Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

There are lots of rules you can break; so thats what happens a lot...
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ellenbierhorst
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Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

Post by ellenbierhorst »

I've been on the Wai diet since Sept 1, 2011, six and a half months now. It's a blast! My issues have been energy level and a life-long battle against the desire to overeat. It SEEMS as though the latter problem is truly resolved on the diet. Not sure about the energy level, but for sure it isn't worse.
There is so much talk in the book and on the 'board' here about the risk of losing too much weight. Not my experience at all. Starting out, I worked to eat the four pounds of fruit a day, and to get in the salad... But that was too much food for me. I think I have a very low metabolism (I am 71) even though I walk 2 miles a day plus some exercise bike (20 minutes?) or rebounder (20 minutes?). My weight was actually creeping UP. This last month, however, has been a big success. Only eating when hungry... or rather, when I have that subtle feeling that is "interest in food". It is tricky to differentiate between this kind of interest that seems to relate to blood sugar on the one hand, and on the other hand the psychological interest in self-comfort through eating. I find though, that if I am very careful to avoid all "mindless eating", to pay attention closely, to only eat when really "interested" in a physiological way, that my weight regulates on its own. I find that is way less food than the four pounds. Maybe only one. However, it takes a real effort and close attention to discern when I am actually experiencing lower blood sugar. Still learning.
I find I have to be VERY careful with nuts. My 'interest' in nuts seems to exceed my actual need, so that they can lead to overeating and weight creeping up. (BTW, I find it is good to weigh at most weekly, and for me, monthly is better, to avoid making the scale my 'higher power', and that diluting my attention to the behaviors that make for right food intake.)
Also, the in-the-shell Brazil nuts I have been able to buy online might have a mold in them, as more than about 5 a day give me a kind of gummy feeling, psychologically,... make me feel a bit blue. Anyone else notice that? Maybe it's the nuts themselves. But Wai said they had such terrific protein, I bought a lot of them.
Protein: I have given up, at least for now, eating raw meat. Can't make myself. The fish is a tad easier, IF it is tuna that has never been frozen and is super fresh, AND if I slice it very thin and eat it with wasabi and pickled ginger and soy sauce. I know, I know, those condiments are not on the diet, but I just can't make myself eat the raw fish unless it is doctored up this way. I generally buy 4 oz from Whole Foods Market, eat half the first day, but put the other half, sliced thin, in lemon juice and garlic, maybe fresh ginger, maybe soy sauce, to make ceviche for the second day. I do this about once every two weeks. Maybe.
Mostly my protein is from egg yolks. It's a big procedure, draining the yolks of six eggs. Takes some practice. Sometimes I put the whole egg in the blender and mix it with fruits. I get gas if I combine yolks with most fruits, but bananas are OK, and avocado, and sometimes orange.
I have been bothered by excessively loose stool. More bananas helps. Juicing the fruit helps, rather than eating it whole. Reducing the olive oil helps.
My experience generally is that learning how to implement this diet is much more long and involved than I would have guessed reading the book and this 'board', so I wanted to share that.
The only thing that is actually hard is the social aspect. People worry that I am not eating enough. Or not getting protein. Or it is embarrassing to sit with friends in a restaurant and have nothing but lemonade, as yesterday, here in Israel where I am traveling to train with the Alexander Technique master Yehuda Kuperman. (I live in the states, in Cincinnati).
I have not noticed that my skin is different or better. Might even be a tad more dry. Have started putting Oil of Olay, a light moisturizer, instead of the olive oil recommended by Wai, which I tried for months. I suspect the moisturizer is a bit better.
I had noticed, however, that my tissue generally is less puffy, as for instance in folding the fingers of the two hands together. I thought that would correspond to an improvement in my arthritis (sore knees, hips, thumbs) but this has not been born out, unfortunately.
The biggest benefit so far that I notice has been the relief from food craving, which I have experienced all my life. I think it is due to abstaining from the addictive foods wheat and dairy, not eating cooked protein. Plus, eating just fruits is so aesthetic! I really like it. And I find that traveling is easy with dried apricots, raisins, dates, and nuts.
I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK, ADVICE, COMMENTS.
ellenbierhorst
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Joined: Tue 18 Oct 2011 00:07

Re: Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

Post by ellenbierhorst »

P.S. I meant to say this as well: I am starting to conclude that the physical message I've always associated with the meaning, "I've now had sufficient food," is actually the sensation of a FULL GUT! I think I always thought that unless I had that feeling, I hadn't had enough food. Now I am starting to live from day to day without ever having that feeling at all, and contrary to my irrational beliefs, am not starving to death. Now I am learning instead to notice my level of interest in eating; to eat less than I COULD eat; to wait at least 20 minutes to see if the "interest" is still there, and eat more only if it is. Also, learning to notice when I really am not 'interested' in eating, and by no means to eat when that is the case. All this is new, very interesting.
overkees
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Re: Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

Post by overkees »

Hey ellen, good to hear from you once again.

I too have been struggling very long with the diet to get it right. I had big troubles with feeling my energy levels and often forgot to eat or drink every time so I had feelings of extreme drowsiness, mood swings. Quite the opposite of yours. I have also had a lot of headaches due to eating not enough. The drowsiness and mood swings only appeared in the first 3 months of the diet, but the headaches continued for another 2 months.
I haven't experienced a single headache for 5 weeks in a row now and that is really amazing!

So, I can imagine that if you've lived for 70 years with an abnormal eating pattern the transition to this diet will be alot harder than for someone like me, I'm 23 years old. It takes a while for your body to adapt: Red blood cells live for about four months, while white blood cells live on average more than a year. Skin cells live about two or three weeks. Colon cells have it rough: They die off after about four days. Sperm cells have a life span of only about three days, while brain cells typically last an entire lifetime (neurons in the cerebral cortex, for example, are not replaced when they die).
So the longer you are on this diet, the more cells get replaced and the lifelong buildup of toxins is slowly degrading. Your body can fight them better if you're young and there is less wear. How older you are how longer it takes. And some of the damage that is done can't be repaired anymore. But the longer you will be on this diet the better you will feel that's for sure.

I really think that drinking juice is much easier when it comes to controlling blood sugars than eating whole fruits. Whole fruits also make me go to the bathroom alot. I also think I still have some gut inflammation because I tend to get soft defecation in the morning sometimes. I have been adding more fish products to the diet since a few weeks and must say that it has been a big improvement for me. I recommend frozen mackerel in the juice of grapefruit, ceviche. It's really delicious and is also easier on your digestive system. I eat 100g of mackerel every day and 4-6 egg yolks. The fatty acids in fish have anti inflammatory properties and might also be of help in your arthritis.
I read that you use soy sauce and ginger and that this is unwai. I must say that adding a little bit vegetables doesn't interfere with the wai diet. Especially carrots, parsley, ginger, onions, bell peppers don't give a lot of troubles. And if you really like them you can eat them (we really don't need them for their nutrients). But a little bit of ginger on salmon can be really nice and make it easier to consume the fish. However, the soy sauce is a no go. It contains an afwul lot of salt and can cause major swellings, certainly when you're on the wai diet and eat very little salt. I'm really disliking salty food. Because I eat almost no salt, eating a tiny bit of it tastes extremely salt and almost toxic. I'm surprised you like adding the soy sauce.

I also like beef alot, but not the normal tartar in the supermarket. You must buy organic beef which has been grass fed, only then it tastes really yummy. I always add 2 yolks to 150 grams of beef, it's my favorite snack. Watch out though: alot of them meat products - like pig - cause big troubles when eaten raw, with beef you're always safe.

The social part becomes much easier with time. If they say something like not enough nutrients, you just reply: I'm getting more nutrients than I would get on a normal diet and I consume much less antinutrients so the absorption of all nutrients is alot better, so that you get double benefits. And also mentioning that there are no addictive subtances in your food so that you only eat what you really need and never overeat. Also by consuming small meals you secrete less insulin so you won't risk diabetes which is very common on your age. And the simple facts that you just feel better on the diet and that eating cooked foods or other foods now gives you digestive problems so you won't take the risk. (I once switched to grains for 1 week, had big constipations and couldn't defecate for 4 days)

I also recommend breathing exercises, since you're also interested in the alexander technique. I have had big improvements in my overall well being when I did breathing exercises. I'm really shocked that this whole thing isn't big and known by very few people. In combination with the wai diet the effects are amazing. A synergy that will blow you off your feat. The good part about it is that you can really rise quick in the begin, then after a while it will get really hard to progress. But the quick rise in the begin is enough to help with a lot of troubles in health.
It's a method based on maximal cell oxygenation. By training the body to learn to live with less air it must improve itself to adapt to this situation and will do everything to give itself a better oxygen distribution. Just like your body gets better if you practice a sport, you must train your body to get better at breathing.
The trick is to breathe only through your nose and with your belly all the time. This is the first step, try to get this 24/7. The next step are the breathing excercises: With every inhale you try to make it slightly less than your normal inhalation would be, down to 80-90%. You exhale normally and repeat this process. It isn't a problem if you are beginning to breathe faster as long as you don't have bigger exhalations or bigger inhalations. You must always breathe in less than normally during the excersise. Do thisfor at least 5 minutes.
If you will do this a few times during the day you will very soon start to feel much more energetic and clear headed. But you must do these excercises correct, otherwise you won't progress.

If you want to learn more about this method, it's called the buteyko method. On http://www.normalbreathing.com/learn.php you will find all the information needed, also explaining the effects and the excercises more in detail. Give it a shot, I'm sure you won't regret it.
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RRM
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Re: Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

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ellenbierhorst wrote:This last month, however, has been a big success. Only eating when hungry... or rather, when I have that subtle feeling that is "interest in food".
Thats exactly when you need.
It should be triggered by the body sensing that it feels less energetic;
that there is less direct energy available.
It should be triggered by the very early stages of feeling tired, sleepy, down and/or moody.
One has to be able to feel any of these feelings 'coming', without letting it actually get that far (because then its very late)
It is tricky to differentiate between this kind of interest that seems to relate to blood sugar on the one hand, and on the other hand the psychological interest in self-comfort through eating.
Yes, because before you actually get tired/sleepy/down/moody its 'just a feeling' that 'its' coming.
I find though, that if I am very careful to avoid all "mindless eating", to pay attention closely, to only eat when really "interested" in a physiological way, that my weight regulates on its own.
Thats absolutely true, but its also something you need to learn first.
You need to learn to recognise the symptoms.
You need to learn to trust those symptoms.
And you need to learn to ALWAYS act upon those signals.
Only once you have learned all this, you are able to manage your energy levels properly.
I find that is way less food than the four pounds.
There is never an accurate number.
Thats because its individually different, and because its different per day.
Protein: I have given up, at least for now, eating raw meat. Can't make myself.
There is another way: slow cooking.
This way the meat gets 'denaturated' (physicaslly appearing as if its cooked) at low temp; not above 80 degrees Celsius.
There are eletric 'slow cookers' that make it very easy, but the cheapest way to do this is by using a big (soup) pan with quite a lot (more than 1L) of water in it.
The trick is to never make the water boil.
First you heat up the water till its almost boiling, and then you put it on a very low heat source / small flame,
which keeps the water hot, but never too hot.
Its not too difficult to find out.
Then you add the beef / lamb / chicken / turkey, and maybe a whole onion and/or herbs (seasoning).
The chicken will be ready after about 1.5 hours,
but the beef may take 3 hours, particularly when its 'low quality' beef with lots of connective tissue.
Funny enough, applying slow cooking, low quality meat tastes much better than high quality meat (fillet / tenderbeef),
due to the denaturation of the connective tissue.

Slow cooking does not render the harmful heterocyclic amines.
Sometimes I put the whole egg in the blender and mix it with fruits.
The raw egg white hinders the utilisation of biotin (vitamin H).
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RRM
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Re: Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

Post by RRM »

ellenbierhorst wrote:I am starting to conclude that the physical message I've always associated with the meaning, "I've now had sufficient food," is actually the sensation of a FULL GUT!
Precisely!!
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Oscar
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Re: Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

Post by Oscar »

To make it more complicated, vitamin H is also known as vitamin B8, except in Germany and the US, where it's called vitamin B7 ;)
ellenbierhorst
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Re: Learning to Sense Blood Sugar Levels

Post by ellenbierhorst »

Many, many thanks for you help!
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