The FastDay Forum

I did my first fast day yesterday, and it was not fun! I had a screaming headache all day, which made it difficult to work. Since I don't want to fast on the weekend, I'm wondering if you have any tips for dealing with headaches and remaining (reasonably) productive during the workweek.

Thanks!
Rubi

[Tracieknits]

Hi Rubi! Welcome to the forums

Did you drink much water? Usually I also get a headache if I'm not drinking a lot of water or herbal tea. Do you normally drink coffee or tea and did you skip it today? Lack of caffeine can also cause a headache.

I'm really sorry that you're not feeling well!

[carorees]

I think most of us experienced headaches on the first fast or two. It soon stops though (unless you pig out on high carbs the day before a fast as I've recently discovered). Drinking plenty is essential because we normally get a lot of water from food. Sometimes a little salt is lacking if you do drink a lot due to it being, err..'washed out'...which can also give a headache so a mug of vegetable bouillon or similar can help.

Thanks for the suggestions! I was thinking about having a cup of bouillon yesterday and wasn't sure -- but tomorrow, which is my next fast day, I'll have one mid-afternoon, which is when the headache got really brutal.

I'll also pay attention to my carbs -- I am trying to swap the refined stuff for whole grain and veg as a general rule, so all the more reason to do it if it staves off the headaches.

The only thing that would have scuppered this diet was the headaches I experienced. I not only had them on fast days but during feed days too. Thankfully they have now gone in my third week, I have not adjusted my diet and lowered carbs, I just make sure I drink lots of water and don't have too much coffee.

I've started drinking green tea as it still has some caffeine (can't stand normal tea without milk!), or occasionally having a Diet Coke and found this stopped the headaches. If all else fails, there's always paracetamol

Today's my second fast day and I'm feeling great -- a 180 degree difference! I woke up with a headache but decided to nip it in the bud by taking some paracetamol. And I had black tea with 1/2 tsp. of milk... it's worth however many calories it adds.

A cup of broth mid-day also helped, I was pleased to discover. I think I'll be able to cruise along quite nicely until dinnertime, which I'm hoping will be at 8:30 -- earlier than the Spanish standard, but about 12 hours out from breakfast.

Many thanks again for your help and encouragement. I think I am going to make this work after all!

I have just started and on my second fast day the headache was unbearable, I felt sick and couldn't do anything but take some paracetamol and go to bed. Luckily it was in the evening and I'd felt so good in the morning. Today was a non fast day and the headache was residual although no where near as bad. Now its the evening I feel good and energetic.

I drunk loads of water and don't normally have caffeine and even added a little extra salt (for flavour).

The hunger so far was easy to deal with, but the headaches?! I hope it gets better!

[carorees]

Could be you needed some salt? Try a salty drink next fast.

I have to query the "drinking loads of water" thing. Why ?

PhilT, I always drink a lot of water and I realised recently what happens if I don't. I have considerably low blood pressure and the doctor once advised me to keep my fluid levels high to help. I thought nothing of it as I always do, on an occasion when I was working under considerable stress, slightly physical and definitely mental, for a couple of hours, I ended up a shaky emotional mess.

I had also been told to drink plenty on a fast day to replace the fluids you don't have in food, and that dehydration can lead to headaches. That's why I mentioned it to negate dehydration as a probable cause.

I have to query the "drinking loads of water" thing. Why ?

Sometimes dehydration can manifest itself as a headache.

This is from about.com: http://nutrition.about.com/od/hydrationwater/a/Water_headaches.htm

Thirst is not usually the first symptom or the only symptom of dehydration; other symptoms include:

Fatigue
Headache
Dry mouth
Dizziness
Weakness
Rapid heartbeat
Dry, flushed skin
Muscle cramps, and myofascial pain.