In order to understand why the Keto Diet is bad long-term, you need to understand how the Ketogenic Diet works in the first place. A Keto Diet is one which is very low on carbohydrates, which is one of the main sources of energy for the body.
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During digestion, the body breaks down foods rich in carbohydrates and produces glucose, which is used as the main fuel source for energy to run the body. When the body is deprived of carbohydrates, it switches its fuel source from glucose to fat and ketones. This stage is known as ketosis, where the body relies on fat and ketones as its main fuel source for energy. The body goes into this state usually within 3 or 4 days after you start the diet.
This switch in diet is normally accompanied by various symptoms such as irritability, headache, concentration problems, dizziness, bad breath, stomach pains, difficulty sleeping, constipation, confusion and many others. For this reason, these symptoms are also called the Keto Flu.
Normally, the symptoms of the keto Flu subside within a week, and the body begins to lose weight. The weight loss can often be quite visible and dramatic. Most people could be very happy to see the diet working after all. But this can come with some negative effects that can be bad or even dangerous to your health.
You need to understand that your body needs a balanced diet for healthy living. As soon as you start deriving your body of certain kinds of otherwise healthy foods, there is an imbalance created keto diet and mood swings in your system that can give rise to nutrient deficiencies. If your body continues to experience nutrient deficiency on a long-term basis, it can pose a number of risks to your general well-being.
Nutrient deficiencies can result in dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which is quite well-documented. A Ketogenic Diet also tends to be low in fiber and minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B and B6. Therefore, you need to increase your water intake. You would also need to consult your physician for appropriate supplementation to help avoid a long list of health conditions that can accompany nutrient deficiency.
But by far, the biggest problem with this form of diet is sustainability. When you deprive your body of your favorite foods, your body might begin to increase cravings, forcing you to give up your diet. And when you go back to eating normally once again, the rebound weight gain could be dramatic as well. This could be accompanied by side effects again, as your body begins to readjust back to glucose as its main fuel source for energy.
For all these reasons, the Keto Diet cannot be used as a long-term solution for weight loss. If you wish to lose weight in a hurry for the short term, and are ready to go through uncomfortable symptoms, then perhaps you can try this solution. But it could be a bad idea to go for this lifestyle as a permanent and long term solution for losing weight.
If you notice yourself experiencing a drastic change of emotions every now and then it's possible that you're experiencing what many people refer to as "mood swings". One moment you may be feeling fine working on your daily tasks, the next minute you may be feeling irritable and even become hostile - all these sudden changes in your mood indicates that you are indeed having mood swings.
Irritability is a common symptom of unresolved chronic stress. So, if you are showing signs of being moody, you may need to look deeper and see if it isn't stress that's causing the problem.
Yes, it's perfectly normal to experience irritability, anger, sadness and other emotions in our lives. However, if mood swings become difficult to control, this becomes another problem to look at. When uncontrolled, they can severely impact relationships, careers and other aspects of a person's life.
Is Irritability The Cause?
Both men and women may suffer from mood swings that are caused by stress of everyday living. Juggling between family and work life and other's expectations will make almost everyone vulnerable to highs and lows in mood.
Women experience them more often than men. This comes as no surprise since women are subject to fluctuations of hormones that can occur during pregnancy, menstruation periods or post-partum depression.
Intensity of mood changes will invariably worsen when upsetting situations occur.
Irritability is one of the most common indicators of susceptibility to mood swings. When a person is irritable, they will have an increased tendency to overreact or become angry in response to an occurrence. When the response is disproportionate to the trigger, problems will occur with others.
This often leads to feelings of remorse, self-pity and more anger. If this yo-yo behavior is repeated often it can create habitual responses which compound the hormonal and environmental triggers. If the underlying causes of the irritability are properly addressed, they will then start to dissipate.
In extreme cases, they can also be linked to bipolar disorder. If mood swings are severe in either frequency or intensity or are damaging to personal and professional relationships, professional help should be sought.
Natural Ways of Coping with Stress and Mood Swings
Recognizing that stress and your mood swings are a problem doesn't mean you have to rely on prescription or over-the-counter drugs to be able to manage the problem. There are several natural ways of coping:
Yoga and meditation can help people achieve calmness by using positive imagery, slow and tempered muscle movements and guided breathing techniques. Practicing Yoga and meditation on a regular basis provides people with better coping skills for mood swings as the student will be taught to become more aware of their own emotional and physical responses to mood swings.
Getting enough sleep is also crucial towards conquering mood swings. Lacking enough sleep every night will make you feel run down with your mind less sharp to deal with any situations that may arise in your daily routine. This will affect how you react to situations and increasing your likelihood of an irrational response. Having enough sleep gives your mind and body the much needed rest that it deserves for it to function better the next day.
Eating right is one of the best ways to keep mood swings in check. Processed foods and all forms of junk foods should be avoided. Stay clear of all foods and beverages that contain sugar and limit (or better yet) eliminate your intake of alcohol.
Poor eating habits are also commonly linked to anxiety, depression and other mental health problems. Diet is becoming more widely implicated as a primary underlying cause and aggravator of many mental and emotional issues.