The Keto diet continues to be a mainstay in the world of wellness, health and physical fitness. This extremely low-carb diet puts your body into a state of ketosis, a natural metabolic condition in which the body begins to use stored fat as fuel.
BIPRI does not endorse the Keto diet or any dietary program.
Talk to your doctor before beginning any new diet.
Keto can be a great tool in achieving weight loss, increasing muscle percentage or other wellness goals. And it can also be a great diet plan for brain wellness. But the body’s initial reaction to the Keto diet can leave you wondering if this is the right choice.
What is the Keto Flu?
The so-called “keto flu” or “carb flu” is the transitional period your body experiences when switching to a very low-carb diet. While some people make the switch with minimal or mild side effects, others may feel as though they have a severe case of the flu. Symptoms may start within a few days of cutting carbs and can include one or more of the following:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Irritability
- Muscle cramps or soreness
- Sugar Cravings
- Difficulty Concentrating
Symptoms usually resolve themselves within a week, though some people do experience them longer. Fortunately, there are some ways to manage, mitigate and reduce the symptoms.
Combatting the Carb Flu
Just like influenza, the carb flu can make you feel like you’ve been run over by a semi! But don’t give up on the lifestyle change just yet. Unlike the flu virus, where there is very little that can be done to relieve the symptoms and the virus must be allowed to run its course, the carb flu has some remedies.
#1 Stay Hydrated
One of the biggest culprits of the keto flu is dehydration. Glycogen (stored carbs) bind to water. So as your intake of carbs decreases, glycogen levels sharply drop, which means water is expelled from the body. Dehydration can contribute to feelings of lethargy, irritability and muscle cramps. Ensuring adequate levels of hydration can reduce these symptoms.
#2 Maintain Healthy Levels of Key Nutrients
When you first reduce your carb intake, a few important nutrients take a hit. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium often plummet. And if you have ever heard a sports drink commercial, you know electrolytes are important to the balance and stability of your bodily functions. Replenishing these key nutrients can reduce the headaches, muscle cramps and sleep issues associated with carb flu.
Adding a carb-free supplement to help boost your energy and restore electrolytes may help. BIPRI offers Keto Brain, featuring a proprietary blend of beta-hydroxybutyrate (goBHB®) as a source of brain and body energy. If you’re battling keto flu, Keto Brain may help you get over the hump!
#3 Sleep Well
Fatigue and irritability are common complaints when beginning the keto diet. Regardless of the cause, when your body is experiencing new fatigue or irritability, ensuring adequate sleep can help. Plus, when you’re sleep deprived, your body increases it’s levels of the hormone cortisol, which can actually exacerbate keto flu symptoms as well as worsen moods. (Bacopa, found in Relaxed Brain and other BIPRI products, can help manage cortisol levels.)
#4 Back Away from Intense Workouts
As your body recalibrates to this new dietary lifestyle, you may be tempted to continue or even increase your exercise routines. After all, you’re doing Keto for your physical well-being. But give your body a break. Allow your body to rest. After all, if you are experiencing muscle cramps or soreness, you may cause injury from poor form or overuse.
And isn’t it better to lower your intensity for a week as your body adjusts instead of knocking yourself out of exercising due to an injury for a few months? It’s just not worth the risk. This doesn’t mean you have to be completely sedentary.
- Take a walk instead of a run.
- Try a yoga class in lieu of lifting weights.
- Enjoy the sights and sounds of nature on a leisurely bike ride instead of taking a high intensity cycling class.
Give Keto Flu the Old One-Two!
When you decide to begin a Keto diet, go in with eyes wide open, prepared for the possible side effects your body may initially experience. Then, have your plan in place to mitigate those side effects. Order your Keto Brain supply and be ready to go. And never run out with our subscribe and save option (available on all supplements). And, for a limited time, BIPRI is offering 15% off subscriptions, as well as a 15-minute consultation with our Clinic Director, whenever you purchase a subscription.
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