Fri, Dec-01-06, 20:52
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Plan: Bernstein Diabetes Soluti
Stats: 260/-/145
BF:
Progress: 63%
Location: Michigan
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Quote:
I believe that the argument that is based on the theory, that the human race has had millions of years of low carb induced ketosis with safe pregnancies, is not valid. Most humans have to consume less than 20 grams of carbs per day to enter into this state of ketosis.
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Some Inuit tribes had cultural taboos against eating any type of plant matter and ate meat and fat only. Others ate what was available seasonally. The fact still remains that those people that lived in climates with seasons did not have access to fruits, vegetables, etc...year round and, given that a typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, some of that time would have been spent at a fairly low carb level; low enough to have been producing ketones. Some of it may have been spent with periods of very little food at all if a woman spent all winter being pregnant. Ketosis can begin anywhere under 50-60 grams of carb, not at 20 or less.
As for losing weight while pregnant, while I wouldn't recommend it as a whole, my OB/GYN wasn't freaked out by the fact that I wound up 25 pounds less after delivery than before I became pregnant; in other words, I lost 25 pounds each time I was pregnant. Actually, I just kept my weight stable during each pregnancy and at the time, I was atually advised to keep my weight gain to 15 pounds or less which was still a net loss considering that baby, placenta and amniotic fluid account for 20-25 pounds. Turns out that maternal high blood sugars are worse for a fetus than mom losing a few pounds. Brain damage? Nope; honor roll students, both of 'em.
It might also be good to note that the presence of ketones is considered normal in most pregnancies, particularly later in the pregnancy. See this link and specifially this quote:
Quote:
In late pregnancy, HCS promotes lipolysis and fat mobilization. The increase in plasma fatty acid and glycerol concentrations is consistent with mobilization of lipid stores. This shift from an anabolic to a catabolic state promotes the use of lipids as a maternal energy source while preserving glucose and amino acids for the fetus. With prolonged fasting (48 h), as well as shorter periods of fasting (18 h), there is a rapid diversion of maternal metabolism to fat oxidation, with an elaboration of ketones (19). Decreases in plasma glucose, insulin, and alanine, and increases in plasma fatty acid and ß-hydroxybutyrate are seen in pregnant women hours before these changes are seen in nonpregnant women (28). The enhanced lipolysis and ketogenesis allow pregnant women to utilize stored lipid to subsidize energy needs and minimize protein catabolism.
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