eat to live and headaches

[Snickerdoodle]

I normally never get headaches. It's been 1 week on Eat to live and I'm suffering with horrible headaches everyday. Don't say it's the caffeine. I was caffeine free before I started (not even decaf).

I'm not liking this at all.

:(

[Tracey in TX]

I'm not familiar with the diet, but several foods can cause headaches: eggs, cheese, foods with nitrates, red wine, and artificial sweeteners. Hope you feel better soon!

[In The Great White North]

I'm not familiar with the diet either but I know blood sugar fluctuations can give me headaches.

When I did the Atkins diet, a few years ago, it made me even more sensitive to carbs, resulting in headaches from the tiniest increase in carbs. It also can cause a headache for the first 3 - 7 days, from "sugar withdrawal" similar to caffeine withdrawal.

Headaches were actually the main reason I don't mess with low-carb diets anymore.

[Sunny]

Yeah, I've heard others say this on his forum. It's some type of withdrawl. Caffeine isn't the only thing that does that.
If you can stand it, and keep going, great. If not, he has a slower phase in program for those of us that need more adjustment time.

[abbeyej]

My mother and I both had terrible headaches in the first week. And then no more. It wasn't caffeine in my case either.

I can't say exactly *what* it was -- dh and my dad neither one had headaches when starting EtL... But they did go away, and no more headaches after about the first week.

[Snickerdoodle]

OK. There's hope then.

[abbeyej]

BTW, too low calories *can* cause headaches, and it can be hard work to eat enough calories on EtL. Make sure you're getting your cup of whole grains and at *least* a cup of beans a day and all your fruits and veggies and some nuts or seeds. Also drink enough water.

You have to eat a lot of *quantity* on EtL to get many calories and that can be tough to do...

[muffinmom]

I didn't try this diet, but last year on another one, I had several days where I felt awful and someone on the diet's message boards said it was my body detoxing a bit. Could be.

[Janna]

I had a horrible headache for about a week and a half (maybe it was 9 days) when I started the Eat to Live way. I also was very, *very* lethargic.

For me, I am certain that it was withdrawl symptoms of not only caffeine, but I think mainly sugar. I have a terrific sweet tooth. In fact, were it not for the unlimited fruits, I would never have lasted more than a day on that diet. For the first 2 weeks I pretty much lived on the fruit (thank the Lord it is summer when all the fruits and veggies are at their peak!).

Dr. Furhman has a section in his book (maybe it was in the FAQ?) about headaches and the detoxification process. If I remember correctly he gave a specific diet to reduce the headaches before starting on the EtL religiously. I might be wrong. I don't have the book in front of me.

Anyway, there is hope. After the headaches and lethargy went away, I felt the best I can remember - so much energy and a clear mind. You're doing great! Keep it up, follow his diet plan faithfully at the beginning and you'll reap the rewards. I promise!

[Snickerdoodle]

That's funny that you say you were lethargic. I think I'm feeling a bit of that too. Although, I normally suffer from insomnia and suddenly I'm turning into a pumpkin by 8pm every night. Honestly, the other night I slept 12 hours! Lethargic, yes, but at the moment it's respite from insomnia for me. :001_smile: