Stop Being Thirsty On The Keto Diet
How to Stop Being Thirsty on the Keto Diet. Congratulations! You are Thirsty on the Keto Diet! What the heck am I congratulating you for? Well, being thirsty on keto diet means you have hit the state of Ketosis! You may also noticed you have a bit (or a lot!) of bad breath with this sign. Both are symptoms of achieving the state of ketosis and getting yourself into that fat burning fuel mode! Ketosis means that you have hit the level where ketones are made from fat in your liver and ready to be used as fuel to run your mind and body. The more ketones you burn, the more fat you burn, the more weight you lose! Unfortunately, dry mouth in ketosis may be an issue for you if you don’t drink enough water. You will need to drink a gallon a day if you can. You also urinate a lot more when in ketosis, so you are losing more fluids. What can you do to prevent dry mouth in ketosis? Four tips Stop Being Thirsty on the Keto Diet: Drink a LOT of Water Drink a cup of Bouillon every morning Add Minerals to your water Use a Mouth Wash the prevents dry mouth. Water: Drink good grade water if you can. I have recently found and totally love this water (shown below) and I get it from HEB. I drink one a day with my other water consumption. It is supercharged ionized alkaline water with 9.5 ph level. It really re-hydrates you. Bouillon: On the keto diet, we usually cut our salt in take by more than half, when we cut things like potato chips, french fries, popcorn and other high carb salts from our menu. So, bouillon in the morning has the perfect salt hit and helps keep us from being thirsty. I mash one beef bouillon into a cup add water and microwave for one minute and sip it like coffee. So YUM and fills you up with ZERO carbs! I use Wyler’s Beef Bouillon Cubes, it has zero carbs and ca Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis, And How Long Does It Take To Get Into Ketosis?
Ketosis is a natural state of the body in which it is fueled almost solely by fat. This happens when a person fasts or adheres to a very low carbohydrate diet. The exciting thing about ketosis and ketogenic diets is that you can lose a lot of weight while eating a normal quantity of food. You don’t have to suffer through skimpy portions. There are other benefits of keeping a ketogenic diet as well. These will be explained in the following article. An Explanation of Ketosis The root “keto” in the word ketosis comes from the type of fuel that the body produces when blood sugar is in low supply. The small molecules that are used as fuel are called “ketones.” If you consume very few carbohydrates and only a moderate amount of protein, then the body begins to produce ketones. Ketones are made by the liver from fat. Both the body and the brain can use them as fuel. The brain cannot directly function from fat. It must convert the fat into ketones. Legionella Testing Lab - High Quality Lab Results CDC ELITE & NYSDOH ELAP Certified - Fast Results North America Lab Locations legionellatesting.com When you go on a ketogenic diet, your body almost solely runs on fat. Your insulin levels become rather low as well. Since you are burning so much fat, this is a great way to lose weight. Studies show that ketogenic diets result in greater weight loss. The fastest way to get into ketosis is by fasting. However, you cannot fast for very long, so you need to start a low carb diet. The Brain and Ketones Many people think that the brain needs carbohydrates to function. This is not really true. The brain can work well simply by burning ketones. The reality is that many people feel like they have even more energy and focus when they are fueled by ketones. Benefits of Ketosis There ar Continue reading >>
Am I In Ketosis? The Symptoms And Signs Of Ketosis.
One of the questions people who are new to the LCHF (keto/ketogenic/low carb) diet frequently ask me is: how do I know if I’m in ketosis? What are the main signs of ketosis? Everyone’s different and while some may experience all of the symptoms of ketosis, some might only feel a couple of them. Some feel none at all. There are basic signs and symptoms that indicate that you’re in ketosis. But please note that I’m differentiating between the signs of keto flu (covered in the post I’m linking to) that many experience in the first days of a ketogenic diet, and the feeling of being in ketosis when the flu has subsided: Dry mouth (eat more salt and drink more water to alleviate this). See my keto breath article here. Weight loss. Yay! Metallic taste in your mouth or a strange taste in the back of your throat. Some describe it as fruity or a little sweet. A kind of “buzzing” feeling that’s hard to describe. Almost euphoric at times. Different kind of urine smell, stronger too! “Ketosis breath” – It can range from being a little sweet to being almost like you’ve had a drink of alcohol. Less appetite. You can go for hours without eating and don’t feel very hungry. Increased energy. If you don’t experience it try to eat more fat. Also, drink more water and watch your electrolytes. A ketone strip you pee on shows a positive result. There are also blood ketone meters, or the popular ketone breath test, that give a more specific result. (Pro-tip: If you get the pee strips, cut them in half ) But do note that even with a positive pee strip it’s not 100% certain that you’re in ketosis. A very dark positive result may only indicate that you’re dehydrated. For me personally, the main signs of ketosis are hard to miss. I just feel different! It’s hard Continue reading >>
Recommended Supplements For Ketogenic Diets
Ketogenic diets (Atkins Induction, Keto, LCHF) limit your daily carb intake to around 20-40g. This dramatic reduction forces your body to burn fat as primary fuel instead of glucose – metabolic state known as ketosis. Usually it takes around 5-7 days to break into ketosis. But if your metabolic resistance is high, it could take several weeks. The infamous “keto flu” can strike at this stage. Once you are in ketosis, weight loss becomes easy. Tiredness, hunger and sugar cravings disappear. But you have to watch your carb intake constantly to avoid disrupting ketosis and going back to square one. Recommendations explained Multivitamin/multimineral Cutting out fruit and grains from your diet also cuts vitamins they contain. In the short term, vitamin deficiencies might cause cravings, mood swings and tiredness. Extra-strong multivitamin formula would cover any nutritional gaps. Vitamins also benefit your health over the long term. They reduce oxidative stress and support energy-yielding metabolism. Ketosis will make you thirsty, so you will drink a lot more than usual. Essential electrolytes like potassium and magnesium get depleted faster as a result, causing muscle cramps and headaches. Supplementation is an easy way to avoid this. Some minerals (most notably, chromium and selenium) play a role in regulating blood glucose and can diminish sugar cravings. L-Carnitine, Chromium and Co-Enzyme Q10 Dr Atkins recommended taking these three nutrients together to mobilise fat, reduce metabolic resistance and speed up transition to ketosis. Dieters also take chromium to fight sugar cravings. Psyllium Husk Recommended fibre intake for trouble-free digestion is 18g a day. Dietary fibre comes mostly from fruit, vegetables and grains. If you are only consuming 20-30g of carbs a 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 >>
What Is Ketosis?
Most people have heard they should eat a low-carb diet for weight loss and/or better health, but the word “ketosis” might have some tilting their heads in confusion wondering what’s so special about this funny term. Don’t worry; we’ve got all the details you need to understand the process of ketosis in the body — and more importantly, how you can implement it in your own life! Before you can fully understand ketosis, let’s cover some simple facts about the body and energy. The primary source of energy in the body — which normally fuels every function of the body, from brain cognition to athletic performance — is glucose. You typically get glucose from your diet by eating carbohydrates like: sugar bread grains Beans and legumes fruit starchy vegetables These carbs either turn immediately into glucose in the body or are stored as glycogen in the body to be used as glucose later. However, sometimes the body will have a low supply of glucose, also known as blood sugar. This could be because a person is eating a low-carb diet. When there is no longer enough glucose for the body to use, it turns to an alternative source of energy: your fat stores. It takes the fat stores and the liver breaks them down to make glucose. And when this happens, elements known as ketones are formed as a byproduct of the process. There are three main types of ketone bodies that form in your body during when this happens: Acetate Acetoacetate Beta-hydroxybutryate (BHB) Once ketones are formed, your body can use them as alternative fuel. KETOSIS FOR WEIGHT LOSS Probably the most widely talked about use for ketosis right now is utilizing it for weight loss. In fact, the ketogenic diet is built around creating ketosis in the body. There are several benefits you can experience when you Continue reading >>
Ketosis Explained – For Weight Loss, Health Or Performance
Get Started Ketosis is a natural state for the body, when it is almost completely fueled by fat. This is normal during fasting, or when on a strict low-carb diet. Ketosis has many potential benefits, but there are also side effects. In type 1 diabetes and certain other rare situations excessive ketosis can even become dangerous. On this page you can learn all about how to harness the benefits of ketosis, while avoiding any problems. It all starts with understanding what ketosis is. Choose a section, or keep reading below for all of them. Ketosis ExplainedKetosis Explained BenefitsBenefits How to Get Into KetosisHow to Get Into Ketosis Ketosis ExplainedSymptoms & How to Know You’re In Ketosis Side Effects, Fears & Potential DangersSide Effects, Fears & Potential Dangers How to Reach Optimal KetosisHow to Reach Optimal Ketosis ketones Ketosis Explained The “keto” in the word ketosis comes from the fact that it makes the body produce small fuel molecules called “ketones”.1 This is an alternative fuel for the body, used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply. Ketones are produced if you eat very few carbs (that are broken down into blood sugar) and only moderate amounts of protein (excess protein can be converted to blood sugar). Ketones are produced in the liver, from fat. They are then consumed as fuel in the body, including by the brain. This is important as the brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day,2 and it can’t run on fat directly. It can only run on glucose… or ketones. Maximizing fat burning On a ketogenic diet your entire body switches its fuel supply to run almost entirely on fat. Insulin levels become very low and fat burning increases dramatically. It becomes easy to access your fat stores to burn them off. This is o Continue reading >>
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Ketosis Symptoms
Source Ketosis is the name for a state achieved on a low-carbohydrate diet. According to WebMD, when you are in ketosis, it means your body is burning fat for energy. When that happens, your body releases ketones into your bloodstream, and you are in ketosis. This state may cause a host of temporary symptoms. Understanding the Symptoms Many dieters develop symptoms that let them know ketones are present. For many people beginning a low-carb diet, ketosis kicks in after a few days of strict adherence to the diet. In fact, many low-carbohydrate plans, such as Atkins and paleo, have an initial phase in which dieters take in extremely low amounts of carbohydrates (usually less than 25 grams per day) to kick start ketosis. You can test for ketones in the urine using ketosis strips, or rely on symptoms to tell you ketosis has been achieved. Early Stages Symptoms of ketosis vary, depending how long you've been in the state. In the early stages, the symptoms may be a bit unpleasant. However, as your body adapts to ketones in the bloodstream, symptoms may decrease. Early symptoms usually last for several days or up to a week in some people. This period of symptoms is sometimes called the keto flu. It may continue until your body is used to burning fat instead of glucose. Afterwards, the levels of ketones should lessen, but that doesn't mean you aren't losing weight. It means your body has found a balance and is no longer producing excess ketones. According to Diet Doctor, early stage symptoms include: Flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and headache Nausea Brain fog Constipation Leg cramps Feeling unusually thirsty Irritability Heart palpitations Dry mouth Ketosis breath, which smells fruity and unpleasant Decreased energy and weakness Dizziness Sleep problems Cold hands and feet Continue reading >>
Preparing For Ketosis
Recently, I wrote about Ketogenic eating. If you’re not sure what it is, go and acquaint yourself there, otherwise, keep on reading. Just like any change in your life, it takes time to adapt, and in this case, particularly for your body. How long does it take to enter Ketosis? As with everything biological, it does vary person to person. It could be as short as three days, or as long as ten. Making sure you keep your carbs under 20g a day in the first week is critical. If you make sure your carbs are that low, and fat is adequately high, you can probably expect to be in Ketosis within five days. As your body needs time to start effectively burning fat again, there will be a few days where you feel sub-par, often referred to as “Keto flu” What’s Ketoflu? And how long does it last? Ketoflu is a sort-of carb detox, your body doesn’t have any carbs left to burn, and isn’t yet great at burning fat, so you’ll feel like you have the flu. How poorly you feel and how long it lasts varies, and it’s best to keep hydrated during this time. Many people have reported relief by drinking broth or stock, as sometimes you can feel very, very flat, from a lack of Sodium and Potassium. Thirst, Hydration, and Salt When you cut out carbs, your body will stop retaining unnecessary water. Due to this, you will lose weight rapidly in the first week. Another effect of this is that you’ll be going to the toilet a lot more, and intaking more water than you probably would on another diet. Because of the increased toilet visits, you’ll be losing minerals from your body, so also try and be mindful of how much salt you’re consuming. Remember, the body is very good at telling you what it needs, if you’re craving salt, you probably need it. Tip: See if you can track down ‘Lite Continue reading >>
How To Identify Ketosis
Expert Reviewed Ketosis is a normal metabolic process by which your body breaks down stored fat for energy, which can also result in a dangerous buildup of ketones in the body called ketoacidosis.[1] Ketosis is often the product of a low-carbohydrate diet that people use to lose weight and gain muscle or it can also be a product of malnutrition. Although the long-term risks of ketosis are not clear, there is some evidence that it can increase your risk of heart disease and certain cancers.[2] By recognizing the signs of ketosis, you can help minimize your risk for developing ketoacidosis.[3] Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet - Extreme Thirst, Chapped Lips
I just got results back from my rheumatologist yesterday, and I found that my case of Ankylosing Spondylitis is progressing (spine is showing signs of falling apart). That motivated me to cut out everything but meat for a couple months to see if I can completely halt the progression plus clear up some major digestive distress. I feel great on the ketogenic diet...the inflammation goes way down, but the problem is that after a week, I get so thirsty that I can't seem to drink enough water. My lips even start getting chapped and bleed. Despite guzzling tons, what can I do? If I add sweet potato or squash, I damage my spine. Any advice? Thanks! Lindy Continue reading >>
8 Ways To Blast Through Low-carb Flu And Dive Into Ketosis
Have you just started a low-carb diet? Do you find yourself feeling exhausted and overcome by tiredness? Perhaps you are thinking that going low-carb wasn’t a good idea after all… You might already know that these symptoms are not uncommon, especially if you are doing low-carb for the first time. Also known as “low carb flu” or “Atkins flu”, this phase is completely normal – although by no means pleasant. This condition occurs when you cut your carb intake sharply, to about 20-30g a day, in order to induce ketosis. What is low-carb flu? Your body is used to running on carbs. It’s been operating this way for decades. Cutting carbs in favour of fat is a huge change for your metabolism. Your body needs some time to adjust to this change. This period of adjustment can sometimes cause flu-like symptoms. Fatigue is the most common one, but you could also get muscle cramps, headaches, dizziness and mental fog. Some of these symptoms are markers of sugar withdrawal. Sugar addiction is real and common, so trying to break away can be difficult. Low-carb flu is not actual flu Please note that “low carb flu” does not include fever or respiratory cold-like symptoms such as coughing or sneezing. If you are experiencing any of these, it means that you might have actually caught an infection! So it would be a good idea to postpone starting your diet until you are all clear. How can you fight tiredness and other symptoms of low-carb flu? First of all, remember that it won’t last forever. Low-carb flu usually lasts around 3-5 days (although could be 1-2 weeks for some unlucky people with high metabolic resistance). Here are some simple tips on making this transition easier. 1) Eat more fat Fat is the key to this whole issue. You must eat lots of it – a lot more th Continue reading >>
How To Tell When You’re In Ketosis
Ketosis isn’t some mystical state, achieved only by days and months of fasting and spiritual connection. Kind of the opposite, actually. A lot of people (whether or not they follow a low carb diet) go into a state of ketosis every night without even trying, just by having a functioning metabolism. Of course, as soon as they eat carbs again, they’re knocked out and back to burning carbohydrates preferentially – but we’re not here to talk about them. The question at hand is for those following a low carb diet, who want to be able to tell when they’re in ketosis. Seems simple enough. Keto Sticks I’m including these, and listing them first, because they’re pretty widely known in the keto community. You really can’t throw a rock without hitting a post about them. The thing is, keto sticks work nicely to tell that your body has been in a ketogenic state recently, they just aren’t the best at letting you know whether or not you’re in a ketogenic state now. I’m not totally against using them, just not as a regular means of identifying your body’s current state. They’re certainly a good starting point to try and see when you hit that keto place. Keto Meter There are two varieties of these: blood & breath. Both test your current state of ketosis, but are costly. The advantage of breath over blood is no skin pricking, and any diabetic will tell you that has its benefits. The breath meter will also save you in the long run, if you plan on using this daily for any duration of time. While the blood meter is initially 1/5 the cost of breath, use requires testing strips that are $35 for 10. Yikes. Of course, if you don’t want to spring for a testing meter, you can check your body’s symptoms… Your Pee & Poo Yup. Get excited, you’re about to become very 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 >>
Ketosis Symptoms
Ketosis symptoms are a result of the way the body gets rid of the excess ketone bodies which build up in the blood stream when a person eats a low carb, ketogenic diet. In short, the body has three ways of dealing with excess ketone bodies: First, the muscles liver and brain can burn them for energy in the cells. Second, the body can breathe ketones out through the lungs. And third, the body can flush ketones out through the kidneys and urine. Legionella Testing Lab - High Quality Lab Results CDC ELITE & NYSDOH ELAP Certified - Fast Results North America Lab Locations legionellatesting.com The ketosis symptoms associated with the benign dietary ketosis caused by eating a low carb, ketogenic diet are not dangerous. They may differ for each individual, with the most common symptoms being: Ketosis breath, which has a fruity odor, and the person in deep ketosis may feel a sort of slight burning in the nose and a slight smell of ammonia. Dry mouth, which is alleviated by drinking more regular tap or bottled water. (Reverse osmosis water will make this worse.) In the first week of beginning a ketogenic diet, most people experience frequent urination followed by fatigue, as insulin levels come down, and the kidneys release extraneous water stores. Minerals such as sodium, magnesium and potassium are also lost with excreted urine, and it is the mineral loss that causes the fatigue. This can be offset by eating more salt, drinking more fluids, and increasing the intake of magnesium and potassium containing foods. (Dairy foods and avocados are high in potassium, and you can drink broth for more sodium.) A slight headache at first which goes away in a few days. This is usually a sign of not getting enough salt. Ketone bodies become detectable in the urine. Ketone bodies are molecu Continue reading >>
