After a glowing start to the Charles Clarke diet (1st time to low-carb eating) - somebody did at least warn me I might feel unwell. I feel heavy, lethargic, achy and fluey. Is this really normal and how long is it likely to last? I'm not eating the slice of bread a day that he recommends, and am just on lots of low-carb veggies, meat, cheese and eggs.

Anyway, having read around this site I've come away with more confusions that I came in with it's a bit much to assimilate in one go. I've got a few questions and if anybody can answer them or point me in the right direction for research, I'll be very grateful:-

1. There have obviously been medical concerns that Atkins can cause heart problems due to low potassium levels. Where does potassium come from and how can low-carbing affect potassium levels in the body? (I'm not seriously that scared, but it's worth looking at)

2. Is anybody out there on the carb addicts diet where you can have one reward meal a day with carbs? How successful are they on this? (the idea appeals, not surprisingly)

3. Am I right in saying that Atkins and Clarke differ on ketosis? I haven't read Atkins but have read here that he advocates two weeks of getting into ketosis, which is the body's maximum fat-burning condition. Then gradually coming out of it again. Clarke definitely states that if you have a strange taste in your mouth, and are eating very low-carb, then it's ketosis, and you're not eating enough carbs. So, can you still lose weight without going into ketosis? Will it be slower? (that's fine by me. I've lived yo-yoing for long enough that a slow, comfy weight loss would be great).

Well, that's enough to be going on with! I really would appreciate some help from more experienced and well-read folks here. (I'm a primary teacher and mum of 3 and am not a dietery expert neither have time to be. I only know what I'm told or what I read. It's very difficult when there's such a controversy from experts on all sides!!!!!!!)

Ruth

Hi Ruth,

Yep, you may feel unwell for a few days. Most of us do, and most of us feel better within another day or two. So hang in there!

1. Potassium would have to be very low indeed (or high) to cause heart problems. I rather doubt that low carbing alone could do it.
Starting a low carb eating plan causes a natural diuresis - that is we lose a lot of water. It's just the nature of the beast. And we lose extra electrolytes, especially potassium with the water. So most of us feel a lot better once we begin to supplement potassium. Low potassium can cause a weak, dizzy feeling.
To supplement potassium, you can either take tablets or use a potassium salt such as No Salt - available in supermarkets with the ordinary salt. You should be taking about 400mg potassium daily.

It is important to drink plenty of water while taking extra potassium. And if you choose to take the tablets, always have them with food, or they can irritate the stomach.

It's also important for anyone who takes fluid tablets or blood pressure tablets to check with their pharmacist or doctor before taking potassium supplements.

Just another thing on potassium - as long as your kidney function is normal, if you take in more potassium than is needed, it is simply excreted by the kidneys.

2. We have a CAD forum here with many successful members. Here is a link: http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=100

3. As for ketosis, I think Atkins is one of the very few plans to advocate being in ketosis. We have many people here who are living proof that you can indeed lose weight without necessarily being in ketosis. Yes, the weight loss may be slower, but the rate of loss depends on many factors.

HTH Feel free to keep asking questions.

Rosebud

Thanks again Rosebud - it was you who warned me in the first place - if you hadn't, I think I'd have given in already! Thanks for the link - and the comments about the diet's diuretic effect - I've been peeing so much it's annoying - hope it slows down!! This is so wierd, but I've got a good feeling about it, somehow it all makes sense.

Ruth