Low Fat Diet- I need help

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ivyjbres
ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Let me start by saying, yes, I know eating fat does not make someone fat. I know some fats are healthy. I know that fat is not bad.

But:
I have a chronic stomach issue,
I have iron-deficiency anemia, and
I am either diabetic or hypoglycemic. (I don't have money or insurance for that test, so diet is just going to have to suffice.)

I've recently been reminded that fat is the molecule that takes longest for the body to digest, so its very likely that the fat in my diet is slowing the absorption of the sugar and iron my body needs and therefore has been causing my (increasingly) more frequent episodes of low blood sugar (which almost always coincide with low iron).

I've never paid attention to my fat intake before as I know that (some) fat is good for you and necessary for healthy skin, hair and nails, often helps with other processes within the body, etc. But now it looks as though I need to be on a low fat diet, or at least try it and see if there is in fact, an improvement.

And that's where I need help. I've never planned an entire diet to be low fat. A meal, maybe, just cause I don't feel like it. A banana cake, sure, cake make with 6 frozen bananas is banana-ee-licious and butter would just ruin that. But an entire diet low in fat? How do you do that?

Replies

  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    How "low fat" are you talking? I normally keep my fat intake at 25% of my calories. I get my fat from natural peanut butter, nuts, olive oil, hummus, and there's some in the meats that I have. I like to use 2% cheeses because fat free has high sugar and whole milk as too much fat. I have egg whites instead of whole eggs to reduce fat as well.

    I guess the easiest thing to do would be to cut out red meat and use cooking sprays instead of cooking oils. Eliminate processed foods, candies, cakes, pies, etc. and replace with fresh veggies and fruit. Also go yolk-less. I do that to cut out saturated fats.
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
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    I'm looking for around 20% I've found a few references to studies that seem to show a better result for diabetics on an 18% fat diet versus 25%. My current levels are probably 30-50%, depending on the day....
  • MrsBlobs
    MrsBlobs Posts: 310 Member
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    How "low fat" are you talking? I normally keep my fat intake at 25% of my calories. I get my fat from natural peanut butter, nuts, olive oil, hummus, and there's some in the meats that I have. I like to use 2% cheeses because fat free has high sugar and whole milk as too much fat. I have egg whites instead of whole eggs to reduce fat as well.

    I guess the easiest thing to do would be to cut out red meat and use cooking sprays instead of cooking oils. Eliminate processed foods, candies, cakes, pies, etc. and replace with fresh veggies and fruit. Also go yolk-less. I do that to cut out saturated fats.

    I was going to reply with similar to the above. Cooking sprays are really good. you can 'fry' your food without all the added fat/oils and it stops food from burning and sticking to the pan. Up your veggie intake. Certain veggies have natural sugars and iron in them without the added fat that comes with meat and animal products.

    I would recommend you take a multivit regulalry just to see if that helps you feel a bit better.
  • Gigi_licious
    Gigi_licious Posts: 1,185 Member
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    Depends on how low fat you're talking, but if you're iron levels drop it will be hard to get super low. Egg yolks and red meat are high in iron. Vitamin C helps your body absorb it. So if you were to eat a couple whole eggs with a glass of OJ for breakfast, not only would you have some iron and an "absorbency booster" it would also help raise your blood sugar.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
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    Have you considered that perhaps carbohydrates might be more to blame than fat? Carbs raise the blood sugar (diabetes) and some carbs can keep them elevated for hours on end (like whole grain pasta). I understand that the FDA prefers to blame fat for various ailments, but their approach has pretty much been sucky for the last 30 or so years and it might be time to try something else.

    Body has been able to digest fat for millions of years, so it seems unlikely the fat is causing your stomach ailments. Diabetes/hypoglyemia again is more affected by carbs than fat (anyone who tests their blood sugar regularly knows that their blood sugar spikes after a carb heavy meal, not a steak), and I don't have a lot of experience with iron deficiencies, but I would assume that eating foods high in iron would help (like egg yolks and meat).

    All of your ailments were mentioned in Wheat Belly. I recommend giving it a read.

    Hope your change in diet helps --- being in pain for a long period of time sucks.
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
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    My problem isn't high blood sugar, its low blood sugar. Depending on the day, how active I'm having to be for work, I can eat and 5 minutes later have my blood sugar drop to the point that I get the shakes and can't concentrate at all.

    I should clarify about my stomach, its chronic gastritis. I've had it since I was 19. Basically what happens is that my stomach lining becomes irritated, and then when I eat, the stomach acid aggravates it further. So the stomach will dump its contents into the intestines before their fully broken down and ready for the intestines to absorb the nutrients. Basically, I don't absorb all of the nutrients I eat.

    So between not getting all of the nutrients I eat, and then having the nutrients I do get slowed down to the point that I have to wait 30 minutes to an hour to feel better... I can't really let that happen since I'm supposed to be in charge at work.
  • adhillman01
    adhillman01 Posts: 206
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    If you have low blood sugar, you're not diabetic. Diabetics get low blood sugar from taking anti-diabetic medications or insulin and not eating enough carbs with them. If you truly are hypoglycemic you should be eating 5-6 small meals a day, all containing some carbs. Adding protein, fat and fiber to your meals will slow the absorption of carbs preventing a "crash" later. I don't think low fat is what you need. Diabetics are recommended low fat because they are at increased risk for heart disease and the current recommendations in the medical field is that you eat low fat to prevent that (lets leave the discussion on that for another thread). If you want to try to be low fat you should drop the fast food. Even the chicken salad you have from Carl's Jr has 23g of fat. That's like half a day in one meal.

    As far as your iron goes, you should be taking a supplement, because you're not getting enough from your diet. The gummie vitamins don't have any iron in them, you should be taking a women's one-a-day. If you are severely iron deficient there are prescription supplements that have more.

    You could try a proton pump inhibitor like prilosec for your chronic gastritis. If the pH is going to low this will prevent that. You take it once a day in the morning before breakfast. It's available over the counter, but if you have any health insurance it may be cheaper to get a prescription. Have you ever been tested for H. pylori? It is a bacteria that will colonize your stomach and is a common cause of chronic gastritis. It is pretty simple to get rid of and will basically cure you.

    I wish you the best of luck. Sorry if I just went into know-it-all mode, I tend to do that sometimes.

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