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Bob

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  1. Yes, jump back on the wagon. Too bad the flu visited you right as you were trying to start. Once you've got some time and experience behind you, you'll be able to weather the next sickness and stay on plan. I want to try making bone broth. I've heard it's great and also good to sip on when down with a virus. Ah, I can add this to my list as well. Any cuts and scrapes seem to fair a little better. My ankle healed faster than my doctor thought it would when I broke it. I got over covid faster then the rest of my family last December.
  2. I got some liver over summer, fried it in bacon grease, and had it with my eggs and bacon, and it was all right. Not great. But not bad. About a week ago or so I got some more, and lightly seared both sides and had it with my steak. I was told it was better this way. It was awful. I ate it hoping to get used to it, but suffered the entire time. I won't cook it like this again. When I was a kid my dad would make liver and onions and I actually used to eat it with him and enjoyed it.
  3. Right. Or oftentimes you hear "The keto diet was created in the 1920's as a way to treat epilepsy". Say again? lol. The keto diet is the original human diet, and has been around for ages and ages. Oh they see it, but then they blame the wrong good. "It's those evil steak and eggs. It most certainly can't be all these wonderful man-made processed foods that are making us rich", lol.
  4. This is a good post because I need to start writing this down, lol. I've lost 50 pounds, going from 225 to 175, from wearing size 38's to size 34's. I had an issue with skin tags. They are all gone now. Even with medication my blood pressure was 145/95, it's now 118/80 on average. I suffered from knee pain due to being an overweight tile setter. That's gone away. I had ulcerative colitis. I don't anymore (soon to be confirmed). I had severe bleeding gums when I brushed, and this too has gone away. I've gone from always being lethargic and fatigued to having the energy to do anything. I'll add to this if I remember more. EDITS: No more acne / clear skin. No more gas. More emotionally stable.
  5. Ketogenic diet has helped a Jackson 4-year-old become seizure free Published: Jan. 18, 2024, 2:07 p.m. By Chloe Miller | *****@*****.tld JACKSON, MI – Four-year-old Ellie Stevenson’s diet differs from a typical kid her age. Her plate is usually full of ingredients that have been weighed to the exact gram to ensure she’s eating the precise ratio of protein, fat and carbs. This is because her meals are essential to preventing seizures from epilepsy. Before this, Ellie would have anywhere between one to 10 seizures a day. But, after following the ketogenic diet at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital for nearly a year, she’s celebrating almost nine months of being seizure free. “She’s just blossomed, she’s returned to her normal self and then just kind of kept going,” Ellie’s mom Katrina Stevenson said. “She has become so much more social, energetic.” Ellie was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2022. Katrina was getting ready for work, when she went to check on Ellie in her room and found her asleep on the floor. She, and Ellie’s dad Greg Stevenson, checked the camera in her room and saw that Ellie had had a seizure and collapsed onto the ground. “It came out of nowhere,” Katrina said. The family went to the hospital emergency room where electroencephalogram monitoring was done. Eventually, the family was referred to Mott, where Ellie was diagnosed with epilepsy with myoclonic-atonic seizures, or EMAtS, Greg said. From there, Ellie was prescribed medications, which helped a little, but ultimately didn’t work, Katrina said, adding she was also fitted for a helmet and face shield, so she could stop “hurting that sweet little face,” but it didn’t allow the independence a child her age needed. So, doctors suggested they try something different -- the ketogenic diet. The family had open ears. Ellie was admitted to the hospital, where they family began to work with pediatric epilepsy dietitian Jwana Al Mulki. “We felt like we exhausted all other options with Ellie, and we got to the point where really the ketogenic diet was our last resort,” Al Mulki said. The ketogenic diet is very high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbs, she said. Meals look different based on the ratios prescribed to patients, but it often consists of butter, cream and avocados, as well as limited amounts of meats, nuts and vegetables, Al Mulki said. Each meal requires careful measurements through a keto diet calculator and food scale. “In order to be successful in the diet, we need to stick with that prescribed ratio, which requires measuring out every single ingredient of every single meal and snack, so it is very time consuming to say the least,” Al Mulki said. Ellie began the ketogenic diet in January of 2023, and since April 2023, she has been seizure free. The ketogenic diet forces fat to be used for energy, instead of glucose, Al Mulki said. The fat is broken down into ketones and the ketones are used by the brain as an alternative source of energy, which doctors believe helps with seizure control. The medical ketogenic diet has been used for a treatment of epilepsy since the 1920s, Al Mulki said, and it has been especially life changing for Ellie and her family. Some of Ellie’s favorite foods include sausage, salmon, whipped cream, raspberries, strawberries and cucumbers. She also opts to have avocado oil in a syringe to increase ketones, and Katrina said she’s always trying out new recipes and recreates dishes like cupcakes, doughnuts and low-carb pizza. Among the minor struggles now is just ensuring Ellie eats her full plate and measuring out her meals, Greg and Katrina said, adding that it’s worth it to see Ellie be able to play like a normal 4 year old. “We always say just how brave and strong she is to go through this, and just being such a good sport of it all,” Greg said. Since being seizure free, Ellie can play freely alone in her room. She also enjoys playdates and loves playing soccer. The Stevenson family was also able to take a long-awaited trip to Disney World last summer. It’s really strengthened, I think, our relationships,” Greg said. “This was something that brought us, as a family, closer together.” Ellie’s Mott Children’s Hospital care team believes it will be possible for Ellie to come off her anti-seizure medicine when she is older, and to eventually age out of her epilepsy, Greg said, adding that for now, the family is just excited to see how far Ellie has come. ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2024/01/ketogenic-diet-has-helped-a-jackson-4-year-old-become-seizure-free.html
  6. Why Obesity Is Linked to Higher Cancer Rates in Young People By Claire Bugos Updated on January 19, 2024 Fact checked by Nick Blackmer Illustration by Mira Norian for Verywell Health The rates of certain cancers are climbing in young U.S. adults, and it’s not entirely clear why. To make sense of the trend, many scientists are drawing connections to the simultaneous rise of another major public health crisis: obesity. Younger generations are more likely to develop obesity than ever before. In 2009, about 33% of adults ages 20 to 44 had obesity. By 2020, that number shot up to 41%.1 Having overweight or obesity—a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25—is linked with a higher risk of 13 types of cancer, which account for 40% of cancers diagnosed in the U.S. each year, according to the CDC.2 Scientists have long known that obesity raises the risk of developing and dying of cancer in older adults. More recent research suggests that obesity may also shift the timing of cancer appearance, making it more likely to appear in younger groups.3 “It appears that cancer incidence is rising for young adults and it’s primarily driven by diagnoses of obesity-related cancers. That suggests obesity has something to do with the rise in early onset cancers,” said Karen Basen-Engquist, PhD, MPH, a professor of health disparities and director of the Center for Energy Balance in Cancer Prevention and Survivorship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Between 1995 and 2014, there was an increase in early-onset diagnoses for six of 12 obesity-related cancers, according to a 2019 study. Of the 18 cancers not linked to obesity, only two became more common in young adults.4 The connection between obesity and early-onset cancer crises is multi-faceted. The biological mechanisms are complex—fat tissue itself can encourage cancer to develop and grow by spurring inflammation and cancer-promoting hormones. Obesity is also related to several chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which can exacerbate cancer risk. People with obesity can face social barriers to screening, too, which sometimes lead to more aggressive disease and poorer outcomes. The 13 types of cancers that are linked to obesity: adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, breast cancer in post-menopausal women, colorectal cancer, uterine cancer, gallbladder cancer, upper stomach cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, meningioma, and multiple myeloma. How Does Excess Fat Tissue Contribute to Cancer Growth? Fat tissue isn’t a single idle organ that only stores energy. Rather, there are several types of fat, each of which produce substances that act like hormones, helping to control metabolism by ushering messages between the fat, brain, immune system, and other organs. Obesity is commonly defined as the accumulation of too much fat. With excess fat tissue comes an excess of a particular group of proteins called adipokines.5 Adipokines incite inflammation in the fat tissue and sometimes throughout the body. That inflammation can cause cells to mutate and grow quickly, sometimes causing cancer to develop or grow faster.6 Obesity-induced inflammation also leads the body to produce too much insulin. Apart from contributing to obesity, too-high levels of insulin can encourage cells to grow faster and prevent them from their normal process of death and regeneration. This provides more opportunity for mutations that could lead to cancer. Insulin resistance and high blood sugar create “a recipe for cells to grow,” said Stephen Freedland, MD, a professor of urology and the director of the Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. High insulin is linked to breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers—some of the cancer types that are becoming increasingly common in young adults. Fat tissue can also produce excess amounts of the hormone estrogen, especially in women. High levels of estrogen are linked to breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers.7 Not all cancer behaves the same. The way that obesity factors into the growth of certain cancers will depend on the type and location of the malignancy, according to Basen-Engquist. “Things like inflammation and the environment that the tumor lives in can affect how fast the tumor growth is promoted,” Basen-Engquist said. How Does Obesity Complicate Cancer Screening? Obesity can not only make someone biologically vulnerable to cancer, but may also make it harder to find and treat the disease early on. In one review paper, some physicians reported lacking the education and tools to effectively perform certain cancer screenings. Patients with obesity, meanwhile, said that factors including embarrassment and experience of previous stigma from healthcare providers stopped them from seeking cancer screening.8 “That [stigma] can make people less willing to come in for screening, particularly screenings where they’re going to have to undress or unclothe in some way, which is most cancer screenings,” Basen-Engquist said. When people with obesity face barriers to effective screening, early-stage cancers can fly under the radar, sometimes leading them to progress to more aggressive malignancies. That can be especially problematic in adults younger than 40, who are generally not yet eligible for routine cancer screenings. Providers may need to use special techniques during manual cancer exams in people with obesity, like when palpating larger breasts or performing a rectal exam. Obesity can complicate blood tests, too. People with higher weight tend to have a greater volume of blood, which can dilute the levels of proteins that indicate the presence of certain cancer types. In the case of blood testing for prostate cancer, it may appear as though obesity protects against prostate cancer when, in fact, cases may go undiagnosed in patients with obesity, Freedland explained. Those cases may progress to be especially aggressive. “As we get more and more obese as a country, we’re probably missing some prostate cancers, but it’s causing more prostate cancer deaths,” Freedland said However, improvements in imaging and genetic testing are making these tools less prone to complications from obesity, he added. How Much Does Weight Management Matter in Reducing Cancer Risk? While obesity is strongly linked to the rising trends of certain cancers in young adults, the condition is unlikely to fully explain the trend, said Hyuna Sung, PhD, senior principal scientist for cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society. “The causes of cancer are always multifactorial. Increasing obesity may explain just a fraction of the increase in early-onset cancers,” Sung said. Diet and exercise are often wielded as tools for weight management. But lifestyle choices may independently influence their cancer risk. For instance, certain ultra-processed foods are carcinogenic. Spending a lot of time sitting or laying down, even if you’re of average weight, can increase your cancer risk. Some evidence suggest that regular aerobic movement can help stave off seven types of cancer.9 That’s especially true for breast, colorectal, and endometrial cancer–three types that are becoming more commonly diagnosed in young adults.10 The Road Ahead for Obesity and Cancer Research To further understand the relationship, researchers are looking into the role of various types of fat, how the gut microbiome factors in, and why some tumors look different in young and old adults with obesity. Even body mass index—the tool that providers use to diagnose obesity—may be flawed. BMI only accounts for how heavy someone is relative to their height and doesn’t take body composition into account, Basen-Engquist said. “A lot of athletes—football players and so forth—may have a BMI over 30, but a lot of it is muscle, so they have less fat tissue to drive those obesity-related mechanisms,” she said. Fat carried in your midsection tends to be “more dangerous” than fat stored elsewhere, because it can increase inflammation around the organs, Basen-Engquist said. While calculating body composition and waist circumference could give researchers a better understanding of how fat tissue relates to cancer than BMI does, using those measurements in research can be logistically complicated. Studying the way that obesity influences cancer risk in young people is tricky. Most older adults nowadays didn’t have obesity in their youth, so scientists can’t compare their outcomes to today’s young adults who are more frequently overweight, Freedland said. There are several outstanding questions. Is it better, for instance, to maintain a normal weight for most of your life and then develop obesity later on, or to have a stable but higher weight over a long time? It’s also not yet clear to what degree losing weight in adulthood after a long period of obesity decreases cancer risk, if at all. With the introduction of new GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, answers to those questions may come closer within reach. Research on the effects of these obesity medications could help researchers hone in on how weight and weight management relate to cancer. “I don’t want to say weight loss is not beneficial—I absolutely think it is. We just don’t have the clear evidence. We’re trying to build that story,” Freedland said. “There are a lot of questions to answer.” What This Means for You There's strong evidence that eating a balanced diet and getting adequate exercise can be cancer-preventive. Getting enough sleep, avoiding cigarettes and alcohol, and reducing stress can also reduce your cancer risk. Organizations like the Obesity Action Coalition and the Obesity Medicine Association can help you connect with obesity-aware providers or obesity medicine experts. ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.verywellhealth.com/why-does-obesity-increase-cancer-risk-8431928
  7. So we finally are having a winter storm that is actually dumping snow on us. Schools are closed in anticipation of 6-12" of snow in the Cleveland-Akron area. If this really pans out, I might actually get to fire up my snowblower this year. They closed on Wednesday also because the temps dropped to almost zero and the wind chills were wicked.
  8. Having been inspired by @Geezy I made carnivore(ish) nachos last night....
  9. It's a pretty neat thing they got going on over there. I even let them have a copy of my results for the extra 10% off Here at my local Labcorp, you check in on a computer that scans your ID. If you're in the system it will show you your personal and insurance information on the screen and ask if the insurance is correct. There's an option for "I've pre-paid or paid someone else for this service". You will want to tap that so it doesn't bill your insurance. If you don't see the option or your setup is different they can correct it in the room when they enter in all the codes.
  10. All the ingredients look okay, but know that magnesium oxide is not very bio-available. You will absorb about 4% of it. Try to find one with magnesium malate, citrate, glycinate, or taurate if you can. Hope it doesn't have you down for long. Hang in there. The back pain might just be muscle aches. The flu can do that (as can covid).
  11. I had to get up and have my son at the dentist office by 7am - ugh! So I ate breakfast around 9am. 4 eggs and 4 sausage patties, cooked in generous amounts of butter. For lunch I am having some pork rinds to hold me over to dinner. I had my daugher pick up a bunch of different flavors. I'm trying "Red Hot" (probably based on Franks Hot Sauce) and "Queso".
  12. . Oh, and to answer the question: YES! I have had several people express concern for me and tell me I need to stop losing weight and even that I have lost too much and should put some back on. cRaZy!
  13. This describes me to a T. I've been in size 40's, and I used to be in size 32's. I'm currently sporting size 34's. I'm 5'8" and 175, about 13 pounds away from my post-high school weight. Wow! Maybe @Geezy's Ideal Weight Loss Calculator was accurate for me after all.... https://carnivoretalk.com/topic/238-ideal-weight-calculator/?do=findComment&comment=1534
  14. Those very low in carbohydrates. Things like lettuce, spinach (unless you are concerned about oxalate), asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, broccolini, etc. You can stretch it a bit with some tomatoes. But no starches such as potatoes. Some people are sensitive to the plant defense chemicals (toxins) in vegetables, so you have to start with an elimination diet of just animal products for at least 30 days, preferably 60 or 90, and then add these back in one at a time to see how you react. Most people can tolerate them though, especially if you only eat them seasonally around harvest time. What you eat and what version of a carnivore diet you want to adhere to is a very individual thing.
  15. Yes, Redmond's or Pink Himlayan salt can be used as it suits your fancy. Salt to taste. Sodium, Chloride, Potassium, and Magnesium are the ones you might need. Or you might not. If you have normal healthy kidneys, you can supplement and you will just pee out the excess. But someone like me who has kidney disease has to be careful. I still magnesium, but I tend to retain potassium, so I supplement with magnesium regularly or else I get nasty muscle cramps, but I very very rarely take potassium. We have a popular drink mix over here called LMNT (and another one is ReLyte) but I don't think you will get that overseas.
  16. That sounds about right for around here as well. Ground beef is 1/2 the cost of a NY Strip, and 1/3 the cost of a ribeye. As tasty as ribeye and striploins are, the ground beef is just as nutritious. So outside of the "experience" one isn't better for you than the other. Chicken and pork come in closer to the ground beef price range around here though. In fact, I can get chicken cheaper. You can get chicken breast for $5-6 per pound at the grocery store, or as low as $2.49 per pound at a warehouse club. Chicken is nutritious too, but since there is very little fat it's not as satiating as beef. I can woof down some chicken, and get hungry again in a few hours. I usually smother it in butter, cheese, and/or bacon
  17. Technically you can check anything and everything. But if you are generally healthy you can start with these. I've had the following done for myself... CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel): https://ownyourlabs.com/product/comp-metabolic-panel-14/ Hemoglobin A1C: https://ownyourlabs.com/product/hemoglobin-a1c/ Lipid Panel: https://ownyourlabs.com/product/lipid-panel/ Insulin: https://ownyourlabs.com/product/insulin/ The CMP will check markers for kidney and liver function. OR, get all of the above and more with this one bundle here. This is what I did... https://ownyourlabs.com/product/basics-bundle/ The bundle includes everything mentioned above and adds to it a Complete Blood Count (CBC) With Differential/Platelet as well as a C-Reactive Protein, the latter of which is a marker for inflammation in the body. There's a book on Amazon called "Common Sense Labs" by Dr. Berry that goes over all the tests he would do in detail.
  18. From the album: Carnivore & Ketovore Infographics

    Don't forget. January is World Carnivore Month.
  19. That's fine. Beef is basically our staple food and is amazingly nutrient dense. In fact, some even do what's called "The Lion Diet" where they eat nothing at all but beef.
  20. It's easier to get dehydrated in this way of eating, and this is because you aren't eating any carbohydrates. <-- notice how "hydrate" is part of the word. This is why you notice a rapid drop on the scale when starting out, because you lose a lot of retained water weight at first. Drink when you're thirsty. Some of us add electrolytes to our water as well.
  21. I'm almost to that now. I was hovering around 165 my senior year and post high school, and that was after some weight loss too. I'm 175 now. If I went with the calculator and dropped to 147 I would be a skinny mini for sure, lol. But the guy that works with me is 6' or so and only 150 and he's super skinny, so maybe I could pull it off.
  22. In what way? To make it more carnivore you would replace the almond flour with probably a meat flour of some kind. There are carnivore "bread" recipes out there that I have never made myself yet, but would use that as a starting point. To keep it keto but make it more sweet (i.e. "dirty keto") then try the erythritol suggestion. But since erythritol can have consequences, maybe another sweetener like allulose instead. But I wouldn't treat myself to this often. True keto is clean eating, and supposed to teach you to live without sweets and bakery type goods.
  23. It tells me I should be 147. That's 30 more pounds. I would be a toothpick, lol. I didn't change the wrist circumference value. I really didn't undertand that variable anyway.
  24. It's basically what kind of overweight eater are you? You are either a (A) binge eater or (B) food addict, usually triggered by certain carbs or carbs in general.
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