How to Spot Side Effects of the South Beach Diet

The South Beach diet was initially created to help people lower their cholesterol levels. The basis of the diet is a focus on high fiber complex carbohydrates, as opposed to high carbohydrate foods that raise your blood sugar level. It can come with some undesirable side effects for some, so it's best to familiarize yourself with them before deciding if this is a diet you'd like to try.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Realize that a good side effect of the South Beach diet is weight loss. You'll probably first notice it in your waist area, due to lost water weight. However, most experts agree that Phase 1 of the diet causes people to lose more weight than is recommended over a 2-week period.

2. Drink plenty of water, especially during the Phase 1 of the diet, which is the most restrictive in terms of carbohydrates. If you seem to be getting a lot of headaches, it could be due to dehydration, which can also lead to an electrolyte imbalance.

3. Know that a potentially dangerous condition called ketosis can be a side effect of the South Beach diet during the first 2 weeks. While you should be eating enough carbohydrates to prevent this from happening, its symptoms should be noted should you start to display them.

4. Be alert for the symptoms of ketosis such as bad breath, dizziness, fatigue and irritability. This occurs when there is too little glucose in the body, can lead to kidney problems and should be taken seriously.

5. Recognize other symptoms such as constipation, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) as side effects of the South Beach diet. Incorporating more good carbohydrates into your diet should relieve you of the symptoms.

Tips & Warnings

• Always check with your doctor before starting any weight loss program.

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