I am back... doing pretty well with LCHF- 70 lbs+ gone
yeswehave8
Posts: 45 Member
I think I joined here 2+ years ago originally and had some success with LCHF, but I eventually fell off and stayed off. I've had some MAJOR life changes that have made it clear that I needed to do something, so I naturally gravitated back to the LCHF lifestyle. I have been insulin resistant most of my life (PCOS dx at 18) and have been struggling with many autoimmune issues (including advanced joint destruction for age and a thyroid that goes high and low) but "THE" diagnosis eludes me. I've been under the care of no less than a dozen doctors over the last couple of years and they all want to focus on their specialty. No one seems able to see the big picture and tell me what I need to do overall, so I had to do it myself.
2 weeks before Christmas, my eldest son was killed by a drunk driver. He died instantly, he was just suddenly gone. Obviously, this has put all sorts of pain and stress into my life. Not only losing him, but battling to keep the offender locked up (he was a month, he is out for now) and dealing with attorneys, coroners, cops, etc... I'll just say it has been hell.
It did not help that we were involved in a serious car accident ourselves in Feb... the girl ran the stop sign and I t-boned her and flipped her car... and all 4 of our young ones were in the car with me, as was my husband. I was taken from the scene by EMS, as I could not walk (I was standing on the brake on impact) and that had sent everyone spinning again. It was basically the same type wreck that killed my son. This time, we ALL walked away, thank God... even the other parties, despite being rolled.
18 days after he died, I had my first anaphylactic reaction. I was very close to dying myself, it took 3 doses of EPI to finally stop the reaction. That was the first of 4 reactions, 2 of which needed EPI. I had NEVER had this happen before, so pinpointing the causative factors were tough. It took 5 months and 2 doctors to confirm shellfish, fish and pineapple/ latex allergies... that in itself was a mess, as the allergist tried to tell me at first that I might not have any allergies (he does not like the other doc I was seeing), that it was all stress. I was quite happy that HE was the one who read my 2nd allergy test and had to eat his words (but that took months to finally get there, I could not get off of antihistamines without high dose steroids) . Since all I had to go on was an allergy test that was over a year old (and clearly included things I have never actually reacted to), *I* decided to take it all in my own hands and go off ANYTHING that I had shown positive to (more than 2 dozen foods), plus get off the gluten as my allergist suggested (I had been seeing a GI and they were ready to remove my gallbladder). I had read that a fast could help clear histamine and mast cells, so I did a 48 hour water fast, too.
Long story short, I have been basically LCHF for about 4 months now, plus avoiding other possible allergens. I have not been able to eat out in this time, either, which helps with health and weight loss, but frustrates me socially. I've been given the go ahead to SLOWLY reintroduce things, but only when I feel well and strong. My alternative is being admitted to an ICU setting and reintroducing foods there... no thanks! So far I have added back cocoa (cacao) and tomatoes. I plan to do onions next. I know I have had small doses of corn in my medications, too, so technically I've always had corn in there in small doses, but I have been nervous adding back actual corn. I've actually been very careful not eating corn otherwise, which is a HUGE challenge. In LCHF, corn is not a big keeper food anyway... plus it is known to cross react with gluten, so there is that, too. My gut is SO much happier being off of grains!
On the weight loss side... I am down 72 lbs since last March. 40 lbs of that is just in the last 4 months. It is amazing what happens when you eliminate inflammatory foods! I had hit a plateau and upped my carbs the last few days and I am suddenly bloated and hanging on to water weight. There must be a better way!
I am as thin now as I was in HS, and I am 45 and have birthed 6 babies. I have already passed my first goal weight, and the 2nd one is very much in view as attainable. I don't have an end goal yet, I just know I am not there.
Anyway, just wanting to get back into the community side a little bit and maybe find some help on breaking through some of these plateaus. As I have been basically grain free (very, very little rice... maybe 2 months ago?), I have been naturally staying in ketosis from VLC. I cannot have the gluten, and most of the other grains cross react in sensitive individuals (which I obviously am). I bought some truly GF oats and that did NOT go well. Not only did it upset my tummy, but it brought back the cravings almost immediately. I can basically have coconut flour as a grain and that is it (nut reactions, not reintroduced yet) and MAY add back in the corn... it may sound silly, but I have also strived to be organic/ non-GMO and am growing my own food right now... if my corn grows, that will be the one I try.
2 weeks before Christmas, my eldest son was killed by a drunk driver. He died instantly, he was just suddenly gone. Obviously, this has put all sorts of pain and stress into my life. Not only losing him, but battling to keep the offender locked up (he was a month, he is out for now) and dealing with attorneys, coroners, cops, etc... I'll just say it has been hell.
It did not help that we were involved in a serious car accident ourselves in Feb... the girl ran the stop sign and I t-boned her and flipped her car... and all 4 of our young ones were in the car with me, as was my husband. I was taken from the scene by EMS, as I could not walk (I was standing on the brake on impact) and that had sent everyone spinning again. It was basically the same type wreck that killed my son. This time, we ALL walked away, thank God... even the other parties, despite being rolled.18 days after he died, I had my first anaphylactic reaction. I was very close to dying myself, it took 3 doses of EPI to finally stop the reaction. That was the first of 4 reactions, 2 of which needed EPI. I had NEVER had this happen before, so pinpointing the causative factors were tough. It took 5 months and 2 doctors to confirm shellfish, fish and pineapple/ latex allergies... that in itself was a mess, as the allergist tried to tell me at first that I might not have any allergies (he does not like the other doc I was seeing), that it was all stress. I was quite happy that HE was the one who read my 2nd allergy test and had to eat his words (but that took months to finally get there, I could not get off of antihistamines without high dose steroids) . Since all I had to go on was an allergy test that was over a year old (and clearly included things I have never actually reacted to), *I* decided to take it all in my own hands and go off ANYTHING that I had shown positive to (more than 2 dozen foods), plus get off the gluten as my allergist suggested (I had been seeing a GI and they were ready to remove my gallbladder). I had read that a fast could help clear histamine and mast cells, so I did a 48 hour water fast, too.
Long story short, I have been basically LCHF for about 4 months now, plus avoiding other possible allergens. I have not been able to eat out in this time, either, which helps with health and weight loss, but frustrates me socially. I've been given the go ahead to SLOWLY reintroduce things, but only when I feel well and strong. My alternative is being admitted to an ICU setting and reintroducing foods there... no thanks! So far I have added back cocoa (cacao) and tomatoes. I plan to do onions next. I know I have had small doses of corn in my medications, too, so technically I've always had corn in there in small doses, but I have been nervous adding back actual corn. I've actually been very careful not eating corn otherwise, which is a HUGE challenge. In LCHF, corn is not a big keeper food anyway... plus it is known to cross react with gluten, so there is that, too. My gut is SO much happier being off of grains!
On the weight loss side... I am down 72 lbs since last March. 40 lbs of that is just in the last 4 months. It is amazing what happens when you eliminate inflammatory foods! I had hit a plateau and upped my carbs the last few days and I am suddenly bloated and hanging on to water weight. There must be a better way!
I am as thin now as I was in HS, and I am 45 and have birthed 6 babies. I have already passed my first goal weight, and the 2nd one is very much in view as attainable. I don't have an end goal yet, I just know I am not there.Anyway, just wanting to get back into the community side a little bit and maybe find some help on breaking through some of these plateaus. As I have been basically grain free (very, very little rice... maybe 2 months ago?), I have been naturally staying in ketosis from VLC. I cannot have the gluten, and most of the other grains cross react in sensitive individuals (which I obviously am). I bought some truly GF oats and that did NOT go well. Not only did it upset my tummy, but it brought back the cravings almost immediately. I can basically have coconut flour as a grain and that is it (nut reactions, not reintroduced yet) and MAY add back in the corn... it may sound silly, but I have also strived to be organic/ non-GMO and am growing my own food right now... if my corn grows, that will be the one I try.
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Replies
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Sorry to hear about all your troubles, sounds like it has been an extremely challenging year.
If you go for corn go organic, it's heavily GMO and carries a high pesticide load as a result.
Congratulations on getting your health back together, go YOU!1 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »Sorry to hear about all your troubles, sounds like it has been an extremely challenging year.
If you go for corn go organic, it's heavily GMO and carries a high pesticide load as a result.
Congratulations on getting your health back together, go YOU!
Precisely why I am hoping I actually get corn in my garden. Some have tasseled already, so I am hopeful. I live in the middle of a LOT of agriculture, but non-GMO corn is hard to come by. I have a GREAT garden going, all organically grown, and the seeds are all heirloom/ non-GMO or certified organic (or both).
Thanks!1 -
@yeswehave8 I am so sorry for all the hell you've had to deal with! It's hard to handle life's trials when one is wrestling with health problems as well. I have to say though that I absolutely love your determination to move forward, taking your health into your own hands. I'm so thankful that you're back here with us!3
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And if you harvest your seeds you should get even better crops next year!!! Yay for plant adaptation!!!2
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Wow. I'm so sorry for everything you've had going on. Great job with the weight loss! And welcome back!1
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Codolences - grieving is a process of its own- it hits ya and leaves you reeling- as you know- peace comes in spurts- so does realizing and focusing again- congrats to you for reaching for health amidst all your tragedies3
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My son, my eldest son (he was 23) was one of my biggest cheerleaders... he always encouraged me to take better care of myself and pursue my own happiness. I did a great thing when I finally gave up on his bio-dad and eventually remarried... that will be 11 years already. He adored his (step)father, they were best friends. My husband has been wonderful through all of this, in ways I could have never imagined. I guess I am trying to make my son proud. I also know that I want the rest of our kids to have the mom that raised the awesome kid that Zach was. He truly was a great kid, and I want the rest of the kids (including his 2 baby brothers) to have their mother here and healthy.
But it does come in spurts... yesterday was tough. Sundays usually are (he died on a sunny Sunday afternoon) but for some reason yesterday was especially hard. I cannot believe he has been gone 6 months already. I cannot believe I am still breathing, sometimes, either. It is a process all it's own. Thank you everyone!
PS: I have already started collecting seeds. I have a bunch of basil bolts put up already.3 -
So glad you're back and have the company of this community to support your in your WOE and offering you understanding in moving through your grief. I'm so sorry about your beloved son. No doubt that monumental loss causes stress on the body. Very interesting how you're dealing with your diet and figuring it all out.0
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@yeswehave8 I am a British member, and as such, as far removed form your situation geographically, as one could get.
Emotionally? I have no words to offer to help your heart make any reparation. I feel so very sorry for everything you have gone through. but I send many blessings your way and offer my very heartfelt condolences for both the loss of your son (SUCH a waste!!) and also for everything you have gone through, physically.
While I am pleased your diagnosis vindicated your opinion of the doctor who so woefully guessed what your 'problems' were, there is a lot of truth in the fact that 'stress' is the unwelcome linchpin upon which many maladies thrive.
Breathe. Long and deep, and centre yourself frequently.
I am delighted you have a strong and loving family. You already are living proof of the love and devotion that nurtured your son, because you are already surrounded by love and devotion yourself.
You should be extremely proud of yourself, and totally own and recognise just how very strong you are.
I am very sorry for the loss of your son.
I am thrilled for you for the loss of your weight.
But I am full of admiration for who you are, both in spite of and because of what you have endured on all levels.1 -
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Welcome back. Your resilience is impressive-- I have no doubt you'll succeed in whatever goals you set.
I've followed an antiinflammatory elimination diet, too. It's amazing to see how foods affect the body's larger systems. Be gradual with re-introductions, plan on only one food a week, maybe 3 a month. Once all that inflammation subsides, my theory is that our innate anti-inflammatory pathways down regulate, and a reaction is *far* more noticeable than prior. And, you might find yourself reacting to foods you managed fine before. For me, almonds ended up being one of the strongest triggers, but I had eaten them daily before the elimination diet. Soy has a lot of crossrections, too. Corn products are in *everything* commercial-- learn all the names of it- maltodextrin, cellulose, ascorbic acid, citric acid, etc-- they aren't always corn (cellulose is sometimes sawdust, and maltodextrin is sometimes potato based) but you won't know.
Elaina Laird on the blog Phoenix Helix has a nice booklet on reintroductions, it's about $8 to download and a great little resource.0 -
Thanks for all the support... I absolute agree that the stress of losing my son is a HUGE trigger for so much that I have experienced since. I also know that the only one who is going to be able to help my find a way to go on and survive (maybe eventually thrive) is me.
Well corn is a NO for me... ugh, back to very "IBS" like symptoms with just one serving of organic corn chips. I suppose it could have been some of the seasonings in the taco meat, too, which also had some corn. Regardless... I may try some WHOLE organic corn if mine gets any bigger (it is silked, but still very small) but my first attempt was not good. It may not be meant to be, as I am gluten intolerant, too and I read that there is a lot of cross sensitivity.
Also, I had several "doses" of nightshades (tomatoes) for the first time in about 6 weeks and it did not go well, either. I had a full blown pain/ arthritic flare PLUS the carb cravings came on hard and fast, too. I've actually spent the last couple of days trying to force myself to just relax, as I was hurting a LOT and really quite miserable. My last bike ride was a few days ago and it was much too big a struggle (and it is normally NOT).
Tomorrow morning, I am going back to an induction type phase for 2 weeks... low carb, no dairy, no alcohol. I am already less achy, but hope I can get back into my exercise routine again, too. Blah. The last week has been rough!1 -
My most sincere condolences. I'm so sorry for your loss. You have been put thru too much and still you're managing to care for yourself. I wish you all success in your weightloss and health journey.0
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So sorry to learn of your losses and trials, but am filled with admiration for your courage and determination to keep moving forward.0
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