Health Problems

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Scoresby

Trakanon Raider
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So I had done much of that but maybe not to a large enough degree. I added nutritional yeast as I don't have a lot of B vitamins from food sources (suspect I pass through most of what is in my morning multivitamin). That didn't seem to make much of a difference, but I do think it makes sense to do to prevent a deficiency.

I did double my supplemental salt intake though, spread out as 1g pink Himalayan salt 6x a day) and that made a big difference, bringing me back to normal. Seems weird to be taking ~4,000mg of salt a day. BP remains normal.

Another interesting thing I noticed is before my heart rate didn't change much on inhale/exhale, but after I can see a noticeable slowdown on exhale (which as I understand it is expected).

Anyways, thanks for the input!
 
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pharmakos

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I'm not sure if this is an issue or not, but it's a difference and one I don't fully understand...

So my wife and I are working through a ketogenic diet cycle. I was kind of curious as I'd never done it and there is some evidence to suggest the alternative metabolic pathway can help restore cellular damage by potentially enhancing autophagy. Anyways, so far the diet has been easy enough and both of us do seem to have more energy and in general feel better. The diet is 2250 calories with a 60/30/10 fat, carb, and protein split. I'm in a slight calorie deficit, but am also trying to spare some muscle over the next few months we do this which is why I'm running a bit higher on protein. That said, gluconeogenesis from the extra aminos doesn't seem to be a major issue as I'm consistently blood testing and my fasting ketones are in the 0.6-1.0 range in the morning and climb upwards of 2.0 after a workout while fasting glucose is in the 80s.

So the issue(problem?) I'm seeing is an increase of almost 10bpm in resting heart rate. It started within days of being on the diet and so far nothing I have done changes this. Even in sleep I only get down to the low 60s, where I used to see low 50s or even 40s on occasions. One aspect of keto is you do drop a lot of fluid as you reduce carbs in your diet and and by proxy lose a good bit of electrolytes. I initially assumed dehydration (low fluid volume) and an electrolyte deficiency as the culprit. This proved partly true as increasing my sodium and potassium intake (via supplementation) and water up to a gallon and a half a day did correct an issue I was having with low blood pressure (90/55ish), but has failed to affect any change on resting heart rate.

Sodium -> this was around 2000mg a day and is now 3000mg a day (up to 4000mg if I have a really sweaty workout)
Potassium -> this was around 3000mg a day and is now 4000mg a day (supplement 500mg at breakfast and dinner via an electrolyte drink)
Magnesium -> lots of natural sources in the diet: peanuts, almonds, brocolli, salmon, avocado, dark chocolate, etc; also get 450mg from a ZMA supplement before bed
Calcium -> mostly from food: cheeses, greens, brocolli, almonds; also get 75mg from supplementation

The other change was I have lowered the volume of sets in our workouts, but still get in at least 4 days a week with more focus on intensity in a lower rep range with increased rest intervals. The intent is to provide stimulus to maintain some muscle, but acknowledging that I'll be fairly glycogen depleted and in a calorie deficit, so pushing further will just be catabolic and unnecessarily stressful (if that were the case, it might explain the heart rate increase).

We're going on about a month so I would assume my body is fairly adjusted to ketosis at this point. Outside of the above changes, which proved ineffective, I'm not sure what else to try and considering this is only a three month experiment, maybe it doesn't matter too much. That said, I like to understand the mechanics of things and this isn't making sense to me. Open to any suggestions.
That's a lot of carbs for "keto"...
 

Scoresby

Trakanon Raider
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That's a lot of carbs for "keto"...

<edit>

I reread my original post and see the confusion as I had a typo. The correct macros are...

60 fat
30 protein
10 carb

So, yeah 30% carb would be too much.
</edit>

Yeah, I'm intentionally staying on the high side as I've also got some strength/physique goals and want to be as muscle sparing as I can be. Blood ketone measurements consistently are in the 0.5 range in the morning and jump to around 2.0 after workouts so regardless I'm still in ketosis just not as deep as I would be at lower carb intake.

Doing this at 6'2, 205lb, 14%ish BF.

My wife is more traditional keto at 25g carbs and sits deeper into ketosis (fasting around 1.0). She's been on a deeper calorie deficit and is losing around a lb a week; excluding the first week where you dump a lot of water.

It's been my first go-round with it and I can see the allure as once you get into ketosis, it's been fairly easy to maintain (heart rate issue aside). I'm sure it has its own challenges for people based on individual circumstances.
 

pharmakos

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<edit>

I reread my original post and see the confusion as I had a typo. The correct macros are...

60 fat
30 protein
10 carb

So, yeah 30% carb would be too much.
</edit>

Yeah, I'm intentionally staying on the high side as I've also got some strength/physique goals and want to be as muscle sparing as I can be. Blood ketone measurements consistently are in the 0.5 range in the morning and jump to around 2.0 after workouts so regardless I'm still in ketosis just not as deep as I would be at lower carb intake.

Doing this at 6'2, 205lb, 14%ish BF.

My wife is more traditional keto at 25g carbs and sits deeper into ketosis (fasting around 1.0). She's been on a deeper calorie deficit and is losing around a lb a week; excluding the first week where you dump a lot of water.

It's been my first go-round with it and I can see the allure as once you get into ketosis, it's been fairly easy to maintain (heart rate issue aside). I'm sure it has its own challenges for people based on individual circumstances.
Alright yeah that makes a lot more sense haha. 10% from 2250 calories is still a smidge on the high side but some people can run that high I've heard. The fact that you work out helps.

I did keto for a year. Mine was alongside my cancer so it's hard to say which was which, but it felt like it really ran me down after awhile.

I had a theory awhile ago, well after stopping the diet myself, that people on keto sometimes might want to take the usual day off here and there for intermittent fasting, but at the end of the day eat a large sugary snack, twice their normal daily carb intake -- but nothing else, none of their usual fatty / protein filled foods. I feel like it might "keep the wheels turning" just enough on some of the metabolic pathways that get turned OFF during keto, as a way to help counteract some of the negative long-term side effects of keto, while still allowing you to maintain ketosis fine the next day -- unlike a normal cheat day.

Maybe like once or twice a month tops. Might be way off base lol but I'm usually good with hunches like that. I still do a low carb diet with intermittent fasting, even tho I don't do full out keto, and yeah just judging the way i feel after only eating one sugary snack on my fast days, I think there's something to it. Especially if you still make sure to work out on your fast days -- preferably right after eating that sugary snack at the end of the day.
 
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Scoresby

Trakanon Raider
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That's a lot of carbs for "keto"...

Alright yeah that makes a lot more sense haha. 10% from 2250 calories is still a smidge on the high side but some people can run that high I've heard. The fact that you work out helps.

I did keto for a year. Mine was alongside my cancer so it's hard to say which was which, but it felt like it really ran me down after awhile.

I had a theory awhile ago, well after stopping the diet myself, that people on keto sometimes might want to take the usual day off here and there for intermittent fasting, but at the end of the day eat a large sugary snack, twice their normal daily carb intake -- but nothing else, none of their usual fatty / protein filled foods. I feel like it might "keep the wheels turning" just enough on some of the metabolic pathways that get turned OFF during keto, as a way to help counteract some of the negative long-term side effects of keto, while still allowing you to maintain ketosis fine the next day -- unlike a normal cheat day.

Maybe like once or twice a month tops. Might be way off base lol but I'm usually good with hunches like that. I still do a low carb diet with intermittent fasting, even tho I don't do full out keto, and yeah just judging the way i feel after only eating one sugary snack on my fast days, I think there's something to it. Especially if you still make sure to work out on your fast days -- preferably right after eating that sugary snack at the end of the day.

I wouldn't say mine is a theory (or even a hypothesis), but I have a hunch that too much of a good thing isn't just a saying. The MTOR pathway for example is key for protein synthesis and muscle growth and is central to strength training and hypertrophy in the form of eat in a calorie surplus with the right macros (complete proteins to include leucine in particular). Yet doing this forever likely causes a buildup of damaged organelles/cells from, for lack of a better explanation, metabolic use-and-abuse during exercise and growing.

Scarcity on the other hand inhibits MTOR and turns AMPK on, facilitating autophagy. Fasting for 48hrs or so has a very strong signal for this pathway and provides a chance for the body to cleanup/recycle damaged tissue.

Too much of that obviously is wasting, yet too much of the other likely will lead to some forms of degeneration over time. My hunch is our metabolism likely evolved as many other animal's have where food isn't readily available. There are times where it is and to be most efficient the body tries to build and become more virulent and strong to exploit the abundance. Yet this naturally would have a period of scarcity, that the body is adapted to use as a shutdown period to do some critical maintenance.

It's way more complex than that, but in a nutshell there is wisdom in the saying, "all things in moderation" that IMO likely applies to diet and exercise in a broad sense. The trick would be figuring out what that ratio of gas pedal to the floor and pit stop would be.
 
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pharmakos

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The trick would be figuring out what that ratio of gas pedal to the floor and pit stop would be.
Yeah for sure. And that's gonna vary for everyone. So the ideal diet for each individual can only be found by experimenting with various ways to do it and listening to one's body afterwards.
 
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Borzak

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Apparently the stomach flu or whatever is killing ER's. One said they were full/overwhelmed. The other said 3 hours before I could give them my name. 6 hours total to see a Dr. more or less depending on how the day went.
 

Sanrith Descartes

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Apparently the stomach flu or whatever is killing ER's. One said they were full/overwhelmed. The other said 3 hours before I could give them my name. 6 hours total to see a Dr. more or less depending on how the day went.
Because our MSM and fearless leaders spent two years convincing people the flu will kill you.
 
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ToeMissile

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Apparently the stomach flu or whatever is killing ER's. One said they were full/overwhelmed. The other said 3 hours before I could give them my name. 6
Because our MSM and fearless leaders spent two years convincing people the flu will kill you.
Not to specifically contradict the overall shiftiness of the last few years, but a solid stomach flu can mess you up pretty good. Dehydration can get serious.

My almost-4 yr old had it last week and it’s my turn now. Nothing too severe for us fortunately, she was puking off and on for a few days. I was laid up all Saturday, some nausea but mainly trying not to shit myself and generally feeling like trash.
I wonder how many of those ER visits are stomach + flu/Covid? Nothing crazy on their own, but I can see it being pretty rough together. 🤷‍♂️
 

Borzak

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They were covid testing before you even got to the actual ER. Guess if you had it you could just say screw it and leave.
 

TJT

Mr. Poopybutthole
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In my continued adventures fighting my allergies I am trying some hippy bullshit I heard from my dentist.

Get locally sourced honey that is raw and unpurified. The logic is that the bees do something to your local allergens that can help you adjust to it easier. I mean, it sounds fairly logical. I am on week two of 1 spoon of honey a day. Each time it causes a mild and immediate allergic reaction but I have noticed it getting weaker already so who knows.

Fucking hippies.
 
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Gurgeh

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In my continued adventures fighting my allergies I am trying some hippy bullshit I heard from my dentist.

Get locally sourced honey that is raw and unpurified. The logic is that the bees do something to your local allergens that can help you adjust to it easier. I mean, it sounds fairly logical. I am on week two of 1 spoon of honey a day. Each time it causes a mild and immediate allergic reaction but I have noticed it getting weaker already so who knows.

Fucking hippies.
I have a friend that does something like this, he just eat some pollen pills and his allergies are gone.
 

Kobayashi

Vyemm Raider
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If you go to a local farmer's market, you can sometimes find a beekeeper that sells bee pollen. Sameish idea - builds your tolerance to local pollen based allergens. I usually buy a bag if I come across it and it does seem to help. Hadn't heard about honey breaking things down, I'll have to look into that.

If you happen to know what you're specifically allergic to, they make some sublingual tablets now too:


Lastly, on the topic of allergies, if you have severe food allergies, I know someone who worked in a clinic that could eventually eliminate the severe reaction. They would give you an extremely diluted sample, then monitor you for a period, slowly upping the dosage each time. Eventually, for peanuts, they would have to eat a small handful each day. I don't know if it ever essentially completely cures the person or they ever can stop doing maintenance doses, but from a quality of life standpoint, they don't have to worry anymore about someone eating a sandwich nearby.
 
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moonarchia

The Scientific Shitlord
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In my continued adventures fighting my allergies I am trying some hippy bullshit I heard from my dentist.

Get locally sourced honey that is raw and unpurified. The logic is that the bees do something to your local allergens that can help you adjust to it easier. I mean, it sounds fairly logical. I am on week two of 1 spoon of honey a day. Each time it causes a mild and immediate allergic reaction but I have noticed it getting weaker already so who knows.

Fucking hippies.
blind-melon-no-rain.jpg
 

Arative

Vyemm Raider
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In my continued adventures fighting my allergies I am trying some hippy bullshit I heard from my dentist.

Get locally sourced honey that is raw and unpurified. The logic is that the bees do something to your local allergens that can help you adjust to it easier. I mean, it sounds fairly logical. I am on week two of 1 spoon of honey a day. Each time it causes a mild and immediate allergic reaction but I have noticed it getting weaker already so who knows.

Fucking hippies.
They do that with kids with peanut allergies, give them small doses so their body builds an immunity
 

ToeMissile

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They do that with kids with peanut allergies, give them small doses so their body builds an immunity
One of my wife’s coworkers has a kid with severe nut allergies, and did this exact thing They have to maintain a certain level of consumption so they don’t regress, but no worries of death anymore.
My oldest has a pretty strong walnut/pecan allergy and we’re planning on giving it a shot as well.