I’ve been AF free since Aug 21 when I had a cryo ablation. Shortly after the ablation I developed some other health issues that were resolved by an operation in March 23.
I put on a lot of weight after having no exercise capability for some years and have recently started on a Ketogenic diet. It’s working for weight loss but I had a one minute instance of AF two days ago and my resting heart rate is up by about 8bpm.
Does anyone know if keto is okay for AF sufferers?
Hi - very hard to say as there are very few studies on Keto and AF.
My inclination has always been to avoid Keto, on the advice of my nutritionist, because the state of ketosis changes the body’s Ph which has then has the potential to trigger AF. In my case I have systemic inflamation anyway so any increased and I feel very unwell within a few days.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
I was advised to eat green apples and watermelon as a response, avacados, blueberries, potatoes. Water melon has a neutral Ph and when I can eat nothing, it’s the only food I can tolerate. (I have autoimmune condition which flares sometimes).
I think there is now a body of evidence that shows exercise has no affect on weight loss but my experience is that when you have been very active and you stop exercise you certainly muscle turns to fat and I put on weight, lose strength because I continue to eat the same amount.
I have reservations about the keto diet. It probably can help some people in some situations, but even then I think it’s important to keep an eye on blood work and not just the number on a scale. I don’t think it promotes good gut health because it omits a lot of plant fibre sources which would promote a healthy gut microbiome. Whenever I’ve read/heard an educated scientific opinion on the ketogenic diet, the consensus is that it can be helpful but in the context of relative risks, where the benefits outweigh the downsides for the individual. As a general weight loss diet, it’s not superior to any other weight loss in the longer term ie after 2 years or so, but that’s mostly due to in being unsustainable.
Agreed!
PS - are you taking enough foods high in electrolytes? Ketosis may also alter electrolyte balance and that certainly will trigger AF.
I hadn’t considered electrolytes - I’ll check that, thanks.
How do you know it was afib? Did you take an ekg with a home device like Kardia?
Jim
yes
I've heard similar before on the forums re keto. Hard to say if it's the diet itself, or the adjustment process the body goes through. As we know, any change in the "Force" is a potential afib trigger 
Jim
Hi
Greyarmadillo!
Have you been in close proximity of an armadillo?
Fun!
Whilst on my honeymoon on a Tucan Truck tour of South America we were
near the bottom or on the very bottom, we were eating when an Armadillo came out of no where raised itself by our washup bowl and gave us an intriguing look at him/her.
That in 2006. I think it had a shell like a tortoise. Is it in the same family?
Diet. Since I have been eating the same nutrious foods but less I can say I've lost
5-6kgs since December 2022.
With that my H/R went down from controlled 80-96 to 62-69 Day!
Walking it has remarkably helped. Sleeping early with a nap and sleeping well
at night.
I thought it was bread and changed to sour dough with wholegrain.
Always on a low fat diet due to gall bladder acid issues and post-operation when the disintegrated gall bladder was removed in 2000.
I have only 2 stainless clips. Apparently some folks have 40.
cheri JOY. 74. (NZ)
I certainly wouldn’t pursue a ketogenic diet for many reasons I won’t go into here. Personally, I wouldn’t follow any dietary regime that cuts out any food group. In fact, I don’t follow any “diet”. I am careful and considered in my dietary choices, though. When it comes to dietary choices, there’s no one right way of eating and we are all highly individual. A predominantly plant-based diet works for me. My blood work is all good and my BMI is at the low end of normal, so all is good.
However, there are many people who have a different set of challenges from me, and what I choose to do won’t suit everyone for all sorts of reasons. That’s why you have to know YOUR “why” and ask yourself about what you want to achieve and how will you know when you get there. Is it weight loss? Is it glycemic control? Do you need to watch your cholesterol? Also, where are you getting your health information from, and do you believe it to be a reliable source? Are you falling into a dietary “tribe” with an “us and then” mentality? These are the questions you need to ask yourself. If you’re just someone who has had a lifetime of trying to manage your weight and you’ve found something that works for you, how sustainable is it in the long term?
As for AF, I don’t believe it can be managed with diet. Other people may disagree and that’s fine. What I do believe is looking after your overall health. AF usually (but not always) affects people later in life so it’s important to do what we can to maintain what we have. That applies regardless of diagnosis, and just because we have one condition it doesn’t make us exempt from any other condition developing.
Very interesting reply. But although diet certainly helps many people with Afib , Paroxysmal Afib triggers remain à mystery for many sufferers. Over the 12 years I had it I cut out alcohol, sugar, caféine and any other thing I thought was a trigger and tried to lead a healthy life. But nothing worked. I just had to face there was no rhyme or reason to it. It is a condition like a minefield! You walk carefully to avoid setting one off but you don't know where they are so can't avoid them . Anyway since my ablation I am having a respite and enjoyed having a glass of champagne at my son's wedding without worrying that it might be a trigger or might not! 🙂
TBH, there are plenty of people who need to give their eating habits a serious makeover in the general population and for some it will contribute to poor health outcomes. While I don’t think diet causes or cures AF, it still matters in one’s overall health. Fantastic that your ablation has made all the difference and I hope you enjoyed your glass of bubbly on your son’s big day!
There is much truth in what you say!Yes I love a good glass of champagne ( or 2 or 3 😄 )on special occasions.
Generally ablations give us a break for a while. My cardiologist has a patient who has just come back for a second after being Afib free for 14 years! I hope my respite is as long 🤞
It must be marvellous for those who get good results. I hope your ablation keeps AF at bay for many years to come.
Thank you! Now I know it can work ( for me) I won't mind having a top up eventually. But the ablation was not a bed of roses for me but the outcome has been good so far 🙂
A keto diet is quite difficult to stick with, and the advantages are highly contentious.
Are you actually in ketosis?
I am on a low-carb diet, similar but not quite so prescriptive and far easier to stick with.
I don't consume a lot of red meat and I have some low-carb bread, but avoid pasta in all its forms. Potatoes never formed part of my diet so no problems there, but I still enjoy rice in very small quantities.
I consume vast amounts of fresh vegetables, organic where possible, using shredded cabbage in place of spaghetti, surprisingly acceptable in bolognese!
Careful with fruit, some of which are heavy with sugar, but fortunately they are complex carbs and shouldn't give you insulin surges.
My reasons are not just heart problems, I am also battling cancer, cancer cells are hungry for carbs so I'm trying to make my body a hostile environment for them, but a low-carb diet is also good for general health, as well as the heart.
The main thing is to keep clear of simple sugars and ready meals, eat organic fresh where possible and all aspects of health will improve.
In reply to your question, it hasn't given me any issues with AF, and it has dropped my BP marginally.
Good luck
I’m not fully Keto, but I am low carb, high protein and that works for me. My weight is stable and hasn’t changed much in years.
Potassium and magnesium and low sodium diet
Diet and AF (lone)
Dieting and AF
