Hyperinsulinemia - htg page

[SarahW]

I've posted before about the struggles I'm going through trying to help my husband lose weight and get his health under control.

I read Good Calories, Bad Calories, and finally on page four hundred and thirty something I ran across some information that answers all the dilemnas, my husband has hyperinsulinemia.

He had blood work done a few months ago which showed hyperglycemia and borderline hypertension and moderately high cholesterol. The doctor gave him a diet plan, which I promptly threw in the trash (Nestle powdered milk? Who makes these things???).

When I read to my husband the pages in GC,BC he nearly started crying. It explains why he was thin when he smoke cigarettes, why he gained after he stopped, why a meal of bacon&eggs, goose, or other fatty meats left him feeling "starving" 20 mins later, why he has random bouts of hypoglycemia and palpitations, and why he craved breads and sugary things constantly. Like Taubes says, my husband knew that he was overweight, and that he needed to eat less, but he was always hungry, and being constantly hungry is not a happy life.

I've been doing some researching, and even CW prescribes a low-carb / high-protein diet for this condition. We had already been planning on following the Eat Fat, Lose Fat Health Recovery plan, and will be starting that tomorrow (with some small modifications).

But, without eating carbs, the excess insulin is not assuaged, so to speak. In GC, BC the clinician who studied this said that the carb cravings would continue until they suddenly stopped, but that this happened twelve to eighteen months after starting the lc/hp diet. Will my husband really have to suffer through a year of feeling hungry before this is resolved?

One site says that people who hyperinsulinemia are normally low in magnesium and Vit D. We moved to south Florida, so I'm hoping the Vit D is getting taken care of. He's been taking magnesium off and on for a few months after a friend bought him some MagOx after one of his hypoglycemia attacks. I bought some mag citrate today, so I'm hoping that will help too. Will also be adding cinnamon to all his tonics and smoothies as much as possible since that is supposed to help regulate insulin levels.

The diet we'll be following is in the next post. I've modified the EFLF plan to cut out the oatmeal, even gluten-free and soaked it's too many carbs.

If anyone has had experience dealing with hyperinsulinemia, please feel free to comment and give advice. This may be a pretty rough few weeks coming up...

[SarahW]

Health Recovery:
Day One:

Pre-Breakfast:
Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
2 fried eggs in coconut oil - 200
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 370

Snack:
Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Chicken soup (p. 182) w/o rice 299 cal.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ raw cheese [1/2 cup] – 266 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 865

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule


Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut beef soup w/ vegetables (p. 183) – 317 cal.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ raw cheese [1/2 cup] – 266 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 883

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2653 cal.

Day Two:
Pre-Breakfast:
Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Super Scramble (p. 253) – 209 cal.
Bacon [2 pieces] – 84 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 463

Snack: Coconut chicken broth (p. 182) – 216 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut beef soup w/ vegetables (p. 183) – 317 cal.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ raw cheese [1/2 cup] – 266 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 883

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Thai marinated fish (p. 192) – 287 cals.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ raw cheese [1/2 cup] – 266 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 713

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2621 cals.


Day Three:

Pre-Breakfast:
Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Smoothie (p. 206) – w/stevia – 562 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 732

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Fish Soup (p. 183) – 253 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 423

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Fish Soup (p. 183) – 253 cal.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ pate [2 oz] – 180 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 733

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2423


Day Four

Pre-Breakfast:
Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
2 fried eggs in coconut oil - 200
Bacon [2 pieces] – 84 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 4541

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ pate [3 oz] – 270 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
Lacto-fermented condiment – 20 cals.
= 590

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Cream of vegetable soup (p. 232) 2 cups – 260 cal.
Easy baked salmon (p. 245) – 332 cal.
Steamed spinach (p. 255) – 69 cals.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 831

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2410


Day Five
Pre-Breakfast:
Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Yogurt Smoothie (p. 205-206) w/stevia – 444 cals.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 617 cal.

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Wild Salmon Salad (p. 242) – 420 cals.
Lacto-fermented condiment – 20 cals.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 610

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Creamy Onion Soup (p. 233) – 286 cal.
Baked Lamb chop with red peppers and onions (p. 249) – 353 cals.
Steamed broccoli w/butter (p. 255) – 74 cal.
Lacto-fermented condiment – 20 cals.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 903 cal.

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2665 cals.

[SarahW]

Here's the shopping list I made for the above menu. Since I have it open on my computer, and it may be helpful for someone out there... I didn't really break out the ingredients for the broth. You need bones for those, and whatever else you use to make stock, obviously.

Shopping

Coffee

Heavy cream

Ginger (1 tbl), 3 inch

Pine nuts (1/2 cup)

Butter (20 tbl)

Coconut milk (5 can) (1/2 cup)

Stevia

Vanilla extract (4 tsp)

Dolomite powder (2 tsp)

Chicken stock (12 cups)

Crushed red chiles (1/4 tsp)

Thai fish sauce (3 tbs)

Raw sugar (2 tsp)

Limes – 10

Fresh Basil (2 tbs)

Chicken (1 cup)

Nut thins

Raw cheese (2 cup)

Kombucha

Beef stock (8 cups)

Beef (1 cup)

Mixed vegetables, frozen or fresh (2 cups)

Cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp)

Soy sauce (1 tbs)

Eggs 14

Bacon- 4 slices

Red or Green curry paste (1 tsp)

White or other mild fish (2 lb)

Green beans (1 cup)

Scallions (1 bunch)

Red Pepper – 3

Garlic - 1 clove

Coconut cream – ¾ cup

Banana 1

Fish stock – 3 cups
[
1-4 whole caecasses, including heads of non-oily fish such as sole, turbot, rockfish, or snapper
]

Shrimp/crabmeat – ¾ cup

Jalepeno – 2

Pate – 5oz

Fermented condiment

Onions – 10 1/4

Carrots – 3

Potatoes - 3

Zucchini – 4 small

Wild salmon (1 ½ lbs) (2 cups)

Lemon – 3

Spinach – 9 oz.

Fresh or frozen berries (1/2 cups)

Plain whole yogurt (1 cup)

Celery – 4 stalks

Brandy ¼ cup

Lamb shoulder chops – 4 6oz.

Broccoli fl0orets – 2 cups

[SarahW]

Day one of the diet was rough.

Realized that we started it on my birthday, so DH went out and got me a birthday cake. He tried really hard, and came home with a Splenda sweetened cream cheese frosting red velvet cake. Sweetie. Then he cut us enormous portions. Then an hour later he was "starving."

We skipped mid-morning snack, because of the cake, but by the end of the day he was complaining of being "starving" and that he wasn't fed enough food. I showed him the calorie count, and that it didn't include the cake (or the random swigs of milk I caught him taking) and he agreed that that should be enough. I offered him a second serving of the beef stew, but he didn't want that. He wanted to eat more cake. Hello insulin.

The Health Recovery plan is centered around a lot of soups, I guess to get in the bone broths and to help those who have digestive issues. But my husband doesn't find soups to be rather satisfying. In a couple days there's more chunks of meat on the menu, so hopefully we'll last till then.

[SarahW]

Day two was super rough.

I didn't get a chance to go to the produce market, and it was a stressful day and I got a headache, so we had leftover beef soup for dinner. Husband nearly physically balked. Turns out he "hates" bone broths. He "hates" the "greasiness" of it. He declared everything we were eating to be "terrible" and that he was "starving." He had a handful of nuts with lunch because he complained about the raw cheese ("it smells bad!").

Day three (today) went a bit better. He ate the pate for lunch, said he didn't like it, but ate it. He found the tonics to be "kinda filling" and was a huge fan of the Thai fish for dinner. He said he slept better last night than he did in a long time.

Fallon says not to restrict calories on the Health Recovery, and 2500 is a restriction on the 3000 that FitDay calculated for my husband. But I'm not sure what to add onto the meal plans to add calories, other than extra servings of the specified foods.

A note on the recipes - the chicken and beef soups call for a 1/4 tsp of red pepper. Maybe my spices are extra strong, but a 1/4 tsp. was too spicy, especially when combined with the lemon juice (and we like spicy). On the other hand, I added about a 1/8 tsp curry powder to the Thai fish (I also added about 1 tbl. of chicken bone broth) because it needed more kick.

I'm also having problems getting the dolomite powder to dissolve completely in the tonic.

[SarahW]

Days 5-10 of EFLF primalized"

Health Recovery Part 2

Day six
Pre-Breakfast: Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Smoothie (p. 206) – w/stevia – 562 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 732

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Creamy Onion Soup (p. 233) – 286 cal.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ raw cheese [1/2 cup] – 266 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 852

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Hearty Hamburgers with Sauteed Onions (p. 249) – 432 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 602

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2721 cals.


Day Seven
Pre-Breakfast: Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
2 fried eggs in coconut oil – 200
2 Bacon slices – 84 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 454

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Wild Salmon Salad (p. 242) – 420 cals.
Lacto-fermented condiment – 20 cals.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 610

Snack: Coconut broth (p. 182) – 216 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Miso soup with Cabbage (p. 233) 56 cal.
Hearty Hamburgers with Sauteed Onions (p. 249) – 432 cal.
Steamed brussel sprouts (p. 255) – 81 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 739

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2395

Day Eight
Pre-Breakfast: Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Smoothie (p. 206) – w/stevia – 562 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 732

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Miso soup with Cabbage (p. 233) 56 cal.
Crackers [16 Nut thins] – 130 cal. w/ raw cheese [1/2 cup] – 266 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 622

Snack: Coconut broth (p. 182) – 216 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Easy baked chicken (p. 247) – 312 cal
Steamed broccoli w/ butter (p. 255) – 74 cal
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
=556

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2472


Day Nine
Pre-Breakfast:
Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Super Scramble (p. 253) – 209 cal.
Bacon [2 pieces] – 84 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 463

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut chicken salad (p. 191) – 495 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 665 cal.

Snack: Coconut broth (p. 182) – 216 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut broth (p. 182) – 216 cal.
Easy baked Salmon (p. 245) – 332 cal.
Steamed brussel sprouts (p. 255) -81 cals.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 799 cal.

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2488


Day Ten
Pre-Breakfast: Coffee with heavy cream and stevia – 157 cal.

Breakfast:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Smoothie (p. 206) – w/stevia – 562 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
2 teaspoons CLO
1 Vit K2
= 732

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Lunch:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Coconut Chicken soup (p. 182) w/o rice 299 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
= 469

Snack: Coconut milk tonic (p. 220) w/ stevia – 189 cal.
1 amla-C capsule

Dinner:
Hot tea with coconut oil – 140 cal.
Miso soup with Cabbage (p. 233) 56 cal.
Hearty Hamburgers with Sauteed Onions (p. 249) – 432 cal.
Steamed spinach (p. 255) – 69 cal.
1 cup fermented beverage – 30 cal.
1 liver capsule
1 Krill oil capsule
= 727

Before bed: Magnesium

== 2463 cals.

[EagleRiverDee]

FWIW, I used to have those exact same symptoms- starving right after eating, wild swings in my blood sugar, I mean I had to eat RIGHT NOW when I went low blood sugar, etc. and for unrelated reasons I got tested for and diagnosed with a thyroid disorder (Hashimotos, an autoimmune hypothyroid condition) and once I began treatment for it the blood sugar swings and starving feeling stopped. I also began supplementation with Vit. D at the same time. I lost 20 lbs without even trying just from that.

[SarahW]

FWIW, I used to have those exact same symptoms- starving right after eating, wild swings in my blood sugar, I mean I had to eat RIGHT NOW when I went low blood sugar, etc. and for unrelated reasons I got tested for and diagnosed with a thyroid disorder (Hashimotos, an autoimmune hypothyroid condition) and once I began treatment for it the blood sugar swings and starving feeling stopped. I also began supplementation with Vit. D at the same time. I lost 20 lbs without even trying just from that.

I considered thyroid problems, and checked too many stupid books out of the library about it, but hypothyroid doesn't really seem to fit.

Husband had blood work done a few months ago, I'll try to track down that piece of paper and post the results, maybe there's something in there that can give more clues.

The other major problem with my husband is that he is a major hypochondriac. So when he goes to the doctor because he's afraid he has cancer of some random sort it doesn't really help the doctor to trust what he is saying about a bunch of random and seemingly unrelated symptoms, kwim?

[EagleRiverDee]

Yeah, that would make it tough.

[SarahW]

My husband's blood test results:

CBC with differential/platalet
WBC 6.2 [x10E3/uL]
RBC 5.37 [x10E6/uL]
Hemoglobin 15.8 (g/dL)
Hematocrit 45.9 [%]
MCV 86 [fL]
MCH 29.4 [pg]
MCHC 34.4 [g/dL]
RDW 14.1 [%]
Platelets 211 [x10E3/uL]
Neutrophils 56 [%]
Lymphs 31 [%]
Monocytes 8 [%]
Eos 4 [%]
Basos 1 [%]
Neutrophils (abs) 3.5 [x10E3/uL]
Lymphs (abs) 1.9 [x10E3/uL]
Monocytes (abs) 0.5 [x10E3/uL]
Eos (abs) 0.2 [x10E3/uL]
Baso (abs) [x10E3/uL]
Immature granulocytes 0 [%]
Immature Grans (abs) 0.0 [x10E3/uL]

Comp. Metabolic Panel (14)
Glucose, Serum 128 [mg/dL]
BUN 16 [mg/dL]
Creatinine, Serum 0.79 [mg/dL]
eGFR if NonAf-Am 113 [mL/min/1.73]
eGFR if Af-Am 131 [mL/min/1.73]
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 20
Sodium, Serum 145 [mmol/L]
Potassium, Serum 4.8 [mmol/L]
Chloride, Serum 107 [mmol/L]
Carbon Dioxide, total 25 [mmol/L]
Calcium, Serum 9.8 [mg/dL]
Protein, total, Serum 7.2 [g/dL]
Albumin, Serum 4.6 [g/dL]
Globulin, total 2.6 [g/dL]
A/G Ratio 1.8
Bilirubin, Total 0.6 [mg/dL]
Alkaline Phosphatase, S 72 [IU/L]
AST (SGOT) 23 [IU/L]
ALT (SGPT) 46 [IU/L]

Urinalysis, Routine
Specific gravity 1.015
pH 6.0
Color Yellow
Appearance Clear
WBC Esterase Negative
Protein Negative
Glucose Negative
Ketones Negative
Occult Blood Negative
Bilirubin Negative
Urobilinogen, Semi-Qn 0.2 [mg/dL]
Nitrite, Urine Negative

Lipid Panel
Cholesterol, Total 159 [mg/dL]
Triglycerides 101 [mg/dL]
HDL cholesterol 47 [mg/dL]
VLDL Cholesterol Cal 20 [mg/dL]
LDL Cholesterol Calc 92 [mg/dL]

Prostrate-Specific Ag, Serum 1.0 [ng/mL]

TSH 0.642 [uIU/mL]

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 31.5 [ng/mL]

Thyroxine (T4) 6.9 [ug/dL]