Will going low-carb make me feel dizzy?

Dr Unwin answers your key dieting questions

Q: I’VE just started my low-carb plan and I have dizziness/cramps and feel lousy — what do you advise? A: The first few days of cutting down on carbs can be difficult. Your system may have been running on sugar for years, so this may be a form of metabolic shock; it takes time for the system to swap to burning fat as fuel instead.

Make sure you drink enough water. Many people find they need extra salt on a lower-carb diet. This is because insulin, the hormone your body produces to regulate blood sugar, causes you to retain salt — so cutting sugar may result in excreting salt in your urine. In turn, this loss of salt can lower your blood pressure.

When I started a low-carb diet, I felt dizzy if I stood up suddenly, because of changes in my blood pressure.

Some people get muscle cramps and weakness. Again, a bit more salt may be the remedy, and sometimes magnesium supplements also help. If problems persist, see your GP.

Q: I’VE done your quiz on how carbs affect our bodies and I’m worried that I might have type 2 diabetes. What should I do now?

A: PLEASE contact your GP. They may want to do a few simple blood tests. Q: WHAT can I eat for breakfast if cereals and toast are off-limits?

A: TRY full-fat yoghurt with nuts and berries; an omelette with cheese; or a english breakfast with eggs, bacon, mushroom and tomato. Q: WHAT about when I’m travelling or at work?

A: BUY slices of meat, cheese or crudities. low-carb bread sandwiches are also good, as is a salad box with meat, eggs or cheese. I always travel with some almonds and a bar of dark chocolate for emergencies — the higher the percentage of cocoa, the less sugar.

Q: HOW do I deal with cravings for carbohydrates or sugar?

A: THIS can be so hard! I substituted sugary snacks with almonds, raspberries or very dark chocolate. Over time, my snacking habit died away.

Q: WHAT can I have to drink?

A: WATER (still or sparkling); tea or coffee, but avoid lattes as each 100 ml of milk is equivalent to about a teaspoon of sugar.

You can have alcohol in moderation — but stick to spirits such as gin, whisky and vodka, which are lower in sugar, or red wine. Beer is full of sugar, so much so that my son rob calls it ‘liquid toast’.

The UK guidelines advise limiting alcohol to 14 units a week, but I would drink less than this if you want to lose weight. I stick to less than four units a week, as alcohol makes me hungry. Q: Could I reverse type 2 diabetes and other health problems by losing weight on another diet plan?

A: YES. Weight loss, however you achieve it, can help type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that, as well as low- carb diets, low- calorie diets or even bariatric surgery can be effective. exercise is another key way to improve your health. examine the pros and cons of each approach with your doctor, then decide what suits you best.

Q: YOU say to be careful about eating fruit, but surely this is good for you?

A: IT DEPENDS how much fruit and which type. Choose less sugary fruits such as berries over more sugary tropical fruits, such as a bananas or pineapple. Consume whole fruit rather than juicing it, which speeds up the release of sugar from the fruit. Watch out for dried fruit — 100g of raisins could be worse in terms of sugar than a couple of digestive biscuits.

Q: HOW long will it take before I see a noticeable change in my health?

A: On AVERAGE, my type 2 diabetes patients lose weight after three weeks and are surprised to not feel hungry.

Q: I AM slim but I eat lots of carbs and sugar. Do I also need to follow a low-carb diet?

A: YOU may tolerate a high carb and sugar diet — but it’s difficult to be certain you are not storing up trouble for the future. Twenty per cent of UK adults now has a fatty liver, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Most have no idea that they have it or that it can affect their health. Q: WON’T eating saturated fat be bad for my cholesterol?

A: GOING low-carb can mean eating a diet higher in full-fat dairy, eggs and good fats such as olive oil.

In the early days, I did worry about the effects on cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease in my patients.

however, I was surprised to find their average cholesterol came down.

This, together with the improved blood pressure and weight loss they experienced, could suggest improved heart health.

The saturated fat debate remains contentious. But a recent review (involving eight studies and 1,600 participants) concluded: ‘ large randomised controlled trials of at least six months duration with carbohydrate restriction appear superior in improving lipid markers [cholesterol and other blood fats] when compared with low-fat diets.’

For anyone with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic form of high cholesterol, or readers who worry about cholesterol, speak to your GP before embarking on this new plan. NOTE: Always consult your GP before starting a new diet, particularly if you take prescribed medication.

Recipes by Katie caldesi. The Diabetes Weight-Loss cookbook by Katie and Giancarlo caldesi is published by Kyle Books at £20. To order a copy for £16 (offer valid until April 27, 2019; p&p free), visit mail shop. co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640.