Sugar, The Bitter Truth: By Dr. Lustig

When low fat is really high fat.

Very interesting.

Dr. Mercola introduced the video on his website. Moral of the story: all sugar is horrible for health but especially fructose and carbohydrates that can only be metabolized by the liver. They are in essence chronic toxins.

No wonder I got PCOS being raised on the government sanctioned school meal plan. Luckily I drive my food choices these days. And if I were not so sensitive, I may not need to try such a low carb Japanese diet. But I stand revised on my previous post about the Japanese diet, as most of the carbohydrates are glucose which the Dr. above asserts gives energy to every cell in the body (besides the fact that it can be metabolized outside of the liver.)

Makes me wish that I had gotten far enough to study biochem. But C- ed my way out of o-chem.

Doing Low-Carb in Japanese Cuisine

My favorite Bento-Cooking Site:

http://www.justhungry.com/japanese-food-and-beverages-diabetics-and-low-carb-eaters

This blog is for those out there who just don't feel good on carbs or suffer from a variety of metabolic syndromes such as Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, PCOS, and general syndrome X issues.

Since I just returned from Japan, my experiences are fresh in my mind. I've been studying for so long there are not many cultural things that are shocking to me anymore, but one thing that shocked me (that did not shock me during my youth when I did not realize that carbs were negatively effecting how I felt) was the amount of carbs and in the inaccesibility of proteins that complicated folks such as myself need. Meals are large and abundant in noodles, rice, and starches without having much for someone who needs a cushioning protein in order to make energy. So I'm leaving this post here to help me and others who have this issue survive in Japan. It is possible but you have to get creative, and I will surely continue to loose weight as the heaviest staples in Japan give me crazy sugar spikes and the scary low-blood sugar crashes that surely contributed to my feeling insane the last time I went. With my new awareness of how these foods affect my system, I did just fine this time.

So that is a link I would like to rely on and keep stock of protein choices I have found in Japan.

Protein choices:

-tofu

-egg (hard boiled, tamagoyaki)

-fish cakes

-meats (hot dogs, ground meat patties, sizzled meats, ham)

-katsus aren't bad

And that blog was really good for talking about carb choices for those of us (considering even the buckwheat options probably contain a portion of white flour) who are a bit sensitive to white flours and white rice. It's like putting jet fuel in my system. It's hard to find a carb that looks like it recently came from a plant without being pulverized into refined flour.

Vegetables can always be relied on for your main carb, when coupled with small portions of rice.

Some Fog has Cleared

Been a few days since I wrote here *gasp*.

My parents came down for the weekend to help me out, had a good day on Saturday, a little off on Sunday, and then until today this week has been pretty hard. Even this morning was really rough. Lot's of doctor's appointments. Good news is the cyst probably won't need surgery, it is probably already on its way to recovery. There is a check-up coming after the end of the term to make sure it goes away.

I am off progesterone for the time being... after my functional med dr. said the dose was way too high... no wonder I was having side effects from it. And my cycle has began for the first time in about a month and a half. At least the progesterone works to jump start things... however getting the right dose is tricky. As expected, I am encouraged to go on synthetic hormone bcps because of the PCOS (not by the functional med dr.) but if keeping my weight low and working on diet, insulin resistance and such will keep the cycle regular, I prefer that method. Because I feel sicker around my cycle I'm cautiously optimistic that things will turn around after this week. Now I know how werewolves are. Except these symptoms make me feel more like a were-human.

I'm getting tested for leaky gut and parasites. Getting the samples ready is kind of a pain in the butt.

Mom watered the seed in my head that I might have a brain tumor, although my strongest suspicion is still that the vaccine did something to my immune system. Maybe my immune system is finally calming down. Glands under my tongue that have been swollen for months have gone down slightly since my cycle began. I was also having night sweats... and horrible anxiety this week. Very much like in Japan. I don't know if it feels worse because it is worse or worse because I'm more comfortable around my family and in Japan I had to do my very best to pull myself together for my host family and as a scholarship student I had many commitments and events (such as going to tour the Mazda factory.) Very exciting time in my life, but also a very scary one. And even though I'm scared that it may be a brain tumor or MS or something, my symptoms don't completely fit that picture... looks like an as of yet misunderstood immune reaction. It's not all that implausible... vaccines have been discontinued when they have done similar things to the public. One that I discovered is Lymerix, the vaccine for Lyme disease which is no longer out in public because of the extremely high rate of people having reactions to it. Oh if I had a billion dollars, there would have to be some research in the area of reversing vaccine damage or more understanding on what appear to be autoimmune responses.

Or, this reaction could very well be the symptoms provoke great anxiety which in turn causes and exacerbates the symptoms. This is a tough nut to crack.

The mechanism of injury for the Lymerix vaccine appeared to be the inclusion of the lyme protein itself... probably the reason that lyme disease is so devastating because the proteins of the infections agents (besides the special tricks the bacterium can play) mimic the proteins of tissues. The immune system forms a memory of that protein (amino acid sequence) and then the cells in the system designed to target the bacterium are confused and start doing their job on tissues of the body! How confusing!

Theories are the same as Epstein Barr Virus linked to Multiple Sclerosis. Generally, any immune reaction puts an individual at risk for Guillian Barre. I'm going to look into what naturopathy does about autoimmune illnesses, although it seems that as naturopathic methods are natural, they aim to stimulate the immune system. That process is a little dangerous in those with these "bad memories" in their immune cells... which is why I'm sure I had a flare of this after having my immune system stimulated. And now that I'm getting run down... I truly hope I can go back to just being a worn down version of myself instead of completely nuts. Just the anxiety is sickening.

Also can report that I test negative for all the classic autoimmune diseases: RA and Lupus. Sed rates don't show that anything is going on, but I'm certainly weakened by the nausea, weight loss, anxiety, lack of appetite and so on and so forth. But feeling more optimistic because I'm feeling better tonight. Getting worried because I can make it through a great day and crash at night... hopefully not tonight... because the anxiety meds just don't really help.

Actually feeling a little like knitting tonight and watching some TV shows with my hubby... this is improvement. Made it through class and my mind for homework has somewhat come back. No more immune stimulation for me after this episode.

Walking down memory lane... pictures are from my trip to the Mazda main headquarters in Hiroshima Japan in the midst of my first health crisis after getting the vaccine. Part symptoms, part anxiety... so much I didn't know. I do believe it was a beautiful experience, but can't help but feel bittnerness that the magnitude of that beauty was affected by that vaccine... I guess i'm working on coming to terms with it.

My Momiji Racer design won that day for the car design contest~~~ (But really, the true prize was being able to go to Japan, I would have never been able to afford the study abroad without the scholarship I received) momiji is maple leaf, which is a symbol of Hiroshima/Miyajima. One of the popular local souvenirs is momiji manjuu or Maple Leaf shaped dessert buns. There's nothing quite like eating one straight from Nishikido

A little write-up in the local paper

With Ryuga, Mazda's concept car. Just like all the ones you see in magazines.

So Frustrated

; _ ;

Chest pain, palpitations, mostly left side and in arm but also feeling on right side tonight. Can't really talk to anyone in my immediate circle, I've hit the "dead horse" that is trying to figure out why I'm feeling so sick. My parents are convinced that progesterone is a miracle problem and it will cure all my ills. Aren't open to the idea that parasites could be a part of this... even though the evidence is *ahem* in the toilet. And my husband is just too tired after staying up all night studying for a midterm.

Don't know who to talk to so I'll just write in this blog. Then I can keep track of how I'm feeling.

Makes me mad that they say "oh you're just feeling bad because your hormones are out of line." They're reading books on PCOS and stuff, but meanwhile I feel like they are tuning out what I have to say. They are as blinded as the Drs who form their opinions of you the moment you walk in the room. YES my hormones are out of line, but there must be an underlying reason. And, if progesterone cream was such a miracle, then taking it should have leveled me out. And who cares if it levels out my emotions if the rest of me still feels sick and falling apart? It makes me break-through bleed and I suspect instead of having a period this month... well I just got a gigantic cyst that I'm waiting to dissolve! (I'm hoping it will, and wondering if it couldn't be related to parasites...) You're not supposed to stay on hormones that are not your own, the endocrine system works in negative feedback loops and responds to the level of progesterone in the system. If there is progesterone, it does not have to produce it.

And all the happy healthy college students are living it up on Halloween.

Mailed Dr. Flannery to ask if he ever works collaboratively/through/with/consults Drs. I sure hope so, and of course the Dr I have will have to agree.

Feeling really lonely and like this will never end...

Symptoms Over Time, Specialists Seen and Tests Done

Symptoms Over Time after Receiving Gardasil Vaccination (Related or not, they are what they are) most symptoms come and go but "flares" in which old symptoms return or intensify are still felt.

June 2007

-anxiety, difficulty sleeping, "feeling weird"-heat sensations down arms, creepy crawly, urge to move, nausea, irritable bowel, eyes feel strange, chest pain, rapid heart beat (unexplained)

July 2007

-hair loss, weight loss, intensified anxiety and difficulty especially in evening time, afraid to fall asleep especially when alone (which was very hard during study abroad to Japan)

CBC normal, slightly elevated lymphocytes

August 2007

-continued symptoms, after trying beta blocker experienced first heart palpitations, continued heart palpitations, dizzy spells,

September 2007

-experienced first hot flash while on zoloft

Tried: neurologist (MRI, with follow up CT when an "air cell" was seen, not suspected as cause for symptoms), cardiologist (holter monitor, ECG (also done multiple times in Japan... Drs. pitying me performed it free of charge)stress test, cardiac MRI, have had extended Holter Monitor Follow up Since then) pediatrician (lyme (probably not a good test), CBC, metabolic panels numerous time, naturopath (cortisol found to be low in saliva tests) Vitamin D deficiency-suspected adrenal fatigue, used nutrition/vitamin IV therapy and supplements, dermatologist (for hair loss, no testing requested)

January 2008

After much prodding from my friends (I'm grateful for) urged me to go to college breaking me out of a deep situational depression when I felt I could control nothing in my life and that nobody would ever be able to help me, but have received sense of warmth from naturopath and alternative physicians, worst experience has been--- I MADE IT TO COLLEGE!

-one night sweat episode

-intermittent evening "feeling wierd" spells, call parents in tears when it happens

Continued efforts with naturopath: nutritional treatments (fatigued after them)

May 2008

-met a boy first term at college, turned out to be the one (currently married, don't got the paperwork yet though)

-first LARGE floater noticed... eyes just seem to be deteriorating

-menstrual period absent for 3 months, jump started with progesterone pill,

-weight gain

PCOS DIAGNOSED

Winter break 2008-2009

-Went to Korea (my husband is Korean), node on neck became irritated and swollen, caught a cold toward end of trip... suffered through winter term with

MONO- liver involvement highly elevated liver enzymes, nausea, swollen nodes and tonsils, haven't recovered since. Add this to the relapsing, remitting symptoms previously addressed, chronic fatigue definitely not helped by this

Summer 2009

-dizzy spell, went to ER, not knowing my history of course no tests were ordered and I was diagnosed with "dizziness"

Fall 2009

-working with Functional Medicine Dr., "paleo-mediterranean diet", drinking protein shake... raw vegetables irritated G.I. tract... adopted strict diet and am for the most part 100% organic foods

Winter

-at end of winter term, diagnosed with gallstone (don't attribute this so much to gardasil but to a poor diet (I ate school cafeteria food growing up), surgery to remove the gallbladder

Summer 2010

-brief respite from symptoms, riding bike everyday for about 1 hr, playing tennis with a sweet neighbor girl who my husband and I just adore, hanging out with friends, rediscovering old passions for crafts and art, don't have the same attention span for it... but taught myself how to knit and crochet...

neck and throat nodes, glands swelling, glands under tongue swollen since cold infection in spring term...

Tried: attempted the "paleo" diet... eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, lean protein... progesterone cream

Fall 2010:

-exacerbation of symptoms following similar pattern

-complex ovarian cyst, right side (scared that this is going to need surgery 3*3 cm) painful, thought it was appendicitis! yikes!

-more/increased eye symptoms (hopefully when the flare goes away then my brain or whatever is irritated will heal and these will resolve somewhat)

-for the first time before 2007 having difficulty functioning due to worry about symptoms

Winter 2010-2011:

-problems have gone away, feeling much better, a lot of help from acupuncture

able to participate in ballet 3 x a week and didn't miss any school except for a really bad cold 2/20 ish, periods regulated... acupuncture is amazing!