Dr Boz Keto continuum for autoimmune?

autoimmune
science
fasting
(E P) #1

What do ya’ll think of Dr Boz’s Keto Continuum book/protocol? It’s aimed at insulin resistance, but I’m fixing autoimmune. Anyone tried these methods?

Stages 1-4 get to 2mad, less than 20g total carbs

Stage 5. 16/8 (I usually live here :raising_hand_woman:‍♀)
Stage 6. Advanced 16/8 - water, salt, black coffee outside eating hrs
Stage 7. 23:1 OMAD - water, salt, black coffee outside eating hrs
Stage 8. Advanced 23:1 OMAD - daylight only

Stages 9 - 12 36 - 72 hr fasts

She says that as you adjust to one stage, glucose drifts up and ketones down, necessitating progressing to the next stage to get the same low glucose/high ketone ratio (Dr Boz Ratio).

My analytical nature loves a good N=1 so this appeals to me on that basis. I’ve been keto since 2022 and mostly eat sardines, beef, and eggs with various fats to get to 80/20. My RA is not completely dormant, though.

Does chasing ketones through increased, well, deprivation really work? For autoimmune, especially? Or is this the way to crazy town? :upside_down_face:

(KM) #2

I can say that EF was helpful in “stair stepping” weight loss. I’d lose a couple of pounds while fasting, keep a pound of that off for good, step down again like that with the next fast (typically 72-200 hours every month or so). Since completing the weight loss journey about 2 years ago the weight has stayed off. I can’t speak for autoimmune though, sorry.

(Megan) #3

A couple of questions. Is the aim of this protocol to fix insulin resistance really quickly and in what situations is this necessary?

Why does glucose drift up, necessitating moving to an even more restrictive way of eating? That defies very low carb eating, doesn’t it? And if it does indeed drift up, what happens when your body adjusts to the final stage?

I can’t comment on any usefulness for autoimmune disorders sorry.

(E P) #4

@MeganNZ, yes, fixing insulin resistance is the main goal her book addresses - she only mentions autoimmune , cancer, and seizures in passing. But they may be all linked to insulin. My Dr says that in clinical practice, every endocrinologist knows that when you put someone on Metformin or some other insulin controlling drug, their autoimmune symptoms cease.

quote=“MeganNZ, post:3, topic:122144”]
Why does glucose drift up, necessitating moving to an even more restrictive way of eating? That defies very low carb eating, doesn’t it? And if it does indeed drift up, what happens when your body adjusts to the final stage?
[/quote]

Many carnivores do see rising blood glucose, me included. Dr. Bikman says resting glucose in 90s or 100s may be fine in the carnivore context (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MEzAvos1jak) while obviously Dr. Boz thinks it’s not.

@kib1 thanks for sharing your fasting experience. How did you grow accustomed to it? I get cold and sleepy so quickly.

(KM) #5

I usually felt very energetic when fasting, in fact I found it difficult to sleep. Cold, definitely, spent a lot of time in the bath!

#6

200 hours of fasting monthly?

That was my question as well

I have never heard that. I have Hashimotos and it was never suggested. Also, there are different actions for diabetes medications. Some control blood sugar rather than insulin which should not matter for autoimmune. My issue with most endocrinologists is that these are the same people who were telling diabetics up until a few years ago (maybe 2016 or 2018?) to have carbs at each meal because they were following the guidelines from the ADA. Even now the ADA still encourages 25% of calories from whole grains and starchy vegetables, low fat dairy and fruit
https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/eating-healthy

I have stopped fasting unless it happens by accident (busy during my eating window and not hungry later). I used to lose weight exactly the same way as @kib1 described. However, I never got to my goal weight and started regaining. This was in 2018. In the last year I have started limiting my eating window to 11-5 except if I have semi special plans (dinner out with friends every other week for example). I also exercise more mostly because I have rediscovered tennis and enjoy playing not because I want the exercise although of course I do (had been playing tennis for two years but did get more active in the last 6 months because I am playing better). Not sure what is working but in a little over a year I have lost 30 lbs very slowly. Some was weight that I had regained in 2018 or during the pandemic but the last few pounds are new. I used to have a 2-10 eating window and that did not work as well because dinner would trigger cravings

(KM) #8

No, usually more like 72-96 hrs, but I did go more than a week a couple of times in that 2 year period. ETA I don’t do it any more either, although I’m starting to feel like 3 days might be a nice clean up. I don’t need to lose more weight but I feel a bit … Sludgy?

(Bob M) #9

Metformin might work for (certain?) autoimmune diseases:

Getting a little cold while fasting might not be bad, but if you’re getting cold quickly and for a long time while fasting, that could be a bad thing. Fasting might be reducing your basal metabolic rate.

(E P) #10

I wonder. How can you tell whether it’s a good stress or a bad one? I have normal BMI, if that makes a difference. Thanks for the link to the study!