I've not specifically practiced keto, nor researched it too much since I've already found what works well for me and have been able to maintain it, thus far, for nearly three years. They suggest eating much of what I no longer choose to consume, so I'll likely never know the actual effects of it. I learned to become much more mindful of the food sources I consume now and that alone was a real eye-opener in so many ways.
I practice intermittent fasting (don't eat anything after 8:30 p.m., only sip on warm herbal infusions or lemon water...and don't eat solid foods again until after hydrating....usually around 11ish or later in the morning) early morning hydration that includes lemon water, herbal infusions, and fruit juices, late morning break-fast that includes fresh ripe fruits either baked or raw, lunch that includes a big salad with a variety of greens, other fresh veggies, beans, seeds, etc. and sometimes an addition of some soup or leftovers from the night before, then dinner includes more veggies, legumes, nuts, or seeds made in some tasty ways.
I also supplement with a vegan spray that has B12, D3, and DHA/EPA. Feeling better and more alert and active at age 50 than I recall feeling when I was a teen, minus the painful long-term damage I've done in some areas as a result of getting the shit beat out of me repeatedly, along with forking things all up in the previous decades based on what I'd been taught and conditioned to beLIEve.
I learned that food combining is critical in how well our chosen fuel sources digest and eliminate. I learned the blood system is like our kitchen and the lymph system is like our bathroom, and much of what we suffer from is because of something being backed-up along the way, but you never hear much about lymph until they're cutting it out or calling it cancer. Things that digest the fastest are to be eaten first, then the others....as some things take much longer to digest than others. Otherwise, you create gut grenades and suffer from bloating, gas, belching, and other digestive issues....typically known by many as simply being "compliments to the chef".
Meat and starches aren't meant to be combined, either, but what were most of us raised on? Meat and potatoes. Meat used to be a luxury only enjoyed by those who were well off financially, but now is believed by many to be required at each and every meal. The whole milk does a body good thing is rather disappointing, too. It does the baby animal of the same species good in trying to put on weight quickly. No other animal drinks the milk of another species once it weans of it's mama. Hmmm..... Chewing is one of the first steps of digestion and we benefit from chewing A LOT until each bite is liquid...like 30 times each bite...and even chewing your liquid helps get the enzymes awake and ready to do their thing.
Drinking while dining washes away our digestive enzymes...it's better to drink 20 minutes before or after eating...but about a cup's worth is okay during the meal. We even eliminate our bodily waste incorrectly in how we position ourselves on the toilet. We benefit from using a step stool to mimic squatting as it better positions the exit strategy. Sooo many helpful things to know that can help soothe the savage gut beast that in turn greatly disrupts the brain beast. Why in the heck wasn't/isn't this stuff being taught in school? And so I keep learning and experimenting....
In my consumption habit increased awareness attempts I discovered most typical store brand PBs have added sugar and salt, and that most store bought margarine is like one ingredient away from being plastic. I learned to make my own PB and vegan butter, eventually, as the cleaner store versions are a bit pricey.
I completely stopped eating PB and all nut butters for several months as I had started consuming way too much, telling myself it's okay, it's a "safe" source of protein and such, and adding melted non-dairy chocolate chips to it on occasion, and eating it late at night after having given up late night eating...and my body eventually protested at the overload, so I cut it out to give my body a break...and didn't notice any ill-feeling symptoms physically or mentally as a result, other than a few taste buds being pissed off.
Wellness and learning how to best fuel self based on individual biological needs to get the most out of ones health is a full-time job, that's for sure. So many distractions pulling us in so many directions. Marketing gurus selling this and selling that, big companies hiring scientists to purposefully make their test-tube created products addictive, industries not wanting to lose any sales and financially backing big studies that keep folks convinced of the need of the very things that are likely causing them much harm, and there's no escaping it around every damn corner. It's equally as fascinating as it is frustrating.
