Nutrition - Dr B Lawrence Health Wellness Clinic

What is Keto?

Everyone is talking about it. Numerous books have been published about it. You might be wondering, what is a keto diet and how can you benefit? All good questions!
Dr. Lawrence fields question daily on what’s the best plan to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Not only does Dr. Lawrence feel that a ketogenic diet is a sound approach to weight loss and optimal health, but he has been actively embracing the keto diet for years.
The ketogenic diet is a low carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet. The goal of the diet is to get your body into a metabolic state known as ketosis.
Ketosis occurs when your body has run out of glycogen stores (sugar) and needs to find another fuel source. When this occurs, the liver begins to process fat into ketones which become the body’s main fuel source.
In a nutshell, fat –> ketones = energy.
Benefits of a keto diet:
1. Weight loss
2. Appetite control
3. Better mental focus
4. More energy
5. Helps fight Type II Diabetes
6. Increased levels of HDL cholesterol
7. Lower blood pressure

What are some of the foods you can eat to help you achieve ketosis?

Organic meats: chicken (whole, thigh, breast), pork (shoulder, belly, loin), steak (hanger, flank, sirloin, chuck, filet mignon, prime rib), high-quality sausage, ground/hamburger meats (pork, beef, turkey, lamb), roast beef, ham, bacon, duck
Seafood: salmon, tuna, trout, tilapia, halibut, crab, lobster, swordfish, pollock, cod, oysters, shrimp
Fats and oils: olive oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, avocados
Organic dairy: heavy creams, grass-fed butters, hard cheeses, and eggs
Nuts: nuts and nut butters (no added sugars or oils)
Low-carb vegetables: leafy greens like kale, spinach, swiss chard, mustard greens, and lettuce, green beans, cabbage, celery, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, broccoli, eggplant
Condiments: salt, pepper, sugar-free herbs and spices

What are some of the foods you should avoid, because they will hinder your success?

All added sugars (be sure to check labels for hidden carbs)
Breads, including whole grains varieties
Traditional wheat and rice pastas
All fruits (berries can be okay in very low amounts)
Rice, potatoes, beans, lentils, and all other starchy foods

Reading this information might make the keto diet sound a little complicated. And, it’s not! So, if you’d like help on where to begin with your keto weight loss journey, just ask Dr. Lawrence. He will help you identify what foods can greatly help you achieve ketosis and what foods might be deterring you from meeting your optimal health and weight loss goals!

A BODY'S HEALING ABILITIES

Did you know that the body’s cells regenerate every 7 to 10 years? But one cannot assume that they regenerate for the better unless one ensures that what one is doing for one’s body is in the direction of healing not harming it.

Eating more natural organic foods, exercising, drinking healthy water and most of all, giving your body the best opportunity to heal with chiropractic care will definitely provide you the best opportunity to reset your body.

SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED?

Many of our patients have the common complaint that they constantly feel sluggish, in pain, tired and generally not in the best form. They wish they could feel like they did when they were kids or teenagers.

Nowadays our lifestyles have set us up for a disaster. We get up in the mornings almost as tired as when we went to bed the night before. Our breakfasts leave a lot to be desired nutritionally. We rush to work or school without the nutrition our bodies really require. We work or study mostly sitting down and then grab a fast food lunch that again has no nutrition. And so our day continues…

The strain on our bodies, the poor nutrition, financial stresses, and then the occasional accident or fall add up to a recipe for disaster. Regular chiropractic adjustments give the body a boost in energy by resetting the nerve flow. Add some of the nutritional advice that Dr Lawrence offers you and give yourself the opportunity to rejuvenate.

SUGAR’S NOT SO SWEET EFFECT ON HEALTH

Sticky, sweet and nutritionally bankrupt, sugar is making people sick, tired and fat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans consume an astounding 156 pounds of sugar each year! Global sugar consumption is approximately 173 million tons.

While the obvious sugary culprits are sweet snacks, soda and ice cream, sugar also sneakily lurks in pasta sauces, salad dressings and other foods.

Why Sugar Is Making Us Sick

According to a study by JAMA Internal Medicine, “Epidemiologic studies have suggested that higher intake of added sugar is associated with cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors.” The conclusion of the study revealed, “Most US adults consume more added sugar than is recommended for a healthy diet. We observed a significant relationship between added sugar consumption and increased risk of CVD mortality.”

Another study led Dr. Custodia Garcia-Jimenez at the University Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, found that high sugar levels represent a crucial mechanism that connects obesity and diabetes with cancer. According to this study, the high sugar levels increase the activity of a gene widely implicated in the progression of cancer.

Eating too much sugar can also lower your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. It can also contribute to increased arthritis and joint pain.

Cutting Back on the Sweet Stuff

Being a scrupulous label reader is a good way to know how much sugar is in the foods you buy. Choose foods that have little to no added sugar, limit fruit consumption and opt for more vegetables. Berries are your best bet when it comes to fruit. Do you like to sweeten your coffee or cereal? Consider using Stevia, a natural, plant-based sweetener.

We’d be happy to help you break the sugar habit and show you how chiropractic care may help boost your immune system and overall health!

ARE YOU A COFFEE DRINKER?

If you drink coffee, here are some thoughts to keep in mind:

If you drink coffee made with the “drip method,” use only unbleached filters. Bright-white coffee filters are almost always bleached, and can leak chlorine and other chemicals into your coffee as it’s brewed.

Avoid drinking your coffee in styrofoam cups or mugs and thermoses that are lined with any form of plastic. Hot liquids can leech chemicals from styrofoam and plastic, and years of ingesting these chemicals will increase your risk of virtually all chronic disease. Ceramic mugs are your safest choice, followed by glass and stainless steel.

Avoid sweeteners that invariably stress your blood sugar and insulin-regulating mechanisms and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Stevia and Xylitol are the most healthy.

Try to limit your intake to no more than two cups per day. Even organic coffee contains acrylamide, which is classified by multiple health agencies as a probable human carcinogen.

Drink only organic coffee. Non-organic coffee beans are heavily sprayed with pesticides.

If you prefer your coffee lightened, use a non-dairy milk like almond or coconut milk. Organic cow or goat milk is fine only if you know with certainty that your body can tolerate it.

In good health,
Dr Bryan Lawrence, DC