Thread by @mrc314

#T2RevFoodCGM #keto #CGM #ketoAF

A thread on two diets with differences in WHAT and WHEN to eat.

Low-fat, three meals plus snacks (my HistoricDiet™)

vs

Low-carb, 4 hour TRF (time restricted feeding)

There is a lot of chatter on social media debating whether a low-carb/keto diet can improve health, and perhaps prevent certain disease. Much of this chatter turns out to be covert vegan disdain for consuming animal products, which confounds any discussion of the real question:

Does consuming less carbohydrate improve health and prevent or reduce the severity of long term chronic disease? We can't really know for sure given the prohibitions against conducting RCTs to find out. IRBs won't approve such trials. Subjects would never actually comply.

We can't lock up people to control what they eat and how they live for long periods. But can we agree that higher glucose levels, and especially spikes, on a #CGM chart are indicative of exposure to hyperglycemia, and that chronic hyperglycemia is detrimental to health?

Can we also agree that wild fluctuations in glucose (high or low) are also indicative of exposure to hyperinsulinemia, and that chronic hyperinsulinemia is detrimental to health?

This (n=1 anecdotal) evidence suggests consuming an ordinary SAD diet is worse than a #LCHF/#keto diet for controlling blood sugar (and insulin) levels—both average and peak. Those hypoglycemic crashes I observed (from glucose bolus for OGTT/Kraft tests) were absent this time.

Approach: See if I can maintain a relatively flat CGM plot of similar shape and BG level on my HistoricDiet™—a carb-rich low-fat SAD 5-a-day plan compared to my normal #ketoAF TRF diet. These two days were isocaloric at ~2590 kCal. Judge for yourself:

First, the baseline #ketoAF TRF diet, eating as I was told NOT to for 40 years:

Next, the HistoricDiet™, eating as I was told to for 40 years:

What do you think the long term effects are of the latter? I know, I was there for decades. I'm 70lbs lighter now. On one Rx for HBP (working on getting off that) instead of seven Rx medications. I sleep well now, no longer with a CPAP machine. I no longer have gout, asthma.

I have energy. I no longer want to just give up living.

I discovered it is quite difficult to eat one meal a day of high carb choices; too soon, you feel stuffed yet still crave nourishment.

The HistoryDiet™ fails for me. The #CGM curve reveals an objective and grim truth.

I have learned from my look back on what (and how) I used to eat.

Historically, I ate three meals a day, plus several snacks. Presently, I eat once or twice a day.

Historically, I fasted for about 8 hours a day (while I slept). Presently, I eat during a 4 hour window.

Historically, I consumed a low-fat, low protein diet. The rest were so called healthy carbs. No sugar-sweetened sodas. I avoided saturated fats b/c they clog your arteries.

Presently, I consume <20g of carbohydrate a day, moderate protein, the rest healthy fats. No PUFAs.

Historically, I gained weight over the years and was hungry a lot when I tried to lose weight.

Presently, I don't get hungry because of what & how I eat.

Historically, I got sick and fat and took seven Rx at a time.

Presently, on a beta blocker for mild HTN, working on that.

Historically, I ate a *healthy* diet, and before I changed diets, my labs were awful.

Presently, many say my diet is harmful. Yet at my last lab check, by lab numbers are healthy. Don't be swayed by #LDLBS!

Presently, my CAC is ZERO.

Historically, I didn't have a #CGM to monitor blood glucose, to see how what I ate, and when I ate affected glucose levels. Presently, I do.

What a difference technology and social media have made on my health. If you're thinking about trying a low-carb, keto diet, do it. /fin

I neglected to edit the percentages, the grams are correct: