6 Things You Should Know About Keto Diets

If you want to shed some excess pounds, you have perhaps heard a word or two about the keto diet. Merely put, it is a high fat, low carb diet that provides you with a host of health benefits. Indeed, studies show that this diet can improve your overall health and help you lose weight. A keto diet may also have other valuable benefits against Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, and epilepsy.

Nevertheless, here are the top six things you need to know about the keto diet.

You May Face Digestion Changes

Diarrhea, nausea, constipation, and acid reflux are the main keto diet gastrointestinal side effects. Constipation usually occurs as the keto diet blocks starchy vegetables and whole grains and confines fruits to tiny low-carb servings. Remember that the keto diet does allow for meals that are great fiber sources that make your stool easy to pass, thus, hopefully, combating constipation.

While gastrointestinal symptoms can stay for as long as you are on a diet, the situation changes in some individuals. You can solve this issue by consuming a lot of healthy low-carb veggies because they contain a lot of fiber.

You May Experience Weight Loss

Pairing keto diets with a typical low-carb diet is exceedingly effective in losing weight. Several studies indicate that you will experience both long-term and short-term weight loss after switching to a keto diet.

A rapid weight loss can happen in the first week. Following the initial fast drop in water weight, sticking to the keto diet and a calorie deficit meal will help you lose body fat. You can use a keto meal plan pdf file to kickstart your keto diet journey and help you plan meals.

You May Have Improvement in Blood Sugar Levels

Your body seizes up carbs, especially the simple carbs into sugars, leading to a rise in blood sugar. The fact that the keto diet doesn’t allow for excess carb intake means it can help with blood sugar levels, especially in people with type 2 diabetes.

You May Experience Hunger Pains in the Beginning

It’s common to experience hunger pains after starting the keto diet before your body adjusts to extreme changes in low-carb intake. Although the cravings and hunger primarily occur during the first few weeks, it’s recommended to observe whether or not they will disappear once your body adjusts to the new diet. All in all, this side-effect is short-term because the keto diet will ultimately enhance appetite suppression. You can consume plenty of water, fiber, and moderate amounts of protein to curb the hunger cravings and pangs.

However, if you realize that the keto diet is having a significant, negative, and long-term impact on your health, it may be best to cease the keto diet. Visit your primary doctor for any negative health effects that you notice and also consider visiting a nutritionist to help guide you in the safest way for you to lose weight and maintain your health.

You May Face Flu-Like Symptoms

After the first week of implementing the keto diet, some individuals start to show several symptoms of what is known as the keto flu. The symptoms are typical to the common flu as they include headache, nausea, brain fog, weakness, vomiting, muscle cramps, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and dizziness. Luckily, they are temporary side-effects, and they should vanish with time. Again, if you find that these normal symptoms are lasting longer than they should, contact your primary care doctor.

You May Have Increased Energy and Focus

After incorporating the keto diet, most people usually report feeling sick, tiredness, and brain fog. Well, this is known as the keto flu, as previously, mentioned. Nevertheless, individuals who have used the keto diet for an extended period report increased energy and focus.

Once you start the keto diet, your body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs.

The Takeaway

While a keto diet may improve blood sugar control, help you lose weight, and boost energy levels, there are some risks that you should be aware of. Luckily, these risks should not pose any long-term harm to you, and you should reap the benefits of the keto diet in a safe and timely manner.