Low Toxin Lifestyle The Toxic Ray Peat Diet & Lifestyle is Keeping Many in Captivity...Ray Peat Never Offered A Way Out

[Makrosky]

Im wondering what Garret’s opinion is on accutane? How screwed am I? Because I took accutane in 2020, and a few months after I stopped taking accutane I developed a rare condition called cold induced urticaria. Which is basically an autoimmune reaction (hives) which occurs when any of my skin is exposed to cold temperatures. It has had an impact on my life (can’t swim in cold water, can’t really do outdoor winter activities, etc.).

I have been unable to solve just this issue with a Ray peat inspired diet. All my other symptoms (PCOS, low thyroid) have appeared to vanish since I discovered RP in 2021. The possible link between vitamin A and autoimmunity is something that has caught my eye. However I know the type of vitamin A that is in accutane is synthetic and I’m not sure if it is treated the same way by the body. I do take a multivitamin which has retinyl palmitate as well, so I have been continuing to add vitamin A to my system this entire time since I got off of accutane.

Accutane was already considered poison in the forum. With the new anti vitA trend... you are not going to like it at all what they are going to tell you about it, be advised.

 

[summergirl]

Accutane/isotretinoin/13-cis-retinoic acid is one of the retinoid derivatives produced by the body from retinol and it is highly toxic whether is comes from medication or endogenous production.

In the toxic bile theory of disease there is no such thing as autoimmunity, the hive reaction is toxins being released and any "immune" response is the body trying to clean up the toxins. So in this paradigm the explanation is simply that the cold is causing your tissues to release stored toxins faster than is can deal with them, probably toxins that built up and got stored when your body's detoxiciation capacity was all devoted to trying to deal with the accutane. Improving your detoxification capacity would theoretically eliminate the problem but it might take a little while to get there.

My cold urticaria has very gradually gotten better over the past few years. The past 6 months or so it has been more mild than ever, but it’s unfortunately still here. How might I improve my detoxification pathway? I imagine I should stop doing things that burden my liver.
I drink dandelion root / leaf tea which is supposed to help the liver/ kidneys and I think it has helped me to some extent. My estrogen dominance symptoms that I had for most of my life (related to pcos) have improved a lot since eating more like RP. I take psyllium husk sometimes to get rid of excess estrogen. Also raw carrots. I avoid cooking/ heating/ eating anything with plastic. Obviously avoid pufas etc. I wonder what my “toxins” stored throughout my body could be. I guess it doesn’t really matter what it is.

Also about a year after developing CU My allergist tested me for mycoplasma pneumonia and I was positive for igG and IgM, allegedly that bacteria can cause cold urticaria to develop in susceptible people.

 

[summergirl]

Accutane was already considered poison in the forum. With the new anti vitA trend... you are not going to like it at all what they are going to tell you about it, be advised.

I knew it was already considered poison on the forum lol. It came to mind again now that I saw the low vitamin A trend…. I realized everyone’s going to say I’m screwed. I was just curious how badly.

 

[Peater]

@Nick @Peater @charlie @Blossom how do you guys feel endotoxin wise with all those whole grains, oats, bananas, rice, etc.?
I always found them ultra endotoxin generators. Not potatoes nor bread (even if bad quality).

Rice noodles generate 0 endotoxin symptoms for me though. But they don't feel satiating. I can eat 250grs of them and be hungry shortly after.

I haven't eaten wheat in any real quantities for over 15 years. I still haven't got around to buying any bananas. Jasmine rice and oats seem ok for me. That's subjective of course and I don't claim to be in perfect health.

 

[Makrosky]

It is interesting how the detox symptoms I have read today just browsing recent anti vitA threads remindme 100% to the stories my mom told me when she was using homeopathy as young. This thing about skin peeling off and blisters on it. This thing about getting flu symptoms. Exactly the same. And the answer from the homeopathic doctor was the same: your body is detoxing thru the skin. Crazy. We are talking about the 80s-90s so even pre-internet times.

 

[Peater]

I knew it was already considered poison on the forum lol. It came to mind again now that I saw the low vitamin A trend…. I realized everyone’s going to say I’m screwed. I was just curious how badly.

You're young, it's retinoic acid not strychnine. I think you'll be fine. I don't think it can hurt to try the low vitamin A approach and see if it helps. If not you haven't lost anything.

 

[Makrosky]

I knew it was already considered poison on the forum lol. It came to mind again now that I saw the low vitamin A trend…. I realized everyone’s going to say I’m screwed. I was just curious how badly.

You are not screwed. In fact, I was about to say... if your only symptoms left are that mild cold urticaria and everything else improved... maybe keep doing what you are doing... carry on with your life and find an in-house hobby/project for the toughest winter months. Just avoid supplemental vit A and liver just in case.

 

[Makrosky]

@summergirl btw I also took accutane when I was around 15-16 and had 0 symptoms nor anything for years. I have friends with 5 or 6 mercury fillings doing perfectly fine in all life aspects. Don't obsess about it.

 

[Makrosky]

I haven't eaten wheat in any real quantities for over 15 years. I still haven't got around to buying any bananas. Jasmine rice and oats seem ok for me. That's subjective of course and I don't claim to be in perfect health.

I am going to retry some of those foods just to see. It never hurts to revisit old excluded foods and see. Thanks.

 

[Twohandsondeck]

I realized everyone’s going to say I’m screwed. I was just curious how badly.

It's definitely on the harsh end of the spectrum but since you're still alive, you're not screwed. Far from it.

Look into Garrett Smith's work and you'll find all the answers you need. Cut eggs, dairy, organ meats, leafy vegetables, sulfurous vegetables, herbs, and most fruits except for apples, cucumbers... orange juice is a big nono in the toxic bile theory too.

Add soluble fiber as beans, bread, oats, barley, rice, sunfiber (a type of partially hydrolyzed guar gum) as you can tolerate it comfortably.

Red meat is preferred for it's nutritional density, but speaking from personal experience I like to bounce from lean poultry to lean beef as it feels fitting.

Supplement with potassium (potassium chloride salt alternatives usually work), sodium (as salt) and magnesium as a topical magnesium oil to replenish those big electrolyte stores.

Then consider supplementing with molybdenum, zinc (as picolinate is the standard suggestion), and selenium. All 3 of those are copper antagonists and help with sulfur detoxification.

Activated charcoal can be kept on hand for times of acute symptoms such as nausea, skin irritation, excessive body odor, and a few others I'm forgetting. Activated charcoal from tree wood is considered more hypoallergenic and carries more positive clinical study behind it compared to activated charcoal derived from coconuts.

There's much more suggestion to be made of course, but I reckon that's close to 90% of the foundation. Move the bowels to clean the liver... eliminate vitamin A and copper as best you can... keep the electrolytes and mineral stores up.

 

[Blossom]

@Nick @Peater @charlie @Blossom how do you guys feel endotoxin wise with all those whole grains, oats, bananas, rice, etc.?
I always found them ultra endotoxin generators. Not potatoes nor bread (even if bad quality).

Rice noodles generate 0 endotoxin symptoms for me though. But they don't feel satiating. I can eat 250grs of them and be hungry shortly after.

Mine have very, very gradually improved. I was eating basically muscle meat carnivore most of the time between mid 2019 and early 2023 though. I don’t think it’s optimal for detox of course but with everything going on in my life at the time I really needed to be able to function at a top level. Last year was a real turning point for me transitioning away from carnivore and adding back grains and other plants. I currently do well with oats, rice and white corn products like masa or grits. I have celiac so I don’t go near wheat.

 

[summergirl]

You're young, it's retinoic acid not strychnine. I think you'll be fine. I don't think it can hurt to try the low vitamin A approach and see if it helps. If not you haven't lost anything.

That’s a fair point. I guess I have a fear of letting go of vitamin A because accutane got rid of my acne, and having vitamin A in my diet all this time my skin has stayed clear. I’m afraid if I start avoiding vitamin A my acne will return. Though I know vitamin A stores in the body and there’s so many factors that go into acne, not just vitamin A. I think I’ve improved on the other issues that were driving my acne (estrogen dominance etc). So maybe it is worth a shot to try low vitamin A

 

[summergirl]

You are not screwed. In fact, I was about to say... if your only symptoms left are that mild cold urticaria and everything else improved... maybe keep doing what you are doing... carry on with your life and find an in-house hobby/project for the toughest winter months. Just avoid supplemental vit A and liver just in case.

Thank you. You’re right. I’m only 26. I am optimistic about the future. I just try to stay open minded to new ideas if they could help me but I am not willing to obsess over, or strictly follow any diet or lifestyle anymore.

 

[Peater]

I think I’ve improved on the other issues that were driving my acne (estrogen dominance etc). So maybe it is worth a shot to try low vitamin A

Exactly. I once gave myself some spots when taking Mesterolone for a short time. This would have been 2017 or 2018 so I was definitely getting plenty of vitamin A.

 

[Nick]

I knew it was already considered poison on the forum lol. It came to mind again now that I saw the low vitamin A trend…. I realized everyone’s going to say I’m screwed. I was just curious how badly.

As others said, I doubt that you are screwed. The toxic bile theory understanding should be helpful in healing, even just implementing parts of it would probably help. An important thing to realize is that many foods and supplements slow detox, like high polyphenol foods, vitamin C, aspirin, for example, so their benefits are short term relief with a result of stored toxin build up.

 

[Nick]

@Nick @Peater @charlie @Blossom how do you guys feel endotoxin wise with all those whole grains, oats, bananas, rice, etc.?
I always found them ultra endotoxin generators. Not potatoes nor bread (even if bad quality).

Rice noodles generate 0 endotoxin symptoms for me though. But they don't feel satiating. I can eat 250grs of them and be hungry shortly after.

When bowel motility is good, these foods give me no endotoxin issues. I do still have an intermittent issue with bowel inflammation that temporarily stops things up sometimes and when that flares up I have to ease up on the oats and beans until it passes

Btw How are you guys doing androgenical-wise with such low amounts of fat? Libido, erections, muscle strength, etc. In other words: Testosterone wise.
Curious

For me the general trend is upwards in these departments but it's not been linear progress.

 

[summergirl]

As others said, I doubt that you are screwed. The toxic bile theory understanding should be helpful in healing, even just implementing parts of it would probably help. An important thing to realize is that many foods and supplements slow detox, like high polyphenol foods, vitamin C, aspirin, for example, so their benefits are short term relief with a result of stored toxin build up.

I have never heard of any of this. I thought because vitamin C is an antioxidant it would help with getting rid of toxins. Is vitamin E only “short term relief” too? I need to look into this more. I have used aspirin when I sometimes get a headache during my period. Otherwise I don’t use it much.

 

[Nick]

I have never heard of any of this. I thought because vitamin C is an antioxidant it would help with getting rid of toxins. Is vitamin E only “short term relief” too? I need to look into this more. I have used aspirin when I sometimes get a headache during my period. Otherwise I don’t use it much.

Regarding vitamin E, I think so. I do think these substances can have a place in symptom management though, they just have to be used sparingly rather than constantly. Like using vitamin C when feeling very sick or a little aspirin for an occasional headache doesn't seem likely to cause problems for most people.

 

[Ashs]

Well, here I am.....offering you a way out.

The goal of this movement is to get everyone off as many supplements as possible. In the beginning, many of us are so super toxic that to change the Alchemy of the body to a favorable one the Big 5 minerals and niacin are needed. As Dr. Garrett Smith says, the better and less toxic you become the less of the minerals you will need. Once the Alchemy of the body gets set right, I think potassium, magnesium and niacin will be all that is needed with maybe a bit of the other minerals at times.

The goal is also to get everyone off thyroid medication. Time after time in the low toxin lifestyle groups you see person after person coming off their thyroid medications. Ray Peat used thyroid and coffee to try and outrun a toxic diet, the poison always wins and it finally caught him. Never once did Ray Peat offer a way out of taking thyroid medication, well, we have found the answer and you now have a direction you can go that will free you from this captivity.

So again, this is not about chaining you to supplements, this is about eventually being able to get off most the supplements and live by the God given freedom you were given.

Hi Charlie,
I've been on the low VA for 5 weeks now and have dropped all dairy (from previously having about 2 litres of no fat a2 milk daily) to zero dairy, no carrots, no sugar etc. Have incorporated the Big 4 and just received 'Carlson lab moly 500mcg' .can you please advise if it's too high a dose to start with and the frequency.

All I can say is, my body temperature is hotter than normal which I struggled with previously.
I will certainly update as I go along.

 

[charlie]

've been on the low VA for 5 weeks now and have dropped all dairy (from previously having about 2 litres of no fat a2 milk daily) to zero dairy, no carrots, no sugar etc. Have incorporated the Big 4 and just received 'Carlson lab moly 500mcg' .can you please advise if it's too high a dose to start with and the frequency.

That's a hefty dose. I only take around 100mcg a day and at most 200mcg a day.