However, there’s no need to be alarmed! Here we’ll go through everything you need to know on why you need sleep, what is keto insomnia, and how to beat it to go on living healthily on keto.

Why You Need Sleep

You’ve probably been told your whole life to stick to 7-9 hours of sleep. But according to the CDC, only one in three people get the recommended amount. (1) In this day and age, stress and busy lives easily get in the way of rest, but our bodies have a hard time responding positively to the aftermath.

Lack of sleep slows weight loss progress, amplifies the likelihood of storing fat, raises cortisol (stress hormone) levels, increases appetite, boosts sugar cravings, and lowers motivation. (2,3,4,5,6) On top of that, it escalates your risk for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. (7,8)

Skimping out on one or two nights of rest a month probably won’t put you in these risk categories. But they’re worth noting if you have a hard time sleeping more than 3-4 times a week.

What Causes Keto Zone Insomnia?

In a nutshell, insomnia is when you have trouble falling and staying asleep, and it isn’t just caused by the keto diet. Those who consume excess caffeine or struggle with stress, anxiety, depression, certain medications, hormonal problems, and sleep apnea can have insomnia as a result.

However, keto insomnia is a different story. Instead, it’s usually caused by these factors:

• Keto Flu
• Extra Energy
• Electrolyte Imbalance
• Excess Urination
• Food Cravings

Keto insomnia is perfectly normal to experience during the first few weeks of ketosis as your body adjusts to burning fat for fuel. And it doesn’t last forever! Check out How to Know You’re In Ketosis: 5 Signs to Look Out For.

6 Tips to Beat Keto Zone Insomnia

Now that you know what’s behind keto insomnia, let’s talk about how to beat it.

1. Don’t Eat Right Before Bed

Try to eat 4 hours before bedtime, so you don’t feel starving when you hit the sheets, but you feel comfortable enough to sleep. Falling asleep on a full stomach interferes with your snooze because it can give you an energy jump and require your digestion to get moving.

2. Focus on Electrolytes

At the beginning of keto, your electrolyte balance might be out of whack since you’re excreting more water. Unfortunately, this imbalance can cause sleep issues. To stabilize them, take Keto Zone Instant Ketones, use Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Chicken + Marin Collagen with Probiotics, and sip on bone broth during the day. (9, 10, 11)

3. Drink Less Water Before Bed

When you excrete more water, you also have to urinate more often, which means frequent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. These trips can mess with your sleeping pattern if you have to get up too many times. To help, slow down on your water intake before bed.

4. Balance Out Your Body Temperature

Keep your bedroom cool, but not so cold that your hands and feet can’t warm up along with the rest of your body. If your extremities are warmer than the rest of you, your body naturally relaxes and falls asleep much easier.

5. Banish Blue Light

To regulate sleep, our bodies use the circadian rhythm, which is based on the light of the sun– darkness instigates sleep by raising melatonin levels, whereas light does the opposite. When you stare at the blue light on electronic screens, you can confuse the melatonin receptors into thinking it’s daytime, which messes with your sleep cycle.

Although you can remove the blue light factor from screens, it’s probably best to avoid them altogether to refrain from getting sucked into a social media wormhole. You can also dim the lights as a way to signal your brain that it’s bedtime.

6. Exercise Earlier in the Day

Exercise does wonders for increasing your energy levels, but it also means it’s not a great idea to do it right before bed. You might find yourself too wound up and awake after a 7 pm or later workout.

Instead, stick to a morning or afternoon exercise routine and try to implement them 2-3 times a week to see positive sleeping results.

Bottom Line

Keto insomnia can put your sleep out of sorts. But after using the above tips, purchasing your Keto Zone supplements, and sticking it out for a week or two, many keto-dieters actually claim they sleep better than before they started the diet! (12)

The post How to Beat Insomnia: Sleeping Well on Keto Zone 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.

How to Avoid the Top 5 Autumn & Winter Health Concerns with Keto Zone

Autumn & Winter Health Concern #1: Weight Gain

There are many reasons people tend to gain weight during Autumn and Winter. These include:

• Shorter days and less daylight for outdoor exercise
• More fatigue
• Warm, rich, comfort foods
• Holiday eating
• Biological weight gain

While all of these reasons exist, you can do something about each of them. And luckily, Keto Zone is the best diet plan for weight loss, no matter what season it is.

When you enter the Keto Zone and work to stay there, you can lose weight, feel satisfied with foods, and meet your weight goals without hunger (1). Yes, even in Autumn and Winter.

What does it take?

It takes eating a diet that is high, healthy fats, moderate protein, and low in carbohydrates. To get started, check out our Keto Zone Quick Start Guide.

Health Concern #2: Depression

Unfortunately, many people are affected by seasonal depression. Our hormones change throughout each day, month, and season.

But, there are a few things you can do.

1. Eat a Keto Zone diet high in fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and halibut.
2. Supplement with omega-3 fish oils. Specifically, EPA has been proven to help fight seasonal depression (2).
3. Get more sleep. Most people don’t get enough sleep at any time of year, but our bodies tend to need a bit more during dark months. Getting more sleep can help you fight disease, fatigue, and depression.
4. Slow down during Holiday months and resist an overfilled schedule. Try these Steps to Choose Joy and Reduce Anxiety during the Holidays.
5. From the time you wake up until you go to bed, you can form habits to reduce stress. Here are Habits to Reduce Cortisol Naturally.

Health Concern #3: Sickness

Cold and flu season are top concerns when it comes to Autumn and Winter months. It’s important to take steps to boost your immune function with Keto Zone. You can:

• Improve healthy gut bacteria with Keto Zone. Try fermented foods, such as plain yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, fermented vegetable powders (Fermented Green Supremefood), fermented “living foods” like Living Chia with Probiotics, and high-quality probiotic supplements. Fortifying your gut bacteria can directly impact immune function (3, 4, 5).
• Reduce inflammation with Keto Zone. Foods such as omega-3s from fatty fish and supplements, spices like ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric, vegetables and greens, and herbs like basil. In addition, removing sugar from your diet improves inflammation, and less inflammation means less sickness and disease (6).
• Eat a high-fat, low-carb dinner for better sleep. At night, our bodies don’t want to digest and metabolize foods, especially ones that require insulin, as do carbohydrates. In fact, late eating, and high carbohydrate eating during the evening and night are associated with altered metabolism, increased incidence of diabetes, and weight gain (7). What’s more, reducing carbs can help you sleep better, and adequate sleep is required for better immune function(8).
• Eating Keto Zone vitamin D foods. Get out in the sun at least 10-15 minutes per day. In research, those with vitamin D levels of <10 ng/mL had a higher risk of respiratory infections compared to those at 10 ng/mL or greater (9). Salmon is an example of a high vitamin D Keto Zone food.
• Use Divine Health Fermented Green Supremefood and Organic Red Supremefood to boost immunity! These powders are packed with anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting ingredients like spirulina, beets, fermented wheatgrass and more (10, 11, 12, 13).

Health Concern #4: Dry Hair and Skin

How can Keto Zone help you improve the condition of dry winter skin and hair this year? Easy! Keto Zone eating includes principles that promote healthy skin:

1. Healthy Fats are great for the skin! Oils like olive oil, coconut oil, and MCT Oil Powder, avocado oil, and omega-3 fats can improve the appearance of the skin, skin health, wound healing, and more (14, 15).
2. Add Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Collagen for a plethora of skin benefits. They include reduced wrinkles, increased skin hydration, and increase elasticity (16).
3. Especially during dry winter months, hydrate with 64-80 oz. of fluid per day for healthy skin and hair. In addition, adequate fluids can help you eat less and stay satisfied while losing weight.

Read more about Healthy Winter Skin here.

Health Concern #5: Holiday Eating Sabotage

It’s a double-whammy.

With darker, colder days, it’s tough to stay in shape. Then, the Holidays come along and bring cookies, candies, parties, and restaurant-eating with them.

The last thing you want is to sabotage all your hard work for just a couple of months of Holidays. But, what can you do?

• First, realize extra eating should only really be on a few days: each Holiday itself, and maybe 1-2 parties. The other days are “normal days.” This outlook can really reduce the overwhelming feeling of “Holiday Eating.”
• Next, when you do attend parties that are difficult on Keto, focus on the proteins, greens, and any healthy fats on the table such as olive oil, pestos, etc. Also, take initiative and bring Keto-friendly dishes.
• Offer to bring a delicious Keto Zone dessert.
• And lastly, slow down. Slow down your eating, your to-do list and schedule, and all the running around. The more you slow down, the more you’ll feel in control.
• Here are more tips!

Bottom Line

It’s common for people to become concerned about their health in the Autumn and Winter. But, you can avoid these top 5 Autumn & Winter health concerns with Keto Zone. It’s the best plan, year-round!

The post Avoid These Top 5 Autumn & Winter Health Concerns with Keto Zone appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

Or do you simply want to relax after a long hard day?

If so, there is no need to turn to pharmaceutical sleep pills or anti-anxiety meds!

There are powerful and effective herbs that can promote a profound sense of relaxation and aid you in achieving much needed rest.

Chamomile is an herb that has been used for centuries to support a sense of calm. In fact, one study found that those who consumed chamomile daily fell asleep 15 minutes faster and woke up 1/3 less during the night than the study controls (1)

Another well-known herb known for calming the nervous system is lavender. Known for its wonderful scent, lavender has been shown to be effective support for those with anxiety related conditions. (2)

When you combine these powerful and effective herbs in to a delicious coconut milk latte, you have the ultimate ketogenic relaxation elixir!

Ingredients

2 cups full-fat organic coconut milk
2 tablespoons organic frozen blueberries
1 scoop vanilla MCT powder
1 scoop hydrolyzed collagen powder
1 tablespoon dried chamomile buds (or 2 organic chamomile tea bags)
2 teaspoons dried organic lavender buds
1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat coconut milk in a small sauce pot over medium heat.
2. Add in blueberries, vanilla, lavender, and chamomile and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
3. Turn heat down to low and allow mixture to simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Once brewed, strain mixture in to a blender.
5. Add collagen and MCT to the blender.
6. Blend until mixture is well combined and frothy.
7. Pour in to mugs.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 2

Per Serving:

Calories: 185 kcal

Total Carbohydrates: 4 g

Fiber: 1 g

Net Carbs: 3 g

Protein: 8 g

Fat: 26 g

How did your chamomile lavender latte turn out? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Relax with Keto Zone Chamomile Lavender Latte appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.