Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and a Low Carb Diet
In the summer of 2002, the Atkins Diet was making a big splash in the news.
It came along at the right time for me. I had been packing on the pounds for a few years, and my weight was spiralling out of control. I felt sick, with pain in the pit of my stomach all the time. I'd weighed 130 lb. when I got married in 1979, and by 2002 I was nudging 200 pounds.
I'd tried what I'd been taught was a healthy diet, cutting back on meat and fats, eating whole grains and counting calories. I'd manage to drop a few pounds but no inches, and I was starving all the time.
Because of being frail and low energy from CFS, I had little muscle mass and foresaw the day when I would be a great ball of quivering jelly. Hard to accept.
Enter the new view on the low carb diet.
It was hard to wrap my head around, it seemed to be the opposite of everything I thought I knew. But I was desperate and I gave it a shot.
Within 48 hours, my IBS symptoms were gone, and the brain fog and body stone (neurological swirling sensations) diminished. And, for the first time in a very long time, I had ... energy! To top it off, I was losing weight.
I quit counting calories, and cut out sugar and starches.
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Congratulations, Jody. As director of the Metabolism Society, I often hear from people about how carbohydrate restriction has improved their health in so many different ways. May I have permission to share your story on our website so that other people with cfs may benefit?
www.MetabolismSociety.org
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Laurie Cagnassola
Were you ever tested for Celiac Disease? Your symptoms and reaction to carb restriction sure sound like a Celiac issue!
I have not been tested for celiac disease, but I agree with you that I may have it. At the very least, I have a strong sensitivity to some of these foods. Strong enough to keep me on a low carb diet. :-)
Jody
Were you ever tested for Celiac Disease? Your symptoms and reaction to carb restriction sure sound like a Celiac issue!
Jody This morning I decided to restart my low carb diet. Finding your article was very timely. I have been living with chronic fatigue syndrome since 2004. I have also found that being on a low carb diet greatly improves my symptoms. I have gone on and off this type of diet a few times and for me there is an absolute correlation. I do agree that it is not a cure. Also I have been through a few seasons with this illness now and for me the flare ups are much worse in the winter time and less in the summer. Last summer I was almost to the point of declaring myself "well". Felt great for a few months, back to a fairly vigorous exercise routine (rode a bicycle 75 miles at one point). When winter arrived all the cfs symptoms returned. I really understand your frustration when the symptoms came back. I tried the wheat elimination which made no difference. I've come to the conclusion that there is really no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome but you can manage it down to a certain point. Thanks so much for your article. It is really help full to hear about someone else's experience with a low carb diet. Dave