Keto for improved health

#1

Hi all,

My brother has been on keto for years and has done very well with weight loss. I have never really needed to lose weight but he advised me to give it a go to see what health benefits I would notice.

I have always suffered from very bad heartburn daily, medication from the doctor does not agree with me and I am always taking Gaviscon to help.

Since being on Keto for 3 months almost instantly I noticed some improvements in my overall health:

  • I get absolutely zero heartburn now, and I noticed this within the first week, have always found it strange due to the high-fat content but it is an unbelievable change.
  • My bowel movements have improved drastically, and are consistent.
  • I never get sweet cravings anymore which is something I thought I would never be able to give up.
  • I have increased concentration and focus

The one main thing I am still struggling with is sleep, I am either up very early or awake throughout the night.

Does anyone have experience or an explanation for not getting heartburn when on Keto?

Also interested in other people’s benefits they have noticed and how it has helped you?

Thanks! :smiley:

#2

Many of us find we sleep less, getting up early can just be a sign that your rest/recovery is complete. You’re beating up your body a lot less now than you were. Awake throughout the night is different. though. My sleep cocktail is Magnesium, 5-HTP, PharmaGABA, Melatonin. That’s a decent chunk of a very good commercially available sleep aid that I’m not will to pay the price for, that does wonders for everybody (so far) that I’ve recommended it to. What it’s sorta ripping off is Doc Parsley’s Sleep Remedy.

(UsedToBeT2D) #3

I too had bottles of antacid in house, cars, office, when I ate SAD. After Keto, I threw them all away. Haven’t needed one in 10 months.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #4

I’m in this for heath, as well. When I started keto the flatulence, bloat, indigestion and reflux of a lifetime (71 years) went away within a couple of weeks. It was an astonishing and totally unexpected experience. Others here have reported similar changes. Even if keto brought no other benefits I’d never go back to that again. But keto bestows many other benefits. A lot of things happen the first few months so you have to give yourself time to let them. Initially, at least, it’s important to stay in ketosis as consistently as possible. After 3 3/4 years I consider keto the best thing I ever did for myself.

Your sleep issue will likely go away on its own. When your brain starts getting lots of ketones as fuel, it goes on a kind of ‘activity binge’ for a while simply because ketones burn ‘better’ and ‘cleaner’ than glucose. Many folks report they don’t sleep as well or as long at first, but that over time things return to normal again. The ‘new normal’ may or may not be what it was before, but whatever it will be sufficient to feel rested and refreshed.

(BuckRimfire) #5

I’ve been someone who rarely sleeps eight hours for decades. So long as I abstain from alcohol, I’d say I sleep slightly better on low-carb, but not sure the difference is enough to call it a difference. (I’ve been low-carb for a bit over two years.)

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #6

Probably because you are making more stomach acid.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #7

My understanding is that hearburn is irritation of the esophagus caused by acid getting past the valve that is supposed to prevent it doing so. Aside from actual physical damage to the valve, I think stomach acid only reaches the esophagus because of increased gas pressure in the stomach or overeating bigly. In my own case, I’m pretty sure it was reduced gas pressure because I always had bloat and flatulence previoius to keto. I guess better quality stomach acid could very well be the fix.

Heartburn Causes and Risk Factors

Heartburn symptoms can start up because of a problem with a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). It’s located where the esophagus meets the stomach – below the rib cage and slightly left of center.

Normally, with the help of gravity, the LES keeps stomach acid right where it should be – in your stomach. When it’s working right, the LES opens to allow food into your stomach or to let you belch, then closes again. But if the LES opens too often or doesn’t close tightly enough, stomach acid can seep into the esophagus and cause a burning sensation.

If your LES doesn’t tighten as it should, there are often two things that contribute to the problem. One is overeating, which puts too much food in your stomach. Another is too much pressure on your stomach, often due to obesity, pregnancy, or constipation.

Source

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #8

And apparently, such reflux is the result of insufficient stomach acid, not excessive stomach acid, as we might suspect. It’s one of the reasons that protein-pump inhibitors aren’t as helpful as they are supposed to be.