Re: new member, struggling, questions

[Guest guest]

>Please, does anyone know why I am so spacey??? Brain fog completely!

>to the point where i cannot function or do work many times. This is

>no good. I know the feeling of low blood sugar all too well, but

>sometimes (like now), i have eaten plentifully, sprouted toast with

>raw cheese and a small bit of raw milk and some almonds, and I feel

>like I just smoked ten packs of cigarettes.

>Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

>Thanks`

>

I got over my brain fog by going completely gluten free, I also avoid

most casein. Those are the two most common culprits. But the best

way to figure this stuff out is to go on a meat/vegie diet -- for a week

at least, eat JUST meat (beef or chicken, no processed meat)

and vegies (frozen or fresh, no mixes) -- no condiments but salt and

pepper. If you have any gut symptoms, take some Pepto Bismol daily.

Cook on a clean pan, no baked-on grunge or nonstick. Eat as often as you want.

No beer!

Chances are, your blood sugar and brain fog will stabilize after a week.

The first two days you are likely to feel REALLY lousy, so start on

a weekend.

Then start adding fresh fruits the next week. Add foods back one at

a time, but only add them back one every 2-3 days (it takes awhile

to notice a reaction). Keep a dairy. The most common problems

statistically are gliadin (wheat gluten), casein, egg albumin, yeast,

soy, corn, and for some people, rice.

Eating wheat for me is like taking drugs, and milk isn't much better.

Kefir and butter are ok though. Wheat gluten causes the gut and brain

barrier to become permeable, which causes all kinds of weird problems.

People often start having problems when they go away to college, for

some reason. Maybe they eat more snack foods?

For the brain connection, try a web search on " Fasano zonulin " for kicks.

The book Dangerous Grains talks about some of the issues too.

I've also found that since I started the " warrior diet " my body is a lot

more tolerant of foods, and digests them better. The WD gets along

really well with college life, because you only have one meal to deal with!

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

,

I can only share my experience. For me, it was all milk products

(sadly) that caused my brain fog. I only figured it through lots of

experimentation. Heidi's suggestions are a good way to go about

that. I also have to avoid gluten and eggs, but it's the dairy that

gives me the worst brain fog. Even kefir from raw milk will cause it

for me. One thing I noticed, though, is that I have to eat dairy

several days in a row for the brain fog to kick in, ie, it's not an

immediate reaction for me.

I'm really working on getting my intestines in good shape so that

hopefully I'll be able to eat raw dairy one day.

Good luck!

> >Please, does anyone know why I am so spacey??? Brain fog

completely!

> >to the point where i cannot function or do work many times. This

is

> >no good. I know the feeling of low blood sugar all too well, but

> >sometimes (like now), i have eaten plentifully, sprouted toast

with

> >raw cheese and a small bit of raw milk and some almonds, and I

feel

> >like I just smoked ten packs of cigarettes.

> >Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

> >Thanks`

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Some excellent suggestions so far. I'm going to put a different

spin on it. Maybe you need to change the EMPHASIS of your diet

from plant foods to animal foods. I know this can be hard when

in college.

By relying on carbs for your fuel you may simply be eating way

more carbs than your body can handle. My major dietary change

was to cut out ALL grains and that helps a LOT. I've always been

slim so weight loss was not the impetus. Grains, even soaked,

are tough on a weak digestive system. I still eat starchy veggies

and fruit. But mostly I eat animal foods. Make bone broth

(chicken and beef) to help your nervous system. Some things I

do to always have animal foods around:

- Nitrate free pepperoni - I get one that's like 2 feet long for 7.99

at whole foods

- Marinate, then bake, half a turkey breast regularly, to have as

lunch meat

- Chicken soup is easy and you get to eat broth plus meat

together

- Eggs with cheese, and nitrate-free sausage or bacon, every

morning to fill me up (this might not be my healthiest practice but

it works for now)

- Pinto beans are very digestible when soaked in water, then

cooked with beef broth (and some blackstrap molasses). A pot

lasts days.

- If you can't find grassfed beef at least get it from a good source

where the cows spend significant time on pasture. Some

bodies needs red meat several times a week, and it's better to

eat decent meat that's fed some grain, than to eat meat rarely.

Also new zealand lamb is mostly grass fed

- Make pima cream and kefir, and keep them around

I do value plant foods too (esp. avocado, olive oil, saurkraut, kim

chi, brocolli, berries) but the major shift for me was eating lots of

animal foods daily. Hope this helps.

>

> Please, does anyone know why I am so spacey??? Brain fog

completely!

> to the point where i cannot function or do work many times.

This is

> no good. I know the feeling of low blood sugar all too well, but

> sometimes (like now), i have eaten plentifully, sprouted toast

with

> raw cheese and a small bit of raw milk and some almonds,

and I feel

> like I just smoked ten packs of cigarettes.

> Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

> Thanks`

>

[Guest guest]

--- I experienced this " brain fog " perhaps 6 mos. ago the first

time in my life. I believe I received many good dietary suggestions

on this site however I think my biggest problem was lack of sleep

(and some stress included). This past summer I was able to get more

sleep and the " brain fog " mostly went away. I was not even geting 5

hours uninterrupted sleep the past couple years other than last

summer. I still think I have some food allergies (or lousy food

selection) relative to experience and what I've read here the past

couple years. Dennis Kemnitz

In , " annnas88 " <annas88@h...> wrote:

> Hello everone,

> I read the NT book over a year ago but at that time my life was so

> hectic and my digestive system such a mess that anything I tried to

> do in the way of improving my diet was not very successful.

> I am a college student with limited time and money but a HUGE drive

Clipped by Dennis<><><><><><><><><>>

[Guest guest]

I have tried unsuccesfully to feel good for years. Raw grassfed cow's

milk is a big one for me to cause dizziness and brain fog. I have

tried everything, elimination diets where I just juice vegetables for

days before trying to reintroduce food. I would always feels a quick

relief and then go back to feeling yuck. I finally went and had an

ALCAT test for food allergies. I am sensitive to everything it seems.

Of the 150 tested foods I am sensitive to well over 50 of them. I can

eat more fruits than vegetables though I have a candida problem so I

am confused as to how to deal with that. No wonder I couldn't do an

elimination diet and feel better more than a few days. I am allergic

to beef so all that grassfed beef and liver didn't help me. The

saurkraut doesn't help because I am sensitive to cabbage. I would try

millet for a gluten free grain. Well, you guessed it I can't have

that either. I am sensitive to most of the foods listed as least

likely to cause reactions such as lamb and kale. I would see if you

couldn't get some allergy testing done. I read all the

recommendations to you and they all sound great but I know that they

wouldn't have worked for me and didn't because of food sensitivities.

So if you think you have problems in that area I would recommend

allergy testing. Because I never would have believed that I was

sensitive to all these foods I thought were so good for me. But

eliminating foods is the only thing I ever found to help me feel

better if even for a day. My problem was I just wasn't eliminating

near enough or the right things. I wish I could give you an update

and say that now I feel really great. But I only just got the results

back very recently and made it to a decent grocery store yesterday,

so I am starting on my diet today. Good luck in your search for

health.

Marcella

--- In , " annnas88 " <annas88@h...>

wrote:

> Hello everone,

> I read the NT book over a year ago but at that time my life was so

> hectic and my digestive system such a mess that anything I tried to

> do in the way of improving my diet was not very successful.

> I am a college student with limited time and money but a HUGE drive

> and dedication to improving my health.

> Right now my biggest health complaint is severe hypoglycemia. at

> least I think that's what it is. I eat at least every 3 hours. For

a

> while I was trying to do " food combining " , separating plain

> carbohydrate, and proteins and fats together. it actually eased my

> digestion tremendously (i had irritable bowel like symptoms for

> years). However, I think it worsens my blood sugar. Does anyone

have

> any positive experience with proper food combining?

>

> I get dizzy frequently, at least every day, and I know sometimes it

> may be because of food sensitivities, I am just having a hard time

> narrowing it down. I eat grass fed beef occasionally when it is

> available, but usually my protein is natural canned tuna and free

> range eggs. i think raw eggs make me so dizzy for some reason. I

have

> been making my own kefir out of grass fed raw milk, but i have not

> had much luck with the process or my body's reaction. I try to eat

> lots of vegetables, unstarchy ones like salad greens, tomatoes,

> peppers, onions, mushrooms, kale, swiss chard, salads with flax or

> olive oil dressing and cooked vegetables in coconut oil. I also eat

a

> few avocados a week. I DO eat grains right now, mostly in the form

> of ezekial and other sprouted breads, and also soaked oatmeal. I

> think that part of my dizziness problem is too many sugars,

although

> I really love dried figs, or raisins, or raw honey, or a little

> molasses on my oats (with fresh ground flaxseeds of course). i now

> have raw grassfed butter, which i eat on the toast. I also eat

> UNsoaked organic almonds and cashews as snacks and an occasional

> piece of fruit. Sometimes rice and beans.

>

> Please, does anyone know why I am so spacey??? Brain fog

completely!

> to the point where i cannot function or do work many times. This is

> no good. I know the feeling of low blood sugar all too well, but

> sometimes (like now), i have eaten plentifully, sprouted toast with

> raw cheese and a small bit of raw milk and some almonds, and I feel

> like I just smoked ten packs of cigarettes.

> Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

> Thanks`

>

[Guest guest]

Heidi wrote:

The WD gets along

> really well with college life, because you only have one meal to

deal with!

That's for sure! While I'm doing it to try to increase insulin

sensitivity, etc, the biggest impact I've noticed is convenience. I

leave at 7 in the morning and sometimes don't get back till five,

because I have either a bunch of classes and then a lab (up to 3

hours long) or I have work (tutoring chemistry) and then a lab.

When I'm gone all day, I'd used to have to eat a big meal before I

left, and bring a big meal with me, which took up enormous room in my

backpack (a big meal for me is a *big* meal). Between making

breakfast and packing lunch I'd have to get up 2 hours before I left.

Now, life is so easy! I get up an hour before I leave, but I spend

most of my time chilling out. I spend 20 minutes doing exercises and

stretches, five to ten minutes getting everything together, and a

half hour checking my email over tea. If I bring something to snack

on I might bring some bacon or blueberries, but it takes me almost no

time to prepare.

Then I don't worry about food till I get home! And my stomach has

adjusted to more or less not get hungry till I'm ready to feed it.

Chris

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

Thank you for these suggestions. I think an elimination diet that

stables my blood sugar is just what I need right now.

I agree in the observation that many people get " messed up " when they

go to college, many people i know have annoying to severe digestion

issues, and other health problems (skin viruses and rashes, sugar

cravings, fatigue, sickness, etc.). I think it is a combination of

the stress of being away from home and the instant change in diet,

from sometimes all home cooked, meat based meals (as in my case) to

the dining halls that are mostly processed starches and iceburg

lettuce salad bars with trans-fatty dressings. There is also an

abundance of desserts and snack foods that kids tend to over-indulge

in. I believe that all of this was the start of my problems, along

with a drastic diet/borderline eating disorder that i had freshman

year in which i deprived my body of a lot of nutrients. When i tried

to gain the weight back, I couldn't digest ANYTHING.

That was 3 years ago and now I have the resources to feed myself

well. I don't think the warrior diet would work for me.... for one

thing, i am not trying to lose weight, at all. And because of the

hypoglycemia (which may be related to other issues, and may clear up

with control of blood sugar spikes), I can't imagine not eating

breakfast. HOw do you get enough calories in one day with only one

meal??? I am very active, walking miles around campus every day and

also sometimes lifting, dance classes, yoga, and other things. I also

feel like I couldn't concentrate in class or study well with a

growling stomach!

It does sound convenient though, I have to admit. I too have to get

up very early to prepare my food and pack it for the day.

~

--- In , Heidi Schuppenhauer

> I got over my brain fog by going completely gluten free, I also

avoid

> most casein. Those are the two most common culprits. But the best

> way to figure this stuff out is to go on a meat/vegie diet -- for a

week

> at least, eat JUST meat (beef or chicken, no processed meat)

> and vegies (frozen or fresh, no mixes) -- no condiments but salt

and

> pepper. If you have any gut symptoms, take some Pepto Bismol daily.

> Cook on a clean pan, no baked-on grunge or nonstick. Eat as often

as you want.

> No beer!

>

> Chances are, your blood sugar and brain fog will stabilize after a

week.

> The first two days you are likely to feel REALLY lousy, so start on

> a weekend.

>

> Then start adding fresh fruits the next week. Add foods back one at

> a time, but only add them back one every 2-3 days (it takes awhile

> to notice a reaction). Keep a dairy. The most common problems

> statistically are gliadin (wheat gluten), casein, egg albumin,

yeast,

> soy, corn, and for some people, rice.

>

> Eating wheat for me is like taking drugs, and milk isn't much

better.

> Kefir and butter are ok though. Wheat gluten causes the gut and

brain

> barrier to become permeable, which causes all kinds of weird

problems.

> People often start having problems when they go away to college, for

> some reason. Maybe they eat more snack foods?

>

> For the brain connection, try a web search on " Fasano zonulin " for

kicks.

> The book Dangerous Grains talks about some of the issues too.

>

> I've also found that since I started the " warrior diet " my body is

a lot

> more tolerant of foods, and digests them better. The WD gets along

> really well with college life, because you only have one meal to

deal with!

>

> -- Heidi

[Guest guest]

,

I had brain-fog, severe dizzy spells and memory loss when I was at university...

then I was diagnosed with CFS but... several factors were involved to aggravate

the situation...

1... serious sleep deprivation [over 3 years with average 3-4 hours sleep per

night!]

2... serious stress levels - husband and two small children at the time + a lot

of course work. [husband and kids are still around ]

3... no time for proper food - preparing OR eating anything good - overdosed on

carbs and any other c--p at the cafeteria.

when I finally collapsed I was found to have severe B12 and serum ferritin

deficiency [haemoglobin levels were normal]...

gave up gluten having read an article in the paper... within less then 3 weeks

the brain fog was lifted!... with B complex supplements the vertigo and

accompanying memory loss have disappeared!

so... a few blood test for the above just to rule out deficiencies would be in

order... get more sleep [please].... eat as best as is possible and find a way

to reduce stress [easier said than done]

all the best,

Dedy

[Guest guest]

>That was 3 years ago and now I have the resources to feed myself

>well. I don't think the warrior diet would work for me.... for one

>thing, i am not trying to lose weight, at all. And because of the

>hypoglycemia (which may be related to other issues, and may clear up

>with control of blood sugar spikes),

The blood sugar spikes were the reason I tried it. I wanted to get rid

of the hypoglycemia attacks -- food was ruling my life, if I skipped

breakfast I couldn't function. The hypoglycemia turns out to

be related to cortisol, and cortisol is triggered, often, by food allergies.

So, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, eating the main meal just in

the evening tends to make for a better day. It takes some adapting

for a couple of weeks though.

>I can't imagine not eating

>breakfast. HOw do you get enough calories in one day with only one

>meal???

First, it isn't just one meal. I eat from 7:00 to 11:00, leisurely.

Folks like Ori and Joe Foreman don't need to lose weight and

don't want to lose muscle, and they do fine eating this way.

Your body knows what it wants, and Ori's theory is that

people NORMALLY ate this way in the past. I tend to agree.

Also, you CAN eat during the day -- meat and raw fruits and vegies.

Just no starch.

Second, you can eat higher-calorie foods, like nuts if you

don't have a problem with them. Also fat has a LOT of calories.

Third, most of the problems with people who can't gain

weight have to do with food *absorption*, not with calorie

intake. Esp. if they can't absorb fats. IgA food allergies

really damage the upper gut, which is where food is

absorbed. They also cause enzymes and stomach

acid to be in short supply, for some reason, which

exacerbates the problem. Eating once a day, I think,

gives the gut a chance to rest and heal. It also, I think,

gives the digestive enzymes time to " build up " during

the day so they can do a better job digesting at night.

At any rate, I'm digesting food better than I EVER have,

without taking enzyme caps too.

>I am very active, walking miles around campus every day and

>also sometimes lifting, dance classes, yoga, and other things. I also

>feel like I couldn't concentrate in class or study well with a

>growling stomach!

You should read Ori's workout, what HE does on an empty stomach.

I couldn't picture Joe Foreman boxing with only blueberries for

lunch either, but it works for him.

It takes time to adapt though. First step would be cutting down

(or cutting out) starches during the day ... starches include most

of the allergenic foods anyway so it's not a bad idea. " Pig out "

on apples, with peanut butter if needed, and eat more at night.

What I found was that after the first couple of days I really

didn't need or want food during the day, except some jerky

here and there and an apple for breakfast. I do eat a salad sometimes

at lunch, or a bowl of broth, of there are people here (to be

sociable mostly). This is HUGELY different than I've ever eaten ..

I was a 6-meal-a-day gal.

The idea is that your appetite will tell you what and when to eat,

after you train it a little. If you have extra fat, that is supposed

to create leptin, which tells your body to eat less. If you don't

have extra fat, you will eat more. If you need to eat during

the day, go ahead, just make it meat and raw fruits and vegies.

(no-sugar yogurt/kefir and eggs are ok too -- but you want to make

sure you don't have allergy issues with those first, I think).

>It does sound convenient though, I have to admit. I too have to get

>up very early to prepare my food and pack it for the day.

Yep, it is. It does seem to give more energy etc. too. At least

for me.

>~

[Guest guest]

, Dedy, and others,

This is absolutely so true about sleep. If I get less than 6 hours sleep, it

makes all the difference in the world whether I can keep my blood sugar

stable or not. I used to almost pass out in church often from not eating a full

breakfast, and once or twice I actually passed out standing up. However, if I

got 6 or more hours it was never that severe, and if I got 8 hours I didn't

seem to have a problem at all. But I know it was related to blood sugar,

because

if I ate something it went away very fast. And I never had the problem if I

ate a full breakfast and had full access to food on demand.

Someone posted a study way back on this list finding that metabolism of

glucose changes dramatically during sleep deprivation.

I've never understood why college students seem to value this overnight

studying stuff. And I've even seen teachers encourage it. My bio teacher this

semester said something like 'you may have to pull some all-nighters " studying.

The idea is crazy-- you are much better off spending half the time studying

and twice the time sleeping. Your mental performance declines dramatically with

less sleep, whether we realize it or not.

I think Dedy is absolutely right: if you aren't getting at least six

hours sleep and preferably (or for some people absolutely necessarily) 8 hours,

this should be top priority.

Moreover, if you are a college student, you're probably somewhere around my

age (21), and require more sleep than adults. Teenagers require 10 hours on

average, and adults tend to require about 8, so people who are just edging out

of their teenagers probably require 9 or 10 hours for optimal sleep. Someone I

worked with last year (an engineering major) said if they got 10 hours their

mental performance improved astronomically, so they tried to get that once a

week and go crazy doing homework and papers, etc.

Chris

In a message dated 9/18/03 1:22:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

Dpdg@... writes:

> I had brain-fog, severe dizzy spells and memory loss when I was at

> university... then I was diagnosed with CFS but... several factors were

involved to

> aggravate the situation...

> 1... serious sleep deprivation [over 3 years with average 3-4 hours sleep

> per night!]

> 2... serious stress levels - husband and two small children at the time + a

> lot of course work. [husband and kids are still around ]

> 3... no time for proper food - preparing OR eating anything good - overdosed

> on carbs and any other c--p at the cafeteria.

>

> when I finally collapsed I was found to have severe B12 and serum ferritin

> deficiency [haemoglobin levels were normal]...

>

> gave up gluten having read an article in the paper... within less then 3

> weeks the brain fog was lifted!... with B complex supplements the vertigo and

> accompanying memory loss have disappeared!

> so... a few blood test for the above just to rule out deficiencies would be

> in order... get more sleep [please].... eat as best as is possible and find a

> way to reduce stress [easier said than done]

> all the best,

" To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are

to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and

servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. " --Theodore

Roosevelt

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/18/03 2:26:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

heidis@... writes:

> You should read Ori's workout, what HE does on an empty stomach.

> I couldn't picture Joe Foreman boxing with only blueberries for

> lunch either, but it works for him.

I typically, due to scheduling, work out in the evening. For breakfast I

usually have tea with a tbsp of cream and a half teaspoon of raw honey. For

lunch I usually have er... nothing. Sometimes some more tea. Than I workout.

If

I'm planning for a really tough workout I try to eat some raw liver, or heart

if I don't have liver, before hand, but sometimes eat nothing. (and a little

raw liver has almost no calories).

I was worried about glycogen, since if I'm up at 6 o'clock, theoretically I'd

have used all my glycogen by 5 o'clock. But I start my workout at 3:30 or

four or four:30 and end by 5 or 6 sometimes, and don't have a problem.

I usually do 20 minutes on the eliptical at setting 10 at 80 rpm, and get my

heart rate up to 175, (target hr for cardio training for my age is 159). At

this point it says I'm burning somewhere between 900 and 1100 calories per

hour, so I burn a good 300 or so on that alone, which is my warmup. Then I do

stretches, including some like the bridge which are also endurance muscle

exercises. Then I do the squat or deadlift, which, especially the squat, is a

total

full-body workout. I do six sets, including three which are about 130% of

what I weigh. Then I do six sets of the bench press.

I must burn at *least* 1000 calories if not a bit more. Yet I have that

glycogen stored somewhere or other.

Chris

[Guest guest]

Just keep in mind that the Warrior Diet is not for everyone. You

have to decide for yourself. I didn't have to do the Warrier Diet in

order to get rid of my hypoglycemia. Getting digestion normal is

probably key, but also getting enough protein and good fat, and

eliminating grains and sugar for most people will work. But time and

patience is also important.

Bee

>

>

> >That was 3 years ago and now I have the resources to feed myself

> >well. I don't think the warrior diet would work for me.... for one

> >thing, i am not trying to lose weight, at all. And because of the

> >hypoglycemia (which may be related to other issues, and may clear

up

> >with control of blood sugar spikes),

>

> The blood sugar spikes were the reason I tried it. I wanted to get

rid

> of the hypoglycemia attacks -- food was ruling my life, if I skipped

> breakfast I couldn't function. The hypoglycemia turns out to

> be related to cortisol, and cortisol is triggered, often, by food

allergies.

>

> So, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, eating the main meal just in

> the evening tends to make for a better day. It takes some adapting

> for a couple of weeks though.

>

>

> >I can't imagine not eating

> >breakfast. HOw do you get enough calories in one day with only one

> >meal???

>

> First, it isn't just one meal. I eat from 7:00 to 11:00, leisurely.

> Folks like Ori and Joe Foreman don't need to lose weight and

> don't want to lose muscle, and they do fine eating this way.

> Your body knows what it wants, and Ori's theory is that

> people NORMALLY ate this way in the past. I tend to agree.

> Also, you CAN eat during the day -- meat and raw fruits and vegies.

> Just no starch.

>

> Second, you can eat higher-calorie foods, like nuts if you

> don't have a problem with them. Also fat has a LOT of calories.

>

> Third, most of the problems with people who can't gain

> weight have to do with food *absorption*, not with calorie

> intake. Esp. if they can't absorb fats. IgA food allergies

> really damage the upper gut, which is where food is

> absorbed. They also cause enzymes and stomach

> acid to be in short supply, for some reason, which

> exacerbates the problem. Eating once a day, I think,

> gives the gut a chance to rest and heal. It also, I think,

> gives the digestive enzymes time to " build up " during

> the day so they can do a better job digesting at night.

> At any rate, I'm digesting food better than I EVER have,

> without taking enzyme caps too.

>

>

> >I am very active, walking miles around campus every day and

> >also sometimes lifting, dance classes, yoga, and other things. I

also

> >feel like I couldn't concentrate in class or study well with a

> >growling stomach!

>

> You should read Ori's workout, what HE does on an empty stomach.

> I couldn't picture Joe Foreman boxing with only blueberries for

> lunch either, but it works for him.

>

> It takes time to adapt though. First step would be cutting down

> (or cutting out) starches during the day ... starches include most

> of the allergenic foods anyway so it's not a bad idea. " Pig out "

> on apples, with peanut butter if needed, and eat more at night.

> What I found was that after the first couple of days I really

> didn't need or want food during the day, except some jerky

> here and there and an apple for breakfast. I do eat a salad

sometimes

> at lunch, or a bowl of broth, of there are people here (to be

> sociable mostly). This is HUGELY different than I've ever eaten ..

> I was a 6-meal-a-day gal.

>

> The idea is that your appetite will tell you what and when to eat,

> after you train it a little. If you have extra fat, that is supposed

> to create leptin, which tells your body to eat less. If you don't

> have extra fat, you will eat more. If you need to eat during

> the day, go ahead, just make it meat and raw fruits and vegies.

> (no-sugar yogurt/kefir and eggs are ok too -- but you want to make

> sure you don't have allergy issues with those first, I think).

>

>

> >It does sound convenient though, I have to admit. I too have to

get

> >up very early to prepare my food and pack it for the day.

>

> Yep, it is. It does seem to give more energy etc. too. At least

> for me.

>

>

> >~

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 22:00:07 -0000

" annnas88 " <annas88@...> wrote:

>Right now my biggest health complaint is severe hypoglycemia. at

>least I think that's what it is. I eat at least every 3 hours. For a

>while I was trying to do " food combining " , separating plain

>carbohydrate, and proteins and fats together. it actually eased my

>digestion tremendously (i had irritable bowel like symptoms for

>years). However, I think it worsens my blood sugar. Does anyone have

>any positive experience with proper food combining?

While I don't think food combining is necessary for optimum health, it

can be helpful for those with impaired digestion. But since our bodies

should be able to handle food combos, I see it as more of a temporary

stopgap rather than a way of life.

But it has a big following in some raw food circles these days and of course

among natural hygienists.

>

>I get dizzy frequently, at least every day, and I know sometimes it

>may be because of food sensitivities, I am just having a hard time

>narrowing it down.

<snip>

>Please, does anyone know why I am so spacey??? Brain fog completely!

>to the point where i cannot function or do work many times. This is

>no good.

>

Hi ,

Here are my suggestions.

1. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. I used to keep some crazy

hours in college and for some folks it can make them really spacey.

2. If you can afford it go on a three day juice fast. This will

immediately remove nearly all potential allergens from your diet (unless

veggies are a problem). It will give your body a rest and clear your

head immediately. You should get immediate relief overall.

If you think you are having blood sugar issues while fasting immediately

do some light exercise. Your symptoms should go away.

3. After the short fast, or in lieu of it if you think that is too

radical, I would adopt the Warrior Diet. That way you will get some of the

benefits of fasting without fasting/undereating more than a portion of

the day. I know it might seem strange to you given the conventional

wisdom but it does seem to work.

Your evening feast should consist of meats of all kinds and veggies,

preferably fermented. You should eliminate all other food stuffs for a

little while. Then gradually add them back in one by one. I would add

any grains LAST, if at all. But I would also make sure that all dairy

and veggies are fermented and any grains you do eat have been long

soaked.

4. If the warrior diet is too radical then you should try a meat and

veggie diet without the undereating phase. Diet transitions of this sort

can be quit uncomfortable for a day or two so you should be aware of

this. then gradually add things back in, concentrating on the quality

and the preparation.

5. Last but not least, and it doesn't get said on this list too often,

but make sure what you are ingesting finds its way out in a timely

manner. That too can make a HUGE difference. I won't go into any details

of what bowel movements should be like or how frequent, but this is

something to consider as well.

It Really Was The People's Car

http://tinyurl.com/mwbv

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:48:28 -0700

Heidi Schuppenhauer <heidis@...> wrote:

>First, it isn't just one meal. I eat from 7:00 to 11:00, leisurely.

>Folks like Ori and Joe Foreman don't need to lose weight and

>don't want to lose muscle, and they do fine eating this way.

Heidi,

I see you are not a boxing fan, LOL! That would be Foreman and ol

definitely needs to lose some weight (or at least did) which is

why he adopted the warrior diet.

But you are right, the WD is not just about losing weight or even

primarily about losing weight. It all depends on how you approach it.

And that is also a very good point about the 4 hour window, something

which a lot of people seem to miss.

It Really Was The People's Car

http://tinyurl.com/mwbv

[Guest guest]

>I must burn at *least* 1000 calories if not a bit more. Yet I have that

>glycogen stored somewhere or other.

>

>Chris

Ori trained as a Navy seal, and his claim is that they have figured out

how to store 5,000 calories or so of glycogen. A lot more than I'll

ever use, that is for sure! But interestingly enough, the Sumo wrestlers

ALSO train on an empty stomach == but they force themselves to eat a lot,

and they eat twice a day. I like the idea of storing glycogen and being

able to use it though. Glycogen is what your muscles use for " fast " actions

so having lots of it around is handy. Plus it makes your muscles look big.

But when you are doing " normal " activities, you only burn a little glycogen

for the amount of fat you burn. So most of us don't need 5,000 calories of

glycogen.

We have 100,000 calories of fat or so, around to burn ...

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

>Heidi,

>

>I see you are not a boxing fan, LOL! That would be Foreman and ol

> definitely needs to lose some weight (or at least did) which is

>why he adopted the warrior diet.

ya got me there. I don't even like the Forman grill. But the idea of

(not Joe) sitting down to a bowl of blueberries was beyond me. Maybe he

should have been a Sumo wrestler.

>But you are right, the WD is not just about losing weight or even

>primarily about losing weight. It all depends on how you approach it.

>

>And that is also a very good point about the 4 hour window, something

>which a lot of people seem to miss.

I agree. My evenings are very much about snacking, indulging, enjoying.

My days are very much about running, driving, talking, etc. and the food seems

like an intrusion, at this point. It IS a lifestyle decision. Makes me wish

I had read more Roman classics.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Um, how can he possibly know this? How can you 'figure out' how to

modify your body's internal structure in how much glycogen is stored

in the liver?

-

>

> >I must burn at *least* 1000 calories if not a bit more. Yet I have

that

> >glycogen stored somewhere or other.

> >

> >Chris

>

> Ori trained as a Navy seal, and his claim is that they have figured out

> how to store 5,000 calories or so of glycogen.

[Guest guest]

>Um, how can he possibly know this? How can you 'figure out' how to

>modify your body's internal structure in how much glycogen is stored

>in the liver?

>

>-

He was talking about the Navy Seals, that they train the body to store

more glycogen so the Seals can do more work with less food. I don't

know if the Seals have " proved " this or if it is just their working theory --

if a guy can go on a full-pack hike all day and not poop out or lose

muscle mass then you assume he is storing more glycogen? Knowing

the military though, it wouldn't surprise me if they studied the

issue though.

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

and everyone else,

thank you so much for replying with all helpful suggestions.

yes, I am your age. I still can't imagine not eating a full breakfast, and

meals/snacks whenever i am hungry after that. But I do know people that i

think their eating habits could adapt to and they would prefer the warrior

diet. I have to follow my body's signlas right now.

sleep... is tough but I am doing it. And I will make it an even bigger

priority now.

dairy- i am going to eliminate all except kefir and raw butter and see how i

do.

I had stopped trying to eat more fat for a while, and I guess my diet has

been too carb/grain-based for me. The other thing that is hard, is that my

roommates' food is everywhere, they are always baking choc.chip cookies and

pies and eating ice cream. ugh. I have a lot of will power though.

Are nuts, if unsoaked, ok to snack on? They give me instant energy without

the woozy feelings i think because of the high fat content. But I have had

severe digestion issues in the past and I know the nuts can be hard to

digest, and I dont want to irritate my system again.

Ok, off to sleep!

Thanks again~

>From: ChrisMasterjohn@...

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: Re: new member, struggling, questions

>Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 18:02:44 EDT

>

>, Dedy, and others,

>

>This is absolutely so true about sleep. If I get less than 6 hours sleep,

>it

>makes all the difference in the world whether I can keep my blood sugar

>stable or not. I used to almost pass out in church often from not eating a

>full

>breakfast, and once or twice I actually passed out standing up. However,

>if I

>got 6 or more hours it was never that severe, and if I got 8 hours I didn't

>seem to have a problem at all. But I know it was related to blood sugar,

>because

>if I ate something it went away very fast. And I never had the problem if

>I

>ate a full breakfast and had full access to food on demand.

>

>Someone posted a study way back on this list finding that metabolism of

>glucose changes dramatically during sleep deprivation.

>

>I've never understood why college students seem to value this overnight

>studying stuff. And I've even seen teachers encourage it. My bio teacher

>this

>semester said something like 'you may have to pull some all-nighters "

>studying.

>The idea is crazy-- you are much better off spending half the time studying

>and twice the time sleeping. Your mental performance declines dramatically

>with

>less sleep, whether we realize it or not.

>

> I think Dedy is absolutely right: if you aren't getting at least six

>hours sleep and preferably (or for some people absolutely necessarily) 8

>hours,

>this should be top priority.

>

>Moreover, if you are a college student, you're probably somewhere around my

>age (21), and require more sleep than adults. Teenagers require 10 hours

>on

>average, and adults tend to require about 8, so people who are just edging

>out

>of their teenagers probably require 9 or 10 hours for optimal sleep.

>Someone I

>worked with last year (an engineering major) said if they got 10 hours

>their

>mental performance improved astronomically, so they tried to get that once

>a

>week and go crazy doing homework and papers, etc.

>

>Chris

>

>In a message dated 9/18/03 1:22:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

>Dpdg@... writes:

>

> > I had brain-fog, severe dizzy spells and memory loss when I was at

> > university... then I was diagnosed with CFS but... several factors were

>involved to

> > aggravate the situation...

> > 1... serious sleep deprivation [over 3 years with average 3-4 hours

>sleep

> > per night!]

> > 2... serious stress levels - husband and two small children at the time

>+ a

> > lot of course work. [husband and kids are still around ]

> > 3... no time for proper food - preparing OR eating anything good -

>overdosed

> > on carbs and any other c--p at the cafeteria.

> >

> > when I finally collapsed I was found to have severe B12 and serum

>ferritin

> > deficiency [haemoglobin levels were normal]...

> >

> > gave up gluten having read an article in the paper... within less then 3

> > weeks the brain fog was lifted!... with B complex supplements the

>vertigo and

> > accompanying memory loss have disappeared!

> > so... a few blood test for the above just to rule out deficiencies would

>be

> > in order... get more sleep [please].... eat as best as is possible and

>find a

> > way to reduce stress [easier said than done]

> > all the best,

>

>

> " To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we

>are

>to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and

>servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. " --Theodore

>Roosevelt

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

chris,

that is very interesting... are you sure you are not metabolizing muscle?

Have you lost weight/muscle living like this?

>From: ChrisMasterjohn@...

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: Re: new member, struggling, questions

>Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 18:18:16 EDT

>

>In a message dated 9/18/03 2:26:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

>heidis@... writes:

>

> > You should read Ori's workout, what HE does on an empty stomach.

> > I couldn't picture Joe Foreman boxing with only blueberries for

> > lunch either, but it works for him.

>

>I typically, due to scheduling, work out in the evening. For breakfast I

>usually have tea with a tbsp of cream and a half teaspoon of raw honey.

>For

>lunch I usually have er... nothing. Sometimes some more tea. Than I

>workout. If

>I'm planning for a really tough workout I try to eat some raw liver, or

>heart

>if I don't have liver, before hand, but sometimes eat nothing. (and a

>little

>raw liver has almost no calories).

>

>I was worried about glycogen, since if I'm up at 6 o'clock, theoretically

>I'd

>have used all my glycogen by 5 o'clock. But I start my workout at 3:30 or

>four or four:30 and end by 5 or 6 sometimes, and don't have a problem.

>

>I usually do 20 minutes on the eliptical at setting 10 at 80 rpm, and get

>my

>heart rate up to 175, (target hr for cardio training for my age is 159).

>At

>this point it says I'm burning somewhere between 900 and 1100 calories per

>hour, so I burn a good 300 or so on that alone, which is my warmup. Then I

>do

>stretches, including some like the bridge which are also endurance muscle

>exercises. Then I do the squat or deadlift, which, especially the squat,

>is a total

>full-body workout. I do six sets, including three which are about 130% of

>what I weigh. Then I do six sets of the bench press.

>

>I must burn at *least* 1000 calories if not a bit more. Yet I have that

>glycogen stored somewhere or other.

>

>Chris

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Your welcome for my part. I wouldn't suggest going on the Warrior Diet (in

the sense of not eating breakfast), but I think and Heidi's suggestions

are great for cleansing and determining reactive foods, and that essentiall

is the warrior diet if your breakfast is meat and veggies!

While if you eat nuts a lot it would be superior to digest them, if you don't

have the time, I would say anything that gives you energy without the

negative effects is good. Whatever allergy, cortisol, blood sugar, etc, problem

is

giving you fogginess is far worse than potential long-term digestive problems

from the nuts (though they shouldn't be ignored forever).

I wanted to add one more point-- lift weights! I know that might not be a

reasonable suggestion for you with your schedule, but gaining muscle mass helps

stabalize blood sugar, and it seems to have helped my metabolism a lot.

Chris

In a message dated 9/19/03 11:20:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

annas88@... writes:

> thank you so much for replying with all helpful suggestions.

> yes, I am your age. I still can't imagine not eating a full breakfast, and

> meals/snacks whenever i am hungry after that. But I do know people that i

> think their eating habits could adapt to and they would prefer the warrior

> diet. I have to follow my body's signlas right now.

>

> sleep... is tough but I am doing it. And I will make it an even bigger

> priority now.

>

> dairy- i am going to eliminate all except kefir and raw butter and see how i

>

> do.

>

> I had stopped trying to eat more fat for a while, and I guess my diet has

> been too carb/grain-based for me. The other thing that is hard, is that my

> roommates' food is everywhere, they are always baking choc.chip cookies and

> pies and eating ice cream. ugh. I have a lot of will power though.

>

> Are nuts, if unsoaked, ok to snack on? They give me instant energy without

> the woozy feelings i think because of the high fat content. But I have had

> severe digestion issues in the past and I know the nuts can be hard to

> digest, and I dont want to irritate my system again.

> Ok, off to sleep!

> Thanks again~

" To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are

to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and

servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. " --Theodore

Roosevelt

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/19/03 11:23:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

annas88@... writes:

> that is very interesting... are you sure you are not metabolizing muscle?

> Have you lost weight/muscle living like this?

,

I haven't lost any weight at all, but I do think I've lost a little bit of

fat. I've been gaining muscle, judging by the thickness of my back, etc. I've

also been increasing the weight I lift, not decreasing it, so I can't have

actually lost muscle mass.

Chris

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/19/03 11:23:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

annas88@... writes:

> that is very interesting... are you sure you are not metabolizing muscle?

> Have you lost weight/muscle living like this?

You know it's funny, I just wanted to make this one point--

I haven't lost weight, and in fact I'm almost " obese " according to the new

charts at the doctor's office. All my life I've been considered underweight by

these charts, and before I was 5'7 1/2 " and 134 pounds. Since I've been

working out over six months or so, I've gotten up to 151 pounds. According to

the

Weight Watchers chart over the scale at the doctors this is around the max I

should weigh with my height and build-- as if I were fat! So when I lost 5

pounds due to a chronic diarrhea problem I had (until I got rid of it with

Primal

Defense), the PA or whatever she is said " oh great, you've lost some weight! "

LOL! Yeah, how FANTASTIC!!! Thankfully I gained it all back quickly.

That's so funny that if I keep working out and building muscle over the next

few months I'll end up " overweight " !

Chris

[Guest guest]

,

Exactly. It's stupid to the point of amusing, in my case. Not in yours.

I'm glad you've gained your weight back.

Take care,

Chris

In a message dated 9/20/03 10:07:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

annas88@... writes:

> " weight " is a ridiculous term and standard. it can refer to any component

> of

> our bodies- bones, muscle, water, etc., and yet in our culture it is so

> ingrained in us by the media and such that the obsession has reached

> disgusting levels (atkins ad in this very message...). I had sort of an

> eating disorder freshman year, even though i wasnt anywhere near fat to

> begin with, and lost a lot of weight through excessive excercising and

> strict undereating. That was the start of most of my health problems, and I

>

> couldn't digest anything when i had to gain it back (especially dorm food I

> was having to eat). Now I weigh in the upper limit of my height range or

> whatever, but I am a healthy and muscular size. this is part of the reason

> why the warrior diet sounds too drastic for me, because it would remind me

> of all that negativity.

> As for lifting, I have been getting back into it recently, only a couple

> times a week when i can, along with dance and yoga and other stuff. Thanks

> for the suggestion.

> And if you've gained muscle, you must be right about the glycogen stores

> point

" To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are

to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and

servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. " --Theodore

Roosevelt

[Guest guest]

" weight " is a ridiculous term and standard. it can refer to any component of

our bodies- bones, muscle, water, etc., and yet in our culture it is so

ingrained in us by the media and such that the obsession has reached

disgusting levels (atkins ad in this very message...). I had sort of an

eating disorder freshman year, even though i wasnt anywhere near fat to

begin with, and lost a lot of weight through excessive excercising and

strict undereating. That was the start of most of my health problems, and I

couldn't digest anything when i had to gain it back (especially dorm food I

was having to eat). Now I weigh in the upper limit of my height range or

whatever, but I am a healthy and muscular size. this is part of the reason

why the warrior diet sounds too drastic for me, because it would remind me

of all that negativity.

As for lifting, I have been getting back into it recently, only a couple

times a week when i can, along with dance and yoga and other stuff. Thanks

for the suggestion.

And if you've gained muscle, you must be right about the glycogen stores

point...

>From: ChrisMasterjohn@...

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: Re: new member, struggling, questions

>Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 08:32:33 EDT

>

>In a message dated 9/19/03 11:23:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

>annas88@... writes:

>

> > that is very interesting... are you sure you are not metabolizing

>muscle?

> > Have you lost weight/muscle living like this?

>

>You know it's funny, I just wanted to make this one point--

>

>I haven't lost weight, and in fact I'm almost " obese " according to the new

>charts at the doctor's office. All my life I've been considered

>underweight by

>these charts, and before I was 5'7 1/2 " and 134 pounds. Since I've been

>working out over six months or so, I've gotten up to 151 pounds. According

>to the

>Weight Watchers chart over the scale at the doctors this is around the max

>I

>should weigh with my height and build-- as if I were fat! So when I lost 5

>pounds due to a chronic diarrhea problem I had (until I got rid of it with

>Primal

>Defense), the PA or whatever she is said " oh great, you've lost some

>weight! "

> LOL! Yeah, how FANTASTIC!!! Thankfully I gained it all back quickly.

>

>That's so funny that if I keep working out and building muscle over the

>next

>few months I'll end up " overweight " !

>

>Chris

>

>

>