Iguana, this one is for you but also anyone else having success with Instincto.

I've been working this year to heal up after getting really sick from mold. It's forced me to really listen closely to my body and understand the little signs of nutrients I need. Lately I started doing self muscle testing and I'm finding following those instincts, even if I need to follow a step like muscle testing to hear them, is resulting in improvements. I was curious if you've used the process or have other personal ways to tell what your body needs. Does it get to the point where you get the same feedback without asking your body?

Would u say low D is better than taking it?
I know historically, it has been used medicinally and to cure rickets and other diseases ... so. maybe there are benefits?
I know that 99% are rancid, but the one I am taking doesn't taste fishy. it's oil in a bottle, not capsules, and it says cold-pressed raw and wild ... Rosita brand
better to quit it?

I've felt very good when I took Rosita. I'm ordering another bottle with the intent to make sure my Vitamin D is good. Back in the day I felt fantastic using a fermented cod liver oil and then they started tasting wrong to me. I had to stop it. If you listen to your body in an Instincto manner it will help you make the right choices after highly addictive substances like refined sugar are removed.

Here is an interesting video I came across recently which speaks strongly to having enough vitamin D, preferably from sunlight (which is not always practical), as well as sufficient B vitamins and deep sleep. It's all intertwined with gut health. It's about 90 minutes but makes some great points and is changing my approach right now as far as my current health recovery.

https://youtu.be/74F22bjBmqE

As far as foods you can use oily fish, liver, or quality egg yolks.
You need to make sure you get enough of the co-factors. Vitamin K. Calcium. Zinc. Magnesium. Boron. Vitamin A.

It's possible if you are low in the co-factors your body would have high circulating calcium and the body would reduce production of vitamin D to protect itself. I'd start with looking at vitamin K intake and move on from there. You may find you need to consider some greens if you are eating omnivorous. I'd caution against high oxalate greens like spinach and kale. See how you do with things like collards, turnip greens, or mustard greens.

Grass-fed is not the most important. You wanna stick to nutrient-rich red meat. You can remove the fat if you are concerned about fat-soluble toxins. If you are wise, you will understand this important free info.

We can agree to disagree. Conventional farmed meat, even "nutrient dense" sources, gave me acidosis. Nutrient dense grassfed meat changed my health. The fat is also as much, if not more, important than the muscle meat. Organs too which I wouldn't touch from a conventional source.

Making progress but it's slow. I'm still eating a cooked paleo diet. Heavy in fish and squashes with lots of pumpkin & flax seed oil as well as sunflower seed butter. Hoping to start moving onto some red meats soon. 6+ months of just cooked eggs did a number on my system. I think it exacerbated fatty liver and definitely pushed my cholesterol up very quickly. It seems to have impacted bile flow but I'm making progress on that with bile salts, taurine, and pushing my fat intake up each day. Still using mostly omega 3 unsaturated fats but looking forward to the pivot over to some saturated fats.

Based on the experiences I am having with the current diet I'm thinking a lot of the issues I've been dealing with this year are compounded versions of the issues which lead me to raw paleo over a decade ago. The brain fog in particular can be very difficult although I seem to be getting a better handle on this with some of my supplements. I still think there's oxalate involvement but this may be more than just that or it's possible that's what set me up for other issues. I'll continue to unravel it as I heal back up.

Some of the most positive gains have been through frequency therapies on Youtube. Two channels I'm using frequently and noting good effects. In particular there appears to be quite a bit of brain involvement in everything and both channels have good videos to tonify the vagus nerve or address the amygdala.

Bioresonance:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMgef-nxELn8jaHV01w_Gw

Sapien Medicine:
https://www.youtube.com/user/projectvampireTV

I'm also looking long and hard at rife machines but don't have the money right now for one. Given the marked improvements I'm noting through different frequency therapies though it seems like it would be money well spend if/when I get there. In the meantime I'm just going to leverage free tools while I continue to improve with diet changes and focused supplements.

If anyone wants the spreadsheet let me know. I'll gladly share it in Excel. I'm a numbers guy and this is important to do a gut check on once in a while.

Time for another update.

Tried to balance things myself for a couple more weeks after the last post. I had the results of a new allergy test come back and I had developed an IgE allergy to chicken egg yolk and albumin which was not surprising with that being all I ate for months and regular pain in my stomach. I switched it up the next day and trialed some roast lamb but went way too aggressive (at least a pound and a half) and my body freaked out. I think I had been pushing a histamine overload or maybe my adrenals were worked up but ended up going to the hospital. Spent 6 hours in the emergency department including one episode of nearly passing out, another of full body dumping of sweat, and lots of ups & downs in vitals. They kept me a couple days in observation as my chest hurt during the whole ordeal. The only thing they found wrong other than elevated cholesterol was low sodium and set me up on a a total of 4 IV bags of saline to get me to normal levels.

After getting out of the hospital I went through hell dealing with at least mild re-feeding syndrome. The months of eating eggs, and my body's slowly increasing inflammation to them, meant I'd been on starvation rations for a very long time. The most eggs I ate in one day was 24 so 1,680 calories at most and many days were lower. I spent close to a week feeling like smashed ass struggling to keep my b vitamins, especially thiamine, up while getting food into me. I'm on a rotation diet right now as I have no safe foods (beef is a low level allergen at the moment). Cycling different fishes along with some fruits and some veggies. Trying to eat low histamine and low-mid oxalate as both are bothering me right now. Based on my reaction to coconut right now there's probably a salicylate intolerance as well.

I've been hitting my caloric needs, or exceeding them, for over a week. I was down to 162 pounds at the lowest. Today the scale read 180.4. My functional medicine doctor has me on an elemental liquid diet for breakfast. This is a powder based drink with reduced aminos for proteins. You mix with water and an oil and sip it slow. It absorbs into the stomach and upper intestines giving the lower intestines time to reduce inflammation (like intermittent fasting without the fasting). I'm having wild frozen supermarket fish for lunch with any number of fruits or veggies (apples, Bartlett pears, squash, arugula, watercress, etc.). Dinner has been salmon from Vital Choice which is frozen within 30 minutes of catch so as low histamine as possible. The is eaten with more fruits or veggies, usually the same as what was eaten for lunch. I'm supplementing with lots of fats from oils (flax seed mostly, some pumpkin seed, also have MCT to trial). I also have been eating a ton of sunflower seed butter which I think I'm craving for the biotin (B7) which is probably low. I'm pushing to start getting more raw foods into things beyond fruits and veggies but I need to do that with red meats. Freshwater fish have thiaminase in them which deactivates thiamine. Some saltwater fish does as well but I'm less worried about that. I have been cooking the swordfish I'm eating at lunch time less and less.

So, time for some conjecture on what happened particularly since my symptoms recently in the hospital were fairly similar.

I believe I have underlying issues with oxalates. I can tenuously stretch this all the way back to when I was a baby and had a horrific reaction to Amoxicillin. There are limited oxalate degrading bacteria in the human body and most prominent is Oxalabacter Formigenes. This bacteria is easily wiped out with antibiotics and so far they have not been able to provide a pill to rebuild it. I've read it's soil based so I suppose you could rebuild a colony eating the right soil but that's kind of iffy.
When the body is unable to degrade oxalates in the intestines and doesn't immediately bind them with calcium to excrete in the stool a portion of them will be absorbed into the body. With a healthy intestine this will be a modest amount. With a leaky gut the amount increases significantly. These oxalates wreak havoc in the body. They bind with the body's minerals like calcium and magnesium, the crystals can lodge all over the body (frequently they present as kidney stones and pseudo gout). They're a poison and the body tries to deal with them.

I spent a lot of my teenage years and early twenties dealing with extensive inflammation, brain fog, bad stomach, and other issues. At the time I attributed all of these issues to candida which may have been part of the puzzle but definitely wasn't all of it. I think I was loaded up with oxalates. I also think, based on how I'm navigating good versus bad carbs now, that there's some degree of fructose malabsorption at play as well.

Going zero carb raw paleo made me feel fantastic. I had already spent the past couple years moving further and further into a carnivore diet so the "dumping" I would experience from not having oxalates would be minimal. I did deal with some adaptation issues but these were mostly from the increase in fat of the diet and getting my gallbladder used to making enough bile. I'm sure I went through cycles dumping out oxalates that were left over but nothing super brutal.

For at least the last 5 years I've been pushing myself very hard for work. At first this was easy but the longer I did it the more tired I would be and the more coffee I drank to make up for it. I also found myself craving the fast calories of carbs and would indulge that more and more frequently. Often times they were "healthy" choices like almonds but all of these things were bad choices for my body.

Coffee runs down the body's store of thiamine as does stress and a bunch of other things. A thiamine deficiency can present as "wet" or "dry" beriberi and is surprisingly more common that you would expect. Wet beriberi's signature initial symptom is edema in the shins. Over time edema will present through the feet and lower extremities and eventually it leads to congestive heart failure. Most people would never get this far as another process it's involved in is the conversion of glucose from dietary carbs into ATP for cellular energy. A process which I had little dependency on seeing as so much of my energy was coming from ketones.

To my best guess I was flirting with thiamine deficiency for a couple years. The mold we had in our house was a constant stressor on my system so I wasn't going to easily rebuild thiamine stores. The coffee, the carb binges, the push to work as hard as I was, and the lack of sleep all contributed to a perfect storm. The weekend before I got sick I had fasted for 24 hours then gone to the supermarket and picked up a ton of vegetables. I figured that the "gout" in my feet was never going to get better if I was still eating my beef and I needed to find another solution. I believe that last binge ran down the limited thiamine stores I had and the initial issues I had in the office that Monday were a crazy blood sugar episode. I also believe with the limited thiamine and how hard I pushed myself I was dealing with re-feeding syndrome and didn't know it. I struggled for a week to right myself with wild swings in how I felt. Without supplementing thiamine I was going through periods where I couldn't breathe at all. I was probably dealing with minor congestive heart failure and none of the doctors really considered it. I did eventually find eggs were a better choice (low carb load) and found my footing for a while. Without digging deeper though this was set to fail as well which it eventually did.

So, I'm alive. I've putting weight back on. I'm following an intensive protocol from my functional medicine doctor (who is absolutely awesome). I'm taking a ton of supplements every day which doesn't thrill me but is helping me regain my health. I'm also on a couple psych meds to help with the anxiety (Klonopin and titrating up Zoloft) which thrill me even less and I plan to titrate back down as soon as I'm able to prove to myself and everyone else I'm good. My autonomic system, vagus nerve, and limbic system are all jacked up but I'm making progress getting them all back under control. Still sensitive to chemicals but that's getting better. And hoping to move back into my remediated and somewhat rebuilt home over the next month or two. Fucking 2020.

This whole ordeal is reforging who I am as a person. Coming out of it I'm going to invest the time and energy to get some form of certification in health coach, food & nutrition, or something else I can help others. If I can help other people avoid the bullshit I've been going through I'd like to do so. I'm also working to get to the root causes of my issues with food so I don't have to worry about my health in the future. I will find some carbs which work well for me and eat a balanced raw paleo diet. The raw paleo aspect is still absolutely the right way to go we just need to make the right choices.

TD: I will bet you money the issues which have come up for you in the past with going raw zero carb are the result of cutting out oxalates in your diet leading to dumping. There's a couple week "honeymoon" phase and then all sorts of unpleasant issues can start up. Everyone handles it differently. Part of the hell I went through the last 7 months was a result of having been increasing my oxalates for the couple years prior then going cold turkey on the eggs.

GS: Pork is one of the highest sources of thiamine there is. Your instinctive craving for pork to heal certain issues may be driven by this. It's powerful medicine.

It's good to be back. I'm physically at 80%. My diet is maybe 40% raw and rising. I hope by Christmas to be a new man.

I'm doing electrolyte foot soaks with Epsom salts (in moderation, still very sensitive to sulfur as I rebuild), magnesium chloride, potassium bicarbonate, and sodium bicarbonate. 1-3 teaspoons, 20 minute soak in warm water. Seeing some real progress with these. I believe much of my underlying issues are mineral dysregulaion. To support the soaks I'm also using vitamin patches including a multi, a b with increase doses, and a glutathione. I have a CoQ10 coming as well as it was the cheapest way to supplement zinc in patch form. My digestion is slowly getting better doing this although the heavy sulfur content in everything (eggs, chicken, beef) is a bit much at times. I also started drinking potassium bicarbonate with P5P B6 in my water today and have noticed a real benefit from it. We will see how the week goes.

Oh, I also found a great functional medicine doctor in the area to start a professional's involvement. I had testing sent out for a GI MAP as well as a Dunwoody Labs allergy & intolerance panel. We're going to figure out gut issues and build a more robust diet plan. Really pushing hard to get back to raw beef for all meals but that's till too inflammatory in my system right now (pseudo gout?). I need to figure out if I have coconut issues as coconut water would be a great way to work on getting the potassium numbers up higher.

Some great detox info really helping me:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/135981539816730?view=permalink&id=1181801885234685&_rdr

"http://commonsensehome.com/improve-liver-health/
http://balancedconcepts.net/liver_phases_detox_paths.pdf
LIVER INFO
Phase One of detoxification, called Oxidation, the liver uses oxygen and enzymes to burn toxins. This process makes the toxins more soluble in water so they can be more easily excreted from the body by the liver (blood) - kidneys(urine). Most environmental toxins are fat-soluble to start with, and therefore difficult or impossible to eliminate without the liver's help. The chemicals produced in Phase One can be more toxic than those which originally entered the body.
Other pathways: Reduction, Hydrolysis, Hydration, Dehalogenation.
There are six pathways in Phase Two (Conjugation) Detoxification. Each pathway is responsible for converting a different set of substances (e.g. estrogen, thyroid hormones, heavy metals, histamine, phenol, salicylates, biliruben, nicotine, bacterial toxins, caffeine). (The liver cells add another substance (eg. cysteine, glycine or a sulphur molecule) to a toxic chemical or drug, to render it less harmful. This makes the toxin or drug water­soluble, so it can then be excreted from the body via watery fluids such as bile (liver-gallbladder-stool(poop)) or urine (liver(blood)-kidney).
The six conjugation pathways are called:
1.  Amino Acid Conjugation pathway (same as Glycination!)
2.  The Glutathione pathway
3.  The Sulphation (sulfation) pathway
4.  The Methylation pathway
5.  The Glucuronidation pathway
6.  The Acetylation pathway
Examples of Liver Detox Pathways:
1. AMINO ACID conjugation pathway (GLYCINATION) - SALICYLATES and benzoates are detoxified primarily through glycination. Benzoate is present in many food substances and is widely used as a food preservative (some jarred garlic). Patients suffering from xenobiotic overloads and environmental toxicity may not have sufficient amounts of glycine to cope with the amount of toxins they are carrying. It is involved in the detoxification of some antihistamines and decongestants. Amino acid conjugation is inhibited by a low protein diet.
2. GLUTATHIONE pathway - It plays a key process in participating directly in the neutralization of free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds, as well as DNA synthesis and repair, protein synthesis, prostaglandin synthesis, amino acid transport, enzyme activation, etoxification of methylglyoxal, a toxin produced as a byproduct of metabolism, and maintaining exogenous antioxidants such as vitamins C and E in their reduced (active) forms.
Glutathione exists in both reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) states .... "It supports T-cells and protects against viruses, maintains the structural integrity of the gut and is the primary means of detoxifying and eliminating heavy metals and other toxins." .. "Some of the main substances conjugated by glutathione include paracetamol, penicillin, tetracycline, mercury, lead and substances such as AFLATOXIN and ethyl alcohol." Glutathione is attached to the toxin to make it less harmful.
http://moldinspectionpro.com/glutathione/
http://www.tvernonlac.com/copper-toxicity.html (pyroluria and glutathione)http://www.50symptomsgone.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/The_Path_Newsletter_Aug_12-9.pdf (aflatoxin and glutathionation)
Note: Looks like severe low levels in vitamin B6 and zinc as seen in pyroluria and some with oxalate issue or/and high levels of mold mycotoxins as seen in toxic mold illness can cause significant drops in glutathione production because the body is trying to detox too much which can lead to leaky gut and possibly vit C turning bad (pro-oxidant and maybe into oxalates?), etc. Heavy metals inhibit the replenishment of glutathione. Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc.) are very helpful in enhancing glutathione. This pathway can be inhibited by deficiencies of selenium, vitamin B2 and zinc.
3. The SULPHATION pathway detoxifies excess neurotransmitters, steroids, thyroid hormones, phenol, SALICYLATES, and excess bile acids. This pathway is often burdened by frequent use of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS - Ibuprofen). We can support this pathway through an increase in high sulphur foods (e.g. egg yolk, broccoli, onion, garlic, or MSM). Note: If you are low in sulfate, this pathway won't be able to process SALICYLATES and phenols and they will backup in the liver causing problems. Some phenols can be produced from yeast in your gut. Therefore, taking probiotics and epsom salt baths can help with this pathway!http://www.livingnetwork.eo.za/chelationnetwork/food/sulfates_sulfation_feingold/ . .. " Sulphate conjugation binds
substances such as artificial food colourings (salicylates), heterocyclic amines and steroid hormones and transforms them into a more soluble form that can be excreted in the urine or bile. " Sulfur is attached to the toxin to make is less harmful. "Sulfation can be enhanced by amino acids like methionine and cysteine, taurine, glutathione (Free Amino Acids), MSM, garlic, onions and cruciferous vegetables. Red Yeast Rice aids sulfation. Vitamin B1 and B2, magnesium and molybdenum also aid sulfation, although excess molybdenum and excess B6 inhibit the sulfation process. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit sulfation. N-acetyl-cysteine
(mentioned earlier) can also enhance sulfation." The sulphation process is inhibited by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tartrazine (yellow food dye), steroids, and a molybdenum deficiency.
4. The METHYLATION pathway detoxifies estrogen, dopamine, histamine and heavy metals (methyl groups) and allows them to pass through the liver and out of the body safely. To support this pathway we can increase our intake of choline (avocados/eggs/non-GM soy lecithin) and B vitamins. Methylation attaches toxins to methionine. This process occurs in every cell of the body and helps the body get rid of excess hormones and neurotransmitters, including steroidal hormones like estrogen, adrenaline, dopamine, melatonin, histamine and serotonin. It also helps eliminate homecysteine, a compound associated with increased risk of heart disease. A variety of chemicals (amines, phenols, etc.) are also eliminated through methylation. Besides the amino acid methionine, methylation can be enhanced with B-vitamins (B6, B12, folic acid and choline), betaine (a compound from beets), which is also found in Protein Digestive Aid as betaine hydrochloric acid), magnesium and SAM-e. Magnesium is essential for the methylation enzyme. A folic acid or B12 deficiency will inhibit methylation. "SAM-e is a valuable supplement for liver detoxification as it also helps the body produce many methyl-based substances, including: carnitine. creatine phosphate (used in ATP energy production), epinephrine (adrenaline), posphatidyl choline (a nutrient that protects the nerves). Because of this SAM-e may help a variety of liver diseases, inflammatory disorders, depression and elevated levels of homocysteine. It may also reduce intestinal inflammation and protect the brain against free radical damage." Methylation process is inhibited by a folic acid or vitamin B12 deficiency caused by a lack of green vegetables (folate) or some animal product (B12).
5. GLUCURONIDATION pathway " removes hormones such as testosterone, oestrogen, and steroids; fatty acid derivatives, bilirubin, and bile acids. Many commonly used substances, such as SALICYLATES(aspirin), menthol, synthetic vanilla (SALICYLATES), acetaminophen, morphine, diazepam, digitalis, benzoates, benzodiazepines, phenols, and pesticides are detoxified through the glucuronidation pathway." ... " Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, steroid hormones, some nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines, some FUNGAL TOXINS, and aromatic amines. " "It also removes "used " hormones, such as oestrogen and T4 (thyroid hormone) that are produced naturally by the body."
Gilbert's Syndrome is an inherited impairment of this pathway ( jaundice and elevated levels of bilirubin). The blockage or slowdown of this system is associated with gallstones.
Note: glucuronic acid is derived from the carbohydrate - glucose.
Glucuronic acid is a metabolite of glucose that can be attached to toxins. Attaching toxins to sugars is called glucuronidation. This pathway is used as a back-up for sulfation or glycination. It is used to eliminate chemical and bacterial toxins, excess steroidal hormones (like estrogen), toxins from FUNGAL infections and a variety of chemical toxins such as nitrosamines, aromatic amines, alcohols and phenols.
http://www.50symptomsgone.com/wp-contenVuploads/2015/08/The_Path_Newsletter _Aug_ 12-9.pdf
http://www.modernherbalmedicine.com/articles/the-low-down-on-liver-detoxification-2.htm1?page=3
6. The ACETYLATION pathway -
acetylation attaches toxins to the compound acetyl Co-A for elimination. "People who are chemically sensitive are usually slow acetylators. Slow acetylation enhances the toxicity of drugs because it prolongs their life span in the body. Acetylation is used to eliminate excess histamine, serotonin, sulfa drugs, PABA and chemicals like sulphur amides and hydranzines. Nutrients that enhance acetylation include: pantothenic acid, Vitamin C and the amino acid thiamine. Deficiencies of B2, B5 or C inhibit acetylation."
http://www.modernherbalmedicine.com/articles/the-low-down-on-liver-detoxification-2.htm1?page=3"

And some Potassium Deficiency information:

https://m.facebook.com/story/graphql_permalink/?graphql_id=UzpfSTYyODg3NDQ1MDpWSzoxMzI5MzE1NjMzODE2NjQy

Here's what I've been thinking and writing about lately. I'll try to summarize it succinctly.
Without realizing it, I was severely deficient in potassium. Our diets tend to be 2:1 in favor of sodium. They should be 5:1 in favor of potassium. That's an order of magnitude of 10. Potassium deficiency has deep and far-reaching consequences.

1) Weakness of the sodium-potassium pump.
This means the cell "voltage" is low, and the mechanism by which minerals, vitamins, hormones, and neurotransmitters enter the cell -- and metabolic waste exits -- is impaired. I've suffered from edema in the past, and since becoming chronically ill with oxalates and mold sensitivity issues a few years ago, I have episodes where my face and eyes will swell dramatically.

2) Balancing Na (sodium) and K (potassium) in the body is the governance of 86.
Na-K balance is of vital importance -- sodium and potassium need to track together for all kinds of things, including heartbeat and alkalinity -- and if they're off, it will deplete 86. Low 86, in turn, will incline a person to endogenous production of oxalate. AGT is an enzyme involved in oxalate metabolism, and it runs on 86. I have a double mutation at AGT (++), so I already needed extra B6 (and had problems with oxalates), never mind with an added potassium deficiency.

3) Low cell voltage (a weak Na-K pump) and low B6 (oxalates issues) were contributing to mineral dysregulation. Not just copper, which is becoming increasingly known for being dysregulated, but all my minerals. When the pump is low, cellular transport is diminished. When there are oxalates around, they can bind to minerals and trap them in tissues. These effects have been amplified in recent years as a sadly poetic consequence of our use of Glyphosate, whose mechanism is one of mineral chelation. We've altered the world's microbiome, and in turn, we've damaged our own.
What exactly is dysregulation? Dysregulation means you're both deficient and toxic at the same time. For instance, a person with calcium dysregulation might present with classic symptoms of deficiency -- irritability, depression, brain fog, irregular heartbeat, muscle cramps, numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or face, even seizures -- along with idiopathic "calcifications" that would appear to be excess calcium, but would in fact be the calcium that should have been available to the body. My mother, I realized, has almost ALL the symptoms of calcium dysregulation. They've been giving her beta blockers for an irregular heartbeat for 20 years without ever stopping to ask WHY her heartbeat was irregular.

Dysregulation is possible for all the minerals, and is responsible for all the diseases. Bechamp was right; Pasteur was wrong. It's not the pathogens. It's the terrain.

In fact, the pathogens' role, in a sense -- a very real sense -- is to let us know what's wrong with the terrain. It could be that each pathogen corresponds to a mineral that's dysregulated. Blastocystis ( commonly misdiagnosed as "yeast") = copper. Lyme = manganese. Human papillomavirus = calcium. H Pyori = iron. HIV = zinc. We've been thinking of illness in terms of the "you catch something" paradigm. But what if we all have everything already, and when a microbe morphs into its pathogenic form -- e.g. when Blastocystis becomes amoeboid -- it's to let us know what's wrong with the terrain? Remember: If you lock 10,000 people in a building with Lyme-infested ticks, not all of them will come down with Lyme. But if you test 10,000 people with full-blown AIDS for Lyme, all of them will test positive.
What if ALS is calcium and lithium dysregulation? There are already clinically proven links to disrupted calcium homeostasis in ALS, and without lithium, there'd be nothing to protect against calcium-dependent neuronal death. What if MS is cobalt dysregulation (i.e. the body can1 use cobalamin to myelinate the nerves)? What if HIV is zinc dysregulation (with zinc disabled there'd be no defense against viruses)?

But I digress, and these are topics for another, longer paper. Let's get back to potassium and oxalates.

I knew I needed potassium, but any time I mentioned supplementing with K, anyone within earshot would fly into a panic. Then I read "Potassium, Your Invisible Friend" by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, and decided to give K a try. Not the laughably insufficient 99 mg potassium pills. Real potassium.

Potassium is not appropriate for people who are taking potassium-sparing diuretics or people with kidney disease.
This is not intended as health advice. I am sharing my personal experiences.

I did my research first. I'm cautious by nature, and I was additionally cautious about potassium because I've had low blood pressure and low blood sodium my whole life.

In the U.S. there's a lot of potassium-phobia. In the U.K., the National Health Service advises the following: "You should be able to get all the potassium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take potassium supplements, do not take too much because this could be harmful. Taking 3,700 mg or less of potassium supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.”

The amount required by the body is roughly 4,700 mg. I knew I was far below that -- especially in light of my very low-oxalate diet.

I bought a bag of potassium bicarbonate off Amazon and started taking a couple of teaspoons a day. I ramped up to that amount, as I did not want to shock my body, which has grown accustomed to operating in a state of potassium deficiency.

The effects have been astonishing. I can feel my body's cellular voltage coming back. I can feel that I'm able to use my minerals again. It's an unmistakable feeling of energy -- like a battery.

I sometimes use a teaspoon of potassium chloride salt instead of bicarbonate, if I feel a little lightheaded. But for the most part, I have not felt lightheaded, which was surprising.

Here's what I think has been happening: In the presence of low potassium, my body has been excreting sodium, in order to keep the ratio closer to where it should be. This would explain the persistent "idiopathic calcium" I seem to excrete in my urine (the body will excrete calcium whenever it excretes sodium). Hmmm ... sending sodium and calcium to the kidneys all the time, might that set me up for anything? ... And if you're wondering: yes, I have kidney stones on both sides of my family.

Best of all, with more potassium on board, it's freed up some of my B6 for other things, instead of constantly compensating for wildly imbalanced Na:K. My mood has improved (B6 is necessary for the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA); I've lost weight (B6 is required for blood sugar regulation); my eyes and ankles are less swollen (because B6 regulates Na:K low B6 can lead to edema); I sleep better (B6 is necessary for melatonin synthesis); and I remember my dreams (the litmus test for B6 sufficiency). In fact, I've even begun to wonder if low B6 might be responsible for my Pyroluria (in addition to being a symptom of Pyroluria). B6 is necessary for heme synthesis. So what about this: the body gets ready to make heme (assembles a pyrrole ring), but then there isn1 enough B6 available, so the pyrrole ring is disbanded, and the pyrroles bind to zinc (and more B6) on their way out.
B6 is required for more bodily processes than any other nutrient and its role in human health and disease is well worth studying. This goes double for anyone with oxalates issues.

Want more? Even though this post is already so long?! (Thank you for still reading.)

Many of the symptoms of autism -- another illness that's been linked with oxalates -- look a LOT like hypokalemic sensory overstimulation to me. (And I'm not the only one - I'll paste a link.)

Same goes for ME/CFS. Some aspects of it look very similar to hypokalemic sensory overstimulation. Which would explain the intolerance to mold (some molds produce oxalates, which upregulate AGT and further deplete B6 and potassium), as well as the orthostatic intolerance (aldosterone could become dysregulated because the body needs to maintain blood pressure, but it does not want to retain sodium and excrete potassium -- in fact it very badly needs to do just the opposite), and also the exercise intolerance (anything that produces more acid -- exercise produces lactic acid -- will further skew Na:K, which the body is desperately trying to keep in balance in order to maintain heartbeat, etc.), and the profound fatigue (when the body, in an attempt limit acid production, begins to resist even its own cellular respiration). Also, copper would appear to be dysregulated (low ATP), plus the Na-K pump has serious implications for brain function (in particular the Purkinje Neuron in the cerebellum).

Hello djr,
did you ever look into vitamin b6 deficiency? There are some conditions in which the need for b6 is higher than for other people. I am asking because histamine reactions, mast cell activation syndrome, sensitivities, smell sensitivy is all very much related to b6 issues. Ground beef gives reactions to many people with these issues because beef itself is already aged and ground it gives even more surface for histamine buildup.
There is science about it, a not so uncommon issue. Depending on the root cause you will find other common nutrient deficiencies that might be involved in these issues.

Just in case you or anyone else ever considers the above as
ones own issue after researching or maybe even doing some testing on it:
If supplemented, the experts and experienced advice to use the p5p form of b6.
In general I think it is better to solve health issues with whole foods, but I came across more and more people and conditions which question if diet can solve it alone. Still, in my opinion, just with all supplements, caution and listening to the body is necessary.
Here on the forum I think it was PaleoPhil who reported in his journal of his experiences with p5p.

I'm going to source out the B6 now. Also a good zinc supplement. I've been reading through a ton of stuff and came across Pyyrole Disorder. I'm going to ask my primary if we can do a urine screen to check it out. It basically reads as a textbook for disparate health and mood issues I've dealt with since childhood. It's also directly proportionate with stress wherein elevated stress will lower your other stores until you crash. It also simply explains why I did so well on a muscle meat heavy raw paleo diet. Muscle meat is loaded with B6 and zinc. There seems to be dissension as to the validity of Pyyrole Disorder but it's worth a shot to see if it helps me feel better.

"The common clinical symptoms in patients with pyrrole disorder are anxiety (fear); poor stress tolerance; sensory hypersensitivity to light, sound, smell and/or touch; mood and emotional lability; social anxiety and/or withdrawal; poor dream recall; and commonly, explosive temper and aggression. Clinical signs are pale skin (china doll appearance), stretch marks, and white spots on the nails due to the commonly concomitant zinc deficiency. An adverse reaction to omega-3 fish oil can be an important piece of the past medical history raising clinical suspicion for the presence of pyrrole disorder."

Hello djr,
did you ever look into vitamin b6 deficiency? There are some conditions in which the need for b6 is higher than for other people. I am asking because histamine reactions, mast cell activation syndrome, sensitivities, smell sensitivy is all very much related to b6 issues. Ground beef gives reactions to many people with these issues because beef itself is already aged and ground it gives even more surface for histamine buildup.
There is science about it, a not so uncommon issue. Depending on the root cause you will find other common nutrient deficiencies that might be involved in these issues.

Just in case you or anyone else ever considers the above as
ones own issue after researching or maybe even doing some testing on it:
If supplemented, the experts and experienced advice to use the p5p form of b6.
In general I think it is better to solve health issues with whole foods, but I came across more and more people and conditions which question if diet can solve it alone. Still, in my opinion, just with all supplements, caution and listening to the body is necessary.
Here on the forum I think it was PaleoPhil who reported in his journal of his experiences with p5p.

Thank you Susadele. My folate (B9) was low when tested (2.4, low is around 4) so I've tried a multi-B which flared anxiety. I'll source just a P5P supplement and see if that's better tolerated. It's interesting in that I've wondered if part of the ongoing issue is anemia. B6 is a cofactor needed for proper red blood cell function. Thanks for the insight.

The full scope of the situation is we have confirmed a lot of mold in our home and are working on selecting a company to perform remediation. My wife, dog, and I are no longer living in the home as it is causing marked health issues.

I think I had been treading water dealing with it for a couple years (my guess is the "gout" I thought I had developed is related to inflammation from the mold) but as the mold spread to where we can see colonies it's releasing more MVOCs/Mycotoxins. This triggered development of chemical sensitivities which are turning out to be the most difficult aspect to address. I'm also convinced my gut is damaged/leaky and that's contributing to a Candida overgrowth also perpetuating the cycle. I've read some research indicating Candida may have a synergistic relationship with mold perhaps even feeding on the mycotoxins produced. Possible connections between it and aldehydes from chemicals in the environment too. My fungal skin issue (Tinea Versicolor) which flares when Candida gets bad has also been flaring after mold or chemical exposures.

And 20 months is even more excessive.

Been nursing a flare up of Gout in my foot the last week and thinking about getting all of my shit together as this is really painful. Currently 245 pounds with limited activity to work any of that off. I've eating 1-2 of my 2 meals per day raw zero carb but the meals which haven't been are not great choices. Most are at the far limits of cooked paleo but just barely.

I felt like I needed motivation to refocus my willpower. Spent a couple hours re-reading this journal remembering just how great I can feel living deliberately. I miss a lot of the old faces although it looks like many are no longer around.

I've been eating purely raw paleo the last 6 days. Also knocking back a ton of water to clear out uric acid. As soon as this foot can bear weight again it's back to the gym. Let's see just how powerful this way of eating can be with laser focus and a foot in my ass. 

I don't know what a dexter is, but if you have a specific suggestion for NYC let me know... metropolitan areas aren't specifically known for their love of grass fed organs.

I have a guy in Pennsylvania I used to order Raw Milk from. He sells some organs but not all of them, and definitely not Bison, definitely all frozen and not the cheapest. I know a place about 30 minutes from me that receives like 1 or 2 cows every week. I don't know how many livers a cow has but it doesn't seem practical to me to depend on that.

I essentially need high quality grass fed organ meats that can be delivered to NYC... that's alright not easy. So I'm going to stick with this for now. My original question still stands though.

http://grazinburger.com/angusacres.html

I've been buying from them for years (like 6-7 at this point, I probably put a kid through college). I live upstate so make a trip out to the farm in Hudson but they have stalls in Union Square and the Museum of Natural History on the weekends (scroll to the bottom of the page). I'm not sure who mans the stalls but if it's Dan or Keith tell them you're Raw Paleo and Dan sent you. They'll do you solid.

It's the absolute best frozen grass-fed/finished meats I've found for sale. It's pricey now ($12 a pound for many of the muscle meats) but they have fantastic fat and regularly stock a good selection of organs.

I can't speak to fresh versus frozen cattle but it's a marked difference in wild game or fish so I assume it's the same in cattle. That said I have thrived on quality frozen ground and suet fat as a base for my diet. To each their own.

No, the Sockwas are super breathable. They actually have the opposite issue of being too cold as the temperatures drop.

FB request accepted.

I'm going to add my two cents here as I've been wearing all sorts of minimalist shoes for years now.

Vibrams were too stiff a sole. While mimicking the shape of the foot they inhibited true movement of the toes. They also start to smell bad quickly as most will not buy "toe socks" to wear with them. I gave mine away and would not recommend them.

I've had two pairs of Softstars. I had a mesh pair and a solid leather pair. Both were a good shoe with a nice wide toe box which allowed proper splaying of the toes. The mesh pair lasted a number of years but eventually wore out from abuse. The suede pair was used for work as they were much more presentable with a suit. These have just started to break along crease lines and were just replaced. I probably got 5-6 years of mixed use out of them. Note the soles on both, while "minimal", were still too thick for my liking as I got used to a thinner sole. Mine were 5mm I believe. They also had a minimal amount of tread so traction could be an issue.

I'm on my third pair of Sockwas now. I've had a pair of G2, a pair of playa, and now a pair of G4. These are the most minimal shoe I have used and became my go-to for most activities. They're a stretchy body (lycra, neoprene, something) with a very thin (2mm?) plastic sole with very good treading. The G2/G4 are low tops with a stretchy neck to hold it at the foot, the "playa" is a high top with a velcro wrap. These were my go-to shoes in spring/summer/fall and I've worn them across the country with no issues. Each pair has been tossed purely from extensive wear. The seam at the edge of the sole gives way after years of use. I love the shoes because it feels like you're wearing a martial arts slipper but have just a bit better protection on the sole. They're the most tactile feel of all shoes I have tried and the next best thing to going barefoot.

I just picked up a pair of Xeroshoes Hanas. So far so good with these. They're fairly tactile, about where the Softstars are, but look great for work and give me almost all of the benefits of the Sockwas. You have to take the insert out of these to get the right feel.

Winter time I have neoprene arctic dive boots. Water proof with a 5mm sole. My current pair are wearing through on the foot pad. I picked up a pair of minimalist combat boots last fall to try out over the winter and they're ok but not a true minimalist shoe like I was looking for. They're more zero drop with a moderate sole.