Can’t seem to fast for longer than 16 hours

(3390b174d24a135306e6) #1

I’m a 60 year old woman who has been strict keto for 3 months. I assume I’m fat adapted at this point but can’t seem to fast very long. Get light headed and nauseous. Why???

(Michael ) #2

Well, I’m not a doctor but my own personal experience with light headedness during fasting is from low blood pressure. Adding more electrolytes usually helps alleviate the issue. I typically supplement magnesium and salt during fasts. You could add a little salt to see if it helps. I do believe blood sugar levels can cause symptoms too, so worth discussing with a physician if a little salt doesn’t help

#3

Salt is our friend! Dr. Phinney has lectured on how out of whack the American sodium guidelines are - and how around 3 grams a day is better than 1 gram and that 5 grams is also better than not enough.

Get yourself some nice tasting sea salt or smoked salt or himalayan salt and snack on it freely. On Amazon you can find salt samplers with many kinds of fascinating flavor-infused salts, including lava salt and rosemary salt! :heart_eyes:

Drinking a mug of salty bouillon daily also help - or bone broth (from collagen peptides powder) with thyme, a teaspoon of sea salt, onion powder - yummy (also good to take Vit. C any day you drink bone broth, as it’s critical for the collagen building process).

All the minerals are important and play a role. So, easiest way is to take a good minerals supplement like Trace Minerals. Or take them separately and randomly. I take Angstrom Magnesium most days, along with Nascent Iodine (a halogen not a mineral), and a bit of selenium via brazil nuts or bee bread.

Potassium is also important - some people do well with supplementing others like me get headachey from supplementing. Some people need higher levels, others lower - depending on whether you’re on any medications, etc. It’s easily gotten through eating one avocado a day or a 1/2 banana (if you’re not a compulsive eater and can ignore the other half and keep your other carbs down - Dr. Mary Dan Eades and Dr. Michael Eades incorporate small amounts of banana for minerals in their LCHF guidelines).

Good to review any medications with physician too - if you’re on them. The ketogenic way of eating tends to result in people stopping most meds etc.

(Troy) #4

This no doubt. Having some right now. Lol
Sipping on some really helps!

Plus, when an occasional sugar craving happens

For me, goes away w some bouillon

#5

I started using Hi-Lyte Electrolyte Concentrate- Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium & Zinc drops. I put it in my coffee and tea as well as water. I also use the Vora App, it helps me take my fast to completion and limits my eating windows. Not sure why I care what an app says but it holds me accountable. Love the charts etc. Go slow, it will become second nature pretty soon. Nothing is a failure, sometimes we just set the goals a little too high. I tried a 5 day fast and quit at 91 hours. Next time think, I’ll go for 92 hours. lol