Gary Taubes' Newest Book

[TromboneAl]

Yes, netrition.com for CarbQuik. Netrition seems to be a good company. They have a flat rate $4.95 shipping charge, so if you order a lot at once, it's a good deal.

I have to say that low carbing has not worked as well for Lena as for me. In spite of the fact that we eat the same stuff, she's had a lot more fluctuations in weight, and not as much loss. She just doesn't get the same hunger suppression that I do.

So, results certainly are different for different people, and it's a complicated issue.

I like the liquid splenda and erythritol. Many people report that one only notices the aftertaste in splenda when you first start using it.

I did some experimenting with eating different foods, and measuring changes in blood sugar, but got inconsistent results, which I chalked up to meter and general variability. It's not worth all the finger pricks.

BTW you can get a free glucose meter here. They make their money on the test strips, so the meters are generally free.

The consensus on the lowcarbfriends forum is that Dreamfields works very well. I find that it tastes great.

 

[TromboneAl]

Here are the tests I made:

The waffles breakfast was: 3 ounces of CarbQuik waffles (recipe on box but with liquid sucralose), 2 TBS of Walden Farms syrup, 1 TBS of butter, and decaf coffee with 1 TBS HWC

The bacon and eggs breakfast was: 4 strips of bacon, 2 large scrambled eggs, one small fried cherry tomato, 5 oz of caffeinated diet orange soda mixed with 5 oz water.

The bacon and hamburger breakfast was: 7 strips of bacon and 3 oz of ground beef and water

Same data with absolute values:

The results don't make much sense to me without assuming variability. But I like the colorful graphs.

 

[HFWR]

An interesting blog: Perfect Health Diet

The main problem is that the main sources of carbohydrates in western diets – grains and sugar – contain food toxins such as gluten and fructose. So any benefits from reducing carbs could be the result of reduced toxin intake, not reduced carbohydrate calories.

Much research will be needed to disentangle the relative contributions of plant toxins and carbohydrate calories to health.
It looks from early evidence that intake of plant toxins may be much more consequential for health than the overall carbohydrate level. This is good news, since selection of low-toxicity foods and preparation methods that detoxify foods may enable big improvements in human health.
Nevertheless, even if most toxins can be removed, there are reasons to believe that a low- to moderate-carb (10% to 30% of calories as carbs) diet will be optimal for human health. Such a diet seems to work well for nearly everyone, even the metabolically damaged; and it produces a tasty diet that is a pleasure to eat. It therefore seems the most prudent recommendation for diet book authors to make. And we stand by it!

 

[RonBoyd]

Chocolate, Chocolate made with artificial sweetener or Chocoperfection

Yeah, I found that Chocolate was something that I missed. Here is a Recipe that I developed that tastes as good it gets. There are 140 calories and, if that is a concern, you could leave out the Oil -- it doesn't really add to the taste but changes the Texture to match that of added Dairy. It, also, works well with Hershey's "Natural" but I find the "Special Dark" to be more chocolatey (and fewer calories?). NOTE: There are only 2 Net Carbs and thus a very rich source of Fiber.

 

[RonBoyd]

Here are the tests I made:

I am struggling with how to maintain a proper nutrition balance without taking a multi-vitamin. Here is my total average food intake for the month of December without any pills other than Fish Oil and Vitamin D. Notice the imbalance in the Vitamin/Mineral intake. The "Goals" are (for the most part) those set by the Government's DRI standards -- the "General" goals are my own customized ones.

 

[RonBoyd]

I did some experimenting with eating different foods, and measuring changes in blood sugar, but got inconsistent results, which I chalked up to meter and general variability. It's not worth all the finger pricks.

BTW you can get a free glucose meter here. They make their money on the test strips, so the meters are generally free.

Oh! I am unsure if I am up to giving blood for this experiment. I, truly, hope I don't get that involved.

 

[RAE]

Much of this is like asking how many angels can dance on the head of a pin...

The SAD (standard American diet) is so bad that nearly anything would be an improvement, and the "food pyramid" touted by government and industry is misleading at best. The anti-fat mantra is arguably wrong-headed, and the crap we've chosen to replace fats in the diet are likely causing more harm than good. Excess omega-6, transfats, and polyunsaturated fats all contribute to inflammation, which is a major marker, if not contributor, to arterial disease. Thus, lard or butter are better than the margarine or canola oil used as "healthier" replacements.

Agreed. I walk through the grocery store now, and it's actually fairly difficult to find something I want to buy and eat - it's mostly processed crap ("food-like substances", as Michael Pollan says). But of course, that's what sells. It's no wonder we have an epidemic of obesity and diabetes in this country, considering the diet of the average American. And I'm not even including fast food here, so if you throw that in the mix, the diet gets even worse. There is probably no one ideal diet that fits everyone, because we are all slightly different. I can consume more carbs than my wife can, for example, without gaining any weight. However, I think it's safe to say that consuming large amounts of highly processed foods (like a lot of Americans are) is not good for anyone.

 

[CoolChange]

I am struggling with how to maintain a proper nutrition balance without taking a multi-vitamin....

I am in the same boat (similar daily calorie intake and nutritional targets).

Some of the things that help me reach my goals on a daily basis:

• I drink a lot of skim milk (1-3 quarts per day) which has a surprising amount of potassium and B vitamins and trace minerals in addition to the calcium you would expect. It is also my primary source of Vitamin D; but, frankly, I consider this little better than taking a supplement.
• Sunflower seeds and almonds for Vitamin E and several trace minerals.
• Tea brewed with tap water for fluoride.
• Spinach for Vitamin K.

Things that I am still working on:

• Getting more fiber in my diet.
• More natural (non-fortified) sources of Vitamin D and Omega-3's by adding more fish to my diet.

Hope you find some useful tidbits in this.

 

[RonBoyd]

Some of the things that help me reach my goals on a daily basis:

• I drink a lot of skim milk (1-3 quarts per day) which has a surprising amount of potassium and B vitamins and trace minerals in addition to the calcium you would expect. It is also my primary source of Vitamin D; but, frankly, I consider this little better than taking a supplement.
• Sunflower seeds and almonds for Vitamin E and several trace minerals.
• Tea brewed with tap water for fluoride.
• Spinach for Vitamin K.

Hope you find some useful tidbits in this.

Thank you. There are one or two helpful things in there. However, Dairy Products are an interesting subject in a LC regimen -- hard cheese & cream, for example, are acceptable... milk not so much (and particularly the low-fat kind).

As you can see what only a cup (8 oz) gives you:



Another mystery is: How do you get Iodine into your body without Table Salt?

 

[happy2bretired]

Kelp

 

[haha]

Another mystery is: How do you get Iodine into your body without Table Salt?

Oysters? Liver? KI pills?Don't know myself, but these things jump to mind.

Ha

 

[happy2bretired]

I have a nodule on my thyroid and have been looking online for iodine information. Iodine deficiency is more rare than it used to be because of all the processed foods that people tend to eat (salted with iodized salt) BUT, before all the cr*p food, people on the coasts usually didn't have "goiter" since they ate more fish products.

 

[RonBoyd]

Kelp

Help?

Oh! Never mind...

Anyway, here's a cupful. Yummy.



No Iodine, either. (Yeah, I know, it doesn't show it there.)

 

[TromboneAl]

I am struggling with how to maintain a proper nutrition balance without taking a multi-vitamin.

Why do you want to avoid taking a multi-vitamin?

I drink a lot of skim milk (1-3 quarts per day)

Three quarts means you are getting 39 teaspoons of sugar per day.

Skim Milk:

Sugar:

 

[haha]

I have a nodule on my thyroid and have been looking online for iodine information. Iodine deficiency is more rare than it used to be because of all the processed foods that people tend to eat (salted with iodized salt) BUT, before all the cr*p food, people on the coasts usually didn't have "goiter" since they ate more fish products.

Always check these out with your MD. Best not to self diagnose here.

Ha

 

[RonBoyd]

Why do you want to avoid taking a multi-vitamin?

You mean other than the "challenge"?

It's the "control issue." Taking a multi-vitamin in an amount to supplement (in my wild imagination) would supply me with a tremendous excess of those elements that were supplied "naturally."

For instance, Vitamin K is used by the body to give blood its coagulation qualities. Since I take Warfarin (a blood "thinner" for A. Fib.), I don't want to upset that delicate balance. I know I can adjust my Warfarin dosage as needed but that is a major pain -- I do have blood drawn every 8 weeks and that is often enough. I have been on the same Warfarin dosage for five years now so it appears my diet has it under control.

 

[RonBoyd]

I have a nodule on my thyroid and have been looking online for iodine information.

Yesterday, On the Dr. Oz show, he mentioned that Thyroid Cancer is the most common Cancer among women. He spent a considerable portion of his hour showing how to self-examine and other stuff. You might be able to find a YouTube version by Googling for it.

Anyway, Ha is correct... do not self diagnose and/or prescribe.

 

[CoolChange]

My Approach

To get even further off the original topic, here are some answers about my approach in case anyone finds them at all interesting or useful.

Please do not rely on anything I am saying here without doing your own research. I have not spent nearly as much time as I would like researching nutrition or exercise; but, as I mentioned in another post some time ago, that is high on my retirement to do list.

Why do you want to avoid taking a multi-vitamin?

I have read several studies where various nutrients seemed to show benefits when consumed from food sources but supplementation did not produce the same benefit. I have a couple of hypothesisses (neither original, I'm sure) to explain this:

1. The chemical structure of the supplement is slightly different from what is found naturally in food. Consider all of the different molecules that are labeled Vitamin E or Vitamin A for example.
2. The measured benefit was not from the nutrient being measured but from something else that occurs in the same food sources as the nutrient being studied.

Even though I do not understand the mechanism behind it; I have become convinced that obtaining my nutritional from natural sources is preferable to obtaining it via supplementation. However, I am also convinced that supplementation is better than under-nutrition; so, I do take a multivitamin on those days when I am not able to (or, just choose not to) eat this healthily.

Three quarts means you are getting 39 teaspoons of sugar per day.

Yep. But, I am not a low carb. guy. I basically just worry about total calories and adequate nutrition: CRON-diet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I do think there is significant evidence that refined carbs aren't good for you. So, I have pretty much eliminated sodas, white bread, etc. from my diet. I also find the evidence for a low fat diet compelling; so, I also try (with some days being spectacular failures on this front) to limit my total fat intake to 20% of my total daily caloric intake. However, I consider this to basically be tinkering around the edges. My main dietary concerns are total calories and adequate nutrition.

 

[RonBoyd]

Oysters?

You understand that the Oysters available to me are the "Rocky Mountain" kind don't you?

 

[HFWR]

You understand that the Oysters available to me are the "Rocky Mountain" kind don't you?

Trying to steer you in the wrong direction...

 

[GregLee]

I have read several studies where various nutrients seemed to show benefits when consumed from food sources but supplementation did not produce the same benefit. I have a couple of hypothesisses (neither original, I'm sure) to explain this:

1. The chemical structure of the supplement is slightly different from what is found naturally in food. Consider all of the different molecules that are labeled Vitamin E or Vitamin A for example.
2. The measured benefit was not from the nutrient being measured but from something else that occurs in the same food sources as the nutrient being studied.

3. The benefit is not real, but only perceived, due to an ideological commitment to natural.

 

[hankster]

You understand that the Oysters available to me are the "Rocky Mountain" kind don't you?

It's OK Ron. Have a ball!

 

[haha]

You understand that the Oysters available to me are the "Rocky Mountain" kind don't you?

Hmm, that is unfortunate indeed.

Ha

 

[RonBoyd]

Hmm, that is unfortunate indeed.

Yeah. If only Denver was on the Ocean... <sigh>

Oh! There is such a place... they call it San Diego.

 

[tmm99]

I have to say that low carbing has not worked as well for Lena as for me. In spite of the fact that we eat the same stuff, she's had a lot more fluctuations in weight, and not as much loss. She just doesn't get the same hunger suppression that I do.

I remember I read a book by Diana Schwarzbein (I believe she is an endocronologist) long time ago and I think it was the 2nd book that she had out that explained the blood sugar and estrogen connection. She prescribes estrogen for women who cannot lose weight using the Schwarzbein Principle (which is basically lowcarb with liberal amount of fat), so maybe your wife's reason is at least partially that (estrogen decline). (Maybe for men, testosterone level matters, but I don't remember if she said anything about men in her book...)

I actually read in the menopausal forums/books that many women lose their weight when put on testosterone (as well as estrogen since evidently, estorgen level must be made adequate before testosterone, or you would end up getting excess testosterone symptoms (greasy hair, pimples, aggressiveness, male pattern boldness, etc) and also, I think improving your estrogen level helps out with using their free testosterone in the body more effectively). Anyway right amount of estrogen by itself seems to improve BS levels and cholesterol profile as well as cardiovascular health (although none of that happens if you are on synthetic estrogen or synthetic estrogen/testosterone.)

Your wife isn't supplementing herself with any progesterone (high dose progesterone cream is everywhere - it's an OTC item) (without adequate amount of estrogen), is she? That, according to what I read, would worsen her insulin resistence, weight gain, cholesterol profile, etc, as well as raising her cortisol level.