OMG! All of you who were feeling very sorry for me getting sick, you might need to revise your opinion! It is quite possible that what I have is the Low Carb Flu!
Not an actual flu at all, it seems that Whole 30 or other Paleo or low carb diets can cause a range of symptoms as one's body acclimates to the new way of eating. I'm currently on Day 6 of my Whole 30. I experienced a headache on Days 1-2, but by Day 3 that pain had passed. Then on Day 5, I suddenly started feeling icky, as though I was fighting off some bug. Woozy, dizzy, stuffy, cotton-headed, VERY tired, and overall pretty yucky. I had a good nap, drank a ton of water and herbal tea, made some bone broth, and slept in late this morning. (7:15am-- that's what constitutes sleeping in late for me!) Today I'm feeling slightly better, but not completely out of the woods.
The treatment for the Low Carb Flu is the same as for the actual flu: lots of rest, plenty of fluids, whole foods, and possibly a little more carbs. If you're on a low carb diet in order to lose weight, you want to choose those carbs very carefully. Refined carbs could easily halt or even reverse your weight loss, so the best carbs are veggies. If you're struggling to get enough carbs from veggies, you might add a sweet potato, a regular potato, or a plantain to your meal. A little bit of fruit is also fine, but go easy on the fruits which are high in sugar, like grapes and bananas.
It seems that some people have a harder time transitioning to a lower carb diet than others. If the body is accustomed to receiving lots of energy from sugar and refined carbs (flour, grains, etc.) and then it suddenly needs to switch to burning fat, this can cause a period of adjustment where headaches, dry mouth, fatigue, and just feeling under the weather is common. Dehydration can cause some of these symptoms. When on a low carb diet, water is crucial. The body excretes more water than usual, so that needs to be replenished. When you add exercise to this mix (as I did) you need to work hard to replace all the water lost.
Although I may only have Low Carb Flu, I'm still babying myself as if I had the actual flu. The symptoms might be due to choices I've made, but they are still very real. Hopefully my body will make the adjustment quickly and my next blog will be about how great I feel on my Whole 30 regimen! If you've joined me on this quest for sugar-free living, I hope you're feeling fantastic: full of energy, happy, and peaceful.
Not an actual flu at all, it seems that Whole 30 or other Paleo or low carb diets can cause a range of symptoms as one's body acclimates to the new way of eating. I'm currently on Day 6 of my Whole 30. I experienced a headache on Days 1-2, but by Day 3 that pain had passed. Then on Day 5, I suddenly started feeling icky, as though I was fighting off some bug. Woozy, dizzy, stuffy, cotton-headed, VERY tired, and overall pretty yucky. I had a good nap, drank a ton of water and herbal tea, made some bone broth, and slept in late this morning. (7:15am-- that's what constitutes sleeping in late for me!) Today I'm feeling slightly better, but not completely out of the woods.
The treatment for the Low Carb Flu is the same as for the actual flu: lots of rest, plenty of fluids, whole foods, and possibly a little more carbs. If you're on a low carb diet in order to lose weight, you want to choose those carbs very carefully. Refined carbs could easily halt or even reverse your weight loss, so the best carbs are veggies. If you're struggling to get enough carbs from veggies, you might add a sweet potato, a regular potato, or a plantain to your meal. A little bit of fruit is also fine, but go easy on the fruits which are high in sugar, like grapes and bananas.
It seems that some people have a harder time transitioning to a lower carb diet than others. If the body is accustomed to receiving lots of energy from sugar and refined carbs (flour, grains, etc.) and then it suddenly needs to switch to burning fat, this can cause a period of adjustment where headaches, dry mouth, fatigue, and just feeling under the weather is common. Dehydration can cause some of these symptoms. When on a low carb diet, water is crucial. The body excretes more water than usual, so that needs to be replenished. When you add exercise to this mix (as I did) you need to work hard to replace all the water lost.
Although I may only have Low Carb Flu, I'm still babying myself as if I had the actual flu. The symptoms might be due to choices I've made, but they are still very real. Hopefully my body will make the adjustment quickly and my next blog will be about how great I feel on my Whole 30 regimen! If you've joined me on this quest for sugar-free living, I hope you're feeling fantastic: full of energy, happy, and peaceful.
Comments
Post a Comment
Please share your helpful questions and comments here! Thanks for being part of this balanced community!