Starting Caffeine - Lots of Health Problems - Asthma, Erectile Dysfunction, Hypertonic Pelvic Floor, Hair Loss, Anxiety/Depression

[gettodachopper6]

You're welcome. Did you ever get helpful feedback to the long post above?

the one posted on January 15, 2021? There's some red flags I see there. I was wondering if you have an update regarding your thyroid test. Also, I see some possible issues with some of the other info in that post but I don't know if this 1/15/2021 post is ancient history now?

There are some things that are really helpful from the great forum here but I feel like the more research I do the more confused I am.

I eat lots of Ray Peat foods but I really prefer to not eat meat, including fish, only very rarely.

If I have to eat meat as a last resort/only option than I guess that’s the way it is but I would just do the Ray Peat sea food. I just personally love animals too much and it doesn’t resonate well with me.

I could never do the liver suggestion, I know it might sound close minded but that’s one of few things I just can’t do.

Red meat, chicken, bacon, very rarely due to social life.

I have gotten off the low dose thyroid meds and my thyroid has returned to the middle of the range. I will post those.

Foods I have gravitated towards.

Sweet potatoes
Orange Juice
Grapes
Cantaloupe
Avocado
Honey
Carrots
Pineapple
Some white potatoes
Oatmeal
Ginger
Lemon
Some Cooked Broccoli
Butter (Salted currently, not sure on the sodium?)
Some white and brown rice
Olive oil
Mung Beans
Zucchini

I still take the other medications.

Most of my symptoms are still present.

I workout a lot and started lifting weights again.

Any suggestions would be well appreciated!

I’ll add more details the next few days.

 

[gettodachopper6]

Note: I also find it very difficult to get enough calories in. I am around 1500-2000 calories at the high end. Any calorically dense food recommendations would help a lot if my problems.

I find that when I eat every 1.5-2 hours my symptoms go way down, especially anxiety.

 

[gettodachopper6]

Note: I also find it very difficult to get enough calories in. I am around 1500-2000 calories at the high end. Any calorically dense food recommendations would help a lot if my problems.

I find that when I eat every 1.5-2 hours my symptoms go way down, especially anxiety.

Also, if Milk is a legitimate option here I think that would help me get plenty of protein and calories, but everything I read recommends low dairy or none at all. I could easily drink 3 glasses of 2% a day.

I get phlegm in my throat when I drink it so it is so hard to tell if I “could” adjust to it or if I just don’t tolerate it well period.

 

[aniciete]

Note: I also find it very difficult to get enough calories in. I am around 1500-2000 calories at the high end. Any calorically dense food recommendations would help a lot if my problems.

I find that when I eat every 1.5-2 hours my symptoms go way down, especially anxiety.

Where do you get calcium? I don’t see you mention any dairy. Milk and cheese are very calorically dense.
Edit: saw your latest update, have you tried a variety of cheeses?

 

[gettodachopper6]

I a

Also, if Milk is a legitimate option here I think that would help me get plenty of protein and calories, but everything I read recommends low dairy or none at all. I could easily drink 3 glasses of 2% a day.

I get phlegm in my throat when I drink it so it is so hard to tell if I “could” adjust to it or if I just don’t tolerate it well period.

l also eat eggs, I cannot find the edit post button on my iPhone for the life of me. Apologies.

 

[gettodachopper6]

Where do you get calcium? I don’t see you mention any dairy. Milk and cheese are very calorically dense.
Edit: saw your latest update, have you tried a variety of cheeses?

I went off of cheese but I think this is a no brainer. Calories, protein, calcium, etc.

I started eating a lot less since it seemed to harden my stool a bit but I wonder if there is a workaround such as stopping eating at 4pm to let my body digest it more fully.

I also was not eating the healthiest cheese, it was more the standard sharp cheddar generic brand. Maybe that was the issue, my girlfriend just mentioned this to me yesterday as well.

I will try more expense cheeses and see what happens. I can’t stand the texture of goat cheese but if it works I’ll push through it. Thank you this insight.

Edit: The cheese did not produce any symptoms aside from the digestive hard still piece. Cheese seems like it is a much more “broken down” form of dairy, thus more easily digestible, but seems like it may be even more digestible with higher quality, longer aging.

 

[mostlylurking]

There are some things that are really helpful from the great forum here but I feel like the more research I do the more confused I am.

I eat lots of Ray Peat foods but I really prefer to not eat meat, including fish, only very rarely.

If I have to eat meat as a last resort/only option than I guess that’s the way it is but I would just do the Ray Peat sea food. I just personally love animals too much and it doesn’t resonate well with me.

I could never do the liver suggestion, I know it might sound close minded but that’s one of few things I just can’t do.

Red meat, chicken, bacon, very rarely due to social life.

I have gotten off the low dose thyroid meds and my thyroid has returned to the middle of the range. I will post those.

Foods I have gravitated towards.

Sweet potatoes
Orange Juice
Grapes
Cantaloupe
Avocado
Honey
Carrots
Pineapple
Some white potatoes
Oatmeal
Ginger
Lemon
Some Cooked Broccoli
Butter (Salted currently, not sure on the sodium?)
Some white and brown rice
Olive oil
Mung Beans
Zucchini

I still take the other medications.

Most of my symptoms are still present.

I workout a lot and started lifting weights again.

Any suggestions would be well appreciated!

I’ll add more details the next few days.

What are you relying on for protein? Do you eat dairy? Eggs? What about gelatin? Protein is a very big deal; 100 grams/day is helpful. Humans need protein to survive.

Are you taking any vitamin supplements?

Salt is good and important. I've found that eating a high salt meal for lunch has helped me. Usually I eat a cucumber salad with lots of sheep feta cheese and kalamata olives with a dressing made with garlic salt, honey, rice vinegar, a little MCT oil.

Your list includes quite a few foods that I've learned I cannot consume without negative effects. I have food sensitivities. Your list also includes a couple of foods that Ray Peat has warned about: avocados, oatmeal. I do miss the avocados, but I decided it wasn't worth the hazard of eating them.

 

[aniciete]

I went off of cheese but I think this is a no brainer. Calories, protein, calcium, etc.

I started eating a lot less since it seemed to harden my stool a bit but I wonder if there is a workaround such as stopping eating at 4pm to let my body digest it more fully.

I also was not eating the healthiest cheese, it was more the standard sharp cheddar generic brand. Maybe that was the issue, my girlfriend just mentioned this to me yesterday as well.

I will try more expense cheeses and see what happens. I can’t stand the texture of goat cheese but if it works I’ll push through it. Thank you this insight.

Edit: The cheese did not produce any symptoms aside from the digestive hard still piece. Cheese seems like it is a much more “broken down” form of dairy, thus more easily digestible, but seems like it may be even more digestible with higher quality, longer aging.

Yes definitely try some higher quality cheeses. Parmagiano Reggiano and pecorino Romano are the safest cheeses you can buy. I find having a couple pieces of pineapple after eating some cheese prevents the stool from getting too hard.

 

[gettodachopper6]

What are you relying on for protein? Do you eat dairy? Eggs? What about gelatin? Protein is a very big deal; 100 grams/day is helpful. Humans need protein to survive.

Are you taking any vitamin supplements?

Salt is good and important. I've found that eating a high salt meal for lunch has helped me. Usually I eat a cucumber salad with lots of sheep feta cheese and kalamata olives with a dressing made with garlic salt, honey, rice vinegar, a little MCT oil.

Your list includes quite a few foods that I've learned I cannot consume without negative effects. I have food sensitivities. Your list also includes a couple of foods that Ray Peat has warned about: avocados, oatmeal. I do miss the avocados, but I decided it wasn't worth the hazard of eating them.

Supplements:
Trilateral: Touted as the ‘Power Trinity’, Trikatu is a classical ayurvedic formulation that combines the goodness of three herbs or spices, mainly, long pepper, black pepper, and ginger to create an absolute remedy for most Vata and Kapha derangements like digestive anomalies, respiratory issues, inflammatory conditions, liver disturbances, various infections, sexual and reproductive oddities, hypercholesteremia, sluggish metabolism, and obesity.

Trikatu seems to help a lot, especially with digestion, so paired with the right foods a it could work even better.

Triphala: What Are the Benefits of Triphala?

My fiancé is an Ayervedic practitioner so that’s where those came from.

Recently, I have been taking the Animal Pak supplements daily, the verdict is still out on these, there may just be too much variety in it.

I took Aspirin daily for a while but did not really notice much.

Plant Bases Protein Powder: Garden of Life

Digestive enzymes, generic as needed.

Would like to make Homemade Kombucha as well. It was extremely helpful in the past to take a tablespoon or two with each meal.

Any thoughts on these ones?

 

[gettodachopper6]

Yes definitely try some higher quality cheeses. Parmagiano Reggiano and pecorino Romano are the safest cheeses you can buy. I find having a couple pieces of pineapple after eating some cheese prevents the stool from getting too hard.

I love this, thank you, I just order each of these. Pineapple and papayas have enzymes in them that are used in many standard digestive enzyme supplements, I know they have been helpful for certain people including me. I’m guessing pineapple is fine with Ray Peat?

 

[gettodachopper6]

What are you relying on for protein? Do you eat dairy? Eggs? What about gelatin? Protein is a very big deal; 100 grams/day is helpful. Humans need protein to survive.

Are you taking any vitamin supplements?

Salt is good and important. I've found that eating a high salt meal for lunch has helped me. Usually I eat a cucumber salad with lots of sheep feta cheese and kalamata olives with a dressing made with garlic salt, honey, rice vinegar, a little MCT oil.

Your list includes quite a few foods that I've learned I cannot consume without negative effects. I have food sensitivities. Your list also includes a couple of foods that Ray Peat has warned about: avocados, oatmeal. I do miss the avocados, but I decided it wasn't worth the hazard of eating them.

That cucumber salad sounds phenomenal. Going to try and make one today.

I will try going without the avocados and oatmeal and see if that helps as well.

What do you eat for a standard breakfast?

 

[aniciete]

I love this, thank you, I just order each of these. Pineapple and papayas have enzymes in them that are used in many standard digestive enzyme supplements, I know they have been helpful for certain people including me. I’m guessing pineapple is fine with Ray Peat?

No problem. According to Peat pineapple has a higher concentration of serotonin when compared to most fruits, so moderation is key. Personally, I tolerate it very well so you may just want to experiment to see how feel after eating it.

 

[mostlylurking]

Also, if Milk is a legitimate option here I think that would help me get plenty of protein and calories, but everything I read recommends low dairy or none at all. I could easily drink 3 glasses of 2% a day.

I get phlegm in my throat when I drink it so it is so hard to tell if I “could” adjust to it or if I just don’t tolerate it well period.

That cucumber salad sounds phenomenal. Going to try and make one today.

I will try going without the avocados and oatmeal and see if that helps as well.

What do you eat for a standard breakfast?

First I have 12 oz of orange juice and a cup of mint tea with a couple teaspoons of sugar and 1/8 cup hydrolized gelatin. I take my thyroid medication with the orange juice, along with my morning vitamins. An hour or so later I have 20 oz 1% milk with some (1 tablespoon+) maple syrup and another 1/8 cup hydrolized gelatin. I have to wait at least an hour to have the milk because the calcium cancels out my thyroid med and I feel lousy.

I'm using seedless greenhouse cucumbers; if you can't find seedless, just cut the seedy part out and discard it.

Ray Peat recommends a couple of quarts of milk every day. Dairy is very good for you. If you can adjust to it, it would be very good for you.

 

[mostlylurking]

Supplements:
Trilateral: Touted as the ‘Power Trinity’, Trikatu is a classical ayurvedic formulation that combines the goodness of three herbs or spices, mainly, long pepper, black pepper, and ginger to create an absolute remedy for most Vata and Kapha derangements like digestive anomalies, respiratory issues, inflammatory conditions, liver disturbances, various infections, sexual and reproductive oddities, hypercholesteremia, sluggish metabolism, and obesity.

Trikatu seems to help a lot, especially with digestion, so paired with the right foods a it could work even better.

Triphala: What Are the Benefits of Triphala?

My fiancé is an Ayervedic practitioner so that’s where those came from.

Recently, I have been taking the Animal Pak supplements daily, the verdict is still out on these, there may just be too much variety in it.

I took Aspirin daily for a while but did not really notice much.

Plant Bases Protein Powder: Garden of Life

Digestive enzymes, generic as needed.

Would like to make Homemade Kombucha as well. It was extremely helpful in the past to take a tablespoon or two with each meal.

Any thoughts on these ones?

Oh. These things would probably finish me off. Sorry. The plant protein powder looks especially iffy, at least for me. Bean protein is not a good choice. I do very well with hydrolized gelatin; I buy Great Lakes brand, green can.

Kombucha is fermented; I can't consume fermented.

I have a long history (at least 15 years) of gut disbiosis, including SIBO and leaky gut, along with many many food sensitivities caused by the leaky gut. I solved my problem by following Ray Peat's suggestions on diet and also by taking high dose thiamine hcl. The thiamine normalized my gut function. I'm hypothyroid and my prescription thyroid medication (natural desiccated thyroid) is also a huge part of my recovery.

Here's a couple of links for you if you are interested in learning about Ray Peat's ideas:
PeatSearch: a Ray Peat-specific search engine - Toxinless to search Ray Peat's articles; use the search cell on the left that excludes the forum. Ideas posted on the forum are not necessarily in keeping with what Ray suggests.
Bioenergetic Search searches all the audio shows. I've found both of these search engines very helpful.

 

[Vins7]

Oh. These things would probably finish me off. Sorry. The plant protein powder looks especially iffy, at least for me. Bean protein is not a good choice. I do very well with hydrolized gelatin; I buy Great Lakes brand, green can.

Kombucha is fermented; I can't consume fermented.

I have a long history (at least 15 years) of gut disbiosis, including SIBO and leaky gut, along with many many food sensitivities caused by the leaky gut. I solved my problem by following Ray Peat's suggestions on diet and also by taking high dose thiamine hcl. The thiamine normalized my gut function. I'm hypothyroid and my prescription thyroid medication (natural desiccated thyroid) is also a huge part of my recovery.

Here's a couple of links for you if you are interested in learning about Ray Peat's ideas:
PeatSearch: a Ray Peat-specific search engine - Toxinless to search Ray Peat's articles; use the search cell on the left that excludes the forum. Ideas posted on the forum are not necessarily in keeping with what Ray suggests.
Bioenergetic Search searches all the audio shows. I've found both of these search engines very helpful.

Have you managed to eliminate the bloating?

 

[mostlylurking]

Have you managed to eliminate the bloating?

Last year, from September-January of 2021 was very bad; the digestive tract just did not move. I was eating well cooked mushrooms daily but to no avail. Pooped little squiggles for months. The high dose thiamine hcl corrected the problem and normalized the digestive tract in two days when I got up to taking 2 grams/day. I had spent the prior 3 months working my way up to that high dose. Although the lower doses resolved my lactic acidosis, it would return. The high dose of 2 grams/day has been working very well for me since Feb 1, 2021.

You can search for Thiamine on the forum for more information.

 

[Vins7]

Last year, from September-January of 2021 was very bad; the digestive tract just did not move. I was eating well cooked mushrooms daily but to no avail. Pooped little squiggles for months. The high dose thiamine hcl corrected the problem and normalized the digestive tract in two days when I got up to taking 2 grams/day. I had spent the prior 3 months working my way up to that high dose. Although the lower doses resolved my lactic acidosis, it would return. The high dose of 2 grams/day has been working very well for me since Feb 1, 2021.

You can search for Thiamine on the forum for more information.

What type and brand of thiamine were you taking?

Did you take other supplements for fixing some side effects of thiamine? Or it doesn't produce side effects?

 

[mostlylurking]

What type and brand of thiamine were you taking?

Did you take other supplements for fixing some side effects of thiamine? Or it doesn't produce side effects?

I'm taking pure thiamine hcl powder from BulkSupplements.com, dissolved in water. I also take a good b-complex, magnesium glycinate (powder, from same source), and I drink about a quart of orange juice/day (for the postassium). I've seen on the internet that 8 oz of OJ has enough potassium, but I feel better with that much sugar to stabilize my blood sugar. Thiamine lowers blood sugar; keeping your blood sugar up to normal helps lower the stress hormones. I try to space consuming sugar (OJ) and taking thiamine an hour apart.

I've also seen on this forum that some people tend to get dehydrated when taking thiamine so I added a daily big bottle (about 64 oz) of Fiji water which makes me feel better too. I'm outside planting roses and digging weeds with a turning fork so I need the extra water.

 

[Vins7]

I'm taking pure thiamine hcl powder from BulkSupplements.com, dissolved in water. I also take a good b-complex, magnesium glycinate (powder, from same source), and I drink about a quart of orange juice/day (for the postassium). I've seen on the internet that 8 oz of OJ has enough potassium, but I feel better with that much sugar to stabilize my blood sugar. Thiamine lowers blood sugar; keeping your blood sugar up to normal helps lower the stress hormones. I try to space consuming sugar (OJ) and taking thiamine an hour apart.

I've also seen on this forum that some people tend to get dehydrated when taking thiamine so I added a daily big bottle (about 64 oz) of Fiji water which makes me feel better too. I'm outside planting roses and digging weeds with a turning fork so I need the extra water.

Thank you for sharing.
Did thiamine fix gut bloating too? Or you didn't have this problem?
Did you have taken some antibiotic that produced to you this thiamine deficiency?

 

[mostlylurking]

Thank you for sharing.
Did thiamine fix gut bloating too? Or you didn't have this problem?
Did you have taken some antibiotic that produced to you this thiamine deficiency?

Yes, I had that problem. Yes, the high dose thiamine hcl corrected it. If the gut bloating is caused by the lack of gut motility and things are getting stacked up in there then yes thiamine could well be the solution; it was for me. Gut peristalsis (which moves things along) is dependent upon the autonomic nervous system to be functioning. The autonomic nervous system must have thiamine to work.

In addition to peristalsis requiring thiamine to work, thiamine is also needed for adequate stomach acid. If your stomach acid is low (mine was) then things don't get digested properly which messes up the process. Low stomach acid plus no peristalsis is pretty miserable.

I think that I've had a thiamine deficiency for many years. I have a lot of heavy metals in me. I've recently learned that heavy metal (specifically lead) uses up thiamine so you require more. I took Bactrim antibiotic summer of 2020 which just about finished me off because it blocked thiamine function on top of me being thiamine deficient and needing more due to my lead poisoning. The high dose thiamine hcl gave me my life back.