Have I discovered a cure for brain fog?

[Estes]

I feel like I just discovered a way to have access to my brain all day.   I figured out that if I eat only protein (eggs, steak, ham, black coffee), I don't get foggy.  I wanted to share this with anyone who needs a good day.  Let me know if this works for you as well.  I think I need my other food groups in the early evening but for now I want to try protein for breakfast and lunch.  I took my D,B12,and Multi vitamins and still have a brain.  This is a huge breakthrough for me.  

[Ennis-TX]

Might be you react to other grains also, some celiacs also react to oats, and in rare cases all grains. Keto/paleo diet is a huge help I found, I mostly eat nuts, seeds, veggie protein powders, and egg whites myself with sides of veggies and sometimes a fig or  small piece of dried fruit. NOTE I can not digest meats.

[Estes]

14 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

Might be you react to other grains also, some celiacs also react to oats, and in rare cases all grains. Keto/paleo diet is a huge help I found, I mostly eat nuts, seeds, veggie protein powders, and egg whites myself with sides of veggies and sometimes a fig or  small piece of dried fruit. NOTE I can not digest meats.

I have been oat free from the start.  I eat multi grain certified gluten-free chips, rice, and popcorn.  It is likely one or all of those.  I look forward to figuring out if it's all grains.  I have been looking at Palio AIP and the Specific Carbohidrate diets.  The main differences that I want to understand are sweet potatoes, eggs, and nuts.  

I love being able to function!  Thank you for your response and insite.

I have my 1 year celiac follow up on Friday.  

Also, my family continues to eat gluten.  I do my best to avoid cross contamination.

[NightSky]

Hi,

I would definitely vouch for grain free. My symptoms got worse and worse on the standard gluten free diet! My sensitivity went sky high and I remember one episode of head fog lasted for two weeks with no break. I know people have longer-lasting head fog but this was five years after going gluten free. What got rid of the head fog and other symptoms for me was starting the Dr Fasano Gluten Cross Contamination Elimination diet in addition to Paleo. It is strict and hard work but well worth it to feel normal again.

Other than that, I have found several acupressure points on the head that help. I haven't managed to completely get rid of it but I have shifted the feeling of unreality and reduced the head fog.

[Ennis-TX]

I have posted a few grain free recipes in the cooking section for breads, biscuits, and cakes. Working on a cupcake recipe now, found I also have issues with a few other carbs like potatoes (alright with a nibble but a chunk of one will cause gastrointestinal issues) . I was using bean chips for awhile but I guess the rice in them bugged me and caused some issues. I only use 1-2 as condiments crushed over salads or in soups now, I think my only source of grains is rice protein powder if that even counts.

I will be having small amounts of gluten-free oats starting next month but not by a choice. I run a gluten-free bakery, and the market  season is coming up. Sorta have to taste a pinch off my gluten-free muffins that use gluten-free oats and almond flour in them.   This will be a nice experiment after 5 months no oats, to see how I react. Hoping to phase them out to a pure almond/coconut blend in the next season if my customers will accept them.

Pain on a paleo diet is getting enough fat and other nutrients. The keto aspect will bite your body hard if you underestimate your intake I sorta just had this issues over the weekend.

[Estes]

55 minutes ago, NightSky said:

Hi,

I would definitely vouch for grain free. My symptoms got worse and worse on the standard gluten free diet! My sensitivity went sky high and I remember one episode of head fog lasted for two weeks with no break. I know people have longer-lasting head fog but this was five years after going gluten free. What got rid of the head fog and other symptoms for me was starting the Dr Fasano Gluten Cross Contamination Elimination diet in addition to Paleo. It is strict and hard work but well worth it to feel normal again.

Other than that, I have found several acupressure points on the head that help. I haven't managed to completely get rid of it but I have shifted the feeling of unreality and reduced the head fog.

Can you tell my how to avoid low carb insomnia.  If I don't get enough cards, i don't sleep.  Where do you get carbs?

Thank You!

[Ennis-TX]

Pumpkin Seed protein powder before bed, 2-4 tsp in a bit of almond milk.

"Pumpkin seeds and the powder from pumpkin seeds have relatively high amounts of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is the amino acid the body uses to make the feel-good and relaxation neurotransmitter serotonin.  Pumpkin seeds also contain high amounts of zinc, which can help the brain convert tryptophan into serotonin. Serotonin levels are typically low in people who cannot stay asleep and wake throughout the night. Pumpkin seeds and the powder from pumpkin seeds have relatively high amounts of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is the amino acid the body uses to make the feel-good and relaxation neurotransmitter serotonin.  Pumpkin seeds also contain high amounts of zinc, which can help the brain convert tryptophan into serotonin. Serotonin levels are typically low in people who cannot stay asleep and wake throughout the night. " By Pina LoGiudice ND, LAc and Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc Directors of Inner Source Health

Normally they suggest a for tsp or two of apple sauce also for light carb to help your body convert it at higher rates.

[NightSky]

46 minutes ago, Estes said:

Can you tell my how to avoid low carb insomnia.  If I don't get enough cards, i don't sleep.  Where do you get carbs?

Thank You!

I eat butternut squash, parsnips and lots of fruit! I also eat sweet potatoes, though these are thought to be problematic according to the Specific Carbs Diet. I haven't noticed a problem with these but have yet to do a test with them.

[Estes]

4 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

I have posted a few grain free recipes in the cooking section for breads, biscuits, and cakes. Working on a cupcake recipe now, found I also have issues with a few other carbs like potatoes (alright with a nibble but a chunk of one will cause gastrointestinal issues) . I was using bean chips for awhile but I guess the rice in them bugged me and caused some issues. I only use 1-2 as condiments crushed over salads or in soups now, I think my only source of grains is rice protein powder if that even counts.

I will be having small amounts of gluten-free oats starting next month but not by a choice. I run a gluten-free bakery, and the market  season is coming up. Sorta have to taste a pinch off my gluten-free muffins that use gluten-free oats and almond flour in them.   This will be a nice experiment after 5 months no oats, to see how I react. Hoping to phase them out to a pure almond/coconut blend in the next season if my customers will accept them.

Pain on a paleo diet is getting enough fat and other nutrients. The keto aspect will bite your body hard if you underestimate your intake I sorta just had this issues over the weekend.

Does this mean you lose too much weight when the paleo diet puts your body in ketosis?  Just making sure I fully understand your last paragraph.

[Ennis-TX]

You body will more actively burn fat for energy, thus it will turn to itself more often and quicker if you do not eat enough.  I noticed I did not eat enough this last weekend and my body depleted my stores leaving me without energy and a couple of pounds lighter.  You need to eat plenty of fats to maintain your body in this state, and plenty of protein.

[NightSky]

On 19/03/2017 at 7:01 PM, Ennis_TX said:

You body will more actively burn fat for energy, thus it will turn to itself more often and quicker if you do not eat enough.  I noticed I did not eat enough this last weekend and my body depleted my stores leaving me without energy and a couple of pounds lighter.  You need to eat plenty of fats to maintain your body in this state, and plenty of protein.

I agree. For fats I find avocado, bone broth, olive oil, coconut milk and a small amount of nuts helpful.

[pixiegirl]

I'm a gluten-free vegetarian. That being said I was taking prednisone for 2 months (unrelated to my celiac) and got a diet a friend was doing and tried it to lose the 10 lbs I gained from the steroid.  I ate eggs for breakfast, hard boiled or an omelet. I had a salad with Beyond Meat Chicken (fake) for lunch and soup I made with some veggies and tofu for dinner. 

My brain fog was quite a bit less and I had crazy amounts of energy. Being a vegetarian I just can't eat that way all the time. 

Susan

[Ennis-TX]

1 hour ago, pixiegirl said:

I'm a gluten-free vegetarian. That being said I was taking prednisone for 2 months (unrelated to my celiac) and got a diet a friend was doing and tried it to lose the 10 lbs I gained from the steroid.  I ate eggs for breakfast, hard boiled or an omelet. I had a salad with Beyond Meat Chicken (fake) for lunch and soup I made with some veggies and tofu for dinner. 

My brain fog was quite a bit less and I had crazy amounts of energy. Being a vegetarian I just can't eat that way all the time. 

Susan

Tell me about it, when you can not eat meats, and a bunch of other things, it becomes really quite annoying getting the optimal fat/protein ratios. The amount of nuts, seeds, and vegan protein powders I go through is crazy. Diet cost me over $600 a month for a single male at 125-128lbs and 5' 11"   Egg whites is about the only animal product I can eat in large amounts (8-12) with no issues (Yolks bother me). And I only eat them for breakfast mixed with coconut flour, and nuts/seed butters to bring the fats up then use in omelettes, pancakes, waffles, or scramble them. I also normally go light for lunch, salad with jack fruit and vegan cheese or cheese sauce I make, or this week making portabello pizzas/fake bagel bites for lunch with s salad. Dinner I normally just make a huge bowl of vegan icecream with a few scoops of protein powder, and almond butter in it >.>  I just get depressed at the end of hte day and want icecream and not cook over a hot stove/oven.

[Nikkiann]

I've been on an off keto for a few years now (unrelated to celiacs), and I have found my concentration and alertness is SO much better when I'm eating a ketosis amount of carbs (under 20 net) and a little bit more fat. I'm not sure if you exercise or not, but try some sort of exercise (I like lifting but others feel better doing cardio) and once your body starts going through ketosis, it's a whole new world!

[Estes]

21 hours ago, Nikkiann said:

I've been on an off keto for a few years now (unrelated to celiacs), and I have found my concentration and alertness is SO much better when I'm eating a ketosis amount of carbs (under 20 net) and a little bit more fat. I'm not sure if you exercise or not, but try some sort of exercise (I like lifting but others feel better doing cardio) and once your body starts going through ketosis, it's a whole new world!

Growing up my Dad was a competitive bodybuilder.  He would go into ketosis before competitions.  He knew because he used pee strips.  I thought ketosis was hard on a person, as in bad for your body.

Personal update:  I have been grain free for a few days now and have almost completely avoided brain fog.  I still eat sweet potatoes so I am getting enough carbs and sleeping well.  I weigh the same and I am happy!

Friday is my colonoscopy and endoscopy to see how I am doing now at the 1 year mark.  I also have eosinaphalic esophagitis, hiatal hernia and GERD.

[Nikkiann]

1 hour ago, Estes said:

Growing up my Dad was a competitive bodybuilder.  He would go into ketosis before competitions.  He knew because he used pee strips.  I thought ketosis was hard on a person, as in bad for your body.

Personal update:  I have been grain free for a few days now and have almost completely avoided brain fog.  I still eat sweet potatoes so I am getting enough carbs and sleeping well.  I weigh the same and I am happy!

Friday is my colonoscopy and endoscopy to see how I am doing now at the 1 year mark.  I also have eosinaphalic esophagitis, hiatal hernia and GERD.

Atkins is bad for your body, ketosis for the most part is fine (depends on your body). People who intake too much fat while trying to go through ketosis are at risk for stones. I think your route is the best though to be honest. Sweet potatoes and some antioxidant enriched fruits are a good source of carbohydrates while having a low-carb diet. 

[Estes]

2 hours ago, Nikkiann said:

Atkins is bad for your body, ketosis for the most part is fine (depends on your body). People who intake too much fat while trying to go through ketosis are at risk for stones. I think your route is the best though to be honest. Sweet potatoes and some antioxidant enriched fruits are a good source of carbohydrates while having a low-carb diet. 

Thank you Nikkiann.  It's nice to feel like I figured something out and am on a good path.