SuzyQ's Helpful Posts

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Thanks to Suzyq for providing these informative posts. (Info. provided here is not necessarily the opinion of this website, nor should it be taken in place of your doctors advice)

Calcium & Potassium	Induction	Adding Carbs
Vitamins & Supplements	Induction Headaches	Importance of Reading the Book
Stalls/Plateaus	Constipation	Yeast
Binges/Cheating	Water

Calcium and Potassium

Most times it is the calcium you need for the leg willies..Leg cramps(charlie horse) and the leg willies are the most common side effect of not getting enough CALCIUM... Let's look at page 128: "When the diet works too well, and the weight loss is too rapid, there can be weakness or slightly debillitating symptoms, presumably caused by sodium or potassium shifts ,that can be corrected by the simple measure of TRIPLING or QUADRUPLING the vegetable intake (yet another argument to not be afraid of good carbs in veggies...we need to be afraid of BAD carbs not good healthy veggie carbs) and slowing the weight loss down. Whenever weight loss exceeds 1 pound per day, you should suspect you may experience some symptoms.

"Another problem that people occaisonally experience is LEG CRAMPS at night.This is due to rapid excretion of CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM and POTASSIUM, almost invariably indicates that the dieter has not followed my reccomendations on vitamin and mineral supplementation(see chapter 22)." That is a direct quote from Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and not to be ignored. Almost everyone who adds calcium with magnesium, finds the leg cramps subside...but, sometimes you need potassium also.. I take 1600mg Calcium a day myself, because I eat alot of dark green veggies.

The thing to remember is take the calcium at a different time than the other vit and supplements because it competes for absortion and then the other vit and nutrients might not be adequately absorbed. Best to take it after supper and before bedtime and other vit/suppl in am and before 2PM. Take half at supper and half at bedtime for best results.

When we do not get enough calcium, the body steals it from your bones and teeth with dire longterm consequences..that is why pregnant women often experience charlie horses and where the old wives tale of loosing a tooth a pregnancy come from. If your body continues to tear down more bone than it replaces over a period of years to get calcium, your bones become weak and break easily. This leads to the crippling bone disease called "osteoporosis."

Approximately 25 million American women have some degree of osteoporosis; the disease will affect one-third to one-half of post-menopausal women, and 5 million American men suffer from osteoporosis. Dandr pg 264 tells us,"The more calcium you accumulate premenopausally, the better you will withstand the involutional calcium loss." Calcium mainly comes from dairy products and cheese (besides too much cheese stall/slows our loss),which we do not get enough of on this diet. Calcium is also found in foods such as dark green vegetables(broccoli, kale, turnip greens, spinach) (kale is best). , nuts, grains, canned salmon and sardines (if you eat the bones),shrimp,heavy whipping cream, and calcium fortified tofu. Drinking carbonated beverages, particularly cola, increases the risk for bone fractures

These foods can help contribute to your calcium quota. But without dairy in your diet, it may be difficult to meet your daily calcium requirements. You all know I push those dark green veggies and salmon and that is only one reason why..They are packed with other needed nutrients also.. ..make sure to go get some today..the reccommended daily requirement of calcium is: Adults 19 - 50 years 1,000 milligrams/day Adults 51+ years 1,200 milligrams/day Although another RDA article says this is the new standard: Americans and Canadians at risk of osteoporosis should consume between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day, * The above levels are irrespective of pregnancy, or lactation, in women.

However, the solubility of calcium supplement preparations needs to be considered. Prior to absorption, calcium preparations must dissociate into elemental calcium. The more soluble a calcium supplement product is in vitro (i.e., measured by the ability to dissolve in 6 ounces of vinegar within 30 minutes), the more soluble the calcium preparation is in the body. .AVOID LEAD - Calcium supplements made from bone meal, dolomite or oyster shell, often advertised as "natural," may contain lead and other toxic substances. Best bets are; Natural, Calcium 600, Spring Valley Calcium, 600-mg supplement, Nature Made Pharmaceutical Grade Calcium 600, Walgreens Nephro-Calci, R&D Laboratories

Read labels - Different types of calcium supplements contain different amounts of elemental calcium, which is the actual amount of calcium available to your body. For example, a label advertising 1,250 mg of calcium carbonate may contain only 500 mg of elemental calcium. Recommendations for how much calcium you need are in terms of elemental calcium, so read labels carefully to make sure you're getting what's recommended. Also look at the serving size. A label may list 1,000 mg of elemental calcium in each serving, but a serving size may be three tablets. So each tablet contains about 330 mg. Increase absorption - Some calcium compounds dissolve easier and are better absorbed than others. For example, calcium citrate supplements may be more easily absorbed and better tolerated than calcium carbonate supplements. But calcium citrate supplements usually contain less elemental calcium in a given amount. Calcium phosphate supplements contain phosphorus, and some also contain vitamin D, both of which may help increase absorption. But,we do not want a calcium with D,but we DO want one with magnesium.D is a fat soluable vit and store in fat and can become toxic.To get enough fat soluable nutrients,simply add 1 antioxidant daily and that is plenty. You can increase absorption by limiting single doses to no more than 500 mg of elemental calcium And look for the letters USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) on the label. USP sets standards for how well a supplement dissolves.

Minimize side effects - To minimize problems with constipation and gas, increase the amount of water you drink, take the supplement with a meal (supper and before bed is best with calcium), and take several smaller doses during the day rather than one large dose. But don't overdo calcium supplementation. Excessive calcium - double or triple the recommended dose - may increase your risk of developing kidney stones. If you have a history of kidney stones made from calcium,then consult your Dr about how much and how to get the calcium you need in your diet... But,taking a calcium/magnesium combo increases the absorption and utilization of the calcium.

In five separate studies, women who ate the least amount of calcium weighed the most.

Now lets talk about potassium(K+)

I advocate getting Potassium in mortons lite salt and dark green veggies because it is the safest way...too much potassium can cause a dangerous electrolyte imbalance. However,you would be hard-pressed to overdose on potassium only taking one 99mg supplement daily. I take a potassium daily and it seems to give me more energy.

Maintaining consistent levels of potassium in the blood and cells is vital to body function. Fatigue is the most common symptom of chronic potassium deficiency. Early symptoms include muscle weakness, slow reflexes, and dry skin or acne; these initial problems may progress to nervous disorders, insomnia, slow or irregular heartbeat, and loss of gastrointestinal tone.Even some high blood pressure is related to potassium defiency. A sudden loss of potassium may lead to cardiac arrythmias. Low potassium may impair glucose metabolism and lead to elevated blood sugar.

In more severe potassium deficiency, there can be serious muscle weakness, bone fragility, central nervous system changes, decreased heart rate, and even death. You can get potassium on this woe in dark green veggies ,lean meats and poutry, fish..we do not get the dairy products and grains on this woe to get enough potassium.Leafy green vegetables (there is those leafy greens again!!LOL!) such as spinach, parsley, and lettuce, as well as broccoli, peas.. that is why we need the mortons lite salt and dark green veggies,lean meat, poutry,and fish..we do not get the dairy products other fruits and veggies and grains on this woe to get adequate potassium

Alcohol, coffee (and caffeine drinks), sugar, and diuretic drugs, however, cause potassium losses and can contribute to lowering the blood potassium. This mineral is also lost with vomiting and diarrhea. Potassium toxicity could result from the overuse of POTASSIUM SALT(the supplement), but not from ingestion of foods alone.That is why I reccomend getting it in foods and the lite salt... It is best to get a lite salt that is iodized also to protect the thyroid.

The body protects itself from potassium toxicity by dissolving and excreting the mineral, and in severe cases vomiting, to keep blood levels within safe limits. When blood levels of potassium start to measurably rise, a condition called hyperkalemia, it is usually due to a specific cause such as reduced kidney function, increased protein breakdown or severe infection. When first beginning this woe,it is common for you to need added potassium, but later on as you add the greens and stuff, your need for a supplement decreases.

I advocate eating salmon 1-2 times a week because it is just full of good nutrients and fish oils and a FYI, if you are pregnant, a must (studies show it helps baby to develop the brain). Anyone who is on certain B/P meds and diuretics,must get potassium levels checked by the Dr on a regular basis. People using potassium-sparing drugs should avoid the use of potassium chloride-containing products, such as Morton Salt Substitute®, No Salt®, Lite Salt®, and others.

Best foods for potassium are dark green veggies like spinach(use fresh spinach as a salad base.YUM!),kale,brocoli,parsley,tomatoes,avacados,seeds,nuts,lean meats and poutry, fish such as flounder, salmon, sardines, and cod are rich in potassium. Alcohol, coffee (and caffeine drinks), sugar, and diuretic drugs, however, cause potassium losses and can contribute to lowering the blood potassium. acne is one sign you need more potassium.

Here is a site to see if any of your meds may affect your potassium: . Hope this helps...I am not a DR, but this is my knowledge about calcium and K+(potassium) .

I thank all the wonderful sites on the net, DANDR, and my Nurse's training/career for allowing me to gather the info for this article.

Some are as follows:

DANDR

Q!~

Induction

Adding Carbs

You can stay on induction, but Dr. says it is not preferred and really most people do not understand that for ongoing weight loss they can have more carbs and still be successful..This provides more nutrients and more variety..I think sometimes we have dieted so much in our lives, we think we have to suffer to lose weight and with Atkins that is just not the case.

Carb counts vary from individual to individual, and many can eat many more than they think and still lose weight very well. That is why it is so important to find your own personal owl carb count .I have seen cases where someone stayed on induction gm counts for too long and ended up sick and also not be able to add carbs later after they get to goal weight without gaining to quickly...That is not good..

Here is some quotes from the Dr. on trying to stay at 20gm carbs (on 128 DANDR (which also contains info about symptoms from losing to rapidly and not getting enough veggies and how it causes symptoms and electrolyte shifts of potassium and sodium(which can be very dangerous):

"Induction level is to be used whenever ketosis must be induced, but I do not advice staying on this level for any length of time, unless it is the ONLY level that works .Instead, I want you to find the level of carb restriction that works best for you as you're making your passage through the pleasant waters of long-term weight loss." "All you gung-ho types may think the ideal level is simply that which takes the pounds off fastest,i.e,the diet you've just been on for the first 14 days.But,why, in heavens name,should that be true? Fast weight loss isn't a very important consideration when you're going to be solving your weight problem for the rest of your life.What IS an important consideration is being comfortable,contented,and HEALTHY.""The VAST majority of you will find that the level of carbs consumption that achieves that BEST is NOT the first level."

Many take the answer he gives later in the book about how long you can stay on induction as the answer..You see for those who cannot lose on any other level that may be true and also if they are not uncomfortable or having symptoms of electrolyte imbalances then induction might be ok for a long period,but like he says,MOST of us do not have and should not stay on induction levels for long periods,but rather,find the level we can have and still lose weight... This is so important...

Please remember this is more about getting healthy for the rest of your life than losing weight..And you will lose weight and feel best and stay the healthiest by finding your OWN personal carb count for OWL.. To find your own personal ongoing weight loss carb count,add 5gm carb a day for 7 days at a time until you go out of ketosis, then go back to the previous week's amount..That is YOUR OWL gm carb you can have each day and still lose weight successfully..(ex. have 25gm carbs a day for 7 days ,then 30 gm carbs a day for 7 days,then 35 gm carbs a day for 7 days,etc until you go out of ketosis,then go back to the previous week's amount)

DR. also says to make sure you are getting enough pantothine (b5...this is where the b-complex comes in) and to eat the salads and veggies if you are one of the few rare people who cannot lose at any level other than induction...I think if you get a b-complex along with your multivitamin,that should be enough. as far as B's go.To treat high cholesterol and other problems,you may need more..See my induction post for a complete list of needed vit/suppl... Please lose weight successfully AND be healthy... There are some factors to consider.. How do you feel?Tired,draggy,washed out? Have you slowed/stalled? Many are afraid to add more carbs,but are really doing themselves a disservice,because more carbs allows for more variety and more nutrients.. check out the low carb recipes and learn to cook deliciouly for yourself,as this is a woe for life and learning to cook and eat like royalty will help you stay on it for life!! There are some who just cannot keep loosing or lose very slowly,then when t hey up the carbs with ALLOWED foods,they begin to lose again!! Never add carbs with any non-allowed foods like sugar, flour, processed foods, pasta, rice, etc.. Add them with allowed foods..remember those dark greens-full of nutrients and low carb.. Many find themselves sick from a longterm nutritionally deficit diet..You need those nutrients good veggies and other allowed items provide.. Some,also find they just cannot lose any at any higher carb count than 25, but those people are few and you may find you have been restricting yourself for no real reason.

Also, many read about induction, but miss the part about adding carbs and finding your own personal ongoing weight loss carb levels. This is bad in that you are denying yourself when you do not have to to lose weight and also in that you get less variety and have a hard time sticking to this for life..and also many who get in that mindset that they have to "suffer" and keep the count rock bottom to lose weight,later find after they lose weight and begin to add carbs for maintainence, they gain weight quickly..many have had health probklems because they limited their carbs for no good reason.. Everyones carb count varies from 25-60gm a day and finding yours is important.. See DANDR pg 128-129 about gung ho types who think they have to restrict their carbs..

Hope this helps! SuzyQ!~

Vitamins and Supplements

Now as for vitamins:

You need at the least -multivitamin WITH minerals daily

-Vit C >1000mg daily

-calcium>1600mg daily (take calcium separate from other one's as it competes for absorption..don't get a calcium/D combo as D is fat soluable and can become toxic if you get too much..getting a calcium with magneseum,however is suggested

-B-complex-1 daily (some of us need up to 3 a day of these depending on health conditions,see DANDR page 276 )

-1 good antioxidant daily.

You can also add - fish oils to help with fat burning . You need extra -potassium in either the supplement or more preferrably (after induction)in dark greens,salmon,and mortons lite salt..You need extra potassium during induction and in times of vomiting or diarrhea, so a supplement is fine for those times...but as you add more foods, you can usually get enough after induction in your diet with those salmon and greens and by adding morton's lite salt to stuff..Using mortons lite salt does not mean never use regular salt. Remember, however, that the more processed foods in your woe means higher sodium content. Dr Atkins vitamins provide most things in a pill, but can be more expensive..

You can get any vit as long as it does not have the no-no's in it. They are: -sugars-all 'ose's but for cellulose which passes through the body undigested so this "ose is ok) -wheat -yeast -whey -starches, soy, -alcohols You can also add others as you address specific issues like cholesterol and stuff..The vitanutrient book by Dr Atkins is very helpfull there and DANDR addresses more common issues and reccomended supplements.. Try to take all of them by 2pm so that they will not interfere with your sleep,except you can take calcium separate and at supper if you want..It is also good to take calcium 500mg at a time for best absorption.

Hope this helps! Q!~

 

INDUCTION HEADACHES

Yes, there are several reasons for headaches to consider.. If you are in induction, then they probably are withdrawal headaches from sugar, caffienne, bad carbs..and should pass soon..taking advil helps many.. There also is that it could be you are not taking your vitamins/supplements as suggested, not drinking enough water, and/or not getting the suggested 2 cups salad green and 2/3 cup other veggies daily..

If you switched to any aspartamine containing diet drinks,that could be the culprit..focus on water and an occaisonal diet rite with sucralose instead.. Remember, this is a low carb diet -not a nocarb diet, and you need the reccomended amounts of veggies daily that Dr reccomends..--get as close to 20 gm a day without going over in induction and then add more good carbs after induction as DR Atkins tells us too..(see my upping the carbs post and pg 128 DANDR) If you were a hypoglycemic tendency person before,then it may take a few days for your blood sugars to normalize,then these headaches leave..

One more thing is not eating regularly enough..eat something allowed every 2-3 hours as you do not want to go into starvation or cause the insulin reaction you get from going too long without eating.. Take a potassium supplement during induction and any time you have vomiting or diarrhea..after induction if you are getting enough dark greens and using mortons lite salt sprinkled on foods here and there,you may not need the supplement anymore.. These are the more common reasons..

Hope this helps! GB!

Importance of Reading Dr. Atkins Book:

Do not even attempt this woe without thoroughly reading This is a great way of eating for life and cures/prevents many health problems,but if done incorrectly can harm you. Reading DANDR many times will aide in your success and help you lose weight and stay very healthy.. You must understand the reasoning behind all of DR's principles to stay healthy and be successful.. All the things work together and leaving out any principle is not going to work and could harm you.

Many think this is a NO carb diet..It is NOT...it is a low carb diet where we eat real non-processed foods and give up bad stuff like sugar,flour,and processed,chemically laden foods..This is healthy for EVERYONE,even those who do not need to lose weight.. DR began this way of eating with his cardiolgy patients and found out they also lose weight and many health problems along the way..He then made the way of eating available to the public to get people healthier,help them lose weight,and prevent/cure many health problems and IT WORKS.. Read DANDR..it will make or break your success..

Stalls/Plateaus

If you have hit a plateau, there is hope. I think important to say is that you are NOT in a plateau until you have not lost any pounds or INCHES in more than 4 weeks.That is why it is so important to weigh and measure once a week. The rest is ususally an adjustment period following a loss. The key for that is to hang in there, do not cheat, stick to woe, then your body gets moving again.

Here is some advice if you think you are in a true stall or just losing too slow:

1. CHECK FOR HIDDEN SUGARS. Sugar is everywhere under many different names. You do not want corn syrup, any 'oes's, but cellulose (which is ok), etc.. Cellulose is used in many things and alot of vitamins and it is ok .We do not have the gut enzyme needed to digest cellulose, so it passes through us undigested. If it says "ose, it is a sugar. Fructose, lactose, galactose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, xylose--they are all going to turn into glucose in the body." Even some products labeled "sugar free" contain some form of sugar. "A lot of medicines contain manitol or sorbitol. Those turn into sugar." Also, many frozen veggies have sugar and even some fresh salads pre-cut in bags. Some pre-cooked meats can have added sugars. Some fast food chicken has added sugar .It is best to avoid any pre-prepared foods, especially any deli item. No deli meats, no processed meats at all is best. Processed meats are bad for many added ingredients that can hinder us. Best to buy real meat cuts and cook yourself. Always look at a label closely, not just the nutrition part, but the ingredient list as well. (Even on meds and vitamins and supplements). If sugar is listed far down on the list of ingredients and is less than 1 gm per serving (and pay close attention to the serving size), then it usually does not harm us. Also, some who eat too many sweetened treats, sweetened with artificial sweetners, find they stall. Those are best saved for a once in awhile thing and few and far apart.

2 DO NOT CHEAT

Not a bite of this and that, here and there. Many fall into this trap,thinking, "it was just a bite,it will not hurt me" It certainly does hinder your progress. The key is to have ready made and available as many low carb foods as you can. Then you can pass up those baddies and reach for a goodie that will help you along the way, not hinder you. Many also think, "I have not lost in a week, I may as well cheat" and that does a whole lot of harm. You are probably about to whoosh and you sabotage yourself that way .Perserverence is so key to success. Even when you think you are not losing, stick to woe. A loss of inches or pounds will come if you do.

3.EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT

Many think because they had to suffer and go hungry on previous diets and that is not true on this way of eating. You should eat a Little something every 2 -3 hours to keep the fires burning and also to avoid the insulin response that not eating can cause. Six small feedings a day are better than 3 large meals to break the energy/weight loss barrier. Never skip meals. Eat something, no matter how small. Find your own CCL and add veggie carbs after induction. Many stall because they have developed an unhealthy fear of ALL carbs or think less carbs is best. That is not true.Adding carbs after induction helps you lose better and helps you stay on woe more satisfied. We need not be afraid of good carbs,but be afraid of bad carbs. Bad carbs are poison to us. Good carbs help us.

4. CHECK YOUR VITAMINS AND MINERALS

It is so important to get the right combo and amount of the right vitamins and supplements. Check out my vitamin/suppl info and make sure you are getting the right things in the RIGHT amounts. Taking care of your body in this way helps it to function at it's highest and this in turn helps you lose weight faster and helps you look and feel great. It also helps protect you from illness and disease in this day and age of so much pollution. Add vitamins/supplements per DR Atkins vitanutrient solution for any particular to you health conditons.

5. YOU MAY BE LOSING TOO MUCH SALT.

Salt or potassium shortages are common in the first stages of the diet. Eat salty foods & take potassium supplements. Later,you might be getting too many salty foods and this causes water retention.

6. ADD EXERCISE

Even walking, which is my fave, can really help your body .Start at your own level and work up. If all you can do is walk around the block for now, do it. Work up slowly so that you do not get sore and tired. If you get gung-ho at first and overdo your limits, you will be more likely to stop the exercise program and never start back up.So the key is slow and easy and work up bit by bit. Exercise improves your blood circulation and helps stabilize your blood sugar,which are key components to your success.Exercise adds many other health benefits as well.

7. BE ATTENTIVE TO FOOD SENSITIVITY

If you eat something new and start craving,become a sleuth and check for the ingredient(S) that may be in the thing you ate that your body is reacting to.Common reactions are craving, tiredness, stomach discomfort, headaches, dizzinesss. Learn to listen closely to what your body is saying.If it is sensitive to a food/drink/ingredient, it will tell you. That is one key why adding new things one at a time is so important.Then you will become very knowledgeable about what your OWN body cannot handle and treat it much better. Many times a food/drink you crave alot is one you are sensitive to.

8. CAFFIENE

Caffiene can be fine for awhile,then suddenly affect your success. Caffiene in any form can stimulate the insulin reaction that tells your body to make fat rather than burn it. I have seen many times someone keep using caffiene and lose fine at first,then reach a point they are just stuck.They stop all caffiene and the stall breaks and they get back to whooshing.

9. ALCOHOL/NICOTINE

Same as above.They can sure hinder your loss. Smoking uses up vitamin C & stimulates the adrenal gland Alcohol stimulates insulin.

10.MEDS Most all meds, wether OTC or prescription can hinder us. Although,You will still lose, it may be slower than others. Rethink the meds you are on, communicating to your Dr. about decreasing them or stopping them eventually as you feel better and get healthier on woe. Avoid 'diet pills".They will hinder your success and some are very dangerous and have caused fatalities.NO EPHEDRA please.We also do not need carb blockers or chitosan..

11. Quantity

While you should eat enough that you are not hungry, this woe does not mean stuffing yourself or eating excessively.Some get too hung up on one area of woe or another.We do not want too much fat, but some, etc. Do not take any part of woe to the extreme. Use good judgement and eat til you are satisfied and you will be ok. When you are not hungry, just eat a small amount of something allowed to avoid the starvation response. But do not take this woe as a licence to eat anything and everything in site. Occasionally, some do have to count calories as well as carbs, so keep that in mind.

12. LOW THYROID

This has gone undetected in many people. If you have symtpoms of low throid, but bloodwork is coming back normal, take the temp tes.t Check your Temp first thing in the a.m. before you even get out of bed and use a glass thermometer. Record the results for 5 days .If you run a basal body temp of les than 97 as a rule, you have a borderline thyroid that needs treatment.

13. YEAST

Many have an undetected/undiagnosed systemic yeast infection. This is yeast in your digestive tract,not vaginal yeast. See DANDR chapter 13 for more info and I also have some great yeast info I can post for you,if you like.

14. DAIRY Some people cannot tolerate dairy and need to get off it or limit it to lose. Many get gung ho about cheese and this can hinder you.We are to limit cheese to no more than 1-2 ounces a day and use only real cheese.No processed cheese items.And if you are stalled,skip cheese altogether. Try woe without dairy for 3 weeks,if you think this might be your problem .

15. ASPARTAMINE Stalls/hinders many. Best to avoid it.

16. Keep close watch on carb using a carb counter or fitday.com.The longer we are on woe,the laxer we get. Also, too many sweetened things, nuts, cheese, etc can stall/slow you. Citric acid in many drinks can slow/stall. Stick to a mainly pure woe and have sweet stuff and that just once in awhile. Do not jump from induction to more of a maintainence type woe. Add carbs 5 gm a week with more salad and veggies ONLY.Find your own CCL.Then add other things one at a time to see how they affect you.Soon you will have more variety with things you know help you, both weightloss-wise and healthwise.

17)Water Water Water! Drink up!Avoid other things.Green tea is ok once in awhile.Even too many packets of sweetner in tea and stuff each day can stall.But,get water! It causes heavier ketosis and whooshes!

Constipation

Make sure to drink your water and eat all your salads and veggies. Those are key to bowel health as well as the nutrients they pack for us. Choose leafy dark greens like spinach and kale as much as possible. Other good veggies are cabbage, cauliflower,.broccoli, asparagus, and brussel sprouts.

Make sure your calcium supplement has magnesium and also to get at least 1000mg C daily. Our vitamins are there for many reasons. Do not leave them out. I would not be so harsh as to use Mag Citrate cod liver oil, enemas or harsh things like that.

Walking helps. Any exercise will help. Have some ground flax seed cereal or muffins. The recipes are in the recipe section .Flax seeds are best bought whole and ground in a coffee grinder.The grinder is about $20 at walmart. You can get golden flax at any GNC and other stores and also on the net.The dose you need is 2 tablespoons before grinding each day. Grind seeds fresh each day and put in shakes, salads, or any food item you like.Do not buy pre-ground flax or oils. They lose potency. Use whole seeds. Grind fresh daily. Keep seeds in refrigerater. Try some flax seed muffins once in awhile.

Some like the smooth moves tea from Traditional medicines. Psyllium husks are the key for many people. You can also try Sugar Free Metamucil or Milk of Magnesia. And, a way to solve the problem while satisfying your sweet tooth: eat some sugar-free candy made with one of the sugar alcohols like sorbitol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, or HSH (also known as Lycasin). One I like is the pecan clusters by russel stover at CVS or walmart. They say sugarfree on them and are sweetened with isomalt. Have no more than a couple or you will have a big blowout otherwise.I would only use this occasionally.. The sugar alcohols will stall you. But, in a pinch, like now, and before you implement other measures,this will clean you out good. Another quik method is a baby glycerin suppository. But, use those methods in emergencies and implement the other measures to avoid bouts constipation in the future. Try the natural solutions before the unnatural,but if you are in a bind, try the others.

The main rules to keep thing regular is eating your salads and green leafy veggies (no less than 3 cups salad and veggies each day on induction and MORE after induction) Choose dark leafy greens as much as possible), getting all your water in (pure water, nothing else counts as water,but water), exercising,and the right vit/suppl. It helps to have the flax seed a few times a week, plus they provide good things for your body like omega oils to lower your cholesterol and lots of good fiber. I use 2 tablespoons seeds a day.

Yeast

Gut yeast is yeast in your GI tract (not vaginal yeast, although that could be one of the symptoms) Anyone who has ever been on an antibiotic could have it. (From here: )

"It is estimated that one third of the population of the United States may suffer from mild to severe Candida albicans infestation of the digestive tract. Candida is an opportunistic, parasitic yeast which colonizes in the human intestinal tract. Under the "right" set of circumstances, Candida becomes the predominate microorganism to proliferate in the warm, moist environment of the human digestive tract.

Because it is a rhizoid which attaches to the gut lining. Candida can eventually drill small holes in the intestinal mucosa, causing increased intestinal permeability. This condition, often termed "leaky gut syndrome", is now recognized as a major factor in autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid and osteo arthritis and is a contributing factor in conditions like chronic fatigue."

Basically what it boils down to is that, Yeast discharges toxins and by damaging the lining of the intestines, allows various toxins to enter the bloodstream. Those toxins can do a great deal of damage to many of your body systems. Symptoms are: gas, bloating, diarrhea/constipation, cramping, heartburn, itching anywhere, sinusitis, allergies to foods and the environment, mood swings, lack of concentration, inability to handle small amounts of alcohol, recurrent infections including the bladder and prostate, fatigue, waking unrested, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, frequent sore throats, white tongue, increased cravings for bread and sweets, sensitivity to perfumes and other smells, overall feeling unwell, nausea, depression, allergies, immune dysfunction, irritability, decreased sex drive, even problems of the female kind, liver problems, and things like MS (any autoimmune disorder) can be traced back to it. Many endocrine (thyroid is one) disorders can be related, acne, and even ADHD can be related. To take a questionaire about it go here: . The test of choice would be a stool sample, but most Dr's are not helpful in diagnosis. They should be more aware of this and help treat it, but they are slow catching up.

A dietician is very helpful in formulating a treatment plan, but watch out, most of them believe media myths about Atkins and are not educated about the truth of exactly what we eat and will be against it.Stand your ground. Here is a nice small article about it and the symptoms. . It explains the pathophysiology pretty good.

Leaky Gut Syndrome: Now woe (low carbing) is the best one to be on to treat it. Your job is to starve the yeast and cause it to die off. As it dies off, you will see an increase in bowel symptoms as toxins are released, then they go away. Start treatments slow and work up slow to avoid too many toxins being released at first.

We need to avoid sugar, fruit, potatoes, chocolate,coffee, tomatoes, ketsup, soy products, cottage cheese, and yogurt.

Some need to avoid all fruit while treating. Some have to avoid eggs. No corn products (corn oil ,the vegetable and stuff). No popcorn, No peanuts. We need to avoid fermented foods, like mushrooms, vinegar, cheese, wine and beer. We need to avoid steroids, antibiotics ,and birth control pills, NSAIDS (Nonsteriodal antiinflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofin). Avoid starches. Aspartamine MSG Food made from grains is a serious health hazard (rice is really bad), Processed/chemical containing foods. Limit dairy products (too much cheese feeds the yeast) Milk has alot of natural sugar. Replacing dental fillings made with mercury to something else is a good idea. Take acidophilus and caprilyic acid (suggested doses are). (This is what I did, along with diet and taking 2 doses of diflucan). Remember, it can take 4-6 months of treatment to get rid of it, but you will notice a big change about a month into therapy anyways .The biotin should be in your B-complex. Use powdered acidophilus from the refrigerator case. A typical dose is two tablespoons per day for two weeks. In addition, you can use five mg of biotin per day or try Caprylic acid (begin with 200 to 300 mg a day, working up to 6,000 mg a day after two to three weeks)."

Treatment of Yeast. Natures plus is a good one and reasonably priced.You get 40 million viable acidophilus cells in each cap. There is 90 in a bottle for about $8. You start with 2 a day and work up to 2 caps 2-4 times a day. If you buy another brand just go by how many million cells are in each cap to dose. Keep it refridgerated also. Vitamins B and C help.So does L-glutamine, Zinc 3-4 times a week, and the antioxidants.If you take the vitamins on the induction post of mine, you will get how much you need of each, plus add Zinc and L-Glutamine. Get 2 doses of diflucan from your Dr. if you have no problems preventing you from taking it (people with liver problems cannot take it). Take one now and one in 2 weeks. Most doctors will have no problem prescribing it for a yeast infection. Some say garlic in the diet helps and some say it hinders.I have garlic when I want it. About 1-2 times a month in cooking. Some say nystatin is the way to go. It is a prescription drug. They suggest in combo with your diet,500,000 unit tablets, slowly working up to 1-2 tablets, 3 times a day for 4 months.You want to start anything to treat yeast slowly and work up as treating it too fast will lead to too fast a die off and worse symptoms.Same with acidophilus. Start with a smaller dose and work up.

It is important to drink at least 8 glasses of purified water daily, which we already do on woe. I got a brita filtered pitcher and it is a great investment. This pretty much covers what it is, what you need to do, and the symptoms. If you have any more questions, talk to a good dietician and a Dr who is knowledgeable about it. I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose anyone. This is just my knowledge and what has helped me.

Binges/Cheating

Binges:What To Do:

Do not fret or beat yourself up too much.There is hope. (see dandr back index for binges; overcoming for more info)

1)Get back on woe RIGHT away, do not wait for tomorrow or Monday.Get right back on immediately. When a person binges with a non-allowed food/drink,that is usually a "trigger" mechanism for an addiction.When this happens,they are likely to binge for a longtime and have great difficulty getting back on woe.Then they gain all the weight back and more.They make it through breakfast and maybe even lunch,then cheat again! The key is to get back on woe RIGHT then. Expect horrible cravings for a few days, but just STAY on a strict(see #4 about a 0 carb woe for 2 days) woe for a few days and do not cheat.It will take selfcontrol and perserverence.

2)water and exercise-It is a good idea to up water and exercise a bit for a few days also.This flushes the toxins out and also gets you burning fat and calories.Also,if you are tempted to cheat again,take a walk instead or get on your treadmill or exercise bike or do like LilHoney and put your Richard Simmons tape in!Richard LUVS Lil!LOL!

3)Supplements-Dr A says in DANDR(see index in back for Binges;Overcoming) to apply this technique for a binge: -take "L-glutamine 500-1000mg,3 times a day "(a couple days should be enough).You should take it before meals and at worst times of craving. -"B-complex"(we should be already taking this daily)

4)Eat more fat than usual to stop cravings for a couple days. Dr A says to have a "high fat ,0 carb diet ,eating fatty red meats,cream cheese,shake mix,or diet soda (diet rite is sweetened with splenda) with heavy cream,and NOTHING with carbs for 2 days,then resume the normal low carb woe".He says this gets you back into good ketosis.When you hit good ketosis,cravings go way down.

5)Recognize Triggers-Recognize which food/drink/ingredient triggers you and avoid that.It could have been an "allowed" low carb food/drink that triggered you.If you eat/drink anything and find you start craving,have gas,bloating,nausea,headaches or other symptoms,recognize you are sensitive to that thing or an ingredient in that thing and avoid it.Become a sleuth and figure out what the ingredient/food/drink item it was.If the binge was kicked off by a non-allowed food,look for a lowcarb version of it to get you by next time.If there is none, just avoid that food/drink like the plague.

And Remember, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels and looks!"

 

Water

Lots of Water is your friend when you want to lose weight. It is also a great beauty secret. When you get to goal, water is still very important. Water can make or break your health and that is not an exageration. Many common health nusances are really caused from the body not getting enough water. Most people, when beginning WOE say, "I hate water!Wah! "LOL!. But I make a promise to you that once you get used to drinking it, you will wonder what your ever did without it! It is true. Ask any oldie! LOL!

Take that water bottle with you everywhere you go.Refill it as needed.Tap water filtered with a brita filter type or other filter is better than bottled water. But buy a refillable bottle to take along each day. Some buy 4-5 and fill them each am and when they are through, they know they got the water in for the day.

The fat gets in through your mouth, but to get out it needs Water and Bowel movements. You want to pee all that fat right on out and off for good. Never fudge your water. Drink ALL of it everyday. Water is naturally low on sodium, and has no caffiene or other chemicals that cause problems with absorption. Because it is quickly absorbed by your body it should be your TOP choice to reach your daily intake fluid quota. Drinking water actually leads to better ketosis. If you do not drink it you can simply recirculate the same ketones and think you are in ketosis, but not lose weight/inches.When you drink enough water, you make NEW ketones, which means more fat is burned and more loss!YEA!

I have a water Post that explains alot. I have taken a few key points from different articles to display here. Here it is:

Water! Why drink at least two quarts a day?

Because that's roughly how much water we lose normally through perspiration, waste removal and other functions. Add sultry weather or enough exercise to break a sweat and the amount of water needed to stay healthily hydrated - not to mention avoid fatigue, light-headedness, nausea, and even heat stroke - quickly climbs. The body loses water via the skin by perspiration, kidneys by urine, lungs by exhaled water vapor, and intestine by feces. Additionally, water keeps your energy up, weight down, muscles strong, joints supple, digestive system smooth -- your whole system in physical balance.

Water: 1) regulates body temperature 2) makes up 83% of blood 3) removes waste 4) composes 75% of brain 5) helps carry nutients and oxygen to cells 6) moistens oxygen for breathing 7) helps convert food to energy 8) protects and cushions vital organs 9) helps body absorb nutients 10) accounts for 22% of bones 11) cushions joints 12) makes up 75% of muscles 13)makes up 90% of lungs 14)Your body is roughly 60 % water!!! It really depends on the person and their activity level as well as the weather. I find the more I drink the less I actually retain with my activity level and climate.

Additionally because of diureteic effects of caffeine drinks you should have 1 8-ounce glass of water for each 8-ounce glass/cup of these you drink to minimize the effects. On the other hand however, there is a thing as too much water. If you drink in excess of 8 liters without getting the proper other nutrients your body will actually start depleting itself of those nutrients. So, do not be one of those people who gets too "water obsessed" and drinks a gallon a day either.There is a fine balance in all parts of woe.

Water is VERY important and you should get enough each day, but too much or too little is not good.I suggest 10-12 eight ounce glasses a day, more if you are in hot weather,exercise, or have been drinking alcohol. Also, "Are you Hungry? Many of us mix up food pangs with water cravings! By Malcolm Stewart, PhD As a clinical and health psychologist, I work with many people who want to lose weight for personal or medical reasons. It's not uncommon to hear complaints of intense hunger between regular eating times, no matter how satisfying their meals. For some people, it's puzzling, irritating hunger that makes them want to pick at food constantly. Others describe sharp cravings that demand immediate satisfaction. Regardless, the effect is the same: Despite increasing their physical activity (perhaps the key weight loss technique), they can't lose unwanted pounds. But a little-known fact both helps explain these food pangs - and provides a means to deal with them: Sometimes thirst masquerades as hunger. So you may think your body is asking for food when what it's actually asking for is water. Your body needs water - a lot of water, every day - more than anything else except oxygen. WE can live without food for a week or more if necessary, but not without water. If your body has just 2 percent less than it requires, you'll feel fatigued. A 10 percent shortfall can produce significant health risks. A week without water can be fatal.

Adults need six to eight 8-ounce glasses (about 1 ½ to 2 quarts) every day, more if you're large or physically active and even more if you drink much coffee, tea or cola, because the caffeine in these is a mild diuretic. Why do we sometimes feel hungry when in fact we're thirsty? For one thing, many of us seem to have learned to interpret some signs of thirst as signs of hunger. For another, the body may seek food as a source of water because about 37 percent of our daily water intake comes from food. Fruits and vegetables are typically 70 to 95 percent water. Cooked meat is 50 to 60 percent. Even bread is made up of about 35 percent water. So your body may signal that it's hungry in order to get more water through food. And because water is so important, the body gives off strong messages when it needs more, which is why thirst masquerading as hunger can be so compelling. Which would be fine if food didn't contain calories as well as water. Being able to understand that sometimes "I'm hungry" really means "I'm thirsty" can help you react more healthfully, starting with drinking eight glasses daily. This takes a conscious effort for most of us, but it's easier if you make a habit of drinking water every time you do a particular activity - for instance, each time you go into the kitchen or whenever you're about to make a phone call. You can also up your intake by using a larger glass or drinking a refill. Some people find "sipper bottles" convenient. Now apply this to dealing with hunger between meals (which can be translated as "reach for water, not the ice cream"). If you feel hungry when it's not meal time, first have a large glass of water, then get busy doing something - keep at it for at least 20 minutes before you consider eating anything. After drinking one glass, you may immediately want another. This is your body saying, "Yes! That was want I really wanted - give me more!" If you still feel hungry after 20 minutes, try having another glass of water, then get busy again. People often feel like they're "bad" or "weak" if they feel hungry at times they think they shouldn't be. However, once you are aware that thirst can masquerade as hunger, you realize that hunger pangs often are a legitimate request by the body - but for water rather than food. This isn't a cure - all for curbing hunger, but I've learned from my practice that it can go along way toward beating between meal eating. And that can mean weight-loss success. " and An excerpt from Oprah's book, Make the Connection, by Bob Greene: "Water is essential to life. Without it, we would survive maybe two or three days. That makes it our most important nutrient. Water surrounds and is a part of each and every cell in your body, and it's needed or involved in virtually all body functions. About 60 percent of your body weight is water. We lose a lot of water each day through basic body functions. By exercising, you lose even more water depending on the type, length, and intensity of exercise and the climate you work out in. Your body must continually regulate the amount of water that it holds. You become dehydrated when your body's water supply cannot meet its demands. This can cause a variety of complications, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Although less life threatening, dehydration also affects the body's ability to digest food and metabolize fat. Needless to say, having enough water is essential for your body to function at its optimum. As far as weight loss and weight maintenance are concerned, drinking enough water is extremely important. There are at least six basic reasons why replacing water on a daily basis is important for controlling your weight. 1) Digestion and metabolism - These are two functions we are particularly concerned with when it comes to controlling our weight. If you aren't getting enough water, you risk impairing these two functions to a certain degree. Enough water ensures that both digestion and metabolism are working at their full capacity. 2) Water's filling effect - by drinking six to eight glasses of water, you can help curb your appetite. Water can fill you up so that you don't overeat. 3) The thirst-hunger response - When you are dehydrated, your body may signal you to eat when what it really requires is water. It does the same thing for a variety of nutritional needs. For example, your body may need sodium, so it signals you to eat foods containing salt. But all you really need is the salt without all the additional calories in food. I call this phenomenon artificial hunger. By meeting all of your nutritional needs, including your need for water, you can control artificial hunger. 4) Better workouts - You can exercise more effectively and at higher levels when you are getting enough water. 5) Muscle requires more water - Muscle is comprised of about 70 percent water, whereas fat is made up of less than 25 percent water. One of the many benefits of exercise is that you maintain and even add muscle weight, which in turn burns fat. As you gain muscle, you require more water and need to replace more of it daily. So water becomes more important the more active you are. Think of it as a cycle: The more muscle you maintain, the more water is held by the body and the more calories are burned by that additional muscle. So the more muscle you have, the more water you must have available. 6) Glycogen storage - Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate stored in your muscles. It can be used as energy when you exercise. The more fit you become, the more glycogen is stored in your muscles. Every gram of glycogen holds about 2.5 to 3 grams of water. So, the more fit you are, the more water your body will hold, and the more water you need each day. Being more fit also allows you to burn calories at a higher rate. In addition to those six reasons, as you begin to lose fat, your body increases its percentage of water. So the amount of water you need to drink each day increases. This is especially so the more active you become. Your body is signaled to hold more water. It will usually let you know it needs more water by making you thirsty, but not always. " and WATER "Water is often called the forgotten nutrient since many people take it for granted, but water is essential to life. We can live with less than enough food for weeks, months, even years, but take away our water and we last just a few days. Water makes up about 60 percent of the average adult's weight. It is the medium the human body uses for nearly every activity it performs and has many functions, including: · Carrying nutrients in the body · Cleansing the body's waste products · Acting as a solvent, dissolving minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and other substances · Being involved in the chemical reactions in the body · Lubricating joints · Acting as a shock absorber for many organs · Helping to regulate body temperature Since water is so important, its balance is delicately monitored by a number of mechanisms. Our brain signals us to drink when the sodium concentrations in the blood become too high or when blood volume drops too low. Unfortunately, by the time this thirst mechanism kicks in, we are already in the beginning stages of water deficit. That's why nutritionists recommend drinking before you are thirsty. This is particularly important for the elderly population because as we age we become less sensitive to our thirst mechanism. At the same time, our percentage of body fluid drops, so it's easier to become dehydrated faster.

Young children are also at a higher risk for dehydration, but for another reason: Their thirst mechanism is not yet fully developed, nor are they always able to recognize when they are thirsty. Water needs vary with each individual, but in general, nutritionists still abide by the old rule of eight glasses - - 64 ounces - - or more of fluid a day. Water is your best bet, but it is certainly not the only way to get fluids. . Alcohol and caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee do not count because they are actually diuretics, meaning they cause you to lose fluid rather than retain it. How much water do you need? The old standard suggestion of 6 to 8, 8-ounce glasses of water a day is still good. But people who exercise may need more like 2 or 3 quarts, especially when it's hot and humid outside (and during illness). Get in the habit of carrying a water bottle. It's easy to measure, handy to cart around especially during workouts, and saves waiting in line at the water fountain - - where it never seems polite to guzzle what you really need when others are waiting. Drink before you're thirsty. People who drink to satisfy thirst replace only about half of what they need. An intelligent, by the book, "hydration schedule" for a workout looks something like this: · 17 ounces of water 2 hours before your workout · 8ounces or more 15 minutes before your workout · 4 to 8 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes during your workout · another 8 ounces after your workout " By now, I am hoping you see how important water is to weightloss and also to your health! It is a wonderful beauty secret we should all adopt as part of our new healthy lifestyle!

I am repeatedly appalled that we are teaching our kids from birth on to drink ANYTHING but water!!!WHY do we do that? People erroneously think juice is better for kids, but it is almost all sugar and only a precentage of real juice anymore and studies have shown kids who drink too much juice have stunted growth and do not develop enough growth hormones.When the juice is taken away,the body then makes more growth hormones,giving the child a chance to grow normally.This is espeically true with any "failure to thrive child".Teach your kids to like and drink yummy water!It is GOOD for them!Give them real whole fruits for the vitamins from fruits instead of juices. Now,remember -drink 64 ounces minmum of water EVERYDAY. Some say 1/2 your body weight in ounces and some 64 ounces plus an additional 8 ounces for every 25 pounds you need to lose

.I find most people lose well with around 80-96 ounces.I have a brita filtered pitcher and I LOVE it!I highly reccomend getting one or something like it.There are tap filters also and the price range varies. -Drink all your water before anything else each day.Other things do not count as water.Unsweetened green tea is also fine according to Dr A. When you drink enough water,you actually promote the production of MORE ketones.This means more fat is being burned!YES! If you do not drink enough water, your stix might show a color, but you might not lose, because if you do not get enough water to flush out old ketones,then new ones cannot be generated and old ketones just keep recirculating. -Caffiene ,artificial sweetners,and citric acid and other ingredients in drinks will most times hinder your success.You want to drink extra water anytime you drink something like that.It is best to drink only water and green tea.The occaisonal diet rite might be fine too.But,remember it has citric acid and that hinders people also.It is sweetened with splenda,so is a better choice than other colas.It comes in many flavors and I find it at my superwalmart. There are some flavored seltzer waters that might also be ok for a once in awhile change.CVS has one that is sweetened with splenda also. The best kind are ones that are completely unsweetened and sodiumfree. Check all labels. Not just the nutriton facts,but the fine print ingredients too! So,drink up and WHOOOSH!!! You can do it!

SuzyQ Orig 1999 Updated 03/29/02