Thursday, January 22, 2015

the "why" dictates details

Exactly WHY each of us discovers the need to limit carbohydrates in our diets dictates the WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW....

Treating all low-carbers as a single demographic oversimplifies diet, and it's oversimplification which is the "enemy" in diet as in so many other things.

Most low-carbers are probably in it for the weight-control, but there are VERY many other kinds.  Diabetics reduce their blood-sugar and glycation issues through smoothing out the glucose roller-coaster and minimizing side-effect-laden pharmaceuticals.  People with neurological issues, from Alzheimers to migraines to excitotoxicity to epilepsy, find amelioration with ketogenic-level carb restriction.  Even high-level endurance athletes court a ketone- or FFA-based metabolism to improve their games.

I, a thyroid-borderline case with histamine issues, find LC very helpful to keep my system running smoothly, as well as using the paleo/ancestral version of LCHF to avoid problematic plant-based foods, and promote healthy aging.  I'll be a [GASP] sexagenarian in less than half a year!!!  ;-)

So what we should optimally EAT depends precisely on why we're "here."  Do you primarily need to lose weight?  Do you need to lower fasting blood-sugar or insulin?  Do you have an autoimmune problem?  Do you need your brain to run on ketones more than on glucose?  Do you need to eliminate gluten and simultaneously pursue a controlled-carb weight-control diet?  Do you have children whom you'd like to get off to the best possible nutritional start in life?  WHAT?

Define your problem, if you haven't determined your perfect diet already.  Find a similar person who writes online, with a similar problem.  Start with what works for them, and refine it to meet your own specific requirements.

Once you define what makes you feel GREAT and conversely, what makes you feel like hell, it's significantly easier to ADHERE to your ideal diet.  I tell ya, if my knee didn't give me problems when i eat whole grains, or if my gut didn't bloat with the wrong vegetation in it, or if my energy didn't tank when i indulge in certain foods, it would be MUCH harder to avoid an obesigenic diet!

8 comments:

  1. Tess, it took me 10 years to fine-tune what worked for me. I am now losing at a fine clip for a woman my age (65,the hardest to lose group). Ketogenic with IF (eating once a day usually, sometimes 2 if my body tells me it must) works best for me and I can handle all the dairy I want thankfully because I love it. I can tolerate small amounts of certain types of vegetables which I have identified don't cause inflammation in me. So it certainly has been a fact-finding mission by reading other people's experiences and experimenting. I think I've got it basically worked out.

    I am doing this not only for weight loss but, like you, have basically cured all my joint issues, resolved headaches and depression. Weight loss is usually what people start with, I certainly did, then they realize so many things start resolving. It took me about a month to realize all my joints we no longer hurting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. when we each find our optimal diet, it's "magic"! :-D great success story! hope you're staying warm and happy up there this winter....

      Delete
  2. I'm with Horfilmania and you...I have had t figure it out myself....I've found out what I can eat and what irritates me. I also, have the caveat of Celiac Disease to work with. I think it gives me an edge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :-) your incentives to stay "pure" have got to be particularly compelling! hurrah for LCP!

      Delete
  3. I started with ketosis for migraines and mood problems related to my hormonal cycle. I enjoy other health benefits and a complete control over appetite. I don't need any device telling me to stop eating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LC provides us a wide range of benefits! it just makes me want to scream when we hear that our medics were taught that what one eats doesn't matter as long as we take our vitamins and don't eat "too much"....

      Delete
  4. "Define your problem, if you haven't determined your perfect diet already. Find a similar person who writes online, with a similar problem. Start with what works for them, and refine it to meet your own specific requirements"

    Excellent three lines. There is so much good information available, we can all be our own detective and root around and read, the many blogs and sites available - then enter into discussion with like minded people (and occasionally non like minded) ........ suddenly things should be that bit better

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you, Jan! :-) isn't the internet wonderful -- given enough time, one can find out almost anything, including a you-tube video to show you how!

      Delete