“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
The Keto Flu is the name given to a set of symptoms some people experience when first starting keto. It’s not actually a flu and definitely not contagious, and you are absolutely not dying!
Keto flu symptoms are very similar to that of your regular flu but will likely go away within about 24 hours.
You may experience:
- fatigue
- headaches
- cough
- sniffles
- irritability
- nausea
Ironically, seeing these symptoms is a sign that you were very dependent on carbohydrates! Your body is going through withdrawal from sugar and carby foods.
There are studies that have shown sugar has the same effect on our bodies and brains as cocaine and heroin! The same areas of the brain are activated when one eats sugar as when one ingests cocaine. In addition, when we eat sugar, our brain sends messages for the release of dopamine, the “feel good” hormone. After some time, the release of dopamine is more or less regulated and less is sent out each time we eat sugar. The absence of large amounts of dopamine triggers our need to want more sugar, to get that same “feel good” feeling back. Coincidentally, drug addiction is exactly that. The brain remembers what made it feel good, even if you don’t- cravings aren’t random.
When we stop eating sugar (and the carbs that convert to glucose) our bodies can go through withdrawal. Many people report irritability and mood swings from the hormone surges, or lack thereof. Our bodies are recalibrating themselves without the influence of heavy factors such as carbs.
Headaches and fatigue can come from the sudden drop in carbs. When our bodies are used to using carbs for energy, it takes a little bit of time to readjust to using fat. This is the process of becoming keto adapted! It usually takes a person anywhere from 2-5 days to enter ketosis. When carbs are limited to under 50g (depending on the person, but textbooks seem to agree on this number) the body starts to break down fatty acids in ketones, which the brain then uses for fuel. This doesn’t mean they’re keto adapted though.
Becoming keto adapted means your body is now readily and easily converting those fatty acids you’re eating into ketones. In the beginning, the body may not be well equipped to convert. We all have fat converting enzymes, but the amount of them drastically increases when keto adapted. This is another cause of fatigue in the beginning of a keto diet, or during a keto flu: your body is building up the reserves to start running on fat (creating more enzymes to more efficiently burn fat). Give it time, and you’ll become a well oiled machine soon enough.
A great benefit of being keto adapted is that if you eat a cheat meal or fall off the wagon for a day or two, you will re-enter ketosis much faster. When your body is primed to use fat for fuel, it will more readily do so when reintroduced than someone who has just started a low carb diet. This comes in quite handy when one is fasting. A keto-adapted body will go into a fasting state much faster than one that is not.
Keto adapted or not, beware, keto flu can happen to anyone, anytime. If you forget to eat real food and maintain a healthy water intake, your body will suffer.
Alleviate the flu by adding in SODIUM and ELECTROLYTES! One of the main causes of keto flu is lack of electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals in your body that carry an electric charge. Electrolytes affect the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood (pH), your muscle function, and other important processes. An electrolyte deficiency can be caused by a few things, most prevalent of which are your water intake and foods you may not be eating enough of. A fun way to get some electrolytes? Pickle juice!
On a low carb diet, drinking water is extremely important. The fat inside your cells will become replaced with water as a placeholder when losing weight. For this reason, many people experience water retention while in ketosis; their cells are storing water, instead of fat. They do this in case of dehydration. Drinking more water during water retention can help combat it! Your body will let go of that emergency water it’s been storing when it sees water is flowing freely.
The one drawback of drinking a lot of water is the electrolytes it can flush out with it. You will be peeing a lot! The more water you’re drinking, the better, until you start to expel more electrolytes than you’re ingesting. Make sure to replenish your electrolytes, by ingesting lots of broth (make sure you add your butter in there!), and lightly salt your water.
And my friend, get some REST! Sleep is essential to whole body health, and I can tell you from experience that after a day of experiencing the keto flu symptoms, a night of good, long rest will have you waking up feeling like a million dollars!
Are you experiencing any keto flu symptoms? Or have you at all? Let us know by posting in the Facebook group!
Recipe: Keto Veggie-Loaded Mini Loaves