Electrolytes and salting food

InkyUSMC · October 27

Hi, I am news to Carnivore, I have only be on the diet for 7 days. I feel like I am getting better and I lost 8 LBs so far. However, I tried using LMNT the other day and I thought I was going to die in my sleep. I was tossing turning sweating, I felt like I wasn't getting enough O2. I woke up swollen and retaining water. Am I getting too much salt? I salt my meat pretty well. If I salt my food do I really need the extra electrolytes?

Geezy · October 28

Welcome to the group Inky and thank you for you’re service Marine.
What you are experiencing doesn’t sound normal to me. Most people do just fine with the electrolytes.
The thing is that many of us when we start this WOE start using electrolytes because we hear that’s what we should do but that’s not always the BM best approach. Everyone is different and this lifestyle affects us each differently. Many long term carnivores do well taking LMNT or KetoChow but when I did them it threw my electrolyte balance out of wack. It took my potassium levels too high for someone who has a heart condition so I quit taking them. My levels are normal now without doing anything but salting my food and occasionally salting my water. Now the way I found this out was with a blood test. If I had continued on with what I was doing just because others were doing it could have stopped my heart. Only the blood test told me what was needed.
So be careful and first listen to your body. Don’t take any supplements unless you’re body is telling you that you need something. Don’t compare yourself to others. If you feel off then get a blood test and see if something is wrong. Since you are just starting out I would just make sure you are eating plenty of fatty meat, salt your food to taste and drink water. You will probably experience some adverse reactions from changing your diet but just deal with it. It will pass soon.
Good luck

InkyUSMC · October 28

8 minutes ago, Geezy said:

Welcome to the group Inky and thank you for you’re service Marine.
What you are experiencing doesn’t sound normal to me. Most people do just fine with the electrolytes.
The thing is that many of us when we start this WOE start using electrolytes because we hear that’s what we should do but that’s not always the BM best approach. Everyone is different and this lifestyle affects us each differently. Many long term carnivores do well taking LMNT or KetoChow but when I did them it threw my electrolyte balance out of wack. It took my potassium levels too high for someone who has a heart condition so I quit taking them. My levels are normal now without doing anything but salting my food and occasionally salting my water. Now the way I found this out was with a blood test. If I had continued on with what I was doing just because others were doing it could have stopped my heart. Only the blood test told me what was needed.
So be careful and first listen to your body. Don’t take any supplements unless you’re body is telling you that you need something. Don’t compare yourself to others. If you feel off then get a blood test and see if something is wrong. Since you are just starting out I would just make sure you are eating plenty of fatty meat, salt your food to taste and drink water. You will probably experience some adverse reactions from changing your diet but just deal with it. It will pass soon.
Good luck

Thanks Geezy, that is very helpful. So far, I feel a lot better (except when I took the electrolytes) and it has only been a week. I really appreciate the advice. I also like the crayon that you added, that's my favorite flavor too.

Geezy · October 28

8 minutes ago, InkyUSMC said:

I also like the crayon that you added, that's my favorite flavor too.

I figured you would. Former soldier here (Infantry).
We should get along well. There’s other vets around here too.

InkyUSMC · October 28

1 hour ago, Geezy said:

I figured you would. Former soldier here (Infantry).
We should get along well. There’s other vets around here too.

Lol.... Yes we should. I was Infantry as well (Machine gunner).

Miranda · October 28

Welcome to the community, Inky! I have unflavored Re-lyte from Redmond on hand but I actually use it only occasionally. Sometimes I season broth with it. And I might use it if I had been sweating a lot. I have never had the reaction to the level you did, but I have felt excess twitching after taking them.

I would say, save them for if you are feeling weak or have a headache.

InkyUSMC · October 28

3 hours ago, Miranda said:

Welcome to the community, Inky! I have unflavored Re-lyte from Redmond on hand but I actually use it only occasionally. Sometimes I season broth with it. And I might use it if I had been sweating a lot. I have never had the reaction to the level you did, but I have felt excess twitching after taking them.

I would say, save them for if you are feeling weak or have a headache.

Thanks Miranda.

Meathead · October 28

Welcome aboard Inky.

@Geezy & @Miranda have your 6.

Ex bubble head/surface squid myself.

Scott F. · October 29

Welcome to the group. Best of luck as you move forward.

I tried LMNT but I just didn't like the taste. I went to youtube and found a video showing how to make an electrolyte solution and I use it to salt my food.

Great advice above. The carnivore diet, if it does nothing else, will show you that you are an individual. It affects people in a lot of different ways.

Thank you for your service as well.

Bubblehead myself.

Scott

Scott F. · October 29

9 hours ago, Meathead said:

Welcome aboard Inky.

@Geezy & @Miranda have your 6.

Ex bubble head/surface squid myself.

USS Glenard P. Lipscomb and the USS Sunfish. IC2/SS 87-93 (2192 days, not that I was counting)

Scott

InkyUSMC · October 29

29 minutes ago, Scott F. said:

Welcome to the group. Best of luck as you move forward.

I tried LMNT but I just didn't like the taste. I went to youtube and found a video showing how to make an electrolyte solution and I use it to salt my food.

Great advice above. The carnivore diet, if it does nothing else, will show you that you are an individual. It affects people in a lot of different ways.

Thank you for your service as well.

Bubblehead myself.

Scott

Thanks Scott for the info and thank you, @Meathead and @Geezy for your service as well..

InkyUSMC · October 29

10 hours ago, Meathead said:

Welcome aboard Inky.

@Geezy & @Miranda have your 6.

Ex bubble head/surface squid myself.

Thanks Meathead. I'm sorry reding from my phone earlier and I didn't read your whole message. I don't know how you guys did it living in a sardine can. God belss you guys.

Laura · October 29

Welcome, Inky! Thank you for your service. I am taking about 800 mg magnesium glycinate, and 200 mg potassium glycinate in a day, and I salt my meat to taste with a good sea salt (Jacobsen'), which is harvested off of the Oregon coast. I believe the minerals in LMNT are citrates, which are produced from citric acid, which is produced from aspergillus niger (black mold), and could be GMO. I don't want anything that comes from black mold in my body. You may not need any of these supplements, as Geezy said. It makes me wonder how people survived in the old days without all of these pills and powders. I have just recently cut way back on the mass amount of supplements I've been taking for years, and am already starting to feel better. If you research how each one is made, it's pretty scary. Just chemicals made in a lab . I've gotten it down to the 2 I mentioned, iodine, beef pancreas, D3&K2 a couple of times a week, and a couple of bitter herbs. Lots of good folks here!

Miranda · October 29

7 hours ago, InkyUSMC said:

Thanks Meathead. I'm sorry reding from my phone earlier and I didn't read your whole message. I don't know how you guys did it living in a sardine can. God belss you guys.

This. I just visited the USS Albacore last month and I was highly anxious by the time I got through it. I can't comprehend how you guys manage. But I appreciate that you do!

Miranda · October 29

Scott F. · October 29

1 hour ago, Miranda said:

This. I just visited the USS Albacore last month and I was highly anxious by the time I got through it. I can't comprehend how you guys manage. But I appreciate that you do!

A funny about submarine habits (and apologize for taking the thread even further off topic).

On the boat two guys can pass each other in the passageway, both twist shoulders the opposite was and move along with barely touching one another. You get so use to squeezing between something and someone it becomes second nature. You (we) don't even realize the close proximity as we make our way thru.

When I was home one weekend I went to the grocery store with my girlfriend. As I walked up the aisle I saw what I was looking for and headed that way. It was barely enough room between this other lady and my target. I twisted my shoulders, cut in front of her, got my stuff and out the other side. I didn't even realize how rude it was to cut in front of the lady and before it set in my girlfriend snapped, "Don't be that guy. Apologize now!". Then it set in on me and I felt like a real bozo.

Maybe the funniest part, being in a Navy town, the lady comes back with, "It's OK living at sea he does not know another way". (or in so many words).

Again, apologize for taking the thread further off topic.

Scott

InkyUSMC · October 29

3 hours ago, Laura said:

Welcome, Inky! Thank you for your service. I am taking about 800 mg magnesium glycinate, and 200 mg potassium glycinate in a day, and I salt my meat to taste with a good sea salt (Jacobsen'), which is harvested off of the Oregon coast. I believe the minerals in LMNT are citrates, which are produced from citric acid, which is produced from aspergillus niger (black mold), and could be GMO. I don't want anything that comes from black mold in my body. You may not need any of these supplements, as Geezy said. It makes me wonder how people survived in the old days without all of these pills and powders. I have just recently cut way back on the mass amount of supplements I've been taking for years, and am already starting to feel better. If you research how each one is made, it's pretty scary. Just chemicals made in a lab . I've gotten it down to the 2 I mentioned, iodine, beef pancreas, D3&K2 a couple of times a week, and a couple of bitter herbs. Lots of good folks here!

Thank you Laura.