By this point in my journey, most of the negative side effects had subsided. (I experienced leg cramps and tingling sensations in my feet, which Wali explained was from eating too little salt. She suggested I try magnesium supplements, and the problem went away within days.)
A ketone reading of 0.9 mmol/L indicates a mild state of ketosis. Dieters can reach higher levels — "go deeper" into ketosis — by restricting carbs to fewer than 20 grams a day or fasting. But there isn't consensus in the medical community that doing so unlocks additional benefits.
Geoff Woo, the cofounder and CEO of HVMN, said he aimed for 3.0 mmol/L or higher, which he achieves through intermittent fasts that spike ketone production, for "optimal mental flow."
When I started to obsess over the numbers my ketone testing meter gave me, Wali encouraged me to focus on how I felt instead.