WHY DO I HAVE HEADACHES SINCE STARTING MY DIET?

fitacct

Same thing is happening to me, which is why I searched "headache" just now on the community forum (your post came up). I started a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet on Wednesday and have also cut back on sugar. My head has been hurting for two days now. I can barely stand the pain tonight. : ( I'm drinking plenty of water (approx. 10 glasses a day), so that's not the issue. I'm wondering if it's the sugar? I didn't realize how much sugar I consumed before until I had to start tracking it!

dakotared88

I personally get mire than enough water, which I have read a book on "water" and briefly why I have been getting headaches/migraines is a simple fix: salt. If you drink your recommended amount of water, mine is 10 - 8 oz glasses for my weight and activity level I was expelling all the salt in my body and not replacing it, thus causing my migraines. This mainly would happen right after or during my runs in heat. So hopefully this helps I prevent my headaches with a few grains of sea salt but reg table salt will work in a pinch. It's basically a mineral level issue when one drinks major water.

gandydancer

Hi, that has happened to me also..my doc told me to get potassium tablets at GNC and I take a half of one per day and drink more water and it works...beginings of any diet when you cut down on food intake a lot of it ends up being carbohydrates which hold water, that is why we lose more in begining as the water is released from stored carbs and it is an adjustment for your system and the loss of potasium causes the headaches...hoped this helped a little.

fiberartist219

You should see a doctor. I felt dizzy a lot in the past, and I would eat to feel better, and that put some serious weight on.

I got some bloodwork done, and it turns out that I'm hypothyroid. Between a combination of some hormones and some preventative migraine medication, I feel a lot better, and I can do a lot better on less food.

You could be hypoglycemic or anemic or deficient in some sort of nutrient.

Fancyfaceamanda

I just started my diet and exercise a week ago and I now have headaches too. ????

AndiGirl70

I am prone to headaches. I find drinking lots of water and ensuring I eat enough protein each day seems to stave them off. I do enjoy my 1-2 cups of coffee a day and I don't really track my sugar.

FatOldBat

I have been doing well for about a week, but I have a dull, achy headache almost constantly now. I am drinking more water, so I don't this I am dehydrated. It seems to get a little better once I eat. Any suggestions?

**Allow me to update...
OK, first off, WOW at the number of responses I got and quick!!!
To answer some questions:
a) I have not cut out caffeine, I only drink one cup of coffee a day anyway. NOT gonna happen!
b) I don't know how to make my food log viewable but I''ll work on that.
c) I have set myself to 2000 calories to start. I am trying not to set myself up for failure as I have some in the past, so I figure as I get used to this I will drop it a little to 1800, etc. I have been right at my goal, usually within 100 cal of my goal for the day. I know this will take time so I am trying to make smart changes!
d) and yes, I had a very crappy diet before. I would eat out 3-4 times a week. BAD!!

I think it may be the sugar as several of you have suggested...in keeping the journal I noticed REAL quick that I was getting a LOT of calories from sugar (especially in my morning coffee!), plus I am a sweet hound. Now I have drastically reduced my sugar intake to only what occurs naturally in food. I am using stevia instead of sugar in my coffee, and have had almost no chocolate in a week!

Thanks for the ideas, y'all are great

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ahelms05

I have read before that too much vitamin A can cause headaches http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-QuickFacts/