Anyone tried the supplements from "The Diet Cure" (Julia Ross)

[BetsyPage]

I wanted to talk to TF folks about this. So, I am committed, long-term, until I stabilize at a healthy weight, to keep carb/grain intake very low and to eat TF/Primal. (So all the good TF stuff without the grains, basically...still pondering whether I might one day add in soaked/sprouted grains, but not for now.)

I have been reading "The Diet Cure" and had SO many "aha!" moments as to why after losing 35 pounds doing this last spring/summer I so easily fell back into my old, unhealthy eating habits. In reading her book, I recognize that I have blood sugar issues (was insulin resistant and carb-craving before I dropped grains... then while not eating grains if I ate sugar I literally went into sugar shock and got sick so I was able to reverse the situation which is awesome...) and my hormones are unbalanced (RAGING PMS for half the month, because I have a short cycle, etc which is better when I eat TF and take CLO).

At certain points in my life I have gained significant amounts of weight in a relatively short period (up to like 50 lbs in a year, NOT kidding) and I can link those to stress/depression or hormone shifts like puberty. I think I was really and truly self-medicating with the carbs, and falling into that vicious cycle. I think I broke that cycle for the first time this summer, but then fell into it again. Now I'm trying a second time, but I don't want to go back again...

I have a LONG history of alcoholism/alcohol abuse in my family (both parents, sets of grandparents, and some of my great-grandparents, various uncles also...) and I think that is a contributing factor in my case. I know Julia Ross worked with addicts, so I am really thinking that some of her supplements might help me.

But I know that eating Traditional Foods are healing too... I'm just wondering if the supplements she suggests would do "more" than the foods that I'm eating are doing? Like is taking 500 mg of L-glutamine while eating a diet of of eggs, raw milk, beef, chicken, pork, seasonal veggies, butter, coconut oil, cultured/fermented foods, bone broth, etc going to help me above and beyond that, with my "in the background" cravings for carbs? Or will time address those? I thought I had it "under control" this summer, but apparently not since I went back to eating carbs. *scratching head*

So, I know that this book got a thumbs up from WAPF, but I wasn't sure what the thought was on the supplements that she suggested. I know I should go see a doctor too, but these are (if I am understanding correctly) mostly food-based supplements so I wouldn't be too concerned taking them... but I would love to hear personal experiences if anyone has tried amino acid supplements etc.

[BetsyPage]

Anyone? Anyone? Guess the TF diet is so awesome, no need to try supplements?

To answer my own post, I think I'm going to start tracking my carbs for a bit *to make sure* that I am eating low carb/low sugar as I think I am, to see if I can tell any subtle stuff that is going on. I'm not having huge cravings for anything, so that is good.

[Teenytoona]

I've not read The Diet Cure but have read The Mood Cure and am taking the supplements. My diet is not entirely TF, and less so on bad days. These supplements have really been helping - in many ways. I feel like I'm still transitioning to TF and so the assistance of the direct amino acids like she suggests have really been extremely helpful.

My thought is this, the supplements are important for healing from all the damage done via SAD diet (or the damage you're still doing from time to time if you're like me). It's great to eat TF while you're supplementing. I also believe that eating TF will help you to not be dependent upon the supplements for life. That to me is the ultimate goal, fix the diet so you don't have to supplement forever. I also read that as her perspective. These supplements are a step, not the forever cure.

I think they're 100% compatible. Most everything I read in TMC as diet suggestions groove with TF. Also, I note that she does quote a few TF authors here and there.

[deditus]

I have used supps to influence my mood, ala The Mood Cure. I had pretty bad postpartum anxiety and didn't figure it out until dd was 2-2.5. I used fish oil and 5-htp for a while and it helped a lot until I was able to work on some underlying problems. I think it is a good bandaid (better than say SSRIs), while you work on fix the cause of the problem.

I did also read The Diet Cure but I don't remember specifically what was helpful in each book, but that they did have different info so read them both!

[laohaire]

Ditto Teeny, almost exactly.

<pops a tyrosine...>

[newcastlemama]

I went to Julia Ross' clinic in 2006 and took LOTS of supplements (like 40 pills a day) plus a TF diet to recover from severe PPD after I weaned off meds. IMO, using food alone would take too long if you have big defiencies in aminos and nutrients. Plus the aminos to help with mood are effective and safe so why suffer if you don't have to.

I order my supplments from iherb.com If you need a good multi for the program I like NOW prenatal.

I am pretty sure Ross thinks that everyone should take the basic supplement plan even after they are well because of soil depleation ect.

[BetsyPage]

Thanks so much for your replies! Very helpful. I do feel like I need *something* more. It is amazing how much better I feel eating TF again (like being busy out & about all day, and coming home and instead of collapsing like I usually do, actually having energy to clean my house and cook dinner). But I still feel like I'm not all the way there yet.

Now to figure out what I need to be taking... is it better to order online generally or go to GNC or somewhere to get me started? I can order through Frontier Co-op, too... whatever they have available.

[newcastlemama]

It is wayyyy better to order online.
I use www.iherb.com and www.vitacost.com
I have saved tons of money ordering through these sites.

[idigchaitea]

I have read both the Diet Cure and the Mood Cure and have been taking tons of supplements since November when I first read about them. I feel so much better! It is because of those books that I got tested for hypothyroidism--which it turned out I was! I feel so much better after taking Tyrosine, 5-HTP, and the basic vitamins she recommends. I haven't tried the glutamine but I should. I don't always eat right, but my diet has changed tremendously and my cravings are pretty much gone. I highly recommend doing what she says!