Alleviate Keto Flu Symptoms Keto Flu Remedies
Carbohydrates retain water in the body, so when you eliminate them, you experience a significant water loss.
This explains why some people have amazing weight loss results the first week on the keto diet, but its important to keep in mind that its mostly water.
The problem with your body flushing out so much water is that much-needed electrolytes are flushed out too. An electrolyte imbalance can lead to fatigue, irritability, and depressionjust to name a few.
Unfortunately, simply drinking more water wont be enough. In addition to drinking plenty of water, you must also replenish those electrolytes.
Your bodys electrolytes are made up of several essential minerals, but for the purpose of the keto flu, we will focus on three specific minerals: Salt, Magnesium, and Potassium
Keto And Stomach Distress
GI issues might be the #1 complaint of people on the keto diet, with constipation leading the way, thanks to a lack of fiber-rich whole grains and fruit on the plan, which help keep traffic moving. To help, experts say to drink a lot of water and include plenty of fibrous, keto-friendly vegetablesbrussels sprouts, cauliflower, chardas well as avocados and nuts. And berries, which are allowed on the diet in moderation, are a great source of fiber.
Alternately, you might run into a bout of diarrhea, especially if youre replacing sugary drinks and sugar-filled products with artificial sweeteners. You can ease some of this stomach distress by choosing natural sweeteners like stevia.
Also, fat itself might be responsible for a case of the runs, since your body is most likely not use to having to process such copious amounts of it. Because you can lose a lot of water with diarrhea, be sure to gulp more H2
You can also try adding sugar-free psyllium fiber supplements, which can bulk up loose stool.
What Can I Do To Remedy The Keto Flu
Drink more water: Make sure youre getting enough fluids. Take your body weight, cut it in half and drink at least that many ounces of water a day , advises Josh Axe.
Add MCT oil: Upping your fat intake could help you start to burn fat instead of glucose more quickly, thereby easing the flu symptoms. A keto coffee or can help, as both have MCT oil , which is easily metabolized into ketones, says Dr. DAgostino.
Eat more magnesium: Blood work in people experiencing keto flu often shows a dip in magnesium, explains Dr. DAgostino. Loading up on magnesium-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, almonds and spinach may help relieve symptoms.
Prep your body: To help your body prepare for ketosis , Dr. Axe recommends easing into the diet. How? A few days before you want to start, add more healthy fats to your meals. That way, its less of a shock to the system.
Give your body some self-care: If youre not feeling great, try giving your body some time to relax. A soothing bath, calming meditation session or just unwinding in front of the TV might help you feel better.
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How To Overcome Keto Flu
The keto diet replaces one energy source with another, but as the body starts using ketones for energy instead of glucose, many dieters report flu-like symptoms. These effects are nothing to worry about and will pass as your body adjusts to the new diet, but theyre still not fun to experience. However, theres a lot you can do to feel better and overcome the keto flu!
Here Are Some Of The Measures That Can Be Taken To Prevent It Or To Treat It Better:
- Drink a lot of water because the body loses a lot of fluids during this diet and therefore there is a high risk of dehydration. It is essential to take at least 3 liters a day and not too cold water.
- Taking electrolyte supplements is important and it is the main supplement that the body loses in large quantities. A good tip is to eat foods rich in sodium, potassium, and magnesium combined with supplements that do not contain sugars and carbohydrates.
- Drinking broth prepared with vegetables and sea salt or pink salt is another useful measure. If you take it regularly, it will help you to keep the sodium level high.
- Eat whenever you feel hunger because in this first phase there is the risk of ketosis flu. In the keto diet, it is not important to lose weight but to enter the ketosis phase quickly without getting sick. So, without being afraid of calories and getting fat, you have to eat every time whenever you are hungry.
- Add seeds to vegetables to avoid constipation or intestinal problems. These fibers, in particular chia, flax, sunflower, sesame, and poppy seeds are very beneficial because they naturally help intestinal transit.
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The Keto Flu: Symptoms And How To Get Rid Of It
The ketogenic diet has gained popularity as a natural way to lose weight and improve health.
The diet is very low in carbohydrates, high in fat and moderate in protein.
While the diet is considered safe for most people, its associated with some unpleasant side effects.
The keto flu, also called the carb flu, is a term coined by followers to describe the symptoms they experience when beginning the diet.
This article investigates what the keto flu is, why it happens and how to ease its symptoms.
The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they first start the keto diet.
These symptoms, which can feel similar to the flu, are caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very little carbohydrates.
Reducing your carb intake forces your body to burn ketones for energy instead of glucose.
Ketones are byproducts of fat breakdown and become the main fuel source when following a ketogenic diet.
Normally, fat is reserved as a secondary fuel source to use when glucose is not available.
This switch to burning fat for energy is called ketosis. It occurs during specific circumstances, including starvation and fasting (
However, ketosis can also be reached by adopting a very low-carb diet.
In a ketogenic diet, carbohydrates are typically reduced to under 50 grams per day .
This drastic reduction can come as a shock to the body and may cause withdrawal-like symptoms, similar to those experienced when weaning off an addictive substance like caffeine .
The Keto Flu Isnt Going Away
For some people, going from eating as many carbohydrates as they want to eating less than 30 grams a day feels like crashing into a brick wall. To add insult to injury, the keto flu only gets worse no matter what they do to remedy it.
If this sounds like you, then try this approach proposed by Dr. Cate:
If you jump into program and hit a brick wall because of side effects, instead of giving up on low-carbing for good, add back your carbs until you feel better again and then try cutting down again, but go slow to give your body the time to adapt to the idea.
This is a great concept, but how do you put it into practice?
Try gradually reducing your carbohydrate intake by 10 grams a day. Increase your fat consumption each day for satiation and satiety, while keeping your protein the same. This slow tampering down of carbohydrates can help you get into ketosis without experiencing any keto flu symptoms.
If you are not a fan of the idea of rigidly tracking you carbohydrates, then you can try the gradual elimination method. Each week remove a carbohydrate source from your diet. For example:
Whether you go slow and steady or restrict your carbohydrates right away, it is possible to get into ketosis with ease and grace. The keto flu can be a speed bump on your road to ketosis, but you can just take another road.
P.S. Have a look at the Keto Academy, our foolproof 30-day keto meal planner. It has all the tools, information, and recipes needed for you to succeed.
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Consider Adjusting Your Diet
There are mixed reports on whether changing your diet to include more healthy fats or reintroduce small amounts of carbs could help with keto flu symptoms.
For some people, eating more fat provides more calories, potentially helping with their symptoms.
Adding some carbs back for a slower transition from a high-carb diet to a keto meal plan may help to reduce keto flu symptoms. But some people claim this prolongs keto flu symptoms by moving you in and out of ketosis. More vigorous research is needed for keto diet participants to confidently know which path to take to reduce keto flu symptoms.
The keto flu seems like an unfortunate part for many people who wish to follow a ketogenic diet. Speak with your healthcare provider if you have any specific concerns or if your symptoms last.
Add Some Carbs Back In
If none of the above seem to calm your keto flu woes, you may want to consider a more scaled approach to keto dieting. This means upping your carb intake slightly to give your body more time to adapt to using more fat for fuel.
Depending on what your diet looked like before going keto, dropping your carb goal to less than 5% of your calories can feel pretty drastic for some. If your new lifestyle is feeling a jolt to the system, you can slow down and take your time by cutting back on carbohydrates a little bit at a time.
Start with a more moderate approach. For example, if your old eating habits put your macro ratio somewhere in the ranges of 50% carbs, 20% protein, and 30% fat, try starting out around 20-30% carbs and 40% fat. Then keep adjusting every couple of weeks as your body becomes more fat adapted and metabolically efficient.
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Quick Advice To A Smooth Recovery
Okay so before we get to the nitty-gritty on how to cope with the flu, you must first understand what you shouldnt do.
At a general level, do not just react to these symptoms by making any quick decisions because you may be unknowingly going the opposite direction away from your path to ketosis.
Always remember the things you have to sacrifice and habits you must change to get where you want to be.
It just isnt as plain and simple as just avoiding carbs, but you must also try to combat your cravings. Do not go to the dark side and indulge in those sugary sweets by any means. Put down that soda and if you really need to get your fizzy fix, at least go for the sugar-free versions. If you are a coffee lover dont add the usual amount of sugar.
Protein is another nutrient you dont want to take too much of. Your body is capable of turning protein into glucose which could delay your transition to ketosis and extend the time you body experiences the keto flu.
Sodium Rich Foods For Keto Flu
Sodium is the most common electrolyte imbalance involved in the keto flu, and fortunately, its the easiest to incorporate into your food.
Daily Sodium Goal: 4000-7000 mg per day
Here are ways to get more sodium from food:
- Salt add it to everything! The goal is 4000-7000 mg of sodium per day, which is approximately 2-3 teaspoons of sea salt or table salt daily. This will vary slightly depending on the brand of salt you buy, though, because sodium content varies. If you can, get Himalayan pink salt.
REMINDER: Let go of any lingering sodium is bad concerns. Remember, your body is flushing out a lot of it when you eat keto, and depleted sodium is a big part of why you feel bad!
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How Long Does The Keto Flu Last
Symptoms of the keto flu generally begin within the first day or two of removing carbs. For an average person, the keto flu can last a week or less but in extreme cases the keto flu can last up to a month. However, depending on your genetics, you may never experience the keto flu. Some people are naturally metabolically flexible, meaning they can shift metabolic states easily without experiencing health symptoms.
Your Definitive Guide To Conquering The Keto Flu
- The keto flu is your bodys natural response to carbohydrate restriction.
- Its symptoms include: brain fog, headache, chills, sore throat, digestive issues, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, and more.
- Symptoms typically last from a few days to two weeks, and up to a month at most.
- Metabolic flexibility, meaning your ability to adapt to different fuel sources , dictates the severity of symptoms.
- Keto flu remedies include: proper hydration bone broth electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium eating more good fat like MCTs rest and sleep mild exercise or meditation activated charcoal exogenous ketone supplements and in some cases, eating more carbs.
You started the keto diet and are just not feeling it. Instead of all those amazing ketogenic benefits youve heard about supreme fat burn, increased energy, keto clarity, and a vibrant sense of well-being you are irritable at the breakfast table, dizzy all day, and not sleeping at night. The culprit of this miserable feeling? Oh, right: the keto flu. Its a natural reaction your body undergoes as it switches from burning sugar to fat for energy. In order to get from here to there, your body needs to make a few modifications to the way it runs.
Read on to learn whats in store as you rev up your internal engine, keto-style.
View keto flu remedies
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Five Ways To Beat The Keto Flu
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Starting a ketogenic diet is by far the best lifestyle change most people will ever make. There are so many benefits to starting keto, such as increase in mental clarity, higher energy levels, and of course, weight loss. There are so many benefits to a ketogenic diet, and we have outlined a few of them in our article, Five Reasons Why We Chose the Keto Diet and Why Its Working. But, in spite all of the benefits, there can be one huge drawback to Keto. Keto Flu!
Falling Levels Of Blood Glucose
The huge reduction of carbohydrates you consume daily causes a deficit of glucose levels in the body. The metabolic system is still adjusting to burning fats for energy production. As we have established, carbs have an effect on the brain equivalent to that of other addictive substances.
A fall in the glucose blood levels not only results in a feeling of lethargy, but also a deficit of energy in the brain, and the feel-good hormone dopamine is not produced. A resulting effect is a number of psychological and physical side effects manifested in the keto flu.
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E Increase Healthy Fats & Calories
When you start eating the keto diet your body is no longer getting its energy from glucose & crabs.
So it is very important to make sure that you are eating a good amount of healthy fats which are also keto friendly.
You can eat avocados, fatty fish, nuts, and flex and chia seeds in your diet.
As these foods are full of healthy fats these fats will definitely help you to reduce your keto flu symptoms.
Keto Flu Symptoms And What They Mean
If youre wondering, what are the symptoms of keto flu?, I have the full list above, but Im also going to break down the symptoms caused by the deficiency of each of the major electrolytes commonly impacted by the keto flu.
Many of these are similar , but there are some differences. Still, these lists can help you identify which deficiencies you might have.
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Go For 1/2 An Avocado A Day For Potassium
Avocados are a great source of potassium to aid in rebalancing electrolytes. Grab half and avocado, sprinkle some sea salt and lime juice and eat with a fork! Other potassium rich foods include BACON, mushrooms and spinach! Please note: Potassium has a significant role in relaxing cardiovascular function and can be dangerous in excess. I do not recommend nutritional supplementation for potassium outside of an electrolyte blend. Focus on food sources and do not exceed recommended intake. Anddid you see bacon is included??
Why Does Keto Flu Happen
Modern medicine doesnt really provide any solid answers as to why some people feel so terrible with keto flu while making the switch to a ketogenic diet, while others may have mild or no symptoms.
But like a juice cleanse, some symptoms of the keto flu are probably related to general detox and making a dramatic dietary change.
This can shock the gut a little bit, but shouldnt be anything the body cannot adapt to relatively quickly, in a matter of days to be more specific.
Followers of the keto diet maintain that after your body has shifted to burn ketones instead of sugar, the keto flu will no longer be an issue.
Once they get to the other side of the keto flu, most people report feeling better than ever. Like any good detox, you can deal with keto flu symptoms with a little strategy and easy natural remedies.
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