Interesting! I will have to try this!

Let me know if it helps.

What is plasma EPA? I hope it's not a government agency.

I'm a big believer in grass fed beef. I do wish it were not so expensive. I got spoiled when I lived in TX and could get grass fed at a very reasonable price. Still, it's a priority for us.

EPA is a form of omega 3. It's found in animal products, and it's the form I'd like to have for it's anti-inflammatory properties.

The form of omega 3 found in plants is ALA. The body can convert some ALA to EPA, but it's very inefficient - maybe 5% gets converted. That's why vegetarians are at a disadvantage here.

Then I read a study (or at least the abstract ) in which 10 post-menopausal women saw their plasma EPA rise 30% over baseline in 7 weeks. (Of course, if they were eating a SAD, baseline may have been pathetically low. ) I just thought it was an amazing increase in EPA from a plant source of omega 3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22538527 (they used milled chia, but I don't think it's necessary to use milled, chia is not like flax).



I'm becoming more and more a big believer. I live in Kansas, and there are a few farmers in the area who raise grassfed beef. Unfortunately low-fat is still a selling point. Since I'm eating this meat for the higher omega 3 and for the CLA, I don't want low-fat.

My top choice for beef is a local farm whose fattiest ground beef is available for $5.88/pound. Unfortunately they aren't a steady supply. The store where I buy it may be out for long periods of time. (I really need to invest in a freezer, so I can stock up.) I also buy their liver and stew meat when it's available.

My alternate source is from a bigger operation out of Colorado, I think. It's lean:fat ratio is 85/15 or 80/20 (I can't remember) and costs $8/pound. As you say, very expensive.

If I can't find what I want in grassfed beef, I go for bison which is usually grassfed. I did accidently buy some grainfed bison recently. I didn't know there was such a thing, so I didn't read the label until I got home.

That's so interesting. I'd heard that flax was an incomplete form of Omega 3, now I know why. And, actually, I guess I'd been thinking of Omega 3 fatty acids as one type of fatty acid - I now better understand it's a cluster of FAs. Thanks for the clarification.




I used to buy from a Texas panhandle rancher who'd swing through Texas every 2 months delivering. I started buying from him right after I read Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, so maybe 5 years ago? It was interesting to watch his operation develop as he started pitching the low fat content of grass fed, but gradually began to offer higher fat options (90/10 and 80/20 ground beef). Organs were at first processed into "pet sticks", now there is so much demand they are sold separately, and they used discards from other ranchers to make the pet sticks. And recently he began providing pure pork or beef fat by the pound. I'm sure it's the influence of the Paleo Movement. He does ship meat by Fedex and if you are considering ordering from Colorado, you might take a look at his site as well. I'd be happy to send you his info if you like.

I don't order it from Colorado. I purchase it at a local Natural Grocers. It's my back up choice if the locally raised meat isn't available.

We've gotten so spoiled I think. We're used to finding what we want when we want in it the grocery store. These small local producers run out though. You go to the store with your grocery list in hand and ... the shelves are bare!

When that happens I go for this other meat at Natural Grocers which is always in stock.

Liz, can you post the link? There might be others interested too.

Thanks!

Usually the shipping charges kill ya on shipping meat because it has to come very fast and be packaged expensively.

For those of you still using cream in your coffee, you might want to try the Paleo creamer I'm using:

1 Can of coconut cream
Whipped with 1-2 raw eggs
Optional: Stevia or SF syrup

It gives the same sort of body and mouthfeel to coffee as cream does. I really love it.

One caveat: Don't put it in a cuppa that is too hot, the egg will cook.

I'm back for my 16 week report. I lost 2 pounds over the past 4 weeks, for a total of 22 pounds over the entire 16 weeks.

I've continued with my dairy-free, wheat-free diet. I'm still eating grass fed beef, but I stopped having my chia seed pudding at bedtime about 3 and a 1/2 weeks ago (although I still use it throughout the day). I was suffering from insomnia and it seemed to be connected with the pudding. I don't know why chia seeds would cause insomnia; it may have been the chocolate almond milk I was using to make it. My FBG rose again when I stopped eating the chia seed pudding at bedtime. I intend to begin eating a chia seed pudding nightly starting tonight, but using a different liquid - coconut milk tonight.

Congratulations! That's a good amount of weight for 16 weeks - and you've met GOAL. It's time to bring out the cheerleading squad:

Thanks, but my real goal is maybe 60 pounds lighter than I have listed here. I just got so depressed looking at the huge gap between where I was and where I wanted to be that I moved my goal within reach. The cool thing is that I can celebrate 'meeting my goal' every 5 pounds.

Should I move my goal down to 210 yet? Or should I leave it alone for a while longer?

You could always add a note about your final goal in your signature, so it is clear to anyone responding to your posts that your stats are not for your final goal.

Here to make my fifth four-week report. I've lost two more pounds over the last month for a total of 24 pounds since I started the experiment.

I've maintained the dairy-free (and wheat/gluten-free) diet. I'm eating more carb than I have in the past when I was losing weight on a low carb diet. It's still definitely low carb but not as extreme as former times when I was losing (or former experiments when I failed to lose). The additional carb is mostly from kidney beans, tomatoes, fruit, rice, almond flour, and quinoa - and even some sugar*. We're not talking huge amounts but quite definitely more than I'm used to while losing weight (I've gone through periods of time when I wasn't losing - even gaining - when I was eating more carb, but to lose while eating that way is new for me.)

Last time I mentioned that I suspected the chia seed pudding of causing insomnia. I was going to switch from chocolate almond milk to coconut milk in the pudding, thinking the cocoa might be causing the insomnia. In the end I found the pudding made with coconut milk was bland and slimy. I managed to choke it down the first few nights but after that I stopped eating it. For most of the month I didn't eat much chia at all. The last few days I've been making a pudding with 1 c coconut milk, 1/4 c chia seeds, and a peach. I eat it earlier in the day instead of at bedtime. It does seem to have lowered my fasting blood glucose a bit, but the insomnia is also back. It's very frustrating.

My general energy level is only fair but that's typical for me.

My mood has been a bit brighter than is normal for me.

My blood pressure is maintaining in the normal range.

My temperature is still in the 96 degree range.

My plan is to continue the experiment for another 4 weeks. Also, I'm going to try to continue having that chia pudding every day - probably substituting berries for the peaches.

* Re the sugar: I've had a few flourless peanut butter cookies over the month (I can't remember, but not more than four). Also, I've had some of this coconut milk ice cream made with agave as the sweetener. Weirdly I don't find myself craving them even though I do enjoy them and find them tasty. I bought a pint of the ice cream on Sunday and put it in the freezer. Yesterday I opened the freezer and saw it there. I'd forgotten I bought it! That would never have happened in the old days with Ben & Jerry.

Glad you found something that works!

Keep in mind that agave is higher in fructose than HFCS and it has been found to contain mercury at times.

Yes, I'm happy for now. We're coming to the true test here. I'm within 10 pounds of the place where my weight loss stopped the last time. I saw 201 one day, then it headed slowly back up.



Yes, I know it's high in fructose and not the best choice. I suspect that coconut milk ice cream has an interesting effect on me. It seems to make my blood pressure drop. One morning after I had it, it was as low as 110/69. Another time it was 100/76. Remarkably low for me.