I'm 15 and trying keto, is it healthy?

keto
newbies
(Bunny) #21

It will make you super hyperintelligent also!

Scary MENSA Smart!

No joke!

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #22

Back when the American diet was almost exclusively game, it was considered to be the healthiest in the world. Kids grew up tall and strong on very little in the way of carbohydrate. This didn’t change until game grew scarcer and population growth in the late 19th century made it hard for herders to keep up with meat consumption. The Masai who eat their traditional diet of milk, blood, and meat grow extremely tall and healthy. Nor were Eskimo children eating the traditional diet ever known for their stunted growth.

(Chris) #23

IMO, that statement should be reworded to “I do not believe calorie restriction is the best option to optimize growth”.

At 15, I would avoid calorie restriction and eat foods of high nutrient density. The foods promoted in the ketogenic diet are nutrient dense real foods. Candy, soda, and junk food do not complement health.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #24

Your point is well-taken, but my understanding of Saphire’s post was that she thinks that carbohydrate restriction is not the best option to optimize growth. I know that many people believe this, but do not understand why. My belief is that it is the result of being bombarded with advertising for carbohydrate-rich foods since birth, but that is probably just my anti-advertising prejudice speaking.

#25

Have you ever gone to visit old houses from the 18th century? The ceiling heights were pretty low. The average height has increased since then

This article mentions that and explains:

In fact, over the last 150 years the average height of people in industrialized nations has increased approximately 10 centimeters

the observed increase in height has not been continuous since the dawn of man; it began sometime around the middle of the nineteenth century. In fact, examinations of skeletons show no significant differences in height from the stone age through the early 1800s. Also, during World Wars I and II, when hunger was a frequent companion of the German civilian population, the heights of the children actually declined. They only recovered during the post-war years.

Such data are consistent with recent research indicating that slow growth induced by temporary malnourishment can usually be reversed. Chronic underfeeding during childhood, however, permanently affects stature and other traits, including intelligence

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-are-we-getting-taller/

While I do not believe gummy bears will help anyone grow, within reason I do not believe in restricting whole food carbs in a growing child. There is simply not enough data on this and since growth seems to be tied to nutrition and we are taller than 150 years ago, I have to speculate that restricting carbs may discourage growth. As for the Masai and Eskimos, my children do not have that genetic heritage

(5c42cb62e5c022d313b2) #26

I think keto is really working for me, but at 15, don’t start anything without your parent’s permission and that of your physician.