Keys to a successful adaptation to the Ketogenic Lifestyle

The two most important words in the Keto Dieter's vocabulary are moderation and balance.  

Here's what I mean.  You have to eat animal protein for glucose, but too much protein causes the body to be acidic.  The stomach has to compensate for the digestion of extra protein by secreting more acid.  This can lead to health problems such as acid reflux or indigestion problems.

The way to balance this acid increase is to consume acid's opposite: alkaline.  Alkaline sources are zero carb vegetables like spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli or what they call cruciferous vegetables.  Any acid indigestion problems will be immediately cured by eating them.

Moderation is something I had to relearn.  Up until yesterday, I used to shoot Lite Salt into my mouth and follow it with water.  The reason was to up my potassium intake. Now that I'm somewhat adapted to a keto diet, my potassium requirements are lowered.  When I first started on the Ketogenic Lifestyle, I was urinating all the time because my body was emptying itself of it's glycogen reserves for energy.  The byproduct of glycolysis is water so the body will dump the excess. Unfortunately, this excretion will also strip the body of its sodium, potassium, and magnesium deposits.

A little over a month and a half into the Ketogenic Lifestyle, my mineral requirements are stabilized.  I don't have the excess urination anymore so I don't have to shoot the Lite Salt into my mouth anymore.  I learned that the hard way by overdosing on Lite Salt and having to make an inconvenient trip to the bathroom to flush my bowels.  To remedy this, I only sprinkle Lite Salt onto my foods to taste.

Moderation and balance.  Simple concepts to understand and execute but imperative if you are to be successful at the Ketogenic Lifestyle.