Could a new Paleo eating plan trigger a migraine?

[Lydia]

I've been eating GF for a couple of months now and realized I was just replacing wheat with rice and chemicals, so five days ago I started eating as Paleo a diet as I could, including about three times the vegetables that I've ever eaten.

Last year I had a series of migraines that were so intense I had to be hospitalized to manage the pain. So when I started with the precursors this afternoon, I came home to hide in a dark room. At the same time, my MC just exploded into watery D.

I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with Paleo eating triggering migraines and D. I've done some minor research out on the internet, particularly Mayo Clinic sites and MedLinePlus and didn't find anything. So I came here. This could be something else, sure, but it's the diet that I've changed, not the stresses at work and home, not the amount of exercise nor have I started eating new foods. Just rearranged the foods I do eat so I'm eating some more, some like meats about the same, and some not at all.

Any thoughts?

[Deb]

Lydia, I know when I switched to a low carb diet I got quite sick. It's called low carb flu. I had head and body aches, but thankfully my migraines didn't return. I think any time you significantly change what you're eating your body is likely to react. Deb

[tex]

including about three times the vegetables that I've ever eaten

That would have done me in, too. Vegetables have a relatively high fiber content, and fiber is contraindicated for MC (at least until a significant amount of healing is completed). While the paleo diet is generally the safest diet for us, not all of us can tolerate every paleo food, and we have to slowly work our way up to the high vegetable and fruit percentage that many people consider to be representative of the paleo diet.

Personally, I feel that most people grossly overstate the percentage of fiber in the paleo diet. Paleo people were carnivores, and whenever they could catch or kill meat, or take meat away from another carnivore, it was their preferred food, over everything else. This is how humans became human — it's the sole reason why our brain is so much larger than the brain of any other same-size (or larger) species.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ ... story.html

The bottom line is that paleo people did not eat nearly as many fruits and vegetables as most people today like to claim that they did, and the size of their cranial cavity is/was proof of that.

I agree with Deb that a drastic reduction in carbs can cause ketosis, along with some very unpleasant symptoms. Actually, though, certain vegetables contain a significant amount of carbohydrates. They typically have a lower glycemic index, though.

Tex

[TXBrenda]

Your body might have been ridding itself of yeast. That can cause the D. Hope you are feeling better.

[tlras]

I would love to do the Paleo diet, but like Tex says, I would be concerned about the additional fiber. I would love to ditch my grains and eat tons of veggies, salads and nuts but know that that would only exacerbate my D while I'm healing. I can tell a difference we I've eaten too many vegetables. I'm not happy with all the rice I'm eating but it seems to be what my body needs at this time. And since it's considered an easy to digest food, I will stay with it for now.

Hope you feel better soon. I used to get those nasty migraines...no fun.

Terri

[JFR]

You can eat a paleo diet without eating a lot of vegetables. I've been doing it for years. I know I eat more meat than most, a few veggies, a few berries, some nut butters and bone broth. That's it. No grains, no eggs, no dairy, no gluten, no soy and no need to load up on vegetables. My system can't take the fiber either.

Jean

[wmonique2]

I was healing and doing good then I decided to go paleo. Paleo gave me a flare up that lasted months. All the gains I had achieved were lost with the paleo. Too much fiber, fruits and raw vegetables irritated my already inflamed colon. Gave me D and unbearable nausea for months.

I have returned to a diet of soluble fiber only with no raw foods and limited fruits. Sticking to rice, protein and juiced fruits and very well cooked vegetables occasionally.

Tex explained it quite well in his post.

Hope you feel better soon.

Monique

[Leah]

I agree with Tex and Monique. I truly don't believe we ALL do well with any ONE diet. I also can't tolerate too many veggies and definitely can't consume a lot of fruit. I eat mostly protein, a little cooked veggie, rice and it's products, some nuts, small salads, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn products.

Leah

[kayare]

I agree! I eat what Leah does except I don't eat corn; I do eat a little fruit each day. I can't tolerate too many fruits or veggies though. I find I do much better if I blend them all in a smoothie or cook them. Kathy

[wmonique2]

Lydia,

the other thing that can trigger massive headaches is low blood sugar (and its consequences like ketosis). If you don't eat enough carbs (at least 60gr a day) you'll end up with severe headaches that wouldn't go away unless you eat carbs. If you eliminate all your grains that's what you'll get. Green and vegies do not provide enough carbs (unless you eat starchy vegies like corn and potatoes). The brains only functions on glucose so without it your motor won't run.

Monique

[Gabes-Apg]

any major change in our environment (food we eat, weather, etc) can cause headaches.

our bodies are like a delicate chemisty experiment, any major change will cause things like headaches.
I am with the others that a fixed eating plan like paleo may not be the best answer for everyone. I do encourage adopting ingredients/cooking styles from paleo if the ingredients suit you and your MC.

my MC eating plan is majorily based on the eating plan of my genetics, irish farmer is very different to paleo.

[Leah]

Interesting Gabes. It is kind of like the blood type diet because people from different regions have different blood types because of the migration of people through history. I seem to do best with foods that match my blood type ( o+). There seems to be only one blood type who is suppose to do well with gains because they come from ancestors that were the first farmers. Interesting stuff.

Leah