Medical Advice for ATS Members Show 1257: The Metabolical Results of the American Diet

I read that many here have medical conditions. Most surfaced when the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. FYI I am medically compromised in that I have Mitochondrial Disease which is an autoimmune disorder. Its considered a disability however I am NOT disabled as I work through it. My Mitochondrial issue is on the Protein end such as my body cant digest excess protein from food so it spills into my blood as a toxin and the result is head to toe body aches and joint pain. In brief it feels like you have the flu. It never goes away. I inherited it from my mother as it was passed on to me at birth genetically. I cant pass it onto my children. My brothers don't have it.

I was diagnosed by The Cleveland Clinic in 2003 after a thigh biopsy was conducted.

Show 1257: The Metabolical Results of the American Diet (Archive)

Dr. Robert Lustig has been warning us all about the hazards of sugar since 2009, when his YouTube lecture “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” went viral. As a pediatric neuroendocrinologist, he spent much of his career treating the causes of obesity in children. Now, he turns his impressive expertise to helping adults as well as children. Metabolic syndrome contributes to the chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease that kill most Americans. But what is causing the metabolic syndrome? Could it be the American diet? Addressing the Roots of Disease: Heart disease and diabetes kill millions of Americans. If you ask doctors why, they point to obesity. But Dr. Lustig says obesity is not actually the problem; instead, it is a symptom of the problem. The true cause is subcellular dysfunction. Eight different pathologies are difficult for doctors to diagnose and even harder to treat with medication. But the right food (real food, not processed food) can correct the pathologies and lead to good health.

There is no cure however I was prescribed "The Cleveland Cocktail" which is the following vitamins taken daily as follows: 1000MG vitamin C, 8800MG vitamin E, 400 COQ-10 [Coenzyme Q10] and 100MG vitamin B6. I started it back in 2003. I have an athletic build as I used to lift weights and still do. I am 6' 1" @ 213 pounds. My BMI is 9% This opens the means to process the protein. I still ache but I am at the upper limit of normal for CPK. In 2003 I was at 1800 CPK. I am now 200.

Because of the above I try to eat healthy. However that wasn't good enough as I collapsed in front of my wife last November 2021. The Urgent Care doctors all said that a complete lifestyle change was necessary. Since I don't want to die I began looking at sugar as it was elevated.

To date what I thought was healthy was actually loaded with "added sugars" So I stopped eating certain cereals and substituted Body Armor Lyte for the regular Body Armor. The The Peach Mango is excellent. I also substituted Gatorade ZERO instead of regular Gatorade. My issue is Merlot red wine which doesn't have a lot of sugar for Riunite at zero and Carb Balance soft taco shells with lots of fiber and no sugar versus a potato sandwich bun. I still have milk and juice but I count the sugar. In brief I maintain the 36grams of added sugar daily for men. Women is at 24.

So, post 6 months my sugar has dropped over 12 percent and I no longer have the hand tremors along with tingling in my toes. I still lift weights and hit the basketball court three times a week for one hour each session.

My wife heard this the other day on The Peoples Pharmacy. Its all about sugar in adults and the USA attack on our children as their "fatty livers" I believe in this and will buy his book. I also urge many of you to check out the Podcast as it may be of help to you.

Also, the FDA is NOT your friend nor has been since the early 1950's

Its your life.

Good luck

I hope that your reduced sugar intake prevents future urgent care visits.

Gaterado zero and body armor lyte are tasty but not sure if the chemicals added can do damage long term.

Have you tried drinks that use stevia as a sweetner? The Zevia pops are really good. There's also alot of other drinks that avoid chemicals and have low/no sugar.

Also, does your body have an easier time processing differn't proteins? Such as plant vs meat protein.

Problems with protein metabolism is not rare, but there are many different kinds of problems associated with it. I have some problems myself, so I cannot eat a high protein diet and I cannot metabolize sugars and carbs well either. But I do metabolize some proteins better than others, fish is very easy for me to digest, so are eggs.

I have researched my problems and take some supplements to help but they only do so much. There is no cure. I tend to make only limited amounts of some enzymes so I have to have a more diverse diet and since I have problems with taking apart sucrose and mannose I have to moderate these in the diet or I get pretty sore....worse than the problems with eating too much protein. I can still eat a little carbs and sugars, just not a lot, just because I have a missing enzyme does not mean that those things have to be totally avoided, alternate pathways do exist, but what they can metabolize is not much. Treating myself to these things occasionally is nice, plus I can eat a sour dough light rye bread made locally, it is made like the old breads used to be, risen, then refrigerated for a while then baked eight to ten hours later so the sugars and carbs are digested by the yeast's enzymes to glutamine. Don't do well with live yeast in my gut, leads to bloating like crazy so I would rather eat the bread they already ate.

a reply to: CptGreenTea

I will explore so thanks for the recommendation.

Yes, pork is a bitch to digest. The #1 cause of pain after eating ribs, sausage or chops. Veggie burgers are easy to digest. Turkey and poultry is easy to digest. Beef is tough. We also don't eat any refined meats and very few canned goods.

Grilled Salmon is excellent. It actually reduces inflammation.

Thanks

Congrats on taking charge of your health, and your journey to live as well as possible with your metabolism issues.

I have one question, that is an AWFUL lot of E...is it supposed to be 8800MCG?????

8800MG vitamin E

a reply to: rickymouse

But I do metabolize some proteins better than others, fish is very easy for me to digest, so are eggs.

Yes to the above as its the same for me. Actually they want me to only eat NO more than 8 ounces of meat a day. Thats tough!

a reply to: CptGreenTea

Stevia rocks!
When looking for it though you have to be careful not to get a lot of crap fillers with your sweetener.

This is about the best I have found to use. A very little goes a long way. Even the packets only have inulin as a filler.
SweetLeaf

a reply to: Waterglass

Have you considered going with a whole-food unproccesed vegan diet?I Or at least pescitarian (veggies and fish mix)?

Tumeric can also help reduce inflammation.

I know a plant based diet has helped many people. It might be worth giving it a go I reccomend avoiding frozen and processed veggies. Even just mixing salmon to help with the transition.

a reply to: CptGreenTea

I will look into.

I actually like some brands of veggie burgers. I can eliminate ALL joint and pain by going all vegetable along with NO caffeine as in NO coffee and NO milk and / or cheese.

a reply to: Waterglass

Have you investigated histamine intolerance?
I understand your condition is genetic.

But, too much histamine doesn't help.
I started taking DAO and have had very good results with side effects from gluten and casein intolerance.
Like I even get to eat cheese and a little bread without issues.

originally posted by: Waterglass
a reply to: rickymouse

But I do metabolize some proteins better than others, fish is very easy for me to digest, so are eggs.

Yes to the above as its the same for me. Actually they want me to only eat NO more than 8 ounces of meat a day. Thats tough!

That is about what I eat max a day, about eight ounces of meat. I have always had a problem eating lots of beef and pork, chicken I can eat a little more of than the red meat. But I can eat a pound of fish with no problem for some reason...don't completely understand why, but I think it has something to do with the one point seven percent inuit genetics I have and most of my problems I have had all my life also are related to that male genetics I inherited from a culture that ate lots of fish and seals and so on. I learned young that I had some problems with certain foods so mostly avoided overeating those foods. I also learned young that I do need more salt than most people do. I just found out why that is from my genetics which my genetics actually match the diet my uncles, father, and grandfather used to eat. Yet now I have learned how to actually reduce the problems they had and get rid of the need for the medicines they took to control their problems....by evaluating how my grandfather ate who was healthy till he was eighty four and the first time he saw a doctor was the day he was pronounced dead. He was born at home back in Finland.

But, I have to add...eating a diet that was not right for many years because my wife liked those foods and she is very different genetically....It did take a toll on my body, just as being a construction worker for decades caused problems in my back and joints from overdoing everything did.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: Waterglass

Have you investigated histamine intolerance?
I understand your condition is genetic.

But, too much histamine doesn't help.
I started taking DAO and have had very good results with side effects from gluten and casein intolerance.
Like I even get to eat cheese and a little bread without issues.

Hey, how does that DAO work. Is it a supplement or is it a prescription? It sure would help when I screw up and eat foods like tomatoes that cause DAO to fall apart which causes my histamine to increase....My grandkids have way more problem with this enzyme deficiency than I do, they have three reds in the HLA section and make very little diamine oxidase to begin with...the alternate pathway to detox histamines gets overloaded and they get sick when their immune system over reacts.

originally posted by: Waterglass
a reply to: CptGreenTea

I will look into.

I actually like some brands of veggie burgers. I can eliminate ALL joint and pain by going all vegetable along with NO caffeine as in NO coffee and NO milk and / or cheese.

Most of my joint and chronic back pain went away when I started taking a five hundred mg glutamine pill twice a day....I guess I eat too much food that causes glutaminase to either not form or destroys it someway. Nice not having sore knees and hips and shoulders unless I actually go overboard and hurt them anymore. I still throw my back out or twist my knee occasionally but it is better in a day now usually if I just take it easy and don't get nuts....I am still working on that...as soon as things feel a little better I got to go and test it....no patients with being hurt.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Have you investigated histamine intolerance?

No, but that sounds interesting as I refrain from drinking beer as it sets it off. At least I don't get many head aches. I will look into. Some crackers even set it off. Town House by Keebler are my favorites but cause issues as in nose gets stuffed. Same with beer. Wine is fine.

Thanks for the link. I'll look into this as your mention of hand tremors and tingling toes is familiar. I didn't give it much thought as I couldn't figure out what caused it and as it comes on a rare occasion and only lasts a week or so.

Food makes so much sense! My mind tends to jump right to the big ones like parkinson's etc., but then the symptoms go away.

a reply to: rickymouse

I shoot hoops at the county gym by myself on the court three times a week at 60 minutes. I run it hard and am drenched with sweat. It beats jogging or treadmill. I pay $180 for that which is cheap. I have no pain in knees or hips. My issue is I pull muscles in thigh or Sciatica in both legs and butt cheeks.

Right now I can run full speed as its been with me for two months. Recently I am using a weight machine for the back. muscles.
Seems to be working.

a reply to: rickymouse

I'll post the link to what I started taking when I get on desktop.
It may be too large a dose for the young.
It is OTC

originally posted by: Waterglass
a reply to: CptGreenTea

I will look into.

I actually like some brands of veggie burgers. I can eliminate ALL joint and pain by going all vegetable along with NO caffeine as in NO coffee and NO milk and / or cheese.

Definetly give a go then. But you cant rely on just veggie burgers. You'll have to learn to cook whole food veggie meals if you want to do it proper. You can always make your own veggie burgers.

Its just that most veggie burgers are fairly processed and eating loads of them everyday isn't a healthy mixed diet.

I reccomend getting a cookbook. Or even try a food service like purple carrot if you're not on a budget.

I feel like alot of vegans fail because they rely on processed foods and it eventually catches up to them.

a reply to: Waterglass
a reply to: rickymouse

Here's some info on DAO.
It's actually more than I knew before I took it, although I did some research into food intolerances and histamines. I found out that anti-histamines can actually RAISE your histamine level!!!

Although in my readings, I never could decide which came first: gluten/casein intolerance or the other way around.

Here's what I bought:
naturdao.com...

Histamine Intolerance & DAO: Answers to Your Questions

[url=https://lowhistamineeats.com/dao-supplement/#Best_DAO_Supplements]

a reply to: CptGreenTea



We are pretty good with what we eat. We buy veggies from local farmers in which you can see the fields. I do not have a good meat source. They are many local farms which feed their cattle all natural and NO antibiotics but you will pay $20 / pound for a steak. But the flavor is restaurant grade.