Exhausted on day 15

[Tanya K]

Hi, I'm on my 3rd Whole 30. The first one was grand felt sick for about a week, second just for a couple of days. This time however I have had thunderous headaches, extreme nausea and extreme exhaustion. I keep waiting for each day that it will 'change' like it did before, the change where suddenly I feel wonderful! This doesn't seem to be kicking in! I am day 15 and have being going to the toilet an awful lot! This stopped before at the latest on day 10. My sleep is deeper and I do fall asleep like a log. But I have been also snoozing if I need in the day, the tiredness just becomes overwhelming.

I will give you a list of what I have eaten in the past couple of days. Just to see if I'm doing everything that I should be.

Yesterday.

breakfast 2 eggs, 1 very large banana, tablespoon of coconut oil in water, mandarin orange.

I felt stuffed to the gills after this.

Lunch. Beef with lettuce, rocket, spinach, red onions, tomatoes and sweet potatoes

Dinner. Large chicken fillet seasoned with Lebanese 7 spice, spinach, rocket, watercress, half avocado, coriander, slice of pineapple and a mandarin.

Saturday

Breakfast pork with fat, broccoli and cauliflower. I had quite a bit of the veg as it is so yummy first thing in the morning!

Lunch. Seasoned large chicken fillet, spinach, coriander, avocado half, pineapple, mandarin, cherry tomatoes.

Snack. Banana and a couple of walnuts, not many as they are quite filling.

Dinner. Lambs liver, onions, baby potatoes, banana.

I was up later this night so I had a snack of grapes, red and white and also a handful of cashews.

I tend to like the broccoli and cauliflower very much in the mornings so I have this quite often and lots of it! It keeps me full right til lunchtime.

I'm never ever hungry. It's just the sheer exhaustion I can't seem to shake and also the belly problems. my belly now feels tired as if I've had a tummy bug, the muscles feel tired and tender.

I am hoping that this is just one serious extra strong detox and that it will all pass within a couple of days. I just don't get it as my diet up to the whole 30 was fairly excellent, bits of chocolate at weekends, a youghurt a week, and on occasion a bowl of cereal. No juices, fizzy drinks etc. I did go out for a party just before I started whole 30 and drank white wine, but other than that no alcohol at all since Christmas and even then I drank very little.

Thank you.

[evaq]

I'm sorry to hear about your exhaustion and tummy woes! It must feel especially vexing since this is your 3rd whole 30 and you probably expect a certain consistency (from your body) at this point. Just a quick question: Did you also eat broccoli and cauliflower on your previous whole 30s? Did you have a reaction at all if/when you did? All of the vegetables in the cruciferous family (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts) are nutrient dense and have many beneficial properties...but can also cause discomfort via bloating and gas. Some of us have more sensitivity to it than others. Those with AI issues are definitely vulnerable.

 

Some context and more info on cruciferous/brassica and gas/bloating:

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/04/28/306544406/got-gas-it-could-mean-you-ve-got-healthy-gut-microbes

[Physibeth]

I would try branching out on your vegetables a bit more. You stick mostly in the cruciferious and nightshade vegetables which can cause tummy problems for many people. I know I need to be careful how much of them I have personally. Try adding more dark greens and more colorful starchy vegetables like sweet potato, winter squash, and beets. Also I noticed you snack on nuts and fruit a lot which can also add to the tummy issues and indicate that your meals are not really large enough. Eating fruit between meals can also spike your blood sugar and lead to a crash. Increasing starchy vegetables should help with your energy levels as well. 

 

It is hard to tell what your portions are though your first meal 1 listed seems very small to me. It lacks vegetables and is low on protein (a serving of eggs is as many whole ones as you can hold without dropping - 4 for me and I have small hands). Having 2 pieces of fruit at meal 1 can set you up for uneven blood sugar all day long. 

[Tom Denham]

I doubt you are experiencing detox symptoms. I would be concerned that the headaches, nausea, and tiredness are not related to what you are eating.

[Tanya K]

Thanks very much to you all.

Well I do have ME / CFS but all symptoms up to this had passed due to becoming Paleo. Not a bother til after Christmas in about February. I have had 3 fluey type colds. Since then have been extremely tired again. Really annoying considering that I eat so well. So I decided to another whole 30 to readjust my body again. But I seem to be getting more and more tired daily not more energy like before.

Eva q, yes I have always ate an a lot of broccoli, a lot of spinach and a lot of cauliflower and have never had an issue at all with them. I also eat a lot of peppers, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers turnips and carrots too.

Physibeth, in the other whole 30 s or indeed since June being Paleo I have not had any issues with bloating or gas unless I eat something that is non Paleo like cake etc, this is when I get a sore and bloated. Not every day either would I eat fruit in the morning. That's more a Saturday/Sunday morning treat kind of thing for me. But I do like to eat a mandarin with my salad, it compliments the seasonings perfectly on some dishes, but again not every day would I have that type of seasoning, some days its a curry seasoning.

I would understand if this happened with the first two whole 30s. Also the eggs that I eat at large eggs, sometimes 2, sometimes 3 eggs. After eating them, drinking the coconut oil and eating the banana I could not fit a drop of water into me!

The headaches are not as bad at all now, it's primarily the tummy, which in turn is making me feel wiped out.

I will just keep at it and see if there's a change. Hopefully there will be.

[Tanya K]

I have been thinking. In my first two whole 30s I did not touch an egg. To be honest I detest eggs! But what I have been doing for the past say 3 to four weeks and more frequently since new whole 30, is drinking them raw. I just plop the two large eggs in a glass, mix with a fork and knock it back. It's quick and easy and great for when I'm tired not to have to cook etc. I read only last night that the White of the egg is what could cause a lot of the allergic reactions associated with eggs. So, this morning I just has the yolks and no whites. But now I'm thinking should I stop eggs for about a week and see if there is a change? I never ever ever before this touched an egg unless it was in baking etc. I just hate their taste and texture.mknocking it back was simple and no taste. What do you think? Could that be causing the tummy upset?

[MeadowLily]

Dang, Tanya.  I thought only Rocky did that.  I think raw eggs would definitely cause me some stomach upset, just the thought.    I admire you....much better than faux candy bars.   

[Tanya K]

Well after nearly 10 months being Paleo, cooking can become a wee bit tedious! Thought I was being clever! Quick and easy, getting protein, carbs and fat into me at the same time, however no veg! So, back to making sure I have things ready or cooking first thing! I thought I was onto a good thing!! Lol

They were organic free range eggs, not the cheap type. So I thought it would be ok :-(.

Will see anyway if that makes a difference. At least I know then that I have an issue with eggs going forward.

[evaq]

Did you just Sherlock your own problem? Fist bump! Double fist bump for pulling a Rocky!! Honestly though, it sounds like a plausible cause. Maybe cooked vs raw makes a difference? Raw vegetables affect digestion, so maybe there's a similar pattern with eggs? Let us know if your symptoms clear after a few egg-free days.

[Tanya K]

It was when you asked me about broccoli in my other two whole 30 s that I started thinking what was so different! Never thinking for a second eggs could be an issue! :-) So thank you for getting that slow train moving! :-) it's apparently very unusual for an adult to experience egg allergy? But I don't know how accurate that is! I looked up some symptoms. Don't have the skin issues, but have the wheezing, sneezing, runny nose and obviously the problems in tummy. So, here is hoping!! :-) :-)

[Tanya K]

Well, no eggs today!!

Only the yolks yesterday! :-)

And guess what??? I am feeling half like me again!! Was able to sing and all this morning for our St. Patrick's day Mass here, went out and had dinner too!

Tummy has calmed right down, the sneezing and wheezing have completely stopped and most of all my energy levels are way up on yesterday. I would say it will take til about Friday to actually really feel ok again but hey I'm certainly getting there. Even washed the kitchen floor today too! Lol. Far cry from yesterday where I moulded into my couch for the day. No snooze either today. So it really does seem as if I have an issue with eggs, egg whites anyway!

I wouldn't have known this though if I wasn't on the whole 30. I'm actually glad now that I know I have issues with eggs. Didn't know this beforehand.

Thanks again for help and hopefully I keep Improving. Will update again here on Friday when I hope to have at least a teeny weeny bit of that tiger blood. :-)

[evaq]

Yay Sherlock! I mean Tanya. That's wonderful that you managed to find the source of your tummy troubles and energy woes. It's pretty amazing how our bodies try to communicate with us about the things that make us thrive and the things don't. We just have to be patient and decode the symptoms. Congrats again. So happy you're back to your healthy whole self.

[MeadowLily]

Tanya, on the other hand...we watched a PBS program about Parkinson's and MS.  One doctor is having great success with up to 30 eggs per day with Bone Broth and it's helping his patients.   He's using the Paleo super-charged approach.  However, they're eating them soft boiled or over easy....not raw.        

 

So to all of those who are freaking out over 2-4 eggs aday,  no need.  If you can handle cooked eggs, they're being used to treat dementia, Parkinson's and MS.   They don't cause AIP problems, they treat them.   They are nature's best pills for whatever is ailing you.   Cooked, Tanya.  

[Tanya K]

Lol lol!!

I would eat them only for I detest them with a passion! I have tried as they are such good value for money too! But oh no, they no likey me very much :-) :-) :-) so we have gone out separate ways!

I did read quite a bit about the white of the egg causing the issues. The way I look at the white of an egg is like amniotic fluid in the womb. It protects the yolk containing antibodies and a protein (that I cannot remember the name of )that attacks some people.

Well I got me a good taste of that tiger blood from yesterday! I vacuumed my couch, washed the floors of all the downstairs, washed walls and doors, did the front sitting room windows, cleaned my car, 3 wash loads, cleaned bathrooms, made dinner, school runs and then crocheted at the end of it all!! Now this is what I was waiting for! That kick, that spark, the motivation to get things sorted. I tend to need to clean when I first get that blood, it's like I'm clean, so is my environment and everything just feels good. Most importantly everything seems to done in a cool calm collected manner. Ah yes, thank the stars above for that feeling at last! :-) :-)

[CarolBuchwald]

Glad you are feeling better!

[CarolBuchwald]

I am SO looking forward to Tiger Blood! At least 10 days away but you and other people help me stay the course when I want to chuck it and have the dessert!!!