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Keto Diet Effects On Mood

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I lost my ability to feel hunger (and later thirst) with my dissociation and numbing symptoms. Unfortunately, mine became pretty much constant within less than a year of them starting. That was in 2015.
When my sister and mother were killed in the auto accident, I’d completely stopped eating. Only later the following evening had I realized that I hadn’t consumed any food nor water. I think I must have been stuck in dissociation. Weeks later, I’d often prepare my meals yet forget to eat them.

Then too, my father was at home dying. He lived 4 more weeks. I very much hated waking up every morning because for a split-second I’d think everything was normal — then, suddenly this treaded reality would hit me like a ton of brick.

I can’t eat when feeling intensely sad yet, I can eat when feeling angry. That was once an earlier problem for me. My second T helped me resolve my ‘anger eating’ habit when he advised me to keep a food diary which helped me become more consciously aware of my binge eating.

Because my meals are no longer family social events, I also think this has taken a toll on my desire to eat. I don’t enjoy it that much. Sweet carbohydrates will stimulate my appetite yet, these I try to avoid.
 
^^Well done. That's a significant achievement and stopping BP meds is fantastic.

Thanks @blackemerald1 I’ve been learning how to minimize my blood-sugar spikes and how to convert from a sugar-burner to a body-fat burner and this has been the key. I very rarely feel hungry on keto. And after the first two weeks it becomes easy to maintain. I also have the advantage of living alone so, I don’t have tempting foods in my house.

I have been consistently cutting calories for about the past 15 months. During the first 6 months or so I was eating several small meals per day (grazing) with a good calorie deficit and yet, I only lost about 10 pounds. That was discouraging! Then I began using keto and have been dropping about 5 pounds per month with very little hunger.

I suspect I might be having back surgery soon with a brief hospital stay and so, I’ll then have to start keto all over again. I’m just glad I’ve finally found a good way to control my weight.

When I stopped taking my BP meds with its diuretics 3 months ago, I had to stop them because my electrolytes became out of balance (red flags with low sodium) due to my lack of salt and carbohydrates. Taking a small pinch of salt then seems to quickly resolve this problem. But I was becoming too dehydrated on the BP meds.
 
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ll then have to start keto all over again.

^^I regularly start and stop Keto and it's no big deal. You will hopefully find that getting back into Ketosis is far, far easier that the first time and probably you will revert to Ketosis within a few days. And without the Keto flu etc.

I think it is easier in subsequent sessions because I know exactly what to do and how to do it. Also, there is no great mystery any longer, you know that your liver will exhaust all of it's resources pretty much within two days and readily switch over to burning fat. So, you can either fast for those couple of days and keep your carbs super low or do it with under 20 carbs a day until you feel the switch.

I use intermittent fasting regularly as well, so reaching Ketosis quickly is normal. I don't switch in and out for petty reasons and I certainly think surgery is no time to be doing Keto so give your body the energy and opportunity to get through that without Keto.

I hope all goes well.
 
I use intermittent fasting regularly as well, so reaching Ketosis quickly is normal. I don't switch in and out for petty reasons and I certainly think surgery is no time to be doing Keto so give your body the energy and opportunity to get through that without Keto.

I hope all goes well.
Thanks @blackemerald1 I was wondering if I should stop keto prior to surgery -- I’ll do that. I should know my MRI results by the end of this week. Trying not to worry about it.

Glad to know my keto restart shouldn’t be difficult. Being new to keto -- I've learned that consuming 50 carbs or less per day can cause dehydration and that my lack of salt (due to zero processed foods) had messed up my electrolyte balance. These were red flags in my bloodwork 5 months ago. The electrolyte balance isn't anything to be taken lightly.

Low sodium levels might be causing my heart to skip its 4th beat occasionally. Nothing serious (weakness), yet, I’ll experience three normal heart beats (at rest) then a pause, then three normal beats again, then another pause, repeatedly. This most often occurs mid morning about an hour after eating my first meal of the day. I think this might be due to a lack of sodium combined with an increase in food potassium — anyway, taking a pinch of salt seems to quickly resolve this problem.
 
Being new to keto -- I've learned that consuming 50 carbs or less per day can cause dehydration and that my lack of salt (due to zero processed foods) had messed up my electrolyte balance. These were red flags in my bloodwork 5 months ago. The electrolyte balance isn't anything to be taken lightly.

So during Keto, drinking plenty of water and taking additional salts and other minerals is important.

I think when one shed's all the water weight from the fat cells it also flushes out a lot of minerals.

It also helps to stop cramps in the legs too. Drinking plenty of water is just healthy anyway but perhaps even more so when doing keto - keeps those kidneys happy. :) Your urine should be very pale, if not drink more water. Acknowledging that if you take a vitamin supplement that may colour your urine too of course!
 
So during Keto, drinking plenty of water and taking additional salts and other minerals is important.

I think when one shed's all the water weight from the fat cells it also flushes out a lot of minerals.

It also helps to stop cramps in the legs too. Drinking plenty of water is just healthy anyway but perhaps even more so when doing keto - keeps those kidneys happy. :) Your urine should be very pale, if not drink more water. Acknowledging that if you take a vitamin supplement that may colour your urine too of course!
I’ve been learning the importance of having well-balanced minerals — my blood-work has revealed some of the underlying causes of mineral imbalance. And it’s not always as simple as consuming the right amount of a mineral — it gets complicated.

Yes, drink more water. One thing I’ve learned about keto is that, at the very beginning with the drastic reduction in carbohydrates, the body can become dehydrated — Something to consider especially when processed foods are also omitted.

Perhaps, this change occurred too abruptly for me — my muscles were cramping at first. I’m fine now though, I do feel tired on keto with my minimal food intake. My weight hasn’t been this low in 8 years and I can breathe better. I’m also trying to reduce the weight on my spine. I suspect lumber surgery soon.

All I know about sodium is that it’s needed to interact (as if to oscillate) with potassium in generating electrical energy (electrolytes) inside the cell, if this is correct. My muscle cramps might have indicated dehydration and that my sodium/potassium levels were also off-balance.

In my case, my water to sodium ratio was also off balance. The term hypo-nathemia was then added to my medical records. So when my blood-work reported that my sodium level was too low this would have indicated that, I had an excess of water in my cells (edema) though my ankle swelling have diminished on keto. At age 75, I’m learning to optimize my less than perfect functions.
 
The keto diet is primarily used to induce a metabolic state of ketosis, where the body is forced to burn its own stored body-fat for fuel instead of relying on the carbohydrates eaten throughout the day. With very few keto meals per day, high insulin spikes can be avoided. This in turn decreased hunger while supplying the body with a fairly consistent fuel source which is ones body-fat. This being said, I have read that carbohydrates provide the best energy source. Thus, I doubt that the keto’s required low-carb restrictions would boost energy levels. It haven’t for me.

As I understand it, what’s most important is establishing this shift from being a ‘carb burner’ to becoming a ‘body-fat burner.’ Initially, this adjustment took me about 2 weeks. I had to gradually reduce the number of times I ate per day to 2 or 3 with no snacking in between. Once ketosis is established it becomes easy to go 12 hours or more without eating. The insulin spikes are then lowered with the hunger gone.

I’ve been on this ketogenic diet, consistently, for almost 2 years now and have lost over 80 pounds (about 4 or 5 pounds per month). I stopped eating all processed foods, breads, pasta, crackers, peanut better, sugar, dark chocolate plus bananas, carrots and white potatoes. What I eat now is livable. I’ve improved my nutrient absorption by taking bile salts with my meals — my gallbladder was removed 30+ years ago.

I haven’t noticed any significant improvements in my mood since starting keto - my mood stays fairly consistent. Poor sleep however can be a key factor while exercise improves my mood. My diet not much.

I’ve omitted one major stressor from my life using keto and that’s hunger. I’m so very glad I found keto because every other weight loss attempt I’ve made has failed.
 
So during Keto, drinking plenty of water and taking additional salts and other minerals is important.

I think when one shed's all the water weight from the fat cells it also flushes out a lot of minerals.

It also helps to stop cramps in the legs too. Drinking plenty of water is just healthy anyway but perhaps even more so when doing keto - keeps those kidneys happy. :) Your urine should be very pale, if not drink more water. Acknowledging that if you take a vitamin supplement that may colour your urine too of course!

When you say plenty of water how much is ‘plenty’ because consuming one gallon of water over the course of one day would likely be too much. Two or three 32 oz drinks is more reasonable. Then too, everyone’s situation is different. Were they sweating excessively in the heat or had they diarrhea, other factors.

I’d agree, that some minerals and other stuff are best left inside the body where they’re needed. But forcefully and/or quickly drinking excessive amounts of water can be harmful. This is called water toxicity or hyponatremia (not good for the kidneys). Symptoms can be mental confusion, headaches, nausea, vomiting and seizures. Drinking too much water upsets the electrolyte balance. The body can lose too much sodium. Dehydration can also cause fatigue among other symptoms - but drinking excessive amounts of water - I wouldn’t do.

When I first started keto, my sudden lack of carbohydrate foods caused a huge drop in my body fluids. Likewise, my sodium levels dropped and were red flags. I was then experiencing leg muscle cramps, often in the morning - the fatigue I've always had. My potassium to sodium inbalance likely caused my muscle cramps.

One great benefit of my keto diet had been my reduced ankle swelling. This swelling hasn’t reoccurred since lowering my carbs.

On keto I’ve had to avoid grazing on small frequent meals throughout the day. This has been the most challenging part of keto. The hunger simply left me. I likely consume almost a gallon of water per day as veggie broth, coffee, etc. But as long as my urine color is pale, I think I’m fine. Lemon juice with fresh ginger and Stevia as a smoothie I like. I avoid foods I find difficult to resist. Eating on auto-pilot is also extremely detrimental!
 
When you say plenty of water how much is ‘plenty’ because consuming one gallon of water over the course of one day would likely be too much.
I drink a lot of water. I've been given the medical green light to drink up to 5 litres a day. Doesn't cause any issues (and they tested it...like, a lot!!). There's no particular health issue going on. I just like drinking water.
 
I drink a lot of water. I've been given the medical green light to drink up to 5 litres a day. Doesn't cause any issues (and they tested it...like, a lot!!). There's no particular health issue going on. I just like drinking water.

@Sideways Please note that, I haven’t any medical training and only know what I’ve read (if true) and what my doctors have told me.

As your daily consumption of 5 liters of water has been approved by your doctors, that’s great! Apparently your kidneys can manage filtering this fluid without any issues. However, not everyone has well-functioning kidneys.

Although the kidneys are capable of removing 20 to 28 liters of water per day (a huge amount) the kidneys can only excrete up to 1 liter of water per hour. Thus drinking water faster than the kidneys can excrete it is harmful - this can cause water toxicity. It’s a rare condition yet it can happen.

My concern is that someone might intentionally and forcefully consume an excessive amount of water on a dare or perhaps, by assuming it might somehow help their weight loss. Yet water in excess can cause swelling, even swelling of the brain. And because I’m living with brain tumors I have to be especially careful. My past coma occurred due to brain swelling combined with a brain tumor mass.

Then too, there’s dehydration which isn’t good either. How much daily water intake depends on the individual.
 
I drink a lot of water. I've been given the medical green light to drink up to 5 litres a day. Doesn't cause any issues (and they tested it...like, a lot!!). There's no particular health issue going on. I just like drinking water.
That a thing? To ask how much is too much? I drink when I’m thirsty and don’t when I’m not. Some days that’s 6 liters and some days it’s 2. Aren’t you supposed to drink when your body says it’s thirsty…period?

in response to this post, I’d say for some people the keto diet can cause near insanity. I walked in on my mom yelling at the Italian greyhound and trying to extract the steak the dog had swallowed from its throat, while she was on the keto diet. The iggy was so glad to see me. My mom was embarrassed and enraged and took some calming while I sequestered the iggy to the backyard for her own good.

I don’t understand why anyone would do this diet when if a diabetic is experiencing keto acidosis it’s a medical emergency.
 
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