Strategies To Combat Keto Flu Symptoms

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they start a ketogenic diet. This happens because the body is adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates. Symptoms can include fatigue, muscle soreness, nausea, dizziness, sugar cravings, and cramping. The good news is that there are ways to reduce these flu-like symptoms and help your body adjust to the new diet. Here are some strategies to fight the keto flu:

- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and prevent dehydration, which is a common issue when starting a ketogenic diet.

- Get enough sleep and rest, avoiding strenuous exercise until you feel more energised.

- Consume more electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, to replace those lost due to the diet's diuretic effects.

- Gradually reduce your carbohydrate intake over a few days or weeks instead of cutting them out all at once.

- Eat more healthy fats to ensure you're consuming enough calories and to help your body transition to burning fat for fuel.

- Take electrolyte supplements or drink sugar-free sports drinks to quickly and easily replenish electrolytes.

- Try light exercise, such as yoga or walking, to boost your mood and relieve muscle pain and tension.

Drink more water

Drinking more water is one of the most important things you can do to fight keto flu. This is because a keto diet can cause a rapid loss of water from the body, increasing the risk of dehydration.

When you start a keto diet, your body switches from burning carbohydrates (glucose) to fatty acids for energy. This metabolic process, known as ketosis, can lead to a loss of water and electrolytes, which are necessary for critical body functions.

To prevent dehydration, it is recommended that women drink 91 ounces of water daily, while men should aim for 125 ounces. However, it is important to listen to your body and adjust your water intake accordingly.

In addition to water, you can also drink no-calorie flavoured water to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated will not only help with keto flu symptoms like fatigue and muscle cramping but may also help you feel more full and reduce cravings.

Tips to Drink More Water

• Set a reminder on your phone or always keep a full glass of water within reach.
• Aim for a minimum of half your body weight in ounces of water per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, aim for 75 ounces of water.
• If you are very active, drink extra water to compensate for fluid loss through sweating.
• Keep a bottle of water with time markers near you to encourage frequent drinking.
• Drink herbal tea, such as chamomile, to help promote a deeper sleep if you are experiencing sleep disturbances due to keto flu.

Get enough sleep

Sleep is important for everyone, but it is even more important for people on a keto diet. Lack of sleep can increase cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone that can amplify keto flu symptoms.

• Reduce caffeine intake: Caffeine is a stimulant that may negatively impact sleep. If you drink caffeinated beverages, limit them to the morning so your sleep is not affected.
• Cut out ambient light: Turn 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.
• Exercise: Getting enough exercise during the day can help you fall asleep faster at night, reduce stress and anxiety that may contribute to insomnia, and improve sleep quality.
• Relaxation techniques: Try activities that you find calming and enjoyable, such as reading, listening to music, stretching, or taking a shower. You can also add a relaxation technique to your bedtime routine, such as muscle relaxation exercises.
• Proper sleep hygiene: Practise good sleeping habits by maintaining a consistent routine for going to bed and waking up, keeping your bedroom quiet, dark, and relaxing, removing electronic devices, and avoiding large meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime.
• Stay hydrated: Dehydration can lead to sleep issues and is associated with shorter overall sleep times. People on a keto diet need to pay extra attention to their water intake as dehydration is a common side effect of the diet.

Eat more fat

Fat is the primary fuel source on a ketogenic diet. Eating more fat will help reduce cravings and keep you feeling satisfied. Research shows that low-carb diets help reduce cravings for sweets and high-carb foods.

When you start a ketogenic diet, it's important to increase your fat consumption while simultaneously reducing your carb intake. This supports your body's transition into ketosis.

• Don't make your diet low-carb and low-fat at the same time. This will put your body into starvation mode.
• Focus on eating healthy fats. Avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil or avocado oil are great choices.
• Increase your intake of naturally fat-rich foods, such as eggs, meat, and dairy.
• Add more oil to your meals.
• Try fat bombs, which are snacks designed to be high in healthy fats and low in carbs.
• Supplement with MCT oil, which is made of medium-chain triglycerides that go straight to the liver and can be converted into ketones.

Drink electrolytes

Drinking electrolytes is one of the best ways to fight keto flu. When you restrict carbohydrates, your body produces less insulin, causing your kidneys to flush out excess water and sodium. This can lead to a depletion of electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which are essential for critical body functions.

Increase Sodium Intake

• Add salt to your food: Aim for 4000-7000 mg of sodium per day, which is approximately 2-3 teaspoons of salt.
• Consume bone broth: Look for bone broth with a high sodium content, such as 240mg per cup.
• Include bacon in your meals: A slice of bacon typically contains 137mg of sodium.
• Eat salted nuts: Mixed nuts or macadamia nut packs can provide around 100-120 mg of sodium per serving.
• Pickles and pickle juice: Look for options without added sugar, typically containing 125 mg of sodium per ounce.

Increase Potassium Intake

• Avocados: A single avocado contains 974 mg of potassium.
• Spinach: A cup of raw spinach provides 186 mg of potassium, but cooking it will increase the concentration.
• Broccoli: Each cup of broccoli offers 288 mg of potassium.
• Mushrooms: A cup of raw mushrooms has 223 mg of potassium.
• Leafy greens: Cooked Swiss chard, in particular, is rich in potassium, with 961 mg per cup.
• Zucchini: A good source of potassium, with 325 mg per cup.

Increase Magnesium Intake

• Seaweed: Dried agar seaweed is an excellent source, with 216 mg of magnesium per ounce.
• Seeds: Hemp, flax, pumpkin, and chia seeds are good options. Hemp seeds are the highest in magnesium, with 179 mg per ounce.
• Nuts: Almonds and Brazil nuts are among the nuts with the highest magnesium content, at about 80 mg per ounce.
• Avocados: In addition to potassium, avocados also contain 58 mg of magnesium.
• Leafy greens: Raw spinach, kale, or collard greens provide approximately 25-30 mg of magnesium per cup. Cooking them will increase the concentration.

You can also consider taking electrolyte supplements, especially if you find it challenging to obtain sufficient electrolytes from your diet. However, always consult your doctor before starting any new supplements, especially if you have impaired kidney function or other health conditions.

Take it slow

Taking it slow is one of the best ways to fight keto flu. This involves a gradual reduction of carbohydrates in your diet over a few days or weeks, rather than an immediate and severe restriction. This gives your body time to adjust to the new diet and can help to prevent or reduce keto flu symptoms.

Start with a typical low-carb diet

Begin with a typical low-carb diet and give your body time to adjust. Try it for a week, and then you can transition to the full keto diet. This gradual approach allows your body to adapt to lower carbohydrate intake and may reduce the severity of keto flu symptoms.

Cut out refined sugar first

If you're currently consuming a lot of refined sugar, start by cutting it out for a few days or a week before transitioning to a low-carb diet. This will help you ease into the keto diet and make it less of a shock to your body.

Progress to a low-carb diet

After cutting out refined sugar, move on to cutting out starches such as wheat, rice, and potatoes. Once you feel comfortable with this, you can progress to a low-carb diet. This step-by-step approach will make the transition smoother and reduce the likelihood of keto flu symptoms.

Focus on keto-friendly foods

When you're hungry or craving carbohydrates, eat more healthy keto-approved foods to satisfy your needs. Over time, these cravings will decrease as your body adjusts to using fat for fuel. Some keto-friendly foods to include in your diet are:

• Green leafy vegetables
• Avocados
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Healthy fats such as olive oil or avocado oil

Increase your fat intake gradually

While it's important to increase your fat intake on the keto diet, you don't have to do it all at once. Gradually increase your consumption of healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado oil, or naturally fat-rich foods. This will support your transition into ketosis and help you avoid the side effects of a low-fat keto diet, which can be challenging.

Be mindful of your calorie intake

While the keto diet is primarily focused on reducing carbohydrates and increasing fat intake, it's still important to be mindful of your overall calorie consumption. Eating an excessive number of calories, even if they're from keto-approved foods, can hinder your weight loss goals. However, don't be too strict with yourself initially. Focus on following your recommended keto macros, and you can adjust your calorie intake as your body adapts to the diet.

Frequently asked questions