I know a low carb diet is good for lyme disease, how low carb do you keep your diet?
Thank you
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I ate basically only meat and non-starchy vegetables (no corn, no potatoes, etc.). So, that is pretty low carb.
I also ate nuts, seeds, and eggs. I drank plain kefir or home-made kefir and water with fresh lemons cut up into it. I had quinoa flake porridge for breakfast.
That was my diet while treating lyme.
The quinoa is a seed, but recently I have read that it has some carbs in it. I got the recipe from the Body Ecology Diet book which is a book that teaches you how to eat to get rid of candida.
So, I basically followed the Burrascano anti-yeast diet. That means no fruit (except lemons), no flour, no cereal, no pasta, no potatoes, no corn, etc.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Of course, all simple carbs are out. No doubt about that being best for every human (usually).
However, "Low carb" seems to have various definitions but, technically, we must have carbohydrates in order to live (along with proteins and fats, the other 2 food groups).
Too low in carbs can be very, very dangerous due to the degree of stress on the liver and potential for porphyria, as a secondary effect.
SMART carbs are the better choice as we select foods that will fuel our cells.
More detail here on how some really need carbs to help prevent porphyria attacks, see the "secondary porphyria" article but also know that there are smarter ways to do this.
Carbs are required for our cellular health. They are not bad in their real, complex form as from the earth itself, not a box. All vegetables are carbs and we certainly should be eating lots of vegetables.
Even with candida to consider, IMO, it's dangerous to avoid all fruits as we really need their complex antioxidants and other unique nutrients as well as their colon help - and for our brain and heart. Low sugar berries, along with or right after a meal can work well for some (though not for everyone).
Blueberries are actually excellent regarding the glycemic index as they contain a healthy form of chromium which keeps blood glucose stable.
Black rice is also excellent on the glycemic index and well rounded with protein, fat, fiber and complex carbs for our cell fuel longevity. It's very high in antioxidants and that is a huge help for so many reasons.
Still, even simple glucose can save a life IF porphyria is involved (of course, simple sugar is not good with candida but we still need to know about how sugar could save a life, just in case). IMO, what a lot of folks think is a herx, may be a porphyria attack of sorts.
Beta carotene, though, may be a better helper. More detail on why:
posted
I am also finding my mood is changing on low carb, I am alot more emotion has anyone else found this?
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
ukcarry
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18147
posted
I make breads from nut and seed flours, eggs, oil, water, a small amount of glutenfree baking powder with seasonings like salt, garlic, herbs and a few walnuts or pumpkin seeds for texture: they are really nice and satisfying too.
I eat turnip, swede(rutabaga) and celeriac instead of carrot or potato most of the time and have found some really satisfying ways to eat them. My favourite is celeriac tandoori with a salsa.
I also eat small portions of quinoa from time to time and the occasional rice cake if desperate! For fruit, I sometimes have green apple slices in lemon juice. Whether or not you can eat fruits from a candida point of view does seem to depend on the scale of your problem and how long you have been fighting it. Ten years ago, I could manage up to 2 pieces of fruit with low sugar content, but now it can tip the balance for me, so I don't have the apple every day. Very occasionally, I will bake a cooking apple and add blackberries to it part way through cooking, as berries are so good for you.
Posts: 1647 | From UK | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by ukcarry: I make breads from nut and seed flours, eggs, oil, water, a small amount of glutenfree baking powder with seasonings like salt, garlic, herbs and a few walnuts or pumpkin seeds for texture: they are really nice and satisfying too.
I eat turnip, swede(rutabaga) and celeriac instead of carrot or potato most of the time and have found some really satisfying ways to eat them. My favourite is celeriac tandoori with a salsa.
I also eat small portions of quinoa from time to time and the occasional rice cake if desperate! For fruit, I sometimes have green apple slices in lemon juice. Whether or not you can eat fruits from a candida point of view does seem to depend on the scale of your problem and how long you have been fighting it. Ten years ago, I could manage up to 2 pieces of fruit with low sugar content, but now it can tip the balance for me, so I don't have the apple every day. Very occasionally, I will bake a cooking apple and add blackberries to it part way through cooking, as berries are so good for you.
all sounds like a great solution, do you take into account the carb content in say an onion?
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
posted
I wouldn't worry about onions. Yes, you can begin to get depressed if you severely limit carbs. Be sure you're getting plenty of green vegetables.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: I wouldn't worry about onions. Yes, you can begin to get depressed if you severely limit carbs. Be sure you're getting plenty of green vegetables.
i eat a lot of broccoli snd spinach so that should be ok. its just when i was looking up nutritional info alot of vegetables are high in carbs :/
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
emla999/Lyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12606
posted
For what it's worth,
Eating a very low carbohydrate diet may lower your blood T3 thyroid hormone level.
But eating a diet that is HIGH in carbohydrates has been shown to increase the blood T3 thyroid hormone level.
"based on the fact that serum concentrations of thyroid hormones, especially of Triiodothyronine (T3), are dependent on the amount of dietary carbohydrate. High-carbohydrate diets are associated with significantly higher serum T3 concentrations, compared with very low-carbohydrate diets."
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
My lyme doctor said to only eat a small amount of brown rice about once per week.
Burrascano doesn't allow rice at all. I didn't eat it while treating.
You can have a few berries at the end of a meal if your yeast is not too bad. This way, the sugar from them is being mixed in with a full meal.
Any time I broke the rules of the diet, I got yeast. I was being treated agressively.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by TF: My lyme doctor said to only eat a small amount of brown rice about once per week.
Burrascano doesn't allow rice at all. I didn't eat it while treating.
You can have a few berries at the end of a meal if your yeast is not too bad. This way, the sugar from them is being mixed in with a full meal.
Any time I broke the rules of the diet, I got yeast. I was being treated agressively.
how can you tell if your being affected by yeast? as not sure if i have candida or not
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Anyone taking antibiotics has to be proactive against candida.
The entire GI tract from lips to the end point of elimination for urinary tract and the colon can all be affected but also candida can become systemic outside of the urinary tract and GI tract/colon and affect brain, mood, energy and even cause localized or full body pain and swelling.
Probiotics are absolutely required, of course but are usually not enough against antibiotics in a weakened body.
Good nutrition with good proteins, good carbs, good fats, hydration. Green Tea is helpful for the gut, too.
OLE (or a similar approach is also essential, IMO, for anyone taking abx, even short term).
After decades of on and off abx, no idea of prevention of candida - finally, the last time I took Seagate OLE and I did just fine. No problems at all with candida. It was amazing. I could even eat a smart balanced diet with some dark berries with a meal and I did well.
I also just could not function with vegetables as my only carbs. I kept passing out from blood sugar drops.
I needed the glycemic longevity that small servings at each meal of non-gluten grains & legumes provided (mostly seeds, legumes and rices, though, really). Veggies still took front seat but they did not last long enough for my blood sugar stability, even with protein and fats at the same times.
I had been without any fruit for years and I think that really hurt me. I needed the unique nutrients from the darker, lower sugar fruits. And OLE made that possible.
Same with small servings of the most complex seeds and grasses (wild rice is really a grass and the least starchy of any rice, really).
ALLICIN may be a nice substitute for OLE, as may some BERBERINE formulas. Some kind of antifungal herbal supplement is always needed, for myself - at least. Probiotics were just never enough and I could not tolerate or afford diflucan on a daily basis (as was required to get candida under control UNTIL I learned about SEAGATE OLE). Never needed diflucan after that.
OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT - LINKS -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- For those in intimate relationship, both romantic partners should always be treated for (prevention or to rid) candida if either one of them is taking antibiotics.
Neither one should ever forget both probiotics and also some kind of antifungal foods (garlic) or supplements if at all possible.
Attention to the MOUTH is also vital as even kissing can spread candida back and forth. OLE can be found in tincture form for a mouth rinse and there are others that will serve this purpose, too.
Opening up a probiotic capsule at least once a day is good for the mouth tissue, too.
Both men and women should also be mindful of safe topical treatment of intimate areas.
If either partner neglets the total attention to this matter, it can be misery for the other, even if they are not treating lyme.
If the one not with / not treating lyme neglets attention to candida prevention, it can also clobber the other's chances at winning against lyme, too, as they have to battle being repeated infected with candida from the partner who is not taking care of this matter. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I start having die off from yeast within one to two days of eliminating sugar. You'll know if you're having die off. A couple of my symptoms are itchy scalp, headache..
Brown rice will raise your blood sugar.
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If OLE is taken in the middle of a meal that includes a little black rice, blood glucose should still remain within stable bounds. The darker the color - WITH vegetables and with protein and with fats all matters greatly for the balance of blood sugar.
I tested this and the range was always fine as long as I took OLE with my food.
Black rice is even now being recommended for diabetics. Same with legumes - as it's the balance throughout the hours that keeps us going.
And we do all need some blood sugar to fuel our cells or we'd all be dead. It's just really tricky, though, when candida has already taken hold. Better preventative measures BEFORE even starting abx when possible. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by girl: I start having die off from yeast within one to two days of eliminating sugar. You'll know if you're having die off. A couple of my symptoms are itchy scalp, headache..
Brown rice will raise your blood sugar.
ah thank you, would it still be possible to get die off if you haven't cut carbs completely but significantly lowered the carbs?
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- girl mentions the die-off and that is classic. If you start OLE, Diflucan or other antifungal and you feel worse, that's the die-off (the herxheimer) that she's taking about and it's a big clue. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Q: "would it still be possible to get die off if you haven't cut carbs completely but significantly lowered the carbs?
You cannot cut carbs completely. You would die. Protein and fat are not enough alone.
Significantly lowering carbs is not exactly the goal, either. It's the KIND of carbs - not simple but complex that you want and with protein and fat at the same time. Veggies as the main carb supply.
Do cut out all simple carbs, of course.
Still, as long as there is candida, when any effort is made to eradicate it, there is likely going to be die-off. Liver support, antioxidants from good foods and supplements are key. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
LIVER & KIDNEY SUPPORT & and several HERXHEIMER support links, too. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If you are trying to totally cut carbs and feel awful, it may not be die-off but a porphyria attack (triggered from lack of carbs) and that can be very dangerous, even fatal. Refer to the porphyria thread above for detail. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mugaruka - Yes, I believe you can still have die off without cutting carbs completely.
Here's an example:
Say that normally you have 3 cokes a day along with your meals and ice cream for dessert - and oatmeal for breakfast, and cookies for a snack. The next day, you decide your yeast is out of control and you cut out sugar. Before long, you're having die off symptoms (headache, mood swings, brain fog, etc.) and you also feel fatigued from the decrease in calories...
Soon enough though, it becomes unbearable and you just don't have enough energy to do what you need to do for the day, and you feel like you HAVE to have some sugar because it's been such a drastic change, so you have a handful of raspberries, which technically have sugar.
Well you can still have die off -even though you have ingested some sugar in the form of fruit. So say you stick with the one or two servings of raspberries a day and continue to have die off... when you notice you are not having die off anymore, you can cut the raspberries out and go deeper, then you could have more die off.
Once that's over and you've concentrated on cleansing your body, possibly doing colon cleanses and skin brushing to get those toxins out so the yeast doesn't reseed in your colon, you could concentrate on going deeper, perhaps start eating more coconut oil on your food, adding garlic, or taking some other anti. yeast measures.
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
If your tongue has a white coating when you first wake up in the morning, that is the yeast on it. When you swallow, it goes into your intestines.
If you have a lot of bloating, that can be caused by yeast. I had bloating and abdominal pain any time I got the white tongue. So, it was really easy for me to know that I had yeast.
Burrascano has a page on how to clear the yeast from your mouth. It is right by his anti-yeast diet.
If you have yeast, your doctor should give you a prescription for Diflucan. That kills yeast really well. But, if you still have carbs in your diet, the yeast will just grow back. So, stay on the low carb diet while treating lyme and while taking Diflucan.
You can also buy Oil of Oregano in a health food store and use that for yeast. Put 3-4 drops in a few ounces of water and swish around in your mouth for a minute or 2. Then, swallow it. Do it 3 times per day.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Doesn't either Oil of Oregano or OLE kill the good bacteria, too? I can't remember which one..
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If you take probiotics away from OLE, it will be fine. All antifungals have the potential to destroy good bacteria, just as antibiotics do.
Separate probiotics by 2 - 3 hours both directions of the clock.
Continual replenishment is required by probiotics in capsules, powder but also in foods.
Miso soup is just one such food with good bacteria. Certain fermented cabbages, nutritional yeast - that flakey yellow stuff chock full of B-vitamins is excellent, too (and it is safe with candida). -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't believe that all antifungals have the potential to destroy good bacteria.
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
Antifungal herbs can affect good bacteria, too. Some maybe less so than with harsher Rx but it's hard to tract it all, so it's just safest to always replenish. We should be doing that as part of good nutrition with each meal, anyway.
Spotlight Article 6: Good Carbs and Bad Carbs � What You Don�t Know IS Hurting You
Excerpts:
. . . When it comes to grains, we only recommend the gluten-free Body Ecology grain-like seeds of millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat.
These grains may not be that familiar to you, but they are becoming easier to find on your supermarket shelves as more and more health conscious people discover their benefits.
They are hearty, nutrient-dense miracle foods that have actually been around for thousands of years. Here are some of their other great benefits:
Quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat are all a complete protein, which is rare in the plant world.
These grains will not feed pathogenic yeasts like candida in your body.
In fact, they act as a prebiotic (food) for the healthy microflora in your intestines, which means more grain-loving microflora will flourish and increase your digestive power.
They are rich in fiber, which encourages healthy elimination and cleanses your intestines. They contain antioxidants, B vitamins, and important minerals (like manganese, magnesium, iron, and tryptophan) and are great non-dairy sources of calcium.
They help your body produce serotonin, which has a calming, soothing effect on your mind and body. With higher levels of serotonin, you will feel happier, won�t crave carbs, and should sleep much better at night.
Preparation of Grains: [cont'd at link above] -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
I have been gluten free for ages and thought brown rice would be ok to eat so am disappointed to here its not.
I am not on antibiotics, but since i have significantly reduced my carbs i have had many symptons of a yeast die off/
Thank you for all the advice.
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Even when taking antibiotics - and also OLE & probioitcs - I did absolutely fine with brown, red, black, wild rices and
millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat
(that last set is suggested in the Body Ecology Diet as a healthy addition to an anti-candida plan).
You might want to shift to millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat as they can each be very nice. See suggestions for how to prepare at the Body Ecology site.
Also, again, these are to be in moderation with veggies still prominent, volume-wise.
Quinoa comes as regular (must be rinsed in a very fine strainer before cooking. Red Quinoa need not be rinsed. Black quinoa has not yet found its way to my kitchen.
Raw Buckwheat GROATS is what you'd look for.
Good to rotate. Any of these can be cooked with "sweet" herbs / spices or with "savory" ones. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mugaruka, if you get to a point to where you follow the BED diet, you might be happy to know that at some point in the diet, red potatoes are allowed. maybe this would replace your rice somehow? She says that grains like wheat and rice are not allowed on the diet because "fermentation of the natural complex sugars in grain encourages yeast overgrowth."
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Keebler: - Even when taking antibiotics - and also OLE & probioitcs - I did absolutely fine with brown, red, black, wild rices and
millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat
(that last set is suggested in the Body Ecology Diet as a healthy addition to an anti-candida plan).
You might want to shift to millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat as they can each be very nice. See suggestions for how to prepare at the Body Ecology site.
Also, again, these are to be in moderation with veggies still prominent, volume-wise.
Quinoa comes as regular (must be rinsed in a very fine strainer before cooking. Red Quinoa need not be rinsed. Black quinoa has not yet found its way to my kitchen.
Raw Buckwheat GROATS is what you'd look for.
Good to rotate. -
ah ok thats good to hear that you were ok with rice. i have tried the other grains and do like them i will try them again Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by girl: Mugaruka, if you get to a point to where you follow the BED diet, you might be happy to know that at some point in the diet, red potatoes are allowed. maybe this would replace your rice somehow? She says that grains like wheat and rice are not allowed on the diet because "fermentation of the natural complex sugars in grain encourages yeast overgrowth."
thank you thats interesting, its all very new to me looking at it from a yeast aspect I have been looking more in terms of a macrobiotic diet before
Posts: 58 | From east sussex | Registered: Apr 2012
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Anytime we've eaten a particular food often, it's a good idea to stop it for a few weeks, anyway. You may do just find without brown rice. I've not had it for many months now and I don't even miss it with all the other choices.
It's best to rotate our foods so that we don't eat the same thing day in and day out. I have read that a 3-day wait is best but that's hard to do with some foods that we rely upon. Still, at least switch every other day.
With the grains suggested by the Body Ecology site as good with an anti-candida diet, when you go for all the variations of the those (say, the regular, the red, the black quinoa) . . . and the others (millet, amaranth, buckwheat), it's fairly easy to rotate.
I wonder what Body Ecology might say about WILD rice. IT's really so much different than any of the other rices. The consistency just seems more plant like and less sticky - it is a grass, after all. But the other rices may be, too.
With veggies, too, get a wide variety. Variety matters so much and we often forget that. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic