Questions for Jason Fung and Megan Ramos

(Andrew Roberts) #150

KCL is Potassium chloride - Morton’s Salt Substitute. The recipe is about 3/8 tsp of baking soda and I think 1/8 tsp of Morton’s Salt Substitute in 1l of water. It works great and is much cheaper than buying Endurolytes or one of the commecial electrolyte mixtures.

#151

Ok, misread that. I ordered some pure KCl a few months ago and mixed my own “lite salt” using that mixed with pink salt. It’s worked well. Much healthier and tastier than the Morton’s crap plus no fillers. Makes a great ketoade when added to water and a 1/2 teaspoon of calm magnesium.

(Bill DeVore) #152

I’ve used Cavender’s Salt Free Greek Seasoning, which uses KCL in place of NaCL for years in recipes, or a quick greek dressing. I see it has sugar in it, but not enough to make the carbs > 1 on the label. Anyone used this? Any issues?

p.s. it tastes great!

(Andrew Roberts) #153

Bill, the only reason I use KCL is on a fast. We have plenty of potassium in our food. Dr. Gabe Mirkin says the only cases he has seen of potassium deficiency have been bolemia-related. I don’t believe in salt substituting. In fact the most recent on salt is that the medical community has had this all wrong for 50 years or more. We need salt and even managing high blood pressure by salt reduction is a bad idea, because it does so by dehydration. Dr. Fung Tweeted a great interview on Dr. Oz with Dr. Nicolantonio, author of the The Salt Fix. I think the story on salt will be as mind blowing as low carb and high fat. The food guide and medical community was wrong on these two and now “three strikes your out.” Salt is good!

(Bill DeVore) #154

Yeah, agree, and I’m not replacing salt, I’m using this as an additional source of potassium - I liberally use many good quality natural salts in my cooking. But, I like the Cavender’s Greek seasoning, and if you need KCL during fasts, it could be a better tasting way of getting some. ~Regards

(Bill DeVore) #155

Ketostix (urine ketone testing)

I’ve heard all of the podcasts on how you should test blood, not urine or breath. The common issue I hear on the urine ketone testing is that it becomes inaccurate after you’ve been in keto for a few weeks. But, what if it doesn’t?

I started Keto on 22 Jan 2018, a little more than 6 weeks ago. During that time, I’ve been testing urine ketones mostly daily, or every other day, in the early evening (6 pm). I use the TRUEplus Ketone Test Strips from NIPRO Diagnostics, available at Walgreens. At the end of the first week, they were up in the dark purple range, labeled as 80-160 mg/dL. Since then, they have consistently been in the pink/light purple range - 15-40 mg/dL.

Why haven’t mine disappeared? Am I not keto/fat-adapting properly? Is my body not using ketones efficiently (they’re not getting used and output in the urine)?

Just curious, thanks in advance.

Why am I not "using" my ketones?
(What The Fast?!) #156

Menstrual cycle question:

Pre keto, I had a very normal cycle - every 28 days on the dot and it lasted for 5 days. I had minimal cramping and minimal moodiness. After starting ketosis year ago, it became very irregular. After a few months of keto, it normalized (kind of) but ever since I started doing more extended fasting (2-5 days at a time), it got way worse. In the last six months, they’ve been anywhere from 34 to 40 days apart and never consistent. Right now I’m over 6 weeks out from my last one and still waiting. No insulin resistance, low fasting insulin, and before keto, I’d had all my hormones checked (via saliva and blood) and everything was fine.

This may be relevant, as it shows other signs of my body disagreeing with keto/fasting: I’ve also had an extremely difficult time losing on keto (only 2 lbs lost in a year even though I have 20 to lose per my last DEXA) and I’ve gained back almost every pound lost from fasting almost immediately. I’m also typically hungry during a fast.

Any thoughts on the missing/late cycles, so far into this lifestyle?

#157

Hi Jeanne,
Mine is gone now after a few months keto and a few fasts, I think fasting for 2-3 days helps the detox process. Good luck!

(Jeanne Wagner) #158

Glad to hear it! I have done a couple of fasts, the longest was 5 days. I think after a week or so more of OMAD I will get back to it. I really feel like I could tell a difference in my body after the longer fast. I know I can go beyond 5 days. I kinda want to see how far I can take it.

#159

I’m interested to hear the response to this. I have been keto or zc for long periods off and on over the years, and during the times I was committed to it, my cycles changed, but weren’t necessarily irregular. I have also been an IFer for many years as well. I recently recommitted to keto back in march and have incorporated alternate day fasting along with my usual daily if-ing, since the weight will not friggin’ come off & I’m about 50lbs over right now. Probably more, but that’s what I’m focusing on right now. Anyway, the alternate day fasting seems to be working well, as long as I do some sort of workout for at least 30 minutes a day, but I missed my first period ever. That never happens, well except when I’m preggo! LOL It’s only been one, so I’m not particularly worried. In fact, hallelujah! I’m 40, a Mother and single af. I couldn’t care less if I never get another period again, honestly. But, if this continues, I know that something’s going on that isn’t quite right.

(Briton) #160

Is intermittent fasting beneficial even when taking insulin for type 2 diabetes? How do we effectively lower insulin in order to burn fat when we have to shoot up the very thing that is keeping us fat?

(carl) #161

Just in case you thought these questions were going into the ether, Megan Ramos answered several of them on this week’s Obesity Code Podcast.

http://obesitycodepodcast.com/live-q-and-a-with-megan-ramos/

Why am I not "using" my ketones?
(Victoria Mc Coy) #162

Don’t know if this is still an issue for you, Jeanne, but Megan Ramos on recent Obesity Code Podcast said that ACV can really help with keto rash, ingested AND applied topically. Theory is it may have something to do with yeast issues. Not something I’ve had, but good to know for those who get it!

(Victoria Mc Coy) #163

And… @carl beat me to it! Sorry I didn’t read to the bottom of the thread first. It’s an excellent episode.

(Jeanne Wagner) #164

No problem! I have been using the ACV and it’s basically gone now. Even if approached from a lazy use like I did, it goes away. I just drank it in my water (still am), did not topically apply it or eat any berries.

(Jeanne Wagner) #165

I heard them! My keto rash question got on the show. How cool. :+1:

(Herma) #166

Salt! Everyone’s talking about adding salt during fasting. What to do if you have hypertension and swollen ankles, and take a diuretic daily? I supplement with magnesium and potassium but don’t use much salt. Up to a 24-hour fast I feel okay but after that I get wobbly.

#167

I think you need to discuss this with either your doctor or pharmacist. Some diuretics actually cause potassium to be retained ( a common antihypertensive one done this) so you may be endangering your health taking potassium along with this med. As others have found (including myself) hypertension resolves as your insulin levels drop, so it may also be that your BP is lowering naturally and that may also account for your dizzyness. Get it checked out xx

(Herma) #168

Thank you for the reply. I use Lasix, which is not potassium sparing, so my doc prescribed the supplements. I haven’t told her I’m fasting, she thinks I’m just doing keto. Not sure how she’ll react to fasting.

#169

Ah - good to hear :smiley:
You may not need to mention the fasting until you are ready.
Good luck!!