Thursday, 11 July 2013

Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet is a treatment that can help many children with seizures. It is a medical therapy requiring the supervision of a specialized dietitian and neurologist. This carefully calculated diet can be quite high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates when compared to a usual diet. Calories are also precisely calculated to support appropriate growth. The diet is not nutritionally complete on its own and will require the use of vitamin and mineral supplementation.
The diet initiation often requires a brief hospital admission. Fine tuning and maintaining the diet to achieve optimal seizure control is monitored on an outpatient basis. The length of time that a child requires ketogenic diet therapy remains undetermined and will need to be discussed with your dietitian and neurologist during regular follow up visits.
A discussion with your pediatric neurologist will help you determine if you or your child is a candidate for ketogenic diet therapy. The ketogenic diet clinic will provide you with the clinical support that your child requires. Recognizing however that adapting to this new diet lifestyle can be difficult, our multidisciplinary team will provide family-centred support. You will have access to the following members of our team:
* Ketogenic Dietitian
* Pediatric Neurologist
* Registered Nurse
* Child Life Specialist
* Social Worker

Should you receive a referral into our Ketogenic Diet Clinic you may journey through several stages before beginning the diet:
1. First Stage — Outpatient Clinic Visit
Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet Multidisciplinary Team.
Initial Questions and Answers about the diet
2. Second Stage — Outpatient Visit(s)
Meeting with dietitian, child life specialist and social worker
Goals: Introduction to keto meals and hands on preparation (continued)
Identifying and problem solving around issues that may impede adjustment of your child and family onto the diet.
Introduce the monitoring expectations of the parent/caregiver.
3. Third Stage — Inpatient Admission
Goal: To initiate and clinically monitor the induction of the ketogenic diet
Reinforce the meal preparation and monitoring expectations
4. Fourth Stage – Outpatient Ken Clinic Visit and Phone follow-ups
Fine Tuning of the ketogenic diet to optimize seizure control and adjustment to the new diet.

5. Maintenance Stage – Outpatient Ken Clinic Visit

Regular outpatient clinic follow-ups with the ken team
Medication adjustments
In addition, you have the opportunity to meet other parents and potential ken families through our Parent Information Group that meets regularly.

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

How to reduce weight Naturally

25 Tips to lose weight

and reduce abdominal fat, tone your body,
and feel good!

“If you exercise and eat for health and fitness you will end up looking and feeling great for the rest of your life. If you exercise and diet to look good you will eventually gain more weight and you will never be fit.

Always ask yourself, what is my motivation?”

weight loss in 10 days - Ketogenic Diet - www.aiwo.com -reduce weight naturally
weight loss in 10 days – Ketogenic Diet – www.aiwo.com -reduce weight naturally

1. First thing in the morning drink 1 cup of warm water with lemon
Drink lots of water throughout the day and with all meals

2. Drink lots of green Tea (in morning: has natural caffeine) and eliminate all juice (except natural pomegranate juice), diet and regular soft drinks. Drink only 1 cup of coffee a day)
3. Never ever eat sugar, this also means nothing white (no white Pasta, bread or potatoes (nothing processed, also known as “eating clean”)
4. Eat whole foods (includes whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread. Read labels, companies put white flour in and call it whole wheat)
5. Eat all the vegetables you want (limit carrot sticks)
6. Eat 5 small meals a day (This includes snacks)
7. Do not eat anything after 7PM
8. Eat mostly lean protein & limit bad carbohydrates (absolutely no chips, popcorn, cookies, cake etc. no junk food)
9. Eat only 1 fruit a day, and before 12 noon. (Eat fruit from berry family: Blueberries, strawberries, cranberries)
10. Do ½ hour to 45 minutes of cardio, preferably walking on an incline every day. (Consult a doctor before beginning any exercise program)
11. Do light weight training 3-5lbs for upper body 3times a week
12. Drink 1 protein drink a day (skim milk with whey protein isolate powder with greens + powder in morning)
13. Eat the good fat (olive oil, fish oil, flax seed oil or seed)
14. With doctors permission only, take CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) as per body weight to reduce abdominal fat. Note: This is not for everyone!
15. Get 8 hours sleep
16. Minimize stress to minimize stress hormones (and reduce abdominal fat)
17. Snack on a small amount of almonds (5 at a time) throughout the day (4 times a day maximum)
18. Never weigh yourself (judge progress by clothing size, inch loss, only)
19. Write a food diary every day to stay on track
20. Eat low fat dairy products such as plain yogurt, cottage cheese, skim milk. (No solid cheeses)
21. Read labels. Look for no or low sugar grams, no trans fat and only whole wheat.
22. Take a good quality multi vitamin/mineral a day
23. Eat tofu, Beans, and Legumes
24. Never go on a restrictive diet or on a program diet (They only serve to mess with your metabolism and eventually make you gain more weight, in the long run.) To maintain a good weight and toned body requires a lifestyle change, not a fad diet or program.
25. Feel good about who you are, as you are. Acceptance is key

This is a lifestyle change and if followed will reduce your weight, tone your body and make you feel great.


Use at your own risk and discretion, and only with a doctor’s permission.

Tuesday, 9 July 2013

The Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)

What is keto?
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. The diet mimics aspects of starvation by forcing the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in fueling brain function. However, if there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source. Ketosis is the state characterized by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood. Very simply put ketosis is when your body stops using glucose for energy and instead uses fat broken down into ketones.

The-keto-diet – weight loss in 10days – www.aiwo.com

Will a ketogenic diet work for me?
Probably. Some people respond better to it than others, but most people seem to respond to it pretty well. Sometimes people have problems in the beginning (fuzziness in the head and problems concentrating are the common complaints with these people) and can’t seem to make the adjustment. If you’re one of these people the diet may not be worth it for you. Most of the time, however, those feelings only last for a few days to a week and are most severe the first time you go into ketosis.
I have diabetes, is keto good for me?
Diabetes Type I may benefit from ketosis, but it might not be the most ideal diet for someone with the disorder. Anyone with Diabetes Type I who is looking to lose weight should seek guidance from a physician on the topic firstly and understand any advice taken from this reddit on the subject is not professional.
If someone with Diabetes Type I decides to follow keto or low-carb they should be sure to keep a close eye on their blood sugar because ketoacidosis is a dangerous state that can occur in a person with Diabetes Type I.
Why does the keto or low-carb diet work?
The carbohydrate hypothesis lends to the idea that chronically elevated insulin levels lead to fat gain since insulin makes you store fat as part of blood sugar regulation. When insulin levels are controlled through the keto diet, your body releases fat from your storage cells and burns the fat off.
How do I get started?
Pretty simply just start limiting your net daily carb intake to 50g or less. This is adequate for most people but you may need to go lower. Your macro-nutrient goals should be about 60% fat, 35% protein and the other 5% carbs. It’s OK if the fat and protein numbers fluctuate but keep your carb intake to 5% or less. This means you’ll be eating things like whole eggs, fish, beef, chicken and turkey, green vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, cheese, butter, cream, nuts, seeds and, of course, bacon.
How do I know if I’m in ketosis?
The short answer is that if your carb intake is low enough you’ll be in ketosis. It may take a couple of weeks the first time. Ketostix can show you if you’re in ketosis by measuring the excess ketones in your urine. If you’re hydrated well enough or if you’re using all the ketones for energy you could be in ketosis without getting a positive result on the ketositx. Some people notice a metallic/acetone taste in their mouth or a strong smell of their urine.
How long should I do keto?
For as long as it’s working for you or until you reach your goals. If you find you’re regularly running out of energy but still haven’t reached your fat loss goals you might want to switch to a CKD or TKD.
How many carbs should I be eating?
A ketogenic diet is generally one with fewer than 50g of carbs making up no more than 10% of your calories per day. A low-carb diet is generally considered one with less than 150g of carbs a day, making up <30% of total calories. A low-carb diet is not designed to induce ketosis.
If I’m doing keto do I still need to count calories?
Yes and no. For some people simply cutting out all the carbs lowers their total caloric intake low enough to lose weight. For others they still need to focus on eating less and should keep track of their calories. Even the first group of people, however, would benefit from logging their food intake at least occasionally to get an idea of how many calories they’re eating and what the macro-nutrient breakdown is. Although it’s more difficult, you can still gain fat on a ketogenic diet so you can’t go hog wild on things like bacon and cheese.
Vegetables are high in carbs, should I stop eating them?
No, absolutely not. US nutritional values show vegetables as being high in carbs, but most of those carbs are in the form of fiber. (EU and most other labels show fiber as a separate category). Fiber isn’t broken down and absorbed by your body so it should not be counted towards your carb total. For example, one cup of Avocado cubes has about 10g of carbs, but 7 of them are fiber so you’d only count 3g towards your daily carb total. Most vegetables are also low calorie so they’re good filler foods. They’re also full of necessary nutrients.
Can I drink alcohol on keto?
Yes, you can, just watch the carbs in your beverage of choice. In that respect, spirits (whiskey, vodka, etc) and dry wine are more keto-friendly than beer, sweet wine, or sugary cocktails. Drinking won’t kick you out of ketosis, but will slow down or delay your weight loss progress. Also, many keto dieters report drastic reduction of alcohol tolerance and heavier hangovers.
Will keto work without all that fat?
To a point. The rule of thumb is to try and get about 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass (LBM), keep your net carbs lower than 50g per day, and get the rest of your calories from dietary fat. (Protein=4 Kcal/g, Carbs=4 Kcal/g and Fat=9 Kcal/g) Some people may need to go lower with their carb intake to reach ketosis and people trying to add muscle may want to go higher with their protein intake. Fat is also important because it contains valuable nutrients, it helps with satiety, and it makes food taste better.

Wednesday, 3 July 2013

Is AIWO KEN™ Program right for me?

While the AIWO KEN™ Program does not require surgery, any medical procedure requires careful thought and consideration. The AIWO KEN® System is not going to be for everyone.

To qualify for the AIWO KEN™ Program you must be motivated and ready to comply with a serious, medically supervised health programme tailored to your needs.

AIWO KEN™ is suitable for

• Moderately overweight Person who have been unable to achieve their desired weight loss through traditional weight loss methods such as diet & exercise.

• People who are not eligible for, or who are uncomfortable with, other forms of weight loss surgery who are aiming to lose 10 to 15kg.

• Patients with BMI of ≥ 27 who are willing to participate in an established medically-supervised diet & behaviour modification programme with regular follow-up.

Taking that first step …

The first step is to talk to a qualified and trained doctor who is the only person who will advise you and perhaps start you on the AIWO KEN™ Program with loss journey. Your doctor may also advise you that you might not be a suitable candidate for the AIWO KEN™ Program.

If you have a medical history including any of the following you need to discuss with your doctor about whether you are right for the AIWO KEN™ Program. It is likely that these conditions will preclude you from using the System.

• Previous gastrointestinal surgery, any inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, potential upper gastrointestinal bleeding or other congenital anomalies, large hiatal hernia or other structural abnormality in the oesophagus or larynx.

• Any other medical conditions that would not permit endoscopy.
• Unwillingness to adopt the dietary habits and behavior change critical to the success of the therapy.
• Drug or alcohol addiction.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Major prior or present psychological disorder.

Tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory agents, anticoagulants or other gastric irritants.

As with all medical procedures there are potential risks of unforeseen, unknown or adverse reactions to medications and the procedure itself. Please discuss your questions and expectations about the AIWO KEN™ Program with an informed doctor and evaluate the benefits versus possible risks.

Find out more about AIWO KEN™:

www.aiwo.com/ken-2/about-ken/
www.aiwo.com/ken-2/ken-diet/
www.aiwo.com/ken-2/ken-therapy/

Monday, 1 July 2013

Most Commonly Asked Questions About Ketogenic Diet

How many grams of carbs should I be eating daily?

A strict ketogenic diet is <20g of carbs a day, or about 5% of your total calories. It’s recommended to start out with a strict keto diet if you are a beginner so you can get the hang of eating keto foods. Some people eat under 50g of carbs per day and can stay in ketosis just fine. Others do a more low-carb style (Atkins) diet with <100g a day. Once you are settled in after a few weeks of strict keto start raising your carbs until you find the sweet spot for your body.

What is the nutrient ratio?

Your nutrient ratio is defined as the percentage of fat, protein, and carbohydrates of the calories you consume. The correct ratio for doing a strict ketogenic diet is 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs. This should be your number one goal for the keto diet, maintaining the correct ratio. An example of a ratio would be 100g fat, 100g protein, and 20g carbs.

My nutrient ratio has more that 60% fat, is this okay?

A ratio that has more fat is fine but you should still be getting adequate protein to conserve muscle.

That’s a lot of fat, am I going to gain weight?

No. It’s very hard to actually gain fat while you’re doing a strict keto diet. The reasoning is the satiation level of fat and protein, and if you follow the Keotgenic macros, you should be able to naturally create a calorie deficit. People who try and put on muscle (bulk up) usually have to incorporate carb up days just to be able to actually add pounds. However, you might experience the normal ups and downs on the scale as with any diet. Try looking at body fat % or the way your clothes fit as these will be the better indicators of your progress.

Do I count carbs that come from fiber?

No, you don’t. On European packaging fiber is listed as a separate category- on these packs, the carb count *is* the net carbs count. North American packets, however, list fiber as a type of carb, so you can subtract it from the total. If a food has 10g carbs but 5g fiber then it only has 5g net carbs, so you would only count 5g.

I love carbs and don’t want to give them up, how do I do this?

Cold turkey. There is no weaning off them, you will never get into ketosis that way. A lot of keto-ers used to be carb addicts. It will be hard your first week. By the end of the first week most people report being over the carb cravings. Though every now and again you might have to resist having a piece of cake or fresh bread. If there is something you are craving search on keto or google for a low carb version of what you want. People have been going low carb since the 70′s. If there is something you’re craving, there’s a low carb version of it out there somewhere.

Do I need to count calories?

No. Calorie counting is not a requirement of keto, but this does not mean calories do not matter. Some people insist to not count calories and instead listen to when your body tells you it’s hungry. Others track their calories religiously and stick to daily calorie limits. Find what works best for your body; you may find that when just starting out, keeping track of your carb counts and calories will help you be more successful with keto. See the bottom of this FAQ for recommended free calorie counting sites. Along with helping to track your calories, many of these sites will also assist you in monitoring your carbs, macros, and tracking weight loss.

How long will it take to enter ketosis?

For some it takes less than a day, for others it can take up to a week or more, it all depends on your body. Just remember, you have to burn through your glycogen stores before your body will start searching for fat. Going cold turkey on the carbs and sugar then high-intensity exercise or fasting followed by a meal of mostly fat is the general formula for getting into keto.

How do I know if I’m in ketosis?

One of the most popular ways is to buy and use ketostix. They track the amount of excess ketones in your urine, the excess ones that your body didn’t use. While it is not a requirement of keto it’s a convenient way to monitor your progress and for some, serves as a daily affirmation that you are following the diet correctly. Other ways to tell you are in ketosis a change in the way your breath and/or urine smells.

Where can I buy ketostix?

A pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, etc) should carry them. They are usually right by the diabetic testing supplies. If you can’t find them, ask the pharmacist. Sometimes they are behind the counter. You can also buy them online.

I am using ketostix, what level of ketosis should I be in?

The ketostix are actually a “positive” or “negative” test. If you are showing any levels of ketones, even trace amounts, then you’re in ketosis. Having a darker/deeper color on your ketostix does not mean you’re in a “better” state of ketosis. More often, a deeper/darker color is an indicator of dehydration.

I am eating <20g carbs and using my ketostix but they are only coming up as trace amounts, why?

Don’t worry about it, trace amounts mean you’re still in ketosis. The reason its only trace could vary, anything from your body’s hydration level to activity level. It just means that your body is using up those ketones as fuel, and thus you don’t have very many leftover.

My ketostix are testing negative, what am I doing wrong?

Ketostix measures ketonuria, or the excretion of excess ketones in the urine. It’s an indirect way of testing for ketosis and is not always reliable.

What is the keto-flu?

The keto-flu is the period in which your body is adapting to ketosis. It’s called keto-flu because your body may experience flu-like symptoms during this time including: headaches, nausea, upset stomach, sleepiness, and fatigue. Symptoms vary from person to person. While many people suffer from keto flu, some have reported not even noticing the transition into ketosis. If you want to be sure, obtain and use ketostix and remember that even a trace amount of ketones indicates ketosis.

How long will the keto-flu last?

Anywhere from a day to a week. It depends on your body and how it handles the switch, everyone is different. It may be a good idea to start keto on a weekend or a time when you can get some rest and be able to deal with the symptoms (ie not a busy week at work or when you are doing a lot of physical activity). As unpleasant as the symptoms of keto flu can be, you can alleviate the headaches and nausea by drinking plenty of fluids and replenishing your sodium and potassium levels. Drink at least 2.5 litres of water a day and try to have a couple of cups of hot salty broth. Chicken or beef, it doesn’t matter – just make sure that it’s not the low-sodium variety. Avocados and oily fish like mackerel are high in potassium. Minimize physical activities and avoid strenuous exercise until symptoms subside.

How much water should I be drinking?

Lots. Your body has a much harder time retaining water on keto so you need to drink a lot more. It seems like the average is about 2 liters per day at the minimum. So get yourself a 1 liter bottle and start filling it up, you are probably dehydrated right now. A good way to tell is your urine should consistently be light colored or clear. If it is dark, drink more water.

I like eggs but I am worried about my cholesterol levels, how many eggs can I eat per day?

Studies are showing that cholesterol isn’t as bad as the general population thinks. Previously, it was considered bad to eat lots of eggs or food high in cholesterol, but new studies show that’s just not the case. Eggs are a great keto food, eat as many as you’d like. If your concerned, get a blood test to track your cholesterol.

I like coffee, can I make it like I usually do?

Coffee is an excellent, low calorie drink rich in potassium. The rule here is stay away from real sugar and milk. Instead, use heavy cream. Be careful of milk or Half & Half as they have a much higher carb amount per serving than heavy cream. If you need your sweets, use an artificial sweetener like Splenda.

I like (insert food here) is it okay for keto?

It depends. Look at the nutrition label, if it doesn’t have one then Google “(insert food here) calories”. Your mind will be blown by how many foods that we eat contain sugar and carbs, it isn’t as easy than just not eating bread. Lets take an onion for example, 1 cup of this unsuspecting vegetable will net you 12g carbs and 6g sugar. When you should only have <20g a day you have to make the choice, do I want to “spend” my carbs on that food item? Every person is different and some food affects people in different ways (some food may kick you out of keto). The short answer is make sure it’s not full of carbs/sugar, decide if you want to spend your carbs eating it, and try it, if you stay in keto after you eat it then, sure, you can have it. Most vegetables can be safely included in a Ketogenic lifestyle.

Can I drink alcohol while on keto?

Yes and no. Wine and shots of hard alcohol, like whiskey or vodka, are okay every once in awhile. Mixed drinks will usually contain sugary mixers, so be careful, and beer can also have a lot of carbs. Be aware of what you are drinking by checking the calories and carbs. Also, some people have reported wicked hangovers as a result of getting tipsy while on keto, so be warned. “For more information here is a quick cheat sheet to drinking on keto.”

Can I have artificial sweeteners or diet soda while on keto?

I think there are mixed opinions on this one. Based of the nutrition facts alone they are keto-friendly. Some people stay away from artificial sweeteners and things that contain them, like diet soda. Some people also say if have too much, it just makes them want more sweet things.

Can I have a cheat day?

Also a mixed topic. If you are an athlete, then yes, if you are remotely sedentary then no. If you are an athlete your body needs more fuel than average. Incorporating a “carb up” day once a week around your workout might be a good idea and you should research a CKD (Cyclical Ketogenic Diet). If you are a bodybuilder trying to gain muscle, then you absolutely need a “carb up” day to gain as it’s virtually impossible to gain weight without one. If you are not either of those people then no. You will most likely cheat, feel terrible, and spend the whole next week trying to get back into keto. If you want to halt your progress then cheat, if not then shush your whining and go eat some bacon.

I am a very active person and do carb-up for workouts, can I still do this on keto?

Yes. Most active people who do their carb up will do it once a week and since they are very active this doesn’t hinder their progress. This technique is called a CKD (Cyclical Ketogenic Diet). You can also research TKD (Targeted Ketogenic Diet).

I am a very active person and want to keep my muscle mass, is keto for me?

Definitely. Keto, by design, burns fat while preserving your muscle.

Does keto work if you have a lot of weight to lose?

Keto is great for all shapes and sizes. Some people use it to get their body fat as low as possible, some people use it to shed large amounts of weight.

Someone posted that they lost 30 pounds in a month, I only lost XX pounds, what’s wrong with me?

First, in general guys will lose faster than girls, so keep that in mind. Second, the more you have to lose the more you will lose. A person looking to trim down 20 pounds and a person looking to shed 150 pounds are going to have vastly different results. Don’t be so concerned over how much you’re losing, just be happy that you’re losing it!

Am I going to lose strength and/or endurance while trying the keto diet?

Some athletes have reported reduced cardiovascular performance while starting keto. However some have also said if you can get past that initial drop then cardio performance actually increases in the long run.

Why can’t I just eat low carbs AND low fat?

Good question. We know that carbs and sugar gets turned into fuel on a regular diet, and we know that if you’re into keto you’re not eating any of those so your body breaks down fat for fuel. So if you’re not eating carbs and you’re not eating fat then what is your body going to use for fuel? And protein isn’t going to cut it smarty-pants. Your body needs something, so you give it fat. Any fat you eat gets broken down into ketones and if your body doesn’t use it it expels it, thus why gaining fat while on keto is nearly impossible.

Friday, 28 June 2013

Have you been dieting for years?

Many people with a weight problem have just about tried ‘everything’. They know all about energy in & energy out, how to control calories, what types of diets are best for weight loss, they know all the diets and programmes…you name it they’ve tried it but nothing seems to work long term.

KEN™ is different from other weight loss alternatives.

The KEN™ Program works to kick start your weight loss and keep you on track for the first 10 days. It helps to control your hunger, help you feel satisfied for longer and re-educate your stomach.
KEN™ allows the body to switch into KETOGENIC mode, whereby it breaks down its own fat stored for use as energy. The special feature in this system is that participants do not feel hungry throughout the entire duration of the 10 day session.

To find out more about kick-starting your weight loss visits the links below:
www.aiwo.com/ken-2/about-ken/
www.aiwo.com/ken-2/ken-diet/
www.aiwo.com/ken-2/ken-therapy/