Jump to content

Nervous about returning to Keto/low carb


Recommended Posts

Hello everyone,

 

I followed a Keto/ low carb diet for over a year before the bleed, but not since.  Keto forces your brain to use fat vs sugar for energy.

 

My jeans are fitting tighter, and I know I have regained the weight loss from the hospital. I am considering resuming Keto.

 

None of my doctors thought eating this way was a factor in the bleed, but I can't shake the feeling that maybe it was. I added salt to everything, even my coffee. (Keto depletes the body of salt.) So even though I supplemented, something must have been way off with my nutrients.  I tried adding a little salt to my coffee recently, and it tasted horrible. 

 

Maybe I'm being overly concerned because no cause was found for the bleed. Does anyone follow a keto/low-carb eating plan? Before and after? 

 

Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I m not a nutritionist and I m not supposed to give you med advice. But I m not a fan of the keto diet as the brain needs some sort of simple sugars. Too much salt is not good for anyone and it can raise blood pressure. People with congestive heart failure etc really needs to limit salt since they can cause edema. I would eat lesser portions of what you normally eat. Would worry about kidney function as well with salt.

 

As I say to my patients, if diets work, the whole world will be thin. It s not about this or that diet but it s about changing the whole lifestyle. I don’t think the diet caused SAH but don’t know 100percent.

I also posted on eye issues thread but not sure if it uploaded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am neither a nutritionist or doctor and also cannot give medical advise.  I can say that many of us, including myself, wondered if recent lifestyle changes caused our bleed-without-a-cause.  In my case, I had recently started running.  So for a while I worried if that caused it and if I returned to running would it happen again.  But thanks to the support and information on this site, I moved past that fear and returned. 

 

So I would have no way of knowing how your diet may or may not have affected you.  But I would trust your doctor's advice and not let anxiety get the best of you.

 

Best wishes,

 

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had my bleed 3 years ago and for the last year I've been on a Keto diet. I've had no negative issues from it. There's lots of incorrect information out there about it being bad/unhealthy/dangerous but I haven't seen anything to convince me. There's definitely a lag between "current nutritional advice" and the latest nutritional research.

 

I've just finished reading "The Big Fat Surprise" and "The Obesity Code" and I spend lots of time listening to talks/reading blogs on all things nutrition. Convinced this is a healthy way of eating, but clearly everyone is different!

 

There's evidence that higher fat diets actually protect against heart disease (and that low fat diets are more dangerous for heart health). It's sugar that causes heart disease, not fat. And Keto had been a diet that's been around long before low-fat was a thing. It was (and still is) used to treat kids with epilepsy that can't be managed with meds.

 

And glucose isn't something I need to eat to survive...the liver makes more than enough every day. I'd actually say my "brain health" feels better on keto that before (maybe less inflammation), moods more stable, much more energy and a lot less anxiety/low feelings.

 

I'd recommend watching "The Magic Pill" on youtube (and Netflix). Really interesting look at nutrition in the widest sense.

 

(and I'll get off my soap box now)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The brain and the heart are two organs that needs simple sugars to survive. Again I m not the expert but it is very possible that high protein / high fat/ diets can give one kidney problems and heart disease, stroke. You should consult with a nutritionist and a neurologist. Diets are tricky. Some people grew up on specific diets and are not easy to change.

 

i wrote a book a few years back called unfat the nation because obesity is a big issue here in the USA and cause the system a lot of money. It is not the diet. It is a lifestyle change people need to follow. One can’t do diet for a few weeks and then go back to before. Exercise is also important. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really appreciate all of the thoughtful comments.

 

Chris,  yes I agree I may be still at the beginning stages of letting go and continuing with life. I'm trying.?

 

Catwoman23, I do think it would help me be more at peace to make sure I was clear with my neurologists about all of my concerns, asking specific questions, and also consult with a nutritionist.

 

Weedra, If strict keto is not right for me, maybe with a few moderations, I can continue with a lower carb lifestyle for some of the positives.

 

Thank you all so much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...