Carbohydrate Intolerance

Question
Tom
I have been overweight all my life (I am 53) in spite of being very active and not eating a lot of calories-usually around 1500 a day.
The only times I have ben able to lose weight are when I 'low carbed'.
Excluding carbs, is tough, so I recently tried a low fat approach. After six months of low fat foods, low calories (still), and lots of cardio, I stepped on the scale to discover I had GAINED ten pounds!
I am now convinced I am 'carb sensitive. During this time I had a noticeable increase in physical symptoms, which were in order:
-bloating and general gastric distress including heartburn
-nausea, especially in the morning
-lack of zest for life, anxiety, mental issues
-cravings for alcohol and excessive drinking
-itching, hives on my armpits, and hair loss

These are all symptoms of carbohydrate sensitivity, and I think I am in the unlucky minority that has it the worst.
I have discussed this with my doctor, he is not convinced-I dont think he believes how little I eat and how much I exercise.
Anyway, I am going back to low carb/low glycemic.
Any thoughts on my situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much, and God Bless.

Answer
Hi Barry,

First of all, I can't give medical advice here.

For weight loss and overall health, I recommend eating a diet rich in whole foods. This means lots of unprocessed, healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, berries, legumes, nuts and seeds. I highly recommend cutting out processed foods - regardless of their fat, protein or carbohydrate content. This means no twinkies, chips, crackers, or packaged foods.

There really is no such thing as "carb sensitivity" - it's really just a madeup term to hype up low carb diet programs. Now, having said that, there are indeed BAD CARBS which are highly toxic, spike your blood sugar, give you cravings, make you gain weight and much more. These are always the highly processed carbohydrates - like white sugar, white flour, french fries, etc.

One big area where I disagree with most low carb diet programs is in the consumption of fresh fruits. Fresh, whole, raw fruit will never be a problem for your health. Have you heard of anyone gaining weight because, God forbid, they ate too many apples? Of course not! It's really quite silly.

And, in fact, fruits (and vegetables and berries) are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients that reduce your risk of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes and help regulate your hormones better which can help reduce cravings.

So, I hope that helps! Go for a whole food diet that is unprocessed and I think you will notice huge improvements.

There's a lot more awesome nutrition and weight loss information in our newsletter and you can get access to it for free at www.AuthenticHealthCoach.com

Wishing you wellness,
Tom

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