I’ve never been a believer of diet fads. I believe in short term regulation of food and drink intake to achieve a particular short-term goal (i.e., a photo shoot, acting gig, a cleanse, etc.). However, a definition of a healthy diet implies something that you can sustain over a lifetime. One of the craziest I’ve heard of is the low-carb diet. The human body is an amazing biological machine and needs a fine balance of food intake . . . carbs and fats too! Otherwise the body will not function properly and can affect both physical and mental health. A healthy diet also should be followed up with ample physical exercise to be truly effective. With exercise, the body needs to receive an increased intake of carbs to fuel the body’s functions.
Think of your body as a car. The harder, faster you drive, the more fuel your car needs. As with a car, you also have the choice of fuels (i.e., regular, premium, etc.). From intake to exhaust, a healthy car functions with with regular maintenance and fuel. Your body is no different. Today’s Friday Health Check sheds some interesting light on the low-carb fad and some of the side-affects. Feed your body what it needs, it’ll thank you 
Low-carb Diets Cause Euphoria
The early phases of low-carbohydrate diets are accompanied by feelings of well-being and euphoria. Scientists have linked these sensations to ketones (ketosis) - chemicals formed by incomplete breakdown of fats. One of the ketones is B-hydroxybutrate (BHB), a chemical similar to the date rape drug gammahydroxybutryic acid (GHB). GHB is an anesthetic that causes euphoria, unconsciousness and loss of memory; BHB has similar effects. Dr. Andrew Brown from the University of New South Wales speculated that BHB is responsible for the pleasant feelings people feel during the early phases of low-carbohydrate dieting. He suggested that scientists conduct research to determine if GHB and BHB have similar effects on the brain. (Medical Hypotheses, 68:268-271, 2007)
Posted on June 15th, 2007 by Leo
Filed under: Friday Health Check
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