In fact, while getting into, and staying in the Keto Zone®, you need more electrolytes and more fluids than those who are not in the Keto Zone.

Why?

Let’s dive in. Here’s why you are more at risk of dehydration, and how to make sure your keto hydration is up to par this summer!

Keto Hydration: How Much Fluid Do You Really Need?

You Need Extra Fluid and Electrolytes in the Keto Zone

Why does the Keto Zone® increase your fluid needs?

Simply put, you need more fluid because your body holds less in the Keto Zone®. As you get into ketosis, your body will make less insulin. With less insulin, your body will store less carbs in its system, including glycogen (stored carbohydrates in muscle tissue). Glycogen is a heavy compound that holds fluid with it.

With every gram of glycogen decreased, your body will excrete 3 grams of fluid.

This means less fluid held, and more needed to keep your body in good keto hydration and balance.

Your Kidneys are Working Hard

As you decrease stored carbs and fluid, your kidneys will work to excrete the water grams rather than retain them.

You will feel less bloated and begin to look leaner and better.

However, your fluid losses means you need to ingest more fluid in your diet to both keep your body in a state of hydration and decrease the workload on your kidneys. Dehydration can hurt your kidneys overtime (1), so drink up!

Avoid the Biggest Keto Hydration Mistake

Of course, fluids are very important to hydration, no matter how you eat. But, electrolytes are the key to keto hydration.

Why?

First, they are excreted with the glycogen grams of water.

Second, electrolytes in your fluids help your digestive tract absorb them.

Third, electrolytes are vital to life. They are minerals that enable many functions in the body, including muscle contraction, heart contraction, hydration of the whole body and brain, nerve function, digestion, and much more (2). If you’ve ever been extremely dehydrated or low on electrolytes, you know your body will dysfunction in a hurry.

The most important and most impacted mineral electrolytes are sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

Ever Experienced Keto Flu? It’s the Missing Electrolytes

As you get into the Keto Zone®, electrolytes tend to rebalance without the glycogen. But, if you’re just beginning, or cycling in and out of ketosis, you’re at risk of low electrolytes again and again.

Low electrolyte status is also known as the Keto Flu.

As electrolyte levels fall, you can begin to feel symptoms of heart racing, headaches, poor digestion, and more. This is just an adjustment period, but it can be avoided. And, you can easily keep electrolytes balanced in general while in Keto Zone.

The Low-Down on Keto Hydration Electrolytes

Since you’ll no longer carry electrolytes in glycogen, it’s imperative you replenish them through your diet.

Here’s how:

1. Sodium: You can simply add more salt. Although salt, in general, has a bad name, it’s a vital mineral electrolyte and simply needs to be consumed according to your diet and lifestyle. Keto Zone eaters need more; athletes need more. You can drink bone broth or a zero-carb electrolyte drink for added sodium.
2. Potassium: With a good variety of foods in your diet, you can easily obtain potassium through whole foods. Eat salmon, nuts, avocados, veggies, and mushrooms to get enough.
3. Calcium: Calcium is also readily available in the Keto Zone®. You can get calcium in fortified non-dairy milk, like coconut milk and almond milk, in high-fat dairy products, like Greek Yogurt, and in dark leafy greens, broccoli, and fish. If you choose to supplement, make sure you’re also consuming vitamin D.
4. Magnesium: Magnesium is incredibly important (3), and often deficient mineral in adults. It’s found in hemp heart seeds, raw cacao, leafy greens, and more. However, it’s not easily absorbed by humans and may need supplementation. If concerned about magnesium levels, read 7 Signs of a Magnesium Deficiency.
5. Electrolytes in Balance: A great way to get a baseline of electrolytes (with the exception of sodium) in a balanced formulation is to also add Dr. Colbert’s Enhanced Mutlivitamin each day!

How Much Fluid & Electrolytes Do You Really Need?

So, how much fluid should you drink? How should you add electrolytes?

1. For most in the Keto Zone®, you can simply aim for 64-80 oz. fluids per day. You can usually accomplish this by drinking to thirst. Older adults are typically more at risk for dehydration (4). Make sure to consume at least this amount of fluids throughout the day.
2. Then, unless you have high blood pressure, consume salt with meals and add 1-2 daily servings of bone broth, boullion, or zero-carb electrolyte drinks while re-entering the Keto Zone®. Then, add a daily dose of Dr. Colbert’s Enhanced Mutlivitamin.
3. Make sure to eat a variety of high potassium, calcium, and magnesium foods. Most adults should also supplement with 200-400 mg of magnesium per day.
4. If you notice you’re sweating when working outside or exercising, add 24-32 oz. fluid and 600-800 mg sodium for every hour of your workout. This does not need to be consumed during the workout, but before, during as needed, and after is fine. You can use low-carb electrolyte drinks, like NUUN, if desired for exercise.
5. Be diligent after any period out of the Keto Zone®. You’ll go through the glycogen-depleting phase again, and need to supplement with extra electrolytes to avoid the Keto Flu.

Bottom Line

It’s getting hot out there. This means it’s time to stay on top of your keto hydration. Form a plan to drink enough each day. Don’t forget electrolytes; add electrolyte drinks, bone broth and Dr. Colbert’s Enhanced Mutlivitamin. Then, have a hydrated, safe, and healthy summer in the Keto Zone.

The post Keto Hydration: How Much Fluid Do You Really Need? appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

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.

Believe it or not, your body handles fluids and electrolytes differently once you’re eating very-low-carb.

And, it’s imperative that you learn these differences and make adjustments to hydrate and feel your best.

Here’s how fluids and electrolytes work on Keto Zone, and how to stay hydrated for the end of summer and the dry Autumn/Winter months.

Dehydrated on Keto Zone? Learn to Hydrate Right!

1. You’re Losing Fluids on Keto

It’s true. When you begin eating very low carb, your body will lose fluid. This isn’t to say your weight loss is just fluid loss, of course, you’ll lose fat! But, especially in the beginning, fluids are excreted.

Why?

As you cut out most carbs, your body will no longer make as much insulin (this is a good thing!). Without insulin to help store carbs, glycogen becomes depleted. For every gram of glycogen lost, 3 grams of water are excreted.

And, your kidneys have to do work.

Your kidneys will begin to excrete these water grams rather than retaining them.

You will feel less bloated and begin to look leaner and better.

However, your lost fluid needs to be replenished through diet. And, you’ll lose the electrolytes through the fluids you excrete. Which can lead to dehydration.

2. It’s Not Just About Fluids

Of course, fluids are very important to hydration, no matter how you eat. But, electrolytes are the game-changer with Keto Zone, since they’re excreted with the glycogen grams of water.

This is important.

Electrolytes are vital to life. These minerals enable many functions in the body, including muscle contraction, heart contraction, hydration of the whole body and brain, nerve function, digestion, and much more. If you’ve ever been extremely dehydrated or low on electrolytes, you know your body will dysfunction in a hurry.

The most important and most impacted mineral electrolytes are sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

3. Low Electrolytes are Responsible for Keto Flu

As you get into the Keto Zone, electrolytes tend to rebalance without the glycogen. But, if you’re just beginning, or cycling in and out of ketosis, you’re at risk of low electrolytes again and again.

Low electrolyte status is also known as the Keto Flu.

As electrolyte levels fall, you can begin to feel symptoms of heart racing, headaches, poor digestion, and more. This is just an adjustment period, but it can be avoided. And, you can easily keep electrolytes balanced in general while in Keto Zone.

4. How to Balance Electrolytes When Initiating Keto Zone and Staying in Ketosis

Since you’ll no longer carry electrolytes in glycogen, it’s imperative you replenish them through your diet.

Here’s how:

1. Sodium: You can simply add more salt. Although salt, in general, has a bad name, it’s a vital mineral electrolyte and simply needs to be consumed according to your diet and lifestyle. Keto Zone eaters need more; athletes need more. You can drink bone broth, or add a daily dose of Instant Ketones for ketone substrates and sodium.
2. Potassium: With a good variety of foods in your diet, you can easily obtain potassium through whole foods. Eat salmon, nuts, avocados, veggies, and mushrooms to get enough.
3. Calcium: Calcium is also readily available in Keto Zone. You can get calcium in fortified non-dairy milk, like coconut milk and almond milk, in high-fat dairy products, like Greek Yogurt, and in dark leafy greens, broccoli, and fish. If you choose to supplement, make sure you’re also consuming vitamin D.
4. Magnesium: Magnesium is incredibly important (1), and often deficient mineral in adults. It’s found in hemp heart seeds, raw cacao, leafy greens, and more. However, it’s not easily absorbed by humans and may need supplementation. If concerned about magnesium levels, read 7 Signs of a Magnesium Deficiency.

5. Avoid Dehydration on Keto

So, how much should you drink and add electrolytes?

1. For most in the Keto Zone, you can simply aim for 64-80 oz. fluids per day. You can usually accomplish this by drinking to thirst. Older adults are typically more at risk for dehydration (2). Make sure to consume fluids throughout the day.
2. Then, unless you have high blood pressure, consume salt with meals and add a daily serving of Instant Ketones any time you are re-entering the Keto Zone or feeling dehydrated.
3. Make sure to eat a variety of high potassium, calcium, and magnesium foods. Most adults should also supplement with 200-400 mg of magnesium per day.
4. If you exercise and sweat, add 24-32 oz. fluid and 600-800 mg sodium for every hour of your workout. This does not need to be consumed during the workout, but before, during as needed, and after is fine. You can use low-carb electrolyte drink, like NUUN, if desired.
5. Be diligent after any period out of the Keto Zone. You’ll go through the glycogen-depleting phase again, and need to supplement with extra electrolytes to avoid the Keto Flu.

Bottom Line

You can stay well hydrated and electrolyte-balanced when getting into, and staying in the Keto Zone. You don’t have to be dehydrated on Keto! It simply takes a bit of know-how (you’ve got that now), the use of helpful supplements like Instant Ketones, and consuming adequate fluids with extra electrolytes when needed.

The post Dehydrated on Keto Zone? Tips to Get Enough Fluids & Balance Electrolytes appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.