what's the diff between trypsin and chymostrypsin?
Both are enzymes produced by the pancreas and fall under the protease enzyme group which helps break down protein. They each focus on different amino acids.
what's the diff in breaking down protein between betaine w hcl and trypsin?
Two different processes and areas of the body where they function.
Betaine hydrochloride (HCl) is to help lower the pH (increase acidity) of the stomach so that the initial break down of large food particles in the stomach is supported and to help kill pathogens.
The pancreatic enzymes are released by the pancreas into the duodenum via the pancreatic duct. Or if you take pancrelipase pills, the enteric coating will get them through the stomach acid bath and into the duodenum, where they are activated. The pancreatic enzymes help further digest the partially broken down food particles (bolus), that come into the duodenum from the stomach, into usable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids.
how do you define low carb? <100 g carbs per day? < 30g carbs per day? something else?
'Low carb' is different per person. Some people can handle a much higher load through e.g. genetics, pancreatic function, basal metabolic rate (calories needed to keep the lights on), exercise level, brain usage and other energy requirements. When you are at a healthy body composition, 100-150 grams per day is fine unless you have (pre-)diabetes issues. If you are an athlete or perform a lot of sports and heavy energy use activity you could go a bit higher. The type of carbs is important for your health. No need to worry about non-starchy vegetable carbs. All the simple carbs, added sugar in all the various forms and simple carbs in processed foods are the problem that no one needs.
When you are eating Primal or Paleo it is easy to go lower as you are not eating processed food and very limited starchy veggies. I have to go quite a bit lower since my pancreas does not produce enough insulin anymore. Anyone with (pre-)diabetes should also go lower than a healthy person. (Which sadly is a third of the US now)
I may have 1 potato, a tablespoon of rice, or a table spoon of pasta total in a week or two, but see them more as a treat. Many weeks I will have none. The only wheat products I do is a slice or two of old school organic sourdough (no yeast, just water, whole grain flour, salt, seeds and natural leaven), a small cookie once in a while as a treat, or if the rare small bit of pasta contains wheat.
how do you test? do you find the urine strips to be a decent measure?
Urine strips are inaccurate except for maybe an indicator of being in ketosis in the very beginning. I use a glucose meter and a ketone meter that requires a strip and a drop of blood from the finger. I used to check how my body reacted to everything I ate ( I do not drink calories) to study my own pattern, and to know which foods I had to cut out, or how much exercise I needed to do before bed to lower my blood sugar level to a healthy level. The KetoMojo meter will do both using different strips.
In the morning, pre-breakfast, I would test both ketone level and glucose levels to check if I am still maintaining. Now I only do so sporadically to keep myself honest and check whether there has been any more deterioration.
It truly is an eye-opener to see how your body reacts to what you eat or drink. This is why 'low carb' will mean different things for different people.
You do not want to get fasted measurements over 100 mg/dL in the morning, and you want to see ketones.
HbA1c of 5.2% is a 6-8 week average that equates to around 100 mg/dL.
My ketone blood level was between 0.4 and 1.7 (mmol/L) before breakfast, just by following my regular Primal diet, and eating within a 10-12 hour window. If I skip breakfast ketones climb.