Strange things happen on your way to a Ketogenic Diet. Because you have heard of the benefits of the Ketogenic Diet. you are into it to supplement your regimen for a better figure.
A week or two after you started your program, you are feeling great since you have started to lose weight and progress was amazing. But, like a bomb explosion, you are hit with flu-like symptoms as foggy brain, intense headache, and immense fatigue, you probably have a case of “keto flu”.
You realized this is one of the biggest causes why dieters dropped out of ketogenic diet since studies showed that 1 out of every 12 dieters gets the keto flu.
What is the keto flu?
Known by various names as carb flu or low carb symptoms, keto flu is like the traditional flu. A few days after starting the ketogenic diet you will experience most of its symptoms. It is neither contagious nor dangerous, but it is certainly an unpleasant ordeal.
The uncomfortable and unpleasant feeling suffered is a natural body reaction as the body undergoes a change from glucose burning to fatty acid burning, also known as ketones. Your body’s fat serves as the secondary backup to your body’s fuel source, as well, as staying behind sugar or carbohydrates (in the form of glucose). After the body transformed to fat, burning, it has officially entered Keto flu. It is often set up within 3 to 5 days during your keto diet and can last up to 2 weeks or even longer, in some rare cases.
Some of the more frequently mentioned symptoms of carb flu include:
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Feeling of dizziness
- Intense cravings for some food
- Migraine-like headaches
- Constant irritability
- Frequent muscle cramp or soreness
- Absence of concentration
- Sleeping problems
- Feeling of weakness
Facts about a typical Standard American Diet (SAD)
SAD diet includes eating a daily carbo intake of at least 250 – 350 g of carbohydrate to include sugar. In your daily ketogenic diet, you decreased your carb intake to under 25 g that requires a substantial adjustment. You might not experience any keto flu symptoms until you start the diet.
If you have maintained a healthy diet that is low in processed starch and relatively low in starch and processed sugars, you might only suffer mild symptoms, or possibly none at all. But if your diet is high in sugar. then you are more prone to experience its unpleasant “withdrawal” symptoms.
Here are some scientific theories to explain the Keto Flu:
1.Keto Flu comes from Fat Adaptation
The time when you have stopped eating regular carbs means that and this time, your body reached ketosis and is called fat adaptation stage. The body started using fat as energy. With shortage of carbs, your body utilizes the co-called “muscle glycogen”, that served as the body’s glucose storage. Some studies considered the reduction in muscle glycogen as factors bringing about mood swings and lethargy.
2. Keto Flu is due to Electrolyte Deficiency
When glycogen is used by the body as fuel, during the metabolic process, water is used to flush out of the system. However, with the expulsion of water, the electrolytes needed by your body are also expelled. Electrolytes come in the form of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium that are essential for the efficient operations of the body.
With an imbalanced electrolyte, you begin to experience flu-like symptoms by feeling depleted, sick or sluggish.
3. Keto Flu is caused by the reduction of Insulin levels
This third theory is considered as the most plausible explanation since insulin as a body hormone helps the body absorb glucose from the bloodstream. With less glucose in your system, you don’t need as much insulin to process it (i.e. to lower your blood sugar levels). So when you transformed from high-carb diet to a super low carbs diet, your level of insulin usually drops substantially. It is considered as the best reasons for the benefit of the ketogenic diet. Furthermore, it improves brain function, provides energy to the maximum, serves as blood sugar stabilizer, minimizes seizures, and much more.
When glucose is no longer available as an energy and insulin levels. they are very low, so your liver starts converting fats into ketones. Your cells use these ketones in place of glucose for energy. As soon as your body begins to use ketones as energy. you’ve entered ketosis. But it takes time for your brain and some of your other organs to adjust in using this new fuel source.
Your body has a reaction every time your insulin levels drop, by expelling excess water and sodium that are part of the glycogen or stored carbo in your system. Therefore, you may urinate more often in the first week after starting a keto eating plan. This is the reason why you lose weight in the early period of the diet due to due to lower sodium levels.
Losing sodium and water-weight can really bring out the unwanted keto flu symptoms.
Treatment of keto flu symptoms
The keto flu symptoms are easily treatable. Here are some ways to minimize feelings of discomfort and misery.
- Drink more water.
As your body expelled its water storage, you need a replacement by consuming big amount of clean water to replace what you’re losing. If you are well- hydrated, you can relieve both fatigue and muscle cramping. Liquid replacement will go a long way to deal with diarrhea, which can quickly dehydrate you.
- Restore and replenish electrolytes & micronutrients by consuming an electrolyte supplement daily.
- To boost and recover your electrolytes and other essential micronutrients, consume food rich in potassium as avocados, nuts and veggies; magnesium in nuts, dark chocolate, and fish; calcium in cheese, leafy greens, and seafood (like sardines!); chloride is found in most veggies, olives, and seaweed; phosphorus are sourced from meats, cheese, and seeds. Sodium is contained in salt, soup broth, bacon, and sauerkraut. These are ways to replace the carbs removed from your diet.
- Consume more food.
Never go hungry. Consume as much amount of keto food allowed in the list of diet foods and keep healthy snacks on hand like hard-boiled eggs to build up an appetite and increase your daily caloric intake.
In addition, include as many of these fat sources to your meals as you can such as avocado oil, butter, coconut oil, lard, ghee, Macadamia oil, MCT oil, olive oil and tallow.
- Get rid of your addiction to sugar.
If you’re having a tough time adapting to the ketogenic diet, you can try to eliminate carbs habits gradually instead of all at once.
- Choose healthier carbs that are not the usual junk found in processed foods. You can easily relieve symptoms by consuming good carbs as well as essential micronutrients from fruits and vegetables as your body gets adjusted.
- Relax and take it easy.
If you lack energy, do not force yourself. If you don’t feel like doing a full workout, don’t insist. Give yourself time to adjust to your new lifestyle. Opt for less strenuous and moderate exercise, especially at the start by performing healthy activities like walking, gentle muscle stretching, or simple yoga.
Remember that your body is already under stress adapting to a new fuel system, so don’t place an additional burden on it by forcing a strenuous workout. Pay attention to your body and gradually increase your exercise intensity over time.
- Get adequate rest.
Sleep helps your body overcome stress, so make sure you’re getting enough of it. Take easy stride and relax, especially at the end of the day. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, you may experience relief with these remedies:
- Take an Epsom salt bath,
- Sip tea made from valerian and chamomile,
- Break from devices 2 hours before bed,
- Adopt relaxing yoga routines, and
- Guided meditation.
Knowing these facts about keto flu will help you avoid and handle future problems like a pro.