Hi!

This board is really phenomeal - I've been (mostly) doing PP for a week and a half ("mostly" because I've been eating about 50g carbs a day - can't quite seem to get myself under that just yet!) and I've had all these questions crop up, and I didn't know where to go with them. This forum seems perfect!

Ok, so here's my (longish) list of questions:

1. What's the real scoop on potassium? I asked my doctor (who was very excited that I'm doing a low-carb plan), and he said that too much potassium can actually be harmful. Same for chromium. PP suggests you supplement with both. What's the real scoop?

2. I've had some joint pain for years - wrists and knees mostly - and I've heard that going off of sugar and flour can make joints better. Has anyone seen this?

3. A couple of food carb-counting questions: what's up with cottage cheese?? I got the PP gram counter, and there it's listed as 6 grams per cup, while on the container (I use 1% cottage cheese) it says it's 6 grams per HALF cup. What's the scoop??

4. Anyone know how to count FRESH mozzarella? You know, those white balls you can get at Italian markets, that come in containers with water?

5. How about edamame beans? I've grown really fond of these, and on the package it says per half cup it's 5 grams carbs, 6 grams protein, and five grams fiber. So - does this mean this has an ECC of 0?!?! (That would be so cool - these are really great, in case you haven't tried them - they're soy, and very very tasty!)

6. What's the deal with eggs? I've read somewhere on the list that they actually have carbs; but in the PP gram counter, there isn't even a column for ECC - so I've been assuming they're 0...??

7. I'm thinking I really need to give it another push and really try to get my carbs in under 30 grams. This seems really really hard, though - anyone have any great advice on how I can push through? (I was thinking maybe planning out my meals in advance so I know I won't go over...)

8. Ok, one last questions - I also just started (yesterday) taking Meridia (the prescription weight-loss drug) - my doctor thought it would be a nice boost for me while I was doing low-carb. Has anyone had any experience with it?

Thank you all for the great support here!
Inna

Hi innani and welcome to the board!

1. I believe Protein Power gives the recommended doses for potassium, I believe it is about 400 mg per day. You can buy a potassium supplement that has 99 per pill. Or, you can buy half salt or Nu-salt to drink in water or sprinkle on food. I tend to pour a bit in my hand and lick it off and then drink a lot of water until I can't taste it anymore. I also take one chromium piccolinate pill a day. I found chromium to be extremely helpful in staving off cravings.

2. Joint pain and arthritis may indeed be caused by flour and sugar consumption. I never had any problems with either but I've heard from a lot of people about how much better they feel when they avoid flour and sugar.

3. Buy full fat cottage cheese, it tastes better and probably has less carbs. Always go by the label of what you bought unless you suspect that it is wrong. Then you can use the handy hidden carb inspector here on this site to the right to find out the scoop.

4. I would assume that real cheese would have the same carb count as packaged cheese, less than 1 carb per oz. You just need to find out if there are any fillers or flavorings added which would throw the count off.

5. I haven't heard of these beans but if it sounds too good to be true it usually is. Some packages will presubtract the fiber for you. That is probably the case here. It would have 10 carbs, 5 grams fiber to subtract to 5 net carbs which is what you have to count it as.

6. Eggs are .6 carbs each.

7. Planning meals in advance is one way to go. You can go to www.fitday.com to put in your foods and it will do all the math for you. Just check your portion size because it does rediculous things sometimes. Or you can plan your meals around your meat and supplement with known grams of carbs from a list. Such as I can have 30 carbs today, I choose to have 10 at each meal so I will have a broccoli cheese omelet for breakfast, a salad with tuna for lunch, and steak, salad and spinich for supper, half an apple for a snack with peanut butter. (Note I didn't count the carbs here, I'm just giving examples.)

8. I've only seen vague commercials for Meridia. I got the impression that they suppressed your appetite. If that is the case then you won't need them. Also, if they block the absorbsion (sp) of fat they won't help you because it takes the consumption of fat to burn fat on this Way Of Eating.

Hope some of this helps,

Beth

I started taking glucosamine & condroitin several years ago for joint pain. It takes 2-3 months for it to kick in, but it really works. I will never stop taking it.

yea, I've heard that that helps people. A while back I tried taking something called Synflex, which is a liquid form that's supposed to work better. I never remembered to take it consistently though, plus I'm afraid that there's a lot of sugar in it - maybe I'll write to the manufacturer and try to get the stats.

What brand of glucosamine / condroitin do you take?

Inna

Just my 2 cents!

I've had degenerative arthritis for several years....the worst being my neck, where I have bone spur formation (overgrowth of bone that can press on nerves)

I've tried the Condroitin and found no effect, even after 2 months. BUT I've been following the LC WOL for just 5 weeks now and I've been able to cut down on my Motrin to half what I took in the past. 800 mg tablets 4 times a day down to mostly 2 times a day. I say mostly because on stressful days I've had to take a third pill....but in the past, under the same circumstances it was a fifth pill!

I've heard a lot of reports of marked descrease in joint pain from people following this WOL. Some may say it's the weight loss....and I'm sure that is often the case, especially for people with significant losses, but I noticed a difference after just 2 weeks!

Cindy

For all your nutritional information, go here:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl

They have an updated listing of more than 6000 foods you can get the info on.

I only have non-specific joint pain...stiff when sitting in the same position for awhile or getting up in the morning. It is not arthritis (already been to the doctor). Therefore, I am not in a position to recommend anything for arthritis. I'm glad low-carb helps--and I'm not surprised!

Brands...doesn't matter as long as it says standardized or something like that. Glucosamine 500mg, Condroitin 400mg. I always look for supplements with no start, sugar, yeast, etc. But you have to be faithful and take it everyday.

"Endamamae" as it is called in Okinawa, is considered extremly good "for health" all Okinawans eat it. It is considered a "youth snack" for women. I eat it almost daily. Another thing to consider for vitamin c and potassium is the Asian vegetable goya. If you can't stomach the bitterness(aquired taste)consider supplements. If you want to research it the U.S. name is bitter melon

In answer to Number 2: one of the reasons I started Atkins was because I thought I was just too darn heavy and I hurt and ached all the time!!!! I was taking Advil 3 times a day just so I could get up and move (not exercise-- MOVE!) It was awful.

I've just finished my Induction (properly this time *lol*) and am in my 3rd week and starting OWL. What I noticed first of all was during the 2nd week when I woke up in the morning I didn't hurt when I got out of bed. My joints didn't hurt during the day. And at night I wasn't getting those pesky muscle spasms in my back...it's been a week so far free of all those sympthoms. I've not lost much weight (14 lbs) so don't consider weight a factor. I can only conclude it is the LC plan..the absence of carbs (especially sugar).

Another thing I have noticed is my siniuses. They used to be clogged all the time and I had to take antihistamines just to breathe freely...In the past 2 weeks (last week of Induction and this week) my siniuses have been draining terribly but I CAN BREATHE FREELY! (so I haven't taken Benedryl I just make sure I have water or something to sip on when the post nasal drip gets too bad). I haven't had an Advil in three days either...

So I would say yes to No. 2, that joint pain and aches do tend to fade....

Funny how you characreize being down by 14 lbs in just over 2 weeks as "not lost much weight"!!!

Good for you!
My joints seem to be ok as well - I started dancing again, and with little adverse effects so far - I still get little aches in the knees, but no intense pain so far.

Good to know that this can be helpful!

Inna

Congratulations! I think 14 pounds in 2 weeks in phenomenal. I started Atkins July 16, got to an 8 pound loss eventually, then for no reason I could see I bounced back up 3 pounds. I switched to CAD on Monday and am seeing a loss again. One more pound and I'll be back to my 8 pound loss. I'm not going to give up, but I would jump for joy at 14 pounds!