Everytime I start eating healthy I get really bad headaches

SLLRunner

MayTehSporksBeWithYou wrote: »

kellybauerfl wrote: »

Whenever I cut out processed sugar and caffeine I also get headaches. It usually is worst the first week.

In this case, it's the caffeine that's doing it. Caffeine is addictive and when you cut it out cold turkey, it often leads to headaches.

Most likely caffeine.

SLLRunner

G8rRay wrote: »

Why would one stop ingesting caffeine? That's not healthy!!! Caffeine is the drug of choice for most folks in the USA and elsewhere.

Just because you do fine with caffeine does not mean everybody does. Seriously, I love caffeine but every time I overload on it I ache, have increased hot flashes (which are already there due to menopause), and my mind races. Do I want those symptoms? No, therefore I tightly moderate my caffeine because I can go hog wild on it.

I don't believe in cutting out anything unless I don't like it or am intolerant.

crown6652

If you've cut or significantly reduced caffeine - yes your going thru caffeine withdraw and that will def cause headaches. Test it: Have a coffee and see if your headache goes away.

However, the main cause for headaches when you change your eating habits to a "cleaner" version are from your body releasing toxins. When you start eating cleaner, your body takes advantage to clean house and get rid of all the crap that was in the foods you were previously eating. Consuming high doses of vit C (in citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits) will aid the body in getting rid of those toxins. Vit C binds with toxins and issues them out of the body via bowels movements. Hot Lemon water 2-3 times a day will help.

If you're not having daily bowel movements, that's another prob.
Hope this was helpful!

segacs

crown6652 wrote: »

If you've cut or significantly reduced caffeine - yes your going thru caffeine withdraw and that will def cause headaches. Test it: Have a coffee and see if your headache goes away.

However, the main cause for headaches when you change your eating habits to a "cleaner" version are from your body releasing toxins. When you start eating cleaner, your body takes advantage to clean house and get rid of all the crap that was in the foods you were previously eating. Consuming high doses of vit C (in citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits) will aid the body in getting rid of those toxins. Vit C binds with toxins and issues them out of the body via bowels movements. Hot Lemon water 2-3 times a day will help.

If you're not having daily bowel movements, that's another prob.
Hope this was helpful!

No. Just no. None of that.

You can’t detox your body. It’s a myth.

SLLRunner

cschof18 wrote: »

Hi there,
Every time I start a new diet/healthy lifestyle, I get really bad migraines that end up making me sick and then discouraging me from wanting to continue. I thought it may be not eating enough food, but I certainly try to fill up as much as possible. Or maybe its withdrawls from bad, fatty foods? Anyone else experience this?

Are you eating enough?

I doubt it's withdrawal from certain foods because none are good or bad in of themselves, they are just food.

I experienced headaches with caffeine, but they went away after I cut way back.

SLLRunner

crown6652 wrote: »

However, the main cause for headaches when you change your eating habits to a "cleaner" version are from your body releasing toxins. When you start eating cleaner, your body takes advantage to clean house and get rid of all the crap that was in the foods you were previously eating. Consuming high doses of vit C (in citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits) will aid the body in getting rid of those toxins. Vit C binds with toxins and issues them out of the body via bowels movements. Hot Lemon water 2-3 times a day will help.

Hope this was helpful!

Nope.

emdeesea

Ugh. "Toxins." No. Just for god's sake, no.

mumblemagic

Go to the doctor.

SomeNights246

Can you give us more information? I know a lot of people have asked, but they do have a point. It could be a number of things.

Are you eating enough? Restricting calories too heavily can cause things like dizziness and headaches. Even restricting to 1,200 (the amount generally recommended by MFP) can be too much of a restriction for some people. You say you try to fill up as much as possible, though, so that's probably not it.

Is it stress related? Some headaches can be caused by stress. If you don't want to cut out the foods that you're cutting out, I imagine that could - in theory - cause you some stress. Maybe you could work on trying to eat them in moderation instead, if that's the case.

It could, also, be related to caffeine if you're cutting out soda (or similar beverages) as another poster suggested.

There are a lot of possible reasons, it's hard to say without knowing what you're eating and cutting out. I doubt it's withdrawals, unless it is caffeine. I know from experience that withdrawal from caffeine can cause nasty headaches.

SomeNights246

SLLRunner wrote: »

cschof18 wrote: »

Hi there,
Every time I start a new diet/healthy lifestyle, I get really bad migraines that end up making me sick and then discouraging me from wanting to continue. I thought it may be not eating enough food, but I certainly try to fill up as much as possible. Or maybe its withdrawls from bad, fatty foods? Anyone else experience this?

Are you eating enough?

I doubt it's withdrawal from certain foods because none are good or bad in of themselves, they are just food.

I experienced headaches with caffeine, but they went away after I cut way back.

Exactly why I doubt it, too.

segacs

The other possibility is that it's not due to something you removed, but to something you added. Is it possible you have an undiagnosed allergy to certain foods that you only eat when trying to eat "healthy"?