The Low Carb Clinic’s Guide to Lockdown: Our top 3 reasons to stay low-carb (even in quarantine)

By The Low Carb Clinic, 5th May 2020 - 483 words (3-minute read)

No argument: being stuck inside all day can throw your heath completely off.  

Distractions, temptations, emotions and boredom… it is very understandable that your sleep, mood, energy and diet might suffer. And as easy as it might be to say “I’ll think about it once lockdown is over…” we believe that now is actually the best time to keep your health goals front-and-centre and build on your helpful habits.  

Our top three reasons to stay low-carb, even when the going gets tough: 

#1: Your immune system works better 

It’s fair enough to be worried about catching a nasty virus (at any time in your life, not just now). But a strong immune system is what will get you and your family through.  

Having lots of extra sugar in your blood is one sure way to really hurt the cells of your immune system – high blood sugar puts you at risk of all kinds of infections… whether it be from a virus, a bacteria, or a fungus[1]. Even short-term high blood sugar (say, after a fruit juice or bowl of pasta) can damage your immune system[2]. 

Not consuming carbs is one sure way to keep extra sugar out of your blood. Plus, keeping carbs low means there’s more room for foods high in immune-boosting nutrients: say all the zinc in red meat, the vitamin D in free-range eggs, and the Vitamin A in oily fish[3]. 

#2: Your brain runs smoother and your mood stays high  

On low-carb, you swap from using glucose (from carbs) to using ketones for fuel – and your brain absolutely loves ketones.  

Ketones not only burn cleaner than glucose does – with less oxidative stress, and less inflammation – they can even protect your brain cells from other types of damage [4] (like maybe the damage from the extra stress you’ve been under, or the extra wines you’ve been having…). Ketones help you to think more clearly and boost your memory[5], and many people find low-carb helps with anxiety and depression. 

#3: Your hunger decreases and your energy stays stable  

We all know the feeling: a sugar high, and then a sugar low, and then… cravings hit.  

That’s because carbs cause a huge spike in your blood sugar, followed by a massive low. This is a huge stress for your body: because suddenly it thinks it is out of energy. That is why you end up uncontrollably hungry, anxious, searching-the-cupboards in a frenzy. But by staying low-carb, you’re sticking with fats, proteins and veggies (like butter, fish, meat, eggs, cheese, salads)… and these don’t spike your blood sugar the way carbs do. Carbs and sugar have another weapon: they put your hunger-hormones into overdrive. Like ghrelin, the hormone of a ghr-umbling stomach. Or dopamine, the hormone of craving and addiction (it’s dopamine in charge when all you can think about is chocolate). 

Pretty soon, quitting sugar means less of that dopamine-led craving, and staying low-carb will puts the lid on ghrelin[6]. There’s more: ketones, protein and fat also bring out cholecystokinin (CCK) – a hormone that makes you feel full[7].  

So low carb means less “I’m hungry” hormones and more “I’m full” hormones…? That is certainly going to make staying out of the cupboards far easier. 

Hopefully, you’re convinced that staying low-carb is a worthy priority. But what about everything else that is important to your health?  

References

1. Casqueiro, J., J. Casqueiro, and C. Alves, Infections in patients with diabetes mellitus: A review of pathogenesis. Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 2012. 16 Suppl 1(Suppl1): p. S27-S36. 
2. Jafar, N., H. Edriss, and K. Nugent, The Effect of Short-Term Hyperglycemia on the Innate Immune System. Am J Med Sci, 2016. 351(2): p. 201-11. 
3. Maggini, S., A. Pierre, and P.C. Calder, Immune Function and Micronutrient Requirements Change over the Life Course. Nutrients, 2018. 10(10): p. 1531. 
4. Hallbook, T., et al., The effects of the ketogenic diet on behaviour and cognition. Epilepsy Research, 2011. 100(3): p. 304-309. 
5. Gasior, M., M. Rogawski, and A. Hartman, Neuroprotective and disease-modifying effects of a ketogenic diet. Behavioural Pharmacology, 2006. 17(5): p. 431-439. 
6. Paoli, A., et al., Ketosis, ketogenic diet and food intake control: a complex relationship. Front Psychol, 2015. 6: p. 27. 
7. Sumithran, P., et al., Ketosis and appetite-mediating nutrients and hormones after weight loss. Eur J Clin Nutr, 2013. 67(7): p. 759-64.