Getting colds more often While on Keto

#1

Had a mild cold in September now seemingly coming down with another one.

The last few years I have only been getting about 2 colds a year well spaced so to have 2 in 3 months is a little annoying. My colds last fairly long so the idea of being sick for the next 10 days is not what I want. Not sure it matters but I completed a fast about 24 hours before I got sick

Anyone else notice they are getting sick more?

Note I used to get about 4 colds a year ever since I was a kid, then about 6 years ago I went moderate carb with a lot of fruit and vegetables and I used to drink smoothies with beets and pomegranate daily. For nearly two years I did not get sick once, this while working in a school (just started working in school then and no longer do) and having my family have various sicknesses that I never caught. I did not get sick again until a few months after I got out of the smoothie habit

The smoothies have way too many carbs but there is definitely some magic ingredient in them, never figured out what it was so it was very much a kitchen sink smoothie. What I was thinking of doing was making one, putting it into ice cubes and having one a day and counting that as a small carb

3 months in - can't shake ongoing cold. Suggestions?
Downside/what else
Could an extended fast be bad for the coronavirus?
(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #2

Well I haven’t had a cold. I did have a very bad bout of sinus that started on our trip to Alaska, and when we returned home the weather was very Alaskan like, lots of clouds and rainy for a part of each day. I got very sick. But as soon as I could I started doing a fast, first was 24 hrs. then I ate and did 40ish hrs. Started me on the road to recovery. I was eating lots of fat when I broke each of those fasts. So keto and fasting helped me get well.

We are all different. I like your idea of freezing a smoothie you know helps you and just taking small amounts daily.
Hope you are well and healthy soon.

(Allie) #3

I’m the only one at my work who never catches the office cold. I’m alsonthe only one who lives a healthy active lifestyle. Hope you feel better soon.

(jketoscribe) #4

I was one to have 6 - 10 “colds” a year that often turned into bronchitis. Since keto, I generally get one cold every few years. I supplement with fish oil and vitamins D3/K2 and when I have had those few colds it’s generally when I was stressed, sleep deprived, and missed doses of those supplements.

If you go on Marty Kendall’s Optimizing Nutrition website, you can put in a food diary for a week or so and see if you are missing some important nutrients.

(Allie) #5

D3 I take every day without fail and I’m sure it helps me stay healthy.

(Duncan Kerridge) #6

Quite the opposite, I used to get 3-4 colds a year and they were proper man-flu ones. 12 months on keto and i’ve had the sniffles for one day, that’s it.

(Annika) #7

I never get sick when I´m on keto. That´s one of the best parts!

(Bunny) #8

Your questioned sparked my attention so I thought I would share something I learned when getting sick on keto.

If you are taking ARGININE supplement or getting it from some kind of source high in it? When your on a ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting, you have to increase protein intake because Arginine tends to weaken (not sure why that is) the immune system but makes the body burn fat much much faster! Those are the PROS & CONS of Arginine!

#9

Thank you.

I do not take arginine supplements but may consider it if it will help with fat loss! I am desperate before some events coming soon

I do eat some turkey and chicken and a lot of dairy (I know that by iteself could cause the fat stall!) I have also been having scoops of peanut butter laterly which I am trying to stop

(Bunny) #10

I had the same problem at first too, what I did was quit snacking in-between meals and did intermittent fasting because the longer you go without spiking insulin; that allows the body to burn the fat (you cannot burn fat in the presence of insulin) during the delta phase of sleep, you never actually burn the fat when you are awake! I’ve lost over 100 pounds to date!

I also adjusted (finding the sweet spot?) the fat and protein (3-4 oz.) intake.

Never realized my excessive sugar and carb intake was damaging my metabolism. I do believe the reason different peoples metabolism function differently is not because of any inherent biological or genetic differences but according to dietary habits and how much glucose is maintained in the blood stream or how often insulin is spiked! I like utilizing a glucose/blood ketone meter (I’m not diabetic) to monitor this process!

I have never had normal blood work results in my life, but after going keto all blood work results are now normal or better than normal!

I now treat my body like it’s high octane formula 1 sports car (crazy analogy I know, lol) and my body looks better than a run way model.

#11

Have you tried cutting out dairy?

(Allie) #12

This is a good point as dairy is known for causing extra mucous and cold like symptoms.

#13

For the colds or the fat loss?

For the colds I do not think it will matter because I have always eaten dairy and when I went through the cold free phase years ago I was eating plenty of dairy.

For the fat, it might help but since I do not eat pork and fatty meat makes me gag I get most of my fat from dairy, avocado and eggs and various oils. I would like to look better at Thanksgiving so may try it this week but I have two big parties this weekend so maybe not!

@atomicspacebunny Thank you.

I started fasting a month before I started keto and try not to snack. Fasting really helped with breaking snacking since I think before I grab

Dr. Fung talks about a stall at 6 months and that is where I am

#14

For the colds. It might be worth cutting it out for a couple weeks to see how you feel.

(Duncan Kerridge) #15

That’s a common myth but it’s not true.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2017/02/24/do-dairy-foods-cause-mucus-production/?referer=

(Allie) #16

OK I must be imagining it then, along with everyone else who is affected :joy:

(Duncan Kerridge) #17

Yup, did you hear that fat makes you fat as well? :wink:

#18

Hmmm, a myth, huh. Tell that to my aching ears and packed sinuses every single fucking time I eat a big serving of cheese.

#19

To be honest I do not find dairy bothers me.

As an update, this cold, like the one in September was much milder and shorter than I usually get. It started very quickly on Friday night (I was out to dinner, when I got there I felt great, by the time dinner was over I felt the cold, bizarre). It was completely over by Wednesday and probably Tuesday. Still Saturday was miserable with a bad sore throat

#20

Have a major cold this week. Not sure if it is a cold or the flu. Really happy it is probably not strep because my throat was killing me until yesterday. This is cold number 3 since September. Very frustrating. One good point, I was worried that a fast had triggered my last cold. Since I have not fasted in a while, that is not a reason

The one weird part is that I am getting cravings for orange vegetables (butternut squash, sweet potatoes) and oranges and clementines. My stomach is fine. I normally do not eat these but I seem to be craving them. I am ok with cream and butter but most meat makes me want to gag all of a sudden.

I have some beef brisket already made and the thought of it makes me sick. I had some chicken soup which was really good.

While it may knock me out of ketosis, I am not sure why I am having these cravings but I am following them. Yes I realize the body can crave tootsie rolls too! While I have nothing against yams, they are not my go to vegetable even pre keto