Low Gi/gl (low Carb/high Protein) Eating

[Abstract]

I think what is often misunderstood is that a typical western diet isn't a normal protein diet and is a low protein-high GI diet. Normal protein levels include three portions of protein a day for women according to mainstream medical opinion.

In western terms that is often seen as a high protein diet but it isn't. High protein diets such as Dukan and others are definitely controversial and not balanced (and potentially dangerous) but from what Hashi is describing that is not what she has been put on at all (not that anyone is saying she has been:)). Low protein diets (usually 1 or less protein portion a day) almost always are high GI/high sugar and that causes enormous amounts of problems including inflammation (which affects all immune conditions) and disturbed hormone levels. ALL food groups are really important and not getting enough of any of them is not helpful. Its just that the average western diet is very high in carbs/sugars and low in protein.

Stress also physiologically increases inflammation levels and has a knock on affect on hormones (cortisol and adrenaline are hormones and all hormones have knock on effects on others). And hormone fluctuations can cause inflammation.

The very most important thing is that people get enough calories in the day. No food group is evil and all are good in their own way. Its just that for optimum health there should be the correct balance between them and often people have a skewed idea of what that looks like. Dukan has withdrawn himself from the medical registrar ahead of being struck off because of comments he made and his diet is not condoned as safe in the medical world.

 

[Britt.f7]

No food group is evil and all are good in their own way.

I tend to believe this. Everything in moderation. I remember, about 30 years ago, they came out and said tomatoes were bad for you. Of course this eventually changed. I read everything with a tiny bit of doubt.

The guy in the article I put a link to for Hashi, basically said there are a lot of myths out there regarding protein and the amounts in foods, or how you have to eat certain combinations of food in order for it to benefit you.

Now, how much truth is in that article, I'll have to leave to the experts or other's belief systems..

 

[Abstract]

or how you have to eat certain combinations of food in order for it to benefit you.

I haven't read the link yet Britt but I agree. I think one of the main misconceptions that floats around out there is that food groups need to be eaten separately. That is not condoned by general medical opinion at all and if anything the opposite is supported.

 

[Abstract]

Hmmm... just looked at it. Controversial. Shall have to ask someone medical in the know. People can so easily skew research to fit their needs. All for vegetables though! Love them. :)

 

[Sailorgal]

Our bodies also change over the years, and food isn't always pure unfortunately. And not to mention processing facilities.

 

[Britt.f7]

People can so easily skew research to fit their needs.

I know. I always try and watch out for that. I think you'll always find someone on one side of the fence of the other on anything. They try to get you on to their side, sometimes by dissing the other side. You have to find your own middle ground. At least that is what I try to do. Not always easy. I have many people in my life that are very, very, opinionated about everything, including food. In fact I'll be with some of those people this weekend. :wideeyed:

I love veggies too! Can't get enough!

 

[Abstract]

. In fact I'll be with some of those people this weekend. :wideeyed:
I love veggies too! Can't get enough!

You can give me a mound of brussel sprouts and I will be as happy as larry. :D

What has added to it for me has been that I have had an eating disorder for the longest time. And have been vegetarian and pescaterian in the past too (as well as having food allergies, IBS and anaphalaxis). I am recovered now thank goodness. My family have always been very verbal about food though. For my health I have created a food opinion free zone around me and that works well. Food is medicine for me and probably always will be and I respect it and that greatly. I take it as prescribed and know what I have required to truly be healthy nutritionally. Mostly I am just very grateful to be healthy and Ok with eating at last in my life with no compulsive or unhealthy behaviours or attitudes towards food.:joyful:

Good luck with your weekend.

 

[Britt.f7]

Mostly I am just very grateful to be healthy and Ok with eating at last in my life with no compulsive or unhealthy behaviours or attitudes towards food.

I would absolutely love to be in that position. My husband would like it if I was too. ;)

 

[Abstract]

It has taken me taken me almost 30 years of very hard work but it is my biggest achievement and has changed my life. I have to be mindful but am fine and know how. Keep fighting as we can all do it. I truly believe that. :)

 

[Britt.f7]

Thank you Abstract for giving me hope. :)

 

[Nighthawk]

I went on a gluten free, milk free, soy free. Basically all I could eat was protein, nuts, veggies no potatoes or corn. The limitation were harsh. The only good thing is I adapted somewhat okay. I was unable to eat like this 7 days a week. I and my Dr. Thought I did a good job. It's like he said while adapting to healthy eating habits we all cheat. So just remember it might take a bit of time.

I don't eat this way anymore but have considered trying agin.

Wishing you the best so you may feel better.

 

[Hashi]

Wow, there are a lot of interesting posts here. Thank you all. My reply is going to be quite long, to respond to everyone. Sorry! If you want to skip it, the short version is: way of eating is very healthy and not a fad, hair better - yay!, noticing other benefits, I feel great, managing to eat enough protein, food intolerances are very difficult. The long version is:

The original post here was a few months ago. It's now more than three months that I've been following a low carb/high protein way of eating, with the occasional slip :oops: . It's a very healthy, sensible way to eat. At main meals I have about 25% protein (usually some type of beans), 25% carbohydrate (whole grain or starchy vegetables) and 50% non-starchy vegetables. For snacks I have things like vegetable soup, oatcakes, blueberry smoothies and nuts.

Maze, if I had diabetes like you I'd be in a different situation, but I'm fortunate that I don't have to calculate or measure grams. A lot of people use that approach, but it wouldn't suit me at all. For me it's much simpler to divide my plate into quarters, and I can be as disorganised as I like but still manage that. Like others, I've had eating issues in the past, so the more relaxed I can be about it the better. I understand that it's different for you, though, and it sounds like you're managing it well. I do something similar with adding a little protein to things to lower the GL value, I often add pea protein powder. And have discovered Basmati rice!

I've really noticed that if I have something high-carbohydrate I start craving things like sugar and fried food. When I keep to the new way of eating, I have no cravings at all. I wouldn't even want to eat those things if they were in front of me.

I feel much, much better and my hair loss has stopped. :joyful: I haven't got new hair growing yet where it was lost, but I'm sure I will. (I know some people think it can't grow back. I believe it will.) My doctor had already tested for various deficiencies like anaemia, and had ruled out stress because of the length of time and the pattern of hair loss.

Something I didn't expect at this point is that I've had a slight improvement in my eyesight too. I have a visual impairment which has been getting worse, medical verdict is that nothing can improve it etc. I wanted to try a healing diet to see if it could help this, and I was going to add eye exercises once I got used to low GL/high protein eating. Even after this short time with the better diet alone my eyes are slightly better. :joyful::joyful:

My problems have been the amount of work and needing to eat often, although I'm getting less hungry since I realised I wasn't getting nearly enough fat and started drizzling some healthy oil over my meals. Protein sources have been fine, I'm resigned to eating beans, beans and more beans... at least there are lots of different types and I'm used to it now - and no, there are no anti-social side effects, thank you!

The food intolerances are another matter. I have more than I listed here, and they make it impossible unless I prepare food myself from scratch. I can't eat out or have anything ready made. Protein bars are out because I can't have peanuts or sunflower seeds, for example. Add in the fact that I can't have garlic, mushrooms, vinegar, sunflower oil and the rest, and all that leaves me with is a restricted, undressed salad - why bother? The positive side is that it saves money and means I'm eating really healthily, but it makes meeting up with or visiting people very difficult.

The intolerances were diagnosed by blood antibody tests. I know some people think these aren't completely reliable so I decided to do my own pulse tests after eliminating the foods for a while. This involves checking how much your pulse increases for an hour after eating the food. I needn't have bothered taking my pulse, because within an hour of eating each one my throat and eyes were swollen and sore, and in some cases my fingers and toes started going numb. I hope that avoiding them for a while plus the diet generally will help heal the intolerances. The likely reason for having them in the first place is problems with my liver, which this way of eating should help.

I recommend eating this way, or at least trying it to see if it suits your body. Nighthawlk, if you're up to it, go for it....!



PS Britt, that article was interesting, especially about complete protein. Unfortunately I think he's disingenuous in making statements like, "if you're eating food, you're eating protein—and almost certainly more than enough" when the only foods he uses to demonstrate this are unprocessed ones - beans, grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Someone could eat a lot of processed, high fat and high carbohydrate/sugar food where the protein as a percentage of calories would be much lower than these examples. They'd be eating food - just not good food - and they could easily not be getting enough protein as a percentage of calories. The author could have simply made the point that vegan diets can contain enough protein, rather than essentially declaring that any food automatically does, which I don't think is true. Unfortunately, I felt this undermined the article and it left me mistrustful of it. Which was a pity because I'd be the first to agree that we don't have to have animal foods to get enough protein.