Keto for Life......

​     I just returned from a lovely afternoon with my neighbors in Birch Bay.   My friend invited us all over for tea and homemade muffins.  I had to forgo most of the food, but I enjoyed the visit.  I'm enjoying other visits as well.  We spent the weekend with family including Steve's sister, who came to Birch Bay with her girls.  Steve took her out fishing along with his brother.  They caught lingcod, coho, and king salmon, all delicious!  I cooked one of the coho whole, and everyone enjoyed it.  It's fun to get together, especially around excellent food.  In other news, I'm considering discontinuing my blog at the end of September, even if I have not lost all the weight I planned on losing.  I still have about ten pounds to go.  If I lose the final ten, I'll be at the top of my appropriate weight. However, I intend to continue the keto diet for many reasons. I plan to continue this diet for the rest of my life. I've delineated all the positive outcomes throughout this blog. I may modify it slightly, but because my blood work is so good and I've experienced minimal impact regarding my lifelong epilepsy issue, I plan to continue keto. Living a primarily carb-free life has benefited me tremendously. As I said last week, some studies have linked simple carbohydrates to Alzheimer's disease, and I certainly don't want to go down that road.  Whether it is good to follow a keto diet indefinitely depends on various factors, including health goals, lifestyle, and any underlying medical conditions.  I know I'll find it easier to maintain my weight loss on a keto diet because it reduces hunger and cravings.  It also helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which can benefit people like me with insulin resistance.  I think that I have higher energy levels and mental clarity on keto.  The problems occur if I do not monitor my intake of foods with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but I'm very careful and include my statin smoothie every day, which covers that for the most part. My cholesterol levels are good, so keto is not a problem.  As with all things, monitoring myself and adjusting if necessary are essential.  So far, I'm thriving on keto and feel I will continue to thrive. It definitely works for me!