Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Dear all

Really interested in this style of eating - not new to Vegan, but new to low fat and high starch. The theory makes sense, but every time I try to do this for more than a couple of days I get extreme brain fog (cannot concentrate at work), fatigue (need a nap in the afternoon) and generally feel in a fog and like I'm barely dragging myself through the day. I am sure to eat enough - it's not lack of calories - and I am eating gluten free whole grains, or potatoes, when this happens. If I go back to eating legumes instead of almost all of the grains and a much higher amount of nuts and seeds the symptoms ease (but I crave starch and have more tendency to want to binge!).

Has anyone else experienced this or know what's happening? It's really debilitating. Wondering if I'm just cut out for a higher fat and lower GI diet, but the McDougall way does make sense so want to try to figure it out.

Thanks!

Confused

You can do a search for brain fog on this site and these forums. Most are cases resolved by switching to this diet. If your previous diet avoided sugars and starches, you may have been compensating for an underlying condition.

When I switched to McDougall a decade ago, I experienced none of the brain fog cognition and mood symptoms you describe. Nor do I think they are normal or typical. We all share the same biology. Gut microbiome can differ, but adapts in days or weeks, and is more likely to result in gas.

You might want to work with a health professional to determine what is happening.

Thanks very much for your response!