Good luck with this, Glenda. This is a resourceful way to stay OP and get your nourishment. Hope all turns out well once you get to the dentist.

The few times in my life that I've had teeth pulled - as a child while they were redesigning my overcrowded mouth - the dentist had me rinse my mouth with salt water for several days to keep down infection and help with the healing. Perhaps letting it dissolve in your mouth per Megan Ramos would make your current situation less painful.

Good luck, I hope you find some permanent relief on Tuesday. And until then, perhaps you'll shed a pound or two.

My sister & her husband are both dentists & they recommend rinsing with warm salt water. I do it.

I was disappointed in Dr. Fung's post on supplements. I've often read that the RDA is preventing-disease oriented, rather than optimal health. When not eating, we're obviously not getting even the RDA. Not relevant?

The problem with allopathic medicine when they test a vitamin/mineral is that they do so as they do drugs, for obvious reasons, but still. I think a more holistic approach is warranted, which is hard to test obviously.

I take a lot of supplements, mostly for depression, and when I don't, I feel worse so it's a no brainer for me. But just lately I've been wondering about potassium while fasting.

I find fasting (and eating low carb in general) to be stressful. Salt helps but the potassium has been helping too. Not sure how much to take, however. (I know you're not supposed to take a bunch at a time.)

Thoughts?

Reading Fung on supplements, I thought back to Mark Sisson's post earlier this year, where his criticism of longer fasts were exactly focused on vitamins and minerals. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/long...worth-the-risk/
Dr. Westman still urges at least some protein each day (and maybe a vit/min supplement too?)
So net, I still take supplements inc. a 99 potassium which is not much at all, bone broth with salt, some collagen added, I just feel better taking broth (and coffee!) with a fast.

Janet, Thanks for the link; I don't fast more than 24 hrs at best. Tried a few longer, up to 44 hrs, but found I couldn't sleep so that was that.

I find even the 24 hr fast to be stressful. I'm getting the cold hands and feet, especially the feet. I've been walking 2 mi a day, so shouldn't be circulation. I think Dr. Fung said this was a sign of slowing metabolism, but I had it right from the start of fasting. Before that, way too much overeating, so I don't think my metabolism would have slowed down that quickly. I'm on Metformin and take B12, but perhaps not enough.

I notice I have more energy when I am taking the potassium; otherwise, I don't feel much like moving at all. I've been taking an Electromix, which has 400 mg of potassium, and then another 99 mg capsule or two with it. I've taken potassium chloride salt with regular salt in bone broth, but that doesn't feel good.

I noticed on Amazon some people saying they were using potassium citrate powder in water and then drinking it throughout the day, saying they were fasting or on a keto diet. I'm thinking of trying that.

One tip that came out of the brief run of Fasting Talk, Megan often spoke of the much higher need for hydration. She and her husband drink water every hour, and whatever the amount I now forget, it was more than I usually do. So if feeling "off" also think about plain water, but sounds a good plan with the supplements.

Tweet from Dr Fung this am...."The Obesity Code is #7 on this weeks Amazon.com's Most Sold NonFiction list. Thanks, everybody!"

The Obesity Code was the 7th most sold non-fiction book on Amazon this week!? One of these slow-burn diet books, sales build up over time by word of mouth? Another impressive one is The Whole 30...I have not seen it below top 20 in diet since published.

But Dr Fung still selling well is a surprise. Good for him!

Edit: as of this hour, Whole 30 is #1 and Obesity Code #2 (in a free Audible Audio edition) in Diets and Weight Loss, also both in top 10 in the overall health category.

I get cold when I fast. It is almost immediate, too. I will feel it by noon if I've skipped breakfast. In the summer I've found it not such a bad thing. It has been hot and I've been active outdoors. I seem to tolerate the heat better. But the winter is another story. Fasting is almost unbearable. I've discovered what throw blankets can do for you.

Conversely, I will run hotter if I overeat my low carb food. When I eat right I sleep well at the current thermostat setting. If I down an entire bag of pork rinds, for example, resulting in a high calorie day I will be shedding blankets at night or turning down the A/C. Maybe it is a metabolism adjustment - but seems to work both ways for me.

I ended a longer fast last night at 3am because I couldn't sleep. My brain was running a mile-a-minute. I ate fat and protein (zero carbs). It didn't help, so I'm not sure if the fast had anything to do with the restlessness or not. On my walk this morning I did have more pep in my step, walking at a faster pace than the day before. I was soaked with sweat when I finished, too - unlike the day before when I came back dry from my morning walk. The morning temperature was about the same.

BTW: I drink a lot of water when I fast. I drink a lot of water anyway. I also supplement with salt. I can tell when I'm feeling a little off. Water and salt help keep me straight.

I am still amazed at how much more in tune with my body I am with a properly functioning metabolism. When I was broken, eating junk, and totally IR I was pretty much numb to feeling anything from the food that I was eating. I think I felt crappy all of the time and that became my normal. I don't always feel terrific and in the zone with my eating. But I can tell when I eat wrong.

Glad to hear Dr. Fung's book sales are rising. I thought he sounded disappointed, maybe even a little bitter, when it first came out and didn't take off like a rocket.

I drink a lot of water when I fast. And yes, I'm a bit colder overall, as with low carb, or just eating less in general. It is a nice benefit, but I'm getting really bummed about the super cold feet. I had a diabetic exam in March that included pulses and sensations in my feet that were ok, and I see my doctor again in a few weeks. She'll probably tell me to quit fasting!

Doing a little additional research on potassium, the problem seems to be that the kidneys can't clear very much at one time, so I think if I space whatever amount I take throughout the day, I should be ok.

Incidentally, for anyone stumbling upon this topic for the first time, as some always do, I find that drinking tea is essential to my fasts. I've never been a tea drinker, but found white tea, which is just less processed green tea, is very mild tasting. I only fast 24 hrs at a time, so never really get past that point of being hungry, but I believe the tea is an appetite suppressant because it seems to help a lot. I add salt to it or coconut oil, or olive oil or whatever I'm doing.

I joined a weight loss group last summer. (Called The Happy Losers ) I am the only low carber, which surprised me a little out of a core group of about 12. Anyway, I brought some books in recently and prompted at least two sales of The Obesity Code for Dr. Fung, and even one of the fasting book.

Some things just resonate with me. Most of the information that helps me is on Dr. Fung's website. Even eating LCHF, I was still having twinges in my feet until I started following his protocol. Since then, my A1C is normal and I have fewer instances with my feet (as long as I walk enough).

Blog post from Brenda :
I've always had cold feet, so I invest in socks.

Amazing.
There needs to be research ASAP about LCHF and neuropathy.
Like Today.
I wonder what role insulin resistance plays in neuropathy.
Never even thought of it before.

I bought the Complete Guide to Fasting.
Didn't get to read before I fell into fasting.

But I wish I had of cooked this up first.
I'll never throw away chicken bones again !

In my experience, neuropathy in feet is different than just a cold sensation. It's more a burning and stinging feeling, with a little bit of numbness and extra sensitivity thrown in. Sounds incongruous, but that's how it feels.

I had chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy about a year after I completed chemo, which I didn't even know was possible until I complained to another cancer survivor and she clued me in. I checked some cancer survivor boards (sad to say some people have it much worse than I did) and tried the suggested-by-many combo of alpha lipoic acid and benfotiamine. It worked within days! I would periodically stop taking it, and resume when my feet hurt, until the last time when they didn't.

I didn't have diabetic neuropathy when I was first diagnosed as diabetic, but then when my blood sugar lowered, I did - or at least had tingling and burning sensation. The capillaries refilling, I presume.

I may try the benfotiamine again (already take ALA) as I was just reading somewhere that diabetics are usually deficient in thiamine.

So glad to hear, JLx!

Thanks, Werebear. Pretty scary to have consequences of chemo one full year later. No question that stuff is poison.

I read Sugar Crush on your recommendation, btw. Was a little disappointed that he didn't cover chemo, and didn't mention that combo either, although he said B vitamins might offer some relief.

I don't know why I haven't had diabetic neuropathy. I wonder if it's because I've always been a walker. Dogs, dontcha know.