Hi All, Below is a bit of my background and the Reason i was forced to go LCHF (Sometimes VLCHF). I was diagnosed with Ankylosis spondylitis (AS) about 5 years ago. My rheumatologist put me on methotrexate. I responded very well to the drug and never actually used any NSAID to treat pain or mobility problems. My life was normal, meaning I did anything I wanted and my diet was the typical low fat diet that the western society makes us believe are healthy. Towards the end of 2011 I injured my back while MTB, through this experience my AS flared, causing me great pain and my mobility decreased significantly. (From 10 to about 2-3, I could hardly get out of bed in the morning and I would lie 30 minutes in a hot tub to gain enough mobility to dress and go to work). After this experience, I did quite a bit of research to educate myself about AS and natural remedies in regards to this chronic disease. Through all the research that I did, I established that diet was the only solution that I could try. I found other people who’s AS is in remission due to a very low carbohydrate diet. The diet required to remove all Starches from their diet so effectively they are eating a diet high in fat, moderate protein and very low (<50 g) in carbohydrates. So on the 1 January 2012, I stop taking my methotrexate and changed my diet to a high in FAT. Well, the 1st few months were very difficult to say the least, my body was so used to burning sugar (Carbs) for energy that I was chronically tired and my cycling performance decreased significantly. Now that I am 23 months into the diet my pain levels are down to about 2 out of 10 and my mobility is improving daily, some days I struggle a bit with the AS but overall I am much healthier than before. Towards the end of May (2012) I completed SANI2C RACE successfully finishing in the top 15% of the field, since eating a high fat diet(<50g Carbs) I have noticed that I can compete at almost the same level as before as long as I supplement with Carbs during the race in form of Superstarch / 32GI (PLAIN) . Lately I must admit that I will finish perhaps around position 100 in the MTN national races (Marathon) where I previously finished any ware between positions 50-70. But if I consider how healthy and better I feel the lost in performance is not that bad although I am very competitive in nature. I have noticed that some times my performance dips quite a bit not sure why that is but if I eat sufficient calories I am ok . I also experience the same thing that all the others report that when you race you need carbs. During Barberton / Sabie this year it was so evident, as you all know those races demand so much from you in terms of the hilly nature of the route that you quickly dip into glycogen reserves especially if you at threshold for the whole race. Lastly I would also like to add that Peter attia has posted that glycogen can be restored in a keto adapted person to about 70% full , through Gluconeogenesis that is a biggie for me because if I increase my carbs to much I aggregate my AS and then the inflammation just kills me and robs me of performance. Adding perhaps 100g of carbs a day before a race is enough to full your levels if you are consuming enough other calories. (FATs = MCT’s ) Before I started this regime my CRP levels was running between 35 -50 . I can testify that inflammation has a massive impact in our bodies, when mime was sky high it made me anemic and my hematocrit was hovering around 38 . Now days it is back to 44.5 and can tell the diff , as you all know cyclist don’t need muscles but oxygen . My conclusion and the way forward is that I will continue what I am have been doing for the last 23 months because I don’t have much of an option . Sometimes I long for that extra bit of power or perhaps new ways to see where the rabbit will lead me to get more bang for my bug in terms of threshold or more VO2 Max improvements. So far I could only found once such avenue called Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP) via D-Ribose . Lions go all out although for short periods via this pathway (and consume no Carbs) …….don’t shoot for this statement and I am only saying it because I know that this forum will research this further . Below is statement from Jack Kruse : The Ketogenic Athlete Alert: The reason fat burning takes 12-24 months to get maximum ATP production, is because the PPP uses D-ribose as its energy intermediate chemical to replenish the products of ATP hydrolysis. It seems performance athletes and their trainers missed this pathway in human biochemistry. It is the holy grail for fueling maximal athletic performance, and belies the power behind the Ancient Pathway. This is also helps us understand why a lion, who eats nothing but protein and fat needs 20 hours a day to sleep, but a gazelle, who is a herbavore only needs to sleep 6 hours a day. A gazelle eats a diet high in carbohydrates that replenish ATP quickly, therefore they would not require lots of sleep renewal to replenish their ATP fast. Longer term this leaves them energy poor, but they can refuel fast to get away from their lion. Compare that to a lion who eats a ketogenic diet that uses the D-Ribose to replenish the energy substrates from the fat burning pathways. Because they need more D-Ribose from the Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP), they require more sleep renewal to get ATP levels higher. Jack Kruse (http://www.jackkruse.com/april-2013-webinar/ )is bit controversial but so was Tim noakes or any of the others which are promoting the LCHF way although he is at the sharp end when it comes to this way of thinking and research. There is a lot of reading to do on his site and sometimes you get lost a bit unfortunately his work reads difficult at times , he is a neurosurgeon. Unfortunately I don’t have the energy or time now to do more research and then try it on myself for know I am in awe of my recovery and sometimes I will cry while riding to think that at one stage I could hardly get of bed . I am so blessed that I can ride again and sometimes challenge my follow mates in races again. I am highly introverted so it took me some time to compile this story , will post some of my labs in terms of trig , hemotogrit , thyroid , etc. All in all I am very healthy at the moment although I have days where my inflammation still gets the best of me but that happens more less now days then before. Ch SPY
