It has been officially now, one year and three months of doing NSNG.
So I think It is time for an update and actually a little chat about my feelings toward all this.
Go over Your weight and condition when you started in October of 2021.
Now I am currently at 168 Ibs and holding. The lowest my weight has been since on the diet was 165. My blood pressure is way down, and my resting BPM when I last checked was about 70.
My energy levels are consistent, I do not get tired in the middle of the day or that 2:30 feeling.
I also kicked coffee back in November, not because I wanted to but It was upsetting my stomach out of nowhere for some reason. I could probably go back to drinking it but honestly I don't feel that I need it or really miss it. One less thing to be addicted to.
Now I have done NSNG for well over a year but I have since made changes to the diet and I want to cover those now.
Since I have started my diet and health journey I have sought to learn as much as I could about food, how it affects the body and what we can do to live better lives.
I strongly believe that we have been misled or lied to about our diets and what is considered healthy and unhealthy.
I believe that most if not all diseases, ailments, and other health related issues start in the kitchen. And Can be reversed with proper nutrition…
So what are the things that I have learned and experienced first hand since changing the way I eat.
First lets explain NSNG for those of you who have not heard about it before. If you want an in depth rundown Please go back and listen to the episode “Answering Questions about NSNG”.
For a quick run down NSNG is “No Sugar No Grains”
That means absolutely no sugar, including fruit. And Nothing grain related like pasta or breads.
This also includes avoiding things like seed oils that are extremely bad for us. I did an episode on that as well Title “Why Seed Oils are Killing you”. I strongly recommend you listen to it.
Since doing that episode I have learned a lot more about the Effects of seed oils.
For instance, it can chemically alter your brain in such a way that it can not communicate properly among receptors. Primarily in the ones that handle hormone production.
And since we know now that weight loss and weight gain is primarily all about hormones this is a big issue.
One of the communicators it cuts off or blocks is the ability for your brain to release the hormone ghrelin, to tell you when you’re full. The feeling you get when your full isnt your stomach filling with food, or your stomach shrinking. That is a hormonal function that releases the sensation of satiety.
Ever wonder why you can eat an entire bag of doritos but not more than one ribeye steak? This is why… among a few other reasons too but that is a big one.
So basically NSNG is no sugars, no grains, and no processed foods.
I did this diet strictly for almost a year but Made a few changes around September of last year.
So what did I change and why did I change it?
Did NSNG not work?
Did it cause me to be unhealthy?
Did I suffer a health related injury from this diet?
The answer to all of that is no…
The Diet worked great, and in fact the longer I did the diet the easier it was for me to keep going.
By the summer, I had no desire to eat any of the foods that I usually would go nuts over.
Things such as cakes, cookies, other sweets. I didn't miss pasta or bread, I could walk by the bakery at the Grocery store, smile and just keep going with no urges or cravings at all.
The fact is my body had rid itself of the necessity to burn Carbs and sugar for energy. I just didn't need it anymore.
It was a pretty awesome moment. And one that I hope everyone can enjoy too. Its a liberating feeling when you no longer crave certain foods or feel the need to have something sweet after a meal like I did.
I actually found myself genuinely craving things like steak, or other red meat. Much like you may crave a midnight snack, like something salty or sweet. By about mid day I would get the hankering for a nice ribeye or porterhouse.
And so that leads me to this. Through my time I started to do more research. I really wanted to hone in on how to optimize my diet and live the best life I could.
I started learning about the Carnivore Diet. And thats when I began to make changes. Subtle ones, nothing major.
What I started to do was to lessen my priority on veggies. As I learned about how many vegetables that we eat have plant defense chemicals in them to keep us from eating them.
Now these can do many things and effect everyone differently. Some may just give you gas, or indigestion. Others could cause you to have autoimmune flare ups like eczema.
The truth is with veggies there's no one answer that fits all. I still eat them on occasion but I just dont prioritize them like I used to.
What I do Is I listen to my body, if I have negative reactions to those vegetables than I avoid them. What I generally eat without issue is Zucchini, Cauliflower, and Sweet potatoes. I dont do too bad with mushrooms either, however mushrooms have a chemical that can block your body from absorbing nutrients.
So where do I get my vitamins and nutrients you ask!? I must be tired, and miserable..
The answer is simple. Organs.
Now I know what you're thinking GROSS!!!
I will admit I do not eat organs, at least not yet. I did buy some liver today from the grocery store so I will have some tomorrow.
I get my organs in desiccated form, from a company called Heart and Soil. It allowes me to get all the benefits of eating Organ meat but in a simple capsule. It is 100% natural and contains no synthetic vitamins like you get from things like “one a day” or “Natures made” vitamins.
That means its 100% Bioavailable nutrients in those capsules.
And so that is how I keep up with my nutrients. And also keep in mind too that meat has tons of bioavailable nutrients as well, not just protein and fat.
With that I can say I am thriving! And I strongly recommend you add Organs to your diet either in desiccated form or normal fresh organs like liver, and heart.
So that was a change I made over the summer. The reason why I added Organs was not to replace veggies. Not at first.
I actually did this because I was experiencing Brain fog. Now this brain fog was off an on well before I started my diet. So I knew it was NSNG doing it, per say…
But My Chiropractor recommended I take organs because I may be lacking in some key nutrients on my restrictive diet. And chances are I was lacking before the diet…
Once I started taking Heart and soils beef organs supplement. I started to notice a difference after about a week. And since then the fog was gone and I felt so much better.
The interesting thing was I was taking a multivitamin already, and honestly it just wasnt doing anything.
As always I would start them, feel better for about a week and then go back to feeling the same way.
The reason is because
One, most over the counter vitamins have a ton of nasty fillers. Some have silica in them!
And two, its a synthetic and not natural. And studies are starting to show that our bodies do not absorb synthetic vitamins in the same way they do from natural foods. And it doesn't always absorb them in the same amount each time you take them, so it could be that you don't take in very much at all, or any at all..
So it was no wonder I was having no luck with those things.
But with the Beef Organs supplement, its all natural, and my body can absorb it like I just ate a plateful of Beef Organs…
The next change came later, around September. This one was big in that it technically took me off NSNG.
I started developing awful foot cramps over the course of the year. Now it was not all the time and often it was when I went to bed at night. My toes would just lock up… it was crappy.
Now I drank plenty of water and always made sure to get my electrolytes but didnt seem to work.
That's when I learned about the benefits of a low carb intake.
What is this…
I have learned that Its good to take in a small amount of Carbohydrates.
These carbs help with many functions including kidney function that allows our kidneys to get the electrolytes to key muscles and optimize their performance.
It also helps regulate our Insulin Sensitivity. Not to be confused with Insulin Resistance.
Insulin sensitivity is when your Liver produces insulin whenever you take in sugar. Its a natural process and one that should be celebrated. It means you're healthy.
Does this insulin function come with blood sugar spikes that result in being tired, cranking, or other irregularities? No… Not if its performing as it should and you're not over eating Carbs.
So what carbs should you eat? What do I recommend?
Well from my research the best carbs are fruit, and Raw Honey. Period. Dairy is a great one too but you may be sensitive to it, however you may want to try Raw dairy as it has been shown to go over better for people with a lactose intolerance. Something about bacteria and enzymes in the raw milk that are killed when its pasteurized leaving some other bad enzymes lingering that create the gut issues.
But David fruit has sugar, and HONEY THATS PURE SUGAR YOU WILL UNDO EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR!
I mean Raw honey!? You might as well drink a coke!
That's what I thought… Told myself no way! But I learned that I was wrong.
But I actually started with Raw honey first and started phasing it in to my diet and here is why.
Clinical Trials have shown that Raw unprocessed honey reduces plasma glucose levels, C-reactive proteins , Homocystiene, and blood lipid levels in healthy, Diabetic, and hyperlipidemia subjects in direct comparison to dextrose an sucrose.
In this trial, patients with hyperlipidemia (increased triglycerides) the natural honey lowered the triglycerides while the ARtificial honey increased them.
Natural honey also lowered LDL-C while the artificial honey increased it.
In diabetic patients honey caused a lower rise of plasma glucose than dextrose. And reduced blood lipids, homocystiene and C-reactive proteins in these diabetic patients.
So what does this show?
Honey had a positive effect on normal and diabetic patients compared to sugar and fructose. And much midler negative effects in diabetic patients.
Honey is high in nitric oxide metabolites, especially when it is raw and unfiltered.
Nitric oxide metabolites deficiency may play a role in histamine responses and allergies, inflammation, and influence metabolic function. And the nitric oxide content may be one of the reasons why it functions differently than pure sucrose when consumed.
With this said, how much honey do I consume? I usually eat about a spoonful or so a day. It really depends on what I am doing. If I know I am gonna have a light day and not be on my feet (I'm a contractor) then I may just skip it that day or do a small spoonful. Some days I do two… it all depends but that's about the max.
Keep in mind you can overdo it with Honey, so just go easy with it. No more than two to three tablespoons a day.
And the next thing I began to add into my diet was fruit. Now I will admit I dont eat fruit all that often but I now prioritize fruit over veggies every time. In other words If there is fruit tray and a veggie tray in front of me, I am not touching the veggies.
Why this change? Well the cramps for one and Because I needed to add some Carbs back into my diet.
I believe the healthiest and least toxic carbohydrate is fruit because it contains the least amount of plant based toxins.
Why? Because this is the part of the plant it wants you to eat.
Plants cant run away from us, and yes they are a living thing (Sorry vegans)... so they have developed ways to keep animals and humans from wiping them out. And thats defense chemicals.
Fruit is different because this is how the plant reproduces. It wants you to take it and eat it and crap it out somewhere so the seeds germinate. Thats what happens when animals eat them.. And so the cycle continues.
No wonder as we see fruit with its bright colors and sweet flavors that are pleasing to our taste buds… its practically screaming at us to eat it.
Ever notice how so many veggies are bitter and need something added to make them palatable? I mean raw kale all alone? Good luck with that. Sure you can eat it but it tastes awful.
Fruit, well it's ready as is… and its loaded with tons of vitamins and nutrients that are generally more bioavailable than some veggies. Because some veggies will block your bodies ability to absorb them.
So EAT FRUIT, eat honey, take joy when your liver produces the necessary insulin for it and your kidneys function as needed to give you strong and healthy muscles.
But what about being fat adaptive and ketosis, and running on FAT!!
I still do…
I havent changed that I prioritize fat and protein. I still eat full fat foods often.
Have I gained weight? No…
Have I lost the ability to go without eating for long periods of time. No, In Fact the other day I went most of the day without eating and was fine.
That is because Fruit and Honey are not the same as bread, or candy, or coke, it just isnt.
Now with this said you could overeat fruit too just like honey. But its difficult to do. The beauty of Fruit causes satiety pretty quickly.
In other words if you get a sugar craving, a piece of fruit will nip that quickly and the fiber helps to make you feel full.
So yes I am no longer 100% NSNG, I am now a cross between Carnivore and NSNG. Because I find it works best for me.
I know a few people who are still strictly NSNG and are doing great and did not experience the cramping like I did. And good for them! I say stay the course.
I believe ketosis and NSNG is a great tool, something that will definitely work for everyone.
Its the perfect diet to optimally lose weight and keep the weight off, its the best diet to reverse type two diabetes, fatty liver disease, and many other metabolic syndromes.
I dont believe you have to be KETO to thrive, I do believe its a useful tool.
That said, if you are starting this journey and you need to lose weight or have to reverse your diabetes, should you eat fruit and honey?
The answer is no.
While you are starting you should avoid all sugars.
NSNG is the fastest and most efficient way to reverse these issues and eating fruit at the beginning stage could slow the process up.
This is what I tell everyone.
Figure out what it is you want to lose or achieve.
If its 20 ibs or 300 ibs or to simply get healthy… whatever it is figure that out.
Then go full NSNG, 30 days, 60 days, a year…
I have read reports of women taking the longest to reverse their carb and sugar dependency, as long as four months, where others takes two weeks.
So to say that you should just do it for 30 days, does not really cut it.
Look, this isnt temporary
This isn't something you do for a little while and go back to eating hoe hoes and mcdonalds on the regular.
This is a lifestyle change, its why I don't like to say I am on a Diet.
I been eating this way for over a year, safe to say this is permanent.
And you should look at it that way too.
Set your goals and attack them.
Once you hit your goals then you can decide to add fruit and Raw honey to your diet. You may find no interest to do so. OR you may be like me and find it helps with your performance.
And of course once you hit those markers. You can have the occasional cookie, or date night at a nice italian restaurant. Its okay. And you wont blow up or reverse everything you did.
I have a confession, I went off diet between christmas and new years.. A whole week of eating whatever I want. And I did…
I actually found it fascinating to see the effect it had on my body and what all happened.
My skin dried out, and got itchy, My gut went haywire and I became irregular, just to name a few things.
Needless to say, I went back on diet promptly on January 1st. And I will admit it was hard… even for me.
I been good the rest of the month, but I did start to develop cravings again which sucked.
That being said, be careful when you cheat, be real with yourself and if you know you will fall off the wagon, just don't do it.
So thats the update!
I eat Fruit, and Honey. I limit veggies to only a few that I know don't really mess me up. And as I said in past episodes I prioritized red meat over every other type of meat.
Doing this I am thriving. My weight is great and my overall health is so much better. Not to mention that the anxiety I was suffering with is finally gone. Yup, Your diet has a massive effect on your mood and your mental health.
I will probably do a seperate show on that because I believe its important. And deserves a decent amount of attention.
And yes I know a few people will be smiling because I was so anti fruit for most of this diet and yes I was wrong about it.
But I can admit that I was wrong. I am ok with that. This is more than just doing a diet and losing weight for me. This is a journey to learn and maximize my health.
This means I will grow, and continue to research, and that may lead to me changing opinions. But I will say I did not mention the fruit and honey until I tried it myself for a few months. I wanted to make sure I saw all and any changes from this addition. Nothing changed for me except I lost the cramps, better muscle health and healing, and a massive balance in hormones and mood.
So I will always try my best to give the best advice, and any advice I give on my program will be something I actually do or have done. I will never lie, cheat or manipulate the facts for an agenda. The reality is if I find out a month from now that NSNG will actually kill us, I will tell you and jump off the train. But so far thankfully its been nothing but good outcomes.
Wrap up.
///
Intro/outro song
Big Rock License
Big Rock by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3436-big-rock
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Other intro songs:
Blackened
by Metallica
