Started eating clean 10 days ago...sick

laura_silva
laura_silva Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
2 1/2 weeks ago - got a cold/virus .
1 1/2 weeks ago - started Whole30 (no sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) with above virus symptoms.
As of today, no enegy, weak, can't do any phyical activity with out getting wiped out. Doctor put me on 5 days steriods to speed up getting better. I have read articles about eating clean and stages the body goes through getting rid of toxins. I feel like my sickness is more than detox, but has anyone else starting to eat clean experienced negative effects or am I just sick?

Thanks!

Replies

  • wamydia
    wamydia Posts: 259 Member
    I don't know about eating clean causing a detox effect (although that sounds pretty unlikely to be honest), but I do know that if you are significantly restricting calories it can hamper your ability to get better. Are you restricting a lot? If you are, I suggest eating at maintenance for a bit to give your body the fuel to heal. I don't think it much matters if you eat clean or otherwise as long as you are getting enough calories for your body to do the important job of healing. Also, I would strongly suggest continuing to see your doctor if your condition doesn't improve. It's possible there is more going on that a simple virus or dietary change.
  • laura_silva
    laura_silva Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks, I am hoovering between 1200-1400 calories per day. I just want to get better and looking at all reasons I might not be. But I am thinking it is more than detox too. Thanks again!!
  • tegantheaverage
    tegantheaverage Posts: 142 Member
    I obviously can't say anything about your particular situation, but to answer your question, the first time I did Whole 30 I was really sick with nausea, weakness, and the worst sinus headaches I've ever had for around two weeks.
  • s_pekz
    s_pekz Posts: 340 Member
    Detox is a misnomer. there is no such thing unless you are on meth or something like that. You feel crappy because you have a virus. Some viruses last a long time. Take it easy and rest some. Your body gets rid of "toxins" on its own through your liver, kidneys, GI system and skin. This process would not have changed based on a diet change.
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
    Correlation does not equal causation.

    Besides, you said you were sick before you started the diet change. So you were sick, and then you changed a bunch of your diet, and remained sick...
  • laura_silva
    laura_silva Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you all for your input.
  • laura_silva
    laura_silva Posts: 4 Member
    tegantheaverage: Were you able to exercise during the 2 week period?
  • srslybritt
    srslybritt Posts: 1,618 Member
    You're sick. Thus you feel like crap. Eat whatever you need to eat to meet your nutritional goals and focus on getting better.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited October 2014
    I've not heard of people "detoxing" because they started eating "clean", but then again eating "clean" means different things to different people. You can feel awful during the first week if you've cut your sugar/carb intake drastically and by drastically I mean under 50 grams of carbs per day. If you've eliminated caffeine you might have withdrawal headaches, but that's about it. Anything else, I'd lay at the feet of the virus you were already fighting.

    Make sure you're eating enough calories that you're properly fueling your body. If you're under-eating while you already don't feel well that's certainly not going to make you feel any better.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Is there a facepalm emoticon?
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
    testing...... for science.
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
    still testing....
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    bynsky wrote: »
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    Is there a facepalm emoticon?

    facepalm-gif.gif

    Thanks! That felt goooooood!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    It has nothing to do with detoxing (there are no toxins in bread, legumes, etc.). It could be too few calories, but also lots of people (though not me, for whatever reason) feel bad at first if they cut way back on carbs. If you are sick, it would seem to make sense to recover first before jumping into a restrictive new eating plan.

    Also, part of the point of Whole30 is to figure out if you have food sensitivities and if you are sick going in you don't seem likely to be able to judge that particularly well. You'll start feeling better when you recover from your virus or whatever.

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