Top healthcare trends to watch in 2019

Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet popped up a couple of years ago and has been growing in popularity ever since. What started as an excuse to add butter and coconut oil to a cup of morning coffee has quickly grown to a protocol that top practitioners are recommending to reduce inflammation, prevent disease, and slow cognitive decline.

The idea behind the ketogenic diet is consuming high fat, adequate protein, and low carbohydrate to keep the body into a consistent state of ketosis, where the body burns fat instead of carbohydrates. Following this notion, savvy practitioners are recommending ketone supplements such as medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, which readily form ketones in the human body that burn fat, reduce production of damaging free radicals, regulate inflammation and immune function, and protect the brain against trauma.

Practitioners argue a ketogenic diet low in processed grains and sugar is the key to optimal health, and we will likely see more practitioners recommend such protocols to patients next year. In fact, David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM, has already added the ketogenic diet to his newly revised edition of “Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar—Your Brain's Silent Killers.” We spoke with him about the ketogenic diet and how it can be beneficial for patients in a recent interview. Click here to read.