posted
Hello! After adding calories this week (I went from about1700 to 2500) I have felt terrible! I have a ton of fatigue and muscle pain, I have been crying a lot and feeling really down, my skin is sensitive and my feet hurt.
Im a 5'9", 24 year old woman and with all these dietary restrictions I didn't really realize I haven't been eating enough for a while. I am not underweight- I am at the low normal for my BMI but have been having issues with low blood pressure, dizziness when standing, cold hands and feet which I realized may be due simply to the lack of calories coming in. Also I have been weight lifting every other day for a couple months and finding it hard to gain any muscle.
I am just looking for some thoughts on what could be going on right now? Is my immune system becoming more active or something? I was feeling decent before and now I feel like I've been run over. Any thought?
Posts: 24 | From United States | Registered: Mar 2015
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- What KIND of food made up those new calories? Same kinds of foods as in your usually (healthful) diet?
If so, it could be the timing. Or texture. Could be the sharp difference in load from one day to the next for the gut and colon to process.
If lots of liquid food added (veggie juices?), that can cause sharp changes in glucose / surges / drops.
If not, and very different foods or (gasp!) maybe (?) even not tip top on the healthful food chain, that could be connected.
And, if you are normally gluten free and consumed, gluten that could be the answer. Or with a similar kind of food that may not be right for your body.
If sugar or "old" fats, that could be an answer, too. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Did you recently start any new Rx, OTC or supplement?
Of any new foods, ANY additives that have not been in your regular fare? Even "natural flavors" are suspect, very often MSG.
Other variables?
No need to reply to this and you likely considered this question. Yet, some things that slip past us:
Any new personal care / grooming / cleaning products in your "air" so to speak? At home or work.
Lawn crews or anyone in your area spray any lawn treatments?
New textiles in the home? Carpet, drapes, even pillows?
Dry cleaning?
New car? [Not just asking for laughs as we'd all love a new car but the fumes of those can be toxic.] -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
There could be many things that cause low BP and dizziness beyond lack of calories. Adrenal issues, electrolyte balance, and magnesium depletion come to mind. These symptoms are very common with lyme and co's.
What Keebler asked is vital. Where are these extra calories coming from? It's easy to get hundreds extra with adding an avocado or cup of coconut cream, but if you are pushing your body to digest stuff it isn't used to you could have issues.
Lyme can be very taxing to the adrenals. So can be weight training for muscle mass, especially if nutritional support is lacking. Extra care needs to be observed when doing this type of lifting with lyme and co's.
You are lifting every other day but not gaining any muscle. Are you doing the right kinds of lifts to build muscle? High repetitions with lighter weights will provide very little, if at all noticeable increase in muscle mass.
If you are lifting heavy to cause the kind of muscle stress that builds larger muscles and makes strength gains, are your lifting days broken down into splits? Depending on the kinds of lifts, doing them every other day can easily lead to overtraining which can cause all sorts of immune system havoc.
Posts: 474 | From US | Registered: May 2014
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posted
Thanks for all your responses! Nothing new in terms of other variables that I can think of...
The types of foods I have added: I have been gluten free for 3 years and get very sick eating it so I never eat it and am well versed in everything it is in. I added more starchy foods (sweet potatoes, rice and gluten free bread) some avocado and almond butter and increased protein intake through meats. This is pretty much how I've been eating for awhile, I just am actively trying to eat more.
I did try to have a protein shake (isolate) over a week ago and immediately started sneezing and having a runny nose and then a tiny rash after so I won't be trying that again. If that was some sort of allergic reaction could that have me feeling bad the whole week? I basically got worse and worse as the week went on even though when that happened I didn't feel too terrible. I would have thought it would be worse at the beginning not still....
I'm also just confused about diet because some people say low carb and other people say low fat and its really impossible to do both so at this point I'm not sure which way to go- I get enough protein in but would like a few more calories and so I would have to add either more carbs or fat or some of both. Any advice in this manner is appreciated!
I usually do 2-3 times a week full body exercises. I am doing lower reps and building up weight. I stop if it is too intense and I have only felt better since adding in weight lifting (except for this week). I am building some muscle, but am more concerned with giving my body enough calories to heal from Lyme and cos. Of course I would love to get more muscular (and I am to some degree) but that is honestly not the top priority.
Posts: 24 | From United States | Registered: Mar 2015
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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- Neither low fat nor low carb, IMO.
We require both good fats (all kinds of nut oil, olive oil, even from meats - like grass ranged cattle). Ghee is excellent, just be sure it's organic. Eggs.
And good carbs, in fairly good amounts. As well as good proteins but we need a balance of all three food groups.
Go too low in any one of those and it can be miserable.
COMPLEX, whole foods, of course. But carbs actually make up most of a good diet. All those good carbs from vegetables, some fruits and some non-gluten grain like things like quinoa & black or wild rice, etc.
Legumes can also be very helpful. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
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posted
- If you eat out, be careful with rice. Sometimes, they actually add gluten. Usually, they add some kind of flavor packets. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Full body is usually okay the first month or so into lifting, but you really need to switch to splits. Total body workouts are a lot of stress to do several times a week, it's a fast track to overtraining and adrenal depletion.
If you are lifting heavy/low reps, and/or including compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, or bench presses, it's really important to not overdo it.
These types of lifts done properly boost the body's production of growth horomone, which IMO is one of the reasons adding weights is helpful and necessary for successful lyme treatment. But too much of this stress crashes the immune system fast.
You may want to consider taking a break from lifting for a week or so to give your body rest to catch up.
I made the serious error of overtraining when I first got interested in powerlifting. It caught up with me about eight weeks into it. I felt run down, then got bronchitis which became partial pneumonia. My fibromyalgia became severe following that incident.
Adding fat is the easiest way to boost your caloric intake. Cook with butter or coconut oil. Add these to vegetables, meats, eggs, etc. MCT oil can provide a nice energy lift and tastes inoffensive. Add butter slivers to salad. If you have no issues with dairy heavy whipping cream and full fat sour cream are good options. Also full fat coconut cream, you can easily make countertop "yogurt" with it.
Fats are super important for so many body/brain processes. You need them even more if you are active with lifting. Healing does take more calories, as well as recovery from lifts, so you are very wise to be mindful of how much you are taking in.
Posts: 474 | From US | Registered: May 2014
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posted
If you had an allergic reaction to something it's possible you could still be feeling it. Sometimes it can take the body some time to clear things out.
If the immune system is depressed or otherwise bogged down, everything will clear more slowly. You may want to consider support for liver/detox if not doing so already. Higher intensity lifting can also elevate liver enzymes in some people, adding to potential toxicity from lyme, co's, and everything else we have to address.
Posts: 474 | From US | Registered: May 2014
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Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 31149
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The starchy stuff could be giving you yeast. Yeast will make a person feel really bad (suspect that might be it).
Too much avocado and almond butter feeds proto which makes me feel worse (can't take it). I used to be able to eat this stuff but not anymore. You can check out proto symptoms here:
I eat tons of carbs, very little fat, and as much protein as I can get and feel good on this diet. But sweet potatoes and rice would give me yeast in my head and body. I feel horrible when yeast is in my head (can be a sign of proto).
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Keebler- thanks for the advice! That makes me feel much better. And the reminder about the rice-its crazy how its in everything. I learned the hard way when I was in college...ugh!
gz-that makes a lot of sense with the full body routine. Do you have any advice on good splits I could do that seemed to be good for you? I like weight lifting a lot (and it does help) but I don't want to overdo it and I still have some symptoms so I don't want to make everything worse!
Catgirl-how would I know if its yeast if I don't have any symptoms on my tongue or down south? It's hard for me to tell what is what with this disease.
Posts: 24 | From United States | Registered: Mar 2015
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Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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Ellie, it's tough to tell yeast. I can tell when I get it in my head, and of course down south. It's really bad when it's in my head though, and it comes on quickly, long before there are symptoms on my tongue or other places.
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Catgirl you said that you eat tons of carbs but rice and sweet potato would give you yeast--so I'm wondering what types of carbs DO you eat and what are some carbs you have issues with? I like carbs that are gluten free and feel better on them for sure! I've sort of been transitioning out of stricter paleo in the last months and have felt better adding more starches in but I don't want to cause too much yeast! Also I'm going to my LLMD this week-should I ask for something for yeast or will diet be okay? I've done diflucan and nystatin for other issues like oral thrush but am not sure which would be proper to ask for in this case...
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