More on the low carbing

[piskieinboots]

For more years than I care to remember I have had to cope with pretty horrid sinus and for even more years (since birth) asthma.

I have been low-carbing (wheat-free) for three months now - sinus virtually clear - for the first time since a long time ago!!! Bonus side effect No: 1

Whilst I still take inhalers for asthma, it is now just one morning and night instead of several additional ones during the day - I can't even begin to tell you how good that feels. Bonus side effect No: 2

But the relief from sinus is mind-blowingly wonderful

These are issues that I didn't start low-carbing to help solve but along the way it has - who knew!!

[cardiffsteve]

Are you still training for a marathon or have I messed something?
Glad your symptoms are reducing on this diet.

[julesapple]

This very evening, I have had a long lecture from my brother's wife on the subject of low-carbing. She's a nurse and, even with thirty years experience, I cannot agree with her that she knows everything.

The BH and I are low carbing for his diabetes and my hypothyroidism. I have tried to explain to my mother what we are and are not eating, and she's convinced we are going to kill ourselves if we don't eat starchy carbohydrates. So she has explained her understanding (ie none) to my SinL who then phoned up to explain how diabetes works. I have to say that she hasn't got a clue - not surprising as she's an Orthopaedic nurse - and her info on low-carbing is about 60 years out of date.

Diabetes is different for everyone but (simply) the overall consensus is that starchy carbs are converted into glucose in the bloodstream very quickly and diabetics are better off without them. BH's blood glucose level has gone from 14.9mmol on diagnosis to 6.4 (on average) within two weeks of starting our version of low carbing. Doctors like you to be between 4.0 and 7.0 mmol whether you're diabetic or not.

We have cut out white flours, potatoes, pasta, rice, and most breads. When we do have bread it is low GI wholegrain multiseed spelt flour bread which is a slow release of glucose into the system and so doesn't spike the BGL. We've also cut out hydrogenated fats/oils, sweets and chocolate. On top of this, portion control for everything else is key.

To listen to my SinL and my mother, you'd think we were trying to commit dietary suicide. Although we are starting to miss certain things, we both feel better and we are never hungry. Oh, and when you tell them what we are eating you can virtually hear their disgust because, obviously, all those cream, butter and meat laden things are bad for us - how can you possibly be healthy eating cauliflower cheese (made with cream) and steak?

Jules

[boosmummy]

Well how aptly timed is this thread? ive just been reading about a low carb diet. Apparently, a low carb diet is good for m.e., well low carb, no caffeine, no alcohol, no sugary drinks, anything you can think that might taste delicious probably has some element of 'not allowed' in the ingredients. However, my doctor quite recently, (which i decided to 'ignore' because i wanted the cauliflower cheese and steak) said to me 'you have to go back to caveman mentality, they survived on what they needed not what they wanted, they didn't go foraging for mars bars and all the rest of this processed junk we insist on eating today' and bread came into that category.

Anyway, off on a tangent there, the up shot is, this thread has been quite helpful and im going to try my up most to get better, and eat well. Who wouldnt want to get better at the end of the day, its just about focusing on a mindset and sticking with it - its harder than it sounds though xx

[di]

I'm going to start a food diary for DS. He keeps waking in the early hours with bad stomach pains. I know that last night and at least one of the others, he had a sandwich shortly before bed.
He doesn't seem to have a problem with it for the most part but wonder if it's something best avoided after 6:00.

[piskieinboots]

Are you still training for a marathon or have I messed something?

I'm struggling with a knee injury so I have passed back my place - seemed a bit mean keeping it just in case I get sorted.

To listen to my SinL and my mother, you'd think we were trying to commit dietary suicide. ......how can you possibly be healthy eating cauliflower cheese (made with cream) and steak?

I'm amazed at how much of the medical profession refuse to rethink where 'we' went wrong ...indeed, how can you possible

...my doctor quite recently, (which i decided to 'ignore' because i wanted the cauliflower cheese and steak) said to me 'you have to go back to caveman mentality, they survived on what they needed not what they wanted, they didn't go foraging for mars bars and all the rest of this processed junk we insist on eating today' and bread came into that category.

You have a good Doc there BM

He doesn't seem to have a problem with it for the most part but wonder if it's something best avoided after 6:00.

Got to be worthy of a try

[Two_Sheds]

- sinus virtually clear - for the first time since a long time

I didn't know that. My sinuses are always blocked, have been all my life. GP can't help. Giving up milk (Zazen's advice) has cleared up my eczema: this was the first winter in my adult life that I haven't been scratching myself raw.
GPs just want to give you pills (keep those pharmaceuticals in business )

I'm thinking though, and the only wheat I eat is from toast (one slice a day) and pasta maybe once a fortnight. I'll cut it out though, and see if it makes any difference

She's a nurse ... an Orthopaedic nurse

So she knows all about allergies right?

[piskieinboots]

I was very similar TS, the only bread I ate was home-made (by machine), pasta was, at most, once a week. It's certainly worth giving it a go - there is nothing to lose if it doesn't help but lots to gain if it does.

[julesapple]

I don't miss the starchy foods per se. I miss where they're needed...for instance, we can still eat curry - but no rice. It's a bit difficult to find substitutes for those sorts of things, but we'll get there. We are finding out that cauliflower has many uses such as;

Cauliflower Rice

It's also been really good to vary our diet which was getting a bit same old, same old. I'm still having to cook the normal version of whatever we're having for the kids but, I suspect, there maybe changes in store there as they are taking a keen interest in what we're eating. No2 Son has already started to eat green beans and cauliflower - things he previously disliked.

Jules

[julesapple]

So she knows all about allergies right?

She knows as much about allergies as she does about Diabetes or Hypothyroidism......almost zilch!

[Jardiniere]

My OH and I hardly eat any carbs but it was mainly for weight loss. I used to have to watch my sugar levels and dont any more....I have lost a stone in three months which is slow but consistent. Am expecting it to level out shortly and will have to think of another way to lose another stone!

[piskieinboots]

I still have spag bol - I use pasta for Snowdrop and I have courgette pasta, works really well for me. Likewise the 'pasta' in my lasagne is aubergine

[julesapple]

How do you make courgette pasta Pisk? BH loves courgette and he's going to miss his pasta. I love these new 'uses' for ingredients, so inventive.

[Thelma Sanders]

I Likewise the 'pasta' in my lasagne is aubergine

so it's moussaka then...just eating Greek food rather than Italian

[piskieinboots]

How do you make courgette pasta Pisk?

Here's one way - pretty much the same as I do it