Warrior fast today. I did my first measurements with the Ketonix this morning, 12 ppm, which puts me firmly into ketosis.
We are thinking that we will both do a fat fast next week.
Rockin' October
marklifestyle
(Mark Rhodes)
#114
The week of color at Devil’s Lake there is an obscene amount of people. We went about four years ago with the dogs and regretted it. However my two dogs ( a Newfie and a Great Pyrenees ) both climbed the Devil’s Doorway path better than most of us! At first I thought your photos were Rib Mountain, which I believe is closer to you.
Darcy
#115
Yes it is closer, we are hoping to take the kids up there next weekend to ride the lifts. Another gorgeous location. Wisconsin is a great place to live… when not 20 below and buried in snow and ice.
Darcy
#116
Thanks, you flatter me. I don’t understand GLP-1 analogs very well, but they are used by Dr. Nally for patients who are not getting their blood sugar under control with keto. I should probably talk about these as a class of drugs called incretin mimetics. They are injectable drugs.
The drug I heard Dr. Nally discuss on the Keto Talk podcast was Symlin, which is a synthetic version of the hormone amylin, or an amylin analog. I think (but can’t say 100%) that it is different from the other incretin mimetcs in that it provides a substitute for amylin instead of stimulating your body’s production of amylin. Amylin is the hormone that tells glucagon to stop telling the liver to make more glucose. It seems that if amylin is low, then the liver over-produces glucose, which would explain high blood glucose readings in the absence of a high carb diet. (@VLC.MD found some info about scary potential side-effects of Symlin, FYI.)
Victoza is a true GLP-1 mimetic, and I heard Nally mention that one in passing on a “Doc Talk” video. He thinks it is fantastic, but didn’t get into it more than that. GLP-1 mimetics work to lower blood glucose by increasing the body’s secretion of insulin (I am not a fan of that part), slowing gastric emptying and making you feel full, and decreasing glucagon. Dr. Richard Bernstein uses these products to assist with weight loss because of the improved satiety (he goes into these in detail in his book Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution Ch. 13 “How to Curb Carbohydrate Craving.”)
I need to research more on the risk of the dangers of taking Symlin. To me it sounds like just what I need, or at least I won’t know unless I try it. (There is no way to test for amylin levels apparently. So if it’s low, I would know if it improves with Symlin.) It is very tempting, because it seems like nothing else works and there is no good explanation for how high my blood glucose goes on keto than if my liver is over-producing glucose – there is nothing to tell the glucagon to shut up.
However, maybe this will get better with more fasting. There has been some improvement, though without extended fasting the sugars seem to just climb right up. I have yet to try consistently doing a 42-hour schedule. I should probably give that a shot before going to pharmaceuticals (I have given them enough money over the years).
Then there is that pesky question of dairy. I keep reading “some people react badly to dairy” in terms of blood glucose. I want to research that further.
By the way, I am going to start a blog because I need somewhere to keep track of all these things I am exploring. It is hard - you read about something in a forum or hear it on a podcast and it sounds like something worth checking out, but life gets busy and it slips away…
Anyway that is my attempt to summarize about incretin mimetics including GLP-1 and amylin analogs.
OldDoug
(Doug)
#117
Wow, Mark, what a great pair. 
My wife had a Great Pyrenees in the past, and we plan to get those same two breeds you have.
Any chance of a picture of them?
marklifestyle
(Mark Rhodes)
#119
They are now strict keto as well. Herakles, the white one has a small tumor on his canine. It is not life threatening but is cancer. We got strict on his diet and it has not grown according to CT scans since January. As it is non-metastasizing there is little chance of it deteriorating his jaw or growing enough to block his nasal passage. treatment would be roughly 10K. He just turned 7, as did my Newf. So they both eat semi cooked organ meat, some kale or spinach. Coconut oil added and salt.
We all vacationed in Kentucky and Tennessee in August. They we unleashed almost the entire time. Enjoyed camping, the lakes and mountain trails and rivers. I take them everywhere with me, if possible. If not, mostly I don’t go.
Helewisa
#121
Great job of explaining the incretin mimetics, and I would have to look into it more myself to really retain that type of information. Just the way my brain works…slow and steady!
As for the potential side effects, yes, I would want to know a lot more about that before giving it a try. Your body has had a lot of “treatments” and giving yourself the best care is essential.
The problem with amylin is curious and as you say, if the BG began to come down more rapidly/consistently with these GLP-1 drugs, then you would know you’re onto something. Again, another hormone that cannot really be measured with accuracy. At least not yet. I think they are just so fleeting in their presence/dissipation that hormones present more of a problem with the current methods or standard methods of measurement?
It will be a good blog, more info regarding keto and your n=1 experiments, queries. It will certainly help to educate more people and that is what we need.
The dairy. Hmmm. I had some steak tips at a restaurant tonight, paid too much and got only about 4 oz of meat. They had smothered them in some sweet teriyaki sauce too, so I had to segregate them and ask for melted butter. Then I bought some cheddar at the grocery and munched on that in my B&B room! 
Dairy…the go-to high fat, moderate protein food of my choice!
gatita
#122
Hey y’all – I’ve been off the forums for a week and it feels like a year!
I have a houseful of family who had to evacuate the Northern California fires. Thank goodness their house is still standing, we are so grateful. No idea when they can go home.
But… I’ve managed to stay keto even while cooking with and for them and despite so much worry. I even naturally IFed all week. I think fasting really helps when you’re under extreme stress.
Hoping to Zornfast this month, but I won’t do it if my family is still here when it starts. They have enough to worry about without them trying to make me eat!
ourtown
#123
Another warrior fast today. Tomorrow I will be off work and out and about, so I will probably eat normally.
collaroygal
(KCKO, KCFO)
#124
Glad your family is safe with you.
Glad you also kept ketoed on through all the stress, etc.
PugsDigMusic
(Donna )
#125
Two weeks IF/EF and I’ve lost 13 lbs. Woot woot!!! 
To celebrate, I bought myself a pair of winter ankle boots. (I hardly ever buy shoes.)
I figured with all the money I’m NOT spending on food, I deserved a pair of $40 shoes. LOL
OldDoug
(Doug)
#126
This morning was the start of the 5th day of my current fast. 5 days is the longest I’ve gone before, and felt a bit weak/sluggish early today. Now it’s afternoon, did quite a bit of work through the day, and feeling good. Should be no problem continuing.
Only a few transient surges of hunger, surely with a large mental component - triggered by reading a description of a meal being made in a novel, and seeing pictures of food on this forum. Been hitting the pink salt a couple times a day, and a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar plus a splash of magnesium citrate, mixed in a cup of water. No real rhyme or reason here - it’s just something to do and I’ve got the stuff handy.
On this fast, overall there has been a positive sense of mental alertness, and a slight “thrumming” feeling, like my inner workings/metabolism are revved-up somewhat. Checked my heartbeat, and dead on a nice, even 72 beats per minute, which is probably lower than normal for me. Over the years, with weight gain, the heart rate and blood pressure went up.
Likely around 12 fasts for me of 3 days or longer, and they definitely get easier with practice.
gatita
#127
Wanted to Zornfast, but too much going on. Heading back to the fire zone tomorrow with family after the evac orders were lifted today.
But I’ve been naturally IFiing all week and found I lost a few pounds in the process, so all good.
I’m going to keep IFing for the next week or so until life settles back down. Then I hope to join those of you who are extended fasting!!
ourtown
#128
Back to a warrior fast today. I feel better on my warrior fast days than I do on my “normal” eating days.
ourtown
#129
The week was kind of a wash, I managed a warrior fast on 3 days. Next week the wife and I are doing a “fat fast” for five days, we will see how it goes.
I broke the fast last night with the tofu shirataki noodles. Imo they are pretty good so long as you rinse thoroughly, dry fry and bake. Yesterday was with shrimp and pesto, I’ve also made them with red sauce and meatballs, and another time with tuna and cheddar + cream cheese. All versions were rated PG (pretty good).
VLC.MD
(VLC.MD)
#131
And what fat sources ?
And what is the goal of the fat fast ? Weight loss ?
I think fat fasting could be a neat tool. Would like to hear about what it does and doesn’t do, and its tolerability etc.
Start a fat fast thread and tell what you Ate and the results !