Although cannabis and Ketogenic (Keto) are currently two booming niches in “natural” medicine, there is very little information about the synergy between them. Keto diets have been found extremely useful for weight loss and reducing levels of inflammation and epilepsy. Marijuana has proven helpful in treating similar ailments such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, chronic pain, and even drug abuse.
But what happens when you combine these two natural solutions? How do they help each other in alleviating health issues? This article explains what you need to know about combining Keto diets with marijuana.
What is Keto
As you already know, our body generally needs glucose (sugar) as fuel to function properly, but with a keto diet, the body is forced to use fat as an energy source instead of glucose. This is because keto limits sugar consumption and encourages higher fat intake.
This diet keeps your body in a ketosis state. Ketosis is not a sickness, nor is it an abnormality. It is merely a metabolic state in which the liver turns fat to ketones (fatty acid) to provide energy for the body. You can’t ordinarily stay in a ketosis state, except during pregnancy or when you engage in heavy workout sessions such as CrossFit.
Aside from weight loss and inflammation, keto is known to possess properties that help to improve fight cancer, diabetics, and Autoimmune endocrine diseases. However, although keto diets are very safe for most people, some individuals need to speak with their doctors before taking such diets.
Keto Foods that Help Cannabis Absorption
Nuts
Although nuts are healthy, low-carb food, not every nut is keto-friendly. So it’s vital to understand which nuts are suitable for keto before adding them to your diet. Some of the top keto nuts include pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, Macadamia, Walnuts, Peanuts, almonds, and hazelnuts.
Berries
Unlike most fruits, berries are extremely low in carbs. Aside from having high fiber, they also have antioxidant properties that can help to reduce inflammation and protect the body against chronic diseases. Some of the best berries are Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, and Strawberries.
Fat Balls
This keto diet is popularly called fat bombs. They are small snacks that require no baking, and they are perfect for dessert. Fat balls recipes mostly consist of healthy fats, little or no protein, and natural sweeteners. Some of the ingredients include nut butter, cream cheese, cocoa powder, and coconut oil.
How Cannabis and Keto Help Each Other
Keto and marijuana are a great match. They can help each other in different ways. Although some people like to smoke or use herbal vape pens, others like to eat edibles. Although many people don’t know, there are a lot of Keto recipes you can use to make edibles.
Inflammation
Inflammation helps to heal and protect our bodies against illness and harmful substances through the release of chemicals from the white blood cells into the tissues and blood. While this sounds cool, too much inflammation can do more harm than good. People with excess inflammation face the risk of having chronic and autoimmune diseases that tend to make them very weak.
Five classic symptoms of inflammation include joint pain, heat, joint redness, swollen joints and loss of joint function.
Anti-inflammatory substances and foods can help reduce the level of inflammation in the body. Keto diet and cannabis possess significant anti-inflammatory properties, which makes them very beneficial for those suffering battling with health conditions caused by inflammation.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is basically the primary reason why the ketogenic diet was developed in the 1920s. Epileptic patients who were placed on keto diets responded very well, and they experienced a reduction in seizures.
Children with cases of epilepsy are now expected to stay a few days without food before starting a keto diet as part of their therapy, as revealed by a 2008 study. Similarly, a 2016 study published in the Journal Seizure showed that medical cannabis with a high amount of CBD was effective in treating Intractable epileptic seizures.
Cancer
Cancer is simply one of many diseases that is caused by an abnormal growth in the cell, which spreads uncontrollably to other parts of the body. Cancerous cells evade and destroy the healthy body tissues as they flood the blood, forming solid tumors.
Although there is currently no true cure for cancer, treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy have always been a conventional way of managing the disease. However, recent studies suggest that both ketogenic diets and cannabis, when combined with special drugs and procedures, are therapeutically effective in combating cancerous tumor growth, which can lead to remission.
