Wrong Turn

One thing to note on low carb / no carb eating lifestyles is the concept of carb cycling.

Carb Cycling seems to be for people who are physically active and/or workout regularly.

The point is that the Carb Cycling diet is a low carb / no carb diet that requires and recommends adding Carbs in specific amount to your body on certain days. The protein and fat ratio is also critical.

http://www.cutandjacked.com/Carb-Cycling-Made-Easy

A good thread that is relevant for many of us. Below, I think this applies to some of us but not all. I think the comments below apply to regular beer drinkers that are over 30.

I have a beer gut now. My grandpa and my uncles had big bellies.

In my mid-40s now, even when I stop drinking beer, the gut does not go away. In fact it has gotten a little bigger in the last 6 months.

As noted in this thread, spot-reduction cannot happen and reducing overall body fat, and cleaning up your diet (macros: Protein/fat/carb) ratio and smart food choices is mandatory.

Secondly, you have to exercise. Period. And you have to work out hard. Regularly.

One this that work well for me is a moderate form of HIIT cardio in the morning on an empty stomach right after I get up. Glycogen store will have your body tap into fat for energy.

Reduce beer intake and try Gin-Tonics or Vodka-Tonic as a replacement for some beer.

Switching will help some (yes there are lots of calories in wine.

Bumping this thread, because I like discussing this topic.

Jingthing:

As it's obvious that LOW CARB diets are still quite popular (and also controversial)

I don't think low carb is controversial at all. - it works. Period.

It works for some people.

it works for me.

Everyone is different.

it works for everyone at first, but not in the long run.

I know a few people quite well who went low carb. They lost the weight and are keeping it off.

I think for some people it works long term and is successful. 2 of my friends have been low carb for over 10 years.

Bumping this thread, because I like discussing this topic.

Jingthing:

As it's obvious that LOW CARB diets are still quite popular (and also controversial)

I don't think low carb is controversial at all. - it works. Period.

It works for some people.

it works for me.

Everyone is different.

According to this survey http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-9-3.pdf

Dried AMLA has the highest antioxidants content available in Thailand. Much higher, is dragon's blood but that's in Peru

antioxidants content mmol/100 g

Red wine 2.5

Black tea :1

green tea 1.5

Grape juice 1.2

Expresso ; 14

pomegranate juice 2.1

walnut 21

macha 100

berries 119

dried amla 261

dragon's blood from Peru 2897

Thanks for this list, Kitsune.

I have been squeezing green limes into a glass of water for about 5 years.

I will find out the level of anti-oxidents.

^ I have been taking Finasteride aka "Propecia" brand by Merck since 1998.

It actually grew my hair back.

There are side-effects for some users and you should research it before taking it.

It is available OTC in Thailand and is very cheap.

I have had Dr. prescriptions in the US and now buy it OTC in Thailand. If you decide to take it, make sure you do not take more than 1 mg per day.

You usually will take a 5 mg pill, and chop into 1 mg piece with an exacto knife or knife for your daily dose. It do this. It works.

Sheung Wan,

Where did this professor put his money? Where did he park it after w/drawing from the bank?

Thanks.

Thanks for the OP and also the video on fractional banking.

Cho Rai Hosp is a fully equipped tertiary level facility and can do MRI. http://choray.vn/ (website seems to be only in Vietnamese).

Cho Ray has a good reputation. Some doctors speak English,

But if you're looking for less of a language barrier the French-Vietnamese clinic / hospital in District 7 (Phu My Hung) has had a good reputation, and English speaking doctors that have been educated and trained in the West.

I'm glad I bumped this thread a couple weeks ago.

Heh, they were asking 600 for one blister pack of 10 tabs - they sell online for 150 baht

Phil,

To do lipolysis do it the real and most effective way through diet.

There was an article in an Australian newspaper yesterday that said that 30 percent of Australians over 45 were on statins.

Scary stuff really.

All those people unecessarily putting their health at risk by taking statins to lower cholesterol which may or may not cause heart disease, may or may not be too high, and when in any case there are so many other ways to lower cholesterol without the need to take any drugs whatsoever.

Big Pharma and western doctors educated and trained to "prescribe, prescribe, prescribe."

I just watched the documentary "Fat Head."

Has anyone else seen it?

The lipid hypothesis was covered and the story of how the USDA, govt funding, and pharma companies are interlinked is very interesting and I will be reading more.

I have also downloaded Gay Taubs "Why we get fat."

I have no medical background but read and follow this topic about foods, macro ratios, heart disease, obesity,

And I am seeing more and more doctors and researches claim the common thought on the dangers cholersterol IN ADDITION to the USDA pyramid diet with is loaded carbs and high glycemic insulin spikes.

Anyone else see "Fat Head".

Any other recommended books out there on this topic that you think is worthy?

Good stuff. I'll take a look at Fat Head, but I know what it says. Taubes is one of my favorite authors. I've quoted--uselessly, of course--here on the forum from Why We Get Fat. Some great articles and references to articles on his website.

I assume you already know Good Calories Bad Calories. You might take a look at the book New Atkins For A New You.

I follow a low-carb diet and it works just great for me. It's the easiest diet to maintain.

However, no point in arguing w/ the vast majority of forum members here who don't understand it and won't (probably can't) read any halfway technical sources to help them understand it. You'll just get Wikipedia quotes, chants, mantras, and extreme examples to "prove" it's all calories in/calories out w/ no distinction as to where that calorie comes from and how our bodies will use that calorie under what circumstances.

And they wrongly insist that low-carb diets must be high protein. Just can't let go of that idea! And fat must be bad! Nobody seems to know about the Inuit paradox.

Occasionally you'll get agreement then later disagreement from the same person. It's just very hard to escape, and then stay free, from the conventional wisdom. Me, I followed Pritikin for a while and like most I thought Atkins was totally insane when his book first came out to an avalanche of criticism.

I think I may have reached one or two members about low-carb, and if so it's worth all the blowback I suppose.

Good points, jsixpack.

Actually, I have not read "good calories, bad calories" but I browsed the reviews last night on Amazon and will be downloading it to my kindle in a day or two.

i will now look at "New Atkins for a New You"

Indeed, a low carb diet does not have to be "high" protein"

Lots of people are still entrenched in the food pyramid grains, starch, scheme.

i feel so much better when I avoid the simple starchy carbs and eat complex carbs at lower amounts.

I just watched the documentary "Fat Head."

Has anyone else seen it?

The lipid hypothesis was covered and the story of how the USDA, govt funding, and pharma companies are interlinked is very interesting and I will be reading more.

I have also downloaded Gay Taubs "Why we get fat."

I have no medical background but read and follow this topic about foods, macro ratios, heart disease, obesity,

And I am seeing more and more doctors and researches claim the common thought on the dangers cholersterol IN ADDITION to the USDA pyramid diet with is loaded carbs and high glycemic insulin spikes.

Anyone else see "Fat Head".

Any other recommended books out there on this topic that you think is worthy?

I hope I am not digressing from the OP.

Here is my question:

I ordered Proscar (5mg of finasteride) last week. Small amount. (14 tablets at 5 mg each?) I'm visiting in the US. I did not want to schedule an appointment with my American dermatologist just to get one small box of Proscar.

I ordered it from one of the overseas distributors. I paid by credit card. It was one of the first companies I found on a google search. The seem legit.

It requires a prescription in the US, but is over the counter in Thailand and VN.

I wonder if US customs will check it at all? If they do check it, will they return it or block it's mailing to my post office box?

I would imagine that if it requires a prescription and there's nothing in the package to clear it, then they will simply dispose of them.

Update, April 23, 2013

My Proscar arrived in the mail, untouched that I know of (maybe; maybe not).

I received 20 tablets of 5 mg finasteride. The tablets are small, so I'll have to break them up with an exacto knife to get my 1 mg per day for my hair.

They came from....India.

I will not name the company b/c I think that is against forum policy here (?)

The are the number #1 company that ships certain drugs via mail.

I received 3 sheet of tablets with 10 pill each of 5 mg finasteride. Cost to me was $52 usd after shipping.

The question is:...........

Is this 1. good quality and/or 2. real?

Anyone had any experiences or know???

Thank you.

The above posted here in error and may be deleted.

Who are you referring to? What was in "error?"

^ Thanks for the article, Midas.

Definition of a SIFI:

systemically important financial institutions, or SIFIs.¹

Another one of the banking, acronyms. Or is it a....euphemism.

I need to google and FAQ the Dodd-Frank bill again.

If there was a "cyprus move" in the US, it would cause chaos in the lack of faith and confident, IMO.

I hope I am not digressing from the OP.

Here is my question:

I ordered Proscar (5mg of finasteride) last week. Small amount. (14 tablets at 5 mg each?) I'm visiting in the US. I did not want to schedule an appointment with my American dermatologist just to get one small box of Proscar.

I ordered it from one of the overseas distributors. I paid by credit card. It was one of the first companies I found on a google search. The seem legit.

It requires a prescription in the US, but is over the counter in Thailand and VN.

I wonder if US customs will check it at all? If they do check it, will they return it or block it's mailing to my post office box?

I think in most cases with 2 1/2 months on 150mg and no problems, the dose would be raised, but as it sounds like your trip to the US is imminent that may give pause. A doctor with access to you current and past labs would be best placed to advise on this.

This has been the big problem.

Being an expat, I have not had a regular doctor. I've had Thai, French, Vietnamese and American doctors. I don't have my previous uric acid tests.

When I had gout attacks in the US, I would go to be 'urgent care clinic' which I though had good, knowledgeable doctors - however you cannot request an particular doctor and that mean seeing different doctors.

I have been given Alloprunol prescriptions by one American doctor in Asia and one doctor in the US withouth ever seeing any uric acid test or lab work. No history. Just a swollen knee or ankle.

I am very happey I've taken this step in adding Allopurinol to prevent gout attacks.

Sheryl:

Need to understand that allopurinol's action in preventing gout is long term and takes time to achieve, as in many months or more. It does not make sense to increase it at the time of increased attacks (or anticipated increased attacks) in the expectation it will act quickly.

Yes, Allopurinol take months. Some have told me the feel the best after taking it for 6 months. It takes time.

Increasing the dosage may in the short run increase the frequency of attacks. Doing this right when you are in the US may not be the wisest move if you tend to have increased attacks there anyhow.

Need to understand that allopurinol's action in preventing gout is long term and takes time to achieve, as in many months or more. It does not make sense to increase it at the time of increased attacks (or anticipated increased attacks) in the expectation it will act quickly.

Thanks for the info.

So, perhaps I should stay at 150 mgs per day like I have been for the last 10 weeks; continue to alkalize my blood w/ 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in the AM after waking up and PM right before bed.

And I will continue to drink 4+ litres of water per day.

With all of these safeguards AND watching my diet, I think hope to avoid a gout attack in the US - of which I have had many.

I have been using local made Allopurinol for 20 years and have not had a gout incident in that time and Uric Acid is checked every 3 months and remains normal range. Prior to using had severe cases and strong family history. Do not believe you are gaining anything paying the extra price of that medication, nor do any of the doctors I have used. I was put on 300mg by US doctor about 25 years ago and have not required pain medication for gout since so consider it a very good investment but do not believe paying more for a brand name is justified. I do pay higher prices for some other medications and have full insurance so it is not really a cost issue.

Appreciate your input Lopburi3.

The first brand was Vietnamese - I know that allopurinol is a fairly innucuous drug, but I don't always have faith in VNese brands.

I have changed my mind and in 2 weeks, I'll up my dosage to 300 mgs because I will be in the US for several months - and in the US I have more frequent and severe attacks. I think the acidity in the food triggers these gout attachs in the US. I rarely have them in Asia.

I suppose this is a good move on my part, to increase the dosage.

Quote below: Yes, I usually use Indomethacin and Colchine when an attack first occurs, and during the attack, and discontinue when it subsides.

Pain of gout attacks is usually manged with NSAIDs or colchicine and in really sever cases sometimes steroids, either as pills or injected into the inflamed area.

Reducing allopurinol at the time of an attack isn't AFAIK going to do anything in terms of the pain of that attack. However it is true that gout attacks sometimes increase in frequency during the first few months of taking allopurinol as the body starts to mobilize and excrete uric acid, for which reason it is often recommended to start at a low dose and then build up to full dose gradually. And if that was not done and the attacks do indeed increase in frequency then it woudl usually be advsied to cut the dosage back -- not to stop the immediate pain of a current attack but to decrease the frequency of future ones in the near term until utic acid levels have gone down. This may be what you are thinking of/have heard.

I've become a pseudo expert on gout for prevention, cause, and trying to quell it.

I only recently started taking Allopurinol. Started on January 1st, 2013 - only 9+ weeks ago. I started at 150 mgs and am still at that amount. I have delayed/not increased the dosage to 300 mg - yet - if I ever need to.

Some good sources of info:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gout/DS00090/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001459/

Thanks for the link and help Sheryl.

I also switched brand of Allopurinol and bought Zyloric (a French brand) today that a poster mentioned. I figure it will possibly be a higher quality than the East Asian brands I've been taking.

Thanks for the info.

I take Zyloric Allopurinol 100mg tablets. Cheap and available at most pharmacies. (Zyloric is the brand name)

I just bought the Zyloric Allopurinol brand today. You pay more but it's still very reasonable (actually cheap).

I buy 300 mg tablets and cut them in half.

Quick question:

On rare, rare occasions, I feel a minor gout attack comming on.

There seem to be 2 recommendations with Allopurnol when and attack is coming.

1. you stop taking it, becaus Allopurinol can exacerbate and intensify the attack, and

2. keep taking Allopurinol as usual.

Anyone have any solid info on the best route to take?

^ I'm talking about a stall, contraction, or significant decline in the markets.