My Dilemma After 5 Years Of "Peating"

[frant26]

I've been reading Dr. Peat's articles and this forum for 5 years, especially @haidut 's posts and other related books and resources. I have incorporated most of these ideas into my life.

The theory just makes perfect sense to me. And I really enjoy understanding.

In practice though, most of my lab tests are equal or worse. And most importantly, my symptoms are worse.

With "before" I mean when I was eating a standard –albeit not american– diet: coffee, soda, pasta, burgers, cheese, eggs, juice, some fruit (sometimes unripe), quite some meat including pork, fish, potatoes, sushi, salads, regular ice cream, definitely some PUFA but not loads. (I went on a low-carb experience for 4 months, lost a lot of weight even though that was not my intention.)

AFTER:

- gained 25 pounds and I'm at 25% fat – never been so fat in my life
- worse sleep (I had no issues with falling asleep or waking up at night before)
- worse libido (I had zero issues in this department, now ED and PE sometimes)
- same or worse skin, hair & nails (that said I've been balding since I was 20)
- less resilience to psychological stress
- lost all leg hair at the ankle, which became puffier, as well as my face
- digestion slightly improved, not by much
- almost no cloudheadness now – this has been a great improvement
- i'm still a functional human being – so i suppose that's good news

In terms of labs, roughly:

- same prolactin levels (around 20) – they were lowest (around 7) when I vitamin D was at 80
- lower total T (980 vs 640), but free T went up from 50 to 150
- TSH down from around 5, to around 2
- liver enzymes are up from 18 to around 30
- cholesterol has always been low-ish, around 160 – but it must've increased as I'm taking thyroid now

In 5 years I always ate sugar, ripe fruits, milk, cheese, meat, potatoes, lot of coffee, sometimes the carrot salad with coconut oil, avoided PUFA, alcohol and cereals as much as possible, etc. And experimented with different quality supplements in different periods, but taking thyroid and aspirin for the longest time.

Not saying it was "perfect" but I am obsessed with observing (and asking about) other people's health markers and symptoms: I see/ask some close people (even in different countries – but not in the USA) about their quality of sleep, their sex life, look at their nails and lunulas, their skin, body composition, hair and body hair, but especially notice their humor and mood.

Most eat a regular diet like listed above and a lot avoid sugar, end up eating some decent amount of PUFA, work at offices, etc. Based on the theory, they should ALL be in a TERRIBLE state of health, especially compared to me! But I'm totally not seeing that. Sure, a few of them are worse off, but most of my friends and acquaintances are doing okay and seemingly better than me.

But I'm making efforts (trying to understand health, remembering about supplementation every day, rejecting some foods in social settings, finding quality ingredients, preparing a carrot salad which is inconvenient) while the rest are spending significantly less energy in this.

What gives?

 

[somuch4food]

But I'm making efforts (trying to understand health, remembering about supplementation every day, rejecting some foods in social settings, finding quality ingredients, preparing a carrot salad which is inconvenient) while the rest are spending significantly less energy in this.

What gives?

Eating/supplementation is only one factor which affects health. Do not believe that everything is due to diet and diet alone. Lifestyle is a major component which encompass sleeping habits, social life, exercise and meditation/spirituality.

Are you thinking about health all the time? Thinking triggers different mechanisms in the body, I struggle with this too. You have to find stuff to do whether social or creative that get your brain into a more productive, less passive state. My theory is that when our brain is too long in input mode (thinking, reading, watching TV...), it is detrimental to health. You have to go into output mode (talking with people, starting a creative hobby), focus on activities that enable you to create things or helps people in your immediate environment.

Watching kids can be a great eye opener, they do not worry about much and just make the most of whatever they can in the moment.

 

[brainfog]

Yes it makes sense if you actually can digest the food and not bactiera, that posion your liver so you cant activate t3. Thats the catch...

My digestion is sluggish and i think it dosent matter what i eat. When i dont eat at all i feel better or eat very little. I know i have trouble with anxiety/depression BUT - if i dont eat for 15-20 hours the anxiety and depressions fades away... Its like my system turns on and i get more flexible, feel better, have a clear head etc...

I think digestion is what we should be focusing on. And if we cant get there with optimizing food, maybe we should take HCL etc so we can break down food? Daily exercise could also help. Exercise And Endotoxin

 

[Cirion]

Probably gut problems. I'm having the same issues but have just been armed with some effective ideas to try and will report back if they work. Activated charcoal megadose, Histidine, ample salt (for the chloride). Also tribulus terrestris. Gut problems can exasperate stress/cortisol which continue the inflammation loop / retention of excess bloat / body fat in the stomach in particular. Of course, just bringing down stress in general will have a major impact as well, by other means besides food and nutrition.

In particular TT should really help with that high prolactin. Also nofap is mandatory if you have prolactin problems IMO. Nofap also helps retain GABA (which is probably why many on nofap have "superpowers").

In my experience stimulants have mostly proven detrimental in the long run. I've quit caffeine and aspirin. I understand the studies on both but I don't think they're helping me long term. I don't think one needs to take thyroid either unless they have serious thyroid problems and/or cancer (my opinion).

In my experience excess supplementation can be detrimental as well. It's easy to throw your body out of balance if you supplement too much without understanding what you're intaking is doing to you.

 

[frant26]

Lifestyle is a major component which encompass sleeping habits, social life, exercise and meditation/spirituality.

Definitely. I didn't mention it because I'm a social guy, I meditate and exercise lightly – and that has been a constant even before Peat. My only wish would be getting away from computers for work, but it appears almost impossible so far.

My theory is that when our brain is too long in input mode (thinking, reading, watching TV...), it is detrimental to health.

So true. Thank you for the reminder.

 

[frant26]

Also nofap is mandatory if you have prolactin problems IMO

Could be. There's a straight correlation between nofap and libido for me... if I don't fap (I do it only once a week anyway) I lose all interest in sex, like I forget about it. My worse ED experiences happened "during" a nofap period.

I think digestion is what we should be focusing on.

Probably gut problems.

Thanks guys, I agree this can be huge.

I've been eating carrot salad, take activated charcoal every now and then, avoid fibrous foods like cereals, had a few rounds of antibiotics. I take quite some K2 and drink lots of coffee for liver health.

Are there any labs related to "gut problems"? How can you know what kind of bacteria exist in your gut?

Why isn't my gut health better? Like I've been doing this for years.

And I'm still puzzled about other people who eat a standard diet. None of my friends eat a carrot salad, take charcoal or antibiotics, they eat a lot of bread and pasta and cereals; none of them even heard about vitamin K2.

Let's be honest, if we use some basic logic we conclude they should be all REALLY f*** up. But they clearly aren't.

 

[frant26]

Sun is a great energizer for me. I try to soak up as much as I can.

I'm starting to think that light, lifestyle and low psychological stress are WAY more important than whatever one chooses to eat or supplement (which is disproportionately discussed in these forums).

 

[Lee Simeon]

Well your TSH was greatly reduced so I guess that is pretty neat.

 

[jaywills]

Pains me to say it it look at the one thing you havent changed... Coffee.
How much do you consume?

 

[somuch4food]

I'm starting to think that light, lifestyle and low psychological stress are WAY more important than whatever one chooses to eat or supplement (which is disproportionately discussed in these forums).

I never did any supplementation and tried for a short while to incorporate more stuff promoted on this forum like the carrot salad, more fruits and high dairy. I saw no improvements except putting on some much needed weight.

Despite it being winter, I am starting to see improvements in mental clarity, my insomnia seems to be going away, my hands are less dry and my depression is gone. What made the biggest change for me was reducing carotenoids intake (less colored fruits and vegetables and no carrots or orange sweet potatoes). I'm not here to promote a low A diet, just to say that there could still be a major trigger in your diet/environment/lifestyle that you have overlooked because you would never think it could be the source.

I'm more and more convinced that there is not one "human model" like science is trying to depict. We are individuals with different genetics, gut biomes, environments and experiences which all shape how our body functions.

 

[Regina]

Sun is a great energizer for me. I try to soak up as much as I can.

I'm starting to think that light, lifestyle and low psychological stress are WAY more important than whatever one chooses to eat or supplement (which is disproportionately discussed in these forums).

I agree with you on the light, lifestyle and low psych stress, but I think we talk about these things here too. It takes some logistics to achieve those. I'm certainly working on them, but tend to think there is not much to say....
Enjoying your tales from Mexico.

 

[Cirion]

Gut health and liver health are the two hardest things to fix in my experience for sure. Unfortunately, eating a caloric surplus tends to exasperate gut problems which is probably why most people starting off develop a gut problem they may not have had before because when you eat a ton of food it puts extra stress on the digestive system. This is probably why some people see short term benefit to fasting. However, you need the calories, so fasting is not a long-term strategy which is why I'm trying to figure out how to get the long-term solution which does not involve fasting.

People who eat whatever they want probably have a very low stress lifestyle, many friends, get plenty of sunlight, etc etc. Also how do you know they are doing better? Skinny =/= healthy. I was skinny the first 25 yrs of my life with no diet and no exercise but on the inside I was pretty much as unhealthy as you can possibly get.

Pains me to say it it look at the one thing you havent changed... Coffee.
How much do you consume?

+1 on this. Caffeine is considered a vitamin by RP but I strongly disagree. Coffee just added to my stress. No matter how many calories/sugar I consumed with it. Only about 33% of people have the genes to handle caffeine in significant quantities (You can not change these genes with epigenetics, sugar intake, or anything). These small minority of 33% of people no doubt will preach the merits of caffeine from the mountaintops because for them, it actually helps them. I tried as much as 1/2 cup of sugar didn't matter how much, I still got the stress response.

 

[frant26]

Well your TSH was greatly reduced so I guess that is pretty neat.

I like the number, sure! I just wished it translated in real actual improvements.

Coffee.
How much do you consume?

2 cups of strong coffee before 3pm. Sometimes less, sometimes more.

+1 on this. Caffeine is considered a vitamin by RP but I strongly disagree. Coffee just added to my stress. No matter how many calories/sugar I consumed with it. Only about 33% of people have the genes to handle caffeine in significant quantities (You can not change these genes with epigenetics, sugar intake, or anything).

That's interesting @Cirion , so you experimented with removing coffee and things got better?

just to say that there could still be a major trigger in your diet/environment/lifestyle that you have overlooked because you would never think it could be the source

Health is like an irresolvable puzzle game that I'm getting tired of playing How do you suggest going about that? Removing one thing at a time and scanning for differences? Or start from scratch?

Over the past 5 years I have lived and traveled in several places/countries where the environment changed almost completely – even if I look out for certain foods. And the symptoms and weight haven't really changed much at all.

 

[Cirion]

Yes. This morning as example, as I've learning from Charlie about the electromagnetic energy of foods, I had two cups of chamomile tea plus lemon/lime/maple syrup (all high energy foods) and this provided me more stable energy than my two cups of coffee ever did. Now I've still got a lot of health issues still so I'm not gonna say my energy is perfect but it was definitely better. I think chamomile isn't ideal in the morning either though as too much of it tends to promote sedation due to dramatic elevation in gaba, so I'm using that until my Lemon balm tea arrives in the mail (which provides even more energy than chamomile anyway).

 

[frant26]

However, you need the calories, so fasting is not a long-term strategy which is why I'm trying to figure out how to get the long-term solution which does not involve fasting.

Another dilemma.

Also how do you know they are doing better? Skinny =/= healthy

Not saying skinny is healthy. I'm actually looking at other aspects (skin, hair, mood, motivation to do things and I can tell when it is adrenaline-driven), and asking things I can't directly see (we share a lot of info on libido/sex AND sleep issues among friends). I know exactly which of us have sleep issues, and which don't really.

Enjoying your tales from Mexico.

Glad to hear that, @Regina !

 

[somuch4food]

Health is like an irresolvable puzzle game that I'm getting tired of playing How do you suggest going about that? Removing one thing at a time and scanning for differences? Or start from scratch?

I returned to my old diet (lost of wheat and grains, some fruits and vegetables, less dairy) before I started worrying about health and stuff (without all the processed stuff, I make them myself now). What I like about this is that I feel comfortable with it since it's how I grew up. It satisfies me and I feel less stressed out. That could count as starting from scratch.

From that, I am iterating over my diet and hobbies to find what makes me feel better. For example, I found out that playing Super Smash Bros alone at night is a big no no because I get an adrenaline rush which affects my sleep (I get a similar feeling playing hockey). Other type of games are ok.

I try to notice how I feel in the hour following eating/doing things to see if it affects me either positively or negatively. I am learning to live in harmony with my body instead of ignoring it completely and doing whatever I want.

 

[frant26]

I try to notice how I feel in the hour following eating/doing things to see if it affects me either positively or negatively. I am learning to live in harmony with my body instead of ignoring it completely and doing whatever I want.

Brilliant. Loved the realization you had with video games. I really should get better listening to my body, which ain't super easy for me. The first change I made last week: eating and drinking when I'm hungry/thirsty as opposed to "you should eat first" because you just woke up, or because you will take thyroid.

Anal delay is confusing. If I have diarrhea for example I don't know exactly which food caused the irritation – the one last night, the one I had 2 hours ago?

 

[CoolTweetPete]

Definitely. I didn't mention it because I'm a social guy, I meditate and exercise lightly – and that has been a constant even before Peat. My only wish would be getting away from computers for work, but it appears almost impossible so far.

I think this was absolutely key for reversing my health problems. I too gained 20-25 pounds after a few years of discovering Dr. Peat.

The nature of these jobs lends itself to health problems depending on the state of the person. Even if a person makes a concerted effort to stand up from their desk and take a walk to the kitchen every few minutes, the periods of physical inactivity coupled with excitatory screen-time will still be long and continual in this type of work.

This can lead to problems with spatial perception and posture that will influence the way in which you exercise, the way you walk, the way your eyes work, the usage patterns of your neck, arms, wrists, and hands, and the way you think among other things.

 

[Cirion]

Expanding upon @CoolTweetPete 's post...

EMF's (man-made) truly are the devil I now realize, which you will be exposed to all day with an office job.

Between the magnetic/electrical fields / dirty electricity from just about all the electronics, to the RF radiation from all the cell phones and routers and cell towers, and the fake dead lighting from fluorescent lighting, it's a recipe for endocrine disaster.

All that IMO is the main problem with office jobs. Not so much the sedentary nature of it. In fact, being sedentary can be very healthy if it involves relaxing outside in the sun/nature. Being sedentary, indeed, is a requirement for many of us to regain health from being constantly "Excited" by various stressors.

 

[ilikecats]

@frant26 Why do you like the number? 2 is definitely too high it should at least be below 1 and its really best to be below .4 or as close to zero as possible. That should help bring your prolactin down as well. Whats your temperature and pulse rate?