Keto Headache Guide
Try 5 keto headache remedies proven to work within 30 minutes. Learn why a keto headache happens on a low carb diet and find out how long yours will last. See how to prevent a keto headache from recurring in the future. Keto Headache Cures If you need immediate keto headache relief, here are five different proven remedies you can use to cure it within 30 minutes. This works just as well if you have a keto headache first day in versus a keto headache two weeks in. 1. Drink warm water with half teaspoon of table salt. You might want to try the simplest solution first. Add half a teaspoon of table salt to a 24 ounce glass of warm water (3 cups) and drink it. This should cure your headache within 20-30 minutes if it’s being caused dehydration or sodium deficit. I have tried this drink both cold and warm. When the water is cold it’s damn near intolerable, but when the water is warm, I can get it down. 2. Drink a carton of bone broth. If warm salt water isn’t to your tastes, then try sipping down a carton of bone broth. You can drink chicken or beef bone broth, doesn’t matter. Drink 16 ounces (2 cups) or more to ensure you get enough sodium. The beef bone broth pictured above is a bland, almost tasteless drink that I much prefer with a spoonful of butter added. Butter improves the taste and keeps you inline with your keto macros as it adds a lot of fat. 3. Drink vegetable bouillon dissolved in two cups of water. Boil two cups of water in the microwave, then drop in a bouillon tab and stir it with a spoon to help it dissolve. Drink up. This is a good headache remedy if you’re doing vegan keto. It’s also surprisingly delicious. The vegetable bouillon is definitely the best tasting of the 5 keto headache remedies. I had never even heard of it before I started my rese Continue reading >>
Is There A Dark Side Of Ketosis?
I can’t remember what appetizer she pointed to, but the woman sitting to the left of me said this so casually, and several folks at the table knew exactly what she meant, confirming what I’d long suspected: Ketogenic diets have officially gone mainstream – or recognizable at a party mainstream at least – in 2017. Let’s back up and demystify ketosis, which simply means you’re utilizing ketone bodies – more commonly called ketones – rather than glucose as your body’s primary fuel. Just like your car uses gasoline, your body needs fuel. That usually means glucose. But let’s say you’re on a very-low carbohydrate, higher-fat diet. Your body doesn’t get a lot of glucose, which primarily comes from carbohydrate and to a lesser degree protein. That means your liver’s backup glucose (glycogen) also becomes in short supply. Unlike your car, your body doesn’t just shut down. Thankfully, you have an alternative fuel source called ketones. Ketones are organic compounds your liver always makes. You’re cranking out ketones right now as you read this. During starvation or (more likely) when you restrict carbohydrate and increase fat intake, your body uses ketones as its primary fuel. In other words, when your body doesn’t receive or can’t make enough glucose, it shifts to this alternative fuel. Almost every organ can utilize ketones except for your red blood cells (which don’t have ketone-metabolizing mitochondria) and liver. Your liver, in fact, does the heavy lifting. This hardworking organ metabolizes fat into three ketone bodies: acetoacetate (ACA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and acetone.(1) BHB is the first substrate that kicks ketosis into action. Among its benefits, BHB reduces chronic inflammation and restores healthy inflammation levels. In Continue reading >>
Chronic Dehydration
How much water do you drink in a day? How many fresh, raw fruits and vegetables do you consume? These are just a few questions that can help you start to evaluate how hydrated or dehydrated you might be. The majority of people today are chronically dehydrated, even if they don’t realize it or even feel thirsty. Why are so many people chronically dehydrated? One main reason is the dehydrating effect of all the toxins and poisons you are exposed to throughout your time here on earth. Toxic heavy metals, radiation, the viral explosion, and DDT, which make up the Unforgiving Four I brought to light in my book Life-Changing Foods, can greatly impact your level of dehydration. Other pollutants you may encounter can have a dehydrating effect as well. Combine that with the food, drink, and lifestyle choices many people make, and the dehydration we come into this world with (more on this below), and you have a recipe for chronic dehydration. You most likely have heard of the importance of staying hydrated, but do you know why hydration is so vitally important? The information shared here will highlight the many reasons why you and your loved ones need to stay hydrated and will provide you with some simple ways to begin reversing chronic dehydration and its negative effects. How Thick Is Your Blood? One of the reasons you should do your best to stay hydrated is to avoid developing thick blood. If you reach a certain level of dehydration, your blood can thicken and give rise to numerous health issues. Once someone develops thick blood, it becomes much more challenging for his or her heart to draw up fresh, clean blood from the liver. The heart may also have greater difficulty providing the brain and other organs with adequate blood and oxygen. Over time, this continuous exertion Continue reading >>
10 Things Your Pee Can Tell You About Your Body: Taking A Deep Dive Into Urinalysis, Dehydration, Ketosis, Ph & More!
See, for the past several days, I’ve been randomly grabbing drinking glasses from the shelf in the kitchen… …and peeing into them. And yes, I realize that now you will likely never want to join me at my home for a dinner party. So why the heck am I urinating into our family’s kitchenware? It’s all about better living through science and figuring out ways to live longer and feel better (at least that’s what I tell my wife to appease her). It’s also about my sheer curiosity and desire to delve into an N=1 experiment in self-quantification with urinalysis. It’s also because I’ve been too lazy to order one of those special urinalysis specimen cups with the cute plastic lid. And let’s face it: with my relatively frequent use of a three day gut testing panel, my wife is already somewhat accustomed to giant Fed-Ex bags full of poop tubes sitting in the fridge, so urine can’t be all that bad, right? Anyways, in this article, you’re going to learn exactly why I think it’s a good idea to occasionally study one’s own urine, and you’ll also discover 10 very interesting things your pee can tell you about your body. Enjoy, and as usual, leave your questions, thoughts, feedback, and stories of your own adventures in urinalysis below this post. ———————– The History Of My Interest In Urinalysis Two years ago, I first became interested in urinalysis when I discovered a new start-up called “uChek”. The premise of uChek was quite simple. People with diabetes who want to check the amount of glucose in their urine would simply be able to download uChek to their iPhone or iPad. Then, after a “mid-stream collection,” (yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like and, in my experience, despite my Private Gym training, can be quite difficult to Continue reading >>
The 4 Ketosis Symptoms You Should Be Looking For
Ketosis is the condition in which your body begins burning fat instead of carbs for its energy source. The benefits of ketosis range widely, but some of the best include: fat loss increased endurance less cravings shredded physique neurological optimization But how do you know when you’re in ketosis? Are there symptoms that you’re in ketosis? Is there a way to “feel” like you’re in ketosis? Obviously the best way to see if you’re in ketosis is to test you breath, blood, or urine. However, we’ve constructed the following list to help you detect the signs that you’ve transitioned into ketosis and turned your body into a fat burning machine! If you’ve been on the Ketogenic Diet for at least a week, run through this list of ketosis symptoms, and see if they fit what you’re experiencing! 1. Ketosis Breath A popular report from many low-carb and keto dieters is that their breath is less than desirable. The smell has been compared to fingernail polish remover, which is believed to come from the presence of acetone. Acetone is, of course, a ketone body, and is also found in many brands of nail-polish remover. 2. Keto Flu After a life full of ingesting large portions of carbs for energy, dropping carbs and moving into ketosis can often result in ketosis symptoms known collectively as the “keto flu.” It’s not unheard to feel light-headed, fatigued, or anemic when your body runs out of carb stores and begins turning to fat for its fuel source. You might feel irritable, or short-tempered; this is your body’s natural reaction to having sugar removed. Much like an addict in rehab, when you cut out mass amounts of processed sugars, you turn into a bit of a monster. Ketosis symptoms also include nausea, or stomach aches. These can be caused by your stomach r Continue reading >>
What’s Up With My Pee?
Sometimes new ketonians think of the strangest things to ask about on the Ketogenic Success Facebook group. One thing that just seems to keep coming up, again and again, is the question regarding changes to their urine stream. (I always want to remind people that there are over one hundred forty thousand users in the Ketogenic Success group, and maybe this isn’t a question they would ask in front of a crowd that large, but clearly, the question is on a lot of minds!) So let’s look at a couple of changes you may notice in the toilet after emptying your bladder. Change in Color You may find that your urine is changing color. Frequently folks report it getting lighter. This is totally normal. When you pass more water through your body, the urochrome that gives your urine its yellow color is diluted and your liquid waste may shift in hue to become straw colored. This happens as your cells release their retained water, as well, so this sight is commonly paired with a ‘whoosh’ in weight loss as inflammation decreases in your body. If your urine becomes nearly clear, or entirely transparent, you may be drinking too much water. Don’t force yourself to drink water if you’re not thirsty (unless you are dehydrated, more on that in a moment). If you are continuously drinking water and your pee is clear, be sure to replace your electrolytes with each serving (easiest thing to do is add Himalayan salt to your water bottle, or even pop a couple of H Salt crystals with each new glass of water). You can also replace electrolytes by drinking a shot of pickle or olive brine (just make sure it’s high quality, without unnecessary chemical ingredients). If your urine gets darker, on the other hand, you are likely not drinking enough water. Sometimes when we are dehydrated our b Continue reading >>
Keto Tip: 5 Reasons You Need To Drink More Water On A Ketogenic Diet!
It’s often been said that most problems you run in to on a ketogenic diet can be solved by doing one of three things; drink more water, eat more salt, or eat more fat. Over the years as I’ve done this, I’ve found this adage to be fairly accurate as most of the “tweaks” I’ve done to get over a plateau or speed up my weight loss has been some variation of these 3 things. Probably the most powerful part of that truth is to drink more water. I’ve seen over and over again how upping my water intake leads to faster weight loss and a healthier overall feeling as I continue on this little weight loss journey of mine. Here are 5 reasons you should be drinking more water on a Ketogenic Diet Replaces Lost Water This is something I just didn’t know when I started cutting out the carbs and wasn’t prepared to deal with in those early days. Your body stores glycogen in water in your muscles. As your body burns through that stored glycogen and you don’t replace it because you aren’t eating carbs, your body’s water stores get depleted as well. This is why you tend to lose up to 10 lbs in the first week on keto and also what causes the “keto flu” or the miserable feeling that happens just before you switch over to being fat adapted. That feeling is caused by mild dehydration and can be shorten tremendously just by drinking more water. Like I said, that would have been awesome to know in those early days. Suppresses Appetite and Curbs Cravings This is another one of those things that I really wish I had known early on but every time you have a hunger pang or a sugar craving, just drink some water and they go away fairly quickly. In fact, even though I’m almost 2 years into this journey of mine, it is still the ever present glass of water on my computer desk t Continue reading >>
Ketosis: What Is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a normal metabolic process. When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead; this results in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body. Some people encourage ketosis by following a diet called the ketogenic or low-carb diet. The aim of the diet is to try and burn unwanted fat by forcing the body to rely on fat for energy, rather than carbohydrates. Ketosis is also commonly observed in patients with diabetes, as the process can occur if the body does not have enough insulin or is not using insulin correctly. Problems associated with extreme levels of ketosis are more likely to develop in patients with type 1 diabetes compared with type 2 diabetes patients. Ketosis occurs when the body does not have sufficient access to its primary fuel source, glucose. Ketosis describes a condition where fat stores are broken down to produce energy, which also produces ketones, a type of acid. As ketone levels rise, the acidity of the blood also increases, leading to ketoacidosis, a serious condition that can prove fatal. People with type 1 diabetes are more likely to develop ketoacidosis, for which emergency medical treatment is required to avoid or treat diabetic coma. Some people follow a ketogenic (low-carb) diet to try to lose weight by forcing the body to burn fat stores. What is ketosis? In normal circumstances, the body's cells use glucose as their primary form of energy. Glucose is typically derived from dietary carbohydrates, including: sugar - such as fruits and milk or yogurt starchy foods - such as bread and pasta The body breaks these down into simple sugars. Glucose can either be used to fuel the body or be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. If there is not enough glucose available to meet energy demands, th Continue reading >>
Ketosis
There is a lot of confusion about the term ketosis among medical professionals as well as laypeople. It is important to understand when and why nutritional ketosis occurs, and why it should not be confused with the metabolic disorder we call ketoacidosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state where the liver produces small organic molecules called ketone bodies. Most cells in the body can use ketone bodies as a source of energy. When there is a limited supply of external energy sources, such as during prolonged fasting or carbohydrate restriction, ketone bodies can provide energy for most organs. In this situation, ketosis can be regarded as a reasonable, adaptive physiologic response that is essential for life, enabling us to survive periods of famine. Nutritional ketosis should not be confused with ketoacidosis, a metabolic condition where the blood becomes acidic as a result of the accumulation of ketone bodies. Ketoacidosis can have serious consequences and may need urgent medical treatment. The most common forms are diabetic ketoacidosis and alcoholic ketoacidosis. What Is Ketosis? The human body can be regarded as a biologic machine. Machines need energy to operate. Some use gasoline, others use electricity, and some use other power resources. Glucose is the primary fuel for most cells and organs in the body. To obtain energy, cells must take up glucose from the blood. Once glucose enters the cells, a series of metabolic reactions break it down into carbon dioxide and water, releasing energy in the process. The body has an ability to store excess glucose in the form of glycogen. In this way, energy can be stored for later use. Glycogen consists of long chains of glucose molecules and is primarily found in the liver and skeletal muscle. Liver glycogen stores are used to mai Continue reading >>
Ketosis
Not to be confused with Ketoacidosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which some of the body's energy supply comes from ketone bodies in the blood, in contrast to a state of glycolysis in which blood glucose provides energy. Ketosis is a result of metabolizing fat to provide energy. Ketosis is a nutritional process characterised by serum concentrations of ketone bodies over 0.5 mM, with low and stable levels of insulin and blood glucose.[1][2] It is almost always generalized with hyperketonemia, that is, an elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood throughout the body. Ketone bodies are formed by ketogenesis when liver glycogen stores are depleted (or from metabolising medium-chain triglycerides[3]). The main ketone bodies used for energy are acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate,[4] and the levels of ketone bodies are regulated mainly by insulin and glucagon.[5] Most cells in the body can use both glucose and ketone bodies for fuel, and during ketosis, free fatty acids and glucose synthesis (gluconeogenesis) fuel the remainder. Longer-term ketosis may result from fasting or staying on a low-carbohydrate diet (ketogenic diet), and deliberately induced ketosis serves as a medical intervention for various conditions, such as intractable epilepsy, and the various types of diabetes.[6] In glycolysis, higher levels of insulin promote storage of body fat and block release of fat from adipose tissues, while in ketosis, fat reserves are readily released and consumed.[5][7] For this reason, ketosis is sometimes referred to as the body's "fat burning" mode.[8] Ketosis and ketoacidosis are similar, but ketoacidosis is an acute life-threatening state requiring prompt medical intervention while ketosis can be physiological. However, there are situations (such as treatment-resistant Continue reading >>
Low Carb Studies, Research And Media Clips About Atkins Diet And Low-carb Diets. Arguments For And Against Are Presented Here For Objectivity. In Our Opinion, Arguments Against Low-carb Dieting Are Based On False, Simplistic Assumptions.
Discuss this article! HCRC FAQ Sheet Health Care Reality Check Ketogenic Diets By Ellen Coleman, RD, MA, MPH Can a person eat unlimited calories, and still lose weight, as long as they severely restrict carbohydrates? No, they cannot. The basis of ketogenic diets, such as the Atkins Diet, is a severe restriction of carbohydrate calories, which simply causes a net reduction in total calories. Since carbohydrate calories are limited, intake of fat usually increases. This high fat diet causes ketosis (increased blood ketones from fat breakdown) which suppresses hunger, and thus contributes to caloric restriction. Low carbohydrate diets are also characterized by initial rapid weight loss, primarily due to excessive water loss. A decreased carbohydrate intake causes liver and muscle glycogen depletion, which causes a large loss of water, since about three parts of water are stored with one part of glycogen. Also, restricting carbohydrate intake reduces the kidney's ability to concentrate urine, leading to an increased excretion of sodium. All these factors combine to cause a powerful but temporary diuresis. Dieters cherish this rapid initial weight loss and assume it represents fat loss. Actually, their body fat stores are virtually untouched. And, as the body adjusts for the water deficit, the weight loss slows or ceases. The dieter often becomes frustrated and abandons the diet. Individuals who do stick with it may lose weight due to the caloric restriction mentioned above. A ketogenic diet may or may not have side effects, depending on the individual person. It is certainly riskier for overweight individuals with medical problems such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, and diabetes than it is for overweight people with no health problems. Complications associ Continue reading >>
Symptoms Of Ketosis And Diabetic Ketoacidosis Warning Signs
Ketosis or nutritional ketosis is a perfectly healthy metabolic process in which the body burns stored fats for energy when it doesn’t have adequate glucose. Mild ketosis may help you lose weight and even be therapeutic. Unfortunately, there’s another less desirable condition that’s easily confused with ketosis – and that’s diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This is a high blood sugar-related emergency that accounts for over 100,000 hospital admissions every single year in the United States alone.1 DKA strikes those with diabetes and, if left unchecked, could even put you in a coma. Understanding ketosis and DKA and knowing how they’re different could save your life if you’re diabetic. Mild Ketosis Has Therapeutic Benefits People on diets like the ketogenic diet or Atkins diet cut down carb intake and switch to a diet that’s high in protein and fat instead. This sets your body up for ketosis, which is intended to help with weight loss. Some studies have even found that ketosis can help lower levels of blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, besides bringing down body weight and body mass index.2 Mild ketosis has also been explored for its therapeutic applications in diseases associated with free radical damage, hypoxia (oxygen deficiency in tissues), and insulin resistance.3 But There Are Still Some Side Effects Of Ketosis When you are on a low-carb diet or haven’t eaten for a long time, the body undergoes ketosis and you may experience some side effects.4 These are usually temporary and occur initially when your body is adjusting to burning fat and ketones instead of carbs. Some compare these ketosis symptoms to those you’d experience when you are coming down with flu, giving rise to the term “ketosis flu” or just “ket Continue reading >>
8 Low-carb Conundrums
Thinking of making the switch to low carb? Here's the lowdown on eight low-carb diet side effects. The good news? They're temporary. Low-carb diets are known to burn serious blubber. Many followers of the low-carb life experience quick fat loss, lower hunger levels, and stable energy. Since low-carb lovers cut out most "cheat" foods, like donuts and candy, they also have a fairly easy time controlling total caloric intake. Sounds like fat-loss paradise, right? As those who have undergone the "low-carb switch" can attest, the early fat loss often comes at a price. The first few days or weeks of low-carb living can be a bear, physically and mentally. As your brain and body struggle to adapt to post-glycogen life, you might be downright miserable. Don't pound a Mountain Dew in despair—the misery is often temporary. Before you pay thousands to have that "ketogenic 4 life" tattoo removed, check out this list of common short-term side effects that accompany the switch to low-carb. You won't necessarily suffer from them all, but knowing the signs can help you prepare. The first major side effect that you'll likely experience—usually about 2-3 days into your low-carb "induction"—is a mental lethargy often called "brain fog." You may find yourself staring at the wall for extended periods of time, feeling half-drunk, and unproductive at work. What gives? The primary reason this occurs is because your brain, if given the opportunity, will run almost entirely on glucose. Once your body makes the switch from burning carbs to burning fat, your brain will begin to use ketones as fuel—but not until you've burned up your body's glycogen stores. This is why people often go super-low carb at first: To use up that dwindling glycogen as quickly as possible. In the meantime, you are Continue reading >>
Low-carb Diets And Dehydration
It is well known that dehydration is a potential adverse effect of a ketogenic diet, which is one higher in fat with adequate protein and lower in carbohydrates. Nutritionists should be watchful, in particular, of those who use ketogenic diets as therapy for certain conditions such as epilepsy and type 2 diabetes. A study in epileptic children on ketogenic diets, for example, found dehydration to be the "most common early-onset compllication"and higher in those who fasted (1-2). The dehydration could be partly blamed on the incidence of GI tract adverse effects (1). When treating those with type 2 diabetes with a ketogenic diet, it is advisable to instruct drinking up to eight 8 oz. glasses of water daily. There may also be need for adjusting those recommendations if certain medications were used such as diuretics. According to the researchers who performed an intervention trial on those with type 2 diabetes and a ketogenic diet that resulted in a few adverse effects, the following was concluded: "Until we learn more about using low carbohydrate diets, medical monitoring for hypoglycemia, dehydration, and electrolyte abnormalities is imperative in patients taking diabetes or diuretic medications" (1). The lower carbs can have a diuretic effect on the body, which should lead clinicians to be aware and make recommendations for increased water intake as necessary. 1. Duschowny MS. Food for thought: The ketogenic diet and adverse effects in children. Epilepsy Curr. 2005 July;5(4):152-154. Available at: Available at: 2. Kang HC, Chung da E, Kim DW, Kim HD. Epilepsia 2004;45:1116-1123. Available at: Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet Part 4: Avoiding Common Side Effects Of Ketosis
In the final part of this series, we’ll explore some common “side-effects” of a ketogenic diet, and how you can combat them. You can view previous parts here: The Ketogenic Diet Part 1: What is Keto?, The Ketogenic Diet Part 2: Sugar, Insulin, and Inflammation, The Ketogenic Diet Part 3: How to Become Fat Adapted Side-Effects and Dampers of a Ketogenic Diet People who follow a low-carb diet often complain of unpleasant side effects. In this section, I will explain what causes these side effects, and how to prevent them. I call my approach to the ketogenic diet a “well-formulated keto-adapted diet,” because it maximizes the benefits while minimizing any unpleasant side effects. Carb Quantity and Food Quality Low-carb diets often get bad press, and many times studies show that they “don’t work.” Why is this? Let’s dive into the so-called “low carb” studies. In these studies, the participants were reducing their carbohydrates to 150 grams per, didn’t eliminate gluten, and often didn’t eliminate dairy. Sure, reducing their carbohydrates from 300 grams a day makes 150 grams look like low-carb, but it isn’t! A well-formulated keto-adapted diet will be closer to 30 grams of carbohydrates per day. Cutting out these “complex carbohydrates,” as well as gluten, is essential in order for you to become the keto-adapted fat burner we all strive to be. Sugar Cravings One of the best side effects of becoming keto-adapted is the disappearance of the desire for carbohydrates and sugar, but it can take some time. If you find yourself indulging in carbs on the weekends, whether it is a beer or a piece of pizza, these indulgences will throw you out of ketosis. This is why I often discuss with my clients the possibility of adding specific supplements: bifido b Continue reading >>
