Hi Guys

Its been a while so well done to all of you who have achieved so much.

I tried a search and I know I'm probably missing this somewhere but I was wondering if anyone has anything to share about l/carbing and migraines.

A friend tried low carbing but got regular migraines so gave up. My sister is now low carbing and experiencing a similar problem although she has stuck with it for about 8 weeks now. She does suffer from migraines on and off and at 45 is becoming pre menopausal but they have become much more frequent since adhering to Atkins.

Does anyone know why this is happenning and what she can do about it? I've suggested more water and supplements but does anyone have an efffective remedy or something that worked for them? Getting the fat off is hard enough without the added trauma of Migraine.

Thanks a lot and keep well all

Nicola

Hey Nicola!

I can't give you any info on migraines, but it's great to know you're still out there.

Don't be such a stranger. Join the madness!

Karen

hiya Nicola, welcome back!

Sorry to read about your friend's and sister's migraines. As a rule, most folks who suffer migraines find them lessened and even eliminated with lowcarb .. because they eliminate trigger foods such as wheat or other grains, sugars and sweets. I can't imagine what may be causing this as a new problem for them, unless they're consuming trigger foods that they weren't eating before, or are eating them more often. Potential triggers can be the sugar and grains noted above, also aspartame (Nutrasweet), aged cheeses, chocolate, caffeine (paradoxically, caffeine is also an effective TREATMENT for many people), also MSG and nitrates, which are found in processed meats, cheeses and other processed foods.

Another thought is that they're not experiencing true migraines, but rather are having ordinary headaches that just happen to be particularly severe. Headaches are common during the early stages of low-carbing, as the body detoxes itself of carbs and switches over to using ketones exclusively for fuel. Generally this clears up within a week or two, and things settle. But, for some, headaches persist ... which is often a result of: dehydration - not drinking enough water; low potassium levels - use a potassium-containing salt substitute, or take supplement pills; hypoglycemia from not eating enough overall, or going too long between protein meals and/or meal-skipping.

Hope your sister is feeling better soon

Doreen