Courtesy photo from Randy Storms
The Tribal Emergency Preparedness Department has received two high-volume
(2500cfm) HEPA air filtration “scrubber” units as an equipment grant from the
Oregon Department of Human Services’ Office of Resilience and Emergency Man-
agement. These units will allow the Tribe to operate a “cleaner air shelter” in the
event that smoke from wildfires reaches unsafe levels. One unit will be positioned at
the Siletz Rec Center and the other will be stored at the Tribal Community Center.
USDA distribution dates for November
Siletz
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Nov. 1
Nov. 2
Nov. 3
Nov. 4
Nov. 7
Salem
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sammy Hall, USDA Program Director
541-444-8279; sammyh@ctsi.nsn.us
Fax: 541-444-8306 or 503-391-4296
Monday
Nov. 14 1:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Nov. 15 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
By appt only
Wednesday Nov. 16
LIKE us on Facebook at Siletz
Tribal FDPIR. We would like
to see more people sharing
their recipes on our FB page.
Tribal employment information is available at ctsi.nsn.us.
Let’s talk about fat and the ketogenic diet: Benefits and drawbacks of each one
By Nancy Ludwig, MS, RDN, LD, Head
Start Consulting Nutritionist
Fat seems to be a loaded topic. In my
role as consulting nutritionist for Siletz
Tribal Head Start, I offer practical nutri-
tion information and this month my choice
is to explore fat consumption.
The questions that follow are: Why is
fat important? How can we know if a fat is
healthy? How does a ketogenic diet relate
to fat consumption and what is a ketogenic
diet? How much fat is wise to consume?
What is the history of fat consumption
patterns and ketogenic diets? What are the
benefits and claims associated with keto-
genic diets? What are the potential risks or
complications of a ketogenic diet? Is the
ketogenic diet right for you or your child?
Why is fat important? Fat is a basic
nutrient and it plays important roles in our
bodies. Fat supplies energy, protects our
organs, supports cell growth, is necessary
to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D,
E and K), and helps with regulating and
signaling (which is very important work
behind the scenes, including our hormone
messengers and nerve impulses).
How can we know if a fat is healthy?
Not all fats are created equally. Some are
better choices than others. Research on
fatty foods has been somewhat misleading
because food quality was often not taken
into account.
Natural, fresh, unprocessed and
organic are good rules of thumb for
healthy fats. Avocados, fatty fish, eggs
and nuts are often good healthy sources.
If a fatty food smells rancid, it is not fresh
and is less likely to be healthy. Fat from
fried foods is often less healthy due to the
changes that occur at high temperatures.
Processed fats might include trans-
fats, which are harder for the body to
handle. Most trans-fats were eliminated
from processed foods after labeling laws
required disclosure.
Toxins can accumulate in the fat of
animals and this means that choosing
milk and meat products that are grown and
processed with care is essential. Choosing
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Siletz News
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organic is one way to increase the chances
of healthy fat.
How does a ketogenic diet relate to
fat consumption and what is a ketogenic
diet? A ketogenic (keto) diet is an eating
plan that focuses on foods that provide a
lot of healthful fats, adequate amounts of
protein and very few carbohydrates.
The goal is to get more calories from
fat than from carbohydrates. This results
in the production of molecules called
ketones that the body uses for fuel (rather
than glucose). The state of producing
ketones is known as ketosis.
It is important to focus on finding the
ideal amount of protein to have enough
for growth and repair, but not too much
because when protein is in excess of what
the body needs, it can be turned into sugar.
Carbohydrates are limited dramati-
cally, but there is variation from person
to person. Testing ketone levels is one way
to determine the ideal amount of carbohy-
drate. The remaining calories are from fat .
You can follow this diet without
counting calories or amount of fat by
focusing on hunger and satiety. In simple
terms, satiety is the absence of hunger. It
is common for people in ketosis to report
that they can go long periods of time
without feeling hungry.
How much fat is wise to consume?
In many cases, people may benefit from
eating an increased quantity of healthy
fat. High fat consumption, however, is not
advised if there is a high intake of sugars
and starches. In all cases, unhealthy fats
are not wise to consume.
Excess food calories turn into fat
whether the calories are from fat, protein
or carbohydrates. It is important to be
responsive to hunger cues to know when
to stop eating.
What is the history of fat consump-
tion patterns and ketogenic diets? There
was period when low fat was considered
healthy for most of the population. During
this time, the health of the U.S. popula-
tion declined. Some of this fear around
fat continues.
A great deal of attention has been
placed on ketosis and ketogenic diets in
November 2022
more recent times. This diet is not actually
new, but its uses have expanded.
The ketogenic diet was introduced as
a treatment for epilepsy in the 1920s. As
such, it was primarily used for children
with uncontrolled seizures and continues
to be used today.
Interestingly, ketosis was used to
mimic fasting, which is an ancient prac-
tice with health benefits. In current times,
ketogenic diets are used as a “gateway” to
intermittent fasting as it allows a person
to feel full longer, making it easier to fast
or restrict the window of eating time (with
healing benefits).
What are the benefits and claims
associated with ketogenic diets? Many
claims include the following: support-
ing weight loss, managing blood sugar
for diabetes (primarily type 2, with less
agreement for type 1), improving acne,
possible reduction of risk for certain
cancers, improving heart health, protect-
ing brain function (including traumatic
brain injuries and Alzheimer’s), reducing
seizures and more.
Currently, adults tend to choose keto-
genic diets more frequently than children.
The most common use for children is to
manage seizures. Research on ketogenic
benefits for children is underway for
diabetes, but there isn’t widespread agree-
ment at this time.
What are the potential risks or compli-
cations of a ketogenic diet? Some popula-
tions are at higher risk and should avoid
ketosis or seek medical support when
following the keto diet. At-risk groups
include insulin-dependent diabetics, peo-
ple who have eating disorders, those with
kidney disease or pancreatitis, and women
during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Additionally, people who take medi-
cations such as sodium-glucose cotrans-
porter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for type 2
diabetes should not follow a keto diet. This
medication increases the risk of diabetic
ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that
increases acidity in the blood. Long term,
some of the adverse effects on health may
include kidney stones, excess protein in
the blood, mineral and vitamin deficien-
cies, and a buildup of fat in the liver.
Temporarily, when getting into keto-
sis, people often report feeling the effects
of keto-flu, including possible constipa-
tion, fatigue, low blood sugar, nausea,
vomiting, headaches and a low tolerance
for exercise. People who follow ketogenic
lifestyles often add intermittent fasting,
interspersed with periods in which they
are not in ketosis. This way they develop
metabolic flexibility and improved health.
Is the ketogenic diet right for you or
your child? This is clearly a personal choice
and it is important to discuss this with a
doctor, dietitian or trusted health care pro-
vider, especially for people who are trying
to manage a health problem or disease.
Ketosis is so effective in lowering
blood glucose that it could require imme-
diate compensation. Special caution is
advised when using this dietary approach
for children and teens with diabetes. Any
potential risk could be magnified for
growing children, and therefore should be
carefully monitored as it may entail chang-
ing medications or insulin in addition to
monitoring growth and nutrient status. At
this point, the potential risks for Type 1
diabetes may outweigh the benefits.
My position is that weight loss diets
are not advisable for children. Rather, it
is important to allow children to focus on
healthy foods and behaviors, as well as
hunger and satiety cues, while developing
and growing taller.
Furthermore, due to the severe carbo-
hydrate restrictions for this diet, specific
nutrients may be hard to obtain. Many
children and adults respond well to a less
restrictive diet of nutrient dense, high fiber
fruits and vegetables with adequate nutri-
tious proteins and generous healthy fats.
Please know that Siletz Tribal Head
Start offers nutritional support at no cost
to Head Start families. This usually occurs
over the telephone. If you have nutrition
concerns about your Head Start child or
want to discuss family nutrition concerns,
please contact your teacher or the director
and ask to speak to the nutritionist.