Carb, Fat and Protein sensitive???

[melbournegirl]

Ok this sounds like too much but please hear me out as I would welcome any comments.

First the background....

Had my gall bladder out at 24 over 20 years ago and have been eating a low fat diet for many years until mid this year.

Have been gluten free for 20 years, realized I have problems with starches about 5 years ago and diagnosed with fodmaps sensitivity via a 3 week clinical trial 2 years ago.

My mum and sister are type 2? severe diabetics

Been reading primal body primal mind and worried to read that excess protein is converted to glucose.

I can't digest milk protein and too many nuts and too much meat also seems hard for me to digest.

I exercise an hour a day to reduce my cancer risk.

Now the symptoms... Beware TMI to follow

I can tell by my BMs I am having trouble digesting fat

I get bloated when I eat most fruits, and veggies containing starch ( and fodmap vegies...) and when I use arrowroot.

Too much protein ties my stomach in knots.

Finished a whole35 a few weeks ago and still have major digestive issues so I have started a whole100 in the hope that my body just needs more time to adjust.

Soooooo do you think I should just push on and see what happens?

Should I try a lower fat level? Lower protein level? Lower carb level? Or all three?

Can people be protein sensitive?

Does excess protein get converted to blood sugar? Or fat?

I look forward to your opinions!

Merry christmas.

[Kirsteen]

Well, I'm afraid I can't answer most of your questions but, although I still have my gallbladder, I've had lots of problems with it. The only way I can really digest fat is to take digestive enzymes and HCI before every meal. i find this really helps. It also helps digest protein. I did a W60 and have been 99% compliant ever since. I will say it took 70 - 80 days before I really felt my digestive system was back to normal. i just kept thinking if really nourishing food is upsetting me, crap food is only going to make me feel even worse. I have to say it's fine now, though. I guess some of us just do take longer than others to fully adjust.

I was also totally gluten and dairy free as I know they really upset me.

I'm no expert but, from what I've read, protein can be converted to glucose (gluconeogensis) but only if the body needs glucose. In fact i read that if it needs glucose and you don't have enough protein it can actually convert your own muscle tissue for it's needs. I've also read that no way can it spike blood sugar.

We're obviously all different but, if I were me, I would keep going and see if everything settles, try some enzymes to help digestion and obviously avoid anything I know upsets me. Good luck whatever you decide and keep us posted how you're doing

[Tom Denham]

If you want to read a good book, read The Perfect Health Diet, 2nd edition by the Doctors Jaminet. The problem is not excess protein being converted to glucose. You would die if your body ran out of glucose, by the way. The problem is excess protein being converted to enough ammonia to be toxic. According to the Perfect Health Diet, the ideal range of protein is between 1/2 and 1.5 pounds per day. If you follow the Whole9 meal-template and eat a portion of meat as big as the palm of your hand at least three times per day, you will be eating well within the ideal protein range. In fact, you could eat two palm-size portion of meat three times per day and be eating well within the ideal range. The chapter on protein in PHD has a lot more interesting stuff, but this is the practical "meat" of the narrative. Another by the way, it is difficult to eat too much protein when you are eating real food. You can eat too much protein powder easily, but chewing real food takes enough time that most people will stop before they go too far.

The recommendations of the Whole9 meal template put you inside the ideal range for all the macro-nutrients. However, missing a gall bladder may make digesting the ideal human diet challenging for you. The idea of using digestive enzymes to help sounds good to me, but you probably need to talk with a knowledgeable doctor about such things. I say knowledgeable because some doctors may tell you to eat lower fat even if you would be better off getting 50 percent of your calories from fat and taking digestive enzymes to help with digestion. I would tell anyone with a gall bladder to follow the plan as outlined, but I don't know if being without a gall bladder calls for adjustments in what you eat.

One of the things I really like about the Perfect Health Diet is its discussion of an ideal range for what we eat. Obviously we can eat too much of some foods, but we can also eat too little of some foods and cause trouble too. So when you ask if you should eat less of something, I would have to say, "Less in reference to what?" You can eat too few carbs, too little fat, and too little protein.

[melbournegirl]

Thanks Tom and Kirsteen for your perceptive advice.

I will look into the supplements further.

Tom I love the template because it's specific to your size. I am a small person so weighing food never worked for me. But hand size and thumb size does!

When I started I used the guidelines rigorously.. When I got a bit more familiar with my portion sizes and less dependent on cravings I followed my body messages a bit more... Hungry? Ate more protein. Craving? Ate more fat. Antsy? Ate some carbs.

Which works for my appetite but not as well as I'd hoped... yet... for my digestion.

So your comment about eat less in reference to what.... I think I mean I should try to keep to the lower end of the template.. One hand of protein and one thumb of fat rather than two... Carrots for my main carbs and squash most days but sweet potato in small portions or only as required and fruit once a day or every other day. Which means the component to increase is non starchy veg. That should be easy as I like soup and salads. I have plenty of energy with my current diet so I should be able to rebalance a bit. I will also be strict on excluding fodmaps (bye bye cauliflower rice and avocado and mushrooms sob). I might also test coconut, I think oil and cream is okay but flour and flakes maybe not.

[Tom Denham]

Okay. That sounds good.

[kitmao]

I wonder, just from reading your post, do you stay completely away from FODMAPs since you have a known sensitivity to this? If you're not, maybe that is all that is going on...?

I second The Perfect Health Diet. Hopefully you'll get some relevant information you can use from that book. Sounds like you have a rough deal with food that makes things extra challenging.

[melbournegirl]

Thanks Kit... I havent been as strict as I used to be...I found it enough of a challenge adapting to a whole30 first time round. I hope you are right, that would be great! FODMAPS sensitivity is individual to a degree but I will review my list and start again and be strict from the 1st... that will give me time to run down leftovers and stock up on the right vegies

I do have a challenge food wise but I always have and the more I learn the easier it gets. I reckon you cant get any more basic than whole30 as an antiinflammatory starting point so I really think/hope I can find a level that works across all areas of my health sooner or later. My skin has certainly improved 98% after a constant 4 year battle!

[melbournegirl]

So good news and bad news. The good news is that my stomach has improved/been much more stable the last few days. The bad news is that I have realised this because it has turned so bad today! I have been keeping a very clear record of symptoms and food consumed and the only possibilities are coffee yesterday (after having no caffeine for ten days), a bit more coconut than usual (not likely especially since I just read that coconut has been upgraded in the fodmap stakes) or the apple puree I had for breakfast - a major possibility as apple is high fodmap and a fruit I dont have very often... So I will work my way through each of these once my stomach settles. On a positive note I found some digestive enzymes in a health food shop today and will see if they help me recover faster or digest fat better. I havent been able to track down the books yet but will keep looking.