New Page Added on LCHF

I’ve just added a new page (can be found at the top of this blog) called:

LCHF Websites and Youtube Channels

It is chuck full of great websites and Youtube channels dedicated to the LCHF WOE. You can find advice, scientific information, success stories, recipes, and general advice on nutrition here. Enjoy!

LCHF Week 12 – Health Observations (Nov. 11 -18)

(Note: just a quick comment… WPs new format SUCKS!)

Okay, now that I got that out of my system, time to move on to what’s really important. I realized today that it has been 5 weeks since I last updated this blog about my weight loss and health on the LCHF WOE. It’s amazing how quickly the weeks pass by. During some of that time, I was experiencing computer problems and had to have my laptop put in the shop, but that is enough of the excuses. Truth is, I simply had little to report. So time for a little catch up:

1. I’ve lost 19.5 lbs and 3 inches off of my waist.
2. I’ve had to eliminate the following from my diet because they increase insulin and cause higher BGLs: all dairy (except butter and HWC) and stevia (the last of anything sweet I will ever have, sadly).
3. I am still keeping carbs under 20 grams most days, but occasionally they do go up to around 25 grams without adverse issues. The overage is usually due to eating an extra 1/2 an avocado a day though and not because I’ve added anything starchy or sugary to my diet.
4. I have cut my protein intake way back. I was averaging around 70-80 grams of protein per day and now I try to keep protein at or slightly under 50 grams a day. I’ve come to realize that protein also causes insulin to rise as well as my BGLs. That whole protein breaking down into glucose thing.
5. I have increased my fat intake from around 95-100 grams per day to around 120-130 grams per day.
6. My macros look more like 80% fat, 15% protein, 5% carbs now.
7. I am still tracking my foods on FatSecret.com every day.
8. I still follow an Intermittent Fasting schedule on most days (usually a 16:8 or 24 hr) with periods of Full Fat Fasting (FFF) days (where I consume only BPC and water for several days), and I have attempted 2 longer term fasts, both ending only after 36 hrs of non-eating. I hope to change that soon as I do want to eventually do a 7-10 day extended fast.
9. I am still struggling with high BGLs; however, I am still off of the insulin and do not plan on going back on it. I cannot understand why doctors give T2D insulin when their bodies are riddled with insulin and THAT is the issue. They should instead be teaching diabetics how to resolve insulin resistance instead. But, that is for another day’s rant. I am hoping that the current removal of stevia will help correct this issue.
10. I was having issues with constipation, but since adding the 2-3 days of FFF to my schedule, those days are in the past.
11. Energy levels are still great (unless my BGLs are extremely high). Skin, hair, nails, etc. are still doing well. Night vision is amazing and day vision is okay so long as BGLs aren’t too high. Sleep is going well and I am usually getting between 7-9 hrs of sleep per day.
12. I’ve added weight training, Qi Gong stretches, and short walks to my exercise routine. So far, so good.

Well, that about wraps things up. This has been a constant learning experience for me and I know there is still so much more for me to learn. Every day is a new challenge and I am just rolling with it. I have no plans of ceasing, although there are days that I do get a bit discouraged. Mostly because of my BGLs though.

LCHF Week Six – Health Observations (Oct. 1 – 7, 2015)

Not as many observations this week, so I will get right to them

1. I tried intermittent fasting and can easily do a 24 hr fast. Then I tried to do a longer fast and only managed 48 hrs. I think my body needs time to adjust to a longer fast and I wasn’t well-prepared for one either. Next time I plan to use bone broth during the fast. The benefits from the 48 hr fast were energy for up to 36 hrs in which I didn’t sleep much, my BGLs came down remarkably well and have so far remained steady. They are not as low as when I was taking insulin, but they aren’t bouncing all over the place either.
2. I stopped taking insulin. Good bye to 150 units of insulin a day which really did little to balance out my BGLs. Instead creating spikes, dips and dives. I just take the Janumet twice a day now.
3. I’ve discovered that the less protein I eat and the more fat, the calmer my feet are at night and I don’t get the racing heart effect at night. I was eating around 70+ grams of protein a day and I decreased it to around 60-65 grams. I’ve upped my fat from around 80-90 to around 100 grams. Some days I eat less than 1000 calories, other days as high as around 1600. I have no idea yet how this is affecting weight loss since I haven’t weighed in for two days. I do know the higher fat content has helped my feet though and that is a bonus for me even if I don’t lose weight very fast.
4. Still maintaining the elevated mood, better skin, nails and hair, very little acid reflux (just the small amount last night with the HWC, may have to give it up along with the rest of the dairy that I just cannot seem to consume), night vision is awesome again, and have an overall feeling of well-being.
5. Weight has come down from 5 lbs lost to now 11.5 lbs lost, as of 2 days ago.

Not much else to report. Still doing well and feeling a lot better. LCHF for life!

Dr. Gary Fettke – ‘A ‘Nutritional’ model of Inflammation & Modern Disease’

Wonderful presentation on what causes inflammation and Modern Diseases: sugar, refined carbs and polyunsaturated oils.

Vicky Kuriel – ‘Case Reports from an LCHF Dietician’

The Wonders (or not?) of Bullet-Proof Coffee

There is a sensation sweeping the LCHF world. It is called Bullet-Proof Coffee (BPC). Many sing its praises as a quick alternative to a full breakfast of eggs and meat, giving them energy, fullness for hours, aids in weight loss, and mental clarity. Some (like this ONE) discount it because it has little to no nutritional value and they don’t believe that consuming that much saturated fat is good for you.

Here is the premise of the coffee drink: 1 Tbsp of butter, 1 Tbsp of coconut oil, 2 cups of coffee, and LC sweetener of choice. Some even add HWC (I do).

Personally, I don’t see the problem. I AM on a high fat diet. I try to consume about 80-100 grams of fat per day. I KNOW I am not getting that much in the foods that I eat because my appetite has diminished and I only eat 2 meals per day with maybe a snack at night. So adding that extra oomph in a cup of coffee is a great way for me to get those added fat grams. I am also NOT worried about saturated fats because I have already seen what adding fat to my diet has done for my body in just the two weeks I’ve been on this WOE.

I do not use it as a substitute for a meal though. I consume one cup of this coffee in the morning with 3 eggs and a meat. Then I just use the HWC and stevia in cups of coffee that I drink the rest of the day.

I plan to continue doing this until I see the lab results for my cholesterol in October. If my numbers haven’t improved, then and only then, will I make changes.

LCHF Week Two: Health Observations (Sept 3 – 9, 2015)

A list of health observations for week two of this WOE:

1. My glucose levels have gone as high as 165 (before dinner) and as low as 74 (at morning fast) this week. So I am still not getting excellent control as I would like. I contribute this to the lessening amounts of coconut oil in my diet this week. Still taking the same amounts of both insulins and the Janumet. I still have 3 weeks before I see the doc, but if something doesn’t change, there is no way he will be reducing my meds.
2. I’ve had a couple bouts of nearly 2 day insomnia attacks this week. Staying awake the first time for 46 hrs and 44 hrs the second time with only on average of about 4 hrs sleep in between. The past two days, however, I have been sleeping a bit more, around 5 hrs per day.
3. Although the overall pain in my body has decreased (like in both hips and lower back), I am still having a few issues with the upper left side of my back just below the shoulder blade (long story about how THAT happened).
4. A couple of days this week, I have actually felt hungry, like insatiably hungry! I contribute this to my attempt to stretch out the last bit of coconut oil that I have and therefore not consuming as much of it and more of butter. Butter does not seem to stave off my hunger like coconut oil does. I have managed to stay on plan though and when hungry, only eating protein. (Dad’s cookies have only barely tempted me once, and I smacked my hand and said, “They are poison!” and walked away)
5. My skin is continuing to get smooth and I don’t have to even use as much lotion on my hands and feet now.
6. I’ve noticed a bit of hair loss. I’ve been told that can happen on this WOE. Something about needing to up my protein levels to prevent that, I think. Must do more research on this. I’ve been completely bald from chemo and my hair is just now getting a nice length to it again, so I don’t want to lose it again.
7. On a couple of occasions, I have actually felt like the nerves in my feet are trying to work correctly. There has been a reduction in numbness and tingling, but this feeling only lasted a few minutes and then they went numb again.
8. I am still continuing to have daily (sometimes up to 3 per day) eliminations. Today has been only one. Again, I contribute this to less amounts of coconut oil. It has been wonderful to not be dealing with constipation.
9. My mood has continued to stay elevated. I haven’t felt depressed, anxious, or out of sorts.
10. Before I began eating this way, the connective tissue under both of my knees felt strange. Almost like they were hardening? I really don’t know how to explain it. After 2 weeks of LCHF though, they feel smooth and elastic again.
11. I am getting anxious to know if I have lost any weight. October 1st seems so far away, which is when I will be getting weighed at the doc’s office. It does feel like I’ve lost some inches in my stomach. Before LCHF, my midsection felt hard, flabby but hard, if that makes any sense. Now it is soft, like doughy, and yes, still flabby. It is where I carry most of my weight.
12. I’ve not had nearly as much swelling in my feet this past week. That is probably due to water weight loss, which I am told is the first to go on this WOE.
13. I have become obsessed with the bones in both wrists and my collarbone. I can actually feel and see them now. Strange, I know, but it’s been so long since I have seen or felt either and I am strangely intrigued by this.
14. I am hoping that with the lessening of overall pain in my joints and my feet from the neuropathy, that I will soon be able to get out and do some walking. I miss walking. It was my favorite means of exercise.

Articles from the WWW: Ketogenics and Health Benefits

Here is the full article:

Ketogenic diet helps weight loss, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, MS and starves cancer

Excerpt:

The ketogenic diet has a variety of health benefits that extend far beyond its popular application as a weight loss tool, cancer scientist Dr. Dominic D’Agostino said on a podcast with Nourish Balance Thrive.

For the past four years, D’Agostino’s lab has researched the use of the ketogenic diet to prevent epileptic seizures and “starve” cancer. He found the low carb, high-fat diet can protect brain health for epilepsy patients and for people who experience traumatic brain injury, such as football players who suffer concussions.

I know for a fact that it is helping with Diabetes! I am living proof!