The low-carb diet: “I feel better than I ever did in my life”

Before and after
When Carol first started on a low-carb diet, she lost 35 lbs (16 kg) in five months. But not all her ailments healed.
She went down the rabbit’s hole and was able to turn her health around and cure a myriad of health issues with some additional measures. This is what she did:
Dear Andreas,
The following is in response to your request for a success story…
Sure, I would love to expound! I expound every chance I get, with whomever looks vaguely interested in healing with food! Unfortunately, in my line of full-time business, they are few and far between (in the nursing field). I am afraid I may disappoint, however, as what I do, and have accomplished, cannot feasibly be contained within a few short paragraphs. You have my permission to condense or shorten, as you deem appropriate, in my submission.
My story began in 2013, where I adopted an eating protocol via Dr. Mark Hyman’s Ultrametabolism, after discovering my cholesterol was high. Following that plan, I lost 35 pounds (16 kg) in five months and had more energy for a period of time. But I started getting tired, having palpitations, wake-ups at night where I couldn’t go back to sleep, and others. I had already, over my lifetime, been diagnosed with being overweight, high blood pressure, tachycardia, chronic migraines, lumbago, bulging disks, ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and others. I presented my issues to my doctor, whose only answer was the old, tired adage…”You are getting older, and this is what happens when you get older.”
I have autoimmune disease (discovered myself by literally forcing the conventional docs to test me for thyroid antibodies) based on my research of my symptoms from various functional medicine doctors whom I follow… so I began researching healing autoimmunity. I eliminated gluten, dairy and similar proteins completely from my diet. This includes all store-bought breads, pastries, pastas, and milk and milk products, and replaced them with my own, home-baked, (primarily coconut flour) products, and nut milks, primarily coconut milk. This is where my fibromyalgia, headaches and lower back pain went away for good, I hope indefinitely.
I gave up beans completely (too difficult to absorb, even when soaked), nuts (too much phytic acid in a healing gut). I gave up all processed/packaged foods, and bought and ate/eat only organic (unless ewg.org’s list says I can eat conventional). I consume pastured eggs only, grass-fed beef 1-2 times/week, wild-caught fish, and only hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken and turkey. I don’t use any conventional oils, only olive for my homemade salad dressings, and coconut oil and grass-fed butter for higher-heat cooking. I eat an 80/20 raw diet. I have eliminated soy, and soy products, though I must admit, I still consume soy lecithin, as Chris Kresser, whom I admire, says it shouldn’t be problematic. I have an adoration of dark chocolate, you see… ;) so it is unavoidable. I would make my own, but my time is limited, as I am a full-time nurse, wife and a mother as well.
I consume a lot of supplements. No drugs. I won’t elaborate on it too much, as that would be very long, but I will say that my Vitamin D, B12, all cholesterol and thyroid lab levels are now optimal by functional medicine standards. Mainstream labs are based on sick peopleās labs, and I’m aiming to be and stay well, not to get sick until I exceed their ranges of “normal”. I am using additional supplements and probiotics to boost glutathione, immunity, gut repair and cellular metabolism. I also do about 5 minutes of targeted muscle training a day 5 days a week, nominal running, walking and biking.
About six months later, after adopting the additional protocols outlined above, I felt great. I still do, another three years later. You wouldn’t guess to look at me that I’m going to be 52 soon. I feel better than I ever did in my life, and get around like a 20-year old. My only conditions remaining are gas (from all the cruciferous veggies I eat every day in my salad), and thyroid antibody levels that have plateaued still outside of normal range. I surmise, accurately I am sure, that this is due to undiscovered food sensitivities, as I cannot afford the testing required to pay out of pocket for IgG and IgA food sensitivity panels and interpretations. I wish I could, as I know these antibodies may continue to wear away at my thyroid over time, possibly resulting in a reversal of everything I have accomplished. Hopefully, as per Dr. Izabella Wentz (I am one of her recommended clinicians), my consumption of Thytrophin PMG will target the action of the antibodies as opposed to my thyroid, and then all will be right with the world!It should be noted, that I underwent all the above, totally alone. No family or friend support. It was very hard, but I was determined to decipher how powerful the proper consumption of food is for myself. From what I have read over the past three years (the same amount of time as you, apparently), the odds are extremely low for success while going it alone. I almost ended up in divorce from my husband, and estrangement from my daughter, as I tried to help them with their problematic behaviors before they became sick as well. Now, in order to keep the peace, I must continue to go it alone, and keep my mouth shut. So far it is working, but the clinician inside of me worries for them. I’m definitely not perfect, I do let out some thoughts once in awhile!
I live in Adams Center, New York
My FB is:
- Personal: https://www.facebook.com/carol.rivers.3950
- Business: https://www.facebook.com/healthintegrations/
Yours in health,
Carol
Comments
Thank you for sharing Carol, what a fantastic health transformation :-)
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I have a couple of questions,
First: What do you mean by "80/20 raw diet" ?
My second question is about eating raw cruciferous vegetables in your salad. Raw cabbage and other cruciferous are not recommended for the thyroid because they contain goitrogens. Are you concerned about this?
(It's fine to eat them cooked)
I just began my journey with Keto.
Thank-you for posting your amazing journey.
BTW -you look marvelous!
I make a huge pot of salad (vegetables only) on the weekend, and divide it up for myself over the week. I make my own salad dressings, which really MAKE it taste awesome! Manmade dressings all have canola or soybean oil, as well as high fructose corn syrup in them. A definite nogo on all counts. Then I will make a meat for the family, and add it to my meal (red meat only once a week). A few pieces of fruit during the week as a snack.
I also fast every day during the workweek. No food from 8 pm to 6pm each day. Just bulletproof coffee, water and tea, sweetened with Stevia leaf. Makes it cheap and easy. You can find more information on healthintegrations.com if you are looking for more guidance. Good luck!
I am so glad I was able to bring you hope. That is the most awesome payment ever that I could ask for! I just about had a happy cry when I read your comment. I am extremely happy for you, and YES...YOU CAN do it.
As for your selfless offer...OMG thank you! You are just wonderful and kind! But guess what? Da hubby has found a way to get that food testing for me done! I am currently undergoing 3 weeks of eating things I haven't been in order to test what I am sensitive to. I am so happy! It has been 3 days now, and not feeling too great right now, with the need to consume gluten, especially. Today, I have a date with a bagel, and tomorrow, a cinnamon bun. That will def be enough, and then no more gluten for me. Ever. The stuff is absolute poison to the body, regardless of whether you test as not having a sensitivity.
Please keep in touch. I would be pleased to hear of your progress. You can find me at the sites listed at the end of my article. Many hugs to you girlfriend, and feelings of strength being sent to you.
Anyways, I digress. I just wanted to say that I relate about how hard it is to do it alone. My family and friends don't understand why I am doing this because they don't know how good I feel now compared to before. So good for you for sticking with it!
As to the cruciferous veggies...I follow Dr. Tom Malterre, Dr. Izabella Wentz and others in Functional Medicine. They state that as long as you don't eat more than 2 pounds of it a day (I eat one meal a day, generally, so that is not hard), you are fine in regards to the thyroid. There are just too many nutrients and macronutrients that are necessary to obtain from cruciferous veggies. Sulforaphane being hugely important. Check out this video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmFnzc3oZ04. You will find great information there from Tom!
Congratulations to you as well for sticking with it and resolving your issues!
Good luck!
Good luck!
Keep powering through!
Good luck with your continued success!!
They Lie, you have probably never been free, you don't even know yourself.
Do This:
- for 3 days eat zero, as close as you can to zero carbs. Meat, Fish, dairy,
- for the next 3 days stay below 25g. check labels, and we are talking total Carbs. Don't be fooled by the simple/complex/good.bad/starch/sugar etc. Total
Get a good nights sleep, wake up on the 7th days and you be the judge. Eat what you want...
and when the shock of how much you have been lied to wears off, tell everyone. Then find the carb limit to match your activity level once you are finally free
Eating LCHF doesn't REQUIRE you to eat eggs or dairy, so your allergies shouldn't be an issue. Just don't eat them. As for wheat, you're not supposed to eat wheat or wheat products or any grains for that matter on LCHF, so that shouldn't be an issue. You're supposed to limit or avoid nuts altogether, so again, shouldn't be an issue. And why would you want to add those things back into your diet if you're allergic?
Instead of focusing on your allergies and all the things you CAN'T, I'd recommend looking at the "what to eat" guides on this site and picking your favorite foods. Find the stuff that you enjoy eating and eat that. Make sure to watch the carbs, try to keep them under 20g per day, make sure to eat enough protein of your choice, and don't be afraid to add fat--an extra drizzle of olive oil on your salad or veggies, for example.
Once you've been eating LCHF for a while, you'll be feeling so good that you'll forget all about what you "can't" have!