A little scared of this new 'symptom' page

[thaijinx]

OK, so I had a really freaky experience last night, that sent me into a spin about whether this is right for me or not... basically I'm a little scared.

Day 12 in, and I've been really clean. I've been slowly eliminating dairy, and haven't had any now for about 4 days. Yesterday I ate:

• coconut milk / oil
• bacon and 2 eggs cooked in lard, fried with 1 tomato, 3 shitake mushrooms, a plateful of spinach and greens, and a couple of spring onions.
• a large bowl of papaya with a small amount of pineapple, lime juice, and some ground up nuts and seeds (pecans, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, seseame seeds), and some dessicted coonut and coconut oil.
• picked through some meat leftovers (ribs, plate)

So, I'm eating enough! I got plenty of carbs. I drink loads of water.

But, last night, around 4 am I woke up (and I normally have no problems sleeping) with my brain doing something strange. It seemed like it was... closing down... everything was going kinda into itself. (It's sounds weird! But it was! Which is why I'm scared!)

I've never had anything like this happen to me before, and all I could think was, that my brain needed glucose, quickly! I was afraid I might pass out or go into coma or something... I didn't want to eat, or drink, but I just made the decision to get some sugar into me. I had a couple of maltesers and a 1/4 can sprite.

I dunno, but eating like this, seems to make me feel weird all the time. I put the headachey feeling down to carb flu, but honestly, this was just too much. I don't know what to do now... should I add in more carbs? a bit of rice or potato? Or should I quit?

This is exactly why I failed at my last attempt also. Is there something wrong with me? No one else seems to report on such symptoms, and I can't put it down to carb flu.

I just don't feel 'normal' and with freaky things like that going on, it makes me scared to continue.

Thoughts or advice anyone? I don't really know what to do.

[dkd2001]

Okay -- I can't tell how many calories you had yesterday -- but it doesn't look like very many. 2 eggs and some meat "pickings" -- probably not nearly enough protein. And you had LOTS of carbs with that giant fruit salad with high-fructose fruit like pineapple. Plus, it is possible you have some sensitivity to coconut (I know I need to be careful about too much.)

Have you fully read the Primal Blueprint, or Mark's new book the 21 Day book? If you have, please re-read the nutrition parts. If not, you really need to study up on what makes a primal diet. Lots of low-glycemic veg. A little fruit (berries mostly, if at all). Meat (this includes fish). The best meat you can afford -- grass fed, pastured, organic, wild-caught, or conventional, if that is all you can get. Eggs -- you can have several a day! And don't forget the bacon (again, go for bacon without the nitrates, etc. if possible.) And FAT! There is fat in the meat, of course. But also, pastured butter (or organic if you can't find pastured.) Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Virgin Coconut Oil. Cook with it. Make salad dressing with it. Slather it on your veggies! Whatever you do, do not try to starve yourself when you are setting out on this diet. The higher protein and fat in the diet should naturally depress your appetite so you are not wildly hungry.

Also watch the high amounts of nuts -- nuts have anti-nutrients in them that can make it difficult to absorb all the good things that are in nuts. Use them more as a condiment than a meal.

And -- Be sure to eat enough!

[dado]

just calm down, you will be alright

[Dr. Bork Bork]

• coconut milk / oil
• bacon and 2 eggs cooked in lard, fried with 1 tomato, 3 shitake mushrooms, a plateful of spinach and greens, and a couple of spring onions.
• a large bowl of papaya with a small amount of pineapple, lime juice, and some ground up nuts and seeds (pecans, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, seseame seeds), and some dessicted coonut and coconut oil.
• picked through some meat leftovers (ribs, plate)

Wow... I think I had that as a snack one day.

Doesn't look like very much. If you're worried about low blood sugar, it's not from lack of carbs. It's from lack of cals, me thinks!

[thaijinx]

OK, thanks for the comments. I appreciate it.

Interesting that it might be cals and not carbs! I thought I was eating a lot!

dkd2001, I should clarify, that my meat 'pickings', were not pickings in terms of size, more that I picked all the meat off the rib bones. I had chosen ribs and plate, because they were fatty, not lean like steak. I ate the fat too. And the bacon was about 6 big rashers. coconut oil, yes, and lard! lots of lard!

And, to be honest, other than the pineapple, and it was a 1/4 of a very small one, I thought I was on course! I know nuts are controversial.... so I'm not having them every day, but to be honest, I really felt like I was eating a lot! I'm just not that hungry. I do have a few kilo's to loose, so I guess I might be burning some stored fat as fuel, but I've not noticeably lost any weight yet.

I will try to eat more, and see if it helps.
Thanks.

[mmsantos]

Eat more protein. i.e. a large steak, 6 eggs or lamb shoulder etc at least once a day

[trob1234]

The last time I ate pineapple I did not feel right later. I think it was too much sugar after only eating berries for weeks as my fruit source. Personally I have decided to stick with a protein source, veggie and some fat at each meal with berries now and then. Good luck

[joelwlcx]

Unless you're diabetic, I wouldn't worry about blood sugar. Just make sure you are eating enough (that is, when your body says it's satisfied). Are you sure you weren't just waking up half asleep and just falling back asleep?

[Kharnath]

Interesting that it might be cals and not carbs!

Don't rule out the carbohydrates just yet. According to Danish obesity expert Dr. Arne Astrup, headaches occur much more often in low-carb dieters than by those who follow a standard american diet, ie. high-carb dieters (source: The Lancet). Carbohydrates are not essentiel for survival, but they're very much needed for proper brain functions.

Dr. Arne Astrup said in an interview with CBSNews: "We have known for many years that there is a minimum intake of carbohydrate necessary to maintain the normal function of your body and that is approximately 150 grams a day". This is very much in line with the guidelines from EssentialNutrition.

[Uncephalized]

Don't rule out the carbohydrates just yet. According to Danish obesity expert Dr. Arne Astrup, headaches occur much more often in low-carb dieters than by those who follow a standard american diet, ie. high-carb dieters (source: The Lancet). Carbohydrates are not essentiel for survival, but they're very much needed for proper brain functions.

Dr. Arne Astrup said in an interview with CBSNews: "We have known for many years that there is a minimum intake of carbohydrate necessary to maintain the normal function of your body and that is approximately 150 grams a day". This is very much in line with the guidelines from EssentialNutrition.

The headache thing may be true--I have no idea--but the 150g of carbohydrate is misleading. It's true for people who are not keto-adapted but when you are, you only need something like 30-50g and that amount can be supplied by gluconeogenesis if you are not consuming it in your diet.