Ketogenic Diet
The Ketogenic Diet was developed to help reduce hard to treat epilepsy in children. At first glance it looks the opposite of many diets available; however, it was not developed for weight loss. The Ketogenic Diet emphasizes consuming high fat, moderate to high protein and a low amount of carbohydrates.
The Ketogenic Diet works similar to the Atkins Diet in that it forces the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrates. In general, the body generates glucose for the functioning of the both the body and brain, however, when carbs are restricted, the liver has no choice but to convert fat into ketone bodies. As more and more ketone bodies are created, the body goes into a state of ketosis. The excess amount of ketosis is actually quite beneficial to those children that suffer from hard to treat epilepsy, because ketosis acts as an anti-convulsant.
Results of the Ketogenic Diet
The Ketogenic Diet is backed by scientific studies that show a substantial reduction in epilepsy by those children that go on the diet. However, if your child is experiencing seizures it is best to consult with your doctor if the Ketogenic Diet is right for him or her. For many children, the Ketogenic Diet can be an extremely effective tool, helping to reduce seizures.
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Filed under Medical Diets.
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