They're like pulsating, throbbing sinus headaches of some sort. Odd thing is my mother had one the same days I did and I was convinced it was just something in the air like the cat litter or something. I even went on a cleaning spree and tried a new brand of litter and then went outside and to the beach for a few hours..but clean, fresh air was not helping me.

I decided to eat chocolate..which was raw..and oddly enough the throbbing pain stopped shortly after and I hadn't had it since. It was also the first thing I ate in 2 days so it made me have to go to the bathroom and I guess obviously it started my digestive system and a bunch of toxic stuff came out that way.

I was already trying to prepare for the fast though. I was drinking as much water as I could, I was drinking a cleansing/laxative tea so things were coming out.. So I don't know what the problem is but I can't fast and deal with these headaches. I have to work and can't take a week out of work for this. I thought of resorting to Advil for the first couple of days but then what if that's just a temp fix and on day 4 or 5 the headaches are back? (Normally I hate drugs but it was a desperate idea)

My body wants to fast. I know it does. I haven't had a good one in a long time. Like I said a few weeks ago in another post.. I have NO appetite really for anything. And I'm sure the headaches are some toxic thing but I tried and they were just not going away. Any suggestions?

The headaches are from low blood sugar, so there is really no way around it other than not to fast im afraid.

"I was drinking as much water as I could, I was drinking a cleansing/laxative tea so things were coming out.."

A throbbing headache is a symptom of hyponatremia.

In this case id say its more like hypoglycemia if its happening once fasting.

Dull throbbing headaches especially in the temples is one of the main symptoms.

I'm not up on the types of headaches. There was a thread on another raw board where they were drinking an extra litre of water/day AND eating watermelon "mono". One poster came down with a splitting headache after drinking water and eating lots of watermelon early in the day and thought more water was the answer, which made it worse to the point of "making deals with God" if only the pain would stop. Potato chips relieved the pain. Was it the sodium in the chips that helped or the glucose... or both? Another poster also got a headache though maybe not as severe a reaction.

Low blood sugar is more common and more likely but low sodium (or water poisoning) is also possible.

Your headaches could be happening because you are detoxing. When there are lots of toxins in the blood, the blood vessels in the head contract to reduce their surface area and to restrict blood flow in the head, to prevent toxins from poisoning the brain. This contraction of the blood vessels is what causes the pain.

At some point, your toxin level will be low enough that you can fast without headaches. But for now, they will be part of your detox process until your body toxins are reduced. What I would recommend is when you are feeling headaches, try some deep diaphragmatic breathing to relax your body (say for 20 minutes or so). This could reduce your head pain.

-----------------------------------
> "I was drinking as much water as I could, I was
> drinking a cleansing/laxative tea so things were
> coming out.."
>
> A throbbing headache is a symptom of hyponatremia.

I wasn't drinking that excessively. I was just trying to drink enough to get my urine clear and to keep it there. If I'd go a few hours without water, my urine would be n the dark side and I'd feel worse so I was trying to flush toxins out faster and keep them diluted.

Quote

In this case id say its more like hypoglycemia if its happening once fasting.

Dull throbbing headaches especially in the temples is one of the main symptoms.
"

Makes sense since chocolate relieved it. But any other time I have low blood sugar or hypoglycemia symptoms, it's a dizzy or faint feeling. It's never headaches. The throbbing/pulsating feeling was also behind my eye. I wasn't dizzy or lightheaded at all!

Quote

Potato chips relieved the pain. Was it the sodium in the chips that helped or the glucose... or both?

Interesting. Speaking of which.. I've had a craving for potato chips since quitting but probably because I associate them with salt. I wonder if just adding a bit of sea salt to water or drinking celery juice would help prevent them.

Quote

Your headaches could be happening because you are detoxing. When there are lots of toxins in the blood, the blood vessels in the head contract to reduce their surface area and to restrict blood flow in the head, to prevent toxins from poisoning the brain. This contraction of the blood vessels is what causes the pain.

Just reading that and thinking about it brought the pain back. LOL

Quote

At some point, your toxin level will be low enough that you can fast without headaches. But for now, they will be part of your detox process until your body toxins are reduced. What I would recommend is when you are feeling headaches, try some deep diaphragmatic breathing to relax your body (say for 20 minutes or so). This could reduce your head pain.

Ok..I'll try that then next time. If I make it there.




Thanks all for the replies.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2010 07:46PM by BackAgain.

Trying the himalayan salt or any unrefined salt would take it out the equation.

But i still reckon its hypoglycemia.

Do you think just making sure to drink enough juices every few hours would prevent it? Like a glass of carrot juice every 2hrs or so?

Juices might help but it also might encourage it being all sugar.

Trial and error really, some just arent made to fast. Like myself at one point i really needed a break from food but i was suffering from reactive hypoglycemia(chromium deficiency) but also had chronic hypoglycemia which main cause is adrenal gland dysfunction(my main problem) so i was never able to really fast.

In my opinion if your taking in lots of good wholefoods i.e fruits, vegetables etc a fast isnt necessary most of these will do a good job in repairing you rather than sustaining from nutrients that your body needs to heal. If you have a specific organ such as the liver then bitter herbs are a good idea to cleanse the liver.

I forgot to mention that the other forum thread was also avoiding salt, along with drinking an extra litre of water and on a mono watermelon diet. It's a recipe for hyponatremia, imo, where the cells expand including brain cells causing that "splitting" headache and possible permanent damage or death.

People who avoid salt and pay no special attention to getting sodium from plant foods put themselves at risk, like when they then decide to run a marathon or otherwise find themselves drinking more water than their current body chemistry can handle.

It sounds like you've got the carrot juice routine down, which I also happen to like except I'm also into "total juicing", that's just me. Carrots are good for sodium but do have the glycemic load issue. That's a good idea trying a glass of it every couple hours.

Seems to me like it could have been an electrolyte imbalance, relieved by the chocolate. How about trying just green juices, thin, with green apple for a bit of glucose production, but lettuce and parsley and lemon juice otherwise? Keeps the minerals up but is still clarifying. Stay well.

If chocolate appeared to relieve the pain, could the headaches be due to caffeine withdrawal symptoms?
Caffeine withdrawal creates terrible throbbing headaches.
If so, I suggest you sort out the caffeine issue before fasting.

Also, is it wise to water fast and work at the same time?
Maybe a juice fast/ feast could provide a suitable alternative to the deeper level cleansing that you are seeking.

Hope you find a solution soon x

Epsom salts baths/footbaths, chamomile tea, yerba mate, B complex and Vitamin C should fix it. Also spend time in semi-shade...ie: as much sun as possible without being in full sun. Magnesium oil spray on the back of the neck...chamomile infusion sprayed on the entire body regularly.

On the note of magnesium oil, i used ancient minerals magnesium oil. It has been the best tool to restore my magnesium levels.

Even the acidified types such as citrate/malate werent as helpful and quick as the oil.

Good stuff

You say you had chocolate/laxative tea? Both these are very toxic to the human body hence the adrenal/laxative effects they provide.

Id put money on it that your dehydrated longterm and in the short term have headaches from these toxins.

Forget fasting when all you need to do is eat so well that you dont need laxatives/stimulants.

Read 80/10/10 by Dr Doug Graham.

My housemate died last year from dehydration whilst fasting. I was in Thailand at the time but she was in your current shoes by the sounds of it.

BackAgain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------------------------
> > "I was drinking as much water as I could...

>
> I wasn't drinking that excessively. I was just
> trying to drink enough to get my urine clear and
> to keep it there. If I'd go a few hours without
> water, my urine would be n the dark side and I'd
> feel worse so I was trying to flush toxins out
> faster and keep them diluted.
>
...


People can drink a LOT of water when they set their mind to it, enough even to cause water poisoning, though I see that's probably not the case here.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2010 10:31AM by loeve.

[www.amazon.com] —The Swanson brand is 3 times cheaper than Ancient Sea Minerals.

I was actually using lemons too.. I liked adding it to some of my water. I don't know about an electrolyte balance.. I didn't feel dizzy or any of the typical symptoms.

Caffeine withdrawal is possible but I had cut back on that a long time ago and slowly. I probably have it once a week.

I've read 80/10/10.. Just can't stick with that diet for many reasons. Actually, one reason being that fruit doesn't appeal to me at all. It's one of the things I was hoping to accomplish by fasting..resetting my tastebuds. Food in general has lost it's appeal regardless of what it is. I didn't even want that chocolate, I just ate it to see if it would get rid of it since there's that old myth that chocolate gets rid of headaches for some reason.

I'm going to try again with carrot juice and celery juice and making sure to juice it every 2 hours or so. I'll probably have to wait until Thursday to start again. I'll also try that magnesium oil stuff.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2010 05:40AM by BackAgain.

BackAgain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>>
> Caffeine withdrawal is possible but I had cut back
> on that a long time ago and slowly. I probably
> have it once a week.
>
Hi BackAgain
If you are attempting to fast whilst continuing to include even minute amounts of caffeine in your diet, you are in danger of setting yourself up to experience the most severe throbbing headaches. For many, caffeine withdrawal is almost unbearable.
The gentle approach, would be to remove caffeine from your diet completely before embarking on any form of deeper level cleansing.
You are sending your body mixed messages, attempting to cleanse whilst continuing to consume a toxin.
Take care x