This brain fog
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dietbepsi
Posts: 136 Member
I've been a lurker for quite some time here, and everyone's posts help me so much! I'm hoping to get some advice or feedback on this problem. I always kind of consider myself low-carb during the week then I go hogwild on the weekends it seems like.
A couple weeks ago I decided to really commit myself because I do believe in this way of eating. I also have 20 pounds to lose, and hereditary high cholesterol that I truly believe this will help. I also remember the last time I really needed to lose weight, about 20 pounds, about three years ago, I followed this plan. I remember my energy level soared and I never felt better.
Anyhow, like I said, two weeks ago I started this, but honestly I still ate some carbs here and there, like I had French vanilla creamer in my coffee, etc..(around 45/50 carbs a day) Last weekend I didn't do so bad, but I did have some lemon drop martini's on Sunday night, two of them. Which are very high in sugar. I mean the rim alone is lined with sugar
Last Monday I decided no more playing around and I went fully committed. I switched over to whipping cream in my coffee, I haven't had any processed sugars/carbs etc. I get my carbs from vegetables, a few nuts, things like that. I'm staying at 25 a day. I did lose 5 pounds.
I didn't feel terrible this week at all, but my energy level is extremely low. I did even manage to get three exercise sessions in though. I didn't "cheat" one time this weekend (which is a HUGE accomplishment for me) And as of the last couple days I have this brain fog and level of lethargy that I feel like I can't even function!
I don't remember this at all and I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem of brain fog/lethargy, how long it lasted and if for some people it just didn't go away. I'm surprised that a good solid week and I feel like this.
Thank you in advance for any input. I have done a lot of reading, I've done the launch pad, I research things online, (last night I even chugged a half teaspoon of salt! but I find that real life experiences help me the most.
A couple weeks ago I decided to really commit myself because I do believe in this way of eating. I also have 20 pounds to lose, and hereditary high cholesterol that I truly believe this will help. I also remember the last time I really needed to lose weight, about 20 pounds, about three years ago, I followed this plan. I remember my energy level soared and I never felt better.
Anyhow, like I said, two weeks ago I started this, but honestly I still ate some carbs here and there, like I had French vanilla creamer in my coffee, etc..(around 45/50 carbs a day) Last weekend I didn't do so bad, but I did have some lemon drop martini's on Sunday night, two of them. Which are very high in sugar. I mean the rim alone is lined with sugar
Last Monday I decided no more playing around and I went fully committed. I switched over to whipping cream in my coffee, I haven't had any processed sugars/carbs etc. I get my carbs from vegetables, a few nuts, things like that. I'm staying at 25 a day. I did lose 5 pounds.
I didn't feel terrible this week at all, but my energy level is extremely low. I did even manage to get three exercise sessions in though. I didn't "cheat" one time this weekend (which is a HUGE accomplishment for me) And as of the last couple days I have this brain fog and level of lethargy that I feel like I can't even function!
I don't remember this at all and I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem of brain fog/lethargy, how long it lasted and if for some people it just didn't go away. I'm surprised that a good solid week and I feel like this.
Thank you in advance for any input. I have done a lot of reading, I've done the launch pad, I research things online, (last night I even chugged a half teaspoon of salt! but I find that real life experiences help me the most.
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Replies
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I believe you are having symptoms of low electrolytes. Mainly sodium. Once you buckled down, your body got serious with the ketone production and used up the extra glycogen you had stored. When these things happen you lose water weight and with that goes sodium. At some point, your body won't let go of anymore sodium because it must maintain a certain amount. So, you start losing other electrolytes, magnesium and potassium. The severity of the symptoms depends on how low they have all gotten and seems to vary a little from person to person.
On low carb your body needs between 3000-5000mg of sodium a day. You CANNOT get this much easily by just salting your food. The absolute simplest way is take a couple sodium chloride tablets you can get at any pharmacy. The most common way people tend to get it is by drinking broth, eating pickles and olives and bacon in addition to salting all foods to taste.
Because you've likely lost magnesium too and because 75% of us were already deficient to start with anyway, it's recommended to supplement about 600mg a day (possibly more) in the form of magnesium glycinate or citrate or any of the "ate" forms of magnesium. Low magnesium can have a negative impact on just about everything really, but it's most notable in causing muscle cramps and can interfere with your ability to relax and sleep well. Taking it at night is a good idea for that reason.
Supplementing potassium is super easy to do. Salt substitutes like NuSalt, Lite Salt or LoSalt are sold at grocery stores and just adding some to foods along with regular salt is generally enough extra potassium.
This is a fast acting fix for the fog. You'll probably feel better within 10 minutes of drinking a big cup of broth.0 -
I just saw that you said you chugged some salt last night.
1/2 teaspoon would be about 1100mg, which is about the same as a boullion cube of broth.
I suspect it just wasn't enough to help, since the daily needs are so high. But there's also the magnesium and potassium that's surely out of balance, so get the sodium up even further and I think you'll notice a difference but you might not get all the way there until the others come up a bit too.0 -
Ditto @Sunny_Bunny_ .
Also fwiw I *thought* I was supplementing enough when I started but it was about 2-3 weeks til my brain fog lifted after I started keto. (I was doing extra sodium but not the other two.)
Good luck to you!0 -
Thank you so much for the input! I am going to go to the drugstore later. In the meantime I'm going to open some salt packets at work haha. I'll keep you posted. I really hope it works0
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Yep to @Sunny_Bunny_ recommendations! Hang in there!!0
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You know, I just thought of this. I wonder if there could be a correlation. Last week every single day I went downstairs to the cafeteria and had one over medium egg and three slices of bacon. This weekend I didn't eat any bacon at all. Bacon is so high in sodium I wonder if just that one thing made difference and when my sodium level went down (over the weekend) I started on the keto flu. Because honestly this weekend is when I started feeling the worst. Today being the absolute worst though. Really just aimless thoughts....
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You know, I just thought of this. I wonder if there could be a correlation. Last week every single day I went downstairs to the cafeteria and had one over medium egg and three slices of bacon. This weekend I didn't eat any bacon at all. Bacon is so high in sodium I wonder if just that one thing made difference and when my sodium level went down (over the weekend) I started on the keto flu. Because honestly this weekend is when I started feeling the worst. Today being the absolute worst though. Really just aimless thoughts....
Makes sense. But, I bet you were already teetering on the brink of it dipping too low and when it finally did, without the salty bacon, you started losing magnesium and potassium too.
Unfortunately, by the time you even have symptoms, you're already low on all 3. That's honestly why, unless you're super on top of drinking broth a couple times a day, I think the best way to stay level is the sodium tablet. Because you just take it with your other supplements, it's done and you don't accidentally get the symptoms again because your day got off plan and you forgot to drink broth or whatever.
Some find the salt intake more difficult than others. The tablet can help with that.0 -
We need to start up a collection so we can pay @Sunny_Bunny_ @wabmester @baconslave and a few others for all the helpful tips and insight.
I had the "fog" for about a week when I first went keto. There was a day or two when I really thought I was losing it, but it eventually cleared up and went away. Hang in there and heed Sunny_Bunny's excellent advice. Speaking of which, I think I will go make myself a cup of broth right now. Highly recommend it as a way of getting sodium into you. Very quick and easy, feels like a nice hot meal even though only about 15Cal per cup.0 -
I make ketoade myself:
8-12oz water
Mio
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp potassium salt
Mix and Drink
I try to have 2 a day.0 -
baconslave wrote: »I make ketoade myself:
8-12oz water
Mio
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp potassium salt
Mix and Drink
I try to have 2 a day.
Thank you! What is Mio?0 -
baconslave wrote: »I make ketoade myself:
8-12oz water
Mio
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp potassium salt
Mix and Drink
I try to have 2 a day.
Thank you! What is Mio?
Its a liquid water enhancer called Mio0 -
Good luck. Hope the potassium, magnessium and sodium help. Support above comments. Definietly add these in. One caution, in case if you get too enthusiastic on magnessium or potassium, beware they can have a laxative effect (reading macrogol electrolyte warning here and personal experience... er hem.. ) so if that starts then wind back just a little for balance.0
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daylitemag wrote: »We need to start up a collection so we can pay @Sunny_Bunny_ @wabmester @baconslave and a few others for all the helpful tips and insight.
Agreed!! @Sunny_Bunny_ is spot on!!0 -
You guys are too kind! I've learned tons from so many here. And I've been inspired to dig deeper into the available information for a better understanding too.
I think all our admins are an endless wealth of knowledge and I appreciate so much everything they've shared with everyone over the past 9 months I've been around here. I just wanna do what I can to contribute when I'm familiar with a topic. I appreciate everyone's contributions along the way. It's important to keep an open mind as we all learn from each other's experiences.0 -
You have an awesome way with words @Sunny_Bunny_ that makes it easy to understand! Thank you for being here to share it with the masses!
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Guess what?? I had 8 salt packets at work. (Disgusting) and had an entire cup of broth which had like 2000 sodium in it (and about a 1/4 tsp of Nu-salt) and I feel like a new woman. The fog just disappeared. I am so happy. I also got a magnesium supplement which I'll take tonight. So curious how I will feel when I wake up!! Thank you!! Thank you!!0
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Yay!! Another electrolyte convert! Lol!
I'm so glad you feel better!!
Get that sodium up folks! It makes a huge difference!0 -
The amount of energy I feel today as compared to yesterday I can't even put words to describe. But something super annoying is the scale is up today! I promised myself I would stay off the scale. But darn it, I didn't! I don't know why and less it's all the sodium. And I drank a ton of water yesterday0
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hint: this stuff is great for keto http://www.amazon.com/EMERGEN-C-ELECTRO-MIX-Lemon-Lime-4-2/dp/B002HWRY5S0
