I heard that its good to eat several small meals and also heard to eat only when hungry. What's better when I am trying to loose weight? I notice when I don't eat often I get head aches. Thanks!

Hi Tim! Thanks for a really great question. The short answer is to eat really healthy food, only when hungry. Here is how that works: When one is eating very healthfully-eating vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts and seeds, you are giving your body all of the nutrition and fiber that it requires to operate optimally. Eating these nutrient rich foods help to banish what Dr. Fuhrman calls "toxic hunger", which is the craving that we get to keep eating even though we have already had sufficient calories. High nutrient eating helps to get rid of these toxic cravings, leading your body to give you the signals to only eat when it needs fuel. As for eating several small meals rather than 3 more substantial meals, studies have shown that eating more meals can lead to consuming more calories, the exact opposite of what you want if you want to lose weight. The headaches that one can feel during periods of not eating are the result of your body detoxifying from low nutrient, high fat, high salt, high sugar foods. This is a great thing! The only bad part is that it might take a few days to get through this period of not feeling your best. The good news is that after going through this detox phase, many people report feeling better than they have in years! This is really great news. So for weight loss, stick to 3 solid meals, giving your body the healthiest foods, rather than many meals during the day.

Ida, I appreciate the reply. I will eat three meals a day and focus on the quality of my foods ( clean + nutrient dense ) and tell you how it goes. However when I do get a headache during this toxic hunger ( transition period ) what's a good way to help alleviate the discomfort?

Tim: I know how awful it can be to go through that detox period, and how headaches can feel like they are taking over your life! I suffered from migraines for years before I became a Nutritarian. Not wonderful at all. Here is what worked for me: Massage or specifically scalp massage. Lavender Oil (inhaled or applied topically at the temples) Peppermint Oil (inhaled) Ice Pack on painful spots Warm bath for relaxation Ginger Tea Some people find that having more water can ease the detox phase a bit Sometimes I just had to take a few minutes, go into a quiet and dark room and have a lie down. Hope that one of these ideas helps to ease the pain. The good news is that this phase is limited, and after a few days, you will really feel so much better!

Hi Ida, I really appreciate your tips for alleviating the headaches. I will def. try them!

Thank you so much, I tried the ginger tea and it worked yesterday. :)

Excellent!! I am so glad that it helped.