How To Treat and Prevent Low Carb Diet Headaches

Strict "no carb" phases of low carb diets have developed a reputation for giving dieters severe headaches. Dietitians have identified a number of different factors that could cause these headaches. They vary from person to person.

One of the factors is caffeine. Most low carb diets prohibit caffeinated drinks because they cause fluctuations in blood sugar, which can potentially jeopardize the efficacy of the diet. The Atkins diet suggests that dieters begin scaling-down caffeine consumption before they start the induction phase of the diet to minimize unpleasant withdrawals.

Another factor is wheat and sugar addictions, which can be the byproduct of reliance on refined carbohydrate products for a quick boost in blood sugar levels. If you snack to increase your blood sugar level, you may be addicted to carbohydrates, according to Dr. Atkins. Again, you may want to begin scaling down your snacks before you start the induction phase to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

The last factor is dehydration. If you are losing weight rapidly on a "no carb" initial phase, you are also losing a lot of water that is bound up in your carbohydrate reserves. In fact, you are actually losing four-times as many grams of water as you are grams of glycogen (or stored carbohydrates).

In addition to preventing dehydration, your body needs to replenish all of the water it loses daily to simply maintain organ functionality, flush out toxins, replace electrolytes, and promote good skin health.

Most low carb dietitians suggest that you consume 8 eight-ounce glasses of water each day. This is especially important if you are losing more than the average amount of water each day, so make sure you are sticking to the "8 x 8"--or whatever amount you can drink comfortably each day--so you don't become dehydrated during the first phase of your low carb diet.

The key to preventing low carb diet headaches is to make sure you are consuming enough water and to scale-down your potential "addictions" before you start.

If you have already started your low carb diet, there is nothing you can do about these headaches. Most experts suggest that you simply wait it out. If they don't go away after four days, then you may have food allergies, in which case you should halt the diet and consult your physician.

Benji Paras runs http://www.list-of-low-carb-food.com, specializing in the benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. The site contains a treasure trove of information for losing weight, and includes a list of low carb foods along with informative articles and the latest low-carb headlines.

RELATED ARTICLES 3 Important Differences Between White Bread and Whole Wheat For any kid who grew up eating doughy, thick Wonder Bread for lunch, the encouragement by dietitians and nutritionists to switch to whole wheat bread can be a tough transition.Bread, like any other part of our diet, is an acquired taste. What Really Happens To The Food You Eat After we have eaten a meal -- and often we do this in a hurry, without much chewing, under a lot of stress, or in the presence of negative emotions -- we give no thought to what becomes of our food once it has been swallowed.We have been led to assume that anything put in the mouth automatically gets digested flawlessly, is efficiently absorbed into the body where it nourishes our cells, with the waste products being eliminated completely by the large intestine. Learn About Diet Nutrition Physique Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all that difficult any longer. The truth of the matter is what should you do about your overall health and well being? If you're concerned about you weight and physique then a little different twist on things are in order. Are Your Cells Talking To Each Other? Are Your Cells Talking To Each Other?Communication! It permeates our lives. We communicate for many reasons such as: 1) to get what we want, 2) to get rid of what we don't want, 3) to let people know how we feel, 4) to show people we care, 5) to work productively with co-workers, etc. Good Fat Diet or How to Choose the Best Foods for Your Family? Some fats are good for you. Your body can't function without them. How Can Fat Be Essential? How Can Fat Be Essential? By Garry Gamber        Did you know that some fats are essential to the body?  Yes, there are some fats that our body cannot produce which means that we must get them from our food.  Perhaps you've heard of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. How to Grow Sprouts Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a great source of vitamins, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants, and enzymes. A sprout is produced when a seed starts growing into a vegetable. The Ugly Truth About Food At any grocery store in North America right now, there are shoppers cruising the isles, making thoughtful choices about their family's nutrition. Armed with the latest information about health, choosing foods high in nutrition is a primary goal. Surrender To The Spell Of The Pyramid Food in general has the distinction of being probably the first thing we all think about in the mornings before our feet hit the floor. The main reason for this is we cannot survive without it. The Liquid Vitamin Mineral Approach Liquid vitamin mineralThe liquid vitamin mineral dietary supplement is a must have for maximum vitality and health. In today's fast food environment most of us do not get the proper balance of food for the necessary for optimal health Unfortunately the body only absorbs 10 to 20 percent of the nutrients found in traditional pills and capsules. Saturated Fat Diet Piles on Pounds Around Organs Having a large amount of such "visceral fat" is associated with increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, said Dr. Kerry Stewart, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. 10 Flaxseed Facts to Improve Your Nutrition Flaxseeds may be the smallest seeds you will find in any health food store, but there is nothing little about their enormous contribution to our overall health. Discovered in 5,000 BC, these little brown seeds were worshiped for their magical properties, such as healing the intestines, skin conditions, improving energy, and overall health. Heart Health - Fish Oils To The Rescue In a world where heart disorders and diseases are becoming more common, lets take a look at something most of us can add to our weekly diet for prevention of heart problems.Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish oil promotes heart health. The Best Protein Powder What is the best protein powder to buy? I get this question all the time, and really, there is no best protein - many are very good for different reasons! In my opinion, it is futile and possibly detrimental to stick to only one brand for the following reasons:a) I always recommend that you cycle your supplements so that your body does not get used to them thereby decreasing their effect,b) for variety sakes alone, it breaks the monotony and allows you to try different brands,c) to take advantage of the unique qualities offered by various brands, andd) it is a good idea to switch the powders you use on a frequent basis to not develop any food intolerances or even worse allergies (I have an article coming out on this subject in the near future.) A blend that combines various protein sources (i. 7 Tips on Using Food Diet Remedies for Your Common Health Ailments Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy some of the common health problems. Increasingly, more health experts are acknowledging that natural food is a good alternative medicine against many diseases. Male Infertility and Glutathione Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?It is a well-known fact that sperm counts have dropped by half in the last 50 years, and that modern men have 20 percent less semen volume than their fathers (BMJ, 1992, volume 305).A recent report from researchers in Aberdeen presented preliminary data that suggests the sperm concentration of the men seen in their clinic had declined by 29% over the past 14 years. Understanding Cholesterol Levels and Decrease the Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes What is Cholesterol?Before we go into how to reduce your cholesterol, let's take a look at what exactly cholesterol is.Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is produced by the liver and its job is to:-? produce bile acids to help with the digestion of fat ? build and repair cells and ? produce estrogens and testosterone hormonesTherefore cholesterol is an important function of the body, but too much cholesterol in the body becomes a risk as it can clog up arteries and this can be the cause of heart attacks and strokes. Find Mineral Nutrition Online Mineral nutritionSearching for mineral nutrition information is much easier today than ever before. I remember when we'd have to search manuals, books and do it at the library and also searching the encyclopedia. Alcohol as a Key Ingredient to a Healthy Diet Evidence suggesting that alcohol is "cardio-protective" first appeared in the literature about 30 years ago. The Framingham Heart Study [the longest running population study of heart disease which began in 1948] provided the first solid evidence of this association. Summer Sun Cures With summer comes more sun and with more sun comes an extra desire to be outdoors and with spending additional time outdoors comes ? you guessed it, sunburn.We all know the major importance of using sunscreen these days.