Hello CP, and thanks as always for your detailed reply. Really means a lot to me? You’re certainly an encyclopedia of knowledge, and I thought I had that cornered. Ha!
(I have SO many things bookmarked it’s insane, literally. I know my family thinks I’m nuts.)
Here’s a couple of links btw to fructose and collagen issues:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9732303
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2478634/
And tryptophan:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11336160
http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/2010/08/ibs-fructose-depression-zinc-and-women.html
Anyway, you probably don’t remember me, but you were also kind enough to reply in detail on my thread waaaay back in February on ‘fat intolerance’:
http://180degreehealth.com/180forums/topic/need-help-increasing-fat-in-diet/page/2/
The reason I responded to this topic was because not only have my triglyercides, good and bad cholesterol been showing up w/bad numbers, but my blood pressure went way up again (after coming down in 2012-2013) and my hbA1C is one point away from pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome. And a week ago or so, I found info saying it’s the fructose part of ‘sugars’ that causes these problems, which then lead to info on fructose malabsorption, which then had me thinking that perhaps that may be why not only can I not increase the fat I need, but also why my digestion (not to mention circulation) is SO poor. Really poorly formed stools, even with betaine HCL and plant-based enzymes.
This, on top of a long-standing ME/CFS diagnosis, “venous insufficiency” in my legs (which I figured out after deciphering a rash on my leg was “stasis dermatitis”, which a doctor finally confirmed, six years after it started).
And I guess the other reason I was/am concerned about fructose, is the fact that my eyes have been giving me problems since May — either dry, or watery, or sore/red/scratchy — and most recently, dramatically increased sensitivity to light. I’ve had ‘night blindness’ to a decent degree for years and years (and should’ve been supplementing with “A” or CLO and zinc, etc, and not just “D” — or eating liver, etc), but this is getting really scary. Anyway, I saw connections to eye problems and pre-diabetes/metabolic syndrome and fructose, so thought that might be a part of the puzzle.
A month ago it was bad, and I couldn’t be on the computer for long, but that was mainly due to dryness/watery/eye “fatigue”, whereas now I have to turn the monitor light waaaaay down, and see spots after looking for maybe a second or two at bright reflections in (for example) the kitchen sink. I would say it was 2-3 weeks ago when I noticed that if I turned on the bathroom light when getting up before dawn do my thing, when I turned it off, I was basically blind for 15-30 seconds until my eyes adjusted.
The other thing that happened about 2 1/2 months ago, is I stopped fish oil, and also riboflavin (which I wasn’t taking much of at all, but was taking probably 3-4 times a week). I stopped the B2 after reading that it could worsen photophobia, but think that was a mistake.
I started a little last night, and then again this morning and with lunch. Also had one 10,000iu vitamin A, and one DHA, and also rubbed a little on my eyelids. And of course this is not even 24 hours yet, but just now did the ‘staring at (or near) a strong reflected light) and it didn’t seem as bad. I definitely could not reply to you this morning, not only because mornings are bad (I think due to no/low glycogen, due to STILL not enough calories), but also, because my eyes were extremely, extremely sensitive this morning.
I would guzzle the CLO or whatever, but then I get that RLS-ish crap in my legs, like I do if I try to increase other fats. BUT — this morning, had almost no fat (except 1% milk) and about an hour into my nap afterwards, my leg started giving me problems. So maybe it’s not the fat, or it’s more than one thing.
But over the last six-eight months, I have at times increased my sugar (even nasty Power-Gel type stuff as it would give me “energy”), and for years have been eating dried fruits (as I was sugar phobic, thanks to the ‘natural health’ hype), and so that is what made me wonder about fructose and/sugars contributing to my overall decline — which is so frustrating, as acutely, they help me stand and walk, although I use a wheelchair or grocery store electric carts 80% of the time.
Anyway, very interesting about the copper connection. I have been reconsidering copper again (after being told I had ‘hidden copper toxicity’ by a hair mineral analysis, despite the copper being low on the test back in 2011). The woman said anyone who has CFS longer than 10 years is copper toxic. She said this was due to a diet of too many vegetables and not enough meat.
I think she’s wrong now, but back then I was taking a copper only supp from time to time, and did seem to note greatly increased anxiety which I thought was connected, but of course not sure. I was able to raise $ to get a SpectraCell test that indeed showed my copper was high and zinc was the only mineral that was low. I did take some zinc from time to time, but always felt it was making my feet icy cold and tingly — but that may have been because I was drinking too much water w/supps. I don’t know. Anyway, just in the last few days I’ve taken a balanced zinc/copper supp, and my anxiety isn’t dramatically worse. It’s not better, but not worse either.
Aren’t you glad you responded?
I hope you and your roommate are doing a LOT better than I am, and had a decent holiday. Thanks again for your reply. :)
(My eyes are suddenly ready to quit. Can’t believe I wrote that much, but I’m sure you’re grateful it’s over for now.)
Dan
