According to cardiovascular research scientist and
sodium expert James DiNicolantonio, during the first week
of carbohydrate restriction, you may require up to an
additional 2 grams of sodium–about a teaspoon of salt–per
day to feel optimal, which can be reduced to 1 gram after
the first week. Remember: individual experimentation is
key. (You can watch a thirty-minute-long interview I did
with James at http://maxl.ug/jamesdinicinterview to learn
more about this fascinating topic.)
“But my doctor told me to be on a low-sodium diet for
blood pressure!” Insulin and sugar may affect blood
pressure more than salt. They stimulate the body’s fight-or-
flight cascade, which can promote high blood pressure and
cause the body to hold on to more sodium anyway.
When we chronically deny our brains any respite from
glucose, this creates addiction, which explains why the
sudden removal of carbohydrates can lead to headaches and
fatigue. This is what I experienced as a pizza- and Pop-Tart-
eating preteen. However, when you combine periodic low-
carb phases with regular fasting, you set the physiological
stage to return your metabolism to its “factory setting.” By
reducing insulin and allowing the ketone firehose to be
turned on, you regain metabolic flexibility, thereby training
your metabolism to work for you, not the other way around.
This is the holy grail of metabolic health.
The following seven steps to becoming metabolically
flexible all involve adapting your brain to use ketones from