The "Eat More (or Moar) Fat" January Challenge page 158

[AshleyL]

A good variation on the cream cheese clouds: Put a frozen blueberry in the middle and then roll in crushed pecans.

Calories: 91 Carbs:1 Fat:9 Protein:1

This is not counting a sweetener, so whatever sweetener you use will adjust accordingly.

[Kymma]

Oh nameless wonder you have given me an aha. I am heading to the shop to pick up some Vitex. Regular cycle here I come! You people are freaking geniuses!

[tomi]

Geo - Nice job on the no-binging! Bacon points for you!

[calee]

SIBO- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth - Welcome
This site has some good information about what SIBO is and how you can test for it.

What I did is get a test kit from the doctor's office. I had to send it in with payment ($135, not covered by insurance unfortunately) after doing it. The kit includes diet instructions. I had to follow a certain diet for 36 hrs prior to the test, and fast, only drinking water, for 12 hours immediately prior to the test. I timed it so I slept for most of those 12 hrs . The diet is much like a low-FODMAPs diet, but with some differences. The major things were no starches (but some squash and melons were allowed), no grains (but white rice and popcorn was allowed, as was corn or rice based cereal), no dairy, and very limited vegetables. An intro GAPS diet for three days probably would have worked for it (since that's mostly broth and meat, I think).

The test itself consisted of exhaling normally into this tube with a bag attached, after holding your breath for 5 seconds. Then you push a tube into part of the tube you breath into and it captures some of the air you exhaled. After the first tube, you drink some kind of sugar solution that's provided, and then repeat the tube-breath process every 20 minutes for 2 hours. After that, you can eat and drink. No exercise, food, or water during the test. I forgot to hold my breath before taking most of the samples, so I hope it comes out okay. The test is supposed to measure different gas levels that are being produced in your gut. That indicates whether there is an overgrowth of anything in your intestines. Too much hydrogen, or methane, for example.

I had my hormone levels tested sometime last fall. They took a blood sample 1 week prior to when I expected my (very regular) period. That is when you ovulate, roughly, and progesterone should be high. Mine was very low, all other levels (estrogen, testosterone, something else that I have forgotten) were in a normal range. I began supplement Vitex/chasteberry, which gets your body to produce my progesterone. I experimented with the dose a little and found that it gives me a lot more energy than I had before. I also experienced a spike in libido (considering it was practically non existent before, that's awesome for me). I'm hoping that I won't need to supplement this for more than 6 months and that my body will be producing enough on its own whenever I figure out this gut thing. I'm sure they're linked somehow, though I can't say how.

Wow! Thanks for typing all of that out. I would love to hear your results when you get them. I find these type things to be very interesting.

[calee]

I want to get there, but at times I highly doubt it. Everytime I get close, something happens that screws with me. Mom's death, other stressors. Just kind of ticks me off.

You'll get there!! I get it about life getting in the way, but fight for that goal!

[namelesswonder]

Wow! Thanks for typing all of that out. I would love to hear your results when you get them. I find these type things to be very interesting.

No problem. I'll probably update in my journal, but I'll make note in here once I get my EMF protocol reigned in (not really happening right now) and test results in.

[namelesswonder]

Oh nameless wonder you have given me an aha. I am heading to the shop to pick up some Vitex. Regular cycle here I come! You people are freaking geniuses!

I hope it works out for you

[mks8500]

Well tomorrow will be the end of my first week of Paleo. I've been trying to keep the 70/20/10 but can't seem to get there. Pebbles67, I'm supposed to be similar to you but a little higher...using your numbers 85g Protein, 38 carbs, 154 fat. I go WAY over on the protein, stay under the carbs and am not even close on the fat. I can't seem to get it through my thick skull that the fat is necessary. Today's number are below...

150 Protein
18 Carbs
62 Fat
Total Calories - 1256

I don't feel hungry at all. I jog about 2 miles 3x a week, swim .75mile 1x per week and sometimes bike 1 day per week as well. Haven't had any issues but I'm not super fast so I'm not sure I'd notice. The Ketostix show that I'm in ketosis but as you said, they aren't necessarily accurate and I'm showing as "trace" right now.

I'm down between 5-7lbs this first week which is nuts in and of itself. I have a REALLY hard time losing weight. Did Medifast (1000 calories a day) years ago for 12 weeks and lost 4 lbs. :-( Removed gluten and lost 30. I'm really working on the level of inflammation in my body since I test really high on my CRP (C-Reactive Protein) test.

I obviously need to get my protein down and fat up. Any other insights?

Megan

P.S - Using the whipping cream in my coffee helped with the fat yesterday so thanks for that tip.

[cori93437]

I haven't been posting food lately... just doing what I do.

Today...
B: 2 c. coffee w/ HWC and CO

D: Braised beef shanks... sooo yummy, my husband doesn't eat his marrow so I get doubles! ... and some brussels sprouts with sauteed onions and butter.

[honeybuns]

Let's talk almonds. As in "if I leave the container open on the counter my hand dives right in a lot" almonds. I had purchased two chocolate baking bars. Four actually, two of each. Semi-sweet and 100%. Half a bar of each melted gave me 75% dark chocolate. Threw a bunch of almonds in and stirred, put them to cool on waxed paper. OMG! SO good! I am not a huge fan of chocolate so it is far easier for me to stay out of them PLUS putting them in the fridge and hiding them behind other thing is out of sight, out of mind. Macadamias next! Nice way to get some fat from nuts without overdoing.

Anybody else doing the rollercoaster of "ooh, I feel thinner. Crap, I feel fatter!"?