Salt for headaches makes the runs worse!
KrishnaKrolczyk
Posts: 31 Member
First week on keto diet. So, I had diarrhea and headaches. I took fiber and chia seeds and this got rid of the runs. I still had headaches every time I ate. I did a teaspoon of pink salt and it didn't help my headache. I did another teaspoon and my headache went away...but then the diarrhea came back...with a vengeance! Two months ago when I started Keto I was off of coffee. I wonder if that is the problem. I didn't have any problems last time. In the past I have had times where I quit coffee because of headaches and the headaches went away. I wonder if the keto diet could have set off this reaction to coffee again. I was fine this morning until I ate...with coffee. I get headaches all day, every time I eat anything. I am about to give up and make some rice. The only thing I can think that it could be is caffeine because it is what I am doing this time but not last time.
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Avacados seemed to have helped me when I had headaches at the end of my first week on Keto. I very rarely ever get headaches, but I had a headache for 3 days when I started this. Then I heard that low electrolyte levels (sodium, potassium, and magnesium), are a common cause of headaches. Since then, I've been trying to eat 1 to 2 avacados a day & I haven't had a problem since. I don't know if It will help you or not, but it worked good for me. I hope you figure out what is causing it soon -headaches suck.1
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There is a really stricked keto facebook group that admits they don't follow the medical keto principles and they suggest more protein. They insist it won't convert into carbs...so confused! They won't even let you post a pic of a meal that doesn't have the macros they support!0
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Yeah when I was doing Atkins (for the last couple years) I don't remember ever hearing anything about how excess proteins can convert into carbs. So when I discovered Keto, I was VERY surprised to hear everyone warning about too much protein. All I know is that with Keto, I am loosing body fat easier & faster than when I was doing Atkins (even during the induction phase).3
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I will probably try their version and see if I feel better. It goes by how tall you are. I am 5/6 and it is120 grams of protein, 76g of fat, and 20 carbs. Plus, they suggest counting total carbs instead of net carbs for then first month but with all the fiber I am taking for my tummy and only getting carbs from veggies...I am going net carbs. LOL!0
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It really does sound more like Atkins. I mean if your total carb is 20 then after you take away fiber...I would be in the negative for carb intake.1
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I think I will try giving up coffee first tomorrow.0
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KrishnaKrolczyk wrote: »First week on keto diet. So, I had diarrhea and headaches. I took fiber and chia seeds and this got rid of the runs. I still had headaches every time I ate. I did a teaspoon of pink salt and it didn't help my headache. I did another teaspoon and my headache went away...but then the diarrhea came back...with a vengeance! Two months ago when I started Keto I was off of coffee. I wonder if that is the problem. I didn't have any problems last time. In the past I have had times where I quit coffee because of headaches and the headaches went away. I wonder if the keto diet could have set off this reaction to coffee again. I was fine this morning until I ate...with coffee. I get headaches all day, every time I eat anything. I am about to give up and make some rice. The only thing I can think that it could be is caffeine because it is what I am doing this time but not last time.
Perhaps try different sources of sodium? Maybe boullion instead?
Salt gets me going too. As does nuts, coffee, magnesium supplements and coconut oil. Maybe continue to add fibre, as a bulking agent to your diet.
I also get headaches with dietary changes. I'm a celiac and when I dropped gluten, that was a doozy of a headache. I get headaches with sugar changes too.2 -
It seems like the usual cause of diarrhea upon going keto is eating too much fat too fast. Your gut bacteria aren't necessarily ready for that. And you mention the idea of "protein turning to carbs"... I see that heavily cautioned in the groups that push the highest fat intake the most. I also see the most complaints about diarrhea in those groups...
Phinney and Volek advise a higher protein intake than some of those others that are trying to follow a medically therapeutic keto diet for absolutely no good reason what so ever. They generally say for an average woman who's ideal body weight is around 140-150 lbs, between 75-120g protein is a good goal. Meaning, you shouldn't be lower than 75g. It also doesn't mean you can't go over 120g... this example is for someone not exercising. And unless you test to determine eating more protein is an actual issue, there's no need to be concerned.
If you just started drinking coffee again, the caffeine causing the headache does make sense. Carb withdrawal for the first week could also be a factor. Sodium is the usual suspect and the worsening diarrhea may not be an issue if you increase protein and only eat fat to satiety. You really NEVER have to add fat to your plate. If you eat fatty meats like beef, skin on chicken... and cook in fat, eat cheese, use a little cream... you don't have to add fat to coffee or put butter on your plate. Those are ideas passed along by those that believe you must eat a certain amount of fat each day. If you eat a meal and you are satisfied for 5 hours or more, then that meal had enough fat. Just make sure you get enough protein and sodium a day. Fat is an as needed for satiety thing4 -
Thanks, Sunnybunny! I am going to try moving my macros around to 120 protein. Even though that facebook group is really strict...(I think they had too many people try to argue with them.) they were actually really helpful and I am going to try their advice.1
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With coffee, or for me, caffeine, taking taurine along side it will help your body process the caffeine more easily. You'll generally get the energy boost, but it doesn't mess with the neuro pathways, and it helps with electrolyte balances and such, too. P.S. It's why they put it in energy drinks, too.1
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Oh, and having too much salt at once is like giving yourself a salt enema. Triggers instant dumping.
For me, I had to avoid certain foods in combination - and I needed to add in digestive enzymes because I had no gallbladder, so my entire system was out of whack. If you ever get gas from food, have any undigested material in your BM's (other than corn), have heartburn, and about a million other digestive woes, it can 100% be related to low stomach acid/lack of digestive enzymes/damaged gut...1
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