By eliminating certain foods from my diet I enjoyed a significant weight loss and developed a body composition that’s even better than my younger self but that was only the “icing on the cake”. The real motivation to change my eating behavior wasn’t a cosmetic one. I developed a number of health issues over the years. Some I just got used to as being the new normal. Others pushed me to the end of my rope. Below is a list of these issues both before and after the change to a low-carbohydrate diet, in all of it’s embarrassing detail.
Pre-diet:
Back pain. This wasn’t just any back pain, it was brutal and occasionally completely debilitating. This lower-back pain evolved from a chance injury. One morning I bent over to lift a heavy container and POW, I had a nagging pain in my lower-back that evolved into something that would leave me bed-ridden. It never healed after 10 years and only got worse. I would aggravate it often when I lifted weights. I would become immobile 100% of the time after I lifted something heavy while coming down with a sickness, like a cold, which incidentally would happen WAY too often. At one point, this back pain was so bad that I was prescribed narcotics for the pain. The spasms and pain even kept me from getting out of bed until the spasms stopped completely, which could be days. If there was one particular event or symptom that pushed me forward to finding a way to make the change and lose weight, this was it.
Joint Pain. I had pain in my right elbow. I have no idea when or how this developed but it was frequent and annoying. I attributed it to it being my “mouse hand” and that it was a chronic injury from the stresses of computer use. Other than being annoying, it would really get in the way of lifting weights, especially barbell curls. It was one more excuse not to lift. The elbow also bothered me when I held my children in that arm. It got in the way of daddy duty, this needed to be fixed. Also, my right shoulder was a re-occurring injury from my teenage years! I likely dislocated my right shoulder playing High School football. That pain would come back from time to time but it was more of a general weakness and threat of re-injury that never left me all those years. I could easily cause pain by sudden movements of the shoulder, typically while playing with my kids. If my arm got pulled or jerked, it was game over for daddy.
Gastritis. At one point I had diagnosed Gastritis and Duodenitis after an endoscopy. Who knows if this was associated with the gallbladder disease that was stewing at the time but it sure didn’t help. I often got pains in the upper GI that kept me from sleeping or caused me pain before or after meals. Cutting out various foods and probiotics didn’t seem to help.
Hemorrhoids. As embarrassing as this is to admit, I know it’s pretty common and there are quite a few who I know can relate. It doesn’t seem particularly well established why humans get this, at least now I have my doubts. I developed hemorrhoids sometime in my 30s. They itched, especially at night, keeping me awake. They would bleed when I cleaned myself. It often felt swollen and uncomfortable. I was officially diagnosed and only prescribed creams and told not to sit so much, take breaks, do exercise. I did all of this and it didn’t help much if at all. It progressively got worse.
Dental problems. I had regularly bleeding gums that I explained away as somehow being normal and healthy. I could get them to bleed when I flossed 100% of the time and occasionally when I brushed vigorously. I had progressively receding gums. I got cavities regularly, maybe one or two per year. Often the cavities were in teeth filled before, which is why I have any teeth left at all. I often had random pains in teeth and gums.
Canker Sores. I know this is common and so I never truly worried about it. Everyone in my family and my friends get them. I couldn’t even guess how often I got them, I just know I usually found a convenient explanation for why I had them, ate foods too acidic, not enough sleep, bit my tongue or cheek.
Cracked Heals. This is a recent observation but I had progressively worsening cracking on the heels of my feet, the skin was just becoming a mess. I don’t go barefoot often so it’s not callouses from exposure to rough terrain. I presumed this was because of weight and pressure on the area, over time. This could be completely due to weight but I wonder.
Headaches. At one point I considered myself to have regular migraines. I had episodes that classified the headache as a migraine, sensitivity to light and sound, seeing stars and the only comfort was to sit in total darkness. I got very regular non-migraine headaches as well. In fact, since they’ve abated, I cannot believe how often I had to put up with it. This is a really good example of how people get used to feeling like crap and how crap becomes the new normal.
Sleepy all the time. There’s no doubt that sleeping schedule had a lot to do with this but I was almost in a bit of denial that a lot of the time I wanted to nap was immediately post meal. At some point this became disturbing. Unless it was a tiny meal or a snack, I would want to lay down and close my eyes.
Sleep Schedule. I have always been a night owl. I still honestly prefer it but not being able to sleep when you felt tired can get old very quickly. I don’t know enough to say if I officially had insomnia but it sure sounded like it. Being groggy all the time in the mornings or even mid-day really gets in the way of having a productive day.
Anxiety. At one point in my life, in my late thirties, I had terrible anxiety. I had an attack while in a 3rd World country that manifested in symptoms that resembled a heart attack while I was quite a distance from a nice, clean hospital. That was NOT fun at all. I once was faced with a stressful situation and could do nothing other than sit on the floor in the kitchen, staring at the wall, the world turned gray, as if there was no color anymore. I still reflect occasionally on this attack and wonder if the vision change is a symptom others have experienced. I could not bear to watch a violent movie or a drama featuring a hospital, it put me over the top. After these episodes, I was diagnosed and prescribed Benzodiazepines, which helped a bit. I am generally averse to taking drugs so I did not take the Benzos long. I essentially used meditation and exercise to overcome the worst of it. The anxiety however remained, looming, like a recently healed broken bone or torn ligament, My brain still seemed fragile, like the anxiety was just over the horizon and would come back easily and at any time.
Colds and sickness. What’s that Cinderella song say “You don’t know what you got, til it’s gone”? In this case, it’s hard to realize how often I got sick until well, I didn’t get so sick all the time. I have two young children and I got every freaking cold or stomach flu to come through the house, maybe 4-6 a year. Not only did I get all, I got them bad! I got every symptom and lived life highly medicated.
Post Diet:
Back pain. The back pain I cannot profess is gone 100%. If I were to give it a rating however, it’s at 95% and still continuing to slowly improve. What is completely gone however is the constant threat of re-injury. I can now do any lift I want at this point with strength and confidence. I now do greater than body-weight deadlifts and am working on my goal of 2x body-weight. I can do bent-over-rows again, something that would re-injure me 100% of the time, pre-diet. The remaining 5% to heal I attribute to a slight pain that returns when I sit in a certain position for too long. This pain is easily preventable.
Joint pain. Gone, gone and gone. Not so much as a twinge from my elbow or shoulder anymore. I kind of forgot about them. It’s not like losing a bunch of weight takes pressure off shoulders and elbows. Joint inflammation from a crappy diet perhaps?
Gastritis and Duodenitis. Both gone. These lessened I believe after my gallbladder was removed but the pains didn’t really disappear complete until some time after the diet change.
Hemorrhoids. Gone, I’d say completely. I’ve not had a symptom since perhaps 6 months into the new diet. It’s important to add that I sit just as much as before and exercise is only different in intensity. As stated earlier, I didn’t even exercise about 4 months into the new diet anyway. I once again suspect inflammation from foods and not stresses from weight.
Dental Problems. I haven’t had a cavity in 2 years and counting, a record for me. A sad record but a record none-the-less. There has been no change in hygiene, it’s not like I suddenly started brushing and flossing, I always have, regularly. Gums have stopped receding, some have even come back (in measured height against the tooth). My gums no longer bleed and I can’t even make them if I try. Once again, I highly suspect inflammation and food choices. An almost complete elimination of sugar and starchy carbs is the most reasonable reason. Dentists have advised against these foods for years but we didn’t listen. I’ve read that teeth and gums are the “canaries in the coalmine” in regards to overall health, this could be right on the money.
Canker Sores. It took me a long time to realize it but I no longer get canker sores! I don’t think I’ve had even one in the last 2 years. It dawned on me when my wife and mother complained about them. This is another one of those things that’s very unlikely attributed to weight loss and is far more likely a result of how I eat. You could say I might have eliminated a (personal) allergen but almost everyone I know gets these! I am leaning towards canker sores as an overall sign of one’s body being an inflamed mess. I mentioned above that dental health could be the canary in the coal mine, perhaps it’s oral health and includes canker sores.
Cracked Heals. These have gotten better, noticeably. Dryness and callouses aren’t completely gone but definitely major improvement, the whole area is smoother and there is no need to use an abrasive on them. I am a guy so I don’t normally do any kind of foot care anyway but I’m married to a manicurist so… I can’t escape it. For the record I haven’t changed soaps or shampoo so I don’t suspect a reaction to them as the cause. Less weight on them on the other hand sounds reasonable. I still do have my suspicions though that skin health has improved with my heels as a side-effect of that.
Headaches. I haven’t had a single migraine since the change, not one. I have however had some headaches since but you don’t realize how terrible they are until you go without them for some time. When I do get a headache, I wonder how I ever dealt with it before. The Tylenol bottle gets opened a lot less these days. I think perhaps I can now attribute every headache I get to some event, either terrible allergies or unusual coffee consumption (too little usually… addict withdrawl symptom). It’s no longer a guessing game as to why. Before the change, I would often think I am not getting enough water or sleep, neither of those things ever seemed to have effect. It turns out it’s more likely eating like crap. Our biases about food are incredibly strong indeed.
Sleepy all the time. When I get sleepy now, it’s because I am tired, at night, what an amazing concept. I can eat a giant meal and feel like playing with my kids still. This is the way it should be. Of all the symptoms of eating bad, this one was by far the most worrisome to me as it probably was a significant warning over the state of my hormones, particularly a lack of insulin sensitivity.
Sleep Schedule. I have to admit, this once was an unwelcome change but I now appreciate it. The young man in me still feels that keeping a consistent schedule and going to bed earlier is an “old-person thing.” I now sleep pretty quickly at night and sleep through the night with one caveat, pee! if I happened to have had tea late at night, then it’s a trip or two to the restroom. I like my evening tea but… At least the middle-of-the-night bathroom stops don’t keep me awake, I go right back to sleep and continue on. I feel better rested without the bathroom stops so a tea conundrum.
Anxiety. The worst anxiety is definitely gone, I feel pretty confident about this. My irrational fear of speaking in public aside, the debilitating symptoms of anxiety that once haunted me are no longer with me and I don’t feel like they are just over the horizon either waiting to be triggered. I generally feel more confident.
Colds and sickness. It’s only been 2 years, but I’ve gotten sick maybe 3-4 times in total and when I did, it was gone within 2 days and the symptoms were nothing, no medication needed. This was a welcome surprise. The difference is tangible from before, there is no other good way to explain the resistance other than a healthier immune system. I don’t think weight loss is a particularly good reason for the improvement. According to nutritional dogma, the lack of Vitamin C of my current eating style would have me with scurvy already and leave me open to every sickness that wafted past. I still have young children and they still bring every freaking thing home but I seem to fend it off better.
Other Issues:
To be fair, I thought I’d make a short list of other issues that have not improved or improved only slightly at best. I include this so that others may relate.
Floaters. You know, those little shadows or specs in the eye. I’ve had floaters for some time. I was truly hoping these would go away but they have not. At one point I thought I was cured of them. I think however what really happened was that I developed a better sense of “chill” and I was better at ignoring them. The floaters are still with me, probably for life. I think perhaps I’ll start naming them.
Gas. This one is embarrassing to discuss but noteworthy. Seemingly unimproved is my propensity to belch. I belch more than anyone I know. This may have improved some but hard to know. I do know that upper GI gas pains are almost non-existent now. Since I have experimented by eliminated large groups of foods I can identify more that causes belching. It turns out that mostly drinking certain things like coffee or tea make it worse. I have yet to quit either. However, I have also belched at hour 30 in a 32 hour extended fast so I am wondering if it’s my physiology? It does run in the family. Gas from the other, more dangerous, end is actually quite improved. I fart a lot less and when I do, it’s more clear as to why. Fiberous foods and things like onions, shallots or garlic are the primary culprits. If I have none of these for a time, I produce almost no back end emissions. That which I do produce no longer cause room evacuations. I know people think farting is normal or even funny but I will tell you, if you go without for a while, it’s SO much more comfortable. Having very little to no lower GI bloating or discomfort is amazing, more so than any release.
Allergies. Yep, still got ’em. Something changed years before any diet change, they seemed to have taken a turn for the worse, more sinus swelling than I recall from when I was younger. The diet and weight loss don’t seem to have effected this. I still have a lot less headaches though, as mentioned previously, something I would often attribute to allergies.
Dry Skin. This was mostly in winter but my skin will get pretty dry on face and scalp. This could still be soaps and environment but there may have been some improvement here but it’s not at all conclusive. I still deal with dry skin so it deserves a mention in the “not improved” area.