Strategy against Virus

[jim1951]

So we are all mindful of the C virus, perhaps some more than others.

We are in a group considered of having a higher risk.

I am struggling with strategy to minimise risk.

I am 2 months into LCHF (not for the first time!) and find I am always on the edge because of it. I am 69 and generally in reasonable health with many other lesser conditions. When I say on the edge, I feel that my calorie reduction leaves me low and potentially vulnerable but keeps my readings in check.

Because I am low does this leave me vulnerable to catching a virus?

The alternative, in the short term, is to sacrifice my glucose levels for a more "robust" diet. But will this leave me vulnerable in dealing with the virus due to poor glucose control?

Dilemma!

 

[bulkbiker]

I feel that my calorie reduction leaves me low and potentially vulnerable but keeps my readings in check.

Why are you restricting calories?

LCHF isn't about caloric restriction but eating freshly cooked food from raw ingredients restricting carbohydrate but eating well from high protein and fatty foods.

You aren't meant to be hungry or "low"

 

[Brunneria]

LCHF doesn't need to involve restriction - especially calorie restriction!
I would encourage you to eat well, until you are satisfied, with good, nutritious, non processed foods. Fresh, full of vitamins, and plenty of it.

There is plenty of evidence that keeping well supplied with vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, and all the other vitamins and minerals will help the immune system and fight any illnesses.

LCHF can, if well formulated, be a highly nutritious and fully nourishing way of eating.

 

[Member496333]

Echo all of the above.

 

[jim1951]

LCHF doesn't need to involve restriction - especially calorie restriction!
I would encourage you to eat well, until you are satisfied, with good, nutritious, non processed foods. Fresh, full of vitamins, and plenty of it.

There is plenty of evidence that keeping well supplied with vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, and all the other vitamins and minerals will help the immune system and fight any illnesses.

LCHF can, if well formulated, be a highly nutritious and fully nourishing way of eating.

Apologies, need to clarify, brevity of posting!

If you look at my signature you will see my HBA1C jumped to 73 at beginning of January. This was following some short term (hopefully) health issues that left me unhappy, diet plus together with xmas, left my control beyond desirable. Because of this my GP suggested I lost the weight I had put on as well as control my diet.

LCHF was the idea but it morphed into low carbs and low calorie at the same time, which is obviously why I feel "low".

So the original question remains as to the best way forward?

 

[Jaylee]

So we are all mindful of the C virus, perhaps some more than others.

We are in a group considered of having a higher risk.

I am struggling with strategy to minimise risk.

I am 2 months into LCHF (not for the first time!) and find I am always on the edge because of it. I am 69 and generally in reasonable health with many other lesser conditions. When I say on the edge, I feel that my calorie reduction leaves me low and potentially vulnerable but keeps my readings in check.

Because I am low does this leave me vulnerable to catching a virus?

The alternative, in the short term, is to sacrifice my glucose levels for a more "robust" diet. But will this leave me vulnerable in dealing with the virus due to poor glucose control?

Dilemma!

Hi,

Personally I feel from what I've read on the subject regardless of diet or BG managment. Regardless of condition or age.
Should close contact be made with someone carrying COVID 19 (or any virus.) the chances increase with contracting it..
(Putting any mortality statistics aside.)

Whatever lurgey is going about, it's much preferable to manage BGs whilst the body fights it off, if you happen to be diabetic..

 

[dipsydo]

While I know we are all different, but it is possible to can lose weight on low carb without counting calories. Some people go ultra low ie below 30 but I was about 60 gms and I lost 4 stone without counting one calorie but I did need to ensure I drank a bit more water/ fluids than I used to drink. You can get low carb “flu” when going low carb so can make you feel unwell when you start low carb . I did not get low carb flu. I did not feel hungry as I like a low carb diet and not fussed if I do not eat grains or rice , potatoes etc . I would not like to do low carb and low calorie as I could not cope with it . I added a bit of fat but was not particularly high fat as if i do not eat bread then I tend not to eat much butter or spreads as I cannot put butter on a lettuce leaf!

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I tend not to eat much butter or spreads as I cannot put butter on a lettuce leaf!

Of course you can put butter on lettuce, just do not spread it but put butter slices on the leaf gently then wrap it up...

 

[TriciaWs]

I lost a lot of weight in my first year of low carb, without counting calories. I ate moderate amounts of cheese, nuts, fullfat milk and greek yogurt (all within my carb limit) plus olive oil dressings on green salads and butter on green veg.
And loads of eggs!
There is plenty of evidence that you can lose weight on low carb, this is not just me.
I was lucky as I only needed to go down to 85g a day, but still lost all that weight.

And I get plenty of Vit C, etc. from the green veg, green salads and a small amount of berries.
Fibre from milled flaxseed, coconut flour, plus from the veg, etc.

I eat a better, more nutritious diet now I am low carb that I did before.

 

[Brunneria]

Apologies, need to clarify, brevity of posting!

If you look at my signature you will see my HBA1C jumped to 73 at beginning of January. This was following some short term (hopefully) health issues that left me unhappy, diet plus together with xmas, left my control beyond desirable. Because of this my GP suggested I lost the weight I had put on as well as control my diet.

LCHF was the idea but it morphed into low carbs and low calorie at the same time, which is obviously why I feel "low".

So the original question remains as to the best way forward?

I would suggest that in the current virus situation good nutrition is a priority, with the very real likelihood that either you, or friends and family will catch the virus sometime within the next few months.

So I would encourage you to prioritise eating well over weight loss for a while.

of course, I am saying that in the knowledge that many people lose weight by simply going low carb, and then don’t need to deliberately reduce their calories.

 

[jim1951]

I would suggest that in the current virus situation good nutrition is a priority, with the very real likelihood that either you, or friends and family will succumb to the virus sometime within the next few months.

So I would encourage you to prioritise eating well over weight loss for a while.

of course, I am saying that in the knowledge that many people lose weight by simply going low carb, and then don’t need to deliberately reduce their calories.

thank you

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Bottom line; eat more, but not more carbohydrates.

 

[ickihun]

I find that 'low' is actually not a low but just not a sugar, caffeine or chocolate high. Right? Your body needs a chance to settle down into less highs. Persevere, it will be worth it.
Also if your not heavily mixing in places of higher risk then more likely you will servive this, even with diabetes.

 

[Winnie53]

@jim1951 you've received lots of good feedback. You may find this helpful too...

I've been taking vitamin C a few times a day. I use sodium ascorbate in a chrystallline powder form. A quarter teaspoon is equal to 1112 mg of vitamin C. It's easy to use, I just measure, add it to a shot glass with an ounce of water, stir, and drink it down. If any remains, I just repeat with a more water. I don't taste it when I drink it but out of curiosity, I tasted it. Tastes like salt. One of the reasons I chose this vitamin C is because it's not acidic, which is important for me due to my ulcerative colitis.

The advantage of vitamin C in powder form? No sweeteners, food coloring, etc. No additives.

Warning: Taking high doses of vitamin C can cause glucose monitors to falsely report higher glucose readings... https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&sxsrf=ALeKk026GqUoJNe1Z833tjZ2GhOXOlnwrQ:1583484177177&source=hp&ei=EQ1iXqj5B5Pu-gTL7ZrAAQ&q=vitamin+c+and+glucose+meters&oq=vitamin+c+and+glucose+meters&gs_l=psy-ab.3..35i39.1123.15483..15999...10.0..0.353.4034.15j21j0j1......0....1..gws-wiz.....10..0i67j0i131j0j0i20i263j35i362i39j0i131i67j0i22i30.ll3lF9FkYrI&ved=0ahUKEwjoxYqfuoXoAhUTt54KHcu2BhgQ4dUDCAg&uact=5

Here's more information on vitamin C and a few reports on it's use for COVID-19 in China that I learned about this morning through Andrew Saul, a long time advocate of vitamin C. I hope you find it helpful...

Vitamin C Saves Wuhan Family from COVID-19 by Richard Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.
http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n17.shtml

There are more links to articles and videos in the above link. And here's more information about Dr. Cheng... http://www.drwlc.com/dr-richard-cheng.shtml

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At the end of this article Andrew Saul lists the nutrients he suggests taking with the vitamin C. Many of which you're likely already taking - (magnesium, D3, zinc, selenium, B-complex, and vitamin A). I've taken all of these for many years. You can skip the first part of the article and just read the part about each nutrient...
Nutritional Treatment of Coronavirus by Andrew W. Saul, Editor
http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n06.shtml

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Here's an excerpt from the above linked article on vitamin C and dosage...

What dosage?
Vitamin C fights all types of viruses. Although the dose should truly be high, even a low supplemental amount of vitamin C saves lives. This is very important for those with low incomes and few treatment options. For example, in one well-controlled, randomized study, just 200 mg/day vitamin C given to the elderly resulted in improvement in respiratory symptoms in the most severely ill, hospitalized patients. And there were 80% fewer deaths in the vitamin C group. [7]

But to best build up our immune systems, we need to employ large, orthomolecular doses of several vital nutrients. The physicians on the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service review board specifically recommend at least 3,000 milligrams (or more) of vitamin C daily, in divided doses. Vitamin C empowers the immune system and can directly denature many viruses. It can be taken as ascorbic acid (which is sour like vinegar), either in capsules or as crystals dissolved in water or juice. It can also be taken as sodium ascorbate, which is non-acidic. To be most effective, it should be taken to bowel tolerance. This means taking high doses several (or many) times each day. See the references below for more information.
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[Tophat1900]

Zinc is quite a good thing when run down by a cold or virus. Helps the body heal, is involved in bolstering the immune system, metobolising nutrients etc. Meats are a high source of it, in particular red meat, beef, pork etc. Eggs and dairy. You can get a zinc supplement, I take a bit each day, but for insulin users it does certainly make insulin more potent I found and it does increase insulin sensitivity.

Restricting calories restricts nutrients to your organs, simple as that. Leaves you vulnerable to colds etc long term. Enjoy your food, low carb means for most you can eat a satisfying meal without the negatives of the SAD (Standard awefull diet).