new empowher.com article: "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Top Ten Reasons I'm Low Carb"

[Jody]

I've written a new article for empowher.com called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Top Ten Reasons I'm Low Carb.

 

[liverock]

Jody

With all that meat I guess this is an Atkins Diet. Is this so and are you still eating 3lbs of meat a day?

I used to work with a man who went down with CFS and had to retire from work at the age of 40.
Eventually he went to a doctor who convinced him to give up grains and dairy and he was working again the last time I saw him with a full recovery.

The low carb diet didnt work with me, I'm best on a mixture of fat and carbs.

High meat can increase acidity and leech calcium out of the body and you can end up with osteoporosis.:worried:

I would also get your urea levels checked, high protein is hard work on the kidneys.

 

[Wonko]

Atkins is an ultra low carbs diet - less than 100g of carbs a day - in fact less than 20g a day during the initial stage - it also advises against eating fruit and veg - it is NOT a typical low carb diet

low carb diet would be between 100-400g of carbs a day - as much of this as possible should be from fibrous carbs (non starchy veg etc.) and none should be from refined simple carbs (sugar, pasta etc)

Atkins is NOT a good example of a low carb diet

btw you can avoid any potential kidney/acidity issues quite easily - drinik water!!!!

thank you for the article Jody - whilst low carb isnt for everyone I am sure that many could be helped, at least partially, by it

 

[serenity]

i started about a week ago, i gave up sugar & all white carbs. it's been helping a bit i think, the first couple days i had energy i am not used to - then not as much but i am gonna stick with it. i am thinking it is helping.

 

[Victoria]

Great article once again, Jody,

And as an avid fan of high protein/low carb, I can second your approach to eating. Works for me too.

It's not the Atkins diet though, Liverock.

Every time I eat the wrong thing (carbs, as in bread, pasta etc), I get lethargic & tired. There is no mistaking the improvement.

 

[liverock]

Victoria

So what do you eat to get your high fat and protein?

 

[Jody]

Jody

With all that meat I guess this is an Atkins Diet. Is this so and are you still eating 3lbs of meat a day?

I used to work with a man who went down with CFS and had to retire from work at the age of 40.
Eventually he went to a doctor who convinced him to give up grains and dairy and he was working again the last time I saw him with a full recovery.

The low carb diet didnt work with me, I'm best on a mixture of fat and carbs.

High meat can increase acidity and leech calcium out of the body and you can end up with osteoporosis.:worried:

I would also get your urea levels checked, high protein is hard work on the kidneys.

liverock,

I initially started on the Atkins Diet because that was the information that was most at hand for me. I don't know what I'd call it now. I just avoid most carbs other than most vegetables as much as I can, stay away from sugar, processed foods, junk in general. And I major on meat and healthy fats and oils. And it works for me.

Alot of people don't do well low carb. My daughters wouldn't for instance. Husband doesn't need to keep carbs as low as I need to, though he has cut way back too because he feels better when he does. Less heartburn and stomach upset.

I went for years not knowing what to do, what to try, what might help. I was 10 yrs into my CFS experience before I heard a hint about low carb being maybe something I could try. So I really want to make sure the idea of it is out there as much as I can, for those who need it and nobody has suggested the possibility to them yet.

Not to worry about my kidneys, ol' buddy. I did some research for a couple empowher articles not too long ago and the idea that an abundance of protein is hard on the kidneys is incorrect, except for some cases of kidneys already damaged or diseased.

I ate 3 lbs of meat a day for probably about a year. Then I gradually ate less because I was less hungry. I didn't need as much of it anymore. I probably eat ... just guessing here ... somewhere between a lb and 2 lbs.

It works very well for me. Not to say it makes me totally healthy. That's not happening yet. But when I don't do this, I begin to get sicker within days. So ... this is the way for me.:Retro smile:

 

[Jody]

Atkins is an ultra low carbs diet - less than 100g of carbs a day - in fact less than 20g a day during the initial stage - it also advises against eating fruit and veg - it is NOT a typical low carb diet

low carb diet would be between 100-400g of carbs a day - as much of this as possible should be from fibrous carbs (non starchy veg etc.) and none should be from refined simple carbs (sugar, pasta etc)

Atkins is NOT a good example of a low carb diet

btw you can avoid any potential kidney/acidity issues quite easily - drinik water!!!!

thank you for the article Jody - whilst low carb isnt for everyone I am sure that many could be helped, at least partially, by it

Wonko,

I agree with you about the kidneys and drinking water. Trying to keep other elements as alkaline as possible doesn't hurt either.

Actually, a real Atkins diet is not a bad way to go. There is alot of misinformation out there about the Atkins Diet, but I was on it for some months before I felt comfortable enough to just go it on my own. I would recommend it to anyone who felt they did better with more protein and fats and less carbs. Absolutely.

And I agree, that for whatever the percentage of the population (especially of the chronic population) that would do better on low carb, it's vital that they know the option is a viable one. So much of the media just trounces it. The other side needs to be heard.

 

[Jody]

i started about a week ago, i gave up sugar & all white carbs. it's been helping a bit i think, the first couple days i had energy i am not used to - then not as much but i am gonna stick with it. i am thinking it is helping.

Hi danib,

The first few days can be a bit weird, there's a real transition going on. The more so for someone who's chronically ill. By Day 2 or 3 I remember feeling hyper (CFS style, at least:Retro tongue. I had more energy than I'd had in a long time. Felt almost like too much, I couldn't settle well. But within another day or so that evened itself out.

Some people apparently have a longer transition time and don't feel good for some weeks. This wasn't the case for me, it was a matter of days for real change to be felt.

I hope you give it a good solid chance, and I hope it makes a big difference in your health and well-being.

 

[Jody]

Great article once again, Jody,

And as an avid fan of high protein/low carb, I can second your approach to eating. Works for me too.

It's not the Atkins diet though, Liverock.

Every time I eat the wrong thing (carbs, as in bread, pasta etc), I get lethargic & tired. There is no mistaking the improvement.

Hi Vicki,

Yup, you are my partner in Low Carb. Good to see you on this thread.

That feeling unwell that happens when eating carbs again -- that would be enough to keep me low carb. That stuff is really bad for me.

 

[Jody]

Victoria

So what do you eat to get your high fat and protein?

I know you addressed this to Vicki but I thought I'd butt in anyway.:Retro tongue:

The protein sources I do best with are red meat. Beef and pork. Poultry is good too but if I were to eat only chicken or turkey for more than a day or two I walk around with the vague sense that something is ... missing. Fish is great as well for a meal, but then I need to get into some red meat or I feel hollow.

Can't eat eggs, I developed a sensitivity to them about 9 years ago. Do eat cheese, not every day because it is carby too but a couple times a week feels fine. More than that I start feeling bloated and I get indigestion. Nuts are ok if it's very rarely. I will get pain in my stomach if I eat much of them.

So I mostly go by how the stuff makes me feel.

Fats are an interesting subject. If you think people get a bit nervous at the idea of majoring on meat they become agitated at the notion of going out of one's way to eat more fat.

But that's what I'm doing recently. I'd incorporated non-hydrogenated coconut oil (only a tsp a day because I really hate the stuff -- but eventually I will work up to more) after reading about its effects on Alzheimer brains and the recovery in part or in whole that it has brought about. Also use olive oil and butter (and cream with my half-cup of coffee each day). And 1 -2 tsp of fish oil every day.

I go for meat that has fat on it and I don't cut it off and throw it out. I eat the skin on chicken, I don't take it off and replace it with bread crumbs or flour -- that is like a double whammy for me.

I don't use most oils that are omega- 6 if I can help it (sometimes I can only afford the cheap stuff but otherwise I steer clear). I may incorporate grapeseed oil when I can (it is expensive). It's a good omega- 6.