High in fat and low in sugar is the motto of the ketogenic diet, with the goal of reducing blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates being the energy fuel of our body, by reducing them, we force the latter to draw on its fat reserves to produce energy. Pastries, candies and sweets are therefore banned, as well as pasta, rice, semolina, bread, flour and certain fruits that are too sweet. Conversely, we do not deprive ourselves on eggs, meats and fish, avocados, or even seeds (almonds, pistachios, walnuts). As this is a very unbalanced diet, which was originally prescribed by doctors, it is advisable to be followed if you want to follow this diet.

In my patient base, those who follow a ketogenic diet are adults, who wish to benefit from its therapeutic virtues in the context of cancer or who want to lose weight. This diet is also particularly effective in curbing resistance to weight loss. Three to Four consultations in 2 months are enough for the patient to fully familiarize himself with the practice of the ketogenic diet. Then the follow-up depends on his need to be accompanied. Some come every month. Others come for a point one or two times a year. I encourage them to adopt this diet for life. If it was the keto recipes that made them lose weight, helped their body no longer be a breeding ground for cancer development, then why change it?

Not at all. When I started my studies in dietetics, I already had some knowledge of nutrition because I wrote articles for the press. I was therefore already immersed in the current issues and debates of nutrition. I approached my training more with the desire to feed myself from the science of the human body and food. As much, this purely scientific teaching was in-depth and of quality as I always had a critical mind concerning the courses of regimes, nutrition. The materials that connect the two, food and organism.

Critical in the sense that I questioned this information very marked by the recommendations of ANSES and PNNS, sometimes questionable, compared to what I could read in the scientific literature, to my growing scientific knowledge, in order to have a discernment. It is therefore very easily and in an enlightened manner, that I take the opposite view of what has been taught to me. The biggest difficulty is convincing my patients to eat fat. After years of unnecessary demonization of fats, telling them that they will do them good, that it is they who will participate in treating them or making them lose weight, cannot do without a solid argument.

Already talking about the diet, making it known to health professionals and patients. All those who have cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, lesions following a stroke should have the information to have the chance to decide to follow it. Fortunately, the literature that deals with it is developing in France. Promote ketogenic recipes. On paper, she frightens. In practice, this cuisine is very tasty. The high fat content offers great culinary possibilities. It was a real pleasure to create the recipes for Keto Cuisine. We are very far from the boredom of certain regimes.  

My strong argument for skeptics or those who are afraid to start: the almost 100 years of hindsight on the results of this diet followed by children with epilepsy and which continues to prove its worth in certain hula-communities in France in particular.

You should already have understood the benefits of a ketogenic diet and have understood what it consists of. I always advise my patients to be equipped: a carbohydrate counter, essential for successfully hunting down sugars, recipes, having established a varied shopping list and even having done the shopping for at least 1 week.