"Detox"

weightgoesbyebye

I know some people say you "detox" when you start eating better and i have read online that there is no such thing. That aside.
I started eating better Monday i mean much better.
Smoothies, egg whites, lots of veggies and fruits and about 1/3 the salt i use to eat.
I use to eat a big bag of chips daily, 2lt of pop and every meal was highly processed such as mini pizzaa, pizza pockets, hotdogs and sandwiches. I think it was about 7-8000mg salt daily.

Today my head feels like it is in a vice, bad headache and a bit dizzy. Could it be from going from eating 100% garbage to clean. Should i maybe have eased into it not just jumped in 100%.
I do not want to stop as besides my head i feel better and my blood pressure is down a few points in just 3 days.

Thanks for any and all advive.

kimny72

Did you give up caffeine? Headache is a classic symptom of caffeine withdrawal, and many people do find stepping down slowly is less of a problem.

If you are eating dramatically less sodium, your electrolyte balance could be off or you could be dehydrated. That is I believe what usually causes keto flu as well. I'm not as familiar with what to do in that situation.

puffbrat

kimny listed all of my first thoughts. The only other thing that comes to mind is if you are undereating. Eating healthy still requires eating enough to properly fuel your body and sometimes when people make a sudden large change to diet like you are describing, they also unintentionally undereat.

whmscll

Are you eating enough calories? How much are you trying to lose per week? Not eating enough will cause the symptoms you describe.

strongwouldbenice

Both caffeine withdrawal and drastically lower sodium can cause headaches so try adding some back in and see if that helps. I found it much easier to slowly decrease when I quit caffeine than to go cold turkey.

diannethegeek

I agree with what everyone else has suggested and also want to add that lowering your carbs dramatically (which I don't know whether you've done or not) can also cause electrolyte imbalances that could lead to symptoms like these.

Generally speaking, and without any answers yet, the answer is usually to add something back in. If it's a caffeine headache then more caffeine, if it's low calories then eating more should help, if it's low carbs or sodium then increasing sodium and other electrolytes (magnesium, sodium, etc) will usually help.

I suppose a blood sugar issue could also be at play, which would mean either eating more or adjusting when you eat.

pinuplove

diannethegeek wrote: »

I agree with what everyone else has suggested and also want to add that lowering your carbs dramatically (which I don't know whether you've done or not) can also cause electrolyte imbalances that could lead to symptoms like these.

Generally speaking, and without any answers yet, the answer is usually to add something back in. If it's a caffeine headache then more caffeine, if it's low calories then eating more should help, if it's low carbs or sodium then increasing sodium and other electrolytes (magnesium, sodium, etc) will usually help.

I suppose a blood sugar issue could also be at play, which would mean either eating more or adjusting when you eat.

I came here to say caffeine or electrolytes, but it's already covered!

AnnPT77

And yes, I think you're having an useful insight: It can be easier, in some ways, to work yourself gradually into a new routine, rather than trying to change everything all in one giant leap.

Best wishes! :flowerforyou: