Fad Diets?

Taken from Tara’s Choice Newsletter, Aug 2022.

I’m sure you already know where I’m going with this. This 3D reality is all about polarities and the way we eat is no different. I’m talking about vegan vs. ketogenic diets. Currently I am favoring the healthy ketogenic diet again. Here’s my take on all of this.

Firstly, let me just say, I ate vegan for about nine months in the past and, as most everyone knows, I also ate keto for almost 2 years. I actually support both ways of eating. I’ll get back to this point later.

I don’t necessarily believe that either of these two choices are actually any type of scam diet. Despite which side of the fence you’re on, the fact is that both groups have many studies with medical and scientific proof that both diets are beneficial to the human body. Both ways of eating are based on healthy eating that includes lots of healthy vegetables, greens, and fruits (yes, keto does include some fruits), nuts and seeds, while at the same time restricting certain foods. There’s evidence of societies living a vegan lifestyle for thousands of years. The same can be said for meat-eaters. As we know, the vegan diet restricts meat and animal products, and the keto diet restricts carbs and sugar. The vegans say meat causes disease, while the keto people push back with saying carbs and sugar create disease as well. Honestly, they’re both correct. The ketogenic diet, however, was implemented by physicians in the 1920’s for the health of their epileptic patients.

Where I believe the scam or “fad” part comes in, is the very marketing for them. When you walk into the grocery store, and you see products with large, attractive print saying “Vegan” or “Plant-Based”. Or products with “KETO” or “low-carb” slathered all down the side of the package. They’re trying to sell you products, swaying you one way or the other, at a higher cost no doubt. Technically, Oreo cookies are considered vegan, but I wouldn’t come anywhere near them. Technically, most of the packaged snacks and protein bars that are labeled as keto, I wouldn’t touch those either. Honestly, eating “organic” is marketed in the same way. Just because a product is marked as organic and has all the proper labels on it, does not mean it is healthy or even good for you to eat. (Reading labels are a MUST, but that’s a whole different newsletter!)

Coming back to my point earlier about myself supporting both diets. My holistic nutritionist certification was a plant-based study course. I absolutely agree with eating all the plants that are good for us. My motto that I always say is, “If God made it, you’re good to go. If man made it, RUN!” Well, this includes animals. God made the animals as well. I always use myself as an example here and people are not shy about ripping me apart about it. I don’t much care, though, because what is truth, is truth. So, here’s my story.

When my daughter was going through her cancer journey, I went through it with her. Not just as a mother, but whatever she ate, I ate. Whatever natural treatments she had, I experienced most of them with her. We were vegetarian for about six months. Her cancer was getting more aggressive, so she thought maybe being vegan was what she needed to help heal her body. We were vegan then for about nine months. We were very good at it and very strict. Even though both of these diets allows for sugars and processed foods, we did not consume them. Despite the clean eating, we literally did not feel well at all. She had the cancer, but I did not feel well either. When she put together her natural medical team (these were medical doctors, natural doctors, chiropractors, nutritionists, nurses, therapists, and health coaches) we both had our blood work done.

Both of our blood samples showed we were not absorbing B vitamins and plant proteins at all. She was severely anemic. So, her team agreed upon the ketogenic diet. (This diet done correctly was created by medical doctors for their epileptic patients, which then led to discovering its lifesaving abilities for cancer patients.) This is where we began our healthy keto journey.

I honestly felt the best when I was on keto. What they didn’t know back in those days that I have since discovered is that I have a genetic mutation called mthfr (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase). Mthfr does not allow me to absorb folate (B9), B vitamins in general and mostly B-12, a vitamin not found in plants. There are many other things that go along with this mutation, but again, that is for another newsletter. My point I’m trying to make is that I was not well while eating vegan, but eating keto filled in those gaps.

I write all this to say eat healthy foods for your body. Give your body the healthy foods it needs to heal or to be well. I think it’s even fine to flip flop between different types of eating as your body heals and goes through its metabolic changes. I eat tons of greens and veggies every single day! However, carbs and sugars (because carbs also get turned into sugar in the body) are killing me. Quite literally if I remain on this path. I am currently back on the healthy ketogenic diet to restore my health once and for all, from the inside because eating as healthily as I do is just not enough.

Your body will require different nutrients as the chemistry changes. We see this in infants, in puberty, when we are pregnant, when we are going through menopause, and even when we become elderly. If you are one of those that cheers for one side or the other, stop it. Keep an open mind. There is no one right way for everyone to eat at every stage of their life. Plain and simple. However, eating healthy is the right way for all of us to eat. That is the way God intended. God Bless!