Inflammation has become a buzzword for all things unhealthy, but what is it, and can a keto diet help? In this article, we look at the science behind the headlines.
What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s defence and self-repair system. When the body detects harm to its integrity, a complex sequence of response mechanisms is triggered. Types of harm include damaged cells, injury, and exposure to pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. As anyone who’s inflammatory cytokines have had a brush with Covid will recognise, the results can be both unpleasant and dangerous. Inflammation typically involves the combined action of immune cells, the circulatory system, and molecular mediators, and is often recognisable by symptoms such as pain, swelling, fever, and impaired biological functioning.
When Is Inflammation Itself Harmful?
Acute inflammation, as will occur to heal a cut or to repel an infection, can be lifesaving. This type of inflammation is time-limited and disappears once the ailment is cured. In some cases, however, the inflammation does not settle down, and persists even though the ailment has resolved. This is called chronic inflammation and has been linked to a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer. The reasons for this are complex, but research shows that a permanent state of immune activation can damage otherwise healthy body tissues and systems.
Is Inflammation Associated With Obesity?
Many studies point to a link between inflammation and weight gain, with a crucial mediator being insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the way the body handles glucose (sugar). Any excess glucose is converted to fat and stored in the adipose tissue, which is why carbohydrates are associated with weight gain. As the adipose tissue increases in volume, it becomes inflamed, and this causes hormonal changes that prevent the body from burning fats efficiently and that can increase appetite; this not only makes it harder to lose weight, but also creates a vicious circle in which increasing weight makes you ever hungrier. In addition, the hormonal changes triggered by obesity interfere with the control of sugar levels in the blood; if this remains untreated, it will lead to type 2 diabetes.
How Can a Keto Diet Help With Inflammation?
Low-calorie diets that drastically reduce or eliminate carbohydrates will favour normalisation of the metabolic hormones, allowing the fat-burning systems to be reactivated, which will therefore encourage weight loss. As the adipose tissue reduces in volume, the secretion of inflammatory cytokines will also decrease, breaking the vicious circle of increasing weight leading to increasing appetite.
How Can PronoKal Help To Reduce Inflammation?
PronoKal offers a complete programme of nutritional management, carefully tailored to ensure that the full benefits of a ketogenic state are achieved and maintained. Our medically supervised diet plans are fully supported by professionals who will ensure that anti-inflammatory goals are met. The PronoKal PnK Method includes a tasty range of drinks and snacks in a comprehensive meal plan, with full vitamin and mineral supplementation, and a patented anti-inflammatory treatment that will bring you a stress-free way of helping the body ease its way out of nutritional distress.
Next Steps
If you are worried that your body may be suffering from inflammation and would like to find out more about the benefits of a keto diet, please contact us today.
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