My fast continues after an abx break. Today is Day 5.
I piked up an infection, on 2 occasions actually, about mid April and a week later, the second one was more serious, but I had barely any signs of it until I began fasting. Apparently, at least one of the bugs was of the kind that exploit autophagy for its own proliferation. Basically, there are 2 ways of dealing with it. One is to persevere despite the steady growth of unplesant symptoms, the most noticeable of which is really bad breath, and the other is to break the fast and deal wit it. I chose the second option. I took abx going into the fast and even the day ketosis started already (since it came much earlier than anticipated). Also I ran out of my usual abx and tried another one. It turned out that that particular abx did not mix at all with the ketotic state.
So I broke the fast, got the right kind of abx and took a course. Now I'm fasting without that aggravation, which is really more than just bad breath but also malaise that inevitably comes when the immune sys tries to contain a growing invasion. My breath is clean and all I have now is sour taste in the mouth. I know this taste will become very tiring by the end of the second week and it already gets annoying at times, but then I remind myself that it could be acrid taste in addition to really bad stench. But the best consolation is the knowledge that this sour taste is what makes the teeth their whitest and leads to clearance of whatever calculi buildup that could be there. This thought makes me actually like the taste. The smell is clean and fruity. And it has good associations for my brain which absolutely adores them ketones
Here is the report of the previous days:
DAY 1 Mon May 6
Did the saline purge and did not weigh myself.
DAY 2 Tue May 7
Weight 135 lbs = 61.2 kg
Blood Glucose 87 mg/dL = 4.8 mMol/L
was not hungry, except when smelling the cooking in the kitchen, and had a good energy level, even though I felt lazy and did not move much. Emptionally I was depressed. A part of me did not want to fast. Again?! Could not sleep the first night. But I persevered knowing that once ketosis starts I will be flying. Thankfully, the transition to the ketotic state took place at ~8PM on Day 2, which was later than the previous time but much sooner than usual for me. Actually that's about an average norm. My mood improved markedly and I slept very well and saw many engaging dreams.
DAY 3 Wed May 8
wt 133 (-2), BG 67 = 3.7, Ketonuria = 40
Had more energy than usual for the 3rd day, except for the brief weakness in the morning. Had no hunger except when smelling food cooking. Overall, I had a normal level of energy, even though I would not say that I was flying. It was a busy day. Felt very sleepy when I got home.
DAY 4 yesterday
07:00 ketones = 40, BG 59 = 3.3, forgot to weigh
went for a walk hoping that it would raise blood sugar. Tried to run, but could not really. It was cool, about 8C, but the air was not cold enough to revive me, which should have been at least 0C, preferably lower.
08:00 BG 59 = 3.3 <-- it did not bulge!
without cold winter air I basically turn in an average beginner faster; I drag my feet and want to take it easy. I spent most of the day in bed with the comp in the lap. All I could do was some easy reading. I did not feel like moving at all, but knew that I could do it if I had to. Thankfully I did not have any obligations for the day.
Overall, emotionally I felt fine but was fatigued physically and mentally. Firm knowledge that this is just a phase helped me to persevere. I suspected it was the early
crise. It is much better when it happens during the night and you just sleep through it and wake up on the other side. Being awake has its own advantages though. I had the opportunity to watch the process.
16:00 BG 49 = 2.7
18:00 BG 47 = 2.6, ketonuria 80+
By this point I was feeling very discouraged so I bummed a cigarette and had a cup of black coffee (I know). Either this sin against the Nikolayev method --or maybe by then I was actually past the
crise, since I was already moving and talking, which I could not do just a short while before-- , but my energy level and mood picked up enough for me to go for a walk in the woods. It was cool after the rain, and by the time the sun began to set, a delicious chill enveloped me. It felt so good! (see, cold is absolutely required when fasting)
21:00 BG 70 = 3.9, weight 130 lbs
At 8 PM I came home feeling pretty good. Hypomanic, in fact. And craving movement. At 9 PM I measured sugar and it was 70 mg/dL (!) So, it was indeed the
crise. It lasted almost the whole day! It is so much better to sleep through at least part of it.
My understanding of the process is that the blood sugar drops as the level of ketones keeps rising. Finally, the brain does the massive switch to ketones. So the rise in blood glucose I saw at 9 PM was reflecting this fact. The blood levels = production - utilization. As the brain switches to ketones, the level of glucose rises due to its diminished uptake by the brain. Unfortunately I do not have blood ketone strips now, otherwise I would expect the blood level of beta-hydroxybutyrate to drop simultaneously with the rise of glucose. Indirectly though, this dynamic was shown by a lower level of ketonuria the next morning (ketonuria, while still present, ruffly reflects the blood level of ketones during the time while the urine was collecting, which takes several hours).
DAY 508:00 Wt 129 (-1), BG 58 = 3.2, K = ~60
It took me forever to type up this post, following which I felt pretty good. I thought that this would be reflected in a higher BG level, but it dropped instead. I guess this means that mybody is adapting to running on FAs and ketones. I feel like running, which I should hurry up before it warms up
10:30 BG 51 = 2.8
