Electrolytes
Are you familiar with the idea of balanced electrolytes? The body relies on electrolytes to carry electrical impulses through body fluid to control lots of different bodily functions. Keeping your electrolytes balanced when following a low-carb/ketogenic diet is very important.
Electrolytes you want to be aware of: sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
When you reduce the sugars/carbs in your diet, your insulin falls and your kidneys release fluid (this is why you end up having to pee a lot when you first start a low-carb diet – also why people say weight loss is just fluid loss. This may be true but if you’re puffy, you need to lose the fluid). With that fluid goes minerals including electrolytes. When you’re electrolytes get out of balance you feel like crap.
Low-Carb/Keto Flu
Have you heard of the low-carb or keto flu? It’s a thing. It’s not fun. It feels like the flu. If you’re one of the lucky ones and you don’t get flu like symptoms you could still easily suffer an energy crisis. In either case, the good news, it tends to be short lived. The best news, it can be avoided! How you ask?? Mind your electrolytes (minerals)!
When you stop eating processed foods your sodium intake goes WAY DOWN. You need salt! It’s a super important part of this electrolyte balance and tends to be the mineral I focus on.
Potassium, magnesium and calcium can be found in many foods and that’s where I like those particular electrolytes to come from. Salt on the other hand needs to be added.
- Potassium Rich Foods: Avocado, Dark Leafy Greens, Nuts, Salmon, Mushrooms
- Magnesium Rich Foods: Spinach, Chard, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
- Calcium Rich Foods: Sardines, Kale, Bok Choy, Almonds, Canned Pink Salmon, Chia Seeds, Spinach
Salt
A lot of people have a huge hangup when it comes to salt. Not surprising since we’ve been told FOREVER that it’s bad for us. If you eat a lot of processed foods, it can be bad. If you eat real food which is what you’re doing when you make healthy lifestyle changes, YOU NEED SALT.
To learn more about salt and how great it is for your health please read the book, The Salt Fix by Dr. James DiNicolantonio. This is an affiliate link. If you choose to use my link, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission. Thank you, I appreciate your support.
O.k., so if you want to feel good while living the first few weeks of your new low-carb lifestyle embrace the salt. Eat pickles, drink pickle juice, drink salty broth or even bouillon cubes dissolved in warm water. Seriously. You can also add some salt to your bottle of water. This is a neat trick when you are at the gym, it’s like rocket fuel.
You can also get a little more creative and enjoy a homemade electrolyte Iced Tea or Lemonade. See recipe below. This is what we do in our house.
Low-Carb Zero Energy
Having no energy while starting a low-carb lifestyle is probably one of the most common complaints. This is typically an electrolyte issue. I want you to take care of this problem. I don’t want you giving up on your new healthy life style because of a mineral imbalance.
Don’t give up. Implement the ideas above and see if you feel better : )
Here’s hint, if you need salt, you’ll crave salt. Those cravings could come in the form of potato chips, french fries or other salty snack foods. You could also mistake your salt cravings for sugar cravings, eek!! You’re not craving the food, you’re craving the salt! Before you make a bad food choice, try a pickle or an electrolyte drink.
Down and dirty, easy way to get electrolytes, electrolyte powder. You can buy electrolyte powders and add those to water. Read labels, you don’t want sugars. Look for a no sugar electrolyte supplement. These are usually flavored so they can be a nice change from just plain water.
Notes
The original recipe for this electrolyte drink comes from Leanne Vogel's cookbook, The Keto Diet. Leanne's recipe is for Electrolyte Lemonade. If you like the idea of lemonade trade out the iced tea for 4 cups of filtered water and 1/3 of a cup of freshly squeeze lemon juice. Lemon slices as an optional garnish.
Sip throughout the day but especially in the afternoon. That's when I notice most people complain about a lack of energy.
Ingredients
- To Make a Pitcher
- 4 cups of homemade Sun Tea (we like Celestial Seasonings Herbal Fruit Tea)
- 1/4 tsp. Redmonds Real Salt or your favorite salt
- 1 - 4 Tbsp. Aloe Vera Juice (optional)
- 2 - 6 drops Pure Stevia Leaf Extract, liquid (optional - I like Trader Joe's)
- Sprinkle of NoSalt (optional - potassium supplement)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together. Taste and adjust salt and sweetener to your taste.
- If you are using an herbal berry tea try adding some fresh berries to the pitcher as a garnish.
- Once you figure out the recipe that works for you, double or triple it so you have your electrolyte drink ready and waiting in the fridge.
- There are many health benefits that come with Aloe Vera juice. It's particularly good for gut health. If you're new to Aloe Vera juice start low and increase, it can have a laxative effect.
I’m Amy a board certified holistic nutritionist, certified functional nutritionist and lifestyle practitioner and certified Life Coach. I help women in midlife understand the changing needs of their body so that they can stop dieting and lose weight permanently. At 56 I live what I teach. Don’t believe the story that your best years are behind you. They are not. Your best years are just starting!