Good day everyone! My wife and I have started to eat keto a few weeks ago. I’ve had bad keto flu symptoms the first week, craving sugar, shaking and feeling cold /hot, no energy, bad legs cramps. My wife is having those symptoms this week. She’s completely exhausted, feeling sick ( she actually vomited twice this morning…), hot /cold, etc. I’ve been reading a lot but I’m no expert and I would like your opinion on how to fix these symptoms so that she can start having some energy again and feel better before she quits. I’ve suggested that she drink more tea/water, try to increase the amount of salt she’s eating throughout the day to retain said water. I’ve suggested that she takes a calcium / magnesium supplement which fixed my leg cramps problem. I’m not sure what else she could do. Any suggestions are welcome! Thank you!!
Help needed
The flu-type symptoms come from lack of sodium—we excrete sodium faster when we drop our carb intake—so working on keeping your salt intake up should help greatly. Aim for between 2-3 U.S. tsp (10-15 g) daily intake of table salt (sodium chloride). Under normal circumstances, this should also keep your magnesium, potassium, and calcium properly regulated, but you and/or your wife may find it necessary to supplement one or more of those minerals.
There is also a sort of weakness that manifests itself as a decline in athletic performance; this is temporary and the result of an adaptation process at the cellular level. When the muscles re-accustom themselves to burning fatty acids in place of glucose, your performance will return (in fact, this is the best sign of fat-adaptation). This process generally takes 6-8 weeks of ketogenic eating in most people.
Grind some salt in your palm and pop it in your mouth two or three times a day. This works great if you have a craving and won’t to get past it. These flu feelings will past and when you get to the other side it is awesome but you won’t get there if you add carbs back in.
Welcome to the forum, Philippe, it is great that you and your wife are doing Keto together.
I agree with the others, keeping your Salt/Electrolytes up is the solution. You will both be feeling better soon, your body has to rid itself of your sugar and carb cravings.