Diet Analysis, please?

Frecs

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(If this is the wrong forum for this post, could a mod please relocate it? Thanks!)

As I mentioned in my intro post, I started Peating 2.5 weeks ago. That means, I still have a lot to learn. But, I do like my early results.

My goals: 1. boost my thyroid function and “fix” my endocrine system as a whole; 2. increase my energy and mobility; 3. lose weight

A typical day thus far looks something like this:

Breakfast: 2-3 eggs (from my free-range chickens), fried new potatoes (in coconut oil), orange juice
Snack: raw carrots, cheese, milk (organic, whole)
Lunch: 3 ozs meat and/or cheese OR corn tortilla (fried in coconut oil) with hummus, a few leaves of lettuce, grape tomatoes, a splash of apple cider vinegar
Snack: yogurt, orange juice
Dinner: 3 ozs protein (venison, pork, chicken), white potato OR sweet potato – either with coconut oil, green beans
9pm: either a small serving of Haagen Daz OR a cup of milk with a tbsp of sugar
Bedtime: 4 oz water with Natural Calm magnesium, niacin (100mg), zinc (75mg), Thyroid Complex glandular, vitamin C (1000mg)

I’m working on connecting with a local dairy to obtain raw cow or goat milk. I have not yet ordered some gelatin powder but we typically make a bone broth whenever cooking meats with bones.

I will be starting my vegetable garden soon and was wondering what vegetables, if any other than carrots, are “Peat approved”. I really don’t want to go vegetable-less. I’ve got fruit trees started but they will be a few years before producing a crop. I have access to local “U-Picks” for various fruits (but not citrus).

I am raising rabbits for meat (hope that doesn’t offend anyone—please no hate mail if you disapprove) – what are the thoughts on rabbit meat in a Peatist diet?

So, what am I doing right, wrong, and any other thoughts or suggestions?
 
J

j.

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If you like vegetables, I say eat whatever you want, just "cook them to death".
 

Jenn

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Root vegetables will have minimal pufas compared to above ground vegetables. Leafy greens are best eaten by ruminants. If you have to eat them, they need to be loaded up with good fat.

Your ability to benefit from above ground vegetables is going to depend on YOUR current levels of inflammation.
 

charlie

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Above ground vegetables also contain pesticides that it makes naturally. Root vegetables are the safest and least toxic.

Yogurt is high in lactic acid. Drained greek yogurt is better IIRC.

Ray Peat said hummus is OK every once in a while. But I would not eat it every day. It's basically legumes. My saying is, legumes bring doom. :rolling

Chicken and pork are not optimal due to the diets they are fed these days. Unless they are completely free ranged.

Ray Peat seems to think we get enough vitamin C in our diets and do not need to supplement it.

Might want to change the niacin to niacinamide.

I would do away with green beans to. You may say OMG this is extreme but you did say you wanted to fix your endocrine system and by doing this you need to remove as much toxins as possible and eat for metabolic enhancement.
 

Jenn

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Vegetables from your own garden aren't going to be loaded with pesticides, but they are still going to have pufas. Pumpkins, squash, tomatoes are going to have less than the leafy greens and brassicas. I have to tell you though, they are not the nutritional powerhouses people think they are.

When I first started my healing phase, I just ate potatoes. I couldn't really digest anything else. When I started adding other foods back in, I was able to feel a difference in how the various foods made me feel. Home grown zucchini was a serious disappointment. It tasted good, but did not supply the energy I needed compared to the potatoes. It was just bulk, basically, not sustaining.

I drink my vegetables in the form of milk. ;)
 

charlie

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Jenn, if you read this article by Ray Peat:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=33


He explains that above ground vegetables make their own pesticide defenses to keep the bugs away. So that in itself, is a toxin to us and is best to be avoided.

And yes, you are correct. They are not nutritional powerhouses and not the health tonic that others would leave you to believe.

We just are not equipped to handle the process of digesting vegetables. Like Jenn says, its better to let the cow do it for us and then drink the milk.
 
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Frecs

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Charlie said:
Above ground vegetables also contain pesticides that it makes naturally. Root vegetables are the safest and least toxic.

Yogurt is high in lactic acid. Drained greek yogurt is better IIRC.

Ray Peat said hummus is OK every once in a while. But I would not eat it every day. It's basically legumes. My saying is, legumes bring doom. :rolling

Chicken and pork are not optimal due to the diets they are fed these days. Unless they are completely free ranged.

Ray Peat seems to think we get enough vitamin C in our diets and do not need to supplement it.

Might want to change the niacin to niacinamide.

I would do away with green beans to. You may say OMG this is extreme but you did say you wanted to fix your endocrine system and by doing this you need to remove as much toxins as possible and eat for metabolic enhancement.

What about “fruit” typically called vegetables in the US? Such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash – are those acceptable?

I actually do use Greek yogurt rather than “regular” yogurt.

I figured the hummus was questionable at best…mostly trying to eat it gone.

So, if I can get pastured chicken – or raise my own pastured chicken, that is good. Commercial chicken, not good. Yes? That is in the works but will take time.

Vitamin C is a huge antioxidant and detoxifier and I need major detoxification. Thus, the supplementation.

Niacin= I choose niacin for the flushing affect to open the vessels and blood flow to my legs. I see why you suggest the change though as I see mention of a toxic effect during the conversion of niacin…and I suppose we also don’t want to lower our cholesterol when the diet is trying to provide cholesterol for hormone production….yes, I see the point there…

Yes, I am having a huge paradigm shift in thinking when it comes to vegetables. But, my goal is endocrine repair and detoxifying my body and metabolic enhancement. It just seems quite strange to not be eating at least some plant foods. But, since “root vegetables” would include potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, radishes, Jerusalem Artichokes…it’s not as bad as it feels.

So, can I eat the rabbits that eat my garden produce?
What about herbs? I'm building a culinary and medicinal herb garden as well...what is the stance on herbs?
 

Jenn

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Charlie said:
Jenn, if you read this article by Ray Peat:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=33


He explains that above ground vegetables make their own pesticide defenses to keep the bugs away. So that in itself, is a toxin to us and is best to be avoided.

And yes, you are correct. They are not nutritional powerhouses and not the health tonic that others would leave you to believe.

We just are not equipped to handle the process of digesting vegetables. Like Jenn says, its better to let the cow do it for us and then drink the milk.

I am familiar with the article. I was simply referring to applied pesticides, not to the self defense mechanisms inherent in the plant itself. Vegetables still have minerals in them....if the soil does anyway, but that applies to all food. They are still food, even if they are a "famine" food. I don't eat leafy greens, period. I don't grow zucchini anymore. I don't feeling like chewing that long and I have inflammation issues that I am trying to correct. I won't tell someone growing their own food for their table not to eat their own food. We don't all have discretionary income to only eat "perfect" food. Jeruselem artichokes have other issues and are better for livestock feed than people feed, but they will still have lower pufas levels.
 
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j.

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I thought vegetables in general had very little fat, and therefore very little PUFA.
 
T

tobieagle

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For your garden:
maybe some spinach? well cooked with butter and salt. Quite tasty and delivers some Vit K + minerals.
 
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Frecs

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Jenn said:
I am familiar with the article. I was simply referring to applied pesticides, not to the self defense mechanisms inherent in the plant itself. Vegetables still have minerals in them....if the soil does anyway, but that applies to all food. They are still food, even if they are a "famine" food. I don't eat leafy greens, period. I don't grow zucchini anymore. I don't feeling like chewing that long and I have inflammation issues that I am trying to correct. I won't tell someone growing their own food for their table not to eat their own food. We don't all have discretionary income to only eat "perfect" food. Jeruselem artichokes have other issues and are better for livestock feed than people feed, but they will still have lower pufas levels.

Okay, questions:

1. How does zucchini affect inflammation? I need to reduce inflammation as much as possible...so please do tell.
2. What are the "other issues" with Jerusalem artichokes?
 

gretchen

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Frecs, I would replace one of the eggs (or more) with milk or cheese at breakfast. I'm pretty sure Peat says to eat one or so per day. I'd nix the chicken (too high in PUFAs, suppresses thyroid for up to 10 days) and have gelatin with the meat for amino acid balance. As for vegetables, they're overrated. You could grow veggies like tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes and carrots, keeping in mind that Peat says vegetables should not be emphasized.
 

Beebop

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In my lovely book on self-sufficiency by John Seymour, he says that the most important decision to make when starting a smallholding of any size is "with cow or without". When I first read the book (still don't have a smallholding, but will one day...) I was thinking "without". I've since changed my mind. John Seymour, for the record, advocates "with cow":

"The big question here is - a cow or no cow? The pros and cons are many and various. In favour of having a cow is the fact that nothing keeps the health of a family, and a holding, at a high level better than a cow. If you and your children have ample good, fresh, unpasteurized, unadultered milk, butter, buttermilk, soft cheese, hard cheese, yogurt, sour milk and whey, they will simply be a healthy family, and that is the end of it. A cow will give you the complete basis for good health." John Seymour

I only mention this because it sounds like you've got some land there (chickens, rabbits, fruit trees, veg patch). How much land do you have?
 

Beebop

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My ideas of gardening veg have also changed. I'm thinking, one giant field of potatoes, and another of carrots (plus cow) ;)
Oh, and as many fruit trees as the climate will allow, and walls/polytunnels for where the climate doesn't allow it!
 
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Frecs

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Beebop said:
In my lovely book on self-sufficiency by John Seymour, he says that the most important decision to make when starting a smallholding of any size is "with cow or without". When I first read the book (still don't have a smallholding, but will one day...) I was thinking "without". I've since changed my mind. John Seymour, for the record, advocates "with cow":

"The big question here is - a cow or no cow? The pros and cons are many and various. In favour of having a cow is the fact that nothing keeps the health of a family, and a holding, at a high level better than a cow. If you and your children have ample good, fresh, unpasteurized, unadultered milk, butter, buttermilk, soft cheese, hard cheese, yogurt, sour milk and whey, they will simply be a healthy family, and that is the end of it. A cow will give you the complete basis for good health." John Seymour

I only mention this because it sounds like you've got some land there (chickens, rabbits, fruit trees, veg patch). How much land do you have?

I have a half acre --so it is definitely a "small" holding -- and by county ordinance I can not have a cow. But, I can have as many animals "smaller than a cow" that I want. I am considering a couple of dairy goats but need good fencing first. I am working on building a good "orchard" -- I have several plums, pomegranates, figs, and muscadines in the ground now -- oh, and five very mature pecan trees. I plan more fruit trees, and garden beds of mixed vegetables, herbs, and flowers. A few dairy goats would enable me and my family to have all the milk and milk products we could possibly consume. We've debated about raising meat chickens but for now just have layers. And the meat rabbits and the muscovies (which are hopefully going to produce some meat for the freezer if they will actually set on their eggs this year).
 

cliff

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Ingenol said:
75 mg of zinc daily? That's a very high amount!

Definitely, the vitamin C isn't needed either. Do you have normal niacian or niacianamide? you want the latter.
 

Jenn

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Zucchini (eggplant too) are mostly cellulose. Humans do not make cellulase, which is the enzyme which digests cellulose. Ruminants are fantastic cellulose digesting factories! Rabbits are not true ruminants, but they make cellulase. So a zucchini is a vegetable that is mostly indigestible to humans. ;) Jerusalem Artichokes are mostly starch but also contain inulin which is another indigestible fiber (different than carrots) which can wreak havoc on the intestines. Now, you can eat a raw piece of zucchini and benefits from the small amounts of cellulase contained in the zuke....if you are willing to chew it as long as a cow would. :lol:

If you really want anti inflammatory foods you can grow in your garden, focus on fruit and potatoes. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries etc. can be eaten raw (enzymes intact) or cooked and strained. When I make a smoothie, all the seeds fall to the bottom of the glass and we toss to the chickens. ;) Peaches are awesome, but lower growing. Apples are high in cellulose too but are excellent for livestock feed or juice/sauce.
 
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Frecs

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Ingenol said:
75 mg of zinc daily? That's a very high amount!

It is, truly. And, I think I started that to deal with my immune system (as part of treating my rosacea)...but I honestly can't remember my logic for that high a dose when I purchased that dosage. I didn't take it for quite a while and then just recently started again...probably need to re-visit that. I was very deficient coming out of the raw foods diet but this isn't a dose one should maintain for long.

Jenn said:
Zucchini (eggplant too) are mostly cellulose. Humans do not make cellulase, which is the enzyme which digests cellulose. Ruminants are fantastic cellulose digesting factories! Rabbits are not true ruminants, but they make cellulase. So a zucchini is a vegetable that is mostly indigestible to humans. ;) Jerusalem Artichokes are mostly starch but also contain inulin which is another indigestible fiber (different than carrots) which can wreak havoc on the intestines. Now, you can eat a raw piece of zucchini and benefits from the small amounts of cellulase contained in the zuke....if you are willing to chew it as long as a cow would. :lol:

If you really want anti inflammatory foods you can grow in your garden, focus on fruit and potatoes. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries etc. can be eaten raw (enzymes intact) or cooked and strained. When I make a smoothie, all the seeds fall to the bottom of the glass and we toss to the chickens. ;) Peaches are awesome, but lower growing. Apples are high in cellulose too but are excellent for livestock feed or juice/sauce.

This is another of that paradigm shift things for me. "They" say that "indigestible" fiber is a good thing for regularity and colon health. I was aware of the inulin in the sunchokes but again, that was downplayed as an issue.

I love fruit so the more fruit the better. I also love potatoes so being able to say they are part of my diet is a wonderful thing.
 

jjones

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Where did you get the Thyroid Complex glandular?

Are you still on the Peat diet?

Thanks.
 

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