First Day Detox??? What do I DO?!

[prettybrowngrl]

As mentioned before, today is my first day raw. I have a splitting headache on one side of my head and the back of my neck. I've been eating my fruits when hungry and keeping hydrated , so i cant come up with a reason for the headache. Can this be detox? On the first day?! Before the day is even over?!!! :confused:
also, what do i do about the headache? If i'd had this headache , say, yestrday, i would've immidiately reached for the excederine (very low pain threshold), but i know i shouldnt. all the same, i'm in a lotta pain and would like to feel considerably less of it.

[Lay-Lay]

It may be detox or maybe it's some kind of withdraw from cooked food or caffeine or wheat or soy or something. Whatever it is I would embrace it. I know it hurts, but if you can get through it you will most likely be feeling better for it in the near future. If at all possible keep your fluids coming, go take a calming bath or shower and the lay down in a dark room in a fetal position until it passes. My thoughts are with you and I know what it's like, like many I have been there. Just remember why you are doing it and love it and embrace it.

[Rawkinlocs]

Moreso than detox, it probably is best to think of it as a "withdrawal" from eating cooked food. Just as a smoker or drinker or drug user experiences immediate withdrawal symptoms, so it is whenever you eliminate something from your diet or change your diet from what your body is accustomed to having.

When I first gave up meat, I experienced symptoms such as headache and feeling jittery.

Drink lots of water and what helped me with headaches (though this is controversial) was to do an enema as a lot of my past headache experiences stemmed from my colon issues. But there are also other ways I've read about such as massaging peppermint essential oil into your temples.

But it will pass...congrats on getting started! Try and hang in there!

[swingbolder]

I agree with Rawkinlocs. A lot of people find them icky, but enemas do help with detox headaches.

Also, I have taken ibuprofen for detox headaches. It's frowned upon, but sometimes if it helps you stay eating raw food otherwise, then I would say it's worth the compromise. Eventually, you probably won't even get headaches anymore (I don't, and I used to get them at least 2-3 times a week, for years).

The nice thing though about NOT taking anything and just waiting it out is that you learn firsthand that the body heals itself naturally. Maybe not as quick as we'd like, but it does.

When I have a headache, I usually just go to bed really early.

[Dawn39]

Turn on a nice steamy shower ( just relax & breath in the steam for awhile) then let the warm water run down your head. Then go to a dark room ( maybe place a wash cloth over your eyes) I was told to pinch ( pressure type) the flap of skin between the thumb and index finger ( it really did not help) it will pass you just gotta ride it out.

[Lay-Lay]

Yes I have found that for some of my migraines that I have had in the past that enemas have helped, but one way that really helped was wheatgrass implants. It really helped to move the toxins out quickly.

Hope you are feeling better soon!

[Eveleaf]

From what I've read, getting severe headaches when you first go raw is quite common. I didn't get them, but I really eased my way into raw. :)

You've got some excellent suggestions here. Drinking tons of water, hot steamy showers/saunas, or light, outdoor excercise are what I'd suggest.

Cheers!
Eve

[DavidZaneMason]

-Adjust your level of raw food acquisition until your symptomology is manageable to YOU. Don't listen to anyone tell you that you have to do anything at a pace other than one that is right for YOU. Don't even listen to your mind if it's telling you that you need to be doing exactly what some one else is doing.

-Just my opinions.

-David Mason

[prettybrowngrl]

Many thanks , friends, for the advice.
I was getting kinda worried about the pain, so a heartfelt thanx to you raw angels who posted replies earlier today.A special thankx to davidzanemason is also in order, as I was also feeling a tad fraudulent because I just "buckled under the pressure" and ate a little bit of cooked vegan food. But after reading the last bit of advice, I dont feel so bad. I feel now as though it is really ok to start slowly but work up to 100% raw.
I was raised a meat-eater, but strangely, i always hated eggs, red meat, (more recently) chicken and I have been weaning myself off fish for the past couple months. I am sure I will be 100% raw soon enough and I'm glad to have found this site and you wonderful, supportive folks.

Thanks again! :)

[ShelShel]

If you would like to try a natural remedy. Go to your local HFS and purchase Tei-Fu. (It's a mixture of essential oil..like wintergreen and peppermint...and such) Take a few drops and rub it into your temples. This will help relieve a headache. It's a multi-purpose oil...that helps with all kinds of things. ;) Hope you are feeling better soon.