The Ketogenic Lifestyle: The Answer To My Health, Through Self-Experimentation

***Just a TMI warning!  I will be discussing hormonal changes in this article, but I won’t be graphic as this is personal.  However, it may not be suitable for everyone.  Thank you!***

After being on hiatus from keto for 114 days, I’ve had a number of negative changes re-emerge from my body.  So much so that I know without a doubt, keto is the healthiest answer that my body reacts positively to.

I often repeat in my blogs that a person MUST test themselves on what will work for them and their own individual health.  I couldn’t stress it more if you’re a migraineur where one is just surviving and not living.  These results are from my own experiences that I’ve conducted and will be relaying this information to my neurologist next month.

Let me begin by saying that I went off keto for a temporary testing hiatus; switching from the ketogenic lifestyle to gluten-free & sugar-free.  On keto my way of eating, my diet  consisted of butter, lard, mayo, eggs, chicken and meats (all organic or grass-fed), then also cruciferous vegetables, organic coconut milk and occasionally peanuts, pecans or almonds.  When I went on hiatus, I switched to mainly vegetarian way of eating, but did have meats on occasion.  During hiatus, my new diet consisted of lots of raw veggies, cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, gluten-free bread & pizza on occasion, grilled steaks & chickens, dark-leafy greens, salad dressings (Ken’s Lite Raspberry, mainly), rice & beans.  This is what my diet was, for the most part, for precisely 90 days off the ketogenic lifestyle.

The very first reaction my body had getting off keto was the very noticeable amount of migraine attacks that increased.  In nutritional ketosis, I was averaging 1 (one) migraine a month and it was ALWAYS when I ovulated.  As soon as I went off keto, they the attacks were random and hormone-related; when I menstruated, ovulated and even just because.  Off keto, I began once again averaging 1-4 per month and I never knew when the next one would strike :(

Then there was the explosion of acne.  Ugh.  Right away I noticed that the skin on my face, which had been clear and free, was now back to zits and discoloration.  I literally couldn’t believe how quickly and bad it had become and I was living sugar-free!  I can still feel the bumpiness on my face even though I’m BIG about scrubbing my skin, removing dead skin cells and not using any cover-up makeup at all.  These zits are showing up all the time.  And not just right before my cycle begins, now they’re ongoing throughout the month.  Big clusters or under the skin, there has been a lot and wow, they’re painful.  Like I said, I’m an avid face cleaner/scrubber, so this was NOT normal.

Another quite noticeable reaction was the amount of mood swings & burning sensation under my breasts.  Like where did THIS come from??  This is a very new thing I never even knew existed, but it started happening to me during post-ovulation.  And the mood swings…*facepalm*…I don’t think I’ve apologized to this many people in such a short 3 months span EVER.  Like who cares if my Perrier was spilled???  Me, apparently.   Ugh.

I also began having headaches regularly, however headaches are NOT to be confused with migraines; if a headache were menstruation, then a migraine is long & excruciating  natural childbirth.  And yes, even though my headaches were suddenly now a burden, I began having to carry Ibprofen in my purse.  *facepalm* Like really???

Anyways, I’m 4 days being back on keto and I’m beginning to slowly feel better.  I’m hoping to start making good ketones again soon and my blood sugar is in the 70’s already.  I haven’t had a headache yet, which is great!  And no migraines to speak of, either.  I’m able to feel satiated when eating again, and I missed that!  LOL.

What I’ve learned from all this is to listen to my body that GOD gave me and to treat it well.  We all have families with all sorts of health problems and I believe that’s what encourages me to take this all very seriously and be proactive in protecting this body I’ve been given.

I hope you will too.

 

 

Keto on!

from ketogenic-diet « WordPress.com Tag Feed https://ift.tt/2L4Pvv5