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- Flag of the United Nations
This is World Diabetes Day. See the International Diabetes Federation website for details.
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Happy World Diabetes Day!
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Recommended Supplements for the Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet
I’ve finalized—at least for now—the latest supplements for dieters on the Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet, and tinkered with the original plan: Version 2.0 is published.
Daily supplements:
- 1 or 2 plain Centrum multivitamin/multimineral supplements (two if over 250 lb or 114 kg)
- Magnesium oxide 250 mg
- Calcium carbonate 500 mg elemental calcium (500 mg twice daily if over 250 lb or 114 kg)
- Extra vitamin D to reach total of 1,000–1,200 IU (each Centrum has 400 IU)
- Potassium gluconate 2,750 mg (450 mg elemental potassium) or Morton Salt Substitute (potassium chloride) ¼ tsp (1.2 g)
- If prone to constipation: sugar-free Metamucil powder 1–2 rounded tsp (5.8–11.6 g) in water
- At least three quarts or liters of water
The published version 2.0 of KMD has a misprint: “1,000–2,ooo IU of vitamin D.” Should be 1,000–1,200 IU. I’ll fix it soon and label it version 2.1.
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Linus Pauling Institute’s Micronutrient Information Center
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I found a free source of science-based information on various dietary micronutrients: the Linus Pauling Institute’s Micronutrient Information Center. If you have questions about zinc, manganese, molybdenum, coenzyme Q10, calcium, vitamin D, or other micronutrients, you’ll probably find the answers there.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt
Steve Parker, M.D.
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My Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Day 37
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Weight: 158.5 lb
Transgressions: none
Exercise: none
Comments
I eat a large salad once or twice daily, often dressed with Safeway Select “Olive Oil and Balsamic Dressing.” Wouldn’t you think the this would be an olive oil vinaigrette? The first ingredient listed on the bottle is vegetable oil (soybean oil, extra virgin olive oil). Then water, balsamic vinegar, etc. I assume it has more soybean oil than olive oil. Could they just put a drop of olive oil in a serving and still call it “Olive Oil and Balsamic Dressing”?
Just an example to illustrate you don’t really know what you’re eating unless you fix it yourself. Gotta admit the product is tasty, however!
I’ll look for another product with extra virgin olive oil as the primary ingredient. Any suggestions?
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My Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Day 31 – Mission Accomplished!
copper pipe
Transgressions: none
Exercise: none
Comments
Today is a milestone for me: I’ve reached the goal weight I set for myself 30 days ago! Waist size has dropped from 37 to 35¼ inches. I may be up 1.5 lb tomorrow just by shifts in fluid balance and intestinal contents. My waist was 32 inches when I was in my 20’s. As I look in the mirror, I can see the improvement over a month ago, and I’d like to see even less fat around my midsection. I’ll stay on the program another couple weeks and see what happens. My energy intake over the last two days has increased by 200 cal, up to 2000 cals/day—perhaps my body is starting to defend its current weight.
My nutrient analysis at NutritionData suggests that the un-supplemented Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet may be deficient in copper. Here’s a summary of copper physiology.
Copper is involved in enzymes that relate to antioxidant defense, production of nervous system chemical messengers, collagen and bone formation, blood clotting, melatonin production, and electron transport. Deficiency of copper causes weakness, bleeding, fragile hair, depigmentation of skin (pale skin), osteoporosis, edema, ataxia (unsteady gait), neuropathy (impaired nerve function), impaired thinking, microcytic anemia, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and low platelets.
Copper deficiency could explain the easy bruising seen commonly in people on very low-carb diets. Other factors, such as vitamin C or K deficiency may be more common.
How common is copper deficiency? Working full-time in hospitals over the last eight years, I’ve never seen a documented case—diagnosed by me or any other physician—of copper deficiency. I’ll admit I rarely look for it by measuring a blood level. Among the causes of copper deficiency listed at UpToDate.com, very low-carb diets are not listed.
-Steve
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My Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Day 30
Skip the cone
Weight: 160.5 lb (72.9 kg)
Transgressions: exceeded veggie max by 1.5 oz, and nut max by 0.5 oz
Exercise: 90 minutes horseback riding (mostly walking), horse grooming
Comments
A friend told me about Breyers Carb Smart Chocolate Frozen Dairy Desert. It’s in the ice cream section of the supermarket, comes in an ice cream container, but they don’t call it ice cream. Sweetened with Splenda, it’s marketed for use as part of a low-carb diet and has five grams of net carbs per serving. The one-half cup serving size contains:
- 110 calories (60 fat calories)
- total carbs 15 g, fiber 4 g, sugars 5 g, sugar alcohol 6 g
- ingredients: milk, skim milk, cream, sorbitol, polydextrose, cocoa (processed with alkali), whey, glycerine cellulose gel, propylene glycol monoesters, mono and digylcerides, etc.
It tastes fine. You could serve it to houseguests as ice cream and they’d never know. I didn’t have regular Breyers ice cream available for a head-to-head comparison, but I expect the real deal tastes better.
I’m conflicted about recommending an imitation ice cream to someone who may be a carbaholic and trying to lose weight and keep it off. Ice cream has contributed to overweight in many folks. Could imitation ice cream lead them to “fall off the wagon”? On the other hand if someone has been doing well with very low-carb eating for several weeks and is just dying for something cold and sweet, wouldn’t this be better than real ice cream?
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My Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Day 14
"Who can read those tiny numbers?!"
Weight: 162 lb
Transgressions: none
Exercise: none
Comments
It’s easy for body weight to vary throughout the day by as much as 3–4 pounds (1.4–1.8 kg), depending on state of hydration, meals, and volume status of the urinary bladder and intestines. The most reliable time to weigh is first thing after getting up from hours of sleep, after emptying your bladder, wearing your usual sleeping clothes or none at all.
Feeling good. No dizziness or muscle aches.
-Steve
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World’s Oldest Person Dies at 115
High-fat, high-carb
Gertrude Baines died yesterday in Los Angeles at the age of 115, according to the Associated Press.
She liked to eat fried chicken, bacon, and ice cream.
Steve Parker, M.D.
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My Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Day 5
Weight: 164.5 lb
Transgressions: lost track of my vegetable intake
Exercise: none
Comments
Achy muscles and dizziness mostly in remission, at least for now. Dizziness was primarily with change in position, such as sitting up after bending over to tie shoes.
Need to come up with a method to keep track of my veggie intake (max of 14 oz or 200 g daily). For example, I threw some onion in the pan with my eggs and sausage and forgot to weigh and keep track of them. May have exceeded veggie max a little. Consider mixing 14 oz of various raw veggies at start of day and set aside to be eaten throughout the day.
Do you ever notice a film building up on your teeth if you go too long—12 hours perhaps— without brushing? Well, I seem to be having less of that film. Too soon to be sure, could be fluke. Reminds me of the Cleave-Yudkin carbohydrate theory of dental and systemic chronic disease. The dental component is caries (cavities), gingivitis, and periodontal disease. I wonder if carb restriction has already been tested as a treatment for these dental diseases.
-Steve
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