I decided I would try to keep track of the changes and things that I am experimenting and learning about diet.
I was taking a whole food multi-vitamin then I just went to taking spirulina then around 2009 I stopped. I was thinking do these things really work? But I started to take it again maybe 6 months ago or so when I started the ketogenic diet.
Since then I have added Omega 3 Algae oil, Vitamin D (for my teeth) and just recently Zinc. As mostly a vegetarian I don’t get much omega 3 since I don’t eat fish. I occasionally ate some seafood when I lived in Asia, but not since I lived here.
The highest source of zinc is oysters. I tried oysters once in Xiamen, China in like a green onion sort of pancake. I don’t remember much taste, but it was a bit sandy.
They don’t appeal to me that much so I decided to take a supplement.
I might have been on the lower end for getting zinc, so I decided to try it out on the high end.
Why I am taking zinc?
I read that it helps:
- Allergies
- Prostate
- Warts (I have had these little plantar warts on my feet for years and I tried burning them and duct tape to no avail)
- Prevent injuries
- Anti-inflammation
- Aromatase inhibitor (boosts testosterone/lowers estrogen)
Other changes
I eliminated cucumbers from my diet and some other night shade vegetables that I rarely ate. That was part of the plant paradox book on avoiding certain lectins.
I am trying to stray away from foods that are high in phyto-estrogens. I don’t eat stuff like flax or soy or grains. However, I was occasionally eating tahini which I read was high in phyto-estrogens.
Despite it’s high in that it’s also pretty high in Zinc (aromatase inhibiter which blocks estrogen). So I am not sure, but I’ll stop eating it for now.
Probiotics…
I recently have been making my own kombucha and yogurt. I have been making yogurt from coconut milk/cream and A2 cow’s milk.
Root vegetables & green bananas/papaya
Recently I added some sweet potatoes and taro into my diet. I guess these do I have some phyto-estrogens but nothing compared to soy, flax or sesame.
Apparently green papayas and bananas are better for you because of resistant starch (prebiotic).
Reducing omega 6 from nuts
I guess some nuts have a lot of omega 6 fats in them. Nuts are like my favorite food. I think I may eat too much at times so I am trying to cut back a bit. Omega 6 causes inflammation and pain.
Increasing omega 3
I have been taking algae oil which is high in EPA and DHA and from what I have gathered a better/cleaner source of omega 3 than fish oil.
Omega 3 is supposed to reduce inflammation.
Books I read recently:
- The Art And Science Of Low Carbohydrate Performance
- The Plant Paradox