What if Keto Just Doesn't Work for Everyone?

(What The Fast?!) #123

I saw that vid, thanks! What else do you put in your smoothie?

#124

@applezz13 @KetoLikeaLady The thing about leafy green veg besides gut-nourishing fiber is the magnesium & minerals they deliver, along with good sun-charged water hydration. Similar to how good bone broth is a rich source of magnesium and other minerals. Magnesium is responsible for 18K bodily processes - and so, it makes sense to me that it’s a huge friend of midlife/menopausal females.

I think there is another way around Dr. Berg’s guidelines - as purchasing/storing or growing & harvesting such large servings of daily greens is impractical for many of us for at least part of the year, as is making bone broth. For me, I went the route of supplementing with liquid angstrom magnesium and with grassfed collagen peptides along with cortisol-reducing and digestion/absorption enhancing Ginger or Turmeric supplementation.

As an otherwise metabolically healthy 52 year old female who started the signs & signals of midlife changes at age 49, I credit magnesium + collagen + Ginger as significant allies in helping me make slow steady progress with LCHF/keto body recomp in a time of life when the body wants stability, it wants to to HANG ON to all fat, lololol.

I started LCHF/keto to address the inevitable fat gain that I knew was starting - and am very pleased that my midlife paunch is shrinking (tbh, going through squishy phases and swoosh phases) - and, most remarkably, my measurements have shrunken so that now with a 34" inch waist (on a 5’10 frame) I’m definitely well within the zone of healthy bodyfat levels - unlike when my waist was… 39" a year ago ( my frame sneakily carries excess fat well, but it was obv that by another ten years my slow fat gain was going be much more!).

The code of female midlife hormonal uproar can be cracked, and we have self-care/herbal/food/fasting allies to help us - because the laws of nature are such. Am very grateful to be living proof (most all other of my female bio fam have pathological female health probs and ever-increasing obesity upon midlife followed by various metabolic diseases, etc) that food is medicine. Also wanted to mention the new book Radical Metabolism by Ann Gittleman, PhD nutritionist. She basically is guiding midlife gals into low-carb/keto, and also emphasizing the importance of incorporating liver-soothing “Bitters” - the herbs & spices that assists the glands in detox and enhance mineral balance, etc. There are various ways to do that in both western european (Dandelion root, Parsley leaf, and others) & eastern traditions (Turmeric and Ginger both have bitter properties for example).

(Debi) #125

So much of what you say makes sense. I have been a plant based eater for the past 6 years, and I didnt eat any refined sugars - only fruit and I still kept managing to gain and lose the same 20lbs. ( I am a hairs breadth away from 50 (November)) and on the same time track as your body.

I started reading about insulin resistance ( found Dr Berg) and am noticing several things related to insulin resistance (weight gain, bad sleeping, not making the right hormones) we totally me. So my goal was to move from insulin resistance to fix my hormones and maintain a healthy weight.

Yep those 7-10 cups of veggies a day do cost $$ and take some jiggling to fit in. BUt as I mostly east plants, if I spend $50 a week on veggies, it is offset by the fact that I dont spend money on meat and dairy. I also do Hungry Harvest (www.hungryharvest.com) which is worth checking into if it is in your area. :slight_smile: ($15 a week gets you a BIG selection of veggies)

I didnt measure my waist 6 weeks ago when I started, but I think it was about 37 (based on how clothes were fitting)…it is now just under 33. My weight moved initially ( water loss) then stopped for almost 3 weeks ( noticed the squishy and swoosh) and the past 2 weeks I have lost another 6lbs. That seems to be paused right now again, so I must be entering a squishy phase again.

What I am seeing is, I sleep better, I am looking leaner. I am feeling stronger ( which is good because my job ( gymnastics trainer) is exceptionally physical. I have not noticed the energy that most people have…or the mental clarity yet, but usually pure plant based eating is what gives me the most energy (for the transition, I have had an occasional egg, and a small amount of cheese - but will be heading back to plant based in about 10 days time) so hope the energy will pick up when I am back to my normal.

I love turmeric and ginger - they are great anti inflammatory. I am allergic to motrin ( the trainers friend!!) so having herbs that help is great. When I first went plant based my inside numbers screamed victory in just 3 weeks. I had always heard “you are what you eat” and never realized the power of food. After seeing my BP, cholesterol and liver enzymes all plummet in 3 weeks after going plant based, I knew there was way more to it than a “saying”.

I am very much enjoying the “ride” and watching my body being given the time and space and resources to fix itself. Going to go check out that book you mentioned :slight_smile: As always thanks for you reply - lovely “talking” with you :slight_smile:

(Debi) #126

It varies from day to day, almond milk, a scoop of Garden of Earth vanilla protein, some unsweetened cocoa and 4 cups of spinach. Sometimes I add almond butter.

Another fave is Shakeology almond milk, spinach and a drip of peppermint oil ( tastes like peppermint patty!)

:slight_smile:

(Paula Green) #127

@SlowBurnMary thank you for the book recommendation - I think I will really enjoy it. Not out in Uk until mid October but I’ve pre-ordered. I’m also 52 and your post was just what I needed to read today. I’ve not been a big supplement person always believing that I can get everything from my food. But after three weeks of high dose antibiotics for Lyme Disease I feel it’s a path I need to go down.

(What The Fast?!) #128

This is helpful, thanks. Now imagine dealing with it at 36… :rolling_eyes:
I take a LOT of magnesium right now - 4 pills x 140mg of Magnesium Citramate each nite plus 2 sports salts which include a few hundred grams of magnesium in a different form. I recently started using collagen in my morning coffee but I stopped drinking coffee 6 days ago so I’ll have to start adding it to something else to get in again. As for ginger, I’ve been adding to my food daily since the test results came back and the liver support pills I take have turmeric in them.

I’ll look into the Radical Metabolism book as well.

#129

You’re very welcome!

Yes, enjoy the ride. It’s been a pretty wild one for me!

Yes indeed, 100% plant based LCHF/keto is indeed possible with the right supplementation - I just personally try to reduce supplements wherever possible, preferring the natural source. And I often ponder what is natural in a global industrial society. Very little, according to Lierre Keith’s book on industrial agriculture, called The Vegetarian Myth, and the moral/ethical/spiritual mess we’re in with industrial foods, food injustice, and the global food crisis.

Am very grateful for LCHF/keto’s enhancement of natural fasting capacity though - I’ve never been a faster, yet now easily go 20-24 hours without eating, which is so amazing when I think of the gifts it gives both mental and physical.

#130

I find the angstrom magnesium liquid under the tongue much easier than the pills myself - goes directly into the blood and doesn’t get waylaid by the digestive tract etc.

Regular dosages of Ginger as superfood/medicine can be tricky without taking capsules/pellets. Fresh Ginger cooked into food is really great for the palate and digestion, I love it so much! :herb:

But, being that I aim for around 1-2 grams of dry Ginger per day, I take it in capsule form for regularity of dosing. Back in ancient days, Ginger pellet pills were made by hand, using the dried powder and fresh Ginger juice to bind. (In the book the Yoga of Herbs, Vasant Lad has easy instructions for doing it, and someday I hope to organize myself well enough to make my own and stop buying the plastic bottles of capsules etc).

#131

You’re very welcome!

Yeah, transforming the microbiome and hormonal health via adaptogenics like Ginger/Turmeric can really help!

Re Lyme - it’s a hard road to travel in its maddening symptoms. There are some that point to the cause of it taking root in the body related to underlying EBV (epstein-barr virus) and/or heavy metal toxicity. I imagine that Ginger/Turmeric and the natural detox of breaking the carb/sugar addiction and its resulting metabolic derangement may go a very long ways in turning it all around! :butterfly:

(What The Fast?!) #132

I need the magnesium at least in some part in Citrate form because unless I take at least 500mg of mag a day, I have major :poop: issues.

#133

Recommend experimenting with the angstrom, much more uptake for your buck for helping 18K bodily processes, including harmonious elimination.

(Elaine ) #134

Yes Ketolikealady! I thought about that too! Before with carbs fine, no problem with carb ups, energy +++!

(Elaine ) #136

Hi again! I read the whole thing again and I was thinking…Have you tried going “carnivory” for a little while? À la “protein sparing fast” but maybe not necessary with the calorie restriction? Or with! You know, not much fat and high protein…Asking our body to use is own fat instead of the fat on our plate. And for me: The winter is here in Québec and there is very little in season veg and berries and I will still follow a in season woe, so more meat, fish, fat etc. And very little to no carbs…Hello Inuits! :slight_smile: