Reactions to reducing carbs

PenKernow

Before I pose the question, I can't eat meat or poultry. I have an anaphylactic reaction to both along with matured cheeses and blue cheeses so I'm doing the best I can on eggs and dairy. I have managed to change my diet enough to get my carbohydrates down to under 100 gm but I am now getting abdominal pains. It started about 3 weeks ago when I had very bad pains in the abdomen and it was followed a few days later by vomiting. This then progressed into combined vomiting and diarrhoea and is only now starting to subside. I still have slight pains and an uncomfortable feeling in the abdominal area. I'm wondering if this has been caused by constipation. I have never had any problems like this before. Second question - I have now managed to get my carbs down to about 90 gm per day but I can't get my fats up or my carbs any lower. I'm fast running out of foods that I can eat. How do you do it?

Susan_RD_101

@PenKernow

I'd advise you to present to your family doctor to rule out any medical condition (such as diverticular disease). It's also possible that you could have consumed something in the food that you made you sick, although food poisoning tends to be more immediate.

Kind regards,

PenKernow

Thanks, Susan-RD-101 but I am a doctor. The problem now seems to be with the amount of fat I am consuming. I have backed off of the fats and the problem goes away. I may have to back off a little further yet to get back to normal but I'm sure I will get there in the end. I have a patient with the same problem so I have advised the same remedy. I'm just surprised that nobody else has experienced it.

Susan_RD_101

@PenKernow

It does happen often to those following high fat diets; compared to carbs or protein, fat tends to stay in our stomachs the longest, which can cause a lot of upper (or potentially lower) abdominal issues (dependent on the rate of emptying).

If people feel bloated/nausea after meals, or if they notice fatty stools (based on droplets on the toilet), I advise the adoption of a lower fat diet.

Kind regards,

jefmcg

Gradually upping the fat seems optimal to me. I know when I was eating strictly low fat, a single normally fatty meal would cause gastrointestinal distress.

But now I am functioning well on a high fat diet.

PenKernow

Thanks guys, I reduced my fat intake to about 40% and the distress gradually disappeared. I am now able to take over 50% so I'm gradually getting there. The other problem I had was that my running times have been absolutely rubbish for any distance over 5k. I have a half marathon on this coming Sunday so I will have to back off the fat and increase the carbs for a couple of days beforehand. From all the information I had not realised that the body has to go through this transition stage. At least now I can advise my patients.

Susan_RD_101

@PenKernow

I work with many athletes and recently attended an intensive sports nutrition conference where research on keto diets and elite athletes was presented. Based on the findings, it appears that keto diets are a disadvantage to this group as fat is just such a slow-moving source of fuel and not preferred by the body during fitness. I think if someone is a weight-trainer or mostly engaged in strength-based activities, a low-carb diet can be fine (although, there are issues with loss of skeletal mass and lowered hydration). Cardio needs carbs; we just can't rewrite our physiology.

My advice to athletes is: if your low-carb diet isn't hurting your training regimen and performance, go nuts. Otherwise, consider including carbs pre-post fitness until you are achieving your performance standards.

Hope this helps!

PenKernow

Susan_RD_101. I have been trying to find a balance. 5 years ago I had a heart attack and was diagnosed with severe CVD. I was eating way too many carbs to fuel my running. I have managed to reduce my carbs and increase my fats to a point that seems to work well. I have found that if I'm doing a half marathon or more then a large bowl of porridge does the trick nicely but I will still run out of energy at about the 15-mile mark. I'm using restricted eating so only consume food between 12 noon and 8 pm and I'm using a diet consisting roughly of 25% carbs, 57% fats and 18% protein. It seems to work reasonably well, has allowed me to get rid of quite a bit of visceral fat and has brought my blood glucose levels down to within the normal range. At the age of 70, I run as much for the love of the sport these days but it is still nice to come in the top third of runners. I shall keep a record of my food for a little longer to fine-tune my intake and see if I can improve my performance a little more. I absolutely believe that we are all different and so are our needs and it takes time for the body to adjust.

Susan_RD_101

@PenKernow

It sounds like you took lifestyle medicine to heart (literally!). My only suggestion is running with some carbs in your pocket (if your stomach can handle it).

My close friend is an ultra marathon runner and he's used dried banana slices, raisins, pieces of cooked white potato, saltines, and even bagels to fuel his runs. During a run, you'll need quick carbs, but not likely more than 15-30 g every 60-90 minutes.

Best of luck!