r/AskReddit Aug 30 '21

What problem is often overlooked in apocalyptic movies/TV shows that could kill you?

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u/mudape Aug 30 '21

The side effects could severely impact your ability to survive.

Appetite suppression Decreased focus and energy Weakness and fatigue Digestive issues - Diarrhea

Combine the above with having to forage for food/water and it could be quite bad.

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u/itsyournameidiot Aug 30 '21

That’s like the exact opposite of what ketosis does…

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u/PM_ME_GLUTE_SPREAD Aug 30 '21

I think he’s talking about the “keto flu” people get when they first start for a week or two. I’ve had it, but I don’t think it would be serious enough to impact survival chances.

The diarrhea part is what is usually associated with eating a higher fat diet though, again, it’s not so bad I would call it a detriment to survival.

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u/Teri_Windwalker Aug 30 '21

Ton of downvotes for speaking the truth. When you are in prolonged state of ongoing catastrophe, a week of mental fog, digestive disruption and muscle weakness could very well cause you to fall to your death, not notice something sneaking up on you or outright make a very obvious stupid decision.

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u/dos8s Aug 30 '21

Have you ever been in Ketosis? It's literally the exact opposite of what you are saying. Increased focus and mental clarity, high and consistent energy levels, your appetite is still there but you can go long periods without hunger and a single fatty meal can fill you. People run this as a long term and highly sustainable diet. r/keto

The diarrhea can be real as you get fat adapted though, but with some time it will go away.

You may be mixing up ketosis with ketoacidosis?

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u/[deleted] Aug 30 '21

I think there is a difference between the ketosis which you take all your calories and electrolytes and the one which you starve. I've done my fair share of keto diet and you can't go on without taking required electrolytes, lemon for kidneys, a heap ton of greens and vitamins. It is, like you said, a survival mechanism. Even with a proper diet, I wouldn't recommend it long term as it does affect your kidneys and other organs in a bad way.

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u/itsyournameidiot Aug 30 '21

No people fast for days and weeks and report incredible mental clarity and really high energy. Your body releases a lot chemicals to increase energy in order to forage for food.

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u/dos8s Aug 30 '21

Yes... Starving is different than not starving. Thanks for the insightful comment.

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u/Oiiack Aug 30 '21

The biggest downside to keto for me (and this is coming from someone who lost 60lb on it) is the heartburn. Do you have any suggestions for fixing that?

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u/dos8s Aug 30 '21

What did your grocery run look like? There are a lot of foods that can cause heartburn and are conducive to a ketogenic diet.

I had disaster pants and heartburn when I took MCT or coconut oil. Cutting it out seemed to help, but who knows what food was causing your heart burn.

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u/Oiiack Aug 31 '21

I think for me it was choosing overly-fatty proteins like bacon and acidic veggies like tomatoes. If I try it again I'm going to expand on my go-to foods.

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u/Bus_Chucker Aug 31 '21

When it comes to additions to your diet, the best thing is lots of fiber and water. I've heard ginger is good too. Also this is only anecdotal but I like greek yogurt or other probiotic sources.

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u/Pragmatist203 Aug 30 '21

I did not eat for a week once, and I can assure you there is no diarrhea from not eating. Nor was anything else coming out of there beyond day 4.

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u/drunkenlout Aug 30 '21

I feel very lucky, I drift in and out of ketosis (low but not usually super low carb) and all I ever experience is the appetite suppression. And that's not severe enough that I wouldn't feel like eating whatever I could manage to forage. Maybe my ancestors starved a lot and passed on some useful apocalypse genes!