Keto diets have
actually been around since the 70's. Eades & Eades wrote "Protein
Power" and Dr. Atkins wrote the first of many of his books about
not eating carbs.
So while fabulous
reviews can be read from people over the decades, dancing parents
must wonder.
Wonder about
disordered eating, or worse yet - a real eating disorder.
In ballet, that
usually means anorexia or bulimia.
But let's get back
to keto diets, or low carbohydrate, higher oil and protein diets.
Ketogenic is a term
that means generating ketones in the blood, which results from lower
carbohydrate intake and increasing the ingestion of (healthy) fats
and proteins.
Considering the
obesity problems the US has, never mind the need of dancing daughters
and sons to be extremely thin, I doubt that the "food pyramid"
is a relevant guide.
But let's consider
the following:
- brain hormones are made from fat - hormones that generate mental clarity and well being
- reproductive hormones are made from -- fats! generating growth and -- well being
- energy -- daily needs and ballet classes -- is generated from fats
- good mood brain chemicals are made from -- fats!
The keto diet
excludes carbohydrates and raises the percent of fats and proteins in
the daily meal menus.
And there is not
only evidence over decades that this is good for pretty well anyone
-- keto diets are recommended for infants with epilepsy. You can
read more about that here -Diet
if you like.
If you have specific
endocrine problems, please follow your endocrinologist's advice.
If you have no
medical condition and want to keep up your fat burning energy and
maintain a healthy weight and love your ballet dancing even more,
look into a keto diet.
If you are the mom
of a dancing daughter/son, here is a book about freezing keto meals with recipes.
If you aren't savvy
about healthy fats yet "Facts About Saturated Fats" will
enlighten you!
I truly hope this
helps with both teen dancer diets and healthy meals for the whole
family.
