During my last fast my blood sugar was running between 3. Thanks in advance for reading all this and any help you can be with some guidance with implementing a longer fast without the blood sugar swings would be appreciated What province are you in?
I used to love in BC and at one time in the Yukon, and never had an issue with the health care system If I was poor I would get free health care through Medicaid, but my husband makes too much for that, but not enough to afford that outrageous amount to cover us and our three children.
Great system huh? So unless I went to the ER with emergent issues, I can't go to the doctor unless I have hundreds of dollars to spend on that one visit. So don't knock the Canadian health care system, at least you don't have to take out a loan to pay for it. There are crappy doctors everywhere. And the food you're served in the hospitals here is no better. The system here is beyond messed up.
I'd take Canadian health care over this B. Thanks for this website very informative, I get foot aches, and my sticks are dark purple everyday so far. My foot issue I think it is like Gout, where I can't walk on my foot when I do low carb. Then you're toast. The new pres did not like that idea so he got rid of the fines, and stopped the big I from taking your stuff. There is website that compares cost of procedures, in cities cost is more so call around and get the costs in smaller towns or rural areas.
My ER visit with the best insurance is America's doctors are considered the some of the top in the world. That is capitalism the motivator, this system has brought the greatest marvels inventions to life and into the world.
Totally innacurate. First of all, if the poster had the same resources as in the US, he would have had a regular yeraly physical which includes blood glucose testing. NOW the Canadians are "guessing" that he "may have had type 1"??? OH he had Type 1 all his life but no symptoms? Completely ridiculous.
Starting with the one who bombed his body with sugar. No competent allergist would make the guy go to a low fat high sugar diet as "elimination".
He was already ON a very strict "elimination" diet according to his post. What a mess. Mark, a person generally isn't born with Type I diabetes. They develop it. It's caused by the body attacking the pancreas and destroying it's ability to produce insulin.
It can happen at any time in a persons life, though most cases occur before the age of Type I can still start when a person is an adult. That's certainly not true. Type 1 Diabetes is where the body cannot produce insulin. Type 2 Diabetes is where the insulin receptors have become overly-sensitized. Please don't spread false health information. Sorry Mark but you're completely wrong. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease that can happen at any age.
The pancreas stops making insulin which is why you need to take insulin. Type 2 is insulin resistance. Stop talking about things you know nothing about. Not true. The Abbott Neo does that, and you get it for free from the pharmacy at least in Ontario with strips glucose or ketone. Anyway, he gave me a prescription for ketone strips, with a refill, and I got the meter for free.
Ask your family doctor for it - if they say no, go to a walk-in clinic and ask there. Ask them for , which gets you the free meter. Good luck! If I am reading this correctly under "More Diet Tips" bulletpoint 1 and 5 contradict themselves. Which is correct? Values taken in the evening or morning, just after a meal or on an empty stomach, or after exercise will likely be very different and cannot be compared. In point 5: This has to do with depleting glycogen when you start following a ketogenic diet in order to speed up the process of getting keto-adapted.
Through trial and error, I've learned to supplement magnesium, potassium, and sodium. My last blood test showed normal levels of everything, except potassium was high 5. All the "reasons" I used potassium in the first place came back I've also read that ketosis increases need for these electrolytes. So, I tried supplementing again and it went away. My diet includes leafy greens almost everyday and avocados occasionally.
I don't think I come near the RDA with diet alone so I use the "lite salt" with regular salt as an attempt to be consistent. I don't want to overdo it Hi Amy, yes, typically, you need to increase your electrolyte intake when you follow a low-carb diet. I think that it's highly unlikely you would get to dangerous potassium levels with the available potassium supplements.
To read more about electrolytes and recommended amounts, have a look at this post: Keto-Flu and Sufficient Intake of Electrolytes. Hi, I'm being doing LC about 7 months now and have lost a lot of weight. When I first started my mmol reading were in the optimal range between This last while my readings have been between mmol, wondering why? Does it increase because I've increased carbs?
If I limit carbs more will my readings go back into the optimal range? I still have some weight to lose so i want to do whatever it takes to do this. Also, if my readings are at between mmol, am I losing any weight at all? Tks so much! Hi Sharon, adding carbs would cause a drop in your ketone levels so it's likely something else eating fewer carbs, using MCT oil, exercise, etc.
I don't think you should worry about optimal ketone levels, especially if you're doing well. Hi, I have one problem and i need help. My blood ketones no matter what i tried are not above 0. My macros are fine, diet is in check, working out times a week I know I've experienced some side effects, hypoglycemia had a little peanut butter to bump my sugars up a tad, took care of that , a couple of days of splitting headaches, lethargy, and am enjoying constipation as we speak.
Any information or links to websites would be greatly appreciated. Hi Michael, I don't know what the rate is but your blood sugar will decrease if you follow a low-carb diet. Some people experience elevated blood sugar on a low-carb diet but it's usually just a temporary effect during the initial phase and doesn't get to "unhealthy" high levels.
If you experience hypoglycaemia, it's better to avoid intermittent fasting or any type of fasting and apart from regular meals, try adding snacks. Make sure you are getting enough electrolytes that will help with headaches and lethargy : Keto-Flu and Sufficient Intake of Electrolytes For constipation, try magnesium citrate I like Calm - you can try this drink: Beat Keto-Flu with Homemade Electrolyte Drink and stay hydrated.
In my experience, coconut oil and eating enough non-starchy vegetables can also help with constipation. Hi there. I have changed over for almost 10 days now. My ketostix show I am anywhere from small to medium amounts. I got the keto blood metor and while I tested 0. I know it there are fluctuations through the day.. Hi Melissa, yes, if you test your ketone levels, it's better to do it same time of the day. Ketone levels are naturally low and increase during the day with peak levels in the evening before bed.
Plus there are other factors activity level, diet, time of your last meal before measuring and macronutrient composition, etc. That small difference is likely just a reflection of natural daily fluctuations. You don't actually need to be in ketosis all the time - have a look at this post for more details: Ketones and Weight Loss: Do Ketone Levels Matter?
Hi, can my period affect ketone production? As in lower it? I have bbeen successful in producing ketones above 3. I honestly do not eat anything extra than I would normally when achieving ketosis. Thank you. Hi Rach, yes, your monthly cycle can indeed affect ketone levels due to the shift in hormone levels. I am a type 1 diabetic. Endo says this is working great for me so far. Reduced insulin in half! Just checked ketones with urine strip. I'm a little dehydrated. They are at a 5. I'm on day Should I be concerned with a reading of 5?
Hi Carrie, firstly, well done on reducing your insulin! If your test results are fine, there is nothing to worry about. Since you are a type 1 diabetic, make sure you discuss your diet with your doctor and get monitored. Urine test strips are inaccurate and I wouldn't rely on the numbers. If you want to get accurate results, try a blood ketone meter same as blood glucose meter, just different test strips for monitoring ketones.
Great website, I am just beginning keto diet and you supply a wealth of information Thank you. Your assertion that ketoacidosis only affects those with diabetes and alcoholism is absolutely false. There are a number of rare metabolic disorders that can cause ketoacidosis, including glycogen storage disease and ketotic hypoglycemia.
Thank you for your insights, I listed the most common cases but I'll remove the "only" from the sentence. The purpose was to distinguish nutritional ketosis from ketoacidosis. Thanks for your article and explanations. I slipped into ketosis by lowering my carbs to my comfort zone and increasing animal fats, also to my comfort zone, so at first I did not know I was in ketosis until the signs appeared: headache and cramps, which I took care of right away salt and water and have been in ketosis now for 3 weeks very comfortably.
I am loosing inches since not much weight to go--more just burning the fat and being full of energy--both mental and physical. I have a question: I just had a bunch of blood tests my triglycerides went from to 76 in 3 months! Wow good! The medical place also took that specifically for ketones--they are guiding me in my ketogenic diet.
I see 15 small and 40 moderate so 20 would be in between. Is that what the lab urine test also shows? I tried to find the explanation on the test result explanations but this is not noted.
While I do have the blood testing kit, I have not used it yet since the strips are so pricey but my doctor ordered beta hydroxybutyrate test--I don't yet have that result. I guess it would be good to know some number ranges for the blood test. Do you have any information on that to share? Thank you, Angela a Stanton, PhD. Those are amazing results Angela, well done!
I I wouldn't trust the numbers on Ketostix - I would only use them to see how my body reacts to foods and whether I am in Ketosis, and only for the first few weeks. Ketostix will become less accurate as your body gets keto-adapted. If you really want to track ketone levels, a blood ketone meter is much better although pricey for that. After years of following this diet, I only use it occasionally or when I want to "test" the effects of some foods which is always different for individuals.
While Ketostix measure acetoacetate , blood ketone meter measures beta-bydroxybutryate which is what you want to monitor.
Keep in mind that BHB levels fluctuate during the day and only home monitoring would be useful. Here is another way to measure ketone levels less expensive and fairly accurate : How To Use the Ketonix Breathalyzer.
Hello, I wanted to thank you profusely for your site. Two years ago, right before taking a new job in Arizona, several suspicious spots were detected in my liver and kidneys, and one in my lower left lung. In addition, I had a fatty liver. Since both parents had died with cancer, I was told there was a good chance the spots might be cancerous.
I remembered reading online several years earlier about three studies by three different universities on how a ketogenic diet had cured most of the stage four cancer patients who volunteered to participate in the study, so I went looking for ketogenic diet information and found your great site.
I began a ketogenic diet two years ago after I got settled in Arizona, and by the end of the first year, I had dropped 5 dress sizes without really trying. I was able to walk to work and back, a total of two miles per day, and walked about everywhere else in my small town, too, which probably added another several miles per week, but that is all the excercise I was able to get When I went for my yearly physical at the end of that first year of the ketongenic diet, the doctor could find no spots anywhere in my body!
I was estatic! I am not saying infinitvely that the diet cured my possible cancer spots, but it sure went a long way to getting me back to good health, and to shrinking my enlarged liver back to health, and who knows if that isn't a cure in cancer in itself, right? So just wanted to thank you for caring enough to post about this diet. It could have literally saved my life. Thank you Marsha, I really appreciate that! That's truly amazing, well done!
It has been 2 weeks I have been on keto diet. I checked my serum ketone on the 7th and 14th day but the tests show its negative. I was assuming by now there will be ketones in my blood. Initially, I lost a few kgs and I think its stagnant now. Does this mean the diet is not working for me? FYI, I have been on low calorie diet for the past 10 months before starting keto and I have been engaging in intense cardio and weight training for the past 11 months.
It doesn't mean that it's not working for you. It depends when you measure your ketone levels - they are usually lower in the morning and after a meal. Have a look at this post for more details too much exercise, low-calorie diets, etc. Can you tell me what range in the Ketonix is equivalent to 0. I am currently running around 50 with the Ketonix meter and not sure if I am in nutritional ketosis or not. Hi Jennifer, have a look at my review of the Ketonix Breathalyser: How To Use the Ketonix Breathalyzer anything from green to yellow and red - it also depends on the setting.
I've changed my diet and am eating no more that 30 net grams of carbs 90 grams of protein the rest of my come from fat. I've been using recipes from rule. So far so good. I just got my blood test meter with my keto strips. My question is, Is that good? Or should it be higher at this point? I plan to test every two weeks and use ketostix in between.
I just want to know if I'm on the right track. I was wondering if there is a way to really know if I am in ketosis without any strips, etc.
I live in Argentina and this products are not available. Yes, it is possible but may be tricky if you are new to the diet.
Make sure you stay within the recommended daily carbs and you should be fine. Hi Martina, I'm a type one diabetic wanting to do the keto diet. My question is as a diabetic high blood sugars cause DKA but would having high ketosis make my blood sugars higher or are they unrelated?
Hi Aaron, I don't think that increased ketone levels would increase glucose. However, since you are a diabetic, you will need to get your medication adjusted - talk to your doctor before following the diet. Hi I have been on the low carb diet for about two months now, I am lbs and have only lost 11lbs since being on the diet.
I am getting very discouraged because my ketosticks were showing me levels between the moderate to large ketos levels.
I don't understand why I am not losing weight. I am not getting the results I was hoping for! I just did my first test with the blood ketone monitor. My read was 3. In the chart, that says starvation Ketosis. What can i do to bring it down a little? How will this negatively affect me weight loss? I eat an average of calories a day. I think that values up to about 3 are fine and even if it's more, you won't need to worry provided you are not a diabetic.
It's just that there are no additional benefits of high ketone levels. Some people have naturally high ketone levels and they also vary depending on how long you've been following the diet. Usually, when you start, your levels will be higher simply because your body doesn't utilise ketone bodies as well as someone who is keto-adapted. Hi Martina, I've been trying to follow the ketogenic diet for two weeks now.
Hi Ben, this is indeed an unusually high number, especially for morning - how do your night before bed values look like? In case of ketoacidosis, you would also have high blood glucose so I don't think this is the case.
I've been doing the keto lifestyle thing for 5 weeks now. My preferred version is intermittent fasting Bulletproof style low carb, medium protein, higher fat. So mostly no food between 8pm and 1pm the following day. I do have the butter coffee in the morning around 8am. Total cals most days between and , and I scrupulously maintain hydration levels.
I find it hard to reach the desired levels of cals and if I eat to appetite, only get around total. Carbs vary but most days less than 50g, completely gluten free. Protein averaging 75 grams. Fat varies, ish. Not hugely active at the moment but increasing. I know that urine lipsticks are not accurate, but I use them to track pH and specific gravity, as well as ketones.
I test the same time every morning, and find myself at the highest rating on the dipstick deep red. Yesterday, as an experiment I ate a Nutella cupcake on top of my usual carbs, and this morning had the same urine result deep red. My goal is weight loss, I have a lot to lose. My concern is the consistently high levels of urine ketones.
Even on a day when I got 70g of carbs. Is this likely to be the result of intermittent fasting? Do you fast yourself and would you recommend it? Hi Jacquie, yes, it can also be the result of your fasting. I wouldn't worry about high urine levels.
If you want to be sure that there is nothing else going on e. I do fast every now and then but not for too long. I have a thyroid condition so the only fasting I do is by skipping meals, usually breakfast because I rarely feel hungry in the morning. I LOVE sugar! I didn't even realize how much until I started keto, but I am determined to lose the weight I've gained over the last few years. I'm only 5'2" and weigh but I'm comfortable at I ordered the meter online so hopefully that can help me determine if I'm in ketosis.
I would really hate to deprive myself of my starbucks mocha for 2 months only to lose 5lbs of H20 weight. I was hungry during the day but at night I was full we don't eat supper til about 9pm. I really want to lose this weight but I don't see any results. What can I do? Hi Rachael, I know there is a lot to learn when you start following a low-carb diet.
You can make your own mocha without all the sugar - just use raw cacao powder, mix it in coffee, cream or coconut milk and add some stevia or Erythritol. Once you give up sugar, it takes weeks to get rid of the cravings but you will get there - stay strong!
In general, you don't need to count calories but if your weight is stalling for more than 2 weeks, then it may be better to track all macronutrients. Make sure you get enough protein - that will keep hunger at bay. And don't be afraid to eat veggies - you don't need to be "zero-carb" to lose weight.
Eatine little to no carbs can, in fact, have the opposite effect. Sorry, my last comment was cut off. I was wondering if the ketostix would be useful in determining ketone levels in my urine so i can be sure not to have excess levels when i go to the dr. They look like the same thing dr. Hi Amy, yes, if you use Ketostix for this purpose to determine urine ketones , they are reliable. I have been on and off Keto for the past 6 years with, overall, success.
At my heaviest was and my lowest as recent as 2 months ago Clearly Christmas has come and gone and so were the days of I am now focussed on seeing those numbers and more again so I've jumped back on the bandwagon hardcore. I never monitored Keytones before as I was certain I was in ketosis however this time around, I'm doing everything I've don't in the past, and yet I'm slowly watching the scale creep up. I'm now at and decided to buy the KetoStix, which thankfully led me here.
I have read and understand that they are not as reliable as the blood monitor and may or may not purchase one, depending on the results of the Stix. I have noticed moreso, many posts, referring to very high readings. I just wanted to remind the users of the Stix that after reading the instructions thoroughly be reminded that firstly, you must time 15 seconds after saturation of the stix whereupon at THAT time the reading should be most accurate.
After that point, the stick will naturally get darker as is my understanding of the instructions and the reading less accurate. Wish me luck! I am grateful for your wealth and depth of information and knowledge! Thank you Erika, yes, Ketostix are not reliable and high ketone levels are not needed for weight loss. Hi there, I was on Keto diet before and I tested myself using the urine stick. I felt I was very easy to get into Keto because I didn't consciously restrict myself or plan all my meals I had in mind what types of food I should be eating and relative amount of net carb of the food, roughly, just didn't want to exhaust myself by doing all the calculation and data input , and the tested level was towards the highest scale.
I've cheated before, the level dropped but went back very quickly. I was totally off the Keto diet during December and picked it up again this month. But my level was on 0. I do drink a lot of water but I was drink a lot of water before. I'm having college exams now so during my revision I tend to feel hungry all the time and eat a lot more. But I kept my carb intake low. So I have no idea why the test results showing such a low level. Just wondering if you can identify any mistakes that I'm making.
Hi there! I started the keto diet a week ago. I am currently 67kg pounds and cm 5ft 5 in. I am consuming 20 grams net carbs a day and feel ok mostly - just a bit tired and occasionaly dizzy. I bought keto stics and they show the ketone levels as very high the highest on the scale. Is this dangerous? Should I add more carbs?
Will this change as I become keto adjusted? Hi Iveta, nutritional ketosis caused by dietary changes is completely safe. The only case when it becomes a problem is when your body gets in ketoacidosis if you have diabetes and also high blood glucose when having high ketone levels.
Also, keep in mind that Ketostix are very inaccurate compared to blood ketone meter readings as they only measure some types of ketones. You will feel tired during the first few weeks as it takes weeks to get keto-adapted but once you do, you will feel better and your energy will improve. Until then, make sure you get enough electrolytes: Quick Guide to Keto-flu Remedies. Thanks so much for your website and for taking time to answer questions. I am currently 17 weeks pregnant and have been continuing to follow an lchf style of eating.
I have two concerns: 1 ketones in my urine and causing my doctor to worry. Since i do not think my dr will support a low carb diet and i cannot change drs because of insurance limits, do you have any advice on how i could keep feom setting off any alarms on these tests while still following lchf?
I have heard some suggest to carb up a few days prior to the glucose test. What about ketostix? If i tested mybown urine. Hi Amy, this is a bit of a grey area and some experts advice to follow a low-carb - but not necessarily ketogenic diet - during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Unfortunately, many doctors are not familiar with the ketogenic diet. I think when you write "exerted" you mean "excreted", maybe? Ketones are not exerted in one's urine, unless your urine and ketones are working really hard. Ketones are excreted in one's urine. The comments in this blog are quite instructive. My spouse also tells me these days that I have a dragon breath her own way of describing ketogenic "fruity" smelling breath, perhaps indicating probably that I'm in ketosis.
In my lay man's understanding of the subject, I still wonder about the overall health implications of ketosis beyond weight loss. Can someone enlighten me more on this?
When it comes to ketosis, other health benefits are: improved energy, improved sport performance in the long term, muscle-sparing effects and also therapeutic effects for people with certain health conditions epilepsy, Alzheimer's, cancer, etc. Hi I am trying to get into ketosis quickly and hear that you can get some ingestible assistants to do this. However this may be still under scientific studies with navy seal divers. Just wondering if you know anything about these and how to access them if they are available.
Thanks - love your work! Hi Natasha, if you are referring to "exogenous ketones" aka "ketone esters", here is my view it's the 8th in my keto terminology post : Keto Diet Glossary: Ketogenic Diet Terminology. Thank you for the blog! I have been attempting a Keto diet for the last few months, but struggle because of how much I travel.
Is this a possibility to have a vegan ketogenic diet? Hi Caroline, some people say you can be vegan but I think it's almost if not completely impossible in the long term. I'm not convinced that "vegan" is best for the planet either. Hope this helps! I am 5 weeks into Keto. My blood levels are 1. First 3 weeks lost 4lbs. Third week gained 1lb. Last week lost 1lb. Why am I not losing when I'm definitely in ketosis????
I started ketogenic diet four days ago and I have not experienced any side effects such as headaches, dizziness, or fruity breath. I checked my ketone level in the urine today, and it is moderate. I am feeling totally fine as though I made no changes whatsoever. I did lose 2 lbs in these 4 days. So strange, I am eating so much and losing weight at the same time. In addition, I don't feel hungry for long periods of time. After researching on this diet and reading what people say how terrible they felt at the beginning , I am wondering if there is something wrong with me since I don't feel anything!
Am I doing something wrong? Please advise! Just make sure you get enough electrolytes. I haven't read all the comments yet but in response to the first one - keytones have a powerful hunger reducing character that is very impotant to most people on a diet. Whether for diet or health, if keytones are available the brain can use them for MOST of its functions.
This has a welcome effect of reducing the brain fag so well known by conventional dieters. Majorly important. Where the keytones come from is not so important.
The fact that they are working for you IS. With respect to dieting keytones aid the body to shift into fat burning more comfortably - so that you can escape the carbohydrate-insulin cycle. The changeover can be difficult espescially for previous yoyo dieters.
Using MCTs or coconut oil, or a keytogenic diet to feed the brain through this difficult withdrawal period makes sense. I'd say that low-carb diets in general have this effect not necessarily ketogenic or ketones. Once you lower your insulin level, you will experience less cravings and feel less hungry. I haven't noticed more benefits with higher ketone levels.
In fact, I found it hard to stick with a very low-carb diet hormone imbalances etc - I follow a mildly ketogenic diet and it works great for me. I am so glad I stumbled upon your Blog!! In an effort to control blood sugar and weight, some people are turning to the ketogenic diet for managing type 2 diabetes. We'll show you how…. When blood sugar levels…. Many studies show that low-carb and ketogenic diets can lead to dramatic weight loss and improve most major risk factors for heart disease and….
Urine tests for diabetes aren't used in diagnosis, but they can be used to help manage the condition. Learn about the 2 different types: the glucose…. Everything you've wanted to know about type 2 diabetes: The warning signs, possible complications, risk factors, prevention, type 2 in children, and….
Glucose, or blood sugar, is key to keeping the body in top shape. Read on to learn how it works, how to test it, and what to do if you have abnormal…. The risk factors for type 2 diabetes are complex and range from genetic to environmental to lifestyle choices. Learn more. My diagnosis was a wake-up call. It was time to take care of my health. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Type 2 Diabetes. Checking Ketone Levels. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. What are the symptoms of ketone buildup?
How are ketones tested? What do my results mean? What happens if your ketone levels get too high? Treatment for high ketone levels. Are there ways to prevent high ketone levels? Read this next. Symptoms associated with high ketone levels typically include:. Untreated symptoms could progress to additional and more serious symptoms including:. Diabetic ketoacidosis DKA is a serious complication of diabetes and can be a result of unaddressed ketone levels. This will cause blood to become acidic.
This is a serious and life-threatening issue that can lead to brain swelling, diabetic coma or death. If your levels are too high based on ketone testing, it is important to seek emergency medical treatment. You will likely have the symptoms listed above and it is possible it could lead to DKA. A medical professional will treat this condition within a hospital.
Some common ways to treat are:. Diabetes management is the best way to prevent high levels, which can be done by:. While people without diabetes can have ketones in the urine, DKA is only an issue for those with diabetes. Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. What are ketones, and why are they dangerous? By SingleCare Team Apr.
Top Reads in Health Education.
0コメント