I was never formally diagnosed with metabolic syndrome by a doctor.
But, I had all the symptoms.....overweight, borderline diabetic, high blood pressure, poor sleep, etc. I was on blood pressure medication and would have occasional spikes in blood pressure even though I was on medication.
I was a mess. I had a stroke. I was headed down the road of one medication after another.
After the stroke, I accidently lost 50 pounds. I was so busy relearning everything from brushing my teeth to handwriting to swimming, that I simply didn't eat much. I accidently discovered the health benefits of fasting.
But, I leveled off after that 50 pounds and struggled again. I needed to lose 15 - 20 more. I could not.
I began to research my health. My doctor snickered at this idea. She actually mocked me a little when she suggested a treatment protocol and I told her I would do my research and get back to her.
Her ideas were vague and medication-based. I took matters into my own hands.
In a nutshell, here's what I did to beat the symptoms of metabolic syndrome and regain my health:
Fasting: I fast every day. I do not eat after dinner. No more bedtime snacks. I fast completely from dinner to breakfast, which is about 14 hours (6:00 pm to 8:00 am). I drink water only during that time, or unsweetened tea. I often add electrolytes to my water, at least once a day. Sometimes I fast longer but this is a daily minimum. Also, I do not eat between meals. I try not to snack between meals at all. When I was in the hospital from my stroke, they said I was borderline diabetic, but the diet they gave me was full of carbs, sugar and seed oils. This is where my fasting began. I hardly ate at all while in the hospital.
More salt: I completely did away with table salt and only eat salt that has the original minerals in it, like Celtic salt or Redmond's. I usually have a pinch of salt before I drink a glass of water and let it absorb onto my tongue before I drink. This makes sure the sodium gets into my cells, but this is only workable with a mineral salt. I use only salt that has not been processed and has its original minerals. I use table salt only for cleaning.
Eat mostly red meat: Red meat has most of the nutrients you need in your diet and it has good fat. I eat red meat most days, and large portions. I eat chicken and fish a couple times a week. I save all the fat and bones from all meat to use in making bone broth. I am 95% carnivore.
Cut out most sugar: I no longer eat sweets unless they are sugar free. If I bake myself something, I use allulose instead of sugar and use an alternative flour that is low carb. No refined sugar. I occasionally use some raw, local honey.
More butter: Butter is a healthy fat. I buy organic butter made from the milk of grass fed cows. I use it liberally in my cooking.
Cut out all seed oils: Seed oils are poison. I use avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, lard, butter or tallow. I never use seed oils like canola or vegetable or similar oils. Vegetable oils are not made from vegetables; they are machine oils that were renamed to sell.
Carnivore diet: I eat 95% carnivore, meaning I eat mostly animal product. I do eat a few carbs in the form of berries and nuts, but I do not eat any processed foods. I am 95% carnivore, which includes eggs and dairy. I occasionally eat sugar free treats which I make at home using allulose instead of sugar. I do have a little Stevia in my morning coffee. I also have about 1/8 cup of orange juice a day with my morning vitamins. My ideal dinner is a 6 oz steak with a beef patty on the side.
Apple Cider Vinegar: I have 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar a day and only the kind with the "Mother" in it. This is easy to find in the store; it will say "Mother" on the label. I add 2 tablespoons to a glass of Lemoncello sparkling water. It is my daily "mixed drink" and I really love it and look forward to having it.
HIIT workout on a rebounder (mini trampoline): My routine is 10 - 12 minutes per day. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. I do 30 seconds of a high intensity workout on the rebounder, then do a less intense rest period for 1 minute, where I'm still active on the rebounder, but less intense. I repeat this about 10 times. I love it. Even on days this is hard due to lack of motivation or something, I can do it because it's 30 seconds at a time. It's manageable. Another benefit: it has helped my balance, which was an issue after my stroke.
I also try to do at least 20 squats per day. Squats help with flexibility, balance and strength. A lot of people my age can't do squats and I decided I don't want to lose my ability to do squats.
doTerra's MetaPWR softgels; This is a metabolic blend softgel that helps balance my metabolism. It is not a magic pill and works best with a healthy diet. I take one per day. This has been excellent for my metabolism.
Proper Vitamins and Minerals: Of course, check with your doctor on this. I take quite a few. I take a multi-vitamin for women, Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium, Apple Pectin, Calcium, MK2, Vitamin D3, Vitamin C, a joint health supplement, doTerra's Copaiba, probiotics, doTerra's Terrazyme enzyme Real salt is also a good source of minerals, as stated before.
All these things are not a diet or temporary measure. They are a complete lifestyle change that I intend to keep up permanently.
Results:
I am off all blood pressure medications.
I am no longer borderline diabetic.
I am now at a healthy weight, but will lose 10 more pounds.
I have much more energy.
I became a morning person. I wake up early with a lot of energy.
I have a much more positive outlook on things.
I do not miss carbs.
~Tricia
https://www.doterra.com/US/en/site/triciajohnson
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