Health

If you’re experiencing bowel irregularities on the keto diet, you’re not alone. Constipation is one of the most common issues but many people report diarrhea, too. Needless to say, these gastrointestinal (GI) issues can cut into your quality of life. They could put a dent in your keto enthusiasm, and into your happiness generally. They also suggest a dent in your health. If your digestive system isn’t running smoothly, the consequences can sap your immunity and energy, along with your comfort. As Hippocrates said, “all disease begins in the gut”. Fortunately, constipation and diarrhea on keto tends to be short-lived....

A lot of people worry about dehydration on a keto diet. Dehydration often gets blamed for the headaches, weakness, and cramps that comprise the infamous keto flu. As a result, water gets advertised as a keto cure-all. Tired? Pep up by slugging water. Hungry? Curb those cravings with a cool glass of H2O. Head throbbing? Find the jug, quick! It seems logical. You lose more fluids on a low-carb diet, so you probably need to drink a bit more to replenish. In my experience, however, a water-only hydration strategy usually makes things worse. Keto or otherwise. I’m not saying that...

The best way to fix a hangover is to avoid getting one in the first place. That might mean cutting yourself off, and not opening that second bottle of wine. But I know moderation doesn’t always happen. Looking back, I’ve had mornings that make The Hangover look like a children’s film. Okay, not that bad. But it felt awful. My head throbbed, my stomach hurt, and my energy was zapped. Bradley Cooper was just acting. Real hangovers are much worse. I try not to put myself in that position anymore. And when I do, I take the necessary steps to...

For several years running, U.S. News and World Report has ranked the Paleo diet and the keto diet near the bottom of their “Best Diets” list. In 2021, Paleo received 2.3 out of 5 possible points, while keto received a pathetic 1.9. The Slimfast diet—a diet of proprietary bars and shakes—outranked them both, garnering 2.8 points. How much scientific research supports the Slimfast diet? That’s easy. Zero. These rankings get me going, I’ll admit it. I mean, c'mon people, are you really saying that drinking protein shakes is better than eating an anti-inflammatory whole foods diet? Are you really ignoring...

One of the most damaging myths in nutrition is the myth that dietary fat clogs your arteries. It’s made a lot of people worry about how the keto diet affects heart health with no scientifically-backed reason. The myth is absurd. Free fatty acids and triglycerides—the forms of fat circulating in your body—don’t go around jamming up your blood vessels. In fact, we’ve known for decades that arterial plaques are formed through an inflammatory process involving LDL particles and a bunch of immune factors. It’s not fat. Closely tied to this myth is the myth that saturated fat causes heart disease....