"Life Without Bread"

[Laura]

I think this is a very good point. When I make the sausage patties from the video I add a lot of spices (garlic, thyme, basil. sage and cumin). Originally, I thought that such a small amount would be negligible in each serving but when I actually ran the numbers it turns out that I am having 1-2 g of carbs per meal due to garlic and spices!

3DStudent, in TNAFANY it is stated that 12-15 g of your daily carb intake should come from foundation vegetables to provide fiber for digestion and I don't think the buckwheat and shortbread fall into that category :)

Keep in mind that the having of veggies "to provide fiber for digestion" is (from our point of view) just a nod to the mainstream diet thought police. They would never have been able to publish this book without massive attacks if they did not include that. As most of us (who have experimented) know, and from reading "Fiber Menace", you do NOT need "fiber from vegetables" for digestion. Exactly the opposite, in fact.

The only reason I eat any of them is because I like a little variety and there are some veggies I like. Also, they provide a medium for fats.

I was eating a half a sweet potato about every day but it is really too high in carbs so I cut it out for the duration. I love sweet potatoes so will eat them again later, but for now, except a few very low carb veggies that I like and use for getting in more fat, I'm staying away from them.

I'm still a bit low on energy but that actually fluctuates. Salt water and potassium helps.

Ya'll get to reading "Art & Science"...

 

[Thor]

I think this is a very good point. When I make the sausage patties from the video I add a lot of spices (garlic, thyme, basil. sage and cumin). Originally, I thought that such a small amount would be negligible in each serving but when I actually ran the numbers it turns out that I am having 1-2 g of carbs per meal due to garlic and spices!

3DStudent, in TNAFANY it is stated that 12-15 g of your daily carb intake should come from foundation vegetables to provide fiber for digestion and I don't think the buckwheat and shortbread fall into that category :)

Keep in mind that the having of veggies "to provide fiber for digestion" is (from our point of view) just a nod to the mainstream diet thought police. They would never have been able to publish this book without massive attacks if they did not include that. As most of us (who have experimented) know, and from reading "Fiber Menace", you do NOT need "fiber from vegetables" for digestion. Exactly the opposite, in fact.

The only reason I eat any of them is because I like a little variety and there are some veggies I like. Also, they provide a medium for fats.

I was eating a half a sweet potato about every day but it is really too high in carbs so I cut it out for the duration. I love sweet potatoes so will eat them again later, but for now, except a few very low carb veggies that I like and use for getting in more fat, I'm staying away from them.

I'm still a bit low on energy but that actually fluctuates. Salt water and potassium helps.

Ya'll get to reading "Art & Science"...

Laura, thanks for pointing this out - very good to know.

Just got "Art & Science..." and can't wait to start reading it!

 

[SeekinTruth]

I'm down to very few carbs a day. I was eating two tablespoons of buckwheat until recently and lettuce and some parsley and/or cilantro (and the occasional about tablespoon of greenbeans) but I've stopped eating those most days, as well, for the last week or so.

I'm eating only bacon and eggs and pork burgers with some onions in them and cooked with them. I am having a cup of cocoa on most days with 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of xylitol first thing in the morning with my first cigarette. I think I should probably stop this because the xylitol has 4 grams of carbs per teaspoon (the cocoa has 12.2 grams of carbs for the entire 100 gram pack, so there's very little in a teaspoon). Is 6 to 8 grams of carbs from xylitol too much at once in the morning? For the whole day I'm getting about 15 to 18 grams of carbs.

Oh, and I'm about a third way through reading "The Art & Science of Low Carb Living"

 

[Laura]

I'm down to very few carbs a day. I was eating two tablespoons of buckwheat until recently and lettuce and some parsley and/or cilantro (and the occasional about tablespoon of greenbeans) but I've stopped eating those most days, as well, for the last week or so.

I would keep eating the green stuff just for a little variety. I had two lettuce leafs for breakfast wrapped around a sausage patty and some bacon. Was very nice!

I am having a cup of cocoa on most days with 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of xylitol first thing in the morning with my first cigarette. I think I should probably stop this because the xylitol has 4 grams of carbs per teaspoon (the cocoa has 12.2 grams of carbs for the entire 100 gram pack, so there's very little in a teaspoon). Is 6 to 8 grams of carbs from xylitol too much at once in the morning?

12.2 plus 8 grams is 20 grams in that one cup of cocoa. Yet you say you are only getting "about 15 to 18 grams of carbs" per day. That probably gives you a sugar jolt that messes up the whole process for 24 hours or more.

You are doing kinda like I was and it was sabotaging the whole process. I would start the day with a cup of tea with a whole teaspoon of xylitol. Now I have only half a tsp and that seems to have worked. Obviously, half a tsp in cocoa is not going to make it drinkable. Best ditch it and have tea with a scant half tsp of xylitol.

 

[Gawan]

Still feeling nauseated and if it is getting worse at the moment.

Okay, after I went on the toilet I'm feeling better now, somehow I ate this morning rancid butter, where I wondered why it did taste so sour and before that I perfectly ignored all thoughts that I shouldn't use this butter.

Have you read all of the book I sent you? You ought not to be doing stuff without knowing exactly what you are doing! And rancid butter? Yuck! Be careful!!!

I'm working on it daily, to get more information from the book and other sites. And I'm careful, that's the reason why I'm doing it this week, cause I don't have to work, that means I can measure the b-s very often and can plan my day.

Here are two studies I found:

Carbohydrate restricted diets—comparable to the Atkins diet—have been used to reduce obesity and to improve blood control and insulin sensitivity in adults with diabetes type 2 (Dashti et al., 2007; Kirk et al., 2008). Lower insulin needs, fasting blood glucose, and HbA1c have been reported. However, diabetes type 2 does not tend to show ketoacidosis.

Despite the reported association between diabetes type 1 and certain epilepsy syndromes, for example, a fourfold increase in patients with IGE (McCorry et al., 2006), there are no studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of the classic KD in patients with both diabetes type 1 and epilepsy syndromes. There is only one report (Nielsen et al., 2005) about adult patients with diabetes type 1 without epilepsy on a low carbohydrate diet because of fluctuating blood glucose levels. After 12 months the rate of severe hypoglycemia was significantly lower despite a decrease of HbA1c from 7.5–6.4%. This improvement occurred while diabetes medication was successfully reduced.

[...]

Hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis as well as serious infections are critical situations in individuals with diabetes type 1 and must be considered when using the KD in these patients. In our case no growth retardation or other side effects were observed, and electrocardiography (ECG) was normal. Only one episode necessitating intravenous antibiotic treatment occurred. Because of our experience the KD can be used without negative effects on metabolic control in children with epilepsy and diabetes type 1.

_http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2010.02543.x/full

Abstract

Intensive insulin therapy and protein restriction delay the development of nephropathy in a variety of conditions, but few interventions are known to reverse nephropathy. Having recently observed that the ketone 3-beta-hydroxybutyric acid (3-OHB) reduces molecular responses to glucose, we hypothesized that a ketogenic diet, which produces prolonged elevation of 3-OHB, may reverse pathological processes caused by diabetes. To address this hypothesis, we assessed if prolonged maintenance on a ketogenic diet would reverse nephropathy produced by diabetes. In mouse models for both Type 1 (Akita) and Type 2 (db/db) diabetes, diabetic nephropathy (as indicated by albuminuria) was allowed to develop, then half the mice were switched to a ketogenic diet. After 8 weeks on the diet, mice were sacrificed to assess gene expression and histology. Diabetic nephropathy, as indicated by albumin/creatinine ratios as well as expression of stress-induced genes, was completely reversed by 2 months maintenance on a ketogenic diet. However, histological evidence of nephropathy was only partly reversed. These studies demonstrate that diabetic nephropathy can be reversed by a relatively simple dietary intervention. Whether reduced glucose metabolism mediates the protective effects of the ketogenic diet remains to be determined.

_http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0018604

Okay, it is with mice, nonetheless sounds promising.

 

[Laura]

Okay, it is with mice, nonetheless sounds promising.

You're right, it DOES sound promising. I just want you to be very careful. Type 1 is different in certain ways from Type 2. As you know, I know. And I guess that, like all of us, the whole tiredness thing, headaches, and other symptoms of transitioning just have to be gotten through in order to shift to a different metabolic mode.

Actually, I think it is kind of exciting to know that we can actually do this changing of our whole physical way of being. We don't even know what other benefits might accrue down the road.

One thing I do notice, though, is a persistent "fear of fat" in some people that is almost worse than fear of flying or fear of smoking! What's more, by eating low fat for so many years - whether by choice or just because that's how food is done nowadays - the liver goes quiet and getting it cranked back up and online WHILE also detoxing all the build-up in the body from years of the liver being sluggish, can be quite uncomfortable!

If our bodies were clean and non-toxic and all other things were equal, we could probably listen to them but since they aren't, we often have to suffer discomfort to get to that clean state.

 

[SeekinTruth]

I am having a cup of cocoa on most days with 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of xylitol first thing in the morning with my first cigarette. I think I should probably stop this because the xylitol has 4 grams of carbs per teaspoon (the cocoa has 12.2 grams of carbs for the entire 100 gram pack, so there's very little in a teaspoon). Is 6 to 8 grams of carbs from xylitol too much at once in the morning?

12.2 plus 8 grams is 20 grams in that one cup of cocoa. Yet you say you are only getting "about 15 to 18 grams of carbs" per day. That probably gives you a sugar jolt that messes up the whole process for 24 hours or more.

You are doing kinda like I was and it was sabotaging the whole process. I would start the day with a cup of tea with a whole teaspoon of xylitol. Now I have only half a tsp and that seems to have worked. Obviously, half a tsp in cocoa is not going to make it drinkable. Best ditch it and have tea with a scant half tsp of xylitol.

There's 12.2 grams of carbs for the entire package of cocoa (100 gram pack), so in one teaspoon it would be about 1.2 grams. But I'll stop anyway. I can drink Earl Grey tea with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Xylitol, or even none if I don't leave the tea in there too long -- like 2 to 3 minutes.

 

[Laura]

There's 12.2 grams of carbs for the entire package of cocoa (100 gram pack), so in one teaspoon it would be about 1.2 grams. But I'll stop anyway. I can drink Earl Grey tea with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Xylitol, or even none if I don't leave the tea in there too long -- like 2 to 3 minutes.

Best take it down to half a teaspoon. Mint tea on ice with a smidgen of xylitol is also excellent. It's so good I'm even thinking about using our "fizzy water" maker to make it like a mint soda!

 

[Meager1]

And I guess that, like all of us, the whole tiredness thing, headaches, and other symptoms of transitioning just have to be gotten through in order to shift to a different metabolic mode.

I find this kind of curious because it seems that I have taken to the elimination of gluten and now carbs like a duck takes to water! For me, this seems to be all working in reverse to what some of you are experiencing in that instead of feeling somewhat worst, or going through different stages of tiredness, nausea etc, I find that every carb eliminated now is experienced as almost euphoric.
My only real complaint had been an almost ravenous hunger for more meat..but adding the extra fat did take care of that and now, I am just feeling better and better!

I have energy like I haven`t had since I was a teenager, in fact I can`t wait to get started cleaning the upstairs bathroom today!

So I`m wondering why this is and if maybe blood type or some other genetic condition makes this transition to mostly meat easier, for some then others?

I have also been eliminating most of the gluten and now carbs, more gradually in my younger son`s diet, though he doesn`t know it, and he has even taken to the clarified butter without a complaint..and I have observed real changes in him lately as well.

For instance yesterday he was out sweeping the garage after informing me that he was going to make a small "bait shop" out there. What!!!!!!

After that he changed the muffler and the front tires on my car and then went with a friend to deliver scrap metal.

He seems to be much more motivated, has expanded his interests in areas he would have previously ignored ( changing tires etc,?) and seems to have a new found energy as well.

So for us, these changes have been nothing but miraculous, with little or no problems at all and I can`t help but wonder why, though I`m not complaining, because feeling this good finally, is just incredible!

 

[manitoban]

manitoban - where did you pick up the ketostix? At Shopper's D?

No, at Loblaw's pharmacy.

 

[manitoban]

Actually, I think it is kind of exciting to know that we can actually do this changing of our whole physical way of being. We don't even know what other benefits might accrue down the road.

Yes! I have the feeling that this is going to really change us in a positive way. (no anticipation as to how exactly, though. :) )

If our bodies were clean and non-toxic and all other things were equal, we could probably listen to them but since they aren't, we often have to suffer discomfort to get to that clean state.

It reminds me of the Work in a way, suffering and pain has to be endured to get our machines clean. Seems like the same process going on with cleaning our physical machines.

 

[seek10]

Also I wanted to point out to watch out for spices. I like to put a lot of spices like garlic and onion powder on food. Garlic powder is 6g/Tbsp, onion powder 5g/Tbsp, black pepper 4g/Tbsp. Herbs are pretty low in carbs: oregano is about 3g/Tbsp.

Hi 3D Student,

Even if spices have carbs - I can't imagine eating a Tablespoon of any of them at one time. :)

yes, but they are very small. Except salt, all mothers have traces of carbs

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art29428.asp
Portions are 1 tsp unless otherwise indicated. Carbs shown are effective carbs, the fiber was already removed.

Basil - 0.3g
Cinnamon - 0.6g
Dill - 0.4g
Garlic Powder - 1.0g
Nutmeg - 0.6g
Oregano - 0.1g
Paprika - 0.4g
Pepper - 0.0g
Rosemary - 0.2g
Salt - 0.0g
Thyme - 0.3g

After I stopped eating Eggs and Lever , I felt lack of appetite, more badsmell, but weakness came down little bit and ketone stick says "Medium" :)

 

[Gawan]

Okay, it is with mice, nonetheless sounds promising.

You're right, it DOES sound promising. I just want you to be very careful. Type 1 is different in certain ways from Type 2. As you know, I know. And I guess that, like all of us, the whole tiredness thing, headaches, and other symptoms of transitioning just have to be gotten through in order to shift to a different metabolic mode.

I know that! That's the reason why I keep on searching and reading other forums, what they experienced. Most often they didn't stick too long to the diet, cause they couldn't resist the other food. Last week I also asked my doctor about it in a small talk and he said, that it is normal that now ketosis sets in, when I don't eat carbohydrates anymore. I ask him then again.

I found also something, how to counter the side-effects a bit, it is thought for kids and with epilepsy:

Ketogenic diets used to treat seizures do have side effects, but they are predictable, often preventable, and do not usually lead to an immediate stop to the diet. Common ones include constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, and elevations of total cholesterol and triglycerides. More rare side effects, usually preventable, are kidney stones, bone density changes, acidosis, and slowing of height gain. Multivitamins with calcium, Vitamin D, selenium, and zinc must be provided. Some children need extra carnitine as well. Weight loss does not usually occur unless the dietitian recommends that the parents limit total calories in the diet. These side effects may be more common in children due to the restrictions on their carbohydrate and pro­ tein content using these diets and their different metabolic needs.

And from another site already quoted some posts before:

• Snack regularly. Having a protein-rich snack like a piece of chicken may ease the headache and other symptoms.
• Take vitamins. Especially with the lack of fruits and vegetables on a low-carb diet, it's vital to take a good vitamin and mineral supplement to keep your body in a healthy balance.
• Try a protein shake. Protein shakes with amino acid supplements can also be helpful for reducing symptoms of ketosis and easing this transition. Many different kinds of amino drinks are available and often are marketed to body builders.

At least the multi-vit did help me today too.

 

[Mr. Premise]

And I guess that, like all of us, the whole tiredness thing, headaches, and other symptoms of transitioning just have to be gotten through in order to shift to a different metabolic mode.

I find this kind of curious because it seems that I have taken to the elimination of gluten and now carbs like a duck takes to water! For me, this seems to be all working in reverse to what some of you are experiencing in that instead of feeling somewhat worst, or going through different stages of tiredness, nausea etc, I find that every carb eliminated now is experienced as almost euphoric.
My only real complaint had been an almost ravenous hunger for more meat..but adding the extra fat did take care of that and now, I am just feeling better and better!

I have energy like I haven`t had since I was a teenager, in fact I can`t wait to get started cleaning the upstairs bathroom today!

So I`m wondering why this is and if maybe blood type or some other genetic condition makes this transition to mostly meat easier, for some then others?

I have also been eliminating most of the gluten and now carbs, more gradually in my younger son`s diet, though he doesn`t know it, and he has even taken to the clarified butter without a complaint..and I have observed real changes in him lately as well.

For instance yesterday he was out sweeping the garage after informing me that he was going to make a small "bait shop" out there. What!!!!!!

After that he changed the muffler and the front tires on my car and then went with a friend to deliver scrap metal.

He seems to be much more motivated, has expanded his interests in areas he would have previously ignored ( changing tires etc,?) and seems to have a new found energy as well.

So for us, these changes have been nothing but miraculous, with little or no problems at all and I can`t help but wonder why, though I`m not complaining, because feeling this good finally, is just incredible!

Me too. I haven't had any negative effects. No carb cravings, no tiredness or headaches.

 

[Gertrudes]

I did have constipation and am going through some already reported intestinal problems.

When you quit feeding them carbs, the candida and other fermentation bacteria/flora/fauna/whatever in your gut begin to die off and you can lose a few pounds of them!!! And they can make you constipated until they are all dumped.

From what I recently calculated I must have been having about 20g of carbs a day, and more recently around 10g. Today I've had 2g so far, and might add just 2 or 3 more for dinner.

I ate whole chicken stew for lunch and felt a sudden fatigue and very mild headache afterwords that is still lasting. I purposefully didn't take digestive enzymes because I'm having chicken stew again for dinner and want to take them then to compare the difference. Maybe I'm feeling this way because I cut down even more on carbs?

This might seem strange but it seems to me that I do fine with meat that is fried or grilled, and if it is stewed, taken from the fridge without warming it up. I've eaten meat stew with its fat cold and did not seem to have much problems with it, but when I eat it warm, that's when it seems to seat on my stomach and I keep burping the fat, sometimes getting nausea or cramp. I'm not yet sure, but I'm noting everything down.

Added: mild headache is now turning into moderate/strong. And I'm feeling very tired with a bit of dizziness It's like I'm going back to where I was a month ago. Is it the sudden drop of carbs?