What's so sad is all the people who will eat these AHA endorsed foods deluded into thinking, "If I eat this, I won't get heart disease."

"Each eight-ounce serving of Diet Coke Plus provides a good source of Niacin (vitamin B3), vitamins B6 and B12, zinc and magnesium (15% Daily Value [DV] for Niacin, B6 and B12, 10% DV for zinc and magnesium)."

Does this mean that Diet Coke with vitamins would qualify to be "heart healthy" under the Standard Certification guidelines of the AHA? http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4973

Yeah, I really want to drink sodas to keep my heart healthy.

Regarding the notion that cured meats cause colon cancer, have you personally read those studies? Aren't these cohort studies? And what of the fact that there are more nitrites in lettuce than in a hotdog? Wasn't the nitrite scare started by a small study of rats done at MIT in the 1970s?

Dr. Davis,

   Excellent post!  It's quite apparent the auto-immune stimulating qualities of WGA are behind a plethora of chronic diseases.

Regarding both cardiovascular disease and obesity, though, is it a similar mechanism, strictly related to inflammation, or a combination of autoimmunity AND inflammation?  I'm often asked why wheat is "worse" than other forms of dense carbohydrates, but I'm at a loss for a simplistic explanation.

You don't have to convince me.

A number of years ago, I realized wheat was causing me problems, mostly at that time energy problems. If I ate a breakfast with toast, I would get tired almost immediately after. It was probably carbs in general, but I just stopped eating all wheat.

About 5-6 months after that, I came home, saw a box of saltines on the counter, and devoured them. Within an half-hour, I was going through an incredible depressive episode to the point of having suicidal thoughts. It was like someone had turned on a crazy switch in my brain.

Totally anecdotal of course, but I tried the same thing a couple of other times and really noticed immediate changes in my ideation and feelings, so got the message and stopped wheat altogether.

I use wheat grass tablets from Pines.  Is wheat grass harmful like wheat?  I assume the answer is no because there is no gluten in wheat grass.  Am I correct?

Very scary.

How interesting! Thank you for sharing this.

Dr. Davis,
I hope you take this as a compliment!  I follow your blog regularly.  Thanks for all of the great info and wisdom that you've shared over the last year with me since I've been an avid reader of your site.

I also follow Jimmy Moore's site, and saw your picture/name as a participant for an upcoming Low Carb/Fitness Cruise.  I was struck by how your face has really leaned out and is much more muscular/healthy looking.  The picture you currently have on your blog looks good!  I was just wondering whether since your blog picture was taken whether you've leaned out since really bearing down and following a gluten-free diet especially over the last 12+ months?

Wish I could join you on this cruise, maybe next time.  Thanks again for being at the front of the "normal carb" revolution.

Best Regards,
Zach (over at The Paleo Garden)

Here is another report for your list (from Eric Westman at Duke): "Schizophrenia, gluten, and low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diets: a case report and review of the literature" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2652467/?tool=pubmed

They report the resolution of long standing schizophrenia using a ketogenic diet.

My brain on wheat(gluten) was fogged and depressed. In fact, I did not know how depressed I was until I stopped eating gluten. I never knew I could feel so good.

It is well established that gluten can cause seizures and other neurological problems. You can read articles and abstracts about the neurological effects of gluten in The Gluten File http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/theneurologicalmanifestationsofgluten

What does this have to do with my heart? Well, my pitting edema and shortness of breath disappeared when I stopped eating wheat.

I take wheat grass tablets by Pines.  Is wheat grass harmful like wheat?

I've been on a no wheat diet for over a month now. Unfortunately, I can't say I've felt anything in the way of mental benefits. Or any benefits at all really.

But then, I'm pretty healthy overall. I exercise at least an hour a day, and I'm relatively young.

I must conclude that abstaining from wheat is either most beneficial to the unhealthy/elderly, or is a bunch of a hooey

Along the same lines, this is only a case study, but I found it fascinating: Schizophrenia, gluten, and low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diets: a case report and review of the literature

Do you have more information on wheat and Huntington's Disease? Has anyone been able to prevent this disease by eliminating wheat from the diet? What evidence is there?

Thanks

Wheat grass and breads like Ezekiel, to my knowledge, have no gluten. This makes them less harmful, though the bread still poses carbohydrate challenge issues.

Tim--

Dr. Loren Cordain of The Paleo Diet has talked about the relationship of wheat and Huntington's recently in his latest newsletter. He sums up the literature very nicely.

According to Cereal Grains:
Humanity’s Double-Edged Sword, gluten can cause C(o)eliac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, Sjogren's Syndrome and Cerebellar Ataxia.

My ex-G/F used to get intensely itchy spots on her skin and she also had dry eyes. When she went gluten-free on my suggestion, the itchy spots disappeared and her eyes got a little less dry, but she still has to use artificial tears. She also commented that her belly was less bloated since going gluten-free. Result!

A lady I know has a son with Xeroderma Pigmentosum and Cerebellar Ataxia. When she put her son on a gluten-free diet after reading the above article that I'd e-mailed her a link to, he improved dramatically and began doing things that his mum thought he would never be able to do, as he was previously deteriorating. Result!

I think this is a bit extremist. Whilst those effects do exist in some people, along with problems with other food groups such as Solanaceae they are not ubiquitous by any means.  There are lots of people out there who can eat anything including wheat, dairy and other food groups with gay abandon and suffer NO adverse effects. Opioid peptides are also acknowledged as occurring in other foods such as eggs and OATS and when you think about it the potential is there for them to come out of ANY protein since all proteins are broken down into peptides for digestion.

So, whilst people do need to be aware that they can have intolerances to a wide range of foods for various reasons I think making blanket statements such as this that may compel people to exclude large numbers of food products from their diet for perhaps no good reason, is dangerous and irresponsible.

Anyone suspecting problems with food groups should see an allergist and go through the process of a proper food elimination diet.

I do also appreciate that food intolerances can come and go for a range of reasons.

Food for Life makes Ezekiel bread and it is not the list of gluten free products. http://www.foodforlife.com/our-products.html

Other breads that people often ask about are Sami's and Delands. Although they contain no gluten grains, when tested they showed high amounts of gluten.

So if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you need to avoid these products.

Wheat grass would be gluten free as long as there are no seeds.

Hi, Zach--

Started thyroid replacement when my T3 went real low. I think that did it.

Thanks for noticing.

Sorry, Aileen. All proteins do not break down into the same polypeptides, since there are numerous and varying sequences of amino acids that differ, say, between oats, wheat, beef, nuts, etc.

So a polypeptide is not always the same polypeptide. Referring to a basic biochemistry text would show this quite clearly.

If you think you've escaped the ill-effects of this ubiquitous, more often than not you're wrong. You just haven't realized it yet.

Now you should write a post on the effects of wheat plus statins....

I do know my biochemistry thanks!  I didn't say all proteins break down into the same peptides. Also having been through a proper elimination diet in te past I can say with certainty that gluten/wheat/dairy give me no ill effects.

As with all things in life everyone is different, different populations of receptors in the brain hence different sensitivities and responses.  You can't blanket say gluten (or anything else) is bad for you.

And as with many other things in life - often you don't find stuff out till you look for it.  How many studies on red wine are quoted and its only now they are beginning to look at white wine and find many of the same effects!

Aileen, YOU GO GIRL!  Dr D., you were a bit quick on the put down.

I like that Dr Davis is passionate about CAD risk reduction but I frequently post here when I see generalizations based on limited or cherry picked studies. That is the sort of thing, oh I don't know, big pharma would do.

We don't all have to live like Inuit, there are plenty of vegetarians that are healthy and have no ill effects from eating wheat gluten every day. Or does someone have a study to say all vegetarians are lethargic and overweight?

Trevor

Hi there,

Just wondering if you are a member of THINCS (http://www.thincs.org/) run by Dr.Uffe Ravnskov,

Aileen,

Yes of course not all will get mental illnesses from gluten and a big proportion will not get immediate reaction to gluten. However, it has been shown that it can cause schizophrenia in a small part of the population. Around 30% of normal healthy people produce antibodies to gluten that can be measured in the stool. There are even reports of disappearance of schizophrenia, all sorts of unexplained fatigue and other mental illnesses. There is a strong correlation between gluten consumption and schizophrenia as well.

Now, cannabis has been shows to cause schizophrenia and other mental problems too. Not all will get it and a lot of people can live reasonable lives with it. Would you say cannabis is bad and causes mental illnesses, when similar to gluten it causes various mental problems in a significant proportion of the population? The difference between them is that cannabis has immediate psychoactive properties in almost everyone, so people have no problem believing it's problematic. Gluten does contain exorphins, which do have opioid-like activities. Also the immunogenic factor causing gut malfunction and nutrient malabsorption. How you will handle the opioids and what effects the antibodies and immune system activation will have on your body, no one knows.

Even if you don't get immediate reactions from wheat, I wouldn't bet my life on its harmfulness.

3 months ago i began to eliminate processed food and alchohol from my diet.It has been hard but i have lost 7 kilos and have been feeling great.
Yesterday i was excessively bad ,gave in (the story of my life) and had 3 weetbix,foccacia bread,2 jam donuts.2 beers and 2 pieces of white flat bread.
Well today i feel dreadful.This afternoon i yelled,slammed doors,verbally abused my husband went into depression and had suicidal thoughts.
I have suffered from depression in the past but never as severe as this!
I strongly believe it was due to the wheat consumption,so I went on to the web and typed in 'wheat and depression" and found your site.After reading a few of the blogs i thought i muat be right.Incredible.
Well i will be avoiding wheat now as i have another reason too not just for weight loss.
I'll introduce wheat say in another 2 months time and see if i get the same reaction.It may not be pleasant but will convince me.

Hi, just found your site.  A year ago after going thru horrible female issues and tons of unexplained medical problems I met a nurse who told me to cut out wheat.  I was in the process of having biopsies because no Dr. could figure out what was wrong with me.  

I have no cancer I won't list all the things wrong with me at the time but it was bad, and I was doubting my sanity.  I've always struggled with depression. Cutting out the wheat has helped so much. Most of my health problems went away.  

I may eat a little bit here and there, but not often. I find myself in tears soon after and the depression and body aches come back.

It is a shame that so many Dr.'s know nothing of this or tell me it's all hype. Thank God for the internet, at least now we know we aren't crazy and the wheat problem is finally getting some attention.

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Oddly, this never makes the popular press. But wheat underlies schizophrenia, bipolar illness, behavioral outbursts in autism, Huntington's disease, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Aileen,

If people limited all gluten grains to just 2 or 3% of their diet it would probably be fine.  BUT, the huge problem is that people think their cereal is healthy.  Then they think their whole wheat bread is healthy.  Then they think their pasta is healthy.  By now we are approaching 50 to 75% of their diet.  Then people serve breaded chicken nuggets to their kids.  It is literally killing people.

Dr. Davis is a hero!  Many Drs. do not even take the time to care.

Anonimous said: "Now, cannabis has been shows to cause schizophrenia and other mental problems too. Not all will get it and a lot of people can live reasonable lives with it".

Cannabis DOES NOT cause schizophrenia, that is outdated and probably politicized research. The marijuana smoking is a symptom rather then cause of schizophrenia. Brain CB1 receptors are endogenously used by Anandamide neurotransmitter which is very low in schizophrenic people. THC is more potent version of Anandamide and thats the reason schizophrenic people use it more then regular people who already have normal levels of endogenous version. Cannabis is used as a medicine for most of the history.

Seriously?
Crackers make you want to kill yourself?
Your problems stretch far beyond wheat, sir.

JT,

Just because you don't understand the entirety of the problem, try not to belittle Charles.  Charles may have been exaggerating a bit.  Yes, the problems extend far beyond wheat because wheat infects almost all junk food, processed food, fast food, and "premium" prepared foods.  

Maybe it is time you wise up JT.  Just go to a restaurant with a Gluten free menu.  Then compare all the offerings on that menu to the regular menu.  You guessed it JT,  EVERYTHING else has gluten.  Even the minestrone soup, coffee creamer, ice cream, etc.  Why?  Wheat is the quickest and cheapest way to "thicken" and to make products seem "rich".  

Wheat is just another method of control.  Keeping the rich wealthy and the poor dumb and sick.

There must be genetic variations, though, as my triglycerides have measured between 78 and 90 on every test since 1993. For the past two years, I've been eating a 20% fat diet (with about 50% carbs), and on my latest VAP test, my triglycerides were 78. The diet, by the way, lowered my LDL 30%.

Dr. Davis

Could you please clarify:

If I have one slice of gluten free mixed grain /seed toast - and very liberally heap Organic Coconut Oil & Almond Butter on it - am I still going to get the exaggerated carbohydrate to triglyceride conversion effect from the toast?

Thanks, IJG

Dr Davis,

How much TG-rich foods is it safe for APOE 4 people to consume? Will this amount depend on their fasting TG? Will it be per meal or a day's total?

Thank you.

I think this article is excatly on target- I ate a low-fat, high-carb vegetarian diet for years, and at one point my measured triglyceride levels were > 300. After I started omitting most refined carbs from my diet (and upping my fat/protein intake correspondingly), my last reading has been 88. So, for me at least, dietary intake of triglycerides is not substantially related to blood levels.

... having said that, there is something which I don't quite understand. Given that virtually the entire human population is on a high-carb feast, it must be that some of us react differently to high-carb diet than others, otherwise everyone would have elevated triglyc levels, right? My mother, who is certainly genetically quite close to me, eats a high-carb, low-fat diet, and her triglyceride levels are normal ...  Many thanks, M.

EPA (eicosa-pentaenoic fatty acid)  an omega-3  poly-unsaturated fatty acid reduces the amount of glucose that is made into tri-glycerides ("trigs") , thus decreasing de-novo lipo-genesis put out by the liver.  When I added daily concentrated fish oil  with 1,500 mg EPA & 750 mg DHA to my moderate carb diet my NMR  tested measurement of trigs went from 90 mg/dL down to 42 mg trigs/dL (tests  were 4 months apart).  

EPA also increases the amount of insulin related glucose transporters inside skeletal muscle cells, which allays insulin resistance;  it (EPA) induces the skeletal muscles to "burn" more glucose for ATP energy  in oxidative phosphorylation , which decreases irritating lactate output that contributes to body "aches".  Insulin in circulation can then also work as a co-fact0r with EPA,  together they go on to increase functional  leptin  levels  (leptin = anti-appetite);  thus  we get less impulse to "graze"   between meals on  carbs that make  trigs.

Actually, it has been established that DNL is NOT a major source of fatty acids in VLDL.

http://carbsanity.blogspot.com/2011/05/where-do-triglycerides-come-from-part-i.html

Actually, its around 20%

http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/286/4/E577.full

Nice. I didn't know that. Thats pretty big amount of EPA/DHA, it is therapeutic amount often used for COX-2 inhibition.

Can you tell more about the dosage ? Did you try smaller dose ? Is it fish oil or fish capsule or simply fish ? What are you thoughts about potential problems with PUFA and oxidation in regard to fish oil ?

Firstly, that's not about VLDL.  Secondly, that means around 80% comes from dietary fat.    Did you read my link?

Hi majkinetor,
I only went from no fish oil supplementation as an experiment to taking 1 tsp of Natural Factor's "pharmaceutical grade"  (  concentrated Canadian product's total fish oil=4,400 mg.  with 2,630 Omega 3 fatty acids of which 1,500 = EPA & 750 = DHA)  taken, as free  poured liquid along with morning food and evening food in 1/2 tsp measuring spoon slurps. Intake  of liquid oil was at the same time ate carbs , and carb intake was similar for when had 1st measured trigs when wasn't supplementing with fish oil  .  

I personally don't think PUFA oxidation is an issue in diets that have lots of substrate for gut bacteria to make short chain 4 carbon fatty acid butyrate. It (butyrate) up-regulates many distinct  GST (glutathione S-transferase) genes;  these go on to tackle multiple lipid peroxidation by-products  (ex:  activity neutralizes 4-hydroxy- nonenal &  trans-alk-enals/dienals ),  while  micro-somal GST promotes the glutathione conjugation to electro-philes  which then can act to decrease lipid hydro-peroxide activity.

Ah, sorry, I missread your post.

Secondly, that means around 80% comes from dietary fat
Not at all.
80% from dietary fat AND cho.

Might: Do you live in Canada?
Jim

M-Al,

I used to take fish oil, but now that I'm measuring my glucose daily, I find that even a small dose immediately raises my fasting glucose 10-15mg, and somewhat worsens my post-prandial readings.  My own observation is in keeping a study that showed that prediabetic women's glucose control was worsened by a fish oil supplement.  (I don't have the link handy.)  Can you explain?

I have the same troubles with modest supplements of vitamin C and niacin, though I'm sure for different reasons.  I find it interesting, and I don't mean that in any coded way, that two of Dr. Davis' recommended supplements  (fish oil and niacin) impair glucose control in me and in some studies.  I am wondering if this might explain in part his advice to shun carbs.  In the context of those supplements, carbs are not well tolerated.

Several commenters make the point that there is genetic variation in susceptibility to triglyceride intake and carbohydrate intake.

Absolutely. Two people on the same diet can have wildly different results. Part of this is attributable to apo E genotype, apo C genotype, lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase genotypes, among others. Body weight and previous eating habits will also enter the equation. However, in most people increased triglyceride intake does not result in substantial increase in serum triglycerides.

Hi Helen,
I've heard some respond as you mention;  I wonder if they were all overweight during the data collection period, as pre-diabetic could imply.  In your circumstances (ie: blood glucose goes up with supplements)  it would be instructive to know if  you've a tendency for excess weight.

My own niacin use went from none to 3x per day of 500 mg.  niacin taken with meals;   my own 2011 NMR lipid tests done 4 months apart were as follows.  Without any niacin fasting NMR cholesterol test results:  LDL = 139,  HDL=45,  total number of LDL particles  = 1,676,  with the number of small LDL particles  = 1,021 nmol/dL .  As for NMR cholesterol test with 1,500 mg daily total  niacin :  LDL = 100, HDL = 64,  total number of LDL particles = 976 , with the number of small LDL particles = nmol/dL.

The nice plunge in small LDL doesn't seem to be due to a massive restriction of carbs;  in fact,  both my  HbA1c  and fasting serum glucose test result ciphers  went up slightly after I had  instituted niacin &  EPA/DHA fish oil  (started both at same time).   Incidentally,  I've never had  weight gain problems  and unintentionally lost 10 pounds I didn't intend to  since started taking the fish oil;  losing so much small LDL was more than thought possible and maybe wasn't 100% due to the niacin  (also daily  added  6,000 IU vitamin D3 from none, taken as 2,000 IU  with each meal).

So,  before you decide that niacin & EPA/DHA supplements driving up your post-prandial glucose is positively detrimental it might be good to have your own baseline data (ie:  NMR for cholesterol & HbA1c for accretion of  blood sugar) .  If you are in the USA you can get a valid blood draw order in ANY state at all and the emailed results by using  cheapest online arrangement from summitcountymedicalsociety.prepaidlab.com ;  their doctor orders the blood test for you and,  of course, I have no financial interest in this .

edit,
see 2nd paragraph's last sentence to Helen above, missing number in last set of data is for number of small LDL nmol/dL and should be 96 (ninety-six) ... in other words  that data shows that with niacin the  small LDL  "plunged" to 96 from being 1,021 nmol/dL without niacin supplementation.

Hi M-Al,

I'm different from a lot of visitors to this blog in that I have never had cholesterol problems.  I don't remember my exact numbers but my HDL and LDL split has been deemed "ideal," and my triglycerides range from 44-48, with total cholesterol being about 157.  

My current BMI is 20 or less (haven't checked the charts lately) and my highest ever was 25, about a year ago.  Generally, I've been in the 23 range.  So, no, I don't have a propensity to weight gain.  On the other hand, I'm borderline diabetic.  Last year, at my highest BMI, my A1C was 6.4.  On low-carb, it slowly got down to 6.0, and my last test, on low-fat, was also 6.0, although according to my meter readings, taken at least three times a day, it should be 5.3.  I'm definitely right on the border with the diabetes, though have pushed it back some over the past year.  My blood sugar *sometimes* shoots to 200 or over within the first hour of eating (a "diabetic" number, though my endocrinologist says it has to be 200 at two hours to be considered clinical diabetes), but it quickly goes down again.  My liver seems to pump out a lot of glucose.  I tend to have a fasting glucose between 109 and 125.  Sometimes it gets as low as 99.  On low-carb, it ranged from 125 to 145, and was 160 a few times.  

Needless to say, my biggest concern is my glucose level.  Metformin didn't help, low-carb didn't help much (and definitely made my tolerance for any amount of carbs next to zero - I once went to 198 on a carrot and half an orange, but I don't anymore.  It also gave me heart palpitations, worsened my insomnia, and greatly impaired my exercise tolerance), and I wonder if I'm just stuck with what I've got at this point.  Not that I'm throwing in the towel.  Fortunately, my cholesterol profile has  been ideal, my resting heart rate and blood pressure are low-normal, and my weight is okay without a struggle.  But I'm getting aches and pains in my joints and think the fish oil could help there.

Dr. Davis, at one point you were concerned that you were eating too many nuts
because your ratio of omega 3 and 6 was off.  What is your current thinking about the trade-offs?

Hi Helen,
lost 2 replies, says server error ... sorry

Hmm Helen,
Sounds like epigenetic or good old genetic polymorphism ... appears that Hexokinase II (HK II) is NOT staying inside skeletal muscle mitochondria and glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) is working to keep HK II in cell cytosol in a loop,  whereby HK II engenders glycogen output and instigates lots of G-6-P ... that cell has own glucose from glycogen so GLUT 4 (glucose transporters) move too far away to pick up blood glucose  ... liver glycogen  for it's part involves HK IV (glucokinase) and G-6-P too, but may not be root of  your syndrome ... too slow a rate of G-6-P degradation and /or too many carbon or nitrogen terminals on HK II would allow G-6-P to yank HK II  into metabolism cranking out glycogen ...  hey - twice wrote this already.

Helen, Hi-
Metaformin probably did not work for you because it functions to increase glucose uptake by provoking anaerobic glycolysis to create additional glucose demand;   you may already be doing plenty  of anaerobic glycolysis  as a consequence of your extra ordinary local glycogen synthesis.  The carbon from glucose with anaerobic glycolysis engenders a lot of lactate being produced; your aching joints and body pain syndrome fit the profile of excessive lactate in circulation.

There is no easy way to determine what phase of the G-6-P dynamic with Hexokinase forms is not working normally, if even involved.  When we wean to real food our skeletal muscles start to run glucose metabolism with HK II and GLUT 4,  rather than the HK I and GLUT 1  we started with;  this change over occurs when we  starts to relatively "burn" both carbs and fats  and skeletal muscles develop  their insulin sensitivity.

I am not  a clinician, and you have your personal physician to guide you; if I had a distorted  HK II  and G-6-P pattern ( that was unresponsive to low carbs)  I would try to end run it,  and not have skeletal muscle cells utilizing glucose to stop ratcheting up G-6-P and short out the negative feedback loop . I'd  significantly increase my consumption of  dietary fat in the explicit form of unheated virgin coconut oil  and fatty fish (for the EPA/DHA);  if taking EPA causes  blood sugar to rise it is probably because the EPA is driving skeletal muscles to "burn" fat , and thus skeletal muscles are using less of the HK II glycogen  which itself then used even less blood glucose as substrate  (ie: EPA  reduces blood glucose commonly used so glucose level in blood measures higher if cell metabolism aberrant  in the manner like I surmise).

Hi Jim,
Am not  residing in Canada.

Vitamin C can give falsely higher values when measuring bunch of markers, most notably glucose. Its because it is so similar with glucose (very similar net formula, the same transporters in the body - GLUT, its made from glucose in animals etc...)

About oil, it can only slow down carb absorption and let the body tolerate better. Did you experiment with other fish oil manufacturers ? Perhaps something in the product apart from fish oil makes you feel that way. For instance, ascorbyl palmitate is typical antioxidant used (along with Vitamin E) so this can be responsible for false higher reading.

Helen, did you try megadosing with Vitamin C (~10g per day as frequent as you can). Vitamin C influences beta cells in the pancreas and deficiency is common in diabetes. Scorbutic guinea pigs show defects in insulin metabolism in vitro. Higher glucose levels compete with C for transporter. Add chromium if you didn't. Daily exercise will surely help. Since low carb made your glucose problem worst (most probable is higher hepatic insulin resistance that is consequence of low carb diet) you might try to return some safe starches back (for instance potato or rice) and keep CHO between 50 and 75 g per day.  Ashes and pains in the joint might be consequence of your too low carb diet since carbs are used for joint functions. Carbs are also used for intestinal mucus which so on very low carb you might have some micronutrient deficiencies.

Have you tried adding D-ribose to your mix of supplements?  It has helped with my muscle aches from exercise.

It seems that a lot of doctors would do well by going back a few years in time and re-reading Biochem 101.

My wife and I have both been following a low-carb eating plan.  For me, that has meant increased fat consumption from the start.  I have felt full and satisfied after meals, and can go longer without feeling hungry.  I have also lost weight steadily.  My wife, however, has had a harder time of it.   She claims that is because women just have a harder time losing weight than men do.  That's true, I guess, in general, but I have also noticed that she seems to be avoiding fat a lot more than I do.  (Well, I don't avoid it at all!)  So she gets hungrier more often.  It is very difficult to overcome years and years of anti-dietary fat propaganda!

Yes!  Thanks for the complete explanation of the fats vs. carbs impact.  I'm successfully on a low carb diet now after quitting Atkins years ago because my wife was worried I'd keep over from a heart attack.  With the right information out there now that dietary fat won't hurt you, people can stick to a low carb diet and get enough satiety (food satisfaction) with fats in the diet to stay on a diet.  It's truly been a disaster that the nutrition authorities shooed us away from dietary fats starting in the 1970s.  It's taken decades to get the word out that dietary fats are OK.  I published a nostalgic post on this about how Barney Fife got it right back in 1963:  http://bit.ly/m5eAhE

Great post, great site.  I made my way to focusing on triglycerides by starting with Lipitor.  I had some bad though serious side effects (mostly insomnia),  so I dropped it and worked really hard on reducing fat intake.  That pretty much worked, but surprise (to me)... triglycerides went way up.  Now that I've also worked on cutting empty calories my levels are down to borderline.  Once you make it to a genuinely healthy diet everything seems to work out
cheers,
James