feeling very depressed on low carb diet

There definitely is a transition when coming off the carbs. I cut mine very drastically - it was the only way for me as I have poor willpower! I didn't start feeling better till 4 or 5 weeks. I really saw this as a 'cold turkey' period. It's really important you find something to replace those carbs with at first though. I used coconut oil. Because of it's structure it's metabolised very quickly and gives you that 'carb' boost effect. There are lots of claims made for it's benefits but all I know is that it really helped m in those early days. Once my body became efficient at burning fats it was easy, a renewed energy and lightened mood. Make sure you are eating enough!

Hi Tracy72.

Not sure myself what you do with the stuff. Here is a link to the forum topics which have Coconut Oil in the body of posts. Have a trawl and you will probably get some information until a 'user' comes along....?
search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=coconut+oil

I use it. I cook with it, I add it to sauces. I use it as a spread, mix it with butter. I have even been known to eat it off the spoon! Some people add it to their hot drinks although it tends to float on the top. Just be inventive!

I sometimes get it from Holland & Barrett, but the KTC brand if you can find it is a lot cheaper and seems to have the same benefits. It doesn't have the strong coconutty taste like the virgin ones do either. Asian shops, if you have any in the locality will often stock it.

You can get it online from here -

http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog ... t-Oil.html

The 500ml jar is a lot cheaper than the virgin stuff at £1.95 plus postage too. The small 250ml bottle illustrated looks strange with solid oil in it, but of course in Asia where it is used a lot its warmer and the oil becomes liquid at about 25 degrees. The larger one comes in a normal jar.

This will be my first winter as a member if this site, and I fully expect to read A LOT of posts about depression. I usually feel a bit down during the winter, and have had a couple of bad winters lately with depression.

Just more evidence that sunshine is VERY good for you. I might look into Vit. D supplements this winter...

tracey72 said:

how do you use "coconut oil" ? do you use it in food or do you just eat it ?

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I used to have a tablespoon in my morning coffee, with double cream of course! Start off small though, it's a natural laxative and too much too soon gave me terrible stomach pain! I'm not going to say it's the wonder food some claim but I did notice an improvement in morning energy levels when taken it. Many people work up to taking it three times a day!

I take it three times a day, about 20 mins before each meal, and dilute it in a little warm water, then just knock it back. If it's warm and the oil liquid ( remember that week of British summer) then I use a tablespoonful, if not the a heaped teaspoon of solid.

I also use it for frying my egg & bacon at breakfast. The best to use is the virgin one although it is more expensive, it is cold pressed and nutritionally better for you.

I have found that it stops me feeling hungry, keeps me 'going' and has had a wonderful effect on my dry skin and dermatitis.

I buy mine from coconoil.co.uk. hope that helps.

The virgin oil may be marginally more nutritionally better for you, but because it is an oil there is little in it nutritionally to start with. What it does do is enable the body to absorb lipid-based vitamins and minerals from other sources easier, which is why it is beneficial to take it with or just before other food.

I don't work for or have any connection with KTC, but because I go through quite a bit of this stuff and wanted to find the cheapest and best source I have done research on it and have spoken to the company about it.

Their product is refined, but it is mechanically extracted, not chemically. The most important elements in the oil are completely intact, the Lauric, Caprylic, Capric and Myristic fatty acids.

I thought that perhaps it was an inferior product, but it seems not. I do wonder if the 'organic virgin' label on some of them is just a hype to bump the product up - and the price with it. I mean how can it not be organic anyway? Coconuts aren't like apples.

My experience with virgin coconut oil has not been very good so far. The Coconoil I purchased was rancid and had to be returned, the last batch I bought from Holland & Barrett has something wrong with it and had to be returned, and some I bought recently from elsewhere tastes of chemicals. Another batch I am using at the moment which was sold as edible oil but bought from someone who sells essential oil tastes and smells of lavender oil! I can't win.

Give me the refined stuff anyday!

It is the refining process that makes sure all the liquid is expelled from the oil. That ensures a very long lasting product. If any liquid is left in it it will go rancid very quickly which may well be why I have had problems with some of the virgin unrefined stuff.

I bought some pretty expensive stuff from the coconut oil company, bught it in bulk so it was cheaper. Tastes great. Haven't tried refined but the virgin stuff is so expensive now that I will do once this batch runs out!

I bought a big old 1kg tub from the U.S - it cost about £22 incl delivery. Bl00dy good stuff.

Holland and Barratt do their own, then there are dedicated web companies. Probably best bet is an asian supermarket as Ali suggested, certainly the cheapest option anyway!

I'd be reluctant to eat anything that wasn't from the food aisle to be honest!