Up at 1:30 am cannot sleep. Upped my carbs the last couple of days to about 100, don't know why it just worked out that way. I plan to start my low carb challenge Nov. 1. (keeping it below 20 net). So maybe it's like one last chance to eat a little more before I start my "diet".
I also woke up with a headache, probably from the carbs?
Anywho, went to my gyn yesterday and received some supplements with more pre-diabetes support. She wanted me to starting eating green smoothies. I cannot even imagine how many carbs are in juice when you take pounds of fruit and veggies and juice them down. I smiled and took her recipes.
Didn't mention my diet other than to say, I'm eating the foods that do not spike my blood sugar. How can any Doc argue with that. She also gave me a supplement that is supposed to even that out when taken with meals. It is called Digest. We shall see.
I originally went to her for bHRT for my elevated Lp(a). She commented that in her opinion, my body makes cholesterol (which is a base for all hormones) because it knows my hormones are waning and I need to make more. But something is getting lost in the precursoring process and the hormones never get made so I see the high cholesterols in my blood. She gave me pregnenolone to try to complete the process.
It seemed like a reasonable explanation. We shall see...
I tells ya, you could go nuts trying to sort all this stuff out. It's like I just need to get the weight off, take another look. Try to cool all inflammation markers, take another look. And on and on. It just seems like too much.
My husband has moved from worrying about his cholesterol and plaque to worrying about his pre-diabetic numbers which are worse than mine. He is not overweight really but does carry what little fat he has in his middle. He says he just cannot handle more than one worry at a time.
I go to see my low-carb doc today. Have kind of decided to show him my Excel spreadsheet where I have been tracking my fasting blood sugar and see if he thinks I am still pre-diabetic or worse. My numbers are not as bad as some here and on MDA, so I am kind of confused. Maybe will know more later.
Last edited by sparky1946; 10-27-2010 at 06:44 AM.
Finally able to check in...wow...lots of reading and lots of info! I have an appointment today and will be getting bloodwork done tomorrow. I'll have to compare my numbers with what you all have been posting.
Welcome rakel! (know I'm seriously late on that one...sorry!)
Had a small victory yesterday. Went shopping for a winter coat and I am into a size 14 and it is loose enough to wear a bulky sweater underneath. I was thinking a 16 might be snug so that was a very pleasant surprise! Got it for a really great price so I won't feel too badly only wearing it for one year and getting something smaller next year.
Thanks Brown....that was driving me crazy.....I couldn't figure it out.
Sandy, what is pregnenolone? I've been trying to figure out my hormones the last year or so.....I think it's mostly estrogen dominence but since on birth control pills, i'm afraid to add a progesterone cream on my own without the advice of a dr. I'm due for my annual gyne exam anyway. But I'm always interested in hearing others trials thru peri- and post- menopause.
Pregnenolone is the precursor (building-block) for all other steroid hormones. It is converted directly into DHEA and/or progesterone. DHEA converts to testosterone and estrogens; progesterone converts to estrogens, cortisol, and aldosterone. It is this succession of conversions that makes human life possible. Without pregnenolone, there can be no human steroid hormone production.
Made from cholesterol, pregnenolone is a natural steroid hormone produced primarily in the adrenal glands, but in smaller amounts by many other organs and tissues of the human body, including liver, brain, skin, gonads, and even the retina of the eye.
Like many health-promoting hormones, levels of pregnenolone drop with age. Although the data are not as abundant or definitive for pregnenolone as they are for DHEA, Dr. Eugene Roberts, a pioneer in hormone research, believes that the age-related drop in pregnenolone is as dramatic as the drop in DHEA. At 75, our bodies typically make 60% less pregnenolone than at age 35. This is a point of great concern, considering pregnenolones numerous protective, health-promoting properties.
This is what they give women who are past menopause and did not do HRT or haven't been on HRT for a long time. It is less potent than regular bHRT but it is especially useful for women who want to have the protection of our hormones, but no longer experience menopausal symptoms.
In other words, they wouldn't give me the regular bioidenticals. Those could make my existing plaque slippery. Yikes! Supposely, the pregnenolone can take one of two paths: one to the DHEA/Testosterone path or the progesterone/estradiol path, whatever you need.
We shall see....
My low-carb doc and I decided today to continue what I am doing, (my fasting blood sugar was actually lower in his office than at home) and will reevaluate A1C level in January. Will not be adding any medication for pre-diabetes until I am down to goal weight. I might do some additional postprandial (after eating) testing.
I am kind of glad to have decided this because by adding supplementation and medication at the same time, I won't know what helped what.
Last edited by sparky1946; 10-27-2010 at 12:28 PM.
Just had a thought.... this whole business is like a long science experiment. I cannot wait to find out the result. Which tends to be very motivating to continue with this way of eating.
Would love to join you both in the carb challenge but there is just no way I could go below 50...my "best" day was 46 and that was more a fluke than anything!
Blood pressure was a bit high but it always is when I go to see him. I have a serious case of "whitecoat hypertension" but this time he wants me to prove it. One doctor I see...my numbers are great,him...they always go up a good 12-15 points. Seriously. Might be time to switch to another doctor.
I go for bloodwork on Monday (want to give my body a bit longer to produce some good numbers). I go on Thursday to get the results.
Maddie, I know what you mean about the white coats. I have low blood pressure, but they always make me nervous. It's just the way you are rushed, and there's an opportunity for someone to be judgmental. When I'm rich (ha!) I'm going to find an integrative medicine physician who doesn't take insurance so they will actually sit and listen to me for once!
I'm listening to Robb Wolf's podcast right now, and loving it. He's so down to earth.
I'm slowly inching towards paleo/primal. I just cut out legume earlier this week after being off grains for about a month now. I'm limiting my nuts to 2 ounces a day (thanks to you all's advice). I put the nuts in a little bowl on the counter and I can eat them whenever, but when they are gone they are gone! My weight was a little lower today, I'm just happy when I'm going in the right direction.
I'm thinking about really going for a weight of 145-150. I've always said I would be perfectly happy to be in the health weight range (which I about am, now) but I think I've undersold myself. Now with all I know from GCBC and Paloe/Primal reading, I'm really thinking I could do better.
Also, I used to have these intense cravings at 4-5 pm every day. I would end up having a snack and then eating dinner an hour or two later, but waiting wasn't an option. Now that's not an issue. I hardly ever have the feeling of being intensely hungry. It's more of just a pleasant hungry, if that makes a sense.
You know, I'm going to join your challenge, Sandy! Here is my plan:
- no grains except oatmeal
- unlimited non-starchy veggies
- proteins as desired
- EVOO for fat if I have a choice
- two fruits/day per doctor (one being an apple or pear)
- max 15 almonds per day
- max 1 dark chocolate square per day
- calories 1550 or less
- supplements per the doctor
So I just read an entry from Healthy Skeptic about fish oil.....how most studies have been short term and that one long term study showed that fish oils may actually be harmful.
Once again I am confused. Lately I've been telling lots of people to take fish oil because it was recommended to my neighbor by his doctor to take in lieu of statins. It was recommended to my MIL for her beginnings of demetia. And my Dr. asked me if I took because my blood work was good (as compared to most of my brothers and sisters who are on statins).
What do you all think about fish oils? Do you all take them?
So I just read an entry from Healthy Skeptic about fish oil.....how most studies have been short term and that one long term study showed that fish oils may actually be harmful.
Once again I am confused. Lately I've been telling lots of people to take fish oil because it was recommended to my neighbor by his doctor to take in lieu of statins. It was recommended to my MIL for her beginnings of demetia. And my Dr. asked me if I took because my blood work was good (as compared to most of my brothers and sisters who are on statins).
What do you all think about fish oils? Do you all take them?
Ahhh, you know I've taken fish oil for years, but my "new" doctor wanted me to up my dosage. I saw the same study as you and emailed him the following:
My email to new doctor--
Thank you for replying to my previous questions. I have two more:
1. Acid reflux. I was on Prevacid, then omprezole for approximately 3-5 years. I was able to get off these medications about a year ago with my previous diet. However, I find when I eat the oat bran for breakfast, the acid reflux comes back. I have been controlling it with Tums.
Since my triglycerides are already low and my LDL too high, is taking fish oil counter-productive for me?
Thank you for all your help.
------- His reply --
Try the oatmeal instead of the bran. The 40 patients have MS- you don't- not sure we can compare the two. Will discuss further when we see each other- in meantime benefits outweigh risks.
CJZee,
First I wanted to comment on your acid reflux. I too had that and had been given Prevacid for awhile and later omprezole. I don't take them anymore due (as you) to my diet. Also a naturopath told me that I may not make enough acid in my stomach and so I took a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water before meals which really helped. I think that was more the problem, not too much acid, but rather not enough.....also what i was eating.
I used to LOVE oatmeal and eat it frequently for breakfast or in homemade granola. In retrospect, it really hurt my stomach. I used the whole rolled oats or steel cut, but they just don't agree with me as I get older.
Would the apple cider work for you? Just a thought. I agree that your old diet would be better.
Now for the omega 3 comment from your dr......is he a good doctor in your opinion? I thought you said he was a special type of doctor. I don't know what to tell you. I myself am leaning toward eating more oily fish per healthy skeptic and The Perfect Diet recommendations as well as decrease omega-6 oils and food.
Looks like you have a solid plan and I am glad to have you join us. I just found out that I will be in Vegas from the 2nd to the 5th with my husband (he was invited last minute to speak at a convention). So this should be an eating experience. I am thinking it might be easier at restaurants but then again it might not. If all fails, I will just do some IFing. I'd rather be in NYC with Ilene
wildviolets - I am just starting my new supplement regimen (from OB/GYN) and of course it includes fish oil. I will have to do some more research. I also have been trying to buy more wild caught fish so that we are eating it more times a week.
Every food/supplement at one time or another seems to be "bad". It is so frustrating, especially when one cannot guarantee that the advice your doc is giving you is the latest findings or what he/she learned in med school 20 years ago.
Arrrgh.....
Last edited by sparky1946; 10-30-2010 at 10:38 AM.
Also, your doctor's comment about MS (they have it - you don't) - I, at first, thought the subjects had Multiple Sclerosis. Hope your doc didn't make the same mistake. LOL
Last edited by sparky1946; 10-30-2010 at 10:45 AM.
She also gave me a supplement that is supposed to even that out when taken with meals. It is called Digest. We shall see.
