Strategies To Quickly Overcome The Keto Flu

The keto flu is a collection of flu-like symptoms experienced by some people when they start a ketogenic diet. This occurs as the body transitions from burning sugar to burning fat for energy. While the symptoms are usually temporary, lasting only a few days to a few weeks, they can be very unpleasant and include fatigue, headaches, nausea, and constipation. To accelerate the keto flu and alleviate its symptoms, it is recommended to:

- Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, as the body loses water weight when transitioning to a ketogenic diet.

- Increase salt and electrolyte intake to replace lost sodium and maintain hydration.

- Consume more healthy fats to ensure satiety and provide the body with its primary fuel source on a ketogenic diet.

- Get adequate sleep to reduce stress and fatigue.

- Avoid strenuous exercise during the initial transition period to reduce fatigue and allow the body to adjust.

Drink more water

Drinking plenty of water is one of the key ways to accelerate the keto flu and reduce its symptoms. The keto flu is a collection of flu-like symptoms that occur when the body is adapting to a ketogenic diet, which is very low in carbohydrates. The transition to burning fat for energy instead of glucose can be a shock to the body, and this metabolic switch is what causes the keto flu.

Staying hydrated is essential for optimal health and can help alleviate specific symptoms of the keto flu. When you start a keto diet, your body can rapidly shed water stores, leading to dehydration. This is because glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrates, binds to water in the body. As you reduce your carbohydrate intake, glycogen levels drop, and water is excreted. Therefore, it is crucial to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and reduce symptoms such as fatigue and muscle cramping.

Always drink when you feel thirsty, and try to anticipate your thirst by keeping a filled reusable water bottle with you at all times. Drinking most of your water during the day will also help you avoid frequent trips to the bathroom at night.

In addition to drinking plenty of water, it is important to replace lost electrolytes, as your body also loses electrolytes when it dumps water. Adding more salt to your food or drinking sports drinks can help your body adjust to ketosis more smoothly.

Increase sodium intake

Increasing Sodium Intake to Alleviate Keto Flu Symptoms

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms that some people experience when they start a ketogenic diet. This occurs as the body adapts to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates. The symptoms can include nausea, constipation, headaches, fatigue, and sugar cravings.

One way to alleviate these symptoms is to increase your sodium intake. When you start a ketogenic diet, your body will begin to excrete more sodium in your urine, along with water. This can lead to dehydration and a loss of electrolytes, which can cause many of the keto flu symptoms.

To combat this, you can increase your sodium intake by salting your food. This will help to replace the sodium lost through urination and can help your body retain more fluids. It is important to be cautious, however, as increasing salt intake can be dangerous for people with certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure or congestive heart failure. Consult with your doctor before increasing your salt intake.

In addition to increasing your sodium intake, you should also make sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. This will help to replace the fluids lost and can further alleviate keto flu symptoms.

By increasing your sodium intake and staying hydrated, you can help your body adjust to a ketogenic diet and reduce the unpleasant symptoms of keto flu.

Consume more fat

Consuming more fat is an important part of the keto diet and can help alleviate keto flu symptoms. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can cause weight loss and improve health. When you cut carbs out of your diet, your body will start burning fat instead, which can lead to a variety of flu-like symptoms as your body adjusts to this new way of fuelling itself.

To help your body transition to using fat for energy, you should eat more fat. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is necessary to ensure your body has enough energy. A well-balanced keto diet includes enough fat to ensure you are not hungry after a meal, can go several hours without eating, and have ample energy.

You can add more fat to your diet by consuming fatty meats, salmon, butter, olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds. It is also important to increase your intake of fat at the start of your keto journey until your body adapts to using fat and ketones for energy. Once you are fat-adapted, you can let your appetite guide you in cutting back on fat.

In addition to eating more fat, it is crucial to stay hydrated and replace lost electrolytes during the keto flu. Drinking plenty of water and supplementing with sodium, potassium, and magnesium can help alleviate symptoms.

Avoid strenuous exercise

When starting a ketogenic diet, it is common to experience a set of symptoms known as the "keto flu." This occurs as your body adapts to a new way of eating that involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake. The keto flu can cause various mild to severe flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, muscle cramps, and stomach discomfort, which typically arise within the first few days of starting the diet.

To accelerate the keto flu and alleviate these unpleasant symptoms, it is recommended to avoid strenuous exercise during the initial phase of the diet. Here are some detailed instructions and insights on why avoiding strenuous exercise can help:

Impact of Exercise on Keto Flu

While regular exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and aiding in weight loss, it is advisable to modify your workout routine when experiencing keto flu symptoms. Strenuous exercises, such as intense biking, running, weightlifting, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can exacerbate the symptoms and cause further discomfort. Instead, focus on light activities that won't strain your body too much.

Recommended Types of Exercise

During the first week of the keto diet, opt for low-intensity cardio workouts, such as leisure cycling, jogging at a comfortable pace, or swimming. Strength training with light weights and lower repetitions is also suitable. These exercises help improve your focus and boost mental clarity. They also aid in depleting glycogen stores, facilitating the transition into ketosis.

Benefits of Light Exercise

Light exercises provide several benefits during the keto flu phase:

• Improve symptoms: Engaging in light activities like walking, yoga, or leisurely biking can help improve symptoms such as fatigue and muscle cramps.
• Promote recovery: Instead of intense workouts, prioritize rest and lighter forms of exercise to allow your body to recover and adjust to the new diet.
• Support ketosis: Light exercises help deplete glycogen stores, which is essential for transitioning into ketosis, the state where your body burns fat for energy.

Additional Tips for Managing Keto Flu

While avoiding strenuous exercise is beneficial, there are other important strategies to manage keto flu effectively:

• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, which can worsen muscle cramps and headaches.
• Replenish electrolytes: Include salt, potassium, and magnesium in your diet to prevent electrolyte imbalances that may contribute to keto flu symptoms.
• Get adequate sleep: Lack of sleep can increase stress hormones, making keto flu symptoms worse. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
• Eat enough fat: Ensure you're consuming sufficient healthy fats, as they are the primary fuel source on the keto diet. This will help reduce cravings and keep you feeling satisfied.

Get more sleep

Sleep is your body's time for rest, repair, and rejuvenation. Getting enough sleep supports your body's natural recovery and adaptation during the transition to ketosis. Quality rest—seven to eight hours per night for adults—can help reduce fatigue, irritability, and brain fog, which are commonly associated with keto flu.

To get more sleep, try the following:

• Reduce your caffeine intake. Caffeine is a stimulant that may negatively impact your sleep. If you drink caffeinated beverages, do so only in the morning so your sleep is not affected.
• Cut out ambient light. Shut off cell phones, computers, and televisions in the bedroom to create a dark environment and promote restful sleep.
• Take a bath. Adding Epsom salt or lavender essential oil to your bath is a relaxing way to wind down and get ready for sleep.
• Get up early. Waking up at the same time every day and avoiding oversleeping may help normalise your sleep patterns and improve sleep quality over time.
• Take a power nap or two during the day if you struggle to get enough sleep at night. You can go back to your normal sleep schedule once you're in ketosis.

Frequently asked questions