Question about carb withdrawal

[jbb]

I have noticed a change in my physiological response to carb withdrawal over the years, and I'm just curious what is going on.

About 15 years ago I had a roommate from Sweden who told me how he would fast occasionally and it did him a lot of good. So I decided to try a 3-day fast. I ate no solid food for 3 days, just some fruit juice (if I remember correctly). I felt hungry and a little weak, but not too bad.

Then several years ago I discovered that if I didn't eat regularly, like if I skipped lunch, I would feel awful and often get migraines to the point of vomiting and not being able to focus my eyes.

About 2 years ago I did Phase I of the South Beach diet, essentially eliminating carbs. On the first day I felt awful -- very week, headache, zero energy. After the second day I was doing okay.

I did Phase I of SBD again early this year, and felt fine.

Yesterday I did a 24 hour fast, and felt fine.

So, I'm guessing the previous migraines when I quit sugar and carbs were due to a big drop in blood sugar or something like that.

So, what I'm wondering is whether we get physically addicted to carbs/sugar and therefore get these bad withdrawal symptoms. Or is there some other reason for different physiological responses to eliminating carbs over the years.

[Katydid77]

I don't really have anything to add to this but, I can tell you that, for me, not eating is wayyyy easier than just cutting out carbs.

I can do IF, no problem. When I was anorexic, I could easily go all day without eating . . BUT when I eat and there are no carbs in it, I feel like total trash.

I don't know what the difference is, but I can't touch those super-low carb diets. They are simply too hard for me. I get dizzy, sick, nauseous, etc.

Different things work for different people, and I will simply never be one that does well on a no/low carb approach.