November Nutritional Ketosis Thread!

[geogeo]

The free meter (you have a choice of three, which includes the precision xtra ketone/glucose one) is easy to find on a google search. (can't link)

[omatic]

Originally Posted by geogeo

From my experience, I'd say that if you are used to eating a LOT of coconut oil and fat, that you probably won't have any issues. But I would still proceed with caution from what I've read here!
I just dove right in with my first bottle (about a week ago) and didn't have any er um problems. lol

I take 3 tbsp of MCT oil daily, if I take it on an empty stomach or more than one tbsp at a time, the toilet becomes my friend

[SouthernGirl61]

Hi to All.
Bobbin, I am picking up a saliva test kid tomorrow morning from Compounding Pharmacist. Then I send that off to some lab; results back to the Pharmacist. He will analyze, make recommendations to my Gyn, she sends the escript back to him and he mixes it up, either cream or capsule form. I researched so much on this stuff, and think it's a good thing to do. Very happy that others have had such positive results to inspire me to get on board quickly. I am slightly insane right now, and needing to feel "normal" again.

Hi Maureen! My BFF thinks I am nuts eating the way I do, but she had known me my entire life. She last did the HCG I think, for several months, lost great, then gained some back. I could not believe the total calores was around 900 tops per day.

Hi Cathy! I have two breakfasts! One small one at 5:30 when I get my coffee; then bigger one at 8-8:30 at work. I do not IF. In fact, I am worried about not eating for my upcoming colonoscopy! I don't want to mess this up!

Omatic, great news on the HDL!

Risajs, great on 4lb loss! No sure about cancer connection from NK. So many risks for cancers are around high carb/sugar....cancer cells feed on sugar!

Hi TT - if these Energy Greens make you feel good, then add it in and take it. I have seen supplements in pill form, and couple friend drink something very green (not me!)...so this must be one of those individual things. I have stages in life that I adore veggies, salads, and then some times, not so much. Interesting to think about taking...

Melisa, what brand of powdered greens do you take??

[thinking_thinly]

Originally Posted by melisa82

Before I started low-carb I used to drink powdered greens. I felt amazing! I had so much energy and was always in a great mood. My co-workers would always ask me what kind of meds I was on LOL Thanks for reminding me! Think I'm going to buy some this weekend

Sure, no problem! I have some sitting in the fridge, but it is past expiration date so I need to buy some more. I think it would be acceptable for this WOE, so I am going to go ahead and add it to my diet.

[risajs]

I have eaten a LOT of fat (around 85% of cals on most days) but not from CO. I think I will still take it slow. )

[JMCM1]

Yes - take it slowly with coconut oil!
It can make you feel urpy if you are not used to it and take too much.

[sjl330]

I ordered the free precision meter too. Now I hope some great deals on strips comes along. Then I just might start testing, lol.

[One maur time]

Geek away! It's fun to compare and contrast!
Maureen

[One maur time]

I would suggest going up slowly like adding 1/2 tsp every few days only at one dose- say am and leave pm as is. I don't know where a high dose ( serving) is but generally what I have observed is something between 3-4tbs ( which is a Good bit of fat and calories). I have been seeing the desired effect with 2 tbs in the am and occasionally 1 tbs in the pm. I think you should integrate it slowly because your goal should be maximum effect for minimum coconut oil.

Maureen

[risajs]

Thank you all for the feedback on the CO and MCT. Trust, I am taking it to heart.

[portcop01]

I love my co!!i do by the unrefined ..I use about 4 tbs aday.i think it's like a diet pill to me...if I get hungry I have coffee or tea with a tbs of co tbs of tbs hwc.then it goes away..plus as I did post my cholesterol went down from 340 to 192..

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by nisha2003

Could u give us the link to the free meter? Couldnt find it.....

We can't post links here, but you can google both the nova max plus free meter and the Precision Xtra free meter (for the Precision try googling: myfreestyle upgrade your meter today). The Precision is from Abbott and when you google search for it initially it looks like they're giving away a freestyle meter, but you will be able to chose from 3 meters as geogeo pointed out. No ketone strips come with the Precision, but the Nova plus comes with 2 ketone strips and you can register the meter for 2 more--so 4 free ketone strips.

Originally Posted by SouthernGirl61

Bobbin, I am picking up a saliva test kid tomorrow morning from Compounding Pharmacist. Then I send that off to some lab; results back to the Pharmacist. He will analyze, make recommendations to my Gyn, she sends the escript back to him and he mixes it up, either cream or capsule form. I researched so much on this stuff, and think it's a good thing to do. Very happy that others have had such positive results to inspire me to get on board quickly. I am slightly insane right now, and needing to feel "normal" again.

I'm glad you found some professionals to help you. Here's to feeling normal again.

[clackley]

For any Canadians out there, I found organic V.C.O. (cold pressed), 1.5 kg jar at Costco for $16.99. This is about 1/2 the price of the same by Nutiva.

Thanks for the replies about intermittent fasting. It seems to me that Jimmy Moore is also doing some intermittent fasting but as a result of eating to hunger and I thought I may try pushing this for myself as another advantage for weight loss. I had read that it can be counter productive to woman. That is the primary reason I stopped I.F.ing as a standard practice for myself. I thought maybe in conjunction with N.K. it might be effective?

[Bobbin]

Originally Posted by risajs

I was looking back on some of the questions people had about NK on the main pages. I wondered if the physiological advantages of ketosis - like with cancer, have been discussed here as well.

While weight loss is a goal of mine, cancer prevention is my primary goal.

Me too- this whole path of finally getting serious about my health and finding what works for me, is all about staying healthy and never having cancer again if I can do anything at all to stop it.


Thanks all for your responses, once again!! I will continue to work to find a great Doc. to help me with this. I don't think my primary, oncologist, gastro, gyno, allergist, dermatologist (lol) or endocrinologist (seen a lot of docs over the past 2 years) are capable or willing to help me figure it all out.

[clackley]

Originally Posted by risajs
I was looking back on some of the questions people had about NK on the main pages. I wondered if the physiological advantages of ketosis - like with cancer, have been discussed here as well.

While weight loss is a goal of mine, cancer prevention is my primary goal.

I am not sure if the subject of cancer prevention has come up in this thread but it most certainly has on this forum on a number of occasions. I believe that cancer is part of the metabolic disease 'package' and should be thought of in that way. Good for you for making that important connection.

Another question!! I have struggled with the C.O. consumption for a couple of reasons. Number one being that it raises my fat consumption so dramatically and it is my understanding that if one is doing n.k. and not losing that fat consumption should be lowered. C.O. is the first thing to go but I wonder if I am making a mistake with that....

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Buffy45]

Just stopping by to read and catch up. Nothing interesting to add today, soooo far!

[UnstrungHarp]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

We can't post links here, but you can google both the nova max plus free meter and the Precision Xtra free meter (for the Precision try googling: myfreestyle upgrade your meter today). The Precision is from Abbott and when you google search for it initially it looks like they're giving away a freestyle meter, but you will be able to chose from 3 meters as geogeo pointed out. No ketone strips come with the Precision, but the Nova plus comes with 2 ketone strips and you can register the meter for 2 more--so 4 free ketone strips.

I found the website earlier today and was all excited until I saw that the form requests your insurance information. Does anyone know if they actually contact your health insurance company as a result of requesting the free meter? I don't have diabetes and wouldn't want my insurance company thinking that I do (as if I need yet another pre-existing condition on my record!).

Then, I started to fill out the form to see if I could submit it without the insurance info. I discovered that you at least have to choose an insurance company from the drop down list, even if you don't enter your policy number. But my insurance company isn't even listed. It won't accept the form unless you choose one... I thought about selecting one randomly to see if it worked, but I don't want to do anything that might be considered fraudulent. Maybe you have to have insurance through one of those companies to be eligible for the free meter?

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by UnstrungHarp

I found the website earlier today and was all excited until I saw that the form requests your insurance information. Does anyone know if they actually contact your health insurance company as a result of requesting the free meter? I don't have diabetes and wouldn't want my insurance company thinking that I do (as if I need yet another pre-existing condition on my record!).

Then, I started to fill out the form to see if I could submit it without the insurance info. I discovered that you at least have to choose an insurance company from the drop down list, even if you don't enter your policy number. But my insurance company isn't even listed. It won't accept the form unless you choose one... I thought about selecting one randomly to see if it worked, but I don't want to do anything that might be considered fraudulent. Maybe you have to have insurance through one of those companies to be eligible for the free meter?

My insurance company wasn't listed so I picked my husband's insurer. I could be on that insurance if I wanted to be. They don't make you put in a policy number or anything and I got the meter so they're not cross-checking against the insurance rolls.

[nisha2003]

Originally Posted by geogeo

The free meter (you have a choice of three, which includes the precision xtra ketone/glucose one) is easy to find on a google search. (can't link)

Oh i found it this time. Thank u!

[nisha2003]

[QUOTE=mom2zeke;16065696]We can't post links here, but you can google both the nova max plus free meter and the Precision Xtra free meter (for the Precision try googling: myfreestyle upgrade your meter today). The Precision is from Abbott and when you google search for it initially it looks like they're giving away a freestyle meter, but you will be able to chose from 3 meters as geogeo pointed out. No ketone strips come with the Precision, but the Nova plus comes with 2 ketone strips and you can register the meter for 2 more--so 4 free ketone strips.

Thank u! Are u still willing to lend out ur kindle version of the Art & Science "living" book?

[UnstrungHarp]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

My insurance company wasn't listed so I picked my husband's insurer. I could be on that insurance if I wanted to be. They don't make you put in a policy number or anything and I got the meter so they're not cross-checking against the insurance rolls.

Thank you!! I went ahead with it, just selecting the first company on the drop down list. My husband has the same insurance as me, so I couldn't go that route. Now I'm both excited and scared to receive the meter.

[wrigglycate]

Hi everyone -- my name is Cathy and I'm thrilled to have found this forum. I have been doing Paleo and Crossfit for about 2 years and lost about 10 lb but I need to get my weight down further as I have a bad right knee that doesn't like the extra weight.
I'm 5'4 with a medium frame and weigh about 176 lb. My goal weight is 145-150 lb. On Paleo at one point, I managed to get down to about 169 lb and was feeling great but there is something about losing weight that sets up cravings in me and before long I had eaten my way up to 178 lb (Cherry Season last summer was what started it ). I have never tried Nutritional Ketosis before, but the Jimmy Moore podcasts introduced me to the idea and so here I am.
I started the NK experiment in Mid October after ordering the Precision Xtra meter from Amazon --- it came with 3 ketone strips and then I waited FOREVER for my extra ketone sticks to arrive from Canada. I've been testing 3 times /day both Ketones and Glucose and in the first couple of weeks my ketones were barely above 0.5 although my Glucose levels were mostly 100 or below. Just today my ketones have been 0.7 @8 am after work then 2.3 at midday when I woke up and 2.6 T 3:30 PM. That is the highest they've ever been on a consistent basis and I've been feeling very hungry all day. I broke down and ate a few fat bombs to help me get over the hunger but they only help for a short while. Hopefully if I can sustain the higher ketone levels, my hunger will disappear.
I have to say the first few weeks were particularly worrisome as I felt AWFUL -- low grade headache and with really bad kidney ache to the point where I thought I may have been causing damage to my kidneys. I was madly searching the internet for information about NK diets and came across alarming posts about increased kidney stones and so forth and was a the point of giving up. But I increased my daily salt intake and really tried to up my fluids -- I had to consciously make myself drink every hour on the hour for a few days in a row before my kidneys felt better. I have a hard time drinking enough fluids and still do.
I am almost 60 yrs old and I work night shift as a nurse so sleep is a big issue for me. I sleep in batches during the day -- 4 hours if I'm lucky when I first get home and then maybe 2-4 hours later in the evening before going to work at 11 PM. I hate to drink fluids before bedtime because I'm afraid I'll wake up too early. During the afternoon I try to drink more fluids but then I have to take a nap later in the evening so I don't like to drink too much before that. At work I'm often too busy to drink much fluids and/or afraid that I will have to keep running to empty my bladder at critical times. Drinking water is like taking medicine - a real chore. I wish I enjoyed it more. I used to drink caffeinated coffee and tea but gave that up when I went Paleo in the hopes that I would sleep better (it didn't really help my sleep).
Any way I am so glad I found this forum -- I started reading way back at the beginning in June and July and learned a ton and it reassured me to see what other people were doing and experiencing although no one else seemed to have aching kidneys the way I did.
I've loved all the wonderful recipes as does my husband who is Paleo/Primal rather than VLC but I resent him eating all my special omelettes and savory cheese cakes because then I have nothing to take to work with me :-/. I had the hardest time trying to visualize what a high fat, mod protein, lo carb diet would look like and this forum has been a huge help.
I've never missed the grains and junk food since starting this WOE but I do miss fruit sometimes (hence the cherry binge last summer) and I really really miss tucking into big juicy medium rare steaks and burgers. Reducing my protein intake is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I like fat well enough but I LOVE meat. Worst of all I just filled my freezer with a big order of grass fed beef and lamb and pork. At the rate I'm eating it now It will be years before we get through it all.
I guess my biggest concerns to date are -- the kidney problem which seems OK now although I can still feel a twinge or two if I don't drink enough, and the fact that I haven't lost a single pound. It's been 3 weeks now with ketones hovering between 0.5 and 1.5 so hopefully if I can keep my ketones up above 2, I might see a difference.
Not sure how much longer to keep doing this if I can't lose weight. That's my main reason for going through all this but I'll push on and hopefully the hunger will abate and weight loss will kick in.
Sorry for the long post but I hope to be able to contribute to the general knowledge over time by adding in my 2 c worth from time to time.

[mom2zeke]

Hi nisha--I don't think I ever gave you a proper .

I do think you have to be on here for a certain amount of time and post a number of messages, I'm not sure how many. I just looked in the FAQ and couldn't find it.

I don't know how else I can loan it to you without you publicly posting your email address.

Does your local public library have digital lending? Mine didn't have the Phinney/Volek books but it's worth a look.

[nisha2003]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Hi nisha--I don't think I ever gave you a proper .

I do think you have to be on here for a certain amount of time and post a number of messages, I'm not sure how many. I just looked in the FAQ and couldn't find it.

I don't know how else I can loan it to you without you publicly posting your email address.

Does your local public library have digital lending? Mine didn't have the Phinney/Volek books but it's worth a look.

Thanks Kristn, ill try. U all are so smart here. Cant wait to learn so much from everyone!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by wrigglycate

Hi everyone -- my name is Cathy and I'm thrilled to have found this forum. I have been doing Paleo and Crossfit for about 2 years and lost about 10 lb but I need to get my weight down further as I have a bad right knee that doesn't like the extra weight.

Cathy!

I'm 5'4 with a medium frame and weigh about 176 lb. My goal weight is 145-150 lb. On Paleo at one point, I managed to get down to about 169 lb and was feeling great but there is something about losing weight that sets up cravings in me and before long I had eaten my way up to 178 lb (Cherry Season last summer was what started it ). I have never tried Nutritional Ketosis before, but the Jimmy Moore podcasts introduced me to the idea and so here I am.
I started the NK experiment in Mid October after ordering the Precision Xtra meter from Amazon --- it came with 3 ketone strips and then I waited FOREVER for my extra ketone sticks to arrive from Canada. I've been testing 3 times /day both Ketones and Glucose and in the first couple of weeks my ketones were barely above 0.5 although my Glucose levels were mostly 100 or below. Just today my ketones have been 0.7 @8 am after work then 2.3 at midday when I woke up and 2.6 T 3:30 PM. That is the highest they've ever been on a consistent basis and I've been feeling very hungry all day. I broke down and ate a few fat bombs to help me get over the hunger but they only help for a short while. Hopefully if I can sustain the higher ketone levels, my hunger will disappear.
I have to say the first few weeks were particularly worrisome as I felt AWFUL -- low grade headache and with really bad kidney ache to the point where I thought I may have been causing damage to my kidneys. I was madly searching the internet for information about NK diets and came across alarming posts about increased kidney stones and so forth and was a the point of giving up. But I increased my daily salt intake and really tried to up my fluids -- I had to consciously make myself drink every hour on the hour for a few days in a row before my kidneys felt better. I have a hard time drinking enough fluids and still do.
I am almost 60 yrs old and I work night shift as a nurse so sleep is a big issue for me. I sleep in batches during the day -- 4 hours if I'm lucky when I first get home and then maybe 2-4 hours later in the evening before going to work at 11 PM. I hate to drink fluids before bedtime because I'm afraid I'll wake up too early. During the afternoon I try to drink more fluids but then I have to take a nap later in the evening so I don't like to drink too much before that. At work I'm often too busy to drink much fluids and/or afraid that I will have to keep running to empty my bladder at critical times. Drinking water is like taking medicine - a real chore. I wish I enjoyed it more. I used to drink caffeinated coffee and tea but gave that up when I went Paleo in the hopes that I would sleep better (it didn't really help my sleep).
Any way I am so glad I found this forum -- I started reading way back at the beginning in June and July and learned a ton and it reassured me to see what other people were doing and experiencing although no one else seemed to have aching kidneys the way I did.
I've loved all the wonderful recipes as does my husband who is Paleo/Primal rather than VLC but I resent him eating all my special omelettes and savory cheese cakes because then I have nothing to take to work with me :-/. I had the hardest time trying to visualize what a high fat, mod protein, lo carb diet would look like and this forum has been a huge help.
I've never missed the grains and junk food since starting this WOE but I do miss fruit sometimes (hence the cherry binge last summer) and I really really miss tucking into big juicy medium rare steaks and burgers. Reducing my protein intake is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I like fat well enough but I LOVE meat. Worst of all I just filled my freezer with a big order of grass fed beef and lamb and pork. At the rate I'm eating it now It will be years before we get through it all.

We are in the same boat--we haven't finished our last year's beef and more is on the way! I think we're going to have to have a few giant BBQ parties this next summer.

I guess my biggest concerns to date are -- the kidney problem which seems OK now although I can still feel a twinge or two if I don't drink enough, and the fact that I haven't lost a single pound. It's been 3 weeks now with ketones hovering between 0.5 and 1.5 so hopefully if I can keep my ketones up above 2, I might see a difference.
Not sure how much longer to keep doing this if I can't lose weight. That's my main reason for going through all this but I'll push on and hopefully the hunger will abate and weight loss will kick in.
Sorry for the long post but I hope to be able to contribute to the general knowledge over time by adding in my 2 c worth from time to time.

It sounds like you had a nasty case of LC flu! I'm glad that you're feeling better.

I have a few questions to help figure out what's going on. What are your daily protein and carb goals and how did you arrive at them? Do you also have fat gram or calorie goals? Along with the salt are you also supplementing magnesium and potassium?

Without knowing the whole picture I would suggest that you eat as much fat as you need to feel full right now until your hunger abates.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by wrigglycate

Hi everyone -- my name is Cathy and I'm thrilled to have found this forum. I have been doing Paleo and Crossfit for about 2 years and lost about 10 lb but I need to get my weight down further as I have a bad right knee that doesn't like the extra weight.

This just jumped out at me. Are you still doing Crossfit and how often? It can be very intense and sometimes too much working out can stall weight-loss also.

[SouthernGirl61]

Hello to everyone this evening! Hope your day was great.

Kristn, I am so ready to feel normal. Got the kit, now will wait until Saturday to do it, didn't realize I had to do four tests, and well, get quite a bit of a sample in each! Talked to the pharmacist today, and he confirmed the safety and said he has so many women doing this now...start to pick up cream will be about 14 days. Sanity is just around the corner, and maybe weight loss will start back too!

Cathy, that is a great price on CO! I have got to figure out how to consume more of it. I think that would help. I can't get past one teaspoon in anything to drink without nausea. I do cook with it, but not with meat, only bird and fish.

Bobbin, you really do have to stand up for yourself, research and keep searching. Kristn has really inspired me to push harder for myself. I do it daily at work for others, then leave me out of the loop of having time for my health.

Harp - I can't imagine that insurance would pay without a covered diagnosis. And if they will, the paperwork could be painful! I do not ever trust putting info like that online. We have issues with identity theft of health insurance now, the new laws on that are called Red Flag Rules....folks stealing everything now!

Hi Nisha, I am going to read that book too...but I want to get the hard back. Nisha, I have the PM up at the top by my signon. Now, I didnt' know about the Post Reply button on the bottom left until Darin (Red) told me today, but the PM I see! Duh moment!

Hi Cathy from CA! Welcome to the thread!

[SouthernGirl61]

From the "new research in" email box this morning:

Researchers Discover A Fruit That Cures The Flu. This study is about a natural fruit extract with the amazing ability to help you get rid of the flu just as effectively as Tamiflu. It’s the alkalizing (good for bone health)…Elderberry or Simbucus Nigra.

Elderberry extract is a great natural way to reinforce what your immune system is programmed to do: attack the intruders. Florida researchers tested an extract of elderberry fruit in a test tube and observed that the the extract of elderberry flavonoids bound directly to the parts of the H1N1 virus that connect with a host. This means that the elderberry extract blocked the viruses’ ability to infect more host cells. In their own words, the researchers concluded that, “The H1N1 inhibition activities of the elderberry flavonoids compare favorably to the known anti-influenza activities of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu; 0.32 lM) and Amantadine (27 lM).”

But the effects of elderberry have a much wider scope that just the H1N1 virus, since it also inhibits certain bacteria and influenza A and B viruses. Last year, German scientists were able to explain this. They observed that the anthocyanins in elderberry enhance immune function because they boost the production of cytokines, which help regulate the immune response.

Elderberry Extract is a Safe Alternative
At the first symptoms of the flu or even a cold, you can take Elderberry extract without having to worry about side effects. However, be aware that it has a slight diuretic effect, so check with your health provider if you take diuretics. Also, the extract lowers blood glucose, so take this into account if you’re a diabetic.

You should only use the extract of Sambucus nigra, and NEVER the Sambucus ebulus, since the latter can toxic. And make sure you get the extract from a reputable source, since raw or unripe elderberry, and also the leaves, seeds, and bark, contain the most unpleasant cyanide. Get the elderberry extract that is alcohol-free so it’s not acidifying to our bones. If you need to use it, just follow the instructions on the bottle. You should be able to find alcohol-free elderberry extract at most health food stores in your area, or you can order it from an online.

[risajs]

Welcome Cathy.

[wrigglycate]

Hi all - thanks for your welcome.. Kristn -- I cut way back on the crossfit -- in fact that's another thing that feels "wrong" - I usually went 2-3 days /week and loved it but having read up on NK I realized that I shouldn't do anything too strenuous. I miss working out but have just put it on hold for now. I have been taking Potassium and Magnesium -- at first I only had the oxide versions in the house but I went out a few days ago and got the citrate versions --- I also got a bottle of lemon flavored Norwegian fish oil.
Re: my goals and how I arrived at them -- at first I had a hard time figuring out how to arrive at my goals -- I read somewhere that under 50 g of carbs is good and so I worked it out from there. I use a tracker which is not all that accurate but it allows me to put in my calories along with percentage goals. At first I tried to aim for 1100 calories /day but it was impossible - I just couldn't restrict myself to that - it seems that I'm eating more like 1900 - 2000 calories /day and my percentages are about 80% fat 13% protein and 7% carbs. I did have a dunk test done back in July but I have to find the printout in order to figure out my lean body mass -- once I do that, I'll recalculate everything according to the guidelines at the top of this forum.