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I have eaten very low carbohydrate diet for (guess) 40 years.

Y

yetta2mymom

Well-Known Member
Messages
337
Location
Winchester Massachusetts
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
?
Hi

I have a rare autoimmune disease which means if my blood sugar goes above an unknown quantity I get brain fog and fatigue. Therefore, for many years, I have eaten very low carbohydrate diet. I am fat. Before I realized how little sugar/starch/alcohol lead to problems I got high blood pressure. This has been controlled for (guess) 30 years. Where is the trouble with blood fats? Why no heart trouble? My diet contains many times the recommended amount of fat and no grains, no fruit, no potatoes etc... Where are the problems?
 
I would think a big part of it is genetics. I managed to get very high cholesterol doing low carb high fat diet and I came off it as I'm not prepared to have high cholesterol when I'm at high risk of heart disease. Heart disease and high cholesterol runs in my family (even my dad died of a heart attack, and my granddad had 2 heart attacks). Most of my family have never ever been overweight yet they have high cholesterol and heart disease. I've seen the comments about cholesterol not causing heart disease, but I beg to differ as that is the common problem in my family. They eat very healthy diets and still have high cholesterol most of them. If they eat more fat in their diets their levels skyrocket even though they're on statins to treat it. The same happens to me. I'm trying to avoid statins if I can. For me it is genetics. I just eat everything I can eat in moderation now to try and get good results all round. I'd say your answer is that your body is ok with fats and you have no disease from it because of genetics mostly. If you were prone like I am you'd be having trouble. What you're doing obviously works very well for you.
 
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Galja said:
With your family history, I would be concerned over triglycerides
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Yes, that's what my doc always looks out for. Even if I'm .1 over it is too high for him. I need my cholesterol checked again as I've been eating more fats than usual because I've had problems with diet lately. I'm constantly having to eliminate foods. Also I get things stuck in my throat and oesophagus which doesn't help. My endo knows I'm using more olive oil than usual too. He is always very interested in my overall health and not just the diabetes. He knows I have a difficult time with diet.
 

In the UK you can still only get this privately or with. Insider able difficulty on the NHS. Over here it is called a "sub fraction profile".


Sent from my iPad using DCUK Forum mobile app
 
1) Experts worrry that high fat increases the risk of heart attack - none are claiming that it would guarantee a heart attack.
2) Dietary advice is aimed at populations but individuals vary. Some people may have other factors which reduce their risk.
 
Hi

I am on a statin but probably not necessary. I take all these medicines for high blood pressure and I tried to see if they remain necessary. Results unpromissing. But consider I am 77. I have heard about your test but for me why? I think most of my problems are (were) due to too much sugar in my youth.

Neil
 
Hi

I do not know of the downside of statins except if your genetics leads to muscle problems (then very bad). I have heard of your type genetic problem. My problem is not in the medical literature. I have gotten feedback that I may have self diagnosed. I have a hunter gene (my glucose tolerance test continues to slowly rise for over 2 hours) this means I only store sugar if my blood sugar rises above some unknown amount with all sorts of possible subtlety. This is great in famines, as I will use most of a small amount of sugar/starch/alcohol without storage. You lose up to 1/3 the energy of sugar by storing it (make fat etc.) and then later remaking sugar. I had a probable autoimmune problem (think what happens when you contract type 1 diabetes) in 1957 which fouled up my sugar storage. I have guessed that hunter gene people are the women who have sugar problems during pregnancy.

Neil
 
Dark Horse said:
1) Experts worrry that high fat increases the risk of heart attack - none are claiming that it would guarantee a heart attack.
2) Dietary advice is aimed at populations but individuals vary. Some people may have other factors which reduce their risk.
Click to expand...
Hi

I think they are full of bull. I am unaware of any scientific study which is definitive about this (wild?) guess. Some people have genetic problems but Eskimos did great (until we added sugar).

Neil
 
yetta2mymom said:
Where are the problems?
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It might be worth consulting a Nutritional Therapist, I've recently had a simple urine test which has highlighted the fact that although my lower carb diet has meant my body is a degree of ketosis, my body isn't metabolising fat properly and doesn't convert food to energy for the muscles to use, just stores it as fat.
That may not be your problem, but as there are over 500 chemical reactions occurring in the body and it only needs one not to work properly and who knows. I've been looking for answers for years, I might be getting closer.
 
Hi

I probably have a large degree of ketosis. So what? I have exercised in a home gym (lucky) almost every night for about 30 years. My strength is decreasing slowly but I am strong (not athletic) for my age (77). I have been controlling my sugar intake to some degree since 1964 and massively for probably about 7 years.
 
Dark Horse said:
1) Experts worrry that high fat increases the risk of heart attack - none are claiming that it would guarantee a heart attack.
2) Dietary advice is aimed at populations but individuals vary. Some people may have other factors which reduce their risk.
Click to expand...
Hi

They are party followers. I was talked out of going on a full bore Atkins by the medical establishment until about 7 years ago. They are a bunch of ***. I have read that there is no scientific basis for their guess that without a significant amount of sugar/starch/alcohol you have a problem with fats. Eskimos had no problem until we introduced sugar.
 
Hi

Even a dope like me knows something about that test but not enough to give a good interpretation. I read about it (I have an amazing memory unfortunately a (very?) small percentage of the time my memory is inaccurate or even false.) I remember some doctors sort of swear by it.

Sorry I don't know enough and live in the U.S. so no help.

Neil
 
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You are on the same diet as the healthiest people on earth - no carbs. But, how could you be overweight if you eat no carbs? Have your serum insulin checked.
 
robertconroy said:
You are on the same diet as the healthiest people on earth - no carbs. But, how could you be overweight if you eat no carbs? Have your serum insulin checked.
Click to expand...

Fat makes you fat?

It certainly does for me.
 
SunnyExpat said:
Fat makes you fat?

It certainly does for me.
Click to expand...
Hi

If I eat hard cheese I do not lose weight. If I restrict hard cheese I do lose weight. I think my body has adjusted and it is the simple how much calaries do I take in versus how much work I do and how much energy is used up in digestion etc...
 
robertconroy said:
You are on the same diet as the healthiest people on earth - no carbs. But, how could you be overweight if you eat no carbs? Have your serum insulin checked.
Click to expand...
I also have eaten a low carb diet for the past 16 years, my doctor tells me that is the only thing keeping me from diabetes. (I have been borderline for quite some time). However, I too struggle with my weight, I am at least 2 and a half stone overweight and am still searching for answers..... :-(
 
Hi

Obviously you have a different experience than I do. A relative guesses that people with the hunter gene tend to gain weight. I process sugar by only storing sugar if my blood sugar rises (unknown amount). A doctor showed that we do not lose weight on his weight lose diet. This is great for famines (save about 1/3 the energy from storing and realising sugar). The problem seems to be that these are the women who get gestational diabetes. If I eat a low carb diet I will not store any sugar. You have pointed out that my relative may be right. I could post an ad ,maybe it will be a column in Scientific American (my guess 60% chance). I have posted the ad many times but nobody cares.

Neil
 
Hi

It has been pointed out to me that I have been on a strict Atkins diet for many years. There have been times I have gained weight on this diet. There have been times I have lost weight on this diet. For me this diet is no different than any other in the sense of its effect on my weight.
 
I guess it might have to do with genes. My wife's family have serious cholesterol difficulties and the cardiovascular problems that go with it (even with the help of statins). Really glad that your body has been so robust - you would not want any other problems in addition to your condition. All the best for the future.
 
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