Hi everyone,
I have some family members who are riding the high fat low carb-wave at the moment. They are thrilled beacuse it has given them better skin, more energy, stable moods and also my mothers cholesterol-levels, which used to be high, have normalized after following this diet for about six months. Also an irritable bowel syndrome seems to have vanished for another family member..
Since the beginning of may, I started doing the LFRV lifestyle, literally overnight. I also came from doing high fat low carb (now ashamed to say..) that I began for healthreasons, as I used to have a severe migraine problem. My migraines almost completely went away on that diet, but I was not happy with it in the long run, because I felt my body was out of balance in some way. In comes LFRV! My problem now, is that my family members who are still on the other diet, think this is a very extreme lifestyle. I try to explain the science behind it as well as I can, but often find myself coming short.
I would like to know if some of you have come across any information as to why high cholesterol can be normalized on a high fat low carb diet, IBS can be gone and also why migraines can be "cured" with the same diet. What are the long term health consequenses following such a diet as opposed to LFRV? Can living LFRV "heal" the same medical conditions?
I just really want to have some hard facts that I can show them, how their diet might work short term, but might not be good for life..
Any responses to this long post is appreciated.. :)
Tags: IBS, carb, cholesterol, family, fat, high, low, members, migraine
Permalink Reply by Dutchie on I guess only God knows what the perfect human diet is...to be honest, 'breatharianism' or living of prana, becomes more and more of an interesting concept for me, haha....
Permalink Reply by Dutchie on Adam,
Just out of curiosity, are you experimenting with foods or eating foods regularly that are different from 80/10/10 'guidelines'?
Jelke
Permalink Reply by Adam on Hey Dutchie
I am not experimenting with foods regularly, I am actively eating cooked foods at the moment as I have no alternative available to me financially due to recent changes in circumstances. There are only two items of food that I am eating that are cooked - sweet potatoes and chickpeas. I have experimented with a couple of gluten free grains, some other pulses, and some different cooked vegetables. I feel best on sweet potatoes though, and don't feel as good on other foods. And as for the other cooked vegetables, I just can't afford variety right now. But I feel pretty good. I can't say I feel that much different on sweet potatoes to fruit tbh. I prefer fruit because it tastes sweeter and juicier. But sweet potatoes still taste pretty good on their own and I can digest them well.
However this has only been for the last 2 months, and is driven financially. If you read through my posts, I have been indicating for some time now that Dougs book is not science. That isn't the same as saying that I disagree with the core principles outlines in it. I absolutely believe that a fruit based diet makes me feel the best and have eaten this way for years without anything but benefits. But I also strongly accept that my dietary choices are experimental. There is no evidence in recorded history, or in paleoanthropological studies, that prove anything close to what Doug was saying. I used to believe otherwise, but then I realised I was guilty of cherry picking, and being lazy with my research.
As for my points in relation to this post (low carb diets and cholesterol), I am not now, nor will I ever be experimenting with a low carbohydrate diet. I don't think it makes logical sense. However I do accept that there are a lot of people who do report benefits on a low carb diet and I believe there is a logical reason for this - there are some physiological changes that occur in response to the dietary changes, which are different to their previous diet. I don't believe that this means a low carb diet is optimal for them. I just believe that it is better (possibly) than what they were doing before. I am doing my MSc in nutrition at a college that actively promotes paleolithic diets so I am under no delusion that such dietary recommendations do not work for some people. I am just more interested in understanding why they work, so I can understand more about the physiological and biochemical causes and solutions to problems (rather than getting fixated on whether a certain diet is best or worst). I am of the opinion that if people hold a strong belief, and there is evidence, both anecdotally and empirically to support these beliefs there is probably a good reason for this. And when people seem to report benefits based on conflicting info (eg. low carb vs high carb, high animal intakes vs plant intakes), there is probably a reason as to why both can benefit some people. Since the paleo crowd are influencing the academic (ie. university education) arena more and more, I think it is important to have a deeper understanding of this.
It is my opinion that an exclusively vegan diet, especially a lfrv diet on a long term, population wide basis is a a new phenomena and a social experiment. I believe it is one of the most important ones, since I believe it represents a new phase in human development, psychologically and sociologically.
So if you read posts by me which don't seem to demonise people who eat low carb diets as the devils spawn, there is a good reason: I don't believe people are stupid, and I think it is more important to acknowledge and learn from peoples experiences, especially if justifying wider social acceptance of and experimentation with a vegan and lfrv diet, is to be viable on a larger scale. I want to understand reasons, problems and solutions, rather than ignore them.And to unite people, rather than divide them.
That doesn't mean I have suddenly changed my diet, or changed my opinions about what is best. I am still an ardent ethical vegan, and still very much in favour of a grain free, raw food, fruit based diet as potentially the most beneficial social experiment. :o)
Take care
Adam x
Permalink Reply by Dutchie on Sorry to hear that you have to eat cooked foods. I must say, I don't respond well to them anymore, even sweet potatoes... I hope your financial situation improves soon. All the best,
Jelke
Permalink Reply by Adam on Hey Jelke
Thanks. Well, I was anxious that it might have to happen for some time. I wasn't previously able to eat sweet potatoes and couldn't digest them. But obviously my digestive system must have done a lot of healing since then and can digest sweet potatoes almost as well as fruit.The positive thing for me is that I no longer feel there is any part of me that would choose to eat raw out of a perceived necessity (although it was only a very minor aspect of my motivation to eat raw previously, it was nonetheless something I believed at some level). It can be purely a choice made out of preference now. I am pleased I have had this experience for that reason. Also, it has made me realise that I can still feel good whilst spending a fraction of what I used to on food. I now spend per month what I did in a week before.
Take care
Adam x
Permalink Reply by Bart M on When dealing with social pressures from family members and friends, I tend to take the approach explained in this long but awesome video. I find it very effective.
Permalink Reply by PK on Well,
Congrats on the success some of your family members have had.
Cholesterol levels will normalize when animal products are no longer being consumed, but also when a diet, even a vegan diet is low fat.
When we consume fats, oils, and lipids, in a healthy body, these will be converted to blood lipids in the form of cholesterol. Yes, our body manufactures its own cholesterol. This is why some people think they have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol because they continue to eat high fat, even vegan.
If the diet is toxic such as ingesting highly processed foods, chemicals, or medications, that body may still produce excessive cholesterol to attach to those toxins where they may be escorted out of the body, or in some unlucky individuals, stored as fat and or cause weight gain.
http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/blood-lipids
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_lipids
******
This free ebook can be shared with your family, and comes to the same conclusions as the 811 book regarding how and why we should eat a low fat fruitarian diet:
IMPROVING ON PRITIKIN— YOU CAN DO BETTER
by Ross Horne
http://www.soilandhealth.org/02/0201hyglibcat/020149imp.on.pritikin...
If and when people are interested in our diet, they can get support here @30BaD, but also tips and tricks on what works long term from our Banana Wagon Tour.
Peace, PK
Permalink Reply by mangolicious on It's not that I don't know what to say to them about LFRV, it's more that I find it puzzling that their high fat low carb diet has yielded such results. I might add that none of them were/are very overweight, and they started the low carb-diet because of the other health issues mentioned in my post.
It's difficult to convince someone what they are doing is wrong, when they feel better on it than they did before. Hopefully, me being a healthy and glowing LFRV will sway them as soon as this detox experience is over....
Thank you for providing helpful links!
Permalink Reply by PK on Some people do enjoy temporary weight loss on low car high fat diets. But they are not necessarily healthy. This is because the body is in somewhat of a starvation mode because it is not receiving carbs for energy, therefore uses its own sources from glycogen and or fat. We can tell that this is not healthy by the ketones some of the people give off that may actually be a breakdown of body tissues and or harmful for kidneys long term, and the smell of their breath and halitosis.
Long term detoxed fruitarians do not have much problem with bad breath.
Long term denial of providing the vitamins and minerals the body needs will lead to poor cell and tissue development too, and possible symptoms like chronic fatigue syndrome.
If they are eating animal products, they may be creating an acid condition in the body with which may contribute to long term degenerative diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, tooth decay, Alzheimer's, kidney problems and kidney stones, digestive upsets, and cancers to name a few.
****
What our diet and low carb high fats diets have in common, and it is quite ironic actually:
Do not mix a high fat diet and carb diets together.
Why? Blood fats and lipids sludge up the blood and lymphatic systems preventing cells from absorbing calories, carbohydrates, and nutrients. This in turn can cause problems such as candida, pre and or diabetes, high blood sugar, and weight gain.
****
Why our way is better? We take the fat out of the diet, and eat high calorie and high carb and nutrient dense foods like fruits and leafy greens high in vitamins and minerals. Since the fat is removed, we do not gain weight when consuming carbs.
On a diet of about 2500 cals for females, and 3000 cals for males, our bodies tend to naturally regulate towards a healthy weight for us as individuals. Obese people might melt away the pounds, and people who might have been malnourished for whatever reason, will gain healthy weight in the form of proper hydration, fiber in the intestines, and rebuilt bone density and muscle tissue.
Anyways, I know you personally might already know these things, but these are just ideas, words, and ways to share with them in future discussions.
Peace, PK
Permalink Reply by mangolicious on Thank you - I will share this information with them when the time is right.. :)
Permalink Reply by ednshell on Dr. D says it's largely what people are no longer consuming when they try certain diets that give the good results. My old dentist last time I saw him had been doing paleo for 6 months and was happy with the results. Well he eliminated dairy, grains, all processed food, refined sugar, flour, msg, food coloring, etc. so this alone would have caused major benefits. One thing my dentist told me was that his cholesterol was down to normal now however the U.S. standards are still way too high to be heart attack proof according to M.D. nutrition experts like Ornish, Bernard etc.
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