Electrolytes and Keto

So, you are excited to start a keto lifestyle.

You have raided your house of all high carb/sugar food. You have downloaded a tracking app. You have created a file of recipes to try. You even know about the keto flu and have convinced yourself that you won't experience it. You may have even bought a waffle maker for all of those delicious looking chaffles you keep seeing on social media. Perhaps an air fryer has found its way into your kitchen too.

But you are likely forgetting one of the most important things when starting a keto lifestyle (I know I did)- ELECTROLYTES!!

Electrolytes are minerals in your urine, blood and tissues that have an electric charge and help balance the amount of water in your body.

When following a keto diet, your body processes electrolytes differently. Insulin levels remain lower due restricting carbohydrates. This can cause your kidneys to excrete sodium, which can also lead to an imbalance of other critical electrolytes.

This imbalance of electrolytes creates symptoms of what we call the KETO FLU. The main symptoms are:

• Headaches

• Weakness

• Fatigue

• Brain fog

• Muscle cramps and twitching

• Heart palpitations/increased heart rate

The 4 main electrolytes to track when following a keto lifestyle are sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. You can absolutely get all of the nutrients you need from consuming a diet including pink Himalayan salt, avocados, dark chocolate, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, nuts, hard cheese, meat, salmon and sardines, but the truth is that most won't be able to accomplish that.

While eating a healthy and balanced diet is extremely important, chances are you will still have to supplement your electrolytes. Most people following keto do and that is perfectly acceptable, you just have to choose the right product to supplement with.

This was all me. I decided pretty quickly to start keto and jumped into it overnight. I downloaded a tracker, got a list of keto foods ready and went for it. The first week I felt completely amazing! I had energy, focus and was loving the results I was seeing on the scale. Then the second week hit and I wasn’t doing so great. I was getting leg cramps and really bad headaches. You need to understand that I suffer from severe migraines and have since I was a teenager and these “keto” headaches were more severe than the migraines I get. I honestly did not know what was wrong with me. Then I started asking others who were following a keto lifestyle what was going on and they all told me the same thing- TAKE ELECTROLYTES!!

I had no idea what electrolytes to take. I just knew that the supplement I chose had to be sugar free and, for personal preference, no artificial sweeteners. So online I went to find a brand that I felt I could trust.

I discovered Mitoplex with MitoP2Q technology, plus Creatine Monohydrate and Vitamin D3. This upgraded electrolyte provides improved energy metabolism, increased mitochondrial biogenesis, increased muscle mass, improved performance and cognitive performance. I incorporated this into my daily routine by taking a serving in the morning and another in the evening. My headaches disappeared immediately, I no longer get leg cramps and I can vouch for that increased muscle mass claim personally.

This is the brand that I choose to take. I love the technology and that the company promotes “lead with education first”.

Whichever supplement you choose, do your research and choose what works best for you, your goals and your lifestyle. Just make sure it meets the keto restrictions and provides the electrolytes needed to maintain and healthy and balanced body.

Keto on and stay healthy.

-Vanessa