[BawdyWench]

Hello, all!  Bawdy here.

So, how did I stumble onto this low-carb WOE? I'll try to make this brief.

I was going along, living life and steadily gaining a few more pounds each year. Never could I indulge in end-of-season sales because I never knew what size I would be next season when I could actually wear those clothes.

Nothing worked. I was doing the tried-and-true, everyone-believes-that-fat-makes-you-fat regimen, and still I gained. I wrote down every flipping fat gram I ate, kept it under 10 grams a day, and still I gained. I even added a strenuous 60-minute aerobic step routine 5 or 6 days a week. Still I gained.

How could I be gaining? I was under 1000 calories a day, virtually no fat, and exercising to beat the band. I was a devoted fan of Jean Brody and her "Living Life the High-Carbohydrate Way." Breakfast was two slices of dry whole-wheat toast. Lunch was a low-fat bagel with a half can of tuna with no-fat Miracle Whip and a half an apple. Dinner was a huge pile of pasta (hey, it's good for you, you know, and no fat!) with some steamed zucchini.

How could I be gaining? I went to the doctor, who sent me to a nutritionist who, by the way, looked like she had just come from the purging in the bathroom. She told me I had to eat the same thing every day. She and her husband always ate a balogna sandwich on white bread and an apple for lunch. Needless to say, she didn't give me anything to go on. I even showed her my food and exercise records. Not good enough, she said.

(I did say I was going to keep this short, right? Oh well.)

So, around this time I read a blurb in a women's magazine that said that despite what we've always heard, American women don't get enough protein in their diets.

Protein? What does that have to do wtih anything?

I was in a bookstore when I first laid eyes on "Protein Power" by the Drs. Eades. I bought it, took it home, and devoured it virtually in one sitting.

This makes sense! I've studied human paleontology and evolution since college (even took graduate courses for fun and aced every one, much to the chagrin of several of the "serious" grad students majoring in paleontology!).

Suddenly the light bulb went on. Wait a sec. We evolved eating meat with perhaps a few nuts, seeds, and berries thrown in when meat wasn't readily available. Human health went to hell in a handbasket when population growth exceeded the ability to live off hunting and people began to grow crops and get "civilized."

Well, you didn't have to hit me over the head too many times for the Eureka! moment to set in.

I was in love. First Protein Power, and then Atkins. I lost 30 pounds almost effortlessly. I was in heaven.

Then I felt I needed to work out more so as to tone my body. I started Body for Life. LOVED IT! Man, the feel of muscles I never knew I had. Amazing!

But then my workouts started to suffer (this is at least a year into it). In hindsight, I probably wasn't eating enough. Sure my ratios were about 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbs, but I was eating only around 1200 calories a day, trying to do strenuous workouts.

So, I consulted the BFLers on "The Dark Side" and another board, "The Darker Side." Every one of them told me I had to eat more. But here's the kicker. I had to eat more sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, brown rice, whole grains, oatmeal, etc. That so went against my beliefs and training. How could these things be good for you? They even insisted I needed a free day to stuff my face with waffles, ice cream, cookies, and donuts so as to "re-feed" my body and let the reins out a little.

Well, letting the reins out a little turned into letting my pants out a little. I started gaining again.

It took a while, and a lot of soul searching, but I went back to the LC life I knew was right and got back down to 151, my lowest adult weight (other than when I was just married, when I was at 145).

This was just in time for my 50th birthday! Woo-hoo!!!!! My goal was to reach 150 by 50. I came within 1 pound, so I celebrated reaching goal.

Then life smacked me right between the eyes. Menopause. No major symptoms like hot flashes or night sweats at first. My only indication was that I gained 25 pounds in about 4 months! WITH NO CHANGE IN EATING OR EXERCISE!!!!   And now I'm about 35 pounds up.  Geezum crow!

Well, it turns out my hormones are all messed up and my adrenals are shot. Details to follow.

So that's BawdyWench's story in a nutshell.

I'm very busy both at home and at work lately, so I might not be able to visit every day. I'll pop in from time to time.

It's good to see some faces here that I haven't seen for a while.  I was actually wondering what had happened to a few of the regular posters "over there."  Interesting.

Anyway, I hope I'll be welcomed here.  I've already read through numerous posts, and I like what I see.  

Please can I stay?

[Steve]

Bawdy Wench..(I still have a hard time calling you that!)

Welcome aboard,,good to have you here and your thoughtful insight.

Did you ever exchange the protein powder from Whey to a blend?

[BawdyWench]

Just call me Bawdy! That might be easier.

No, I never exchanged the protein powder because by the time I read your posts, I had already opened it. I'm using very little of it now. I used to make a shake almost every morning with the protein powder, supplemented with a couple egg yolks and some heavy cream. Now I simply skip the powder and up to the egg yolks to 4. This gives a better fat to protein ratio.

[Steve]

That a girl!!

I'm trying ot eat things that are not man made..though I must confess,I have gone through 100's of tubs of protein powder over the years.

Bawdy it is.

[BawdyWench]

Eating natural is definitely the way to go. I do succumb at times, but I keep it the rare exception rather than the rule.

Here's something that will make you cry your eyes out.

Last weekend I bought a beautiful Porterhouse steak (over a pound) that was marked $3 off because it was near the end of its shelf life. I threw it right into the freezer so that I could have it later in the week. I typically thaw it out and eat it the same night. I do this all the time, and never had a problem with it. Well, this time I thawed it (in the fridge) but didn't eat it until the next night (last night).

I always start with the smaller tenderloin section. It was really good -- blood rare.

Then I started in on the larger portion on the other side of the bone. I couldn't even cut it! My steak knife wouldn't make a dent in it. It wasn't overcooked -- heck, it was 5 minutes a side under the broiler. But it was kind of a nasty gray inside.

I had to throw the majority of the steak out! I didn't even want to feed it to the dog and cats, not if it was bad.

So I guess I learned my lesson. When I buy meat on sale, it must be eaten the same day.

[CarolAnn]

Welcome, BawdyWench. BTW, I love the name! I'm just sorry I didn't think of it first! I am new here, too! Just hop on board and enjoy the ride!

[Steve]

Bawdy,I worked in a grocery store for years..the stories I could tell.

That steak would of been tomorrows hamburger..

then the ready to cook meatloaf.
Then..

[Shawn]

Hi Bawdy,

I'm new here too. I remember you from ALC. I always enjoyed reading your posts.

[BawdyWench]

Thanks for the welcome. Perhaps I should have said "carnivore-friendly" site! It's nice to have a place to post where people don't jump down your throat for not eating veggies.

About the name ...

In Maine, a lot of times you see guys stopped on the side of the road selling stuff out of the back of their pickups (bird houses, old tools, etc.). So one day DH and I are driving along and we see this guy selling winches from the back of his truck. He even had a huge sign, but his spelling left something to be desired: "Wenches for Sale."

Without skipping a beat, DH said, "Well, if they're bawdy, I'll take two!" The rest is history!

[Analog6]

I too am going through menopause with no nasties but my body is stubbornly refusing to shift any weight. Until March I was doing swimmingly on ATkins with 29.5 kg lost in 7 months - then my TOM stopped and so did weight loss. Since then I have had 2 mini TOMs but no usual accomanying weight loss. It's very disheartening but I am 53 so I guess I can't complain.'
Do youtake any natural products to help with hormone/adrenal misbalance?

[Suzanne]

Welcome aboard the bus. Please find an open seat, sit down, and buckle up. Even with Susanne driving things can get wild! Glad you're here.

[BawdyWench]

Here's what I'm taking:

Multigenics with Iron: Basic multi-vitamin. I was told to take 6 a day, 2 at breakfast, 2 at lunch, and 2 at dinner. Made by Metagenics.

EPA-DHA Extra Strength: Fish oil. Made by Metagenics. 2 three times a day (total of 1800 mg EPA, 1200 mg DHA).

Cal-Apatite Forte: Combination of calcium, Vitamin D, and phosphorus. 3 a day. Total 600 IU of Vitamin D, 684 mg calcium, and 357 mg phosphorus. Also made by Metagenics.

Adreset: 1 in the morning and 1 at night. Combination of Cordeceps Mycelium extract, ginseng root extract, and rhodiola root extract. Described as "adaptognes that support an appropriate and healthy response to stress by promoting balanced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Adreset is designed to enhance stamina and energy, providing exceptional support for those who are stressed andn tired."

Selenium: 200 mcg once a day. Supposed to help thyroid function.

Astragalus: 1 three times a day. Total of 1.41 grams of astragalus root. Supposed to have "a normalizing effect on body functions," according to the container.

Isocort: 2 pellets in the morning and at lunch. Each pellet has 5 mg freeze-dried adrenal cortex, echinacea extract, prunus spp, and lomatium dissectum root. (Yum?) My last adrenal stress index came back with depressed cortisol output for the first two test periods -- first thing in the morning and before lunch.

Licorice Root: 1/8 tsp in the morning and at lunch. For adrenal function. This stuff tastes like liquified shoe leather that has been rotting in a fetid bog for 200 years.

Seriphos: 2 to 4 capsules before bed. 2 capsules contain a total of 105 mg calcium, 105 mg magnesium, 355 mg phosphorus, and 105 mg L-serine.

Magnesium: 1000 mg at bedtime.

Borage Oil: 1 capsule morning and night. Each capsule has 15 IU of Vitamin E and 500 mg borage oil. Supposed to be the best source for Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA), which is supposed to be extremely good for you. I take this on my own; the NP did not prescribe this.

DHEA: From a compounding pharmacist. I take 5 drops morning and night. 1 drop is 1 mg DHEA.

Estrogen: From a compounding pharmacist. I do 2 drops on the wrist morning and night. Not sure on the dosage here. The bottle says "30 - .E2 oil .25/4GTT"

Progesterone: From a compounding pharmacist. 2 capsules at night on days 1-14 of the month, and none the rest of the month. The dose is 100 mg Progesterone T.R.

Sheesh. Amazing I have any room for actual food!

[CarolAnn]

I have a question, Bawdy. You seem to know a lot about supplements, and my doctor has never really answered this one for me. I had a hysterectomy last year leaving one ovary. I quit taking iron since I wasn't menstruating anymore. Can I still get anemic? I asked my doctor if I needed to continue taking the iron supplements, and all he said was, 'For a while.'

[BawdyWench]

CarolAnn, just because I'm taking supplements doesn't mean I know anything about them!

Since reading Protein Power, I haven't believed people need to take iron supplements, especially with all the red meat I eat. The multi-vitamin comes with and without iron; my NP insisted I take the one with iron. Next time I reorder, I plan to get the one without added iron. If I reorder; that's a whole other story. It's so expensive, probably around $150 a month. If I were seeing dramatic improvements, I'd suck it up and fork over the money. As it is, I don't see any improvements, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

I just got re-tested for adrenal function this past week, and the results should be in within a week or two. Then I see her (the NP) again on October 12. I'll make a decision by then.

I think I better start a journal here.

[CarolAnn]

[kateryna]

BAWDY so glad to see you here WELCOME!!!!

[Steve]

Bawdy..you are loaded to the gills with stuff eh?

Looks like you are on a alot of adaptogens..your doc thinks you have suppression of your adrenals..

Metagenics is a very good proffesional line of supps..over priced but good.

You could get some of those supps at health food stores..cheaper,especially the fish oils and multis..doctor offices are becoming mini health food stores themselves.

You are right Borage oil is essential,especially if you are menopausal. People take Evening of Primrose oil or Black currant oil for their GLA but Borage blows them out of the water.

May I make a suggestion? Look into Cortef..It is prescription cortisol. It really did a job on my fatigue( I like you had basically no cortisol in the morning)..

The problem I had with it,is I was working in a job for 60+ hours a week and didn't have time to work out. I went totally catabolic and lost a lot of muscle.

I looked like a walking carcass so I got off of it.

How do you feel on your hormone therapy??

You must maintain a high fat and protein diet and workout while on it. It's effects are immediate.

[BawdyWench]

[Steve]

I'm sorry, the Cortef works within minutes..

Your NP thought that you would be taxing yourself even more if you were to excercise..sometimes excercise is not the answer.

we have a finite recovery capacity and if we are already taxed out..Its like putting fire out with gas.

Has she checked your testosterone? I have seen women take just a little bit of it in the form of a creme and it is a life changer..


I'd forgotten that you lived so far out.
Here's a little secret about supps and quality...alot of these companies that say there's are the highest quality and blah,blah..generally get their raw materials from the same sources..

I'm sure Metagenics buys their fish oils in the caps and just slaps their label on the bottle.

there are crappy supplements out there..Walgreens,Nature made,Costco(kirkland) and any grocery store supplements including Centrum and One a day. If you buy cheap supps they will be cheap quality,but if you go mid to high priced stuff all brands are about equal in quality.

How do I know? I own a supplement company..

[BawdyWench]

Good points, Steve. Certain of the supps (the magnesium, selenium, borage oil, etc.) I buy myself -- a good brand. When my current supply runs out, I'll purchase more of this from my own sources.

I'll ask about the Cortef. I could use some "get up and go."

I'm afraid to ask, but what do you think of Puritan's Pride? I've purchased some basic supps like borage oil and magnesium from them, usually when they offer the "buy one get two free" promotions.

[Steve]

I'm sorry,I hate Puritans Pride..too cheap..Of course they are soooo huge they can afford to discount like that...

I think as ong as the minerals are bound to a bioavailable carrier ie,chelated or in your case magnesium is not oxide,then you should be ok.

sometimes these minerals can do more harm than good ,especially if they are metallic or inorganic,like Kirklands..

[BawdyWench]

Uh oh. Why should my magnesium NOT be oxide? That's what I have currently, though in the past I've always made a point of buying the chelated kind. The brand I have now is PharAssure. I only have about a third of the bottle left, so next time I'll get something else.

I had a post I copied a while back that talked about the different kinds of magnesium and what each is best for. Lost it, though.

There is a relatively good health food store near where I work. It's both close and out of the way, if that makes sense. I can try there.

I also take Oil of Oregano in the spring for allergies, though it didn't do a thing for me this year.

This weight gain has me stymied, though. I've definitely gained some in my arms and legs, but the majority has been in my torso -- belly mostly. If only something would work on that.

By the way, my thyroid is considered normal, though I know from my reading that it's out of the NEW range of what's considered normal. I take the selenium to help out the thyroid sluggishness.

[BawdyWench]

"We interrupt this broadcast ..."

I just checked out the chapter on Magenesium on Protein Power Lifeplan. It says that people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome "almost without fail have low levels of magnesium inside their cells and , even more important, that replenishing the deficiency with a particular form of magnesium (magnesium malate, availalbe at most health food stores) brings relief in 40 to 50 percent of cases."

It goes on to recommend 300 to 400 mg chelated magnesium (citrate, malate, or aspartate).

Geez. This is why I need to go back and re-read what I've already re-read a dozen times. I keep forgetting! DOH!

Tomorrow I can check back with that health food store and get some better magnesium.

DH takes magnesium now, too. I started talking about it a while ago, and he decided to start taking it! Amazing, if you knew him. He says it works wonders with leg cramps that he gets from his frequent flights.

[Steve]

Mag oxide just is not very absorable,,worthless in my opinion. when you told me 1000 mgs ,I knew it was oxide. It is the equivalent of calcium carbonate as far as efficacy..

You can buy a kilo of Magnesium Oxide from Life Extension for under $13.

You know what it is good for? Underarm deodarant/anti-perspirant..You just take a makeup brush and apply the powder to yout pits.

magesium is invloved in over 300 metaboic process,it is the mineral imo.

People are over calicified,but they lack magnesium..

I don't want to stir up a hornets nest,but did you know calcium competes with magnesium and can block its absorption? Calcium is the most beligerent of all minerals..

I feel you should not take them together at the same time..

Bawdy,there is so much out there that is alot more effective than selenium for thyroid..I think selenium is an excellent antioxidant and it is a great mineral to take on chemotherapy,but there are specific things to take balancing and promoting thyroid output.

I think the subject of thyroid and what is optimal is realy screwy to say the least. Who knows what is optimal for you? What may be good for Bawdy,won't be optimal for Alisa or tidal Pool.

You need optimal thyroid out put..not just baseline,blood work crap. If you r thyroid is not functioning to capacity,then it will be very hard to lose weight and to process cholesterol like you should. Plus you will feel like dog dooty.

Have you ever taken your body temp in the morning? For 5 days??

do this,
Shake a down a thermometer before you go to bed.Place it on your night stand.
As soon as you wake up,place the thermometer under your armpit.
Leave it there for 10 minutes and do not move.

Record your temp for 5 days,if it is below normal temp those 5 days ,you have a very good likelyhood of hypothyroidism,if it is high,hyperthyroidism.

Do not do this while on your period. do not use your mouth temp either.

Remember ,if you are on hypocaloric diet as well,your bodies metabolism will slow down making it harder to lose weight..We can thank our ancestors for that one..during their times of famine..

do yourself a favor,if you do this and find that you are low,look into Guggulipids..it is an amazing compound for thyroid and cholesterol metabolism.

I would give it to bodybuilders to help boost thyroid output during their times of dieting with great results..

Whew!!! Sorry for all the info..

[Steve]

I almost for got to mention..belly fat is usually a good sign of insulin resistance..not cortisol..

Your fasting glucose may look good from your blood work,but the way to really tell is to take an oral glucose test..

I should know,it happened to me a couple of months ago,
I wa pretty thin throughout my whole body,but had that little bit of belly fat.
I asked my endocronologist for an oral gucose test and sure enough,It came back pre-diabetic,(SyndromeX and metabolic disorder)..

Belly fat,high triglycerides and Ldl's and low hdl's.

it took 78 units of my insulin to bring down the 100 grams of dextrose that I drank..pretty alarming.

[BawdyWench]

Phew, that's a lot of info. Much I knew about. Let's take this one at a time.

[BawdyWench]

[BawdyWench]

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

I don't want to lose any of this great discussion, but I'm going to ask that you move it to my NEW journal! Here's the link: http://magicbus.myfreeforum.org/sutra3269.php#3269

See ya over there!