LCHF - Low Carb High Fat Diet Ver 2

[htone]

OK, I have an experiences to add that I don’t know how to put gently, so apologies if it is a bit on the umhhh sensitive side:

 

My beautiful wife and I have been battling to conceive the last 3.5 years. It was really a terrible time that amounted to us spending lots and lots of money and we went through many treatments. Now I am so chuffed cause our little Peanut is 12 weeks into the pregnancy this week.

 

About 6 weeks ago we started chatting about the path we took to get here. There were artificial inseminations, various doctors and we were scheduled for an invetro this September. One of the doctors we went to was a Homeopath. He was not successful in what he did but on one of the visits he did say that I should eat as much butter and fresh avo as I can find cause it helps with the little swimmers. At that time I did not even know about LCHF and didn’t pay much attention to it, but it popped into my mind during the conversation with my wife.

 

Seeing that the problem was with me (low sperm count due to the mumps), I have a strange feeling that my diet might have helped here. My wife got pregnant 3 months after I started with LCHF and eating all those butter, coconut oil, avo etc. I browsed the web and cannot actually find any research done on this subject, but there must be a reason why a Homeopath would say something like that. I have to add that this is the only thing that changed in our lives, and my wife is not on LCHF. Maybe just a very very very happy coincidence. But either way, I AM GONNE BE A DAD. Fantastic!

 

Fantastic news and allow me to join the chorus of CONGRATULATIONS on here !

 

Now read up about LCHF during pregnancy - there's a LOT of info out there and perhaps you and your wife together can change some of your child's destiny... there's a lot of theorizing going on about our adult eating patterns and the way we favour carbs being as a result of our mothers who ate a lot of carbs when they were pregnant with us.... Just saying

[Marge]

I am not answering FOR helpmytrap, I am just answering in general.

I test my BG using a blood glucose meter - In my case a Roche AccuCheck Nano - an absolutely brilliant little meter.

(https://www.accu-che...nano/index.html) No, I don't work for them...

 

You prick your finger, "suck up" the droplet of blood with a special little BG "stick" that fits into the machine and about 5 seconds later you have the reading. It can store about 500 readings and in my case I went OTT and bought the Roche 360 BG analysis software, so I have a complete database of all my blood checks since I first started measuring. I download the readings from the tester to my PC where those are then nicely graphed over time. This was where I could clearly see how I all but cured my Type 2 diabetes following a LCHF eating plan !

 

The meters are relatively cheap, in fact if you can make contact with one of the reps from e.g. Roche they will give you one for free - they make their money off the BG sticks (which some medical aid plans pay for).

 

Cool thanks, will have a look at the accu-check-thingy, it would be very interesting to get a more regular reading.

I just had a glucose check at dischem and the reading was 4.8 after about 10 days into my LCHF diet. Tried to google what the ideal measurement is so if anyone can comment it would help.

 

(The dischem test did cost me R35 so might as well buy the home kit. It also included an old tannie nurse who lectured me on my bad eating habits seeing that I'm only eating 3 times a day, how my insulin levels will drop, eating no fruit and carbs will give me diabetes, and how I'm not allowed to buy a home glucose test kit seeing that I don't have diabetes (yet, according to her) and a lot of other old school 'advice' on what and when to eat....)

[Cuppa Bru]

I am not answering FOR helpmytrap, I am just answering in general.

I test my BG using a blood glucose meter - In my case a Roche AccuCheck Nano - an absolutely brilliant little meter.

(https://www.accu-che...nano/index.html) No, I don't work for them...

 

You prick your finger, "suck up" the droplet of blood with a special little BG "stick" that fits into the machine and about 5 seconds later you have the reading. It can store about 500 readings and in my case I went OTT and bought the Roche 360 BG analysis software, so I have a complete database of all my blood checks since I first started measuring. I download the readings from the tester to my PC where those are then nicely graphed over time. This was where I could clearly see how I all but cured my Type 2 diabetes following a LCHF eating plan !

 

The meters are relatively cheap, in fact if you can make contact with one of the reps from e.g. Roche they will give you one for free - they make their money off the BG sticks (which some medical aid plans pay for).

 

Interesting on the subsidised BG meters!

Followed the link and got a certificate. Looks like the subsidy is for USA only, but worth a shot.

[Wet Ears]

 

 

I am not answering FOR helpmytrap, I am just answering in general.

I test my BG using a blood glucose meter - In my case a Roche AccuCheck Nano - an absolutely brilliant little meter.

(https://www.accu-chek.com/microsites/nano/index.html) No, I don't work for them...

 

You prick your finger, "suck up" the droplet of blood with a special little BG "stick" that fits into the machine and about 5 seconds later you have the reading. It can store about 500 readings and in my case I went OTT and bought the Roche 360 BG analysis software, so I have a complete database of all my blood checks since I first started measuring. I download the readings from the tester to my PC where those are then nicely graphed over time. This was where I could clearly see how I all but cured my Type 2 diabetes following a LCHF eating plan !

 

The meters are relatively cheap, in fact if you can make contact with one of the reps from e.g. Roche they will give you one for free - they make their money off the BG sticks (which some medical aid plans pay for).

 

How much are the sticks htone? Do you have any contact details for SA as I have been told (by at least 5 pharmacies) that ketostix have been discontinued.

[Marge]

Cool thanks, will have a look at the accu-check-thingy, it would be very interesting to get a more regular reading.

I just had a glucose check at dischem and the reading was 4.8 after about 10 days into my LCHF diet. Tried to google what the ideal measurement is so if anyone can comment it would help.

 

(The dischem test did cost me R35 so might as well buy the home kit. It also included an old tannie nurse who lectured me on my bad eating habits seeing that I'm only eating 3 times a day, how my insulin levels will drop, eating no fruit and carbs will give me diabetes, and how I'm not allowed to buy a home glucose test kit seeing that I don't have diabetes (yet, according to her) and a lot of other old school 'advice' on what and when to eat....)

 

PS: found this http://www.mkem.co.za/p898159006/Accu-Chek-Active-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-System.aspx the whole kit for only R250

[htone]

How much are the sticks htone? Do you have any contact details for SA as I have been told (by at least 5 pharmacies) that ketostix have been discontinued.

 

These are not KETO strips that I am talking about, they are Blood Glucose strips.

I have a meter that can do both BG and Ketones - a Freestyle Optium, but those ketone strips are hellishly expensive - IFIRC it was about R200 for 10 strips.

You can get them from M-Kem in Bellville (it may be worth it to give them a call and ask if they will ship to you if you are located elsewhere) - http://www.mkem.co.za/

 

Also remember there is always the urine stick option to measure ketones, and those are referred to as Ketostix. Also not so readily available from pharmacies but you can get them from @flexia Reflexology in Durbanville - she has shipped to many members on this board. Not as accurate as the blood meter, but still good enough an indication.

 

For pricing on the BG sticks, speak to your local pharmacy - I buy then in boxes of 50, but because my medical aid covers it, I cannot readily recall pricing.

[davetapson]

How much are the sticks htone? Do you have any contact details for SA as I have been told (by at least 5 pharmacies) that ketostix have been discontinued.

 

You can get the equivalent (sort of) - they are called Diabur 5000. They do both ketones and glucose. I got mine at Dischem.

[Wet Ears]

Thanks, Monday, getting my BG and ketones confused!

[htone]

PS: found this http://www.mkem.co.z...ing-System.aspx the whole kit for only R250

 

Marge - check the pricing of the STRIPS before you buy. You will find that the meters all go relatively cheaply, but that the pricing of the strips vary significantly.

 

Also check if the meter can communicate with anything else (if that is important to you) - the Nano has an infrared port and with another little Roche gizmo connected to your PC you can then download the data for processing and review. Don't buy the first meter you see, they are not all created equal ... and you may get smoked when you buy the strips.

 

Opinions on what a "good" BG reading is varies, but the Pathcare guideline for fasting BG is 3.5 - 5.5, so if you have tested below 5.5. without fasting then that is good. Except, you NEED to have an HbA1c test done to really determine your average BG in order to know if you are insulin resistant or not. Your BG reading could also be low because you are insulin intolerant and if you have not eaten for a few hours you could be going "hypo" (as opposed to "hyper") meaning your BG levels are falling too low.

 

If you are REALLY interested in this in more detail, and I see you are in the Western Cape, send me a PM and I can forward you the details of the Roche "rep" - she also does diabetes education and is a really good source of info before you buy anything.

[Helpmytrap]

Helpmytrap, please post regular findings of what happens to your blood glucose after eating certain foods & after various activities, I'd personally find that interesting.

 

Especially if someone else, who is maybe more carb resistant, posts their numbers too (of their responses to the same foods) to see how differently their body responds.

 

Yes I know, I can be a bit of an anorak.

Sure, on Saturday I rode the Cullinan Nissan Trailseeker. I only rode hard for about half the race and at the 60km mark (2h40) I had a 1h36 "break". A girl went over the bars behind me and broke her clavicle, so I phoned the paramedics and waited with her until they showed up. I then continued riding and did the last 15km in about 34min.

On my 3h14 ride (4h51 total time) I ate some nuts (Almond/cashew/macadamia mix) and a Gu. An hour after finishing I tested my BG and it was 3.7mmol/L (I ate an egg, smoked chicken and homemade mayo when I got home - nothing that would spike BG).

 

But, this morning I had my bulletproof coffee and an omelette with a bit too much Gouda which spiked my BG to 5.3mmol/L (reading in pic below.)

 

EDIT: I also ate a strawberry at breakfast this morning, oops.

 

@helpmytrap: sorry for stupid question...but here goes: how did you test your blood glucose?

For the life of me I don't know what I did with the box but I'm using a Bayer Contour TS blood glucose meter. As @htone mentioned above, you prick your finger and place a drop of blood on a test strip.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Helpmytrap

[htone]

You can get the equivalent (sort of) - they are called Diabur 5000. They do both ketones and glucose. I got mine at Dischem.

How much are the sticks htone? Do you have any contact details for SA as I have been told (by at least 5 pharmacies) that ketostix have been discontinued.

 

I find this fascinating, as I have had the same response from quite a few pharmacies. It's a little like Marge's experience with the nurse that did her BG test.... No, Sir, we cannot get keto sticks and we have heard that they have been discontinued. It's not like at least 20 people on this board alone have enquired about these sticks.... do you think the pharmacies are in denial about this ? Even Noakes mentioned M-Kem in Bellville as his source - is Mr Mulloch of M-Kem the only pharmacist in the country who "gets it" ?

 

Somewhere there is a business opportunity in here that a lot of pharmacies are just completely missing...

[Helpmytrap]

Earlier today I went past my grandmother who has type 2 diabetes. Was telling her how I had made some amazing chicken liver on Saturday and how I ended up turning some of it into Pate on Sunday. Too which I got the reply: "I really love pate, but I'm not allowed to eat it because of the fat." This is info that she got from her dietician!

I really wish that I could explain the "just" of things ito diabetes to her. But why would she ignore a "professionals" advice and listen to me..?

[htone]

But, this morning I had my bulletproof coffee and an omelette with a bit too much Gouda which spiked my BG to 5.3mmol/L (reading in pic below.)

 

 

I see your spike and raise you !

 

This was one of the readings that literally changed my life. This reading was taken 2 hours AFTER eating 4 slices of a Dischem health bread in September of last year.... your reading is but a blip, Sir

 

[htone]

Earlier today I went past my grandmother who has type 2 diabetes. Was telling her how I had made some amazing chicken liver on Saturday and how I ended up turning some of it into Pate on Sunday. Too which I got the reply: "I really love pate, but I'm not allowed to eat it because of the fat." This is info that she got from her dietician!

I really wish that I could explain the "just" of things ito diabetes to her. But why would she ignore a "professionals" advice and listen to me..?

 

The first rule of LCHF is that we don't talk about LCHF...

[tombeej]

I buy big bags of sheep fat at my local butchery (all Karoo sourced and free range). This I then slow cook/fry to render off the fat. The kaiings I get in the process is a big bonus; the whole family fight me for this. The fat is solid at room temperature, but can be used for all frying - I use it for everything; even the odd occasion we go carb heavy and make vetkoek or potato chips.

 

I like that

[TLW]

Thanks Grondpad - actually went for a slow 1hr road ride yesterday after giving myself a bit of a talking to... it was great and i came home refreshed. But, I have also been around the block enough to know that it could be very different tomorrow. I think the bottom line is that, quite frankly, its just been an INCREDIBLY stressful time (like we all have) over the last few months - maybe just generally tired.

 

BUT YOU ARE KILLER - thanks guys!!!

 

In the beginning of my LCHF life I felt the same for about 3 months. It was terrible. Usually I needed no motivation but during this period all training was massive effort. I then ditched the intervals/speed work and opted for LSDR (even some on the trainer). To be honest I think it worked a charm. Now in month 4 and I think that period actually did a bit of good. I am starting to get my mojo back. Last weekend I was almost back to my old self on a 70km MTB ride at 88% avg hr. My running picked up as during the 3 months of slump I followed the principals of Maffetone and I think I really needed that.

Maybe ditch the high intensity and just enjoy riding/running? Maybe that will encourage you a bit more but it being winter now I really do sympathize.