Is it normal?

[TracyC]

Hi guys, could you tell me if it's normal when you cut out carbs to experiance nausea, I don't feel mega sick just have an unsettled in my stomach, started cutting out carbs yesterday and have done great, I don't have a bg monitor yet but I have been using DiaStix and they have gone from dark brown (highest) this morning to just a trace after dinner today and just again now when I checked. It seems almost too good to be true to be honest. But yeah feeling a wee bit icky and also experiencing a lot of ..gas ( lol sorry ) x

 

[LaurenMoffitt]

Sickness happened to me the first week or so.

 

[Winnie53]

@TracyC one of the advantages of giving up starchy grains and legumes is no bloating or gas.

It typically takes a week or more to enter into ketosis, so hang in there.

Remember to eat protein, fat, and some carbs with each meal - (I eat above ground vegetables or berries). And have low carb snacks on hand at all times.

Once you get into ketosis, if you're no longer eating processed foods, remember to supplement with some sodium (from salt) each day. A quarter teaspoon worked well for me, others may need to use more.

 

[Kyi]

@TracyC one of the advantages of giving up starchy grains and legumes is no bloating or gas.

It typically takes a week or more to enter into ketosis, so hang in there.

Remember to eat protein, fat, and some carbs with each meal - (I eat above ground vegetables or berries). And have low carb snacks on hand at all times.

Once you get into ketosis, if you're no longer eating processed foods, remember to supplement with some sodium (from salt) each day. A quarter teaspoon worked well for me, others may need to use more.

Why is salt recommended. Ive never salted my food and have noticed no difference. I just wondered why you are adding it in.

 

[Winnie53]

@Kyi I never added salt to my food either, until I started the LCHF diet.

I spoke with a nutritionist about this and learned that the body is quite good at recycling sodium, which is reassuring.

That said, on the LCHF diet, two things happen: 1) if processed foods are eliminated from the diet - (something I chose to do) - sodium intake is greatly reduced, and 2) the kidneys no longer retain water like they did before so there's a loss of sodium and other electolytes.

Michael Eades, MD explains it well, also the symptoms one can expect if sodium levels drop too low... https://proteinpower.com/drmike/2011/06/25/tips-tricks-for-starting-or-restarting-low-carb-pt-ii/

I only add a 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of salt to my food daily. I typically add it to the vinaigrette I pour onto the 4 cups of leafy spring greens I eat each day. But I also like eating hard cheeses, olives, and pickles, all of which contain added salt. Others may need to add more sodium, particularly those who engage in activities that cause them to sweat. I hope that answers your question.

 

[13lizanne]

Hi @TracyC as the other posters have said it is quite common to feel headache, shivery nauseous etc the first week of low carbing, in fact its known as carb flu Also when I started lchf my sugar levels dropped into the normal range after only four days, it does seem too good to be true doesn't it. Keep going you are doing well.

 

[TracyC]

Hi @TracyC as the other posters have said it is quite common to feel headache, shivery nauseous etc the first week of low carving, in fact jts known as carb flu also when I started lchf my sugar levels dropped into the normal range after only four days, it does seem too good to be true doesn't it. Keep going you are doing well.

Thank you. I was so chuffed to have got just traces on my diastix last night and this morning, I had a 9 bar at 10 and just tested and now at 12 its gone up to a darker green..this clearly means there is more glucose but i don't know how much more, these things aren't very clear. I wish I had a proper bg monitor, am going to get on at the first opportunity I can. I don't feel as bad in myself as I did yesterday so fingers crossed for that.

 

[TracyC]

@TracyC one of the advantages of giving up starchy grains and legumes is no bloating or gas.

It typically takes a week or more to enter into ketosis, so hang in there.

Remember to eat protein, fat, and some carbs with each meal - (I eat above ground vegetables or berries). And have low carb snacks on hand at all times.

Once you get into ketosis, if you're no longer eating processed foods, remember to supplement with some sodium (from salt) each day. A quarter teaspoon worked well for me, others may need to use more.

Its still all a bit of trial and error for me, but I'm getting there. The amazing thing to me is finding out there are carbs in food I never expected there to be. By the end of this Im sure I will be a bit of an expert lol x