"Life Without Bread"

[Don Genaro]

Well today is day one of the protein control. I downloaded that program you linked to Gertrudes. It's very nifty indeed! Here's the link again for anyone who may have missed it: _http://download.cnet.com/Nutrition-Facts/3000-2129_4-10773427.html?tag=mncol It makes protein and carb calculation very easy!

Just had 20gms of protein (2 homemade sausages, made from high fat belly pork and 1 egg from my non hormone eating, non antibiotic taking chickens. They still eat gmo meal - I'm trying to wean them off it but they seem addicted! I've also found it's extremely hard to find non-gmo meal which tells me something about all the "organic" free range eggs sold here in Spain). All fried in delicious beef tallow I rendered at home.

Yesterday I had a revelatory moment at work. As I mentioned I've been having extreme lethargy and muscle fatigue moments at work lately and I sensed that it wasn't only about carbs or protein. It was also about stress. At my job, you have to eat between 12 and 3pm, ready or not. The most problematic days for me are when I work 1-9pm. It usually means I've gotten up maybe 9 or 9.30, had breakfast at 10 and so I'm often not that hungry until after 3. Yesterday, I was sent to lunch at 2.30. Since I've been reading the books here and starting to learn how digestion actually works, as well as getting in touch with what's actually happening in my stomach, I could feel my breakfast digestion almost complete but not quite. I realied how my breakfast, was moving out of the stomach into the duodenum for the next stage and I realised how much damage I could do by eating another meal at that moment. So I decided not to eat and went to my car for a smoke. The release I felt was amazing- almost like my body was saying "thank you so much!". As I sat smoking, I felt the "pangs of hunger" and started to realize how much the stress of the situation was affecting me, e.g. "eat now or miss out" (we also get only half an hour to wolf down our food). I went to the canteen and sat down with my colleagues but then my stomach said again: "not yet". So as I wasn't eating my colleagues asked me why and I said I wasn't hungry. One of them said then that I looked ill. I couldn't explain to her that I wasn't ill but I was feeling very stressed and I just wasn't hungry then and thought it would be worse to eat when I wasn't hungry. She then gave me the meme: "Well I think that even if you're not that hungry you should eat something small at least". Anyway, after I went back to work and my boss had left around 4pm I was hungry and I sneaked into the office and had three small chicken thighs and a cup of lettuce in olive oil. It was still a lot of protein I realize but the results were I didn't get my afternoon slump or muscle fatigue. I had a very slight "brain shutting down" feeling (nothing compared to what I had been regularly experiencing) wich lasted only momentarily and may be related to the relatively high dose of protein.
So an important discovery I think. Something a lot of us know: stress affects digestion hugely!
I really have to work on planning meals so that I don't have this situation in work. Maybe having breakfast slightly later and then just taking a snack into work which I can eat discreetly in the afternoon when I'm actually hungry.
In spite of the fact that it seems we need to watch the protein levels too I do agree that it's good news with regards to saving money and being able to afford better quality meat which reminds me- I have to go to the butcher's ;)

 

[Gawan]

Okay, with the protein restriction (started yesterday with about max 80 grams) something is definitely going on with my body, yesterday I felt almost the whole day very hungry, needed to to take a nap and ate only in the evening a little bit over the amount of proteins.

Since yesterday I'm decreasing constantly the insulin rate for every hour. So I ate half an hour ago 4 eggs to get minimal carbs and with about 80grams of butter and the stomach is not complaining. For the reason that I'm at home I don't have to hurry and rush and can plan my day as I want to and looking forward how it further develops. :)

 

[Scottie]

I'm also having a hard time with the psychological/emotional elements myself and have started trying to research and work through them.

I thought that was a problem too until I experienced the end of cravings with adequate fats in the diet and drastically reduced carbs. I also noticed, as others have, that it is the carbs themselves that create the cravings. Of course, some people may have a much stronger psychological component, but as I mentioned before, a whole lot of issues with vague and persistent "longings" or feelings of lack of fulfillment in all kinds of areas of life just go away with the healing of the gut, intake of proper nutrition that actually digests properly, and the subsequent sorting out of brain chemistry. It's like the chicken/egg question.

I think it's important to remember that the brain and gut are intimately linked. Doing the low-carb, high-fat thing is NOT just about simply healing your body as the machine that carries around your brain. When your body is not processing nutrients properly, and is obtaining energy from less-than-optimal sources, your brain can be screwed up in all kinds of ways: emotional thinking, foggy head, lack of motivation, etc.

That can also mean that you will make less-than-optimal dietary choices. In short, you don't eat optimally because your brain is screwed up because you aren't eating optimally. And it sure does seem like the end of the world!

The one thing that seems to be universal across the board is resistance to even seriously trying this diet. Ya know, "But I need carbs for energy!" or "My blood sugar will go crazy!"

So, I think some patience - and even faith - is required. I suppose one could say, "You can't think with the way you eat".

Because, at the end of the day, anyone reading this thread can see that others have had some amazing results. In my own case, it was probably a bit easier. We're supposed to be deriving 33% more energy from running on fats, and I now eat 33% fewer meals than before. As an engineer, I really appreciate that as a serious improvement in efficiency! ;)

And I don't want to freak anybody out, but I was also thinking last night that there may be a very good reason to stick to this diet: food shortages. If we can run on a little bit of protein and a lot of fat, we will be able to not only survive potential shortages, but even think clearly and function very well while everyone else is going bonkers since they aren't getting their daily carb fix! I mean, just imagine the chaos that would ensue if the herd didn't get their daily dose of food-drugs... And that's to say nothing of potential DNA changes!

You might even say that making this dietary change now is much like conscious suffering... until things really kick into high gear and the body adjusts, anyway.

Granted, we are learning as we go along. But then, that's always the case. So, whatever issues anybody has, just stick with it. I think the end result will be WELL worth it - in more ways than one.

 

[Laura]

Okay, with the protein restriction (started yesterday with about max 80 grams) something is definitely going on with my body, yesterday I felt almost the whole day very hungry, needed to to take a nap and ate only in the evening a little bit over the amount of proteins.

If you are feeling hungry, try eating a bit more fat. One thing I do is put a slice of butter on my plate and put a small chunk of it on every bite I eat just for the extra fat. If that doesn't do it, increase the protein. You may need more protein for various reasons. (And so may others.)

Since yesterday I'm decreasing constantly the insulin rate for every hour. So I ate half an hour ago 4 eggs to get minimal carbs and with about 80grams of butter and the stomach is not complaining. For the reason that I'm at home I don't have to hurry and rush and can plan my day as I want to and looking forward how it further develops. :)

Keep experimenting and find what feels right and comfortable. The idea is to try to reduce the protein to a level so that it won't get converted into carbs but NOT TO BE HUNGRY!!!!! If you can't get enough fat in to appease the hunger, make adjustments!

 

[Laura]

PBPM has an entire chapter on fatty acids including arachidonic acid. She writes:

{...]

Series-2 prostaglandins are manufactured from arachidonic acid (AA), also an omega-6 fatty acid, which is commonly found in organ meats, animal fat (especially pork), eggs, butter, and seaweed. They are typically associated with pro-inflammatory processes (though this is a little overly simplistic). Both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory compounds can result from AA, and this is partly mitigated by the presence of insulin.

Series-3 prostaglandins are manufactured from omega-3 fatty acids, more specifically EPA, and are found abundantly in exclusively grass-fed meats, wild-caught cold-water fish (such as salmon and sardines), fish oil and krill oil supplements.

Worthy of comment here is the widespread controversy and vilification of arachidonic acid (AA), an important form of omega-6 fatty acids, by the popular writer Barry Sears, author of "The Zone Diet", who insists that this omega-6 fatty acid is to be avoided at all costs due to its pro-inflammatory properties.

Commonly found in liver, butter, and eggs, AA comprises 11 percent of the fatty acids found in the brain, and it is absolutely required for healthy cognitive functioning as well as being necessary for healthy inflammatory response following injury. There is also more recent evidence that the interaction of AA with vitamins A and D is absolutely essential for healthy neurotransmitter functioning. It is additionally the precursor to what are known as series-2 prostaglandins, some of which are inflammatory and some of which are anti-inflammatory.

There are no bad prostaglandins, only imbalances. Lipids researcher Dr. Mayr Enig writes:

Sears also asserts that perfect balance of the various prostaglandin series can be achieved by following a diet in which protein, carbohydrate and fat are maintained in certain strict proportions. This is a highly simplistic view of the complex interactions on the prostaglandin pathway, one which does not take into account individual requirements for macro and micro nutrients, nor of imbalances that may be cause by nutritional deficiencies, environmental stress or genetic defects. Like all systems in the body, the many eicosenoids work together in an array of loops and feedback mechanisms of infinite complexity. Furthermore, liver and eggs are both highly nutritious foods. Liver supplies DGLA, a precursor of the Series-1 prostaglandins, and both liver and eggs supply DHA, an important nutrient for the brain and nervous system. Arachadonic acid found in butter and eggs is also an important constituent of cell membranes. (Enig 2001)

Up to 20 percent of the population may actually be deficient in AA. Individuals with the genetic metabolic disorder pyroluria actually have a much higher requirement for AA and much less need for omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, not all AA derivatives are necessarily pro-inflammatory. Excess insulin because of high-carbohydrate diets, however, strongly influences the prostaglandin pathway toward inflammation and is ultimately the biggest culprit in chronic inflammatory disorders, especially when coupled with excess vegetable oil consumption.
...
The optimal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids seems to be about 1:1 and no more than 1:4. Modern diets are supplying as much as 1:20.

What to do?

Ensure intake of viable omega-3 fatty acid sources or supplements.

Eliminate dietary grains, legumes, feedlot meats, and vegetable oils (a little olive oil is okay) as well as other sources of sugary and starchy carbohydrates.

Completely avoid all trans fats including margarine, vegetable shortening, processed foods and baked goods, canola and soybean oils, commercial salad dressings, and fast food.

In the end, research seems to indicate that additional omega-3 fatty acid supplementation over and above that needed to remediate deficiency states can be additionally beneficial to cognitive functioning. Inuit diets that were studied were shown to contain anywhere from 14 to 20 grams or more. That 14,000 to 20,000 mg per day in combination with protective saturated fat...

If in doubt, it can't hurt to supplement.

Now, what is pyroluria?

What is pyroluria?

Pyroluria is a genetic condition that causes anxiety, depression and withdrawal most often starting in late-teens and continuing throughout the person's life. It can be very severe or very mild and very much affected by levels of stress. It's onset usually occurs with a traumatic incident such as going away to college or to the army, parental divorce or death of a loved one. There may be severe depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism, autism, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder) or on rare occasions, DID (dissociative identity disorder more commonly known as multiple personalities) in the family tree. All of these are different manifestations of pyroluria.

Pyroluria is a blood disorder. When the body produces hemoglobin, a constituent of red blood cells, there is a byproduct called kryptopyrroles. Normally harmless, in this group of people the kryptopyrroles multiply too rapidly and block receptor sites for B-6 (pyrodoxine) and zinc leading to a serious deficiency of these two nutrients. Among other things, B6 and zinc directly help maintain a healthy emotional state.

Though pyroluria was identified over 40 years ago, it has only been recognized as a medical condition for about 10 years and many mental health practitioners are not taught about it in school. People with pyroluria don't respond well to common anti-depressants such as SSRIs and are often suicidal. It's wide-spread and estimates as high as 20% of all psychiatric patients and 40% of people with schizophrenia have pyroluria. It seems to affect women more than men. And the sad truth is that most people with pyroluria go undiagnosed.

More: http://www.naturopathyonline.com/PatientRoles/pyroluria.htm

and the pyroluria quiz: http://www.naturopathyonline.com/PatientRoles/pyroluria_quiz.htm

 

[Laura]

I probably should have talked about this sooner. I've been feeling depressed because I can't seem to "get on board" with this meat thing. I like fats am quite aware of it's benefits and know that carb is my kryptonite. So again upping fat and lowering carbs isn't the issue and I have no problem with that. Can't I get my fats and protein from small oily fish, chicken, turkey and occasional eggs cooked with ghee and coconut oil?

Sure, why not?

We've mostly given up on chicken and turkey because they don't seem to agree with most of us here except occasionally. But whatever floats your boat! I would try to eat eggs every day, though. But read what I just posted about arachidonic acid. I think you might want to look into this pyroluria thing.

I am obviously not in optimal health. Though my health has improved tremendously over the years:no more knee aches and cystic breasts and I lost some weight. Incorporation of meats like chicken and turkey improved my iron deficiency but I still have some issues. For example, my fibrioids haven't gone away though they've shrunk with progesterone cream. My long controlled asthma however returned when i tried to incorporate red meat and I got bronchitis this weekend. The latter may just be a thing going around, but I was the only one that got it. Ennio thinks my problem may be because I not getting enough fat. Dunno what it all means yet. Suggestions welcome.

You probably aren't getting enough fat. You need saturated animal fats for omega-3s to work properly. And you certainly need to be supplementing with omega-3s unless, of course, pyroluria is involved.

This arachidonic acid sensitivity is interesting. How does one deal with that if that were the case?

As you can see, that may not be the case.

I've been reading and rereading these diet threads. Ordered the books and the hubby is reading the vegetarian myth and I'm next so maybe I will gain more insight as I read.

I think that "gaining more insight" is an understatement where "The Vegetarian Myth" is concerned.

Life without bread and cutting the carbs isn't the issue as that is a no brainer. I did atkins several years ago (though with dairy and fish since I didn't eat meat then) and went into ketosis. When I went into maintenance stage I also learned that more than 74g carbs per day was a no no for me. With 72 being the limit per the book it's more than doable.

Less is certainly better. Especially since insulin reacts with certain substances and this could be at the root of the problem.

So I was all excited to incorporate what we have been learning here regarding life without bread this time, especially since I have been dairy, bread free and beginning to incorporate meats. However, it's been difficult physically and psychologically. Chicken, turkey, small fatty fish are no problem but red meat makes me sick to my stomach and I get eczema like rashes in the creases of my arm and my on stomach.

That's happened to several people and the general idea is that it is possibly excretion of toxins through the skin or related to poor digestion. See the quoted text from PBPM some posts back.

I reacted similarly to buckwheat last year and when I stopped eating it it went away. I thought maybe with this meat it was candida. I had been taking nystatin/fluconazole and rotating with other anticandida supplements for months. Once I stopped the red meat the rashes went away.

With the almost no carb diet, there's really no need to pursue other anti-candida measures. If they have nothing to eat, they die. Eating meat and less carbs may have caused this to happen so it could be indirectly related to the meat, but not exactly as you think.

It helps to know that some my symptoms are not unique and lots of folks here are pushing and finding what works best. But I still feel inadequate because I just cannot tolerate what I keep reading as the best for my health-namely high quality fatty meats like pork and beef, etc. I did two straight weeks of pork, goat or lamb. We cook with butter or coconut oil {better to cook with lard or beef tallow or bacon fat - geeze, people are so afraid of fats it's amazing! What a mind job!} and I worked at keeping under 20g of carbs. By the middle of the second week I had more energy and felt very little hunger but my stomach was in knots constantly. I actually vomited a few times at work shortly after eating red meat so I stopped last week. I wish I didn't have to eat at all.

You may need to check out the pyroluria thing or something related. Also, get a real perspective on food by reading "The Vegetarian Myth."

Basically beacon tastes really good but within 20 minutes the horrible stomach aches start, later diarrhea same with beef. Goat and lamb I tolerate better with no diarrhea but I still get bloating and slight nausea and after a few days of eating a small goat burger for lunch or breakfast my ankles feel swollen. Even eggs give me slight nausea but I can get away with it if if it is hard boiled, cold and drowned with mayonaise and salt.

Sounds like you aren't digesting anything at all properly nor are you assimilating the nutrients needed to heal this dysfunction.

Psychologically it has been weighing on me. I've been told that maybe it is difficult because I feel I am different and the diet doesnt' apply to me or I don't believe it deep down. There is some merit. I think the benefits of low carb and high fat diet does apply to me.

Obviously, since you had more energy, lost weight, felt better on the diet. But obviously there are some other things to suss out here, not the least of which is imbalanced brain chemistry.

However, deep down I am not sure red meat works for everyone and I am one of those for whom it doesn't work.

Only time will tell. However, of all the protein foods available, that is the form that is most perfectly suited to the human physiology.

I will say I also love green veggies and have had to struggle with cutting it down but managed to do it.

I like some green veggies too and I have them when I want them. We generally have lettuce on the table at breakfast because there's just nothing better than lettuce and bacon with mayonnaise! I have the odd helping of green beans or broccoli occasionally. Maybe a spoonful of carrots or beets now and then. Or raw carrots and raw beets shredded with mayonnaise. Not much of that because it can set my tummy off!

It's also odd not having fruit in the house and I have adjusted to that.

I do love fruit too! But when you really start grokking what insulin does to your body and the fact that there was no such thing as sweet fruits during our millions of years of evolution, you realize that it is definitely not good for the human organism.

Instead I have coconut milk and pure coconut water (as my carb) and I don't react to coconut.

Why not just have some green beans fried in bacon fat or butter? Or mushrooms soaked in butter?

We haven't had flaxseed or hemp milk and I even stopped buying my leafy greens because of what I am learning.

You don't have to give up lettuce - just eat it sparingly!

I still have soft cooked zucchini, spaghetti squash or peas/ string beans while paying attention to the carbs but I am thinking of eliminating that those too to see if it helps.

The spaghetti squash and peas are high in carbs, but string beans are pretty low and I think zucchini is, too. If I don't want it, I don't feel any need to "get my carbs" at all. Some days I think I only have about 5 grams by accident!

With all of this going on I also had to get allergy tested for work because I carried an epi pen and worked with rodents. I had extreme reactivity to pork and beef. We did several different tests including skin and blood using three different assays. Though the skin test result for beef showed less sensitivity than the blood test, they came back consistently positive for reactivity along with dairy.

Gaby can address these tests but, in general, I understand that blood and skin tests can be highly inaccurate and even misleading.

I tested for all the things my daughter is also allergic to. I am not allergic to fish and fruits like she is and was told that family members will have allergies but to different things.

Did you read about Pottenger's cats? And how what we eat affects our children?

At the time I didn't test for goat and lamb because there were concerns about my insect venom reactions during the tests which I had to do over several days. Based on how I have been the last few months I expect that I may react to the goat and lamb though not as extremely as pork. I've suspected that this could be leaky gut from years of a mostly vegetarian diet, psychological resistance etc, possibly even an infection from an unrecognized tick bite of the sort I've read on SOTT that confers red meat allergy.

Could be the case. You can probably get your protein needs met with mostly fish and poultry, but you really do need those saturated fats from meats to make everything work properly. Maybe if you spend a few months really concentrating on trying to heal your leaky gut, things will improve?

I am not sure if it would be arachidonic acid because I should react to turkey or butter/ghee which I don't. Or maybe it is the ghee even if I don't feel bad from it, I am after all allergic to milk.

I can't tolerate any dairy but I've gotten so much better that I can use regular butter instead of ghee.

I will experiment there but I am wondering about emotional issues too and need to find a way to get over that if it is. {Again, look into this pyroluria business.}

One sign of an emotional issue for me was that I was reading an email where someone said something to the effect that they don't think vegetables should be eaten by anyone and it upset me. Or rather I took it a certain way and immediately thought, I shouldn't eat ANY vegetables at all????

Yup, brain chemistry is off, sounds like!

I also keep thinking of when my daughter who has multiple allergies was resistant to eating seafood. She kept saying it made her feel ill and I thought she was just being resistant and kept trying to get her to eat it because I felt she needed the protein. Then she had a really bad reaction after multiple exposure and we learned that she was severely allergic. Now her lips will swell up if the utensil she uses touches fish. I felt horrible for putting her through that. I know my situation is not as extreme as hers, but my mind started going and I began to wonder if my feelings about mammalian meat comes from a similar place as my daughter's about seafood or is it just displaced identification and guilt.

Hmmm... what element in fish is she allergic too? Have you read "The Aquatic Ape" theory? If it's anywhere near to going in the right direction, it would mean that we evolved our brains on seafood primarily, not red meat. And the composition of our brains is such that it seems to be so. The human brain is mostly omega-3s... while the brains of primates is mostly omega-6s.

So how can a child get allergic to the food she is evolved to eat? Think Pottenger's cats?

I take digestive enzymes with meals, {what about hydrochloric acid and ox bile? Do you take the enzymes throughout the day on an empty stomach, too?} also been taking carnithine every day for over a year, glutamine off and on etc. {The L-glutamine is the most important along with omega-3/krill oil. Psyche can tell you how she had Atriedes taking this several times a day after he got out of the hospital.} Yet I still react to the meat. I don't know what to do. I just read the list of things that suggest HCL deficiency and will up that as well and see. All of this tells me that while I am intellectually in tune with the diet, my psychological issues around red meat (which I admit could be driving the physical reactions) leaves me feeling disconnected and wondering why I can't just get with it already.

Pyroluria??? Or just messed up neurochemicals from years of malnutrition due to leaky gut?

 

[brainwave]

Well, I hope you'll let go of this inadequacy idea and be patient and gentle with yourself as it seems like you've got a double whammy to contend with - an intolerance to beef & pork [though hopefully temporary?] and psychological/emotional elements to contend with as well.

Thanks for the tips Black Swan. Handy info to have especially if struggling with eliminating addictive carbs. I was thinking my psychological element was not so much about missing the food but maybe I do miss my greens. It is more about incorporating stuff. I do have issues with eating mammals not because there is a moral superiority. I just couldn't stand witnessing animal slaughter as a child. That also made me sick to my stomach. So now I probably internalized it in a way that makes me sick to my stomach when I eat it. But I know that we need to eat to live. Animal meat provides the optimal source of nutrients and we sure will need to be in the best of health to deal with our reality even if I really wish I did not need to eat meat for that. I just have to figure out how to get the necessary fuel I need and not stress out because it makes me feel ill. Essentially figure out how to prevent it from making me ill.

Do I enjoy other protein and fat meals prepared a certain way, yes? I love fish steamed in oven with salt, black pepper tarragon and lots of butter. Can I do without it if I feel it isn't optimal? yes. So the elimination is less the issue and incorporation of certain things is. Similar to your flight attendant years, my cheerleader/dancer years also put an emphasis on being thin and how I ate was a part of maintaining that. However the underlying issue for me has been poor hunger signals I guess from repeated cycles of starvation and binge like eating after realizing I hadn't eaten in a while. That was many many years ago. Today I don't have cravings per se except during PMS or if I feel especially stressed. EE and coconut water helps. One problem I still have is a tendency to 'forget' to eat and have to remind myself to do so. My typical habit for the past 7 years of so would be that I would go throughout the busy day only to realize that I hadn't eaten all day or something then grab the easiest thing which was gluten and dairy. That is not a habit I miss at all. But it does take focus to eat.

The exercises you suggested sounds good. Thanks for sharing though I am partial to EE :). When we embarked on this journey to becoming healthy as a network, EE was and still is instrumental in dealing with my relationship with food. When I get worked up like ' geeze I have to get something to eat', I often have to drag myself to go fix something or raise my head from what I am doing and take a few bites of what Ennio puts in front of me. A couple of pipe breaths really helps to focus there and keeps the idea that it is food for health over food for enjoyment. It is odd because I enjoy cooking meals for others and experimenting with ingredients, I just don't care as much about to eating it for myself.

In sum, it's less about cravings psychologically and more about having to eat meat and feeling depressed about not being able to get with it, especially after more than a year of detox, several liver cleanse, anti-candida etc. I guess I need more time to heal my gut. I was putting pressure on myself too. Part of it coming to a head is also having this darn bronchitis. There's nothing like feeling sick to make you even more depressed. The silver lining in that is sitting home recovering gives me the time to catch up on my reading of the recommended books we recently got.

 

[brainwave]

I take digestive enzymes with meals, also been taking carnithine every day for over a year, glutamine off and on etc. Yet I still react to the meat. I don't know what to do.

Perhaps some of the physical issues are due to a sluggish liver?

Maybe try Dr. Gaby's Recommended Sluggish Liver Protocol? :)

Milk thistle 140mg (with 80% silymarin) three times per day
ALA 100mg twice a day
Vitamin E 800 IU per day
Vitamin C 4-6g per day
Magnesium 400-1200mg (up to bowel tolerance)
Digestive enzymes (which you've said you're taking)

Digestive enzymes are more recent but the sluggish liver protocol was pretty much standard every day along with NAC for over a year though. Still do take pretty much those every day except the ALA, which gives me a burning sensation like indigestion so I do it more like twice a week. More recently I as having a lower daily dose of vitamin C (2g) except these past few days with bronchitis where I went up to 15g.

The digestive enzymes include
ox bile (maybe why I feel yucky when I take it)
HCL
Pancreatin (protease, amylase, lipase)
Bromelain
Diastase
cellulase

Then there are probiotics that I take.

I'll finish reading the books and see about a plan that I can discuss here.

 

[Gimpy]

Pyroluria?

Took the initial symptom test, and got 16. (12 is considered high enough for testing.)

Figures. I've got everything else, why not THAT? This gets very very frustrating....and at the moment it doesn't appear to be improving. Its still take two steps forward, and three backwards.

Between sluggish liver, no carbs, quitting coffee, and general autoimmune crap, I've about had the course today.

 

[brainwave]

Well,

just took the Pyroluria quiz. Scored 13.
Will look into getting tested. Had a classmate with this problem and she got injections.

To answer the question regarding my daughter's allergies, She reacted to specific types of fish tested.
Shell fish and fresh Cod, and anchovies. So the allergist suggested to keep her away from fish period since. She asked to see if she could try salmon recently and got the itchy tongue and swollen lips which was odd. This is usually the start of her reaction so it seems large and small regular fish as well as shell fish is a problem. She was exposed to my breast milk during a time that I ate a lot of fish. I was informed that she would probably have allergies because of the problems during pregnancy and drugs I was given. Some studies I've read seems to confirm that.

I haven't read the book about pottenger's cats but have read about his studies several times and know about the diet. I was taking taurine as part of detox.

Gimpy, I understand the frustrations. I do believe we have to figure out how to work with, overcome etc the genetic and environmental crapshoot we've been given and not let it deter us from our goals. So what we and you are doing with eliminating coffee and other damaging stuff and incorporating healthy foods is learning how to do just that. We can turn on beneficial genes and turnoff harmful ones in the process. It's not easy, it's frustrating and to realize that I have an issue can't just snap my fingers and get it done, but our reality doesn't work that way. I'm not sure it would be much better either to be just being able to snap our fingers and change things. Either way you're not alone on this journey. It's a process and I think we can get where we need to be or at minimum do what we can to try to get there, we just need to keep taking the steps.

Hugs.

 

[Laura]

Between sluggish liver, no carbs, quitting coffee, and general autoimmune crap, I've about had the course today.

Are you taking L-glutamine and colostrum/lactoferrin for gut healing? Omega-3s? (we take 6 grams a day, 2 of them 3X) ??

 

[Laura]

I haven't read the book about pottenger's cats but have read about his studies several times and know about the diet. I was taking taurine as part of detox.

Here's the post with that excerpt:
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,22916.msg281388/topicseen.html#msg281388

 

[Gaby]

The digestive enzymes include
ox bile (maybe why I feel yucky when I take it)
HCL
Pancreatin (protease, amylase, lipase)
Bromelain
Diastase
cellulase

I think you need to take HCL separately. The dose in your standard digestive enzymes might not be enough. You need to have that warm feeling after taking that supplement in your belly.

L-glutamine under your tongue will also help against cravings. Throughout the day it will fuel your brain while you become ketoadapted and heal your gut, which will be the key. Focus on healing your gut.

 

[Ollie]

Since I started posting about AA, I took the test, and scored 11 - just below the recommended level to get tested. Just started taking L-glutamine and will look into colostrum/lactoferrin for gut healing. Taking 4000mg (2000mg x 2) of fish oil a day.

Will change the source of my eggs to see if I can increase from 3 a week which seems to keep AA at bay, as above that at the moment it's nogo.

Or perhaps it's just messed up neurochemicals, from either leaky gut or neonatal trauma.


Edit: added last paragraph.

 

[Gimpy]

Between sluggish liver, no carbs, quitting coffee, and general autoimmune crap, I've about had the course today.

Are you taking L-glutamine and colostrum/lactoferrin for gut healing? Omega-3s? (we take 6 grams a day, 2 of them 3X) ??

Yes on L-glutamine, and omega-3's (though I have to be careful with fats because of chronic diarrhea.)

I've also been taking DGL (sugar/flavor free) for abdominal cramping.

I've avoided colostrum, thinking it had to do with dairy, for some reason.

Yesterday and today I've been stuck indoors with severe diarrhea, and its making me snippy. Apologies.