"Life Without Bread"

[SeekinTruth]

Regarding Stevia: In black tea I prefer the Stevia taste to Xylitol but noticed that after a certain amount (like 3 pinches) I constantly have this actually annoying sweet taste in my mouth that only goes away after a few hours. So it seems my body cannot really digest it and it accumulates.

I'll try a few days without Stevia.

Stevia in black tea (Earl Grey) has to be very little, like 1/8 teaspoon at most or else it's WAY too sweet. With adding butter, that situation becomes better, because without it, even a TINY bit more and it's overkill with the sweetness. And when the sweetness gets too much there's an unpleasant aftertaste that doesn't happen with xylitol for me. Lately I've been putting a tiny bit of stevia and about 1/2 teaspoon of xylitol with butter and it's delicious.

 

[Gertrudes]

Since I also had similar reactions to xylitol in the beginning (and so did Ark), but neither of us does now, I have a theory that, since xylitol is anti-microbial/anti-candida, what is happening is that the candida/microbes are getting zapped when there is bloating and gas.

I have had the exact same experience and this theory makes a lot of sense. When I first took some xylitol I was at the very beginning stages of dietary changes and the bloating and discomfort was quite noticeable, and also something I was experiencing occasionally anyway. Now I have virtually none of these symptoms, I had a pretty large amount of xylitol yesterday and there was no problem whatsoever.

I've had that as well. However, first time I tried it I had abdominal cramps. I kept taking it and they subsided. Then I stopped taking xylitol for a while, and the next time I tried it the cramps were so strong I actually had to lie down on the supermarket floor (I went shopping straight after having had xylitol). So, I dunno... this feeling better then worse made me very suspicious of it, it made me think of all those foods I kept taking throughout the years without feeling a thing, only to have them hurting me badly after a period of elimination.

Well, all in all I still don't know for sure why it happened, but best to stay away nevertheless.

 

[mada85]

I have had the exact same experience and this theory makes a lot of sense. When I first took some xylitol I was at the very beginning stages of dietary changes and the bloating and discomfort was quite noticeable, and also something I was experiencing occasionally anyway. Now I have virtually none of these symptoms, I had a pretty large amount of xylitol yesterday and there was no problem whatsoever.

Have you been having xylitol every day, or was yesterday's intake the first in a few days or some time? I ask because I find that the laxative, bloating and uncomfortable effects of xylitol are cumulative. I can take half to one teaspoon of it occasionally and have no problems, as long as I don't have any for the next day or two. My problems with it happened after about four or five days of regular ingestion.

 

[loreta]

Loreta,

There is 20 g of carb / 100 g of sweet potatoe.

So, 60 g of sweet potatoe = 1 BU

OK, I will try to go with that.

Same incognito with Equinoa. I suppose I measure Equinoa as rice?

Thank you!

Loreta

Do you mean quinoa? If so, probably best to avoid it all together because it's a kind of grain.

Yes, i mean Quinoa... And I was sure that Quinoa was a good grain, after reading some commentaries here. I taught you can eat Quinoa without restriction. Now I am very lost.

Thank you.

 

[herondancer]

Hi loreta,

Remember that research here is a work in progress which means that a "fact" known today, could change tomorrow depending on new data. Quinoa as a grain choice seemed to be a good idea when the only concern was removing gluten from our diets. But further knowledge gathering brought to light the existence of lectins in all grains (the search button is your friend!) which proved to be serious anti-nutrients, and harmful to the digestive system. So while quinoa may better than wheat, no grains is best of all.

Reading this and the other diet and health threads through completely will show you how things evolved. Happy researching!

 

[Peacemaker]

Hi all,

first I wish to extend my gratitude to all for their continuous contributions and most of all to Laura for the magnitude of possibilities she's opened for all us.

I am 32 year old male, I've been following the dietary threads and keeping up with most of the readings, eliminated gluten, grains, sugar, fruits, Evil oils and most veggies.

My current dilemma is the "Low cab flu from hell". It started on Sunday night after I had returned from the gym. I developed low tolerance for cold. Had bad shivers and shakes. Headaches and migraines behind the eyes. I've been kept awake by large volumes of diuresis. Then itching, body aches,runny nose, flu like symptoms, painful coughing and phlegm, heart thumping. I got nervous and feared i was having major detox reaction as I also had skin breakouts, and chronic dry skin. After digging around a bit, I thought my gut was not optimal as well.

I started taking milk thistle, ox bile and HCL cause I suspected a sluggish liver issue as I was getting a little tired after fatty meals. I also conceded that I needed to heal the gut so i got on powdered L-Glutamine

Between Jan 2 and now, I went from 235 to 205 pounds. lean muscle. I used to to exercise frequently but now it all depends on if my energy is there for that day.

I am supplementing Acety-L-Carnitine, rALA, Ubiquinol, and also some minerals and vitamins to compensate.

I've been Titrating Ascorbic acid. Before the flu, I had a 2 grams per/day tolerance. Its gone up to about 30g now, & still is rising cause I'm taking 2.25g every hour or when cough and sneezing flare up. It seem to be helping, The fever like symptoms have diminished. Temperature tolerance is normalized. However, my head feels like it been ran over by a train. I want to minimize possibility of sinus infection or complications from the constant pressure of coughing and hacking.

I also had some bone broth this morning and will continue. I've also upped my carbs a little bit, its helped.

My question is, is there anything else I may have overlooked that would alleviate my symptoms and the now seeming brain flu. I appreciate all input and assistance.

Learning is fun.

 

[herondancer]

Hi Peacemaker,

It sounds like you jumped in a little fast. Have you read this whole thread from the beginning plus The Art and Science of Low Carb Living, Life Without Bread, and Primal Body, Primal Mind? They have a lot of good tips to help you make the transition to a ketogenic metabolism. It seems you've got most of the bases covered, especially since you are improving on Vit C. Keep supporting your liver with the milk thistle and make sure you drink plenty of filtered, reverse osmosis, or distilled water to help flush the toxins you are throwing off. You might want to look at your magnesium levels. Also, have you considered getting a FIR sauna? Ignore the promotional stuff in the quote, the basic info is good. They are very soothing when you feel low and flu-ish. You don't need to boil yourself, just put it at a little above body temp.

 

[Peacemaker]

Hi Peacemaker,

It sounds like you jumped in a little fast. Have you read this whole thread from the beginning plus The Art and Science of Low Carb Living, Life Without Bread, and Primal Body, Primal Mind? They have a lot of good tips to help you make the transition to a ketogenic metabolism. It seems you've got most of the bases covered, especially since you are improving on Vit C. Keep supporting your liver with the milk thistle and make sure you drink plenty of filtered, reverse osmosis, or distilled water to help flush the toxins you are throwing off. You might want to look at your magnesium levels. Also, have you considered getting a FIR sauna? Ignore the promotional stuff in the quote, the basic info is good. They are very soothing when you feel low and flu-ish. You don't need to boil yourself, just put it at a little above body temp.

Hi herondancer,

Yeah, I'm up to-date with the threads. I have read Life without bread, good calories bad calories, schemed Primal Body and the New Atkins at book store. Primal body is in transit from amazon. I started supplementing Magnesium Taurate and Magnesium oil is also in transit from Amazon. I don't have access to FIR but started utilizing the dry sauner a year ago at the gym everyday for 15 minutes at 175-180 degrees upon reading Detoxify or Die and Detoxification and healing. I stopped a couple of weeks ago when I discovered severe breakouts on my back. I think it became too overwhelming for the body with the keto switch. But I do believe it may be time to invest in FIR and a filtration system. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Third_Density_Resident]

Concerning the various paleo-friendly sweeteners, I have not yet seen any discussion on this thread about dextrose (the main naturally occurring form of glucose). Dextrose is like sugar but with all the fructose removed (i.e. the evil component). I know that some people on the paleo diet prefer this to Xylitol because it has no laxative effects, although unlike xylitol, it can still contribute to tooth decay. However it is six times less sweet than sugar and xylitol, so you need more of it than Xylitol or sugar to get the same amount of sweetness.

Dr Mercola says: "After eating fructose, most of the metabolic burden rests on your liver. This is NOT the case with glucose [i.e. dextrose], of which your liver breaks down only 20 percent. Nearly every cell in your body utilizes glucose, so it's normally "burned up" immediately after consumption."

I have been using dextrose at times instead of xylitol because I cannot have more than a teaspoon or two of Xylitol per day without getting abdominal pain and/or diarrhoea.

 

[anart]

Concerning the various paleo-friendly sweeteners, I have not yet seen any discussion on this thread about dextrose (the main naturally occurring form of glucose). Dextrose is like sugar but with all the fructose removed (i.e. the evil component). I know that some people on the paleo diet prefer this to Xylitol because it has no laxative effects, although unlike xylitol, it can still contribute to tooth decay. However it is six times less sweet than sugar and xylitol, so you need more of it than Xylitol or sugar to get the same amount of sweetness.

Dr Mercola says: "After eating fructose, most of the metabolic burden rests on your liver. This is NOT the case with glucose [i.e. dextrose], of which your liver breaks down only 20 percent. Nearly every cell in your body utilizes glucose, so it's normally "burned up" immediately after consumption."

I have been using dextrose at times instead of xylitol because I cannot have more than a teaspoon or two of Xylitol per day without getting abdominal pain and/or diarrhoea.

Wouldn't eating glucose interfere with staying in ketosis, especially in the quantities necessary for the same sweetness as xylitol? I only had the stomach upset/cramps when I first tried xylitol - that doesn't happen anymore, now it just makes me quickly gain weight.

 

[dugdeep]

Concerning the various paleo-friendly sweeteners, I have not yet seen any discussion on this thread about dextrose (the main naturally occurring form of glucose). Dextrose is like sugar but with all the fructose removed (i.e. the evil component). I know that some people on the paleo diet prefer this to Xylitol because it has no laxative effects, although unlike xylitol, it can still contribute to tooth decay. However it is six times less sweet than sugar and xylitol, so you need more of it than Xylitol or sugar to get the same amount of sweetness.

Dr Mercola says: "After eating fructose, most of the metabolic burden rests on your liver. This is NOT the case with glucose [i.e. dextrose], of which your liver breaks down only 20 percent. Nearly every cell in your body utilizes glucose, so it's normally "burned up" immediately after consumption."

I have been using dextrose at times instead of xylitol because I cannot have more than a teaspoon or two of Xylitol per day without getting abdominal pain and/or diarrhoea.

Dextrose is glucose and glucose spikes blood sugar, causing an insulin response; exactly what you are trying to avoid if you want to acheive or stay in ketosis. Fructose gets processed through the liver and gets converted to fat (or glucose), so it may be considered more 'evil' by some, but really both halves of the sugar molecule have their issues. Yes, any carbohydrate that you eat, be it sweet potato or a snickers bar, is composed of glucose and is going to cause blood sugar to rise and insulin to be released. But you have to be careful about your choice of carbohydrates, favouring starches from veggies over sugars for one. Eating any sort of refined sweetener is going to cause a severe blood sugar effect compared to a more slow digesting, low glycemic option.

Short answer: dextrose is basically sugar. Don't eat it.

 

[mcb]

...My question is, is there anything else I may have overlooked that would alleviate my symptoms and the now seeming brain flu. I appreciate all input and assistance.

Learning is fun.

If I start having unexpected problems I back off on the supplements -- they are the first thing I suspect. When I first starting taking bile acid salts together with betane HCl, I had a bad reaction (diarrhea/constipation cycles). if there is anything wrong, like GI tract problems, the bile acid salts are the first thing I stop taking (the HCl doesn't seem to be a problem). My housemate had similar problems with it too. You might be sensitive to that or to something else. Watch for clues.

I like to take a "detox cocktail" at the start of every morning, that includes a few grams of vitamin C. Titrating it has not provided any obvious benefit, and I suspect that it might have been causing problems. My tolerance level is up to around 30 grams/day too, and I just don't want to take that much for any length of time (it's expensive!). (Call it instinct.) It may not needed anyway on a ketogenic diet. The only other supplements I take currently are L-carnitine (prevents cramps, to which I was already prone), L-glutamine, a multivitamin, and fish oil + cod liver oil.

 

[Third_Density_Resident]

Concerning the various paleo-friendly sweeteners, I have not yet seen any discussion on this thread about dextrose (the main naturally occurring form of glucose). Dextrose is like sugar but with all the fructose removed (i.e. the evil component). I know that some people on the paleo diet prefer this to Xylitol because it has no laxative effects, although unlike xylitol, it can still contribute to tooth decay. However it is six times less sweet than sugar and xylitol, so you need more of it than Xylitol or sugar to get the same amount of sweetness.

Dr Mercola says: "After eating fructose, most of the metabolic burden rests on your liver. This is NOT the case with glucose [i.e. dextrose], of which your liver breaks down only 20 percent. Nearly every cell in your body utilizes glucose, so it's normally "burned up" immediately after consumption."

I have been using dextrose at times instead of xylitol because I cannot have more than a teaspoon or two of Xylitol per day without getting abdominal pain and/or diarrhoea.

Wouldn't eating glucose interfere with staying in ketosis, especially in the quantities necessary for the same sweetness as xylitol? I only had the stomach upset/cramps when I first tried xylitol - that doesn't happen anymore, now it just makes me quickly gain weight.

Yes I guess it would interfere with ketosis. I really need to do a lot more research into it. In any case I am trying to cut down on having to use any kind of sweeteners.

 

[Peacemaker]

...My question is, is there anything else I may have overlooked that would alleviate my symptoms and the now seeming brain flu. I appreciate all input and assistance.

Learning is fun.

If I start having unexpected problems I back off on the supplements -- they are the first thing I suspect. When I first starting taking bile acid salts together with betane HCl, I had a bad reaction (diarrhea/constipation cycles). if there is anything wrong, like GI tract problems, the bile acid salts are the first thing I stop taking (the HCl doesn't seem to be a problem). My housemate had similar problems with it too. You might be sensitive to that or to something else. Watch for clues.

I like to take a "detox cocktail" at the start of every morning, that includes a few grams of vitamin C. Titrating it has not provided any obvious benefit, and I suspect that it might have been causing problems. My tolerance level is up to around 30 grams/day too, and I just don't want to take that much for any length of time (it's expensive!). (Call it instinct.) It may not needed anyway on a ketogenic diet. The only other supplements I take currently are L-carnitine (prevents cramps, to which I was already prone), L-glutamine, a multivitamin, and fish oil + cod liver oil.

I agree. However, my tolerance was at 2g up till Monday morning. Then it began to climb with the low carb flu. I'm playing with the idea of taking it easy with keto switch until the liver is less sluggish and gut a little more optimum. I'll experiment with with cutting out some of the digestive aids and see how it helps.

 

[Laura]

Don't know if you take N-Acetyl Cysteine, but it has been a life-saver for me. Google it. That's one of the few supplements that I still take almost every day. Sometimes, two or three times a day.

If you've been taking the dextrose, you haven't been fully in ketosis...

Anyway, there IS a nasty flu bug that is going around anyway so you just may have gotten it and it has nothing to do with the diet except that your body hasn't fully adapted yet and is getting mixed signals about how to cope. It can take awhile on the diet for DNA to give the orders to switch a lot of systems.