R2 Log with T2D and MCAD

[HealingWithin]

Today, I began round 2 of the Whole 30 but it will likely be a Whole 60 or maybe even 90. I wanted to start this log to capture my experiences and reflect on whatever happens. 

Just over a year ago, I was diagnosed as T2D despite the fact that I had been following a paleo diet for about 5 years. I had been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and in the process of recovering from that, worked with a paleo dietician who recommended a significant increase in my carbs. Like, to something like 300 grams per day with help of things like maple syrup and honey. In hindsight, I realize that this was way too much for my metabolic state and is probably what really pushed me into the land of diabetes. 

I don't blame the dietician, increasing carbs was VERY helpful in my recovery from adrenal fatigue and, ultimately, I am the one who put the food in my mouth. But, I do recognize that it wasn't the best choice. Once I was diagnosed, my doctor (who is both a functional medicine doctor and a conventional medicine doctor) was agreeable to the Whole 30 but recommended a whole food ketogenic diet, which I did eventually do. 

Since that time, I have lost somewhere in the range of 60ish pounds (I don't weigh often) and the last time my A1c was checked, it was 5.8 which is still in the pre-diabetic range but greatly improved from the time I was diagnosed. 

I was also recently diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD) which is an immune system disorder that makes me have all sorts of allergic-type responses when there are no actual allergies. Essentially, random things cause my mast cells to "degranulate" and flood my system with all sort of inflammatory mediators which, in turn, creates all sorts of symptoms in the body. So, anything I can do to mitigate the inflammation is a very good thing. 

All that said, I do have some hesitations about doing the Whole 30. I am a bit concerned that carb wise, it won't be "enough" to continue on the reversal of the diabetes. I do know that with the increased carbs from eating to the template (which I strongly believe is the best way to get the most out of W30) that I may see an uptick in initial BS numbers but my hope is that once that levels out, I will see a downward trend continue. 

I am also concerned about the MCAD getting worse but my hope is that my mast cells will stabilize a bit with the consistency of the whole 30. 

Ultimately, though, even with my concerns, I do feel that Whole 30/Paleo is more of a sustainable situation for me. I LOVE vegetables and I can't eat a significant amount of veggies and stay in ketosis. So, I am doing this as an experiment to see if this might be a longer term solution for me instead of keto. 

My plan, for now, is to:

• track my fasting BS every morning
• eat to the template at every single meal (though not expecting perfection since perfection is an illusion!)
• eat on the higher end of the template with fat
• stick to non-starchy vegetables for most meals
• have some starchier carbs, like sweet potato, beets, and squashes, a couple times per week
• drink enough water (not my strong suit)
• trust the process and not freak out if my blood sugar goes up at first

I also plan to use this space to reflect on my experience so that I can look back and see, in writing, what has changed. I haven't decided if I will be writing down my meals here but do think it might help in the relationship between blood sugar and carbs, so, we'll see. I have a history of disordered eating and don't want to get triggery around that. It helps that I am not doing this for weight loss but I do need to be mindful of my mental and emotional well-being and not just my physical. 

For anyone who read all this, THANK YOU for being a trooper. LOL. 

 

[HealingWithin]

I fell hard into a bowl of paleo granola last night. I don't think I ate enough during the day because I was actually hungry like would have eaten fish and broccoli except that it was bedtime and I honestly didn't want to cook. I knew I needed to eat because if I don't eat enough, I wake up in the middle of the night hungry and can't get back to sleep. And not getting enough sleep is a huge mast cell trigger, so, sleeping will always be my #1 priority. Sadly, it still wasn't enough because I woke up starving at 2 AM. That does not happen if I eat plenty. 

With that in mind, I am holding off on starting because I want to focus on figuring out how to get enough food in my template meals and perhaps brainstorm some mini-meals I could have at the ready or can make in a couple minutes. Ordinarily, leftovers would work but I can only eat freshly prepared food due to the histamines, which are a mast cell trigger. This is also why I can't meal prep, which totally sucks. This lifestyle is much easier when you can prep in advance but I digress. 

For now, I think I need to add more fat and possibly protein to my meals. With keto, I was "moderate" protein and have gotten used to a much lower protein amount that does not meet them template guidelines. 

Once I feel like I am eating enough, without bedtime hunger, I will resume my Whole 30. 

Also, side note, I am super proud of myself for coming here and writing this out instead of bailing on the forums altogether. In the past, I would have slinked away in shame. 

So, hooray for mental and emotional progress.