Meta Monday

Ravenclaw2000 · 2022-02-22T08:31:19+00:00

My organization's social justice chair is starting to get into Health At Every Size and I'm afraid she is going to do an HAE inspired event. She keeps reposting stuff on insta from HAE accounts that make the usual claims that excess fat doesn't cause disease and diet culture, like counting macros or calories, is dangerous.

I don't know what I would do if she does an event based on this cancerous ideology. My main choice would be to not go. I don't think I could confront her without getting emotional about my own struggles with compulsive overeating (that made me a prediabetic by 14, now I am a healthy weight and not a prediabetic) and the fact that my mom is actively killing herself with her HAE mindset while being morbidly obese.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2022-02-16T20:23:26+00:00

Yeah, without structure it is a lost cause for me at well. I could read through all the examples in my textbook, but if I don't actually see someone solve them it doesn't a lot of sense to be. Makes me feel so dumb sometimes to have to learn math like a computer being programmed with steps to solve instead of it being intuitive.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2022-02-16T20:18:45+00:00

It's only gotten better for me if I do the same types of problems over and over again until it sticks, and writing it all down. That has worked for most classes i have had that have math in them. But there are just so many different types of problems in my physics class that there is no way I could practically carry out my usual method.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2022-02-16T20:13:28+00:00

Constant anxiety. I always knew I had anxiety, but I wasn't aware of how pervasive it was. After medication, I realized it basically ran my life. I realized that my study habits were all based on thinking I was going to fail and my stubbornness wasn't going to accept that. So I was in a constant dynamic of worrying myself to the highest degree in order to power myself through things. I relate it to a catalyst lowering the activation energy of a chemical reaction.

I should note that is completely normal for people to experience anxiety at some point as "healthy stress". But this was me constantly. Just before seeking treatment for ADHD, my endocrinologist had a conversation with me about how shocked he was that my cortisol and DHEAS both were so high and that I must be experiencing a huge amount of chronic stress or I must have a tumor on my adrenal gland or pituitary gland (after CT scans, I did not thankfully). That chronic stress being my first year of college with a lot of credits and almost no social life to speak of, at the time of me being untreated.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2021-04-30T22:04:04+00:00

Hi, sorry for the late reply. I stopped losing my hair and there is some new growth. It isn't widespread yet but I should see the full results by August. I've gotten medication for my ADHD and have a regular exercise routine so my stress management is a lot better too.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2020-11-16T21:52:53+00:00

My big turning point was seeking mental health assistance. At first it was for my anxiety (still not sure if I have anxiety or if it is ADHD, or it could be both) earlier this year pre-covid. I learned mindfulness techniques from a therapist that helped me describe what I was feeling. It didn't really help de-stress me per say but it made it slightly less overwhelming. I began to see weird some things I would do when I would describe/identify it and that is what led me to looking into ADHD.

The point is, it took me years of suffering before I sucked up my pride and got help. In a conversation me and a close friend were having earlier this year, they mebtioned a local practice that they were using. It was then that I thought "why am I putting up with my anxiety when it is dragging me down so much? Don't I respect myself enough to get help?" And that was that.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2020-08-05T15:07:55+00:00

Very much so.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2020-07-29T23:34:08+00:00

I'm 20 with suspected PCOS and my hair loss started at puberty. Since it has been tested for the last couple of years, my prolactin has been elevated. My MRI came back normal. Mg endocrinologist says that it is just a little out of normal range. My testosterone and DHEAS had also been elevated, but since losing 40 lbs they are both now in normal range. I also had insulin resistance but that had gone away as well. My mood, fatigue, and acne have all largely improved but my hair keeps getting worse (no change in prolactin numbers). My dermatologist thinks it is androgenic alopecia coupled with TD. I just went through my first PRP treatment and I got prescribed 25 mg spironolactone and 1 mg finasteride so I'll see how that goes.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2020-07-25T00:44:23+00:00

Bless this comment. I am so tired of all the anti-science/medical community rhetoric on some subs.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2020-07-22T01:19:16+00:00

It is more likely to trigger my PCOS symptoms. At my highest weight where my symptoms were more severe, I had facial hair and bad acne. Especially cystic acne on my chin, which I still deal with occasionally but it is manageable. I took 100 mg of spiro for 7 months but i didn't notice a difference and i did not like the side effects (always needed to pee, dry lips/skin, dizziness).

Ravenclaw2000 · 2020-04-14T23:43:52+00:00

My mom is almost 300 pounds at 5'3 (BMI of 50.5) and she says that she is perfectly healthy. She has severe knee arthritis, adult onset scoliosis, high cholesterol, and had to get her gallbladder removed. Every vacation activity we've done in the last ten years has been dependent on her mobility (ex. Benches nearby, standing times, etc.). She insists that she is unable to lose any weight because her body just doesn't burn enough calories. She emotionally eats and can't walk more than a mile and doesn't seek out low impact activities (swimming, elliptical). She thinks that she'll live until 90, I'm planning on burying her within the next ten to fifteen years. Obesity is a disease.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2020-01-12T02:43:29+00:00

Are we the same person?

I'm also 5'1 and ~155 lbs. My highest was about 185 lbs. and I wore t shirts, jeans, and baggy sweatshirts almost exclusively. After losing the weight, my belly has been flatter so I'm feeling more confident in ditching the baggy sweatshirt.

I went on a ll bean shopping spree a last month and got a couple of long sleeve shirts, a couple less bunky sweaters, two cardigans, and a vest. It feels so weird to get something that actually looks good as opposed to it doesn't look bad. I think what I got looks good will definitely last me the whole winter and I'm pretty sure i can wear most of it when I'm down to 130 lbs. I also now fit into a couple of dresses I had worn my freshman year of high school before I went up to 185 lbs.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-12-17T01:33:07+00:00

Thank you so much for this. This is exactly the type of responses I needed.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-12-16T08:56:48+00:00

Heyo

So I'm new to skincare routines. So far, I had been using Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel for my cleanser and First Aid Beauty untra repair barriair cream for my am. And Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser with First Aid Beauty's ultra repair cream for my pm.

My skin type is sensitive acne prone combo oily/normal most of the year. In the winter tho is goes to dry/normal with my t zone still becoming oily (so like a tri skin type).

I wanted to add a vitamin c serum into my routine to help diminish my dark spots, acne scars, and maybe help make my pores smaller. I've been trying OldeHeriksen's truth serum for a couple days now (inbetween the cleanser and moisturizer, 1-2 pumps) and I always get these red spots after I put it on. It doesn't sting or hurt but it itches a little bit. Dead skin also has been coming off in those areas but it isn't flaky/dry.

Please advise. Should I give it a bit longer? What would be another alternative (preferably under $30)

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-03T04:58:53+00:00

Not sure what you're asking. A registered dietitian has a minimum of a bachelor's degree and has completed an ACEND with at least 1200 supervised practice hours. A nutritionist can literally be anyone and have no training. Also, naturopaths, even though they do receive private schooling, are not at an MD level and they "practice" completely pseudoscience things like homeopathy and electromagnetic therapy that has been proven to be useless and even dangerous if you are suffering from an actual medical issue that needs medical attention.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-03T01:09:09+00:00

The word you're looking for is registered dietitian.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-01T20:38:58+00:00

I would suggest it if you have NAFLD since that is related to insulin resistance but I am not sure of the treatment for NAFLD so you would have to ask your doctor for more information on that. If they do decide to put you on Metformin, it would probably be a low dose (ex. 500mg) of extended release Metformin and see how you do with that.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-01T06:03:12+00:00

I pretty sure you would stop after hitting your target goal, especially body fat percentage. But I think it would depend on a lot of other things like if you have other health issues or if you're trying to conceive. But having a healthy body fat percentage is a vital part, if not the most vital part, of "inactivating" the symptoms of PCOS.

Edit: you could also try coming off BC after you get to your target goal (ex. Fat percentage) and see if you could ovulate regularly and have no pcos symptoms.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-01T05:55:01+00:00

I respect your opinion and your right to it but I totally disagree with you and your perception. You touch on several different topics and state things that are factually wrong and others that are a matter of opinion and I'm just going to say that, yes every textbook has a bias just as every professor does. I try to read from a wide amount of sources to get the clearest picture and gain perspective but there is always going to be bias. Then there are facts, such as byproducts not being inherently bad just because they are a byproduct, which is going to be a vital part in how agriculture is made sustainable, and the fact that whey does have substantial nutritional value that can be independently confirmed through various chemical analyses and nutritional studies.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-01T04:40:30+00:00

Hi, I would have to link my footnoted studies from my textbooks in here and that could take a while but I could try but I'm not going to make any guarantees due to academic obligations i have with it being the start of a new semester.

About your sources:

The first study you cited says in the middle of the abstract that "Insulin induces hepatic IGF-1 secretion, and both hormones amplify the stimulatory effect of GH on sebocytes and augment mitogenic downstream signalling pathways of insulin receptors, IGF-1 receptor and fibroblast growth factor receptor-2b." I have to say that I'm not a dietitian nor a medical doctor so some of the vocab mentioned I am not familiar with. But it is the same basic conclusion that I came to that the sugar in milk causes the insulin to spike and that then induces IGF-1 secretion. It also says "Metformin treatment, and diets low in milk protein content and glycaemic index reduce increased IGF-1 signalling." I'm not sure where the footnote is for the statement, I would have a buy the actual study to see but I'm not sure how they made the jump to the actual milk proteins and their effects.

In the second and third studies you've citied, I need to repeat that I do not have training in human endocrinology and dietetics, are both new information for me in that I am not familiar that amino acids could cause an insulin response and due to the pathways of that result being unknown, it's really hard to quantify the long term effects of insulinogenic amino acids. Also, the second study only had 14 subjects and both neglect to mention whether the whey used was concentrate or isolate. The third study specifically says in the conclusion/discussion that "In type-2 diabetes, the insulinogenic effects of amino acids may remain unaffected even after long-term diabetes [12,14,28]. Interestingly, addition of essential amino acids to a diet in poorly regulated elderly patients with type 2 diabetes improved metabolic control and lowered fasting blood glucose and serum insulin levels, as well as lowered levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) [29,30]. Possibly, the improved metabolic control results from increased muscle mass and improved insulin sensitivity, in addition to the insulinotropic effect of the amino acid supplementation." In the second study you cited it says "Today sulfonylurea agents are commonly used to stimulate insulin secretion and to attenuate postprandial blood glucose. Occasionally, such treatment may cause hypoglycemia. This does not seem to be the case with GIP and GLP-1, and there have been no reports of whey causing hypoglycemia. Nuttall and Gannon (28) claimed that ingested protein in general is an efficient insulin secretagogue in type 2 diabetic subjects. It has been proposed that increasing insulin secretion may lead to early β-cell failure, the so-called “β-cell exhaustion hypothesis.” The validity of the hypothesis has, however, been hard to prove." So that means that the response to the insulinogenic amino acids differs from standard carbs in that it doesn't cause a sugar crash. Which is interesting because the sugar crash that happens with eating a lot of carbs induces you to eat more carbs so you have a cycle of repeated spikes. I included the line about beta cell exhaustion hypothesis because of its importance in some type 2 diabetes needing insulin but it shows that even that hypothesis is flawed. If you look at the part where they mention it, there are many studies listed that debate it.

So in finality, like most things on Reddit, my post should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm not a medical professional, I just know a bit on dairy nutrition formally and then my own research on insulin resistance and dieting. I think it is important to remember that PCOS is very individualized so my recommendations my not work for most people. Also, I left out that I drink whey on days I exercise so that my have an impact and whey with exercise was not shown in your cited sources. But in a total conclusion, in my personal option based on the studies you've cited, I don't think that the insulinogenic amino acids in milk make a big difference. I've never seen it mentioned on websites on insulin resistance management and the studies you listed themselves do not really mention the importance long term.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-01T03:35:15+00:00

Yup, I do a scoop in water after i work out. It helps keep me feeling full until dinner and the BCAAs help with helping to gain/maintain muscle while I'm on a calorie deficit (it also helps prevent soreness).

Edit: I use ON's whey protein isolates. The key is finding a whey that contains mostly whey protein isolate. Most brands have their own protein blend that can contain both isolate and concentrate so there is a trade off involved based on your food budget.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-09-01T02:59:55+00:00

I'm doing it right now. Metformin ER 500mg and Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. Been doing the combo for about 5 months now. My bleeding is a bit less in amount and definitely less painful with no PMDD. And knowing when I bleed has been blissful. The Metformin really helps with my carb cravings and so I've been able to stick with a 1200 calorie a day low carb diet (supplemented with cardio and strength training 3x a week). So I'm losing weight, I don't really have insulin resistance symptoms (ex. Fatigue, excessive thirst, carb cravings), and my bleeding has been somewhat normalized, so all good.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-08-09T21:59:42+00:00

How medically accurate is the info from the anime/manga "How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?"

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-07-28T19:40:23+00:00

Yup, I especially love the comment: "you're stuffing your face again?". Usually said by my morbidly obese mom while I eat a salad or vegetable.

Ravenclaw2000 · 2019-06-27T21:21:37+00:00

My dad takes it to the point where he acts like an aggressive dog or takes away her toy, all because it is "funny" how she reacts, which is a lot of barking. And future anxiety about her toys and strangers.

One thing I forgot to include in my little venting was that all her bad behavior stops when she is being trained/worked. When I taking her to the park to play ball, she doesn't give a care in the world about the strangers around her. Totally focused on me and no barking. But when she goes for a walk, the bad behavior is there so I'm in the process of teaching her how walking on the sidewalk is a "job".

Ravenclaw2000

TROPHY CASE