LCHF or Ketogenic Diet

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

It is interesting that I only see patients on Metformin for diabetes and PCOS. May be in part due to providers hesitance to use off label and patient’s resistance to “diabetic meds.”

@KathyV Thank you for the link. The program advertising looks very interesting but I couldn’t find the facts behind the diet/how it works. With 0 point food options it can’t be solely caloric restriction.

So far I am having very little trouble with a low carb diet. The benefit with my tummy provides very good incentive! I don’t try to stay in keto so not losing additional weight but then my weight lose goal was minimal. The biggest challenge has been travel, especially in Cozumel with no kitchen. So I settled for “cycling” on vacation days and not worry to much about carbs, though I do still try and make “healthy” choices. Has worked well for me so far.

The biggest change I need to do now is reduce my processed food intake, though here too I try to make smart choices.

But yes, I definitely think this is a lifetime nutritional choice that works well for me.

Another interesting study and with my family history very applicable.

Surprise! High-fat dairy may protect against metabolic syndrome
 
It is interesting that I only see patients on Metformin for diabetes and PCOS. May be in part due to providers hesitance to use off label and patient’s resistance to “diabetic meds.”

@KathyV Thank you for the link. The program advertising looks very interesting but I couldn’t find the facts behind the diet/how it works. With 0 point food options it can’t be solely caloric restriction.

So far I am having very little trouble with a low carb diet. The benefit with my tummy provides very good incentive! I don’t try to stay in keto so not losing additional weight but then my weight lose goal was minimal. The biggest challenge has been travel, especially in Cozumel with no kitchen. So I settled for “cycling” on vacation days and not worry to much about carbs, though I do still try and make “healthy” choices. Has worked well for me so far.

The biggest change I need to do now is reduce my processed food intake, though here too I try to make smart choices.

But yes, I definitely think this is a lifetime nutritional choice that works well for me.

Another interesting study and with my family history very applicable.

Surprise! High-fat dairy may protect against metabolic syndrome

Whatever works for you and is healthy and you can maintain it - that's great!

Weight Watchers (now called Wellness Wins) is not all about caloric intake; foods are assigned points and you are given a customized budget of points both per day but with a weekly cushion of extra points to use when you wish.

The idea behind the 200 different zero point foods is to drive you to eat healthy natural foods. Many of those healthier food have calories but you can eat them without concern as zero points, and then use your limited budgeted points to eat some of the higher calorie, less healthy foods you enjoy in reasonable portions. So no food is "forbidden" you just have to budget for it.

It sounds complicated but they've done a lot to make it easy and you quickly get the hang of it. They have a very good app that includes a bar code scanner to check points of items while you are shopping or preparing meals, and an online tracker to help manage your points.

They offer weekly local workshops to provide education and support and/or an online program that you can use without attending workshops. I prefer the weekly meetings with the online resources. You can choose to weigh in (privately) or not to weigh in at workshops.

They also encourage exercise and you can gain some extra points through activity - to use or not use as you wish.

I think that it is a sustainable program because it is more of a lifestyle than a diet. In the past I've gone on diets and I do lose but then go off them and regain, but I have been able to sustain my weight loss and still enjoy my life with WW.

If anyone is interested, you can attend a workshop at no charge to learn more about the program to see if it might be a good fit for you. They offer different plans:
  • Weekly workshop = $6 per week (search by zip code, they have many locations and times)
  • Online = $4 per week
  • Personal coaching = $10 per week
See the link below, and they frequently offer a "try it free for a month" special:
https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/plans/meetings

I pay about $11 per week to get the weekly workshop, online program, and coaching upon request. You never have to pay again when you become "Lifetime" by reaching goal, sustaining it for 6 weeks, weighing in monthly, and don't exceed 2 lbs above goal. If you gain more than 2 lbs above goal then you only pay per week until you get back to within 2 lbs of goal.

You have the freedom to set your own goal or to use the standard BMI target. When you are Lifetime they give you a plan and a points budget to help you maintain.

Sometimes employers subsidize "workplace programs" to make it cheaper and easier for staff to participate; and if the weight-loss is doctor-recommended then you can use your flexible spending account (pre-tax dollars) to pay for it.

Let me know if you have questions about WW and good luck with your low-carb plan!
 
A recently published study in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at 16 supplements and 8 diets. And while not about keto it did show evidence that the low fat diet touted for decades does not have the heart and cholesterol benefits promised.
———-
“When Dr. Khan and his co-authors looked at various diets recommended for cardiovascular prevention, they found a similar lack of solid evidence.

That was certainly the case for low-fat diets, which health authorities have recommended for decades as a way to lower cholesterol and heart disease risk. Dr. Khan and his colleagues found that the most rigorous randomized trials provided no evidence that eating less fat, including saturated fat, had an impact on mortality or cardiovascular outcomes. Low-fat diets have largely fallen out of favor among health authorities in recent years, though the federal government’s dietary guidelines still encourage people to limit their intake of foods rich in saturated fat, such as butter, meat and cheese.”
———-
Just more food for thought :)

As for supplements, very few showed any cardiovascular benefit, omega 3 and possibly folic acid in select populations. Low sodium diets also had some supportive evidence.

Calcium supplements with Vit D actually showed increase stroke risk.
 
A recently published study in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at 16 supplements and 8 diets. And while not about keto it did show evidence that the low fat diet touted for decades does not have the heart and cholesterol benefits promised.
———-
“When Dr. Khan and his co-authors looked at various diets recommended for cardiovascular prevention, they found a similar lack of solid evidence.

That was certainly the case for low-fat diets, which health authorities have recommended for decades as a way to lower cholesterol and heart disease risk. Dr. Khan and his colleagues found that the most rigorous randomized trials provided no evidence that eating less fat, including saturated fat, had an impact on mortality or cardiovascular outcomes. Low-fat diets have largely fallen out of favor among health authorities in recent years, though the federal government’s dietary guidelines still encourage people to limit their intake of foods rich in saturated fat, such as butter, meat and cheese.”
———-
Just more food for thought :)

As for supplements, very few showed any cardiovascular benefit, omega 3 and possibly folic acid in select populations. Low sodium diets also had some supportive evidence.

Calcium supplements with Vit D actually showed increase stroke risk.

I was interested to read that taking Calcium supplements with Vitamin D increases your risk for stroke.

I have a family history of osteoporosis (Mother) and when I had my annual physical a few months ago it was determined that my Vitamin D level was very low, so my doctor advised me to increase my daily Calcium and Vitamin D supplements and that is what I've been doing.

After reading the article by Khan, et al, I contacted my doctor and asked if I should continue the high level of supplements that I have been taking? I don't want osteoporosis but I don't want a stroke, either!

This is her response:

"...Yes, high amount of calcium can potentially cause cardiovascular events including stroke and heart attack, as well as kidney stone. It is ok to take up to 800mg of calcium from supplements, along with two to three servings of calcium rich food per day from diet and that would suffice, as long as you are taking vitamin D 2000 iu daily. I have placed an order for vitamin D level for you to have it done any time..."

Thanks for sharing the information!
 
Hi Kathy!

As with most things medical the evidence is conflicting. All the studies seem to show that dietary calcium is safe, even high levels of dietary calcium. One thought is that it is a slower sustained intake vs the “bolus” effect of the supplements. Most studies seem to suggest that 800 is a “safe” number and that more than 1000 should be avoided.

As for Vitamin D the evidence is even more conflicting with at least one study suggesting that the addition of vitamin D to the calcium actually reduces the risk. And there is some evidence that low vit D itself is associated with increased risk of CVD.

At this point I think the decision to take calcium supplements should be done in consultation with one’s provider while weighing the risk/benefit ratio. I think we can safely say if one is not at risk for osteoporosis or if they have significant risk factors for CVD, they should not routinely take calcium supplements.
 
Just found this thread. I've done Keto on and off for years. I've lost almost 150 lbs and regained control of my health in every measurable way. Haven't read the entire thread, but Dominic D'Augustino (sp?) has done a ton of research into real world effects of keto on divers w/r to warding off Ox Tox hits.
 
So this month is my two year anniversary and still going strong. There has been some changes in the low carb world over that time. There seems to be more keto options available, especially at the grocery store. Items that I use to have to order are now available at my beloved Costco or even, ugh, Walmart. Recipes are everywhere on the net, really good ones. Right or wrong, keto dessert options are plentiful.

On the down side, there is more confirmation that processed foods are bad. And this includes my bacon, not because of the fat but because of the processing. So it’s still a balancing act, fats/carbs/red meats/vegetables/fruits and processed food.

I have given up trying to stay low carb on dive trips, especially trips when I don’t have a kitchen. So those days I try not to get too crazy but just go with what’s available and convenient. I look forward to popcorn and bread those days but otherwise carbs no longer seem all that special.

I thought it was also a good time to run a lipid panel and the results were not exactly what I had hoped. Most all my family has dyslipidemia and takes statins. I knew it was in my future. Until my 50’s my numbers were very low but at around age 55 they started heading up. Indeed, my total was 189 last check. This time 219 but my HDL was also up so a bit of a wash. Will check again in 6 months or so.
 
What’s up with the bacon? Just kidding. You asked about my reference to bacon in another thread.
 
What’s up with the bacon? Just kidding. You asked about my reference to bacon in another thread.
Yes! :rofl3:
 
I was interested to read that taking Calcium supplements with Vitamin D increases your risk for stroke.

I have a family history of osteoporosis (Mother) and when I had my annual physical a few months ago it was determined that my Vitamin D level was very low, so my doctor advised me to increase my daily Calcium and Vitamin D supplements and that is what I've been doing.

After reading the article by Khan, et al, I contacted my doctor and asked if I should continue the high level of supplements that I have been taking? I don't want osteoporosis but I don't want a stroke, either!

This is her response:

"...Yes, high amount of calcium can potentially cause cardiovascular events including stroke and heart attack, as well as kidney stone. It is ok to take up to 800mg of calcium from supplements, along with two to three servings of calcium rich food per day from diet and that would suffice, as long as you are taking vitamin D 2000 iu daily. I have placed an order for vitamin D level for you to have it done any time..."

Thanks for sharing the information!


K2 (you can research how calcium sits in vessels)
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom