Introducing Desert Rat, a newbie

[DesertRat]

I'm a 63 year old woman with a long history of auto-immune and neuro-endocrine-immune disorders (e.g. since at least post childbirth 1979). I learned about Ray Peat's work 16 days ago from a Dr. who read my blog. I was once a college professor and a naturopath/yoga teacher.

I started making dietary changes two weeks ago as I devoured article after article. Thus far I have

• cut out PUFA's
  added OJ which I mix with bubbling water
  added gelatin
  increased salt intake
  decreased and finally eliminated starches
  increased intake of liver
  decreased cooked vegetables and salads
  increased dairy
  added some white sugar into my diet (in the jello I make with unflavored gelatin, milk, and frozen blueberries

Five days ago added a tiny amount of Cynomel (1/30th of a 25mcg tablet twice a day) and today I took another dose at lunchtime. I need to start slowly with the T3 because I have been hypothyroid since 1979, except for a short period in 1983 when I became hyperthyroid from working in a WDB with bacterial and mold toxins in abundance.

My sleep has greatly improved. I was doing a Wahls version of Paleo before this while exploring a lectin-free diet per Dr. Gundry (this meant only eliminating seeds, nightshades, and all squash/melons, including cukes), and finding myself sleeping only every other night, and then but for a few hours. So I'm not surprised that my body is pretty tired now. I'm just frustrated that the fatigue hits me unexpectedly and keeps me from completing things I've started. I get hungry more easily, and when I need to eat, feel so ravenous that I can't wait.

Here's what currently concerns me: I seem to be more susceptible to colds, as every few days I experience congestion and other symptoms that I usually get before a cold comes on. I wish I could understand whether my immune system is getting worse from the increased fructose and sucrose (some have made this association, although I don't recall who I read years ago), or whether this is a some stage that I have to go through, or whether there is another dietary change that could help strengthen my low immunity.

I have tested positive for exposure to HHV6, EBV, Coxsackie A and B, ochratoxin A, and Lyme, but I haven't had symptoms for years. My immune system tends to be overactive in the TH17 pathway (with psoriasis on elbows) and underactive in the TH1 with low NK cells. My psoriasis is going crazy right now.

I also find myself hungry often and don't know what I can carry with me when I go out on errands, to movies, concerts etc since I used to rely on nuts and nut-based snack bars or chips, pretzels, etc. The dietary changes have made it impossible o eat enough at meals to last for long stretches of time away from a refrigerator.

Hope to hear from some of you
Desert Rat

 

[Blossom]

I used to carry string cheese, sugar packets, enjoy life chocolate bars, boiled eggs, and applesauce squeeze packets. That was what got me through in the beginning when I needed to eat frequently. I tried wahls too, I'm sorry to say. I'm so glad you found Peat and the forum!

 

[DesertRat]

Thanks Blossom. I find it easy enough to pick up sweet stuff. I just don't find the sweets satisfying enough to last me several hours. I guess I should boil some eggs to take with. I'm not really found of boiled eggs, unless they are coated in mayonnaise, which is now out. This is really a tough transition.

 

[Dan W]

Hi DesertRat, welcome.

My sleep also quickly improved with Peat's ideas.

It's hard to tell, but I think I may have gotten fewer colds since trying Peat's ideas. So I can at least say my immune system doesn't seem any worse, and might actually be better.

 

[kiran]

Here's what currently concerns me: I seem to be more susceptible to colds, as every few days I experience congestion and other symptoms that I usually get before a cold comes on. I wish I could understand whether my immune system is getting worse from the increased fructose and sucrose (some have made this association, although I don't recall who I read years ago), or whether this is a some stage that I have to go through, or whether there is another dietary change that could help strengthen my low immunity.

In my experience I can trace a "cold" to endotoxins from eating too much of certain legumes or nuts or some other fiber and gut dysbiosis. It can also be due to wheat (gluten) which can cause a leaky gut and then endotoxins which were kept behind the gut are suddenly released into your system. I believe stress of any kind can also cause the same release.

So keep a lookout of what exactly is triggering these colds. Extra salt may be useful in tolerating the cold too. It's unfortunate that a higher metabolism renders you more susceptible to endotoxins...

 

[DesertRat]

Thanks. I think it could be endotoxin increase as I ate some a few days ago that made me constipated and I'm trying to track it back. Hard to remember to write everything down so as to keep track. I got breakfast and lunch recorded yesterday and then forgot dinner and today's breakfast. :)

 

[aguilaroja]

A few thoughts:

a. As you have been read, immune function requires metabolic energy and is boosted as metabolic energy improves

b. I don't know the particulars of the different Paleo and lectin-free diets. A bit of coconut oil on skin near (in my small sample observations-near more than on) psoriatic patches might help both with the local issues and keep the fuel supply more steady. As mentioned in other posts and by Dr. Peat, sometimes coconut oil intake revs up thyroid function noticeably. In other contexts, it seems protein and fructose intakes are emphasized as long term measures.

c. If there are frequent infections especially in the darker months, you might check vitamin D levels and see how supplement to bring levels to the middle of the reference range goes.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2388

d. It's not very Peat-y, but...I know of a few cases where supplementing with chondroitin sulfate substantially relieved psoriasis issues. It's possible that more general metabolic supports do the same thing, but I lack first hand reports.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23276728

Pharmacol Res. 2013 Apr;70(1):20-6. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2012.12.004. Epub 2012 Dec 28.
Potential antipsoriatic effect of chondroitin sulfate through inhibition of NF-κB and STAT3 in human keratinocytes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20399899
Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2010 Jun;18 Suppl 1:S32-40. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2010.01.018. Epub 2010 May 10.
Effectiveness of chondroitin sulphate in patients with concomitant knee osteoarthritis and psoriasis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Möller I1, Pérez M, Monfort J, Benito P, Cuevas J, Perna C, Doménech G, Herrero M, Montell E, Vergés J.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15748570
Dermatol Online J. 2005 Mar 1;11(1):31.
Clinical and histopathological improvement of psoriasis with oral chondroitin sulfate: a serendipitous finding.
Vergés J1, Montell E, Herrero M, Perna C, Cuevas J, Pérez M, Möller I.

 

[DesertRat]

Thanks for all those references. I took Ch.sulfate in the past, and I'm also burned out on taking supplements, and have a large stock of stuff I'll probably never use

I will definitely try coconut oil more frequently, off at the edge, and shift to the purified kind.

I'm also thinking the 'colds' could be a histamine excess now that something (estrogen or serotonin excess?) isn't keeping me wired. Today I had runny nose all day and loose stool. It feels allergic as I usually get the opposite kinds of symptoms.

 

[charlie]

In my experience I can trace a "cold" to endotoxins from eating too much of certain legumes or nuts or some other fiber and gut dysbiosis.

I call it the starch flu. It sure doesn't feel good. Imagine a lot of people walking around like this ALL the time.

Desert Rat,

 

[DesertRat]

Came to that conclusion myself. I'm going to try no starches just orange juice. But I fell off the wagon already and ate a fig and a few bites of sweet potato.