Sorry - I've been off for a while distracted by all the upset in the world over the virus.

I met with my doctor the other day and had a virtual appointment. I decided to ask for a continuous glucose monitor, which I have in place now. I really like it and surprisingly, it doesn't hurt. I need the tool to help ensure compliance. I really believe it helps to keep me calm to make sure my blood sugar is stable.

I can't say I'm doing a carnivore diet, but I am doing a meat-based diet. I don't have vegetables often, but I do like to have some berries here and there. I will also eat pickles once in a while (go through phases with that), and some other things - whatever might be ketogenic especially if grabbing food on the run or out.

Yes I’m not completely carnivore but definitely primarily meat and animal products. I made an egg salad for dinner the other night, hard boiled eggs of course but also avocado oil mayo, and I diced up a dill pickle to add to it.

Yesterday I took advantage of a coupon and ordered two of the crustless keto pizzas from Papa Murphy’s. They came with a garlic and olive oil sauce, and included some mushrooms and green peppers. I had to drive over to get them and they just brought them out to my car. First time I’d been out of the house in 10 days!

I admit I’m freaked about this damn virus as I feel quite sure I’d probably be one of those to die if I get it. But not much I can do right now but continue to self isolate. I miss doing various things I’ve always taken for granted but luckily I’m also sort it an introvert and a homebody so being honebound is not a terrible burden. 😉

I’ve been trying to eat more protein and less fat but it’s a big struggle. If I eat “naturally” meaning foods I enjoy on this WOE I tend to fall in 5/20/75 ratio for carb/protein/fat. I’ve struggled to get the protein more up to the 30% ratio that Naiman suggests but I find it so hard! I did manage it one day and was sonewhat miserable as it seemed like so much meat and not enough fat. Well I can just keep trying I guess. Doing 18:6 time restricted eating most days. Yesterday I made it to a 20-hour fast. I ate just one meal yesterday at 3 PM so if I can make it three more hours that will be a 24-hour fast! I think I can, I think I can ..,.

Does your plan allow for collagen? And have we already talked about this? I'm afraid I can't remember.

RE: Protein - OK, so I've been experimenting, and if I go too low on fat, I get hungry. This seems to be my sweet spot:

Start with a lower fat protein (good results with 0% greek yogurt, or a piece of salmon, or some shrimp). Then have the burger or something higher in fat.

Also, Dr. Naiman talks about how people tend to eat 3-4 pounds of food, somewhat unrelated to calories. He suggests using greens and low sugar fruits (includes tomatoes, egg plant, cucumbers, zucchini...).

He also suggests pairing the leaner meat meals with those carbs he recommends (max 100 for most people) in the evening

Another recommendation is to think more about getting in enough protein (generally 1 gram per per ideal body weight) and less about what not to eat. I really like this. Just focus on something positive.

Dr. Naiman doesn't think anyone needs to buy supplements or drink bone broth. He says glycine from any complete protein is healthy - it doesn't need to be collagen specifically.

Kind of a relief for me - I don't like beef bone broth, I know chicken bone broth has reports of being problematic for lead from the bones leaching into the broth, and when I have purchased collagen, I end up pitching it after a while. I just haven't seen any benefit after trying it on and off.

The reason I suggested the collagen:
The only way I can get enough protein is by using supplements. To stay in ketosis 75% of my intake is fat. No way I can consume enough animal products to get 130gms protein.

I can't consume enough to get to 130g protein either which supposedly is what I should be eating. On average I seem to manage about 80g as my sweet spot, and that includes having my collagen supplement every day!

I used to hang around 75 grams, but I’m getting 120 pretty easily because I’m not eating avocados and such.

Sample meals

2 frozen preformed burgers 26 x 2 = 52

1 piece of salmon (frozen label provides protein) 37
Then eat the burger 26: Total meal is 63

Greek yogurt : 13


Total 128 grams


This isn’t a lot of food-

Not a lot of food but I can’t stand to eat burgers without plenty of cheese and mayo, would definitely need some mayo/mustard with salmon. I keep trying to eat more protein but if I balance it with the amount of fat that makes it palatable to me it always seems to come to about 70-80g.

Hello,
This is an interesting conversation.
I have to be keto for a sensitive brain chemistry. Easily depressed.
I love Ted Naiman but some of us are different. I am a relatively sedentary 55yo female. Too much protein throws me off. I get depressed and I gain weight. It’s difficult to get enough healthy fat without getting excess protein. Still working on it, finding my equilibrium. Meanwhile I am better off being slightly hungry at times rather than getting too much protein. (Carbs have been off the table for six years.) I think my problem stems from abusing sugar for about twenty years. Paying the price now and okay with that.

Hi Ohamy-have you seen the YouTube lectures by Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Chris Palmer? He is pretty awesome. His podcast interview by Paul Saladino is pretty great too. Discusses the ketogenic diet for mental health. He is on Twitter too

Hi Key Tones,
I heard him on a podcast but not sure which one. Will look for more of him. Thank you!

I went on Atkins in 2011, after a decade of fooling around with low-fat, because I was desperate. At 230 pounds i had an enlarged heart and my knees threatened to go on strike whenever I walked down stairs. By the end of 2012, I was around 130 for the first time since I'd quit smoking in 1985.

I went off the wagon in 2013, and gained half of it back. I'm actually grateful that I've been stable around 180 since then. I haven't worked at it. I think the difference is, back then I lived a block from a supermarket, and now I have to walk six blocks to reach any place that sells food.

I was dx'd with Parkinson's disease in 2016. Most of what I've read about PD and diet stresses keeping dietary protein low to keep molecules of amino acids from competing with Parkinson's meds (l-dopa) for space to cross the blood-brain barrier. But I recently read a study (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.27390) from 2017 comparing the benefits of a low fat vs a keto diet. I need to do *something* to reduce my medication "off" time. So I am in the contemplation stage, psyching myself up to replace the junk food in my fridge.

Dr. Perlmutter has his own keto regime for PK. For those interested, check out Dr. Bredesen's protocol for AD, and Dr. Wahl's treatment for MS. Keto is good for all neurogenerative disorders.

I was involved in the EARLY AD study until it was canceled. My father had Dementia which is why I was accepted. After the Trial ended I had my DNA tested using 23andMe and learned that I'm double aPOE3. Even though I shouldn't become demented, I don't want to take the chance.

Still keeping my blood ketones at around 2.0mmol/L, but I seem to have damaged my hip. Maybe too many steps every day. Maybe it's my lower back. IDK. So I booked an in-person appointment with my PCP for this week. I've had to really cut back on my walking. All other joints are OK.

PS: Found my new PCP using the Diet Doctor LC Doctor map. I was so lucky to have one in my city and in my Medicare Advantage Plan. First time I've had a doctor who's on my side dietarily.