There are plenty of good reasons to exercise . . . but losing weight is not one of them.
Yes, there are people, genetically-determined or armed with extraordinary determination, who can lose weight with a strenuous exercise program. But the majority lose a modest quantity and that’s the end of it. They even continue to torture themselves for years, telling themselves that they are burning calories, burning off fat, and if they would only exercise longer and harder they would lose weight–but don’t.
Is it worth exercising if it does not result in substantial control over weight? Yes, indeed it is. Among the reasons to exercise with some regularity include:
- Reduction in insulin resistance–i.e., the effect that leads to higher blood sugars and type 2 diabetes. Insulin responses are improved in both muscle and liver.
- Reduction in fatty liver–exercise can be one component of an effort to reverse fatty liver or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Growth of brain tissue–especially the hippocampus involved with memory and spatial navigation (e.g., walking and balance). In other words, exercise likely protects you from dementia.
- Improved mood–greater well-being, less depression, less anxiety all result from exercise, even if you don’t achieve the level required to experience the euphoric “runner’s high.
- Deeper sleep–Physical exertion is a terrific soporific.
- Protection from osteoporosis and fractures–especially resistance training and any movement resulting in axial impact, e.g., jumping.
- Maintenance of muscle mass and flexibility–adding to the reduction in insulin resistance and maintaining youthfulness.
- Reduction of chronic pain and chronic fatigue syndrome–Not huge effects, but exercise can be one component of a broader effort.
That’s just a partial list, but you get the idea: exercise is a marvelous means of maintaining health, even partially counteracting the effects of aging. But do it for the right reasons.
In my view, one of the most important aspects of exercise is not duration, or intensity, or whether you wear spandex pants or not. It’s whether you enjoy the activity you choose. Select activities that you love to do, not activities that make you despise or avoid the effort.
I snapped the photo above north of the Coachella Valley in Southern California during a 5-mile hike through the desert and mountains. 85 degrees, dry, blue cloudless sky, with a light breeze–an invigorating walk with spectacular views that, because of climbing about 1000 feet up hills, kept my heart rate up. And I didn’t lose a pound. I did it because I like it.
My wife and I bought WHEAT BELLY and began the diet last Christmas. We did not have weight loss in mind, although my wife lost about 12 lbs that had clung to her for the last 5+ years. I was already 10 lbs below my normal weight ( 155 lbs, 6 ft tall) of the last 40+ years.
We were both hoping to see relief from depression, poor sleep, digestive & elimination problems, and low energy levels. As of this date, we have seen almost no change in any of these 4 issues.
We have totally eliminated wheat, corn and oats since Christmas. ( I previously ate 2 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread weekly for 15 years ). We have occasionally eaten small amounts of quinoa on the diet. It took us more than a month to learn carb counting, but we are doing that fairly well now. We were taking some magnesium and some probiotics before beginning WB diet and have made these 2 supplements regular for the last 2 months. We have eaten prebiotics ( raw carrots and cooked onions, almost daily ) for several years and have added rutabagas and sweet potatoes ( both cooked ) on the diet. We haven’t eaten much processed food ( aside from occasional ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, peanut butter, etc ) for at least 20 years. Our meat has been mostly local venison and homegrown ( and some local ) chicken for more than 20 years. We have maintained a large organic garden for more than 20 years ( which has provided less than half of our fruits and vegetables ) .
Do you have any explanation for the lack of benefit we have seen from WB diet ?
The book and the blog describe that some people can tolerate more carbs than most folks and don”t have as much pancreatic damage. How can we determine what is our carb tolerance and pancreatic condition without going to a doctor ?
John H. wrote: «My wife and I bought WHEAT BELLY and began the diet last Christmas.»
If that’s the original 2011 book (compared to the 2014 Total Health book) it omits the important topic of gut flora (which it appears you figured out on your own), and it didn’t prominently emphasize the net carb budget (net = total carbs minus fiber carbs):
◊ 15 grams per meal or 6-hour period,
◊ 50 grams per day
You may have figured this out as well.
«We were both hoping to see relief from depression, poor sleep, …»
Have you had thyroid status assessed? (That would be beyond TSH.)
«It took us more than a month to learn carb counting, but we are doing that fairly well now.»
Have you a figure for net carbs per meal and day?
«We were taking some magnesium and some probiotics before beginning WB diet and have made these 2 supplements regular for the last 2 months.»
Which probiotic?
Doing anything for Vitamin D, and Omega 3 DHA&EPA?
«We have eaten prebiotics (raw carrots and cooked onions, almost daily) for several years and have added rutabagas and sweet potatoes (both cooked) on the diet.»
I’m not seeing a lot of prebiotic fiber there, but more significantly, I am seeing what could be higher net carbs than you suppose. The following prebiotic fiber sources have been recommended here at various times: acacia, bananas (green, whole), chickpeas (limited), FOS (fructooligosaccharide), GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides), green peas (limited), hummus (limited), IMO (Isomalto-oligosaccharides), inulin, kidney beans (limited), lima beans (limited), lentils (limited), PGX, plantains (green, whole), potato, raw (whole peeled or unmodified starch), and Prebiotin.
Raw carrots are fairly glycemic (7% net carb), raw or cooked, and not very high in prebiotic fiber. Onions have some fiber, but cooking them both decreases the fiber and increases the sugars, to about 9% net carb.
Separately, what are you doing for fat intake?
«The book and the blog describe that some people can tolerate more carbs than most folks and don’t have as much pancreatic damage.»
Are there any preexisting medical conditions or medications in use?
«How can we determine what is our carb tolerance and pancreatic condition without going to a doctor?»
Perhaps the easiest way is to obtain an inexpensive blood glucose meter, and check fasting (pre-meal, FBG) blood sugars and then postprandial (after meal, PPBG). See: https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/2014/10/blood-sugar-tool-fingertips/
Targets are 90 mg/dL or less FBG, and no rise PPBG (100 or less in any case). Testing the effect of a specific food can be easier this way than trying to research it on sites like nutritiondata dot self dot com
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
O.K. So you will have to give us some time ( days ? weeks? ) to digest all this. But I will be writing back to you when we have a grip on it.
Thanks for your response.
John H. wrote: «I will be writing back to you when we have a grip on it.»
This thread will close to comments in a few days, so just ask on any newer thread.
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
I agree that one of the most important aspects of an exercise program is to choose an activity you enjoy since this help you engage in it long enough to reduce your insulin resistance, grow your hippocampus and reap all the other benefits of a regular exercise program.
Sure, the brain takes up glucose whenever it’s available, but glucose has the same effect on brain health as it has on the rest of the body. It’s bad. The brain loves fatty acids, especially DHA from omega 3.
But the brain’s real health food is lactic acid, and abundant quantities of lactic acid come from exercise. How much exercise? In exercise, lactic acid makes your muscles hurt, so exercising until it hurts is one big clue. Another clue is metabolism. Muscles produce lactic acid during anaerobic metabolism, when they burn past your ability to supply oxygen.
Pushing yourself is key.
Let me back up and say these things are optimum. Nobody is forced to live an optimum life. Any exercise is better than none. …..Your choice.
I hadn’t stepped aboard the probiotic train until today. I didn’t have any more information than “probiotics are good for you”. I figured, “what species, and what exactly do they do”. I have autoimmune issues and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). This study points at a specific bacteria which helps with autoimmunity……
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3495904/Could-BACTERIA-protect-against-gluten-intolerance-Probiotic-protein-eases-nasty-symptoms-food-allergies.html
……Bifidobacterium longum. We’ll see…..
Uncle Roscoe wrote: «I hadn’t stepped aboard the probiotic train until today.»
If you don’t have either the Wheat Belly Total Health book, or the 10 Day Detox book, start here: https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/2015/09/a-blueprint-to-fertilize-the-garden-called-bowel-flora/
and search the blog for “prebiotic” and “probiotic” for further discussion.
It’s usually a two-step process:
1. Add prebiotic fiber to your daily diet indefinitely. Work up to 20 grams/day of varied fibers.
2. For good measure, and if dysbiosis of any sort is suspected, do at least a 30 day course of a quality probiotic (and most of what is on room temperature store shelves, or added to foods, is woefully inadequate. 30-50 billion CFUs suggested. Sigma-Tau VSL#3, Garden of Life, and Renew Life brands have been recommended. Two of those need to be shipped, sold and stored refrigerated.
«…Bifidobacterium longum.»
You’ll find it in quality products, such as VSL#3.
On that Daily Mail article, I suppose in some cases probiotics can, to some extent, counter the pathological effects that grains have on the gut. This is not “curing a food allergy”. It’s just partially compensating for a toxin sold as food. I suspect that grains are long gone from your diet.
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
My prebiotic problem consists of finding a prebiotic made from meat or fat. Maybe if the probiotic works I can venture back into the plant kingdom.
I’ve never seen the logic in pursuing drastic medical procedures so that I can try eating something which harms me ……a logic which seems to permeate our world. Conversely, probiotic seems pretty tame if it gains me the ability to share meals with friends and family.
Uncle Roscoe wrote: «My prebiotic problem consists of finding a prebiotic made from meat or fat.»
On a strictly carnivorous diet, prebiotic fiber is to be found, but you have to eat a lot more of the critter than people generally do:
http://caloriesproper.com/animal-fibre/
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
We’re just turning up all kinds of benefits from exercise. This one gobsmacked me….
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22659536
————————————————————————————————-
Active-assisted cycling improves tremor and bradykinesia in Parkinson’s disease.
OBJECTIVES: To develop a rapid cadence cycling intervention (active-assisted cycling [AAC]) using a motorized bike and to examine physiological perimeters during these sessions in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). A secondary goal was to examine whether a single session of AAC at a high cadence would promote improvements in tremor and bradykinesia similar to the (improvements) on medication state.
…..
RESULTS: …..most participants showed improvements in tremor and bradykinesia immediately after a single bout of cycling.
CONCLUSIONS: This paradigm could be used to examine changes in motor function in individuals with PD after bouts of high-intensity exercise.
————————————————————————————————-
I have a tremor, and I run for exercise. I wonder how much worse my tremor would be without the exercise. Are the conclusions correct? Are all stressful exercises equal, or can people only find tremor mitigation after cycling?
Uncle Roscoe wrote: «Are the conclusions correct?»
A big confounder in that trial is that they didn’t control for diet, or record it, nor monitor microbiome. Given the emerging role that vagus nerve seems to play in PD (vagotomy early in life cuts PD risk by 50%), and the microbiota connection (Prevotella down, Enterobacteria up in PD victims), the question arises as to whether the exercise was merely altering metabolism in ways that could be done more easily and effectively with probiotics and diet (and a diet that provides ample prebiotic fiber).
«Are all stressful exercises equal, or can people only find tremor mitigation after cycling?»
That too. They might have had a control groups with similar effort doing different exercises. In any event, it would seem that there is no harm in trying it, but I would remediate gut flora first, if not already done.
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
“Given the emerging role that vagus nerve seems to play in PD (vagotomy early in life cuts PD risk by 50%),”
Geez, hindsight must be like 20-20 or something. Right? The vagotomy-to-PD mitigation is telling, but I wouldn’t have my vagus nerve severed to try and prevent Parkinson’s. All sorts of bad things could happen, including complete loss of sleep cycle.
The vagus nerve leads from the gut, and terminates in the brain’s fourth ventricle. Inflammation causes porosity in nerves. Porosity can cause a nerve like the vagus nerve to become a highway for antigens. Nerve inflammation often stems from shortages of two things, adenosine and choline. Adenosine and choline shortages are both results of incomplete digestion, adenosine directly and choline indirectly. The dysbiosis which causes gut problems provides the antigens which attack the brain, and the means to attack it.
The brain’s fourth ventricle is the only part of the brain without a physical blood-brain barrier. It sits adjacent to the hypothalamus, the brain’s chemical lab, and the controller of all autoimmunity.
I agree with about 90% of what Dr. Davis says. I disagree that foods which Dr. Davis claims are good prebiotic sources, like bananas and potatoes, are good for people.
Uncle Roscoe wrote: «…hindsight must be like 20-20 or something. Right?»
That paper (pay-walled, but widely discussed in the press at the time):
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ana.24448/abstract
is probably one of the more insightful retrospective epidemiological studies ever done.
«…but I wouldn’t have my vagus nerve severed to try and prevent Parkinson’s.»
Indeed. The study is also not of much direct use, as:
– vagotomy is no longer routine, and has unknown long-term effects
– it would have to be done early in life (not after symptoms arise), and
– it’s still only 50% effective (so PD has some other available pathway)
«Porosity can cause a nerve like the vagus nerve to become a highway for antigens.»
Some adverse agents do travel/propagate along nerves, perhaps even without inflammation, such as rabies virus, which, interestingly, can also be stopped by severing the nerve.
«The brain’s fourth ventricle is the only part of the brain without a physical blood-brain barrier. It sits adjacent to the hypothalamus, the brain’s chemical lab, and the controller of all autoimmunity.»
Remediating gut biome is #4 on my list of things to fix in diet. I could be persuaded that it needs to be #3.
«I disagree that foods which Dr. Davis claims are good prebiotic sources, like bananas and potatoes, are good for people.»
Keeping in mind that the advice is to consume them green (banana, plantain) or raw (potato), what is your concern with banana?
On potato, yes, they are a nightshade, and might be unsuitable for some people on that account.
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
««I disagree that foods which Dr. Davis claims are good prebiotic sources, like bananas and potatoes, are good for people.»»
«Keeping in mind that the advice is to consume them green (banana, plantain) or raw (potato), what is your concern with banana?
I’ve read about autoimmune and dysbiosis problems with bananas at all stages. Plus, my son and I react quite adversely to bananas and plantains.
«On potato, yes, they are a nightshade, and might be unsuitable for some people on that account.»
Yes. Add that potato lectin has chilling effects. To my prebiotic objections add Dr Davis’s recommendations to consume beans. All of these “prebiotics” are high in carbs, but like potatoes, beans contain harmful opioids and lectins.
I read your link ascribing prebiotic effects to meat components. That will have to suffice for me, for now.
http://www.nature.com/gim/journal/v17/n1/abs/gim201470a.html
Parkinson’s incidence among NF1 patients is about 3 times greater than the general population.
Uncle Roscoe wrote: «Plus, my son and I react quite adversely to bananas and plantains.»
Green, ripe, or both? And sure, let me also acknowledge that the modern banana is utterly unlike the ancestral banana, and the modern Cavendish in particular are all clones.
«To my prebiotic objections add Dr Davis’s recommendations to consume beans. All of these “prebiotics” are high in carbs, but like potatoes, beans contain harmful opioids and lectins.»
Which is why legumes are “limited”, and those suggested, like lentils, are given a small pass based largely on their prebiotic benefit.
https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/2015/09/loading-up-on-galacto-oligosaccharides/
«I read your link ascribing prebiotic effects to meat components. That will have to suffice for me, for now.»
If you decide to explore plant sources, do I recall correctly that you have significant Native American heritage? If so, looking at ancestral/heirloom North American root foods might be a place to start. There are also modern synthetics that should lack the adverse elements (search the blog on “Commercial prebiotic fiber supplements”.
The simple reality of food is that virtually nothing we eat actually “wants” to be eaten, with the prominent exception of fruits and drupes where the sugar-sweetened deal is that we pass the seeds intact and fertilize them. So we have to pick our battles. Some need to pick more carefully than others. Wheat Belly is clear that diet is not a one-size-fits-all situation.
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
I’ve been experimenting with resistant starch for a few months now. I use potato starch, green plantains, and (more rarely) potatoes and rice (both cold or cold and then reheated if possible). Personally, I find the green plantains to taste bad (nothing like a banana), but I’m doing this to try to correct years of high carb diets.
For someone like me, who is insulin resistant, it’s a catch 22. On the one hand, you’re trying to improve your biome, and on the other, you’re trying not to cause high blood sugar. I realize that many studies indicate that resistant starch will decrease insulin and blood sugar, but you don’t want to set off any cravings or the like.
I will say that cooled then reheated white rice and potatoes (and also potato starch and plantains) don’t seem to cause high blood sugar in me or cravings, but these are only “seat of the pants” estimates, as I have no blood sugar testing equipment. I have eaten some beans (eg, in chili) and also haven’t had any ill effects. But for all of these, I try to keep the amounts as small as I can while getting enough RS to matter.
At the end of this month, I’m going to end my experiment with resistant starch and see if I can tell a difference.
BobM wrote: «I’ve been experimenting with resistant starch for a few months now.»
Here’s the complete list of those that have been mentioned on this blog over the last 3 years: acacia, bananas (green, whole), chickpeas (limited), FOS (fructooligosaccharide), GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides), green peas (limited), hummus (limited), IMO (Isomalto-oligosaccharides), inulin, kidney beans (limited), lima beans (limited), lentils (limited), PGX, plantains (green, whole), potato, raw (whole peeled or unmodified starch), and Prebiotin.
«…potatoes and rice (both cold or cold and then reheated if possible)…»
Cooled potatoes and rice only partially re-polymerize to the resistant form (~15% if memory serves me), and so this is generally not recommended. If you do it anyway, be aware of:
▼ keep the re-heat below 135°/57°C
▼ the rice still contains WGA (Wheat Germ Agglutinin, an adverse lectin) and probably arsenic, possibly quite a bit of arsenic
«…I find the green plantains to taste bad (nothing like a banana)…»
Even the green bananas are pretty blah. These are mostly useful as an ingredient in a smoothie.
«For someone like me, who is insulin resistant… …these are only “seat of the pants” estimates, as I have no blood sugar testing equipment.»
In the range of BG targets we shoot for (90 mg/dL or less fasting, postprandial peak under 100, but ideally no change), there is no seat-of-the-pants indications that you can rely on. For someone in your position (IR), a glucometer is a small high-leverage investment. You can get a Freestyle Freedom Lite for around $25.
https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/2014/10/blood-sugar-tool-fingertips/
«…I try to keep the amounts as small as I can while getting enough RS to matter.»
What is your daily prebiotic fiber target (grams)?
«At the end of this month, I’m going to end my experiment with resistant starch and see if I can tell a difference.»
You didn’t mention probiotics. If you suspected any dysbiosis at the outset, just providing more substrate may not shift the flora population.
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
DR Davis advice has cured all my many problems mentioned and more . I also had a leaky bowl and when washing clothes one would wonder if i ever cleaned myself after using the washroom. This has been cured and a relief.
iknow i did not give the correct term for this. i do no know what the term would be or evenif it has a name
monty wrote: «i know i did not give the correct term for this.»
It could have been any of:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anal_leakage
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
Do the reasons to excercise you’ve listed apply to 50+ women who’ve been anti-excercise and less than weight conscious? Can out of shape at 56 become in shape enough to make a difference. I guess I’m feeling one of those “wish I’d known” kinda things.
Cathy Wireman wrote: «Do the reasons to exercise you’ve listed apply to 50+ women who’ve been anti-exercise and less than weight conscious?»
They apply to anyone of any age who can still move (and who doesn’t otherwise have medical limitations on exercise).
«Can out of shape at 56 become in shape enough to make a difference.»
Yes. Exercise in particular is one of several strategies for avoiding saggy skin in rapid weight loss. It is possible to lose weight faster than the skin can respond.
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
I am looking forward to seeing my lab results this year annual physical. After changing eating habits to Wheat Belly Plan in 2015 and losing 35 pounds. Wheat Belly works for me and beauty part is–I Am Never Hungry. Can always find something good to eat that does not conflict with my plan. That is because what I buy at the grocery store supports my Wheat Belly Plan. Thank you Dr. Davis!
My exercise usually involves a walk of about 30 minutes. Calorie counting did not move the scale down for me. After I tested pre-diabetic I came across the Wheat Belly Plan. Gave up potatoes and bread at once. Became carb conscious and avoid foods that do not support the Plan. Weight loss is holding with no sacrifice on my part. Feeling better at normal weight of 150 at 5″9″. Thank You Dr. Davis!
Some people argue that exercise does help to lose a lot of weight mentioning Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps, who maintained a six pack physique while eating 10,000 calories per day because he trained in the pool 8 hours per day, most if not all at high intensity.
I believe most people could not reach nor sustain his training regime.
On the other hand I’ve seen folks performing heavy labor in construction, the piers or agriculture for 8 hours or more daily, who looked fat and some obese.
My routine consists of isometrics, but I did not lose my weight until I adopted low carb/wheat belly.
I wonder if for some people exercise at a certain dosage would help them lose a large amount of weight.
palo wrote: «I wonder if for some people exercise at a certain dosage would help them lose a large amount of weight.»
Dr. Davis has addressed above the benefits of exercise, but keep in mind the context “Is it worth exercising if it does not result in substantial control over weight?” Individual metabolisms vary, but in general exercise is spectacularly inefficient for weight loss. The issues include:
• exercise requires a discouraging level of effort per calorie
• exercise promotes appetite
• replaces fat with muscle; muscle is denser than fat; scale may not move
• some exercises are dangerous to joints in the seriously overweight
• recent science says that conventional wisdom about TEE is incorrect
For those doing the 10-Day Detox, be sure to see this on exercise:
https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/2016/02/the-wisdom-of-the-wheat-belly-10-day-grain-detox/
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
And Planet Fitness makes it worse with their free bagel Monday, and free pizza Friday (or whatever days they are). What a joke.
Most gyms employ nobody that can provide any information on nutrition. It’s just “burn calories, burn calories.” It doesn’t work.
Eric wrote: «Most gyms employ nobody that can provide any information on nutrition. It’s just “burn calories, burn calories.”»
And if they did employ any consensus nutritionists, the message would be the same.
«It doesn’t work.»
Paying attention to actual results does not appear to be presently on the menu for consensus nutrition or consensus medicine.
What percentage of the typical health club membership do you supposed are there just for weight management? I’ll bet it’s a substantial fraction of the revenue. Once a chain or club wakes up to sane diet, and how simple it is to get weight to where you want it, and keep it there, the clubs face a dilemma. Do they:
◊ tell the members about diet, and risk having many resign
◊ quietly stop the free junk carbs (to avoid looming liability), or
◊ feign ignorance, and stay the course
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
Just yesterday I was thinking how ill-informed my 24 Hour Fitness gym is. They have their own in-house programs running on multiple TV monitors that continually extol the benefits of eating carbs–the brain needs carbs to function, you need carbs to exercise. And then they show mounds of bread products. It irritates me that they act like nutrition experts.
I had a stroke five years ago and him trying to recover from that. Some weight loss would make nearly every aspect of my health better and easier to cope with. I had extreme bowel problems after taking all the prescribed pain meds. And although I was on every medication available nothing gave me relief until I stopped wheat now my bowels are working more like they’re supposed to. My question is my weight loss has been slow and inconsistent. In reading your book I noticed that on the medications you say might interfere I am taking almost all of them. I take Depakote for antiseizure and I take metoprolol for blood pressure and I take buspirone for my mood. How do I get over the effects of the medication and lose the amount of weight I need to?
Charlie Baker wrote: «…nothing gave me relief until I stopped wheat…»
What else are you doing in diet in addition to that?
«…weight loss has been slow and inconsistent. In reading your book I noticed that on the medications you say might interfere I am taking almost all of them.»
Before diving into that, let’s check off all the standard advice on diet and more easily addressed health issues, such as very low net-carb (and grain free), higher specific fats, microbiome remediation, competent thyroid assessment, etc. What Wheat Belly reference material are you working from?
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)
I am reading we belly total health for the second time to make sure my diet is consistent with the recommendations. It is nearly impossible to increase my activity level because of results from my stroke. And that is why I am so determined to lose weight so that hopefully I can be more active.
Charlie Baker wrote: «I am reading we belly total health for the second time to make sure my diet is consistent with the recommendations.»
Great, then we’re on the same page, so to speak. Keep in mind that I am not a doctor, and given your medical history, some caution is advised in exploring various natural strategies.
Going back you your earlier comment:
«I take Depakote for antiseizure…»
Was that a condition that predated the stroke? Have you ever considered trying a ketogenic diet to see if it would reduce the seizures? (The Wheat Belly dietary recommendation are only borderline keto, but can be made full keto by further reducing the net carbs.)
«…and I take metoprolol for blood pressure…»
Has the BP moved since starting the WB diet? Key elements in the WB approach that usually help with lowering BP include: the general dietary recommendations, optimizing Vitamin D, Omega 3 DHA&EPA intake, Magnesium, correcting thyroid. If you are doing all of those, there are some additional steps that could be taken.
«…buspirone for my mood. »
Gut flora remediation is often very helpful with that (work up to 20 grams/day prebiotic fiber). Normally, a course of quality probiotic is also suggested, but when multiple medications are in use, some of which appear to be gut biome antagonists, routine incorporation of probiotics might be worthwhile until it is possible to wind down the meds. There’s an emerging mantra in functional medicine that “all medications are antibiotics” (and thus microbiome antagonists).
________
Blog Reply Associate (click my user name for details)