moggle Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Ugh! So I'm healthier than I've ever been, the most muscled and probably the lowest bodyfat, but now I'm so 'healthy' that my blood pressure is on the very low end of normal and I'm having symptoms like lightheadedness and feeling weak in the arms and legs. The first time it happened, I confused the lightheadedness with too-low carbs and I ate a fruit bun (I wasn't on a whole30 at the time but it didn't make me feel better). However somehow I've used this as an excuse to fall off the wagon in a major way, eating ice cream, chocolates and biscuits (cookies) as much as I like :-( The Dr took some blood this morning to see if anything major is going wrong, but he seems to be saying I need to just live with it. The only things he's advised at the moment are to keep up the exercise (when I can work up the energy to walk etc it has made me feel better), and to make sure I drink a couple of cups of coffee a day. I'm wondering if some 'electrolytes' might help too. Is there a whole30-approved electrolyte mix? Anyone else had this problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted February 27, 2013 Moderators Share Posted February 27, 2013 I looked around a bit and could not find electrolytes as a powder or drink that were Whole30-compliant. I asked Melissa Hartwig if I really needed to drink electrolytes before and after class like my teacher at Bikram Yoga said. Melissa said that a 90-minute sweat-fest was not enough to make a Whole30 warrior like me begin to need electrolytes. Basically, if you are eating the Whole30 way, you have all the minerals your body needs to function well. I have noticed that some people think they are supposed to avoid salt when they "go Paleo" or do a Whole30. Not true. When you are not eating modern, processed foods, there is no need to avoid salt. You can and should cook with salt as well as any other spices you like. Eating real, whole foods is meant to be enjoyable! By the way, I can't imagine why coffee would make you feel or be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulucandoit! Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I have low blood pressure and it got lower when I started W30. When my blood pressure drops, my heart rate goes very high. The only electrolyte supplement that I found that is compliant is elete. I got it on Amazon. I got the liquid drops. My cardiologist suggested it. He also said to up my salt. I got some very good sea salt on amazon as well. Also a lot of bone broth based soups. I am starting my 6th week and my heart is doing much better. I do use more salt and use Natural Calm at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Lee Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 What Tom said. Be more liberal with your salt use. It should tick up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshacklett Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I second Renee's advice. I have naturally low blood pressure, but when I eat "healthy", it drops even lower. The salt shaker is your friend! Every meal I put on the table gets a nice sprinkling, regardless of whether or not I cooked with salt. I get the carb cravings, too - I think my body might be hoping I'll pick something like chips, fries, or crackers with lots of sodium. Good dishes to load with lots of salt are deviled eggs, chili, and anything with sweet potatoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsyl33 Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I have really low blood pressure as part of a disease I have. Elete electrolyte solution is compliant, as far as I can tell. It's what I've used for years. http://new.eletewater.com/about/products/ I also recommend adding more salt to your food, as others have said. When you get light-headed, get down horizontal to level things back out, and again, eat salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I agree with the others... salt your food and make sure you drink enough water (and I'm sure you know that coffee dehydrates you... a little bit can help but too much makes it worse!) I have this same problem and have even passed out a few times, but as long as I'm hydrated and salt my food I'm fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggle Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Thanks all. It's good to know it isn't just me. Tom, I've read in several places (Not that Dr Google is necessarily correct) that coffee helps raise blood pressure. I like coffee and was already drinking a couple of cups a day so it's not too hard to keep doing that :-) I like food well seasoned, but it's possible that I'm still not getting enough. I drink LOADS of water so I don't think that is the problem. Betsyl33 the suggestion to get horizontal is a good one and that's ok if I'm at home, but symptoms seem to be worst when I'm at work (I'm a check-out chick so I'm standing all day) and lying down there isn't really an option :-D The soup suggestion is brilliant. I already invented a recipe for thai pumpkin chicken soup, and I've spent some time tonight pinning some more soup recipes to try. I completely failed yesterday getting back to eating healthy - hubby mentioned icecream and I caved instantly :-(. But today was much better. I made sure I ate regularly and lots more fat than I have been to try to keep woozy patches to a minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xacerb8 Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 @moggle A lot of people at my Bikram studio drink Ultima refresher, but it has stevia, so I don't. http://ultimareplenisher.com/ I found this recipe for "paleo gatorade," and I drink about 64 oz of it during classes. (Bonus: Even my kids think it tastes good.) http://www.primalgirl.com/2011/02/28/free-sports-drink-recipe/ And, if you get the bottled organic lemon juice from whole foods, it's convenient and inexpensive. Dana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulucandoit! Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I found this recipe for "paleo gatorade," and I drink about 64 oz of it during classes. (Bonus: Even my kids think it tastes good.) http://www.primalgir...s-drink-recipe/ And, if you get the bottled organic lemon juice from whole foods, it's convenient and inexpensive. Dana Thanks for the simple recipe, which could easily be made even at a restaurant with lemon and salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Lee Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 GUYS, DRINK WATER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggle Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Thanks for that recipe xacerb8! Interesting that she says on that link she suffered from chronic dehydration and chapped lips. I get chapped lips all the time and I used to get UTIs all the time. Renee, I do drink loads of water. A conservative estimate would be 2-2.5 litres a day, with hot drinks on top of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggle Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 OK, I now have some nice Maldon sea salt. Back on track with good food too. I've done a 30 min walk the last few days, and yesterday was the first day for over a week when I've had no lightheadedness :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Mitchell Strebeck Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Drinking water is great, but when you drink too much you flush out your electrolytes so its good to make sure you're replenishing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 To the OP--since you stand a lot for your job, I'm sure you are aware of moving around and not "locking" your knees... I've seen quite a few people pass out from standing too long with their knees locked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggle Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 To the OP--since you stand a lot for your job, I'm sure you are aware of moving around and not "locking" your knees... I've seen quite a few people pass out from standing too long with their knees locked. Thanks, I probably do lock my knees out. I will try not to do that. Do you know what especially is bad about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 When you stand perfectly still with your knees locked, your heart has to do literally all the work of pumping the blood down into your legs and back up again. If you can remember to flex your calfs, wiggle your toes, fidget etc then those muscles are helping to pump the blood back up to your heart and this should help keep up the blood pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggle Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 When you stand perfectly still with your knees locked, your heart has to do literally all the work of pumping the blood down into your legs and back up again. If you can remember to flex your calfs, wiggle your toes, fidget etc then those muscles are helping to pump the blood back up to your heart and this should help keep up the blood pressure. OK got it. I think the type of work I do is definitely contributing to the problem: I work in retail and stand up all day (oh how I wish we had sit-down tills like they do in the UK!). This is OK if I'm only doing a 4 hour shift, but if I do a whole day and get stuck at the till all day, that's when I seem to feel the worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggle Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 OK, so I'm trying to fidget and move as much as possible at work But I had a thought today that perhaps some compression socks (the type you wear on long-distance flights) might help? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadley F Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Also Coconut Water is a great source of electrolytes and is compliant http://healthandwellness.kaplan.edu/articles/nutrition/Coconut water - Is it really natures sport drink.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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