly/overly-technical question, but I have to know whether those lucky diseased people get to live on Skippy or not (said facetiously- I realize that having any of the mentioned ailments must suck, like, alot).

What'll James have to say about this? (That's your cue, buddy.)

Well the atkins diet has worked wonders for me. It's the one diet regime that I can see utilising or maintaining for the rest of my life.

I've never eaten so much veggies and fruit in my life!!

Jen, I would say it's maco-nutrient content. Depending on what level of carbohydrates are looking at. In this instance though I think they are trying to minimalise carbs to almost zero, so I don't think peanut butter would do.

Btw these results are not new. A lot of medical conditions have been brought under control by a ketogenic diet. And it's backed up by science. A lot of science.

Mm, I see. However disappointing, your theory is a sensible one. XD

I'm not very nutrient-savvy (outside of my own bodily needs and preferences), but if a plan doth no harm [[relative--- I'm aware that I cannot save the moo-cows]] whilst bettering a person's quality of life, I'm not about to cuss them out or stand in their way. Veganism is a comfortable lifestyle for me, both dietarily (if that's a word) and psychologically... But, I make a point not to preach its ideals or impress them upon others. Individuals must experiment, find what works, and stick with it. If those patients need to munch on butter to sedate their quakes, so be it.

I'm not going to touch the "Changing Diet=Disease?" prompt, but I'll watch. :3

I am not a nutritionist or a biologist- so I'm completely talking out of ignorance here, but could this mean that brain cells are regenerative? Or does it mean that the diseases that attack the brain, like Alzheimer's and those listed above, attack fat - thus being distracted by a massive intake of fat?

I know from baby-rearing books that the brain develops from fat intake, so I'm just wondering if that means that this excessive fat diet is causing the brain to regenerate. If so, could a high fat, ketosis-type diet be beneficial for stroke victims?

Or is it that the fat is distracting the disease, meaning that sooner diagnosis and diet change could mean tremendous differences in prognoses?

I think Jim's question about the increase in these diseases is interesting, but I think there are too many factors at work. We don't just have new foods, but new cooking products (anodized aluminum, microwaves, etc.) that have all been called evil in the past. Let alone the influence of public awareness and research funding on the amount of cases diagnosed for any disease.

This is a cool finding, I hope it has continued results.

-Danielle

http://www.atkinsforseizures.com/

This website may be of interest.

I believe it has mainly to do with 'ketones' making the brain more efficient, or less likely to 'overload'.

I think that's TOO MUCH fat, ma-an. Yes, you need balanced fats, but Please, add some protein. Add fruits and vegtables but restrict grains.

And Many people are posting stuff bashing me about cereal grains.

Cereal grains contains gluten which increases the risk of developing autoimmune diseases and has high acidticity. They are high on imflamitory omega 6 fatty acids, which is why grains arn't the best in the diet.

Yes, you need fat, but NOT THAT MUCH fat. You also need good proteins and vegtable carbohydrates. Very high fat diets are just as bad as low fats, and Trans fats are a big no-no. Anything that says: "Partionally hydronated, fractionated, shortening, or canola, soybean, safflower, sunflower, cottenseed, or corn oil", avoid them.

This diet is probably not meant to be followed long term. It is specialized specifically for people with neuron damage. That kind of makes sense, since the myelin sheaths that wrap around neurons are composed largely of fat. Diseases like MS and ALS involve the breakdown of the myelin sheath by the body's immune system. If eating a diet very high in fat could possibly help symptoms, it could be a valuable step in providing relief. I don't think they're recommending this diet to the general population though. 90% of calories from fat is very very high. It will be interesting to see if following a diet this high in fat increases a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

-grins- James, if I fall under the "many people" you speak of, I apologize. I don't mean to bash you- just to bust your chops a little. All in good humor. No offense intended.

Concerning heart disease, Spectra, I noticed from the linked blurb that 4 of the 7 volunteers substituted unsturated fats for saturated ones, and did not suffer an increase in cholesterol.

there's nothing wrong with canola oil. not even on a molecular level.
It's GOOD.
sorry to burst the little bubble of perfection you had there.

Jen, GO TO DOCTOR MERCOLA'S WEBSITE! He's got all the information on grains, and why you should avoid them. And Yan, Canola oil can't be expeller-pressed easily. Canola seeds contains toxins that leeches into the oil, and it can't be expeller pressed easily. Substitute that with extra virgin olive oil, and see for you self. Also, go to Doctor Mercola's website on the information about Canola.

Since this study was done in 2005 perhaps they already have more info on it? Spectra's comment that, "MS and ALS involve the breakdown of the myelin sheath by the body's immune system. If eating a diet very high in fat could possibly help symptoms, it could be a valuable step in providing relief" makes sense, as there must be a logical reason to even try such a radical approach.

"What is intriguing about such findings is the fact that these kind of conditions respond to nutritional treatment."

Yet your vet will tell you your dog would be healthier if you gave him certain foods and that you shouldn't give fido "people" food. We've long known and accepted that diet is critical to our pets' health, yet it is argued day and night whether it matters for the human beings?

I think there is no "one way is the right way" with nutrition any more than there is one true religion, yet, it's pretty clear that our processed foods are a joke and are not healthy by any stretch of the imagination. So, now we have the butter diet, LOL.

You say this is too much fat?
Why? Is there some demonstrable problem with that ?

These people have serious life threatening illnesses, and they want to try a nutritional approach that works for them!

You can harp on all you like about fat causing CVD, but can you prove it without a doubt?

If their was definitive proof, then we wouldn't be debating this.

Of course, a high fat ketogenic is not required for the average human.

I don't like the sample size of this study. I haven't read the whole text, just the abstract and the above summary, but it seems foolhardy to be saying something like:

"We had 5 out of 7 patients improve, but we can't rule out the placebo effect. So now we're going to try a modification of the diet."

Instead of something like:

"We had 5 out of 7 patients improve, but we can't rule out the placebo effect. So we're going to try this same diet with a much larger sample size."

-Danielle

I have been on the Atkins diet for 5 years. The Atkins induction phase will put you into ketosis although it is not as extreme as the ketogenic diet used to treat various illnesses. I will continue be on this diet due to the fact that it has healed me. I enjoy the wonderful food and being in ketosis is no big deal. I am sure I have been in ketosis before I began the diet at various times in my life. But a few things that have vanished were my migraines,itchy skin, achy joints and I have even lost a few gray hairs...seriously.As I write this I am having a cuppa joe with real cream. My cholesterol and triglycerides are exemplary and my brain has never worked better on such a restricted amount carbs ( contrary to to popular beliefs ).The past 3-5 weeks I have read that this diet has shown positive results with alzheimers,prostate cancer, ALS,Parkinsons, epilepsy and even stroke patients.I have articles on how it can be used to treat cataracts. I have read hoards of information supporting this and frankly, I was not surprised. What surprises me is that people look at this diet and accuse it, repeatedly, of causing a cataclysm of unfortunate events which are just not true.How much does a ketogenic has to prove that it is the ideal. Again, I have been on it for 5 years and will continue to do so. Instead is cures them, it heals them. It is an anti-inflammatory diet and that is the root of the cause and the cure.

You ask why the rise in degenerative diseases? I do believe that it is due to the advent of the lowfat diet. I wish that experimentation of the ketogenic would be attempted to treat more diseases such as some dystonias. Lowfat diets became the concept for health nearly 15 years ago. This also coincides with the upswing in autism does it not?

Live Long and Prosper,
Mary

I commented earlier about the ketogenic diet and how it is a healthy and safe diet regardless of what diet "experts' suggest. In the past,I had been doing a low carb diet but became more interested in the ketogenic, higher fat diet after leatning of how it can treat neurological disorders.I now believe that fat is the most important nutrient in the human diet.
Therefore, I raised the level of fats that I consume. I've had no problems and my cholesterol/lipid levels are exemplary. I do this to support anyone considering doing this if they may have questions on food ideas.