Vegetarianism: Day eighteen

I have a certain dizziness that has overtaken me, a light headedness, that gets worse when I make any physical exertion.  I have been weighing myself, and I am starting to see some weight loss which leads me to believe that perhaps I am not eating enough.  The interesting thing is that I do have bowel movements, about once or twice a day, healthy ones, not the minor ones when I dieted before.

According to SFGATE: Healthy Eating, there are many different reasons for dizziness.  The first is not enough calories as I suspected above. 

Another is a change in blood pressure.  The fat and seasonings in meat and poultry contribute to a higher blood pressure, while fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other low-fat foods lead to decreases in blood pressure.  There is a significant and sudden drop in blood pressure when eating only vegetarian which can lead to hypotension, and, as a result, dizziness.

Another reason for the dizziness can be nutrient deficiencies.  Vegetarian diets apparently lack both iron and B-12.  Deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to dizziness.  However, there are foods which are rich in these vitamins including spinach, beans, lentils, and raisins as well as dairy products and eggs.

Vegetarian foods tend to absorb water leading to dehydration.  A vegetarian diet will require an increase in water consumption to compensate for the additional water usage by the body. 

Finally, low blood sugar can cause dizziness.  See the article at LIVESTRONG here. 

Although a nuisance, it is a minor.  I’ll just have to keep track of it to make sure it does not get out of hand.