New carnivore aches and pains

(Ali) #1

So I started a 30 day trial of a carnivore lifestyle. I’m currently on day 10 and the last 2 days I’ve have lots of joint pain is this normal? And will it pass?

I know there is an adaptation phase and I’ve read a lot about it but I guess I’m just feeling a bit nervous and in need of some veteran reassurance?

I’ve lost 10lbs and things like sleep and energy have been really good I only had 1 day of headache and my hunger is very much reduced, all things I’m very happy with. My people around me are all very skeptical and feel like they are waiting for this to fail me. Am I just still adapting and need to give it more time and these things will resolve themselves?

Many thanks

(Rob) #2

I don’t have any ZC experience but I’m interested.

I think it would help the answers if you said if you are already Keto adapted or are you leaping in from SAD carbs? I think you may have implied the latter but it’s hard to tell. It would at least suggest whether it is a general Keto adaptation issue or a more specific ZC issue?

(Ali) #3

I have come into it from a period of regular to high carb eating. I have been keto on and off for about 2 years, found that adaptation fairly simple and never experienced joint issues. I’m 36yr old female, my health is normally quite good with the usual aches and pains from being a carer and a mum.

(VLC.MD) #4

Try a bit of aleve ?

#5

If you’re not doing it already, put LOTS of salt on your meat. That should do the trick.

(Ali) #6

Ah thankyou, I have been adding some salt maybe I should try to increase that? Can you have ‘too much’?

(Sacha Beauregard) #7

I also don’t have any ZC experience, so maybe don’t put a lot of faith in my opinion here, but I believe that the body is pretty well able to regulate too much salt by just expelling it. There might only, possibly, be a “too much” level were you still holding on to a lot of salt through a high carb diet.

(roxanna) #8

I never had that experience but I also kept my electrolytes well under control. I did, however, gain a lot of weight, so after ~10+ months gave up on ZC. It was quite enjoyable though!

#9

Your taste buds will tell you when you’ve had to much. 5000mg sodium a day is reasonable, if you’re in to tracking.

#10

I’ve been ZC for 5 months and had opposite experience - pain went away. Everybody is different. Stick with it for at least 30 days (I started out with same trial period) and see what happens. So many benefits from this way of eating. Salt should help. Good luck!

(Ali) #11

Thankyou! Do you happen to remember if you were a bit sore and achy to start with?
I’ve found my appetite has vanished so I’ve not eaten much yesterday and today should I just go with it or make myself eat regularly still?
I am really determined to stick it out so any tips or advice is highly appreciated!

#12

The Salt Fix by Dr. Nicolantonio had some great information about optimum salt intake. Ketoans need more salt.

#13

Sorry I don’t recall any specific pains, just a little adjustment- like infrequent bowel movements but not feeling constipated. The main thing I’ve learned is to just trust your body and hunger signs. I have a Michael Pollan-esque mantra: “Eat only when hungry. Just meat. Repeat.” The rest will take care of itself. I don’t count macros or calories. Most days I eat once or twice, some days 3 or 4 times. I just follow my mantra.

Time is the only variable - for you it may take a little longer.

(Ali) #14

Great info thanks!

(Ali) #15

So I added a heap of salt to a juicy ribeye and within a few hours the pain in my shoulder, hip and knee reduced to almost nothing! I was starting to cramp up a bit in my legs too and that went away almost instantly. I can’t thank everyone enough!
It’s not something I would have thought to do.
This morning I was down another 1lb too. Normally I would be worried that too much salt would cause water retention and weight gain but it seems there is a lot more to learn about how my body works :blush:

(Ali) #16

I really connect with the idea of trusting my body but I guess I still struggle with it a bit after many years of food abuse, restrictive dieting and constant ‘hunger’. I was quite good at eating food just because it was there.
I was never any good at counting calories or macros but now I don’t count anything and I’m absolutely loving not being hungry and not wanting food all the time. I guess there’s still a part of me that worries I’m not feeding my body enough.
I need a mantra!

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #17

Actually, it’s eating carbohydrate that causes water retention. Switching to keto means that comes to an end, so you need to pay more attention to your salt and water intake. A couple of cups of broth a day does wonders. Recent research done at McGill University suggests that our daily intake of sodium should be much higher than is currently recommended. The notion that salt is bad for us is about as scientifically well-founded as the notion that saturated fat causes heart disease, which is to say, not at all.

(Ali) #18

Thankyou, I am converted to salt! Adding it in the last few days has really made a difference :slight_smile:

I don’t know if this is me getting really unlucky or it’s a normal part of the process but overnight I started getting the shakes really bad, my whole body ached, I had a bad headache and sore throat and temp of 38.6°c! I know there are lots of bugs going around at the moment… Gonna make chicken bone broth today and see if that helps!

#19

Bone broth with a good dose of salt will work wonders. If you’re eating dairy you may want to cut that from your meals for a few days until the cold is gone. You’re doing great!

(Ali) #20

Thankyou! I feel like all I’ve done is moan but I am really feeling better not eating carbs, having no significant cravings, less tired, even mood etc…
I do have a horrible taste in my mouth atm and nothing tastes of anything else, is this the cold or ketones or overeating protein or… simply overthinking everything?!
I don’t really know what’s what but I literally can’t stand the thought of eating meat right now :frowning: