RUTH MARCUS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS
AND TWO OTHER READER QUESTIONS FOR OUR CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST, RUTH MARCUS
Q: My family is going on holiday and we’ll be driving for at least 12 hours. In the past we’ve always stopped for fast food or snacks at a garage shop. What can we eat without deviating too far from LCHF foods?
A:Good question – and we’ve got you covered! Lose It Volume 28 contains fab road trip eats you can whip up yourself. You can also fill a cooler box with boiled eggs, chopped carrots and cucumber sticks. For protein, add cold meats, a block of cheese or mini cheeses such as Kiri or Babybel. And include lowsugar fruits such as berries, as well as avocado.
As for non-perishable snacks, I’d recommend taking biltong or droëwors, nuts, seed crackers and 85% dark chocolate if you need a sweet treat.
And remember to drink plenty of water throughout your journey. Safe travels!
Q: I’ve been following an LCHF lifestyle for two months, have lost 7kg and feel more energised. But a recent blood test showed that my lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) levels were slightly elevated. How concerned should I be?
A:This is a common concern and something we see quite often when people start following an LCHF lifestyle. When adapting to this way of eating, the body loses fat, as you have seen. But how is this excess fat eliminated?
Fat cells contain triglycerides and cholesterol. The body can use the triglyceride molecule for fuel, but not the cholesterol component. This results in the body ‘holding’ onto the cholesterol for a while before it’s dumped into the liver and later excreted. The gallbladder is then forced to work harder to deal with this excess cholesterol, which can result in elevated LDL and bilirubin levels. Do not panic – this is a normal metabolic response! The unwanted cholesterol is making its way out of the body, and this doesn’t happen overnight. I’d recommend retesting your LDL levels about six to eight weeks from your first test.
In the meantime, focus on eating more green leafy vegetables and include some healthy monounsaturated fats in your diet, such as olive oil and avocado. This will ensure that your highdensity lipoprotein (HDL) – ‘good cholesterol’ – levels remain sufficiently elevated and will help to keep your HDL:LDL ratio intact.
Q: My seven-year-old son was diagnosed with severe ADD and prescribed highdose Ritalin. He’s underweight for his
age and hasn’t had much of an appetite since starting the medication. The doctor suggested giving him a meal replacement shake, which I’ve been doing for two weeks. But his mood and energy levels have worsened. The shake is very high in carbs and sugar as it’s meant for weight gain. I eat LCHF – would it benefit my son?
A:Ritalin, especially at a high dose, is known to reduce appetite. So your focus should be on your son eating the ‘right’ foods at the right time. I’d suggest removing as much sugar and refined carbohydrates from his diet as possible – the aim is to stabilise his blood sugar levels, which will help to stabilise his mood and improve his cognitive function. Rather focus on giving him small portions of nutritionally dense foods such as eggs, chicken (preferably the brown meat), avocado and full cream dairy products.
As for when to eat, if he’s taking short-acting Ritalin (every four hours), give him a meal before his initial dose and another meal just as the first dose is about to wear off. His appetite should be at its peak during these times. If eating solid food is difficult, consider replacing the high-sugar shake with a low-sugar smoothie made with nut butter, berries, full-cream plain yoghurt and avocado.
The gallbladder is forced to work harder to deal with excess cholesterol, which can result in elevated LDL and bilirubin levels. Do not panic - this is a normal metabolic response!