I’ve noticed that histamine has been talked about a lot, but not really what drives it. Turns out that estrogen drives histamine, and to make matters worse, Histamine drives estrogen. We can chase the histamine, but until we get the estrogen under control, we may never resolve the issue.

This is why women taking Allegra and Pepcid for perimenopause symptoms get immediate results! Although I’d take a slightly different approach. These are H1 and H2 blockers, which block various types of symptoms. When taken together, they block most all of them, including the digestive symptoms.

Antihistamines can help control the symptoms in the short term. In the long-term, using aromatase inhibitors to reduce the production of estrogen and avoiding exogenous estrogen or external estrogen is a good strategy.

For me, I used both to get a hold of my symptoms and then continued to work on the estrogen as I continue today! The strategy works, but takes some time, so be patient!

Antihistamines such as Benadryl work very well. I also believe it’s very safe. Aspirin is another antihistamine that works quite well. Progesterone is an antihistamine that is super safe and works fairly well. Quercetin is also found in many fruits, works fairly well as an antihistamine.

Don’t forget the aromatase inhibitors! Some of those in food include oranges, orange peels, parsley, celery, and chamomile.

Also don’t forget to reduce your estrogen exposure by reducing water intake as most water sources are contaminated, buying soy and corn-free eggs, and grass-fed or hormone-free meats. Discard skin care products with essential oils and fish oils or other forms of PUFA that are in supplements, as these are also estrogenic. Even many herbs such as red clover are estrogenic.

https://sjogrens.org/blog/2025/the-rise-of-autoimmune-diseases

In one published study, data from medical records showed that over 15 million people are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, just in the United States alone. That is about 4.6% of the US population. Twice as many females as males. About 24% of those people have 2 autoimmune diseases, and about 8% have 3.

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/178722

In the same study, they listed the top 20 autoimmune diseases and their prevalence between females and males. Just as a reminder from the physiology section, we all make estrogen, some people more than others. Obviously, women make more, and as Dr. Jerilynn Prior, world-renowned hormone researcher, states, especially during perimenopause. The onset of many autoimmune diseases is between the ages of 15 and 55. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7292717/

Autoimmune disease is also linked to postmenopausal women taking hormone therapy. “A new large-scale analysis presented at The Menopause Society’s 2025 Annual Meeting, held October 21–25 in Orlando, Florida, found a significantly higher incidence and risk of developing autoimmune diseases in postmenopausal women who used hormone therapy compared with those who did not.”

https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/hormone-therapy-linked-to-higher-autoimmune-disease-risk-in-postmenopausal-women

“HT users showed a significantly higher incidence of autoimmune diseases compared to non-users, with risk ratios ranging from 1.03 for psoriasis to 2.90 for lichen sclerosus”

Interestingly, ulcerative colitis was the 9th most common autoimmune disease, with 49% of sufferers being female.

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/178722/table/3

The table below shows the top autoimmune diseases with the highest percentages for women.

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/178722/table/4

Two of the notable autoimmune diseases that I hear about when speaking to women are rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune thyroiditis. Both are heavily weighted towards women at 74% and 85% respectively.

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/178722/table/3

I have had a history of ulcerative colitis, so I have been very careful about exposing myself to anything that could reignite my 7-year battle with it. Something I found in my research that no doctor ever told me (even the functional doc recommending estrogen) was that estradiol (the same estrogen used in HRT) is directly linked to microscopic colitis. https://advances.massgeneral.org/digestive-health/journal.aspx?id=1247

I definitely don’t want to mess with anything that might increase my risk of flaring up with ulcerative colitis, a very nasty autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are quite common, even more so among middle-aged women (who are probably also in perimenopause)

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/ddw/32794

Since learning this, it has made me very curious as to whether estrogen was linked just to colitis or to autoimmune disorders in general. What I found was probably the most chilling piece of data I’ve read during my research on estrogen.

“Why women are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases is not completely clear, but new data suggest that the hormone estrogen may play an important role.

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Interestingly, the estrogen antagonist (blocker of sorts) Tamoxifen was shown to inhibit AID, but I am not sure we all want to be taking Tamoxifen, as it has many side effects. After reading this, I am wondering why doctors would recommend estrogen use at all. There are other gentler and safer estrogen antagonists that we can use, such as aspirin and progesterone.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26585164/

What all of this is telling me is that the use of estrogen and estrogen exposure in general could be contributing to one of the biggest categories of health complaints in the current health landscape. It certainly deserves more attention than it is currently getting.

I am currently working on my 3rd book, The Secrets to Surviving Perimenopause, What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You… which will include a deeper dive into all of this information and more.

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These are some of the things I myself fell prey to and found out the hard way are not only unhealthy but quite damaging. I found myself with symptoms like feeling cold, low energy, hair falling out, dry skin, constipation, and lack of motivation. Some people also experience mental illness, depression, anxiety, insomnia, digestive complaints, estrogen dominance, and the list goes on.

Thyroid health is underrated. Most people think the thyroid gland just regulates their weight. It does so much more than that. The thyroid regulates heart rate, body temperature, metabolic rate, hormone production, magnesium, and other nutrient needs, and so much more. If you have some ongoing chronic health issues, targeting your thyroid is a great place to start. Sometimes getting that master gland to function properly is all it takes!

How do you know if your thyroid is functioning properly? Some people will rely on the lab tests their doctor gives them. I personally think that the standards for those are way too low. Broda Barnes, one of the first thyroid researchers, found that body temperature and pulse were the most accurate ways to diagnose thyroid function. A human body should be at 97.8 or so in the morning, and 98.6 or so most of the day after being fed. The pulse rate should be 75-95 BPM. You may find that stress affects these measures greatly, and that is precisely what this article is about. The many ways that we stress the thyroid, thinking we are doing something healthy.

With that, here are SOME of the ways to wreck your thyroid doing “healthy” things.

1. Consuming PUFA - All oils from nuts and seeds, and fish oils, are polyunsaturated fats and can slow thyroid functions. Use coconut oil, avocado, or olive oil instead. “By the simple process of avoiding the antithyroid substances, especially the polyunsaturated fatty acids, the degenerative processes discussed here will be minimized.” - Dr. Ray Peat

   

2. Fasting - Patients admitted to Johns Hopkins on water fasting protocols saw reduced levels of T3, the active thyroid hormones. Fasting increases cortisol and adrenaline by requiring the breakdown of body tissue for a fuel source (gluconeogenesis). One study demonstrated that participants on a 400-calorie diet decreased T3 by as much as 66 percent. At the end of the study, after increasing calories by 1000, participants continued to have a reduced T3 level.

3. Overexercising - Intense training can cause a downregulation of thyroid hormone. High-intensity training paired with reduced-calorie intake can lead to suppressed T3. Stress hormones rise when our energy availability is below our output needs. Eat enough to fuel your exercise. Fasted training Increases reverse T# while also reducing T3, the active thyroid hormone.

   

4. Cruciferous plants and soy - Soy-based foods represent another major category of goitrogenic foods. Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, and other soy products contain isoflavones, particularly genistein, which can affect thyroid function. Goitrogens are substances that can interfere with thyroid hormone production by blocking iodine absorption, which may lead to reduced thyroid function and potentially cause goiter. Foods high in goitrogens include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale, and while they can be healthy, individuals with thyroid issues should consume them in moderation. Boiling for 30 minutes can destroy up to 90 percent of these compounds.

5. High Estrogen - Estrogen suppresses thyroid function, and prolonged exposure to excess levels of estrogen can place a woman at greater risk for autoimmune thyroiditis. Excess estrogen can take up space on the thyroid-binding globulin (TBG), reducing the availability of free thyroid hormones. Estrogen Rise Due to Stress and Effects on Male Behavior.” Stress will cause a rise in estrogen and a loss of anti-estrogens such as thyroid, progesterone, and (in men) testosterone. - Ray Peat

   

6. Low Calorie and Low Carb Dieting - Human studies show that extended periods on extremely low-calorie diets are associated with decreased total and free T4 and T3, hormones associated with thyroid function. Decreased levels of T3 and T4 are usually present in hypothyroidism. Low-carb diets have been shown to reduce active thyroid hormone T3. Evidence shows that short-term responses to low energy availability modulate energy homeostasis through leptin and have a modulatory effect on neuro-endocrine axes such as the pituitary-hypothalamic-thyroid, pituitary-hypothalamic-gonadal, and GH-IGF-1 axes, as well as down-regulating muscle protein synthesis and bone metabolism.

7. Avoiding the Sun - Human studies have confirmed that thyroid hormones are diminished in winter when less sunlight is available. Getting more sun year-round supports thyroid health. Red light (a natural component of sunlight) has been shown to reduce the need for levothyroxine in hypothyroid patients. Get sunlight every day, and using a red light device to supplement light can support thyroid health. UV-filters such as sunscreen may interfere with thyroid hormone regulation.

I know that I am guilty of doing many of these things in the past. I was a part of the satomasochistic wellness era, but now that I am reversing those things, my thyroid is healthy, and so is my body.

What has your experience been with these? Do you have low thyroid function? Take your temperature to find out.

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References

Patients admitted to Johns Hopkins on water fasting protocols saw reduced levels of T3, the active thyroid hormones, T3 decreased by as much as 66 percent.

https://www.patientcareonline.com/view/impact-of-diet-and-calorie-restriction-on-tsh-levels-in-hypothyroidism

Thyroid Disrupting Effects of Sunscreen

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12529826/

Ketogenic Diet Effect on T3

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9165850/

Chronic Dieting and Thyroid

https://azdietitians.com/blog/extended-low-calorie-diets-and-thyroid-dysfunction/

Role of Estrogen in Thyroid Function

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3113168/

Low Energy Availability and Thyroid

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7815551/#Sec14

Estrogen Dominance and Thyroid Health

https://www.palomahealth.com/learn/estrogen-dominance-hashimotos

Goitrogens In Food

https://foodsafety.institute/food-toxicology-public-health/goitrogens-impact-thyroid-health/

Influence of Extended Fasting on Thyroid Hormone

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11381305/

Influence of 8-week Endurance Training

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12484297/

Impact of Calorie Restriction on TSH

https://www.patientcareonline.com/view/impact-of-diet-and-calorie-restriction-on-tsh-levels-in-hypothyroidism

Effects of Very Low Calorie Diet on Weight, Thyroid, Hormones, and Mood

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2341229/

Thyroid Hormone and Seasonal Rhythmicity

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3935485/#S7

How Sunlight Helps Your Thyroid

https://wilsonssyndrome.com/sunlight-helps-your-thyroid/

Why Red Light Works So Well - Ray Peat

https://bioenergetic.space/ray-peat-basics/ray-peat-why-red-light-works-so-well/

In this article I am going to share with you some information that will have you rethinking those supplements, and in fact avoiding fish oil alltogether.

Fish oil is used as a dietary supplement of omega 3 fatty acids, claimed to be good for health and “essential” fatty acids. You may have taken it before and experienced the dreaded fish oil burps. (That was your first red flag) I recall all the brands selling fish oil capsules that had to be refrigerated sold in the health food stores. They were shipped in regular boxes, then refrigerated. As a side note, fish oil begins to oxidize at room temp!

Still, many health professionals are advising the use of these oils for all sorts of things from depression, to colitis, to joint pain and even (may goodness) anti aging. I can think of few things worse! There are MANY research articles touting their supposed benefits, as they do produce a short term affect. More on that in a minute.

What they forgot to mention was that fish oil breaks down into highly toxic compounds such as acrolein, the same toxic compound found in cigarette smoke.

Acrolein is a highly toxic, volatile aldehyde produced by burning tobacco, cigarettes, and e-liquids, acting as a major contributor to smoking-related health issues. It causes severe airway irritation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer by damaging DNA and inhibiting repair mechanisms.

Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu | RIVM

Key Facts About Acrolein from Smoking:

• Source: Acrolein is generated by the incomplete combustion of tobacco, and it is found in both mainstream and sidestream smoke.

• Toxicity: It is a potent respiratory irritant, known to contribute to cardiovascular disease, asthma, and chronic bronchitis.

• Cancer Risk: Classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a probable human carcinogen, it is a major causative agent in lung cancer.

• Vaping Exposure: E-cigarettes also produce acrolein when the liquid is heated, posing significant lung toxicity risks similar to conventional cigarettes.

• Mechanism: Acrolein damages cellular DNA and inhibits DNA repair.

• PubMed Central (PMC) (.gov)

Exposure to acrolein from smoking can cause immediate eye irritation, coughing, and dizziness, while long-term exposure is linked to serious, long-term health issues. Acrolein isn’t the only toxic compound produced when fish oil beaks down and oxidizes.

Fish oil produces short term results in inflammatory bowel and other auto immune like conditions because it essentially shifts down the immune system. In the long term it can worsen inflammation and as a polyunsaturated fat can cause other problems including slow thyroid functions creating cascading downstream negative effects.

So by now you might be getting defensive, and thinking that this is just in regards to smoking. It’s not. In fact acrolien from fish oil is no different. Let me highlight some of the facts about EPA, DHA and fish oil in general below.

Here is what my search found:

Acrolein is a highly reactive and toxic aldehyde formed in fish oil through the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids like EPA and DHA, particularly during storage and heating. As a major volatile in the early stages of fish oil oxidation, it causes off-flavors and odor, and is a potential health hazard.

Key Facts About Acrolein in Fish Oil:

• Formation Mechanism: It arises from the autoxidation of triacylglycerols and the decomposition of fatty acid hydroperoxides. It acts as a marker for the early stage of fish oil deterioration.

• Impact on Quality: Acrolein has a low odor threshold of 3.6 ppb, contributing significantly to unpleasant smells in oxidized fish oil.

• Reactivity and Toxicity: It is highly reactive—roughly 100 times more so than 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, another common lipid oxidation product—and is considered a toxic contaminate.

• Precursors: While often associated with glycerol breakdown, research indicates that EPA and DHA are significant sources of acrolein formation during the oxidation of fish oil.

Some people will be wondering, why on earth are we told that fish oil is good for us when in fact it is very toxic? I say, follow the money. There is lots of money in the dietary supplement industry. The global fish oil market sales in 2025 was estimated at between $3.4 billion to 3.55 billion just in the US. Fish oil is BIG business.

If you are still not convinced, I highly recommend the book Fishy Business by Youri Kruse which is almost impossible to find now, likely a suppression of information that might deter that $3.5 billion!

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Any fatty fish is going to contain this same oil. Fish oils can oxidize at 77 degrees, colder than the human body. When you cook it, the oxidation process increases rapidly. If you are going to enjoy fatty fish, perhaps sushi is a better choice.

As for the fish oil supplement, my recommendation is the circular file. There are so many safe ways to reduce inflammation, I don’t see the point in wasting your money on risky fish oil.

Fast forward 20+ years and now we have substantially increased the offerings in the wellness products space. In 1996 there was $2.8 billion in sales of these products. Compare this to $325billion in 2024. The nutraceutical industry now offers more than 90,000 dietary supplements to the market. Just a little growth! That being said, we can see that there is obvisoully a lot of money to be made in the natural products space which drove the massive increase in businesses, you can see a timeline here. It kinda of makes you wonder if this is becoming a break off from the pharmaceutical industry.

With so much growth, sooner or letter the question of safety and effectiveness is going to come up. A report on the Austrailian market revealed that although many people percieve natural products as harmless, there are many potential harms but, unlike conventional medicines, manufacturers of vitamins and minerals are not required to submit extensive documentation about safety or effectiveness of their products in order to be included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

I do recall during my time at Wild Oats, customers were often looking for a safer alternative to medicaiton. I would agree that drugs are often unsafe and have many side effects, but does that mean that natural products do not? Unfornatuley, no.

We know some of the risks for vitamins and minerals such as hypervitaminosis of Vitamin A for example. Or gastrointestinal updset caused by calcium supplements. What about anhedonia from ashwaganda or lions mane? Not too many papers on that but I have spoken to actual humans who have had those unfortunate effects. Many of these plant work on the neruologic pathways that cause adverse reactions in the same way they are aimed to help. This is not to say some people don’t benefit, I am sure that some do.

Some nutraceuticals that became popular over the last 20 years are now being looked at as a possible cause of cancer. Some studies that have reported an increased risk of cancers or their associated mortalities with different dietary supplements, according to one paper, even some as bening seeming as B vitamins.

What about peptides? They are all the rage now. Did you know there is very little research to support either the safety or efficacy of any of them other than GLP-1? For example, BPC-157 has caused numerous people PERMANENT brain damage in the form of anhedonia and severe neruological dysfunction. I have talked to these people personally, yet a quick google search or promotion from Huberman will say they are “safe”. I talked to one 19 year old Italian boy who took BPC-157 and still can barley get out of bed. Others disabled and unable to work. I had my own personal negatie experience with peptides, so I feel it is important people know the truth. None of those injured would recommend or ever take it again. In fact they all wish they could turn back time. So sad.

Let’s also not forget to mention that many supplements are adulturated with excipients that are used in process, preservation or to simly dilute an expensive primary ingredient. Let’s take for example citric acid which is produced using mold. There are plenty of other additives and also the ingredient themselves that cause allergic reactions and just adverse reactions in general such as the common wormwood found in parasite clease formuals.

These might be extreme examples but so many supplements out there with very little regulation, testing or recourse for those with adverse affects should make you quesiton the entire industry.

I am certain that if you are reading this, you take at least one supplement. Even myself, being mostly anti-supplement now, take one or 2 (aspirin and magnesium) frequetnly enough. I also know there are some of you taking 50 pills a day because many of those people end up on my calendar trying to fix numerous gut issues. Some caused by supplements. Others out there have a supplement graveyard with $1000 or more in supplements that once held promise but now collect dust since they failed to produce the effect you wanted.

And so, for numerous resasons, I am recommending that anyone who is temped to take on a Spring time “cleanse” you do it with supplements. Take a holiday from all supplements, for a week, or maybe a month and take notes. What did you notice? Did some symtoms come back that had gone away, or did some symtoms go away that you couldnt get rid of?? In my experiene, and that of many I work with, the latter is usually true!

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There are some worthwile supplemnts out there, don’t get me wrong. What I usually see however, is that those issues you were trying to solve for might likely be solved with real food, or something nature related such as sunshine. Even if a supplement is good, what is the harming in taking a holiday from it? Perhaps the body becomes adapted to something and it stops working, only to resume after a holiday (such as magnesium).

If you are interested in taking a supplement holiday with guidance on using food and lifestyle to address your health concerns, book a session with me. I am happy to help you! Health does not come in a pill.

What is interesting is that NONE of their doctors have suggested any of these things that are KNOWN to work and actually move the needle in the direction of healing if not outright eliminate the disease alltogether.

Like with many illness, it becomes a process of sifting out what works for a person by looking at the research AND experience. Most of what is happening with people has roots in inflammation. We all know that there are many ways to deal with inflammation, but here again we are throwing darts. As an example, I don’t believe anyone has a prednisone deficience, yet it does help many people temporary, but not without consequence.

I am always learning, with every new person I work with, about these things. I would like to share what I have learned so far so that you can take from it what you want. This is not medical adivce, but rather eduation and infomration about how your body works! Lets get started.

What Does Not Work:

These are the things that I have tried, and others have tried, to no avail despite SOME research supporting their use.

1. Probiotics - research is conflicting. I had a short duration of inprovement with HIGH DOSE probiotics such as VSL D3. Most don’t seem to affet the gut much even if it is enteric coated. We also have to remember that the intestines should essentially be sterile. I am even starting to questions the entire “microbiome” notion because despite all the strategeies to target certain bacteria, do stool tests etc, I have not once seen anyone benefit from it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!

2. L-Gluatmine - research supports this, but I myself tried it with no change in symptoms back when I had pretty severe symptoms. This amin acid is obviously available in food, so I am not convinced that eating meat isnt helpful by providing it but the supplement itself (especially for a plant based person) has not been effective in my experience.

3. Oregano Oil - research supports OO for reduction of bacteria but it is not systemic and does not seem to change inflammatory markers at all. Have not seen personal benefit, have not seen anyone else benefit. I have heard of it being VERY irritating to some people though.

4. Plant Based Diets - I was actually plant based when diagnosed with UC. It obviously did not work for me and I find that plants can irritate my gut if eating raw or in excess. I have had several people work with me coming from plant based and they all saw improvements in changing the way they do plant based shifting from vigh veg to high fruit and simple carbs, or adding in meat/gelatine foods with fruits. Veggies are hard to digest so this is not surprising.

5. Breath Work and or Meditation - Not supported by literature, never seen it make a difference in physical symptoms however I find it relaxing and helpful for sleep. Some people enjoy it to calm down. Side note: high endotoxins can result in anxiety/depression/panic/insomnia so slow breathing such as Bouteyko does help with those particular symptoms.

6. Fasting - Supported by science by comes with adverse affects such as higher stress hormones, lower T3 and muscle loss. I have not seen this work in the long term but a version listed below (low residue diet) could be used as an alternative.

7. Methylene Blue - Supported by evidence as helpful for symptoms and disease supression. I have not seen this work in isolation, but a few peolple found some improvement when combined with other strategies.

What I have seen actually work to improve symtoms or halt illness

1. Vitamin D Supplementation: Heavily supported in research. I have had personal experience with this and seen benefit for clients. Side note: The REAL (sun on skin) vitaimin D, in my experience and witnessing of others, can acutally halt inflammatory diseases when levels get high enough. My initial onset of remission from UC just so happen to be when I was on surfing vacation in Mexico spending every day on the sand and in the water (grounded recieving sun on my entire body) for long hours. After 4 days of this my UC stopped, this was aftrer being carnivore for about 4 months. Looking back I believe it was the Vitamin D.

2. Low Residue Diet: Research DOES support this but is conflicting with also recommending plant based which is essentially the opposite. My experience was that when my gut was really inflamed, ANY fiberous plant material increased symptoms. For my clients, they do awesome on low/no residue diets that include meat/seafood/sugar/fruit juice when symtoms are bad. This appears to be the most succuessful path with diet, but not 100% predicatble.

3. Grounding: Supported by research. I have had good experience with this (see #1) but have only seen it work for a few clients. I think it is a great piece of the puzzle though and everyone can benefit.

4. Estrogen Reduction: The fact that estrodiol is directly causative of UC is supported by reaserch. I have found ZERO research to follow that up with any strategy, but I have seen that those who use estrogen reduction strageies such as using progesterone, lowering endotoxin/serotonon/cortiosol, using mushcrooms and activated charcoal DO see improvements. I think this on is an iimporatnt area to investigate because it seems to improve a very broad rage of ailments improve.

5. Overall Stress Reduction: This is very esoteric but essential reducting all forms of stress is supported by science. What I have seen work is seeing stress as caused by underfueling such as overexercising, undereating, dieting and addressing that in general be helpful. Also, I have seen people who go through very stressful or traumatic times get sick, and get better once they move past the event. I have not see talk therapy work, but EMDR or Hypotherapy gives relief to some people. More importantly, when peoople are well fueled they see their situation differently and that change in perception alone makes all the difference.

I hope this was helpful and I would love to hear about things you may have tried that did or did not work. There are many ways to heal!

Lately I’ve been wanting to spend my afternoons at the beach or out walking in parks instead of prepping dinner in the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking dinner every night, but if it’s nice out I’d rather be out. This is how I got started braising. I wanted good food that didn’t require exact timing and gave me a window of free time.

The hidden beauty of braising is that it makes those healthy gelatinous cuts that are otherwise tough, fall apart on your fork tender.

I used to eat mass quantities of oxtail. I still love them but since they are more fat then gelatin it takes a 2 day process to cook them, then cool overnight to scrape off the fat the next day. Still lovely and nutrient rich, but laborious.

Lately I’ve been loving lam shank, beef shank, and short ribs because they are gelatinous and perfect candidates for braising.

Braising is awesome for people with sensitive bellies because it extracts all the goodness (glycine) from your gelatinous cuts like shanks, oxtail, knuckle bones etc. anything with a little meat on it is a decent candidate.

Whatever veggies you choose to use will be rendered easy to digest after the 2-3 hours cooking time, so you have a little more flexibility. I use onions, celery, carrots and even some kale which I wouldn’t eat otherwise. Mushrooms make a good choice because of their gut cleansing virtues and also benefit from the long cook times to reduce the toxins present in most mushrooms.

So what do we add for braising liquids? Well you could use water and add to that, it I just can’t bear to pass an opportunity to inject more home made broths into my cooking. I use a combo of homemade chicken broth and red or white wine depending on what I’m making. I’ve made a lamb shank with leeks and mushrooms braised in Chardonnay, that was amazing. I’ve also had great success with beef short ribs in broth/cabernet. Either way, the key is to submerge the meat about 75% and let it cook on low for 2-3 hours turning the meat once or twice and giving the braise a stir. It’s actually hard to mess it up.

So get started you just need to pick three things. 1. Choose a gelatinous cut. 2. Choose a veggie and 3. Choose your liquid.

Sautéed the veggies in a bit of coconut oil or olive oil. Deglaze with liquids, add meat. Cover and simmer 2-3 hours. don’t over think it!

I used to do a few amatuer modeling gigs, usually in fitness clothing or swimwear. I had a very lean body that works well for those things. I was able to stay really lean year round due to constant carb and caloric restriction. I craved caffeine constantly to overcome the mental dullness and lack of energy, and I often felt a sense of menttal “blah” and at times really anxious.

After having a complete metabolic crash post my carnivore and fasting days, I really learned the hard way that if you do not feed the body, it will break down mentally or physically or both ( in my case). I am not the only one, and I think women are particularly prone to underfueling in order to stay slim. Nothing new here. Almost half the female population will experience anxiety at some point in life. The question is, WHY? I have a sneaking suspicion it may be as simple as undereating.

I ate what I thought was appopriate calories for my body size and activity level, which also kept me at a constant lean body weight. That was about 1500 calories, pretty low carbohydrates. Afer a period of even lower calories, carbs and fasting, I really hit the rock bottom when I started experiencing severe insomnia and anxiety. I really thought I was losing my shit.

After going the medical routed and coming up empty handed, I found the Ray Peat sphere, which promotes the eating of carbohydrates and reducing overall stressful things on the body as a portion of Dr. Peats philosphy. One of my most immediately and impactuful experiences was taking a go at the recommendations and eating a potato. I had been experiencing 2-3 nights in a row of just a couple of hours sleep. I thought potatoes were fattening, but I was so desperate I was ready to try anything. So, I ate a single baked potato with my dinner, and slept more than I had in couple of years. It was undeniable. I also felt mentally better.

I continued adding fruit and would still have bouts of both anxiety and insomnia for a couple of years. Then finally I learned how much we really need to eat to fuel the body. I worked out daily and led a very active lifestyle, so I would need even more. It turns out that I had to increase my calories to well over 2000 calories each day to meet my demands, sleep well and feel happy.

After adding carbs initially, I did experience hyperphasia, the extreme hunger that was supressed by cortisol and adrenaline while under eating both calories and carbs. I gained 15 lbs in what seemed overnight. I had to buy new clothes, I hated it. I also was really happy to be sleeping, so I stayed the course. Fast forward a few years, and the weight is still there, but the composition has changed. I feel less bloated, more balanced and I sleep well so long as I eat.

There have been a few times where my intake went down due to life, but each time I realized after a couple of days the mental knawing and sense of blah came back. I started eating more and the sleep and happy outlook returned.

I now eat 2500-3000 calories a day and my symptoms have all gone away, including the anxitey and low mood, the sleep issues, the hormone disruptions, so long as I eat enough each and every day.

When I talk with people via health coaching and they describe their challenges and how much they eat, I see the same scenarios over and over. Women eating 1500 calories or less, thinking its normal, and wondering why they have hormone problems, sleep issues, digestive malfunctions and ansiety or depression ( or both) and honestly it is such a simple fix that they dismiss it.

But what if you didn’t? What if you started eating all day every day, all the macros, high nutrient foods? What if all your ailments went away and mental health returned? Is it possible?? It is, all you have to do is give it a try and watch.

There are many great things about the wellness field. It always was something I looked at as normal ways of being healthy that most people just didn’t do such as eating more produce and not eating fried foods. Exercising instead of sitting on the couch every day. Simple things….

As my wellness interest got more advanced, I began to find new ways to “level up” my health and wellness, to a point now looking back was pretty orthorexic and a bit of disordered eating, if I am being honest. What started from eat real food and exercise turned into extreme diets and protocols… that were truly destructive to my health. So here they are, why they were bad, and what I do now… in no particular order.

1. Long distance running - Initially was for weight loss, became my only source of exercise and a little bit of an obsession. I started with 30 minute jogs and worked my way up to 10K and marathon races. What can I say, I thought it was a healty behavior. Why it was bad: long distance running is a great way to crank up the cortisol and adrenaline and crash your progesterone. I had a plethora of hormone issues then (but I was skinny!) and shortly after my marathon began to have feet and joint problems. Now: I walk, a lot. No running, feel much better.

2. Raw Vegan Diet - Again, thought it was healthy, how could eating a shit ton of veggies not be healthy?? Little did I know I was inflaming my gut with all those raw vegetables, nuts and beans. I did have stomach issues galore, thyroid problems from all the goitrogens and probaly several nutrient deficiences (but I was skinny!) such as calcium and b vitamins, along with a lack of energy. Why it was bad: high amount of gut irritant with grains, beans, legume and nuts/seeds. Raw veggies have their own toxins…What I do now: Lots of fruit! But also a mixed diet to cover all my micro and macronutrients, along with eating enough. Super hard to get enough calories on a raw vegan diet and honestly so NOT enjoyable.

3. Fasting - Again for the weight loss! I fasted for hours (IF) and sometimes days in order to spawn new cells and kill the bad ones. I felt great becuase I was running on adrenaline, util I crashed from the stress along with my metablism (but I was skinny!) due to lack of nutrition, high stress and dehydration going for those ketones! Why its bad: Super stressful, high adrenaline SHREDS your lean tissue but your body won’t run on air so this is inevitable. What I do now: Eat every 3-4 hours to keep my blood sugar up and balanced. No fasting, ever.

4. Low Carb / Carnivore - This I did for my gut, which in the short term did work. I used it to adress my ulcerative colitis which I have written about extensively. It worked, until it didn’t and I began to have trouble with hormones, anxiety and sleep (but I was skinny!) and also became pre-diabetic. Why its bad: The body needss glucose to run, yes the brain can use some ketones, but in order to run off ketones it also requires glucoenogeneisi: breaking down tissue to make…. GLUCOSE! What I do now: just eat the damn glucose - lots of healthy carbs, fruit, potatoes etc…and reduced the fat. Feel much better, sleep better, happier eating my beloved potatoes.

   

5. Taking Supplements - I think there is a time and place for some supplements, but there was points in my life I had cupboards FULL of supplements for everything under the sun. Pills for sleeping, for energy, for skin, for just being healthier (greens and multivitamins). Why its bad: Supplements are just like drugs, with alomost all of them comes side effects. The body is intricate in its regulation for nutrients, when you toss something in, something else gets through off. And lets not forget the lack of regualtion, supplement makers have very little accountability to prove their products are safe. What I do now: Take almost NO supplements. I take vitamin e, progesterone, and aspirin. If I am sick I will take herbs. I have always benefted from a supplement holiday, but now I notirce the effects if I do want to try something, and I almost always realize I am better off without it.

A lot of these things I did to be skinny, along with just general dieting too much. I am not SKINNY but I am at a healthy weight, and finally OK with that even if Instagram is not. I really and truly believed that these things were all improvements to my state of health and could justify them today with some kind of resaerch if I wanted to. The proof was less in the research, but more in the resutls. It is hard to argue with the evidence you see first hand.

Ok, this was my tell all. I am certain I have done more terrible shit, but I would love to hear some confessions from my readers.

My experience was surprising…

After being on low carb diets for years, I found myself with an elevated A1C of 5.9 which is considered insulin resistant and prediabetic.. I thought I was healthy, eating lots of vegetables, no sugar and controlling my calories and carbs. I ate no starch, very little fruit, just vegetables and protein. I also practiced a lot of fasting. I was mostly intermittent fasting, but I also did a couple of 2 and 3 days fasts. What I didn’t know at the time was that all of those things were turning on a process in my body called gluconeogenesis. This is the body’s survival mechanism to make glucose in times of famine. When no food is available, we just tear down the house and burn that for fuel. This process is fine on occasion, but to be the way I operate everyday led to chronically using my body for fuel. Gluconeogenesis is a back up mechanism to prevent death.

To lower my A1c I used a diet performed by Walkter Kempner known as the Walter Kempner Rice Diet which includes fruit, rice and sugar with very little protein and no added fat. I did this for 4 months, but within 2 months my glucose was already down to 5.4 and my morning fasting glucose went back to 80. This is because fat was blocking my ability to use the sugar in my bloodstream. During my low carb and fasting days, my fasting glucose was 110 because I was always using gluconeogenesis to create glucose. Now, not relying on that function but instead fueling with dietary glucose in the form of fruit, sugar and starch, I was able to supply my body with enough fuel to turn off the gluconeogenesis and begin utilizing glucose normally again.

What is insulin resistance anyway?

Insulin resistance, identified as an impaired biologic response to insulin stimulation of target tissues, primarily involves liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Insulin resistance impairs glucose disposal, resulting in a compensatory increase in beta-cell insulin production and hyperinsulinemia.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507839/

How Common Is Insulin Resistance?

As of 2023, about 40% of US is insulin resistant. Insulin resistance, identified as an impaired biologic response to insulin stimulation of target tissues, primarily involves liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Insulin resistance impairs glucose disposal, resulting in a compensatory increase in beta-cell insulin production and hyperinsulinemia.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507839/

Health implications related to insulin resistance?

1. Diabetes

Insulin resistance is a precursor to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Elevated blood sugar levels can occur as the pancreas struggles to produce enough insulin to manage glucose effectively.

2. Cardiovascular Issues

Insulin resistance is linked to higher risks of heart disease and stroke.

It can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) and abnormal lipid levels, such as high triglycerides and low HDL (good cholesterol).

3. Weight Gain

The condition often results in increased fat storage, particularly around the abdomen. This can contribute to obesity, which further exacerbates insulin resistance.

4. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Insulin resistance is a significant factor in PCOS, affecting hormonal balance and leading to symptoms like irregular menstrual cycles and infertility.

5. Fatty Liver Disease

Insulin resistance can cause fat accumulation in the liver, known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to liver damage over time.

6. Chronic Inflammation

Elevated insulin levels can promote inflammation, which is associated with various chronic diseases and conditions.

7. Other Health Issues

Symptoms may include fatigue, mood swings, and digestive problems. Insulin resistance can also increase the risk of sleep apnea and other metabolic disorders.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/multimedia/vid-20536756

How do you know if you have insulin resistance?

The only way to know for sure if you have insulin resistance is to test for it. The tests that can determine insulin resistance include:

• Fasting glucose test: This blood test measures blood sugar levels after an overnight fast. Its purpose is to diagnose diabetes and monitor blood glucose levels in people with this condition. Normal fasting blood sugar levels are between 70 and 100 mg/dL.

• Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): This diagnostic test detects diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. It measures blood sugar levels before and after consuming a 75g glucose sugary solution to evaluate how well the body processes sugar. Normal glucose levels after two hours should be below 140 mg/dL.

Glucose In The Urine, Diabetes and Cortisol

Originally, diabetes was understood to be a wasting disease, but as it became common for doctors to measure glucose, obese people were often found to have hyperglycemia, so the name diabetes has been extended to them, as type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar is often seen along with high blood pressure and obesity in Cushing’s syndrome, with excess cortisol, and these features are also used to define the newer metabolic syndrome.

https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/sugar-issues.shtml

The Water Kempner Rice Diet

In the 1930’s Walter Kempner experimented with feeding his patients rice and fruit to treat chronic kidney disease. In 1939 he cured his first human patient after several years of animal testing. He went on to cure many other patients of chronic diseases such as heart disease, chronic kidney disease and hypertension stemming from insulin resistance. The diet is still used today to treat sleep apnea, psoriasis, pulmonary hypertension, edema and joint stiffness associated with arthritis. His work proved that carbohydrates themselves do not cause diabetes but in fact might cure it.

https://www.ricedietprogram.com/page/view/rice_diet_founder_dr-_walter_kempner/

But you are eating no carbs or sugar, how can you have high glucose?

Fasting, undereating, and lack of glucose in the diet create the need for gluconeogenesis, where the body uses protein and fat from body tissues to make glucose in the liver. When there is not enough glucose available, the body will make it in the liver by breaking down our tissues and fat. This sounds great but is not great for the long term. As blood sugar falls, cortisol and adrenaline rise to release free fatty acids into the bloodstream. The liver begins to break down tissues creating glucose. Both glucose and free fatty acids are now in the blood stream (just like if you had eaten a donut) creating a temporary diabetic like situation. The fatty acids in the blood inhibit the sugar from efficiently entering the cells for use in making ATP, and the sugar stays in the blood for up to 12 hours. Blood sugar stays high AND the cells are not receiving the glucose needed to fuel the body. This situation happening repeatedly results in insulin resistance and long term, type 2 diabetes. This is why many people on the ketogenic diet, carnivore diet, low carb diet or those who are fasting often have elevated A1C (blood sugar 3 month average)

Glucogeogenesis causes insulin resistance

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043276024001243

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9792795/

https://biolres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40659-024-00495-0

After my experiment with the Rice Diet and watching my CGM respond to foods, I am convinced that fat is causing the blood sugar to stay high, not sugar. Reducing the fat intake AND preventing gluconeogenesis from releasing fat into the bloodstream appears an effective way to reduce insulin resistance. Also, by doing this one will likely eat more carbohydrates and not likely need to consume excessive amounts of sugar to get the same results. It appears that each person will need to do some amount of experimenting to find the right balance of macronutrients to achieve the goal.

Non Food Related Factors

Since cortisol is a major player in insulin resistance, we have to consider all the things that can raise it, not just a lack of food. We all know stress can make you sick. This is one of the ways. High stress lifestyle, poor relationships, unhappiness in your job, financial instability and debt all contribute to insulin resistance. In addition, our environment can as well. A lack of sunlight, too much blue light and artificial light at night can raise cortisol levels. There is even some evidence that blue light (screens) can cause insulin resistance. Your environment dictates a lot about your health.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6811685/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(24)00110-8/fulltext

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10056135/#sec6-nutrients-15-01391

How Can You Reverse Insulin Resistance?

It turns out that cutting out sugar and carbohydrates is NOT the best way to lower your blood sugar. Why? Because when you do that you turn on the gluconeogenesis chronically. The body will be continually forced to make glucose, raising fatty acids in the blood and cortisol. Although reducing sugar and carbohydrate will reduce blood sugar in the short term, once the body runs out of glycogen (glucose stored in the muscles) gluconeogenesis will begin.

So, sugar is not the cause of insulin resistance. Gluconeogenesis, or fatty acids in the bloodstream is definitely suspect. Stop this process and you will reverse insulin resistance. Getting full spectrum sunlight, avoiding artificial light at night and modulating life stressors are all ways to reverse insulin resistance and prevent its related diseases.