To Answer Your Questions

I have to say, I'm not an expert or a medical doctor or anything beyond a curious woman who has read a few books, watch some documentaries, and read a lot of diverse internet stuff as I search for Truth. I know that, based on my family's medical history, it's gonna be heart disease, cancer, diabetes or all three for me. (Based on my personal history, it's gonna be some crazy random stupid accident that makes people feel guilty as they laugh during my eulogy.)

The body is an amazing, self-repairing machine that always seems to be capable of more than I thought imaginable. The body needs fuel, right? A blend of protein for muscles, calcium for bones and teeth, fat for energy and an array of vitamins and minerals. Honestly, that's all you need.

Yet if you go to the grocery store, you are overwhelmed by the amount of carbohydrate based foods. Surely, you think, if they devote 80 feet to bread alone, I probably need it. And another 80 feet to chips and pretzels? And other for cookies and crackers. And pasta. And cakes. AND CEREAL!

But you look at the eggs section ... I'm pretty much convinced EGGS are the best food in the universe. And yet, they are stuck in the back corner with maybe 10 feet of cooler space. Chickens make 'em for free; you can buy 12 for less that $2.

I need to answer a few questions from yesterday's blog:

1. Wow, I have never heard that stat about wheat raising your blood sugar level more than a candy bar?!

(It's a statement, but there was a question mark, so ...)

To be fair, we all respond to sugar uniquely. Some may tolerate it well and their bodies use the energy and go smoothly on. Others, their blood sugar spikes, insulin is released, the blood sugar drops sharply as the sugar is removed and converted in to fat to be stored in resistant-to-be-used fat cells.

Nevertheless, bread has a very high glycemic index. If you are sensitive to sugar, bread is very bad. Bread is like candy in healthy-food-clothing.

2. So, practically speaking as I struggle with my diet....you eat the stir fry with beans rather than over rice or in a tortilla or something, right?

I stir fry my meat and veggies with some beans tossed in, but the stir fry IS the meal. It all goes in a bowl with cheese (or sour cream if you like). There is no WITH. No carbs added. Tortillas are identical to bread, but no yeast, all converting to sugar. Rice is not quite as bad as bread, but still, it all just converts to useless sugar in the blood. If you are eating enough fat and protein, you have all the energy you need from the fat (much denser source of energy). Plus, without the constant elevated sugar levels in your body for easy energy access, your body uses the fat cell storage for additional energy needs, ketosis.


3. And do you add seasoning?

Usually just salt and pepper. Seasoning is mostly carb free. Greg loves salsa on his. Season all. Simple is good.

4. And what kind of cooked chicken and cut veggies do you buy?

The chicken I like, we get from Costco. Two kinds, the frozen skinless boneless chicken tenders (flash frozen, not breaded nugget things).  The easier version is pre-cooked, grilled chicken. It comes in two ziplock baggies, we freeze one and refrigerate the other. You can eat it cold, or warm it up. There is also pre-cooked grilled streak, but I like the chicken better.

For veggies, I just rough chunk chop everything ... white onion, bell peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, green beans. Whatever. Sometimes I use frozen, usually fresh, just whatever I feel like. It's all very fast and I like to eat different things, so the variety keeps me from hating it after 3 days.


5. Do you believe there is a link with heart disease, then?

I am convinced that SUGAR CAUSES HEART DISEASE. And cancer and high cholesterol and diabetes and a lot more probably. We have to eat healthy food to BE healthy. Our body doesn't REQUIRE carbs and doesn't do well with them, long term; it takes about 20 years off our life, I estimate, maybe more. TWENTY YEARS!!!

All the carbohydrates we eat, however complex, turn into simple sugar in our blood. We eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich or tortilla or rice bowl for lunch, and pasta for dinner. Our blood sugar spikes each time, more insulin is always needed, it takes a toll on the body. Studies linking cholesterol and fat to heart disease never looked at sugar intake levels. A few recent studies show that diets high in fat and protein have significantly LESS heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. 

EXTRA NOTES:

1. We eat a lot of nuts and wholesome trail mix. When we get that snacky snack feeling, Cashews and almonds are the go to foods. And water. Also, chewable Vitamin C.

2. I eat carbs sometimes. Even desserts. But only 2-3 times a week, usually when I am out with others, so as not to be that "DIFFICULT TO FEED NO-CARB GIRL."

3. We bought liquid sucralose on-line. It's a sweetener that (MAY CAUSE CANCER :) ) does not effect your glycemic index. Half a cup of whipping cream, 8 tiny drops of sucralose, and I am dipping my strawberries in carb-free heaven.

4. We bought Almond flour for baking experiments and almost have "pancakes" mastered with just 1/4 cup white flour. Still working on lo-carb pumpkin pie for Greggie.

5. Asthmatics should not do no carb, hi protein diet; might kill 'em.

My life and body are my experiment. I weigh 130 pounds now and am happy with how my body looks and functions (except my short stupid toes that make me clumsy and don't stop me from kicking hard metal objects). I feel that this very-lo carb way of life is extremely manageable for short-term weight loss, sure, but more importantly, for long-term health. We order pizza and just eat the toppings (ok, maybe one whole piece, then the rest, just toppings). We get hamburgers and don't eat the buns. Get "bowls, no rice" at the burrito place. Get more veggies instead of rice at Panda Express. I make meals with chunky bites of meat and veggies rather than pouring sauces over noodles (Or I will as soon as I get my kids trained better ;).

Interested related blogs:

Vibrant Health

Fat Head

LiveStong

Life Hacker