Headaches With High Protein Diet From Weight Loss Surgery

Why do we suffer from headaches when we go from a diet high in processed carbohydrates to a diet high in protein? Many weight loss surgery patients wonder this.

In fact, there are several reasons for headaches when following a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. More importantly, there are several little things we can do to ease headaches:

First, when we go from a processed carbohydrate diet to a high protein one, as recommended by most weight loss surgery (bariatric) doctors and dietitians, we increase our intake of tryptophan. A short list of foods high in tryptophan includes cheese, meat, nuts, and soy. Ingesting tryptophan releases serotonin in the brain, which is considered a vasoconstrictor – it squeezes our blood vessels. In modest amounts, this helps us feel good; but in greater quantities than we are used to, it causes headaches.

To balance the increase in tryptophan (an amino acid – a good thing) intake we must include appropriate complex carbohydrates in our weight loss surgery feeding rhythm: 2B / 1B (2 protein bites / 1 carbohydrate bite). Here are some smart food options for your weight loss surgery diet:

Carbohydrates:

apples

artichokes

basil

bean sprouts

beetroot

carrots

celery

blueberries

cucumbers

green beans

pears

Spinach

pumpkin

Fat:

olive oil

Protein:

mutton

lentils

you do not have

Turkey

Next, we must be absolutely sure to supplement our diet with essential vitamins and minerals, and on this list I personally include herbal supplements that centuries of human use have shown to be beneficial to our health and well-being. Review the list of supplements:

Santamaría: 200-300 milligrams daily

Ginger: 1,500 milligrams taken in 3 (500 milligrams) daily doses

Magnesium: 1,000 milligrams per day (WLS postoperative known to be magnesium deficient)

Calcium with vitamin D: 1,000 milligrams daily

Vitamin B6: 50-100 milligrams daily

Vitamin B complex as prescribed by your doctor, oral, sublingual, or injected

If you wake up in the morning with a headache, I encourage you to take a serving of Emergen-C. I firmly believe that Emergen-C is healthy for us because in a single dose you get 60 mg of magnesium, 200 mg of potassium; 60 mg of sodium; 50 mg of calcium carbonate; (your electrolytes); in addition to vitamin B6 and B12; vitamin C, niacin, thiamine, zinc, and a few others. Our little gastric bypass and gastric band tummies can absorb this supplement quickly and it is not difficult or painful to take. If you haven’t tried Emergen-C, please do so. As a note, continue your regular vitamin regimen when taking Emergen-C. Use this water soluble product for just a little extra nutrition.

If your headaches are chronic and you suspect more than the high protein diet of weight loss surgery, keep a headache diary in an effort to identify the cause of the headaches. Dr. Alex Duarte suggests tracking these things:

Diet: Diet and food allergies are the most common cause of headaches.

Hormones: Fluctuating hormone levels are known to cause frequent headaches.

Weather – Changes in barometric pressure and other weather conditions can trigger headaches.

Stress: frequent cause of headaches.

Change in routine: Disruption from regular routine (such as change in diet) is known to cause headache.

Dental problems or endodontic surgery are known to cause headaches.

Sensory stimuli: sight, smell and hearing can cause headaches.

Hypoglycemia causes a headache.

Herbal remedies for headaches are, in my opinion, more effective and less harmful than over-the-counter chemical remedies. Try supplementing your diet with feverfew, ginger, ginko biloba, chamomile, capsaicin, and / or valerian.