I know this is going to be a shock to everyone, but here it is; women are different from men. Okay, okay, so this isn’t news. It also isn’t news that women’s hormones are different than men’s hormones. So why is it surprising that women on keto will experience this lifestyle differently than men?
This series is going to look specifically at how women on keto are affected by this lifestyle. We will look pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause specifically in these articles. These are huge hormonal changes that women face, and I feel it is important to examine how keto impacts our bodies during these times.
I’ve been enjoying the older podcasts of a show that was called “The Keto for Women Show,” hosted by Shawn Mynar. She looked at the issues women who do keto face, in particular hormones. On episode seven, she interviewed Jackie Eberstein. I was enthralled by this woman! Her no-nonsense approach towards keto instantly made me a fan.
A background on Jackie Eberstein, R.N.
Jackie started working with Dr. Atkins in 1974. She started the job with the idea that she would just work with him until she found something else, as she didn’t necessarily agree with his perspectives on food. She is still continuing with his work today. Ms. Eberstein has been burning ketones as a fuel source for her body since 1974, and she is very vocal about the positive effects it has had on her health.
Health benefits for women on keto
Women would come into to Dr. Atkins’ clinic for weight loss. But he knew that using ketones to burn energy in your body was useful for much more than that, especially for women! He used carb restriction to treat:
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Asthma
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Allergies
- Inflammatory bowel syndrome
- Colitis
- Gas
- Bloating
- GERD
- Joint pain
- Acne
- Poor memory
- Concentration.
So, basically, every common ailment a woman would come in for.
Dr. Atkins recognized that ketones are anti-inflammatory. This makes keto a great way to reduce the effects of chronic disease and hormone imbalances. A woman goes through many hormone changes throughout her life. She starts with puberty, goes into pregnancy, breastfeeding, and finally, menopause. With all these changes to our hormones, it is no wonder that our bodies are often not in balance. Low carb diets were the way he assisted in helping women’s bodies heal.
Myths about women on keto
Ms. Eberstein talks in this episode about the importance of eating foods that help your body work properly. She spoke about the myth that is “calories in, calories out.” The way she explained this made so much sense to me! Her perspective is that diet is not about the calories we put in our bodies, but rather that reaction our bodies have to that food.
So, for example, if we eat 3 Snickers bars in the run of a day, we would take in about 900 calories. If you go on a bicycle for about 2 hours at approximately 15 MPR, you will burn close to 1000 calories. So, good deal, right? You eat 3 Snickers bars and go on your bike for a couple of hours.
But it isn’t about the calories. It’s about how our bodies react to those calories. According to Web MD, sugar can affect your mental health as well as your physical health. Sugar contributes to inflammation, causing an increase in joint pain as well as aging your skin at a faster pace. Large amounts of fructose can damage your liver.
The increase in insulin can inflame your arteries, leading to increased risk for heart attack or stroke. Because you are increasing your insulin production, your pancreas can become overworked and that will cause you issues. It isn’t about burning off the calories, it’s about how your body processes what you put in it.
Common Sense Approach to Keto
I loved hearing the very common-sense approach of Jackie Eberstein. I also loved the fact that she has been following this lifestyle since 1974 with no ill-effects. No matter how much research I do, I find it reassuring to hear from actual people who have done keto for a long time and are healthy and happy.
If you have a chance to listen to this podcast, please do so. Unfortunately, the Keto for Women show was discontinued in 2019, but the episodes are still available to listen to. I’m going through all of them and I’m finding it very interesting. This episode in particular, I found truly inspiring and I had to look Ms. Eberstein up afterwards. She has many presentations online you can find. She is now one of the experts I consult when I have a question!
Wendy
