These headaches are associated with the keto flu, although they’re far from contagious and dangerous. Keto headaches are perfectly normal to experience and a part of the symptoms that occur during the first few days on the keto diet.

But Why Do You Have It?

There are a variety of factors that go into having a keto headache.

Dehydration

Glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrates, binds with water, and as you use up the rest of your glycogen energy before entering ketosis, you also remove water. (1, 2) This not only gets rid of excess water weight, but it can also lead to dehydration. The dehydration then leads to an array of other lack of water symptoms such as headaches. (3)

Low Blood Sugar

On the keto diet, you use ketones for energy, but in the transition of going into ketosis, your body is still reaching for glucose (carbohydrates) for energy. Since you are limiting your carbohydrate intake, your blood sugar levels can drop to a new low, placing strain on your brain and nervous system. (4)

Studies show that sugar is also highly addictive and can exhibit a response similar to that of a cocaine addiction. (5) Once you cut out all of the added sweeteners and unnecessary sugars from your diet, you can experience some withdrawal symptoms like headaches.

Loss of Electrolytes

Insulin regulates the glucose you consume, and when you cut back on glucose, your body cuts back on how much insulin it produces. When there’s less insulin, your body eliminates a large amount of sodium, which can throw off other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium. (6, 7) This electrolyte imbalance can lead to headaches.

How to Prevent It

Whether you’re looking to prevent the keto headache or remedy it, here are 6 things to try:

 1. Drink Water

Drinking water can help rehydrate the body and ease the head pain. Try to get in 64-80 oz. of water per day and avoid drinking too many beverages that are natural diuretics like coffee and tea. Instead, drink 8 oz of broth or bullion 3-4 times a day.

2. Add Salt

To replenish the lost sodium, add a little bit of salt to every meal or even add a pinch to your glasses of water throughout the day. It can help to restore your electrolyte balance and ease headache symptoms. However, if you have high blood pressure, avoid this tip.

3. Sleep

With lack of sleep comes high levels of cortisol, which contributes to irritability, stress, and even headaches. (8, 9) During your first few days of keto, try to get as much sleep as possible to aid your transition.

4. Eat More Fats

Drastically reducing your carbohydrate consumption means you need to be eating enough fats to replace your energy. If you’re not eating enough, the side effects, in the beginning, could come on a little stronger.

Make sure to hit that 70% range of calories from fats. Add butter and coconut oil to all of your meals and eat fatty meats like chicken thighs and bacon.

5. Include Magnesium & Potassium

With the loss of sodium, comes an imbalance of magnesium and potassium in the body. To replenish these electrolytes, eat adequate amounts of:

• Spinach
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Plain yogurt

They’re keto-friendly and loaded with electrolytes to ease your headache. (10) Adults should also supplement 200-400 mg of magnesium per day.

6. Add Instant Ketones

To avoid more dehydration, add Instant Ketones to your diet for extra sodium and ketone substrates. Not only will they help bring balance back to your electrolytes, but they’ll also aid the process of getting into the Keto Zone.

Bottom Line

Good news! Keto headaches don’t last forever. You can expect them to stick around for a few days to a week, depending on how your body handles the keto changeover.

Once you adapt to your new diet, keto can actually help headaches and migraines. (11, 12) Push through the first week, and it gets better.

To prevent the keto headache, click here to shop Instant Ketones and other supplements.

The post Keto Headache: Why You Have It & How to Prevent It appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

And it’s just how it sounds, keto-caused side effects that resemble the flu. The symptoms include headaches, fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, irritability, and more, but thankfully only last for the first few days on the diet.

But Why Do Keto Side Effects Even Occur?

Reducing carb intake can often make the body go into a “withdrawal” phase, as the body adjusts its blood sugar. (1) Glycogen, stored carbs in the body, bond with water, which means the fewer carbs consumed the more water levels drop. (2) Since keto is a low-carb diet, dehydration happens during the adjustment period, which leads to an array of keto flu-like symptoms. (3)

So how do you relieve the symptoms?

Here are 5 easy remedies to ease the side effects of the Keto Zone Diet.

1. Drink Water

As mentioned above, one of the main causes of the keto flu is dehydration, and it can play a role in some of the other symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches. (4)

This means staying hydrated can alleviate some of your symptoms and replenish lost water, making for a smooth keto transition.

Make sure to keep up with your daily dose of water and avoid too many cups of coffee, as the caffeine is a natural diuretic and can contribute to dehydration. (5, 6)

2. Sleep

Everyone has a bad night’s sleep now and then, but studies show prolonged lack of sleep can raise cortisol levels, which leads to bad moods, more stress, and worse keto-flu symptoms. (7, 8)

Aim to be well-rested in your first week of keto to alleviate that fatigue and irritability.

To improve your sleep, take one serving of Keto Zone MCT Oil Powder before bed, turn off all of your devices at least 1 hour before sleep, and get out in the morning sun to regulate your circadian rhythm. For more sleep advice, check out 7 Simple Steps to Improve Your Sleep.

3. Exercise Light

Even though you may not feel like exercising, don’t rule out getting off the couch completely.

Studies show that exercise improves mood and fatigue, which directly correlates with some keto flu symptoms. (9)

As your body readjusts to its new energy source, it’s probably best to stick to light exercises like walking and mild stretching instead of high-impact activities. Even just moving around the house with a couple of chores can do the trick.

4. Eat Magnesium-Dense Foods

Magnesium is not only important to our everyday diet, but it can also be a source of relief for keto symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and muscle cramps. (10, 11)

Keto Zone foods like raw cacao, hemp heart seeds, spinach, almonds, cashews, peanuts, avocado, and plain yogurt are all great sources of magnesium to enjoy during your first few days of keto.

They’re delicious, keto-friendly, and can help alleviate the first few days of side effects.

5. Eat Enough Fat

Studies show that high-fat foods, like almonds, increase satiety, which means the more fat you eat the fuller you’ll feel. (12)

This is a very important aspect of the keto diet, as it helps decrease your cravings for sweets and high-carb food choices. (13) To aid the low-carb transition, make sure you’re eating enough fat to replace your previous amount of carb intake. Otherwise, your side effects might come on a little stronger.

You might also consider making a slower transition to ease the symptoms. Instead of cutting out the full amount of carbs at first, only cut out 50%, wait a few days, then cut down again until you reach your goal.

Bottom Line

The keto flu doesn’t last forever, and there are plenty of easy ways to combats its side effects. Drink water, get your sleep, exercise lightly, and add enough magnesium and fat into your diet for an easier transition.

At the end of the day, some people have a hard time with the symptoms, whereas others don’t have any at all.

If you’re looking to start your keto diet journey, shop Keto Zone here.

The post 5 Easy Remedies for Keto Side Effects appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.