Am I detoxing or overdosing?! Need some help. Got long!

[Learning_Mum]

Right, so I'm going to be completely honest with you. I don't want anyone to faint, or have a heartattack so I'm going to warn you now my diet and habits are really, *really* bad!

OK, so my diet for the last year or so have been shocking. I wouldn't even really call it a diet because I hardly eat. I drink about 2L of Coke a day. I eat nothing until dinner time, which more often than not is take aways (burgers, kebabs, pizza, chinese etc). I drink very little water and have a couple of cups of tea a day. I also take alot of medication. I take two sleeping pills at night, plus 450mg of Effexor a day. I also take maybe 800mg of ibuprofen and 400mg of paracetamol a day. Oh, and I smoke about 20 cigarettes a day. I suffer from BPD and dysthymia. God that's incredibly embarrassing to write down! Oh, I also use Ventolin, Oxis and Flixotide daily and do *no* exercise. I spend most of my time lying down.

Now, for the last two weeks or so I've been having porridge for breakfast and then I will take an array of vitamins which are:

* Chromium - 3200mcg per day
* Women's Multi once a day
* Super B Complex once a day
* Iron - 24mg per day
* EPO - 3000mg per day
* Omega 3 - 3000mg per day
* Vitamin D - 1000IU per day

Most of those are to help with my depression. The multi is for general health and iron is because my iron levels have been low since I was pregnant.

Lunch will be a sandwich (maybe tuna, salmon, egg or peanut butter) on wholegrain bed and a piece of fruit. Dinner is still takeaways frequently or some sort of vegetarian meal. When I do cook the meals are well balanced and with lots of vegetables. I've also cut down to maybe 1.5L Coke a day.

So, if you've got that far here are my problems!

In the last few days I have been getting alot of pimples (I very rarely get pimples) I feel like I have a crack starting in the corner of my mouth, I have been getting *alot* of nasty headaches. I've always had sinus problems. Just genetics, my Dad is the same, but lately I've had alot of mucus and sinus headaches, I've been really phlemgy. Today I woke up with a lump on my neck that is kind of itchy. It could be some sort of insect bite but I'm not sure, it doesn't feel quite like one. ETA: I also felt like I was coming down with a cold for a few days, but didn't actually get one.

What I want to know is, is my body detoxing a little or am I overdosing on something?

I know my body is a mess. My whole life is really, so please flaming or telling me how disgusting it all is, I really need support and advice.

If you got through all that, thank you very much!

[cristeen]

Acne, mucus, rash and sinus headaches all sound like detox. But honestly, what would you be detoxing from? What did you cut out?

But, they could also all be (allergic) reactions to something - mucus and sinus headaches are commonly attributed to dairy. If it is detox, it'll usually pass in a week or so, but if it's reaction, it won't. With making a lot of changes at once, I don't know that there's an easier way to determine which it is.

[tanyalynn]

That's a huge change in nutrients, from almost nothing to a fair amount of real food plus supplements. Change is HARD, it can take a while to see results, but you have to change habits first, which is a real pain when you feel horrible! So good job. Seriously.

But I agree with Cristeen that you may not be able to tell for a while. Dairy is classic for mucous-y issues, sometimes a susceptibility to various types of problems runs in families--my son and I have dairy issues that are similar. Someday I think we'll be healthy enough to consume dairy (I'm not convinced we're stuck with limitations permanently) but it'll take a while to get there.

And really, good job on starting changes.

[Learning_Mum]

Originally Posted by cristeen

Acne, mucus, rash and sinus headaches all sound like detox. But honestly, what would you be detoxing from? What did you cut out?

But, they could also all be (allergic) reactions to something - mucus and sinus headaches are commonly attributed to dairy. If it is detox, it'll usually pass in a week or so, but if it's reaction, it won't. With making a lot of changes at once, I don't know that there's an easier way to determine which it is.

I've cut down on the Coke and have started drinking more water. I figured it could be from going from malnourished (because even though I'm obese I have no doubt I'm malnourished) to actually having some nutrients so my could actually be functioning better and getting rid of the toxins.

Apart from a little bit of milk in my tea I actually don't have alot of dairy. I did have eczema as a child and the doctor thought it could be dairy related but Mum took me off all dairy and it made no difference to me.

[Learning_Mum]

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez

That's a huge change in nutrients, from almost nothing to a fair amount of real food plus supplements. Change is HARD, it can take a while to see results, but you have to change habits first, which is a real pain when you feel horrible! So good job. Seriously.

But I agree with Cristeen that you may not be able to tell for a while. Dairy is classic for mucous-y issues, sometimes a susceptibility to various types of problems runs in families--my son and I have dairy issues that are similar. Someday I think we'll be healthy enough to consume dairy (I'm not convinced we're stuck with limitations permanently) but it'll take a while to get there.

And really, good job on starting changes.

Thank you. I know it's still far from great but I'm really trying to remember 'progression not perfection'.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by Learning_Mum

I've cut down on the Coke and have started drinking more water. I figured it could be from going from malnourished (because even though I'm obese I have no doubt I'm malnourished) to actually having some nutrients so my could actually be functioning better and getting rid of the toxins.

Unfortunately, detox will not happen so long as you are still ingesting them - you would have to cut them out of your diet. More likely your body is just adjusting to more nutrients, more fiber, more minerals, and I would really suspect a sensitivity to something. With the damage you've done to your body, I'd suggest investigating healing your gut.

And you can absolutely be obese and malnourished... in fact, most people in this country who are obese are also malnourished. Once upon a time, I was one of them. It's taken a lot of time and work to get better nourished - and I still have my days.

Just for a little perspective - I know when I first started down this path, I couldn't have any dairy without being mucussy (and spend all night snoring from the congestion), and wheat made me break out. Now I'm at the point where small amounts are okay, but a plate of pasta in cream sauce would make me miserable for days.

[lil_earthmomma]

: It's so great that you are being so honest with yourself and working so hard to become healthy!

I agree that your body needs time and that things are probably going to get worse before they get better.

Any way you could cut the coke out completely? I believe someone just posted a study about drinking vast amounts of pop and it leaching the minerals and vitamins out of you? Maybe replace it with juice at first, or sun tea?

Once again, great job and keep us posted!!!