Keto diet is SCARY

(Maha) #1

The horror people face when they go keto! Read on to see why you shouldn’t be on this diet. https://amp.thisisinsider.com/worst-keto-diet-horror-stories-2018-7

My counters:

“I can’t sleep.” From the description, this person isn’t even fat adapted, was probably still in withdrawals. Yeah, it sucks, but I understand the final stages of TD2 are quite devastating by comparison. I’ll take a few sleepless nights for a life of health.

“Vomiting occurred.” Oh, no! You can’t drink like a freaking fish in an ocean of alcohol anymore. The torture! I hear that even people who are not on keto throw up if they drink alcohol. It’s a rumor, but it happened to me on my 21st bday. Just sayin’.

“It triggered a manic episode.” I got nothin’. But I’d imagine for some people it would take some time to get the brain chemistry evened out. Plus if this person was on medication, could that have an impact?

“I developed fatty liver disease.” I call B.S., except for the carb part. Yeah, that can do it. Also, was there a before and after test to see if this person was already on their way?

“The cravings are overwhelming.” Yes, but you’ll get over it. I mean, if you’re a drug addict, should we tell you to keep doing drugs because the cravings are so hard to deal with in withdrawal and not worth the health benefits if you quit? I don’t think so.

“I’ve been getting these nightmares.” Suck it up, buttercup. It doesn’t last forever, and some never have them (me). Your health is more important than being temporarily scared as you’re force fed bread.

“Keto gave me terrible acne.” I’m guessing hormonal balancing going on.

“Had pretty bad gastritis.” This person admits to overdoing potassium supplements. This is not related to any diet, let alone keto. Why is keto blamed?

“I’ve had this god-awful headache.” Some people take longer to get past withdrawals. Why is this a horror story?

“The dreaded keto flu hit me.” And then there is a picture of someone blowing their nose. SMH.

“I had an extreme reaction to my cycle.” Hormones, hormones, hormones. She ended up regulating and it worked out in the end. Why is this blamed on keto? We’ve been mistreating our bodies for so long, it’s bound to take some people time for their bodies to get on track. Is this a reason to not do keto? No.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #2

I will say, I did throw up due to Keto and I wasn’t drinking alcohol. It was my electrolytes. I learned that when I ran and added extra miles, I would get nauseous afterward. It happened every time I upped my mileage. Even when I tried to add extra salt before the run.

I learned to immediately take more salt post run.

Problem solved.

(karen) #3

Keto at its finest!!

(Todd Allen) #4

Some of the complaints about keto could also be arguments for keto…

It’s not easy at first to give up the carbs and sugar. It’s about as hard as trying to quit smoking. Maybe harder!

The cravings are almost overwhelming. You need to overcome a lifetime of eating and cooking habits. The social pressure of people offering you sugary food can be almost overwhelming as well.

(karen) #5

I do find that tough at times, especially if I’m fasting. I can withstand the “for your own good” types sitting there adding inches to their bellies and butts as they call me out on my differences. It’s my friends who are just trying to be social who are the challenge. I get together for “people’s nite” (a group of three or four) and we take turns with the food, I sometimes feel like I’m 1. calling weird attention to myself and 2. not being part of the group. It’s me, not them, but it’s still sometimes uncomfortable for me, I’ll end a fast early rather than Announce that I’m not eating and be seen as some borderline anorexic.

(Maha) #6

I don’t disagree and I think you’re right. But what I found frustrating about the article was its intent to scare people away from trying keto without providing explanation to resolve some of the mentioned issues. There are definitely some not great things to experience, mostly it seems having to do with an adjustment period, which can last for days to a year (I’m still adjusting things a year in!), but IMHO the benefits so much outweigh them, that articles like this really do a disservice to people who are on the fence about trying it out for themselves.

#7

I think it all comes down to motivation.

For people who were ‘ok’ beforehand, a few headaches, feeling listless and cravings seem insurmountable.

However, if life before keto was a daily test of grim endurance, cravings, exhaustion and weight gain, then it is amazing how much someone is willing to put up with during the adaptation process in order to feel well again.

(Bunny) #8

Too much sugar and carbs are SCARY too because they shorten your life-span?

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave

(Angela H Ellis) #9

The social aspect has been one of the biggest issues for me. I had to convince those around me that this is a healthful choice and help to kind of reboot their minds into thinking it isn’t just a diet it’s a new nourishment pattern for my life. I feel like a million bucks. It’s pretty funny to me that I feel this good.

(karen) #10

Uh huh. I’m always vaguely worried the four of them will get me in the house, lock the door and announce “This is an intervention, we want you to eat some life-sustaining bread rolls”. :rofl:

(Empress of the Unexpected) #11

I understand there are physical issues starting Keto, but I also believe some of those Reddit posters were exaggerating. Maybe cause they couldn’t hack it?

(Lorraine) #12

I used to get headaches frequently before keto. I think they were pressure headaches from my allergies. Lo and behold, I haven’t had a headache since my first month on keto. My new theory is, they were, in fact, pressure headaches, but now I have so much less inflammation in my body, that they just don’t happen anymore. No swollen sinuses = no sinus headaches.

I think I’m going to start keeping a list of all the unexpected benefits of keto. I mean, in addition to losing weight!

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #13

Bread rolls? Bread rolls? At least hold out for some really tasty glazed doughnuts, for heaven’s sake! :rofl:

Actually, all these reasons why keto is so scary sound to my ear a lot like the kinds of excuses active alcoholics come up with to explain why they couldn’t possibly stop drinking . . . .

(Empress of the Unexpected) #14

I don’t believe half of their shit excuses!

(Lorraine) #15

Amen to that! I keep thinking that the addicts (sugar addicts) don’t want anyone to get clean, because they might have to admit they have a problem and get clean.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #16

These types want attention! For whatever reason.

(Tamara Salisbury ) #17

I have been on keto 7 months now prior to that I ate a Paleo lifestyle for four years and before that it was clean eating. I can honestly say this is the best eating lifestyle !! I feel great and I don’t have the cravings. It doesn’t bother me to watch other people eat sugary Foods because i know it will make me feel like crap!
I will say I have been having some discomfort in my gallbladder and kidneys. To be on the safe side the doctor did order an ultrasound of them. but I’m also not giving up my keto I’m researching and finding where I need to make changes and it! Too much protein and more fluids. And it’s also looking Beyond Keto. I don’t use over the counters are Pharmaceuticals herbs have helped taking care of my body.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #18

You know, running out of bacon can be a pretty horrible experience . . . .

To say nothing of heavy whipping cream for the blueberries . . . .

:rofl:

#19

I honestly don’t know what people such as this author (and numerous others) are observing or reading when they write this crap.

There is no way I’m something special physiologically, and LCHF is overall the easiest way of eating I’ve ever experienced (apart from just not caring and eating SAD, but then I always felt terrible and had to eat all the time to keep the insulin pumping, so that wasn’t actually easy).

Yes, there are variations among people in this regard; and outliers. But our biochemistry is largely (understatement) uniform. And there is a lot of flexibility in the “keto diet,” depending on goals, activity level, and those aforementioned variations.

I can remain fat adapted, reaping the benefits of beta-hydroxybutyrate etc,
and live a very normal lifestyle.

As long as “normal” doesn’t include a lot of crappy processed oils, added sugar, and starchy fillers.

It seems the light is starting to come on for a lot of people with respect to fats and sugar, and the true “fad” is to try and debunk straw-man keto “diets” that I have never once even heard/seen promoted by anyone I follow in the low-carb community. I have yet to read a cogent criticism of the way I actually eat.

And as far as the “hard to do” fallacy goes, there are so many different ways, within the general HFLC rubric, to keep your weight and visceral fat down, your lipid and inflammation blood panels stellar, energy levels up, and brain fog cleared, that I just scratch my head when I read BS like that article.

Time-restricted feeding, carb cycling, refeeding, heart-rate training, proper sleep, avoiding excess alcohol and other infammants, following micronutrient research, etc keep me at an ideal weight, BF% and pretty respectable fitness level per time/effort invested ( e.g., in my mid-40s, I can run a half marathon on a 24-hour fast without much training, and I survived stage iv cancer --diagnosed before I got into HFLC, but I can’t help but attribute my amazing response tp chemo to my diet). And, my last several blood tests show a 1:1 trig:HDL, large fluffy LDL, and non-existent insulin resistance and inflammation.

I’m rambling, but I’ve spent years researching nutrition ardently, and this latest slew of so-called nutrition/health journalists (click-bait salespeople) are downright irresponsible and harmful.

Oh, and I’m 0/12 on those symptoms.

#20

I love that the person that said it triggered a manic episode first of all recognized a manic episode so she likely had them already and secondly immediately states she is bipolar so is already prone to such physiological irregularities. The link to keto here stretches further than salt water taffy (sugar free of course!)