Would clinical nutritionist Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNC, recommend the keto diet? "Absolutely," but there is a catch. You can't do it forever.
A brief refresher, if you don't already know: the keto diet is a
high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet in which you switch your body's
primary energy source from carbohydrates to fat (i.e., from glucose to
ketones). Up to 80 percent of your calories come from fat — we're not kidding
when we say high-fat! That's what differentiates this diet from something like
Paleo or Atkins — they're both low-carb, but with keto, the emphasis is on the
fats.
"I don't think somebody should be on a full ketogenic diet for more
than three months," he said. "What I teach is not that everybody should
be on a ketogenic diet — the basis of what I teach is traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM — but if somebody has the
goal of overcoming epilepsy, fighting cancer, overcoming blood sugar issues
like diabetes, losing weight, or even some hormonal issues, the ketogenic diet
is a great temporary diet."
