“Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible.”
– Marcus Aurelius
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say they tried to give up low carb but “that doesn’t work for me because I didn’t feel well.” Have you given up trying to “go low carb” because you don’t feel good when you do it?
Nobody wants to try to sustain something that makes them feel dizzy, weak, have mental fog, headaches, and in general unwell. I don’t blame people for quitting. Those are good reasons.
But trying to undo insulin resistance without pulling back on refined carbohydrates is like trying to reverse lung damage caused by cigarettes while still smoking. It just isn’t going to work.
Figuring out how to reduce refined carbohydrates in your diet and not feel terrible while doing it is the solution to this problem. And the solution is salt. Well, one of the solutions…
The main reason people suffer what has been dubbed as the “keto flu” is because of the diuretic effect caused by lowering insulin by reducing the over consumption of carbohydrates you were previously eating. High insulin (and high carbs for that matter) make you hold on to fluids.
When both a reduced, you start to pee a lot. Inside that pee are some electrolytes that are critical to feeling well (and being well) including salt, potassium, and magnesium. When those electrolytes are low, you feel like garbage.
What most people do is eat carbs to feel better, but if you want to lose weight, that’s not the strategy. The strategy is to better manage your hydration by making sure you are getting enough salt.
The demand for commercial electrolyte powders like LMNT or Redmond’s Re-lyte is no doubt driven in part by people using low carb/keto diets or fasting who have run into this problem. While these powders make replenishing electrolytes easier, perhaps, there are less expensive ways to replenish these electrolytes that aren’t full of sweeteners used to make drinking salt not feeling like you are drinking ocean water.
Straight up salt under your tongue, salted bone broth, or unsweetened pickle juice are ways to get a little extra salt in to combat this issue. If you have a salt restriction from your healthcare provider, by all means, listen to them, but if you do not, extra salt intake is peed out if it is not needed. Because we tend to wake up a little dehydrated, upon awakening is a key time to have some water and a little salt to start your day off on the right foot.
For magnesium, you can soak in epsom salt baths in the evening or use topical applications that can be found in lotions and oils. It is also available as an over the counter supplement.
Potassium tends to be held onto when you up your salt, so that is not something I’d recommend supplementing unless you are advised to do so by your healthcare provider. That said, many commercial electrolyte powders also contain potassium.
When it comes to weight loss, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose and a lot of insulin resistance to reverse (or you have type 2 diabetes), I do not believe it is possible to heal yourself without reducing refined carbs in the diet. This is non-negotiable. Overcoming this issue is a necessary step on your weight loss journey.
How low do you need to go? Well, friend, that’s for you to figure out. Start by pulling back on sugars and grains and see where that gets you. It might not be far enough depending on where you started. It wasn’t for me.
Make good choices.
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