Article Date: 12 March 2019
Let’s start with the obvious: most people’s guts are crying out for help, and no, celery juice isn’t enough. One thing missing from most modern diets? Roughage. That glorious, unsexy fibre that helps clear the runway (aka your colon), supports healthy digestion, and keeps the good bugs in your microbiome fed and functional.
Yes, fibre supports regularity, but it also fuels your gut’s ecosystem, reducing bloating, stabilising blood sugar, and helping regulate hormones. It’s your body’s built-in sweep system.
→ [Explore the BioHax Candida & Liver Health Blog & Recipes]
→ [Find a Functional Gut Practitioner]
Keto Isn’t New. It’s Just Finally Cool.
Long before it was trending on TikTok, the ketogenic diet was saving lives in clinical settings. First trialled in the 1920s to treat epilepsy, keto is a high-fat, ultra-low-carb approach grounded in real metabolic science.
Here’s how it works:
When you eat carbs, your body produces glucose (for energy) and insulin (to shuttle that glucose around). Since glucose is the quickest fuel source, your body always burns it first and fat gets sidelined, stored, and ignored.
But when you cut back carbs, something shifts. You enter a state called ketosis, your body starts producing ketones, a backup fuel made from fat. And boom, just like that, you’ve flipped the metabolic switch from sugar-burner to fat-burner.
Ketosis: Your Body’s Built-In Backup Generator
Fun fact: we’re literally born in ketosis. Newborns survive on breast milk and ketones until solid food arrives. So no, this isn’t a fad, it’s biological design.
The trick isn’t starving yourself. It’s starving your sugar cravings. A well-formulated keto diet keeps you nourished but trains your body to tap into stored fat for fuel. The result? Fewer energy crashes. Sharper focus. Reduced inflammation. And, yep, weight loss that sticks.
How Much Fibre Do You Actually Need?
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), most adults should aim for 25 to 31 grams of fibre daily, depending on age and gender. And no, that coconut flour muffin isn’t cutting it.
Low-carb doesn’t mean no fibre. On keto, it’s essential to load up on non-starchy veggies, chia seeds, psyllium husk, and gut-loving greens that keep things moving, especially while your microbiome adjusts.
Dr Axe on Keto: Do It Smart and Don’t Stay Forever
According to functional medicine expert Dr. Josh Axe, keto is a powerful therapeutic tool for:
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Fat loss (without starving)
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Stabilising blood sugar and insulin resistance
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Reducing the cycle of bingeing and cravings
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Supporting cognition and potentially lowering Alzheimer’s risk
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Disrupting cancer cell metabolism (cancer thrives on sugar)
But he’s clear: this isn’t a forever diet. Most people should cycle off after 3 to 6 months, gradually reintroducing low-glycaemic carbs while maintaining metabolic flexibility.
How to Start Without Losing Your Mind
Dr Axe’s keto-for-beginners breakdown is refreshingly simple:
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Cut your carbs.
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Up your healthy fats (think avocado, ghee, coconut oil, fatty fish).
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Ditch the sugar, burn the fat.
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Wait for ketones to rise - then ride the wave.
And yes, there’s a sweet spot: roughly 80% fat, 10% carbs, 10% protein. Stay hydrated, salt your food, and make fibre your friend.
So Is Keto Right for You?
That depends. Got candida overgrowth? Blood sugar rollercoasters? Insulin resistance? Hormonal chaos? It could help. But if you’re chronically stressed, underweight, or already dealing with sluggish liver detox (hello estrogen dominance), start slow and work with a pro.
→ [Explore our Hormone Intel Directory]
→ [BioHax-Approved Gut & Liver Support Products]
And if you do try keto, don’t just do bacon and butter bombs. Do it clean. Do it consciously. And most of all - listen to your gut.
