What is the Keto Flu?

Many women experience the keto flu only the first week of transitioning to a ketogenic lifestyle. Wonder why? This article will cover what the keto flu is and how to avoid it.

After starting keto you shift your body’s metabolism from using carbs for fuel to using fats. After eating high-carb foods for so long and drastically cutting them from your diet, you may experience flu-like symptoms, dubbed the "keto flu".  While you can actually experience these symptoms at any time, it's most common to occur the keto flu at the start of your keto journey. As you adjust to your new lifestyle you may experience low energy levels, skin rashes, diarrhea, nausea, leg pain, vertigo, and, headache.

How to Prevent the Keto Flu and Treatment

The more you know the more you can be prepared for a smooth transition into Keto life. Here are five remedies that actually work to help you beat the keto flu.

Drink Bone Broth

Bone broth is the super keto flu drink. This drink is rich in electrolytes, sodium, potassium, and protein. This point can't be stressed enough: your body needs electrolytes to avoid the keto flu. On a low-carb diet, the body excretes more electrolytes than normal in the urine so its imperative to stay hydrated!

 You can buy bone broth or make some by adding water in a saucepan, add bone meat, salt, ginger, garlic, celery stick, and black pepper over medium heat. Wait about 30 minutes and your bone broth will be ready. Remember store bought broth is a convent option but can be high in MSG. Most people enjoy warm bone broth as their first drink of the day.

Eat More Salt

Salt is sodium, and sodium is what you need to fight the keto flu. When we are not eating carbs, enough insulin is not getting released. This puts our body in diuretic mode, and more sodium is lost in the urine. It drops the blood pressure in the body, and you feel lethargic, confused, and energy drained.

It's a good idea to add extra salt to your foods. We recommend pink Himalayan salt. You can make your own keto "Gatorade" at home by adding 1 tsp salt in water with lemon or cinnamon every time you feel low with the keto flu. Your symptoms will improve quickly.

Eat More Calories

You might have heard that calories matter on the keto diet too. Well, it’s true! The reality is you need more calories in the beginning to land safely into ketosis. Once in ketosis, fat surpasses your appetite, and you start consuming fewer calories than normal and loss fat.Focus on eating high quality fats because it will keep you fuller for longe and suppress your appetite. Eating more can actually help to curb hunger on keto.

Start Slow

The worst and common mistake seen among people starting the keto diet is: stuffing yourself with carbs for the one last time. That is the worst thing you can do to yourself; instead of feasting on high-carb sodas and food a day before and leaving carbs altogether, the next day is not the solution. Begin slow and over time. First, start minimizing your carb portions. So feel free to eat at the higher range of your calories from your macro calculations to ween yourself off of a high carb diet. Then, after following a low-carb diet, begin keto to avoid keto flu symptoms.

Take Ketone Supplements

You feel miserable on keto until enough ketone bodies are circulating in your body. Once there are ketone bodies that can provide energy, it’s over for the keto flu! 

You can speed up your ketone forming process by taking exogenous ketone supplements. The Keto Pinkprint has a full line of powerful vegan supplements designed to help you reach ketosis after, stay full longer, and give you a boost of natural energy. Shop our best sellers here.