A normal metabolic process that can provide many health benefits is ketosis. While in the state of ketosis, a person's body will convert fat into a compound called ketones. The body will use these ketones as its primary source of energy.
There have been many scientific studies that show that ketosis is extremely beneficial for weight loss. Losing unwanted pounds results from the appetite suppressing effects during ketosis. Ketosis will also help to improve your concentration levels. However, how to get into ketosis is a common question by many?
How to get into ketosis will require research and planning because it is not, as many believe, simply a matter of cutting out the carbs. There are 7 important ways to achieve a state of ketosis including minimizing your carb consumption, introducing coconut oil into your diet, increasing your physical activity, adding healthy fats to your food intake, short-term fasting, maintaining adequate protein intake levels, and testing your ketone levels.
For example, you will need to test your ketone levels and readjust your diet when needed. There is no exact formula on how to produce the perfect state of ketosis because it is highly individualized. Therefore, to achieve your goals it will be necessary to continually test your ketone levels and readjust your your diet.
There are 3 different types of ketones which include acetoacetate, acetone, and beta-hydroxybutyrate. These levels can be measured in your blood, breath, or urine. Anyone who is following a ketogenic diet will be able to reliably monitor their ketosis by their breath.
A breath ketone meter is capable of measuring the acetone in your breath. You simply breathe into a meter and a color will indicate if you are in ketosis and it will also tell you how high your levels are.
Ketones are also measured with a blood ketone meter. This type of meter works similar to a glucose meter and in fact, there are blood ketone meters that will also perform a glucose test. This type of meter relies upon a drop of blood from your fingertip that is placed onto a test strip and then inserted into a meter. It will measure the quantity of beta-hydrobutyrate in your blood. The only disadvantage with this type of monitoring is the cost of the test strips.
The third way to measure ketones is by using a urine strip. A ketone urine strip is simply dipped into your urine so as to measure the acetoacetate. Depending on the level of ketones present, the strip will turn either purple or various shades of pink. Urine ketone strips are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. However, there is still some discussion about their long-term accuracy.
Of the 7 different ways to achieve ketosis, minimizing your carb consumption is the primary way. For ketosis, you will need to reduce your carb intake between 20 to 50 net grams each day. This will lower your insulin and blood sugar levels. Once these levels have been lowered there will be a release of stored fatty acids. These stored fatty acids will be converted by your liver into ketones.