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What is the best way to maintain a constant flow of nutrients?

Jamshyd

Bluelight Crew
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These days, I am not too keen on eating. I seem to be anorexic in a way, in that if I don't force myself to eat, I just keep going without ever feeling hungry. Of course, until the hypoglycemia strikes. Then it is hell and back.

I was wondering if there was some way that I can maintain a constant supply of nutrients without it resembling food. Perhaps a health-drink or a cocktail of some sort?

I'm looking for something that would give me a steady flow of complex carbohydrates and protein.

I'd rather get actual items rather than brand names since I am currently not in a place where I can obtain well-known American brands...etc.

Any help appreciated.
 
As a start, maybe consider looking for low-GI foods for when you do eat to ease out the blood sugar. Quinoa, lentils/dal are good choices.
 
Snack. All the time. Sometimes it takes a bit of planning, but always have a bit of food on you, and make sure that you eat a little something every two to three hours, hungry or not.

Smoothies are good, and easy, but just aren't as satisfying as solid food. Something that I like to do is always have some tofu marinating in the fridge, and when I'm feeling motivated I'll bake a bunch of it. Baked marinated tofu makes for a tasty, easy and portable protein hit. Combine with some fruit and/or veg and you've got a handy snack.

Fruit and nut mixes work well too. Aren't you in Thailand or something now? There should be food stalls everywhere. Set your watch to beep at you every couple of hours to remind you to eat.

Pardon the scattered formatting, I think that it's time that I took a nap.
 
Jam, it may be pretty tempting to do the liquid or quick food route when you've got no appetite, but that might not be a good idea if you're hypoglycemic! You usually need fiber in there to slow down glucose absorption.

Anyhow, I think a good (and tasty) bet for Thailand would be mashed fruit and nuts for snacks, and maybe some juiced greens. Again, this may not be the best option for low sugar conditions.

I tried doing those "health" drinks (a.k.a. green stuff with spirulina and all) for rushed days, but found that they were too concentrated (not in sugar, but in those "super" ingredients) and made me a little dizzy. Generally I think I'm the sort that needs the fiber to make things go down a little slower.
 
A high quality whey protein to mix in your drinks? I like it mixed with milk.

If you get a really high quality unflavored one it won't taste like ass. You can get some really high quality stuff online. Like micronized or something (don't remember). Make sure it's protein isolate, not concentrate.
 
as mentioned, balance seems to always be the best. trying something new might rejuvenate your interest in cooked foods. like steaming the veggies, or poaching the fish. just preparing food differenly than you normally might.

or you can go with the milkshake option. i'm a big proponent of the milkshake option, which may be considered ironic. my recipe: plain yogurt, lemon juice, stevia extract (a bitch to get the dose right, it's so sweeeet,) berries, rice milk and sometimes i'll add cocoa. a nice smooth mix.

the yogurt covers requirements for your stomach and intestines, the berries do the same.. pretty good on fibre. i'd imagine your fruit options are a bit more tropical. the rice milk is just an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and i really don't see that being an uncommon product in asian markets. the stevia is just for taste (but a better alternative to consuming actual sugar, which may be a factor in your disdain for edible nourishment.) oh, and the lemon juice is for vitamin C. can't have too much of that.
 
oatmeal
nuts
whole wheat bread
steak
brocoli
spinach

bump all that liquid stuff you're thinking of. That's unhealthy. You need solid foods bro.

Workout 3-4 times a week. This will stimulate hormones in your stomach like ghrelin which are directly involved with appetite.

Try to find some GH (growth hormone) and use that at 2-3 IU a day. You should be able to find it cheaply in thailand pretty easily.

You don't need to do anything weird or whatever. You just need to work your body and eat. And drink water. And sleep.
 
Dave said:
Snack. All the time.
(...)
Aren't you in Thailand or something now? There should be food stalls everywhere. Set your watch to beep at you every couple of hours to remind you to eat.

Re: Snacking all the time, that is the problem at hand. I almost feel disgusted at the thought.

As for Thailand, yes food-stalls are the most common sight. Unfortunately, the are grimy, soot-covered, and not to mention, stinky. They smell like a combination of burnt banana leaves, burnt lard, and roasted beetles (because that's what they usually are). Not exactly appetizing. They look very unhygienic. Note that this is only a problem in Thailand, I had no problem eating at the stalls in Malaysia.

GP: I'll start thinking of exercise when I'm healthy enough to walk. Frequently I'm too dizzy and fatigued to do even that.

I used to eat all the things you mention pretty much every day in Canada. I honestly don't know where to get them here, and even if I did, I have no fridge. They don't have many grocery stores here (at least, as far as I've seen) because most people eat at the stalls. Thai food is disgusting, quite honestly, and does not provide the nutrients I need.

I only ate whole-wheat bread in Canada. Here, bread itself is a very alien concept. The few that eat it here eat is as dessert, and it is ALL white. There is no whole wheat bread.

As for GH, I think my hormones are fucked up as-is. I don't think it is a healthy idea to be taking hormonal supplements.

I frequently cannot sleep well because of these problems.

It is a loop that seems to be unbreakable.

Dtergent: Thanks for the Fiber tip. I did not think of that before.

Everyone else: Thanks a lot for all your suggestions. Frankly I have no idea what to do, but I'll try the first combo I'm able to find in the marketplace. I'm actually thinking of leaving this ridiculous (sorry, I just can't think of any other word) country and going elsewhere. Too bad I don't have the resources to do this now...
 
See if you can find a weight gain/MRP supplement that uses ground oats instead of (or in combination with) maltodextrin.

I'm looking for something that would give me a steady flow of complex carbohydrates and protein

Thats what they're designed for. However I agree with NEEDING whole, solid, regular food too.
 
Flax seeds (ground of course) in a smoothies offer a lot of omega 3s, and lots of calories/fat.

Make smoothies with fruit, vegetables, and flax along with some 3% yogurt (for calories, calcium etc.).

Throw some protein whey powder, or something else for protein in there, slam it back and repeat. You can live off of these, just work out how many calories you are getting and adjust accordingly!
 
Jamshyd, have you considered the possibility that you might be anorexic? You're not eating, and you sound like you're in danger of harming your health. I find it hard to believe that you can't find some store that sells basic groceries like rice or a can of tuna or something in a huge city like Bangcock, however you spell it. I get the impression that you might be finding excuses to avoid eating properly. I have a Thai exchange student friend who tells me she cooks all the time when she lives in Bangcock. She's getting good ingredients from somewhere.
OK, i'm probably wrong and i'm jumping to conclusions here. But just buy a $10 rice cooker, some rice, which i know they sell in thailand, and eat.
 
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^ it is very possible that my extreme depression is manifesting as anorexia. I did get to a grocery store today. But I was unable to buy any perishables since I have no refrigerator to put them in (or a stove to cook them on). Rice seems to exasperate this hypoglycemic shit.

On the bright side, I did buy the following:
- A bag of italian whole-grain fibre biscuits.
- A pack of Muesli
- A loaf of rye and oat bread
- A loaf of dried-fruit whole-grain bread
- Fresh Fruit juice
- A small bottle of milk to consume immediately with some biscuits
- A can of V8

That's actually all I could afford today :\. Going through quite the crunch right now...

I have no idea where to find the weight gain powder/liquid. I mean I can easily find it in Canada, but not here. I looked around the grocery store till I got dizzy and half-deaf again so I had to sit and eat.

I'll try a pharmacy tomorrow. I know this particular pharm. sells steroids, so Maybe the English-speaking staff could at least point me to a store that sells it if they don't.
 
^Right, it's definitely not the lack of food in Thailand. How long has the depression been going on? Seems quite some time now... Is this a recent experience or do you have a history?

I'm not saying that you shouldn't eat at all, some fruit should be helpful (don't they have good fruit there??), but when you're depressed you don't digest so well, so don't force to stuff yourself.

That is curious about rice making hypoglycemia worse. When I had those spells I'd just eat rice with some olive oil and that would somehow relieve the bad part.

(lol @ Bangcock)

Hugs, Jam
 
^ *hugs back*

I've been depressed pretty much my whole adult life. I was diagnosed with bipolar type II but I don't know what I think about that. The only meds that worked for me were gabapentin and a very tailored schedule of ultra-low doses of Ketamine (search "Ketamine Regimen" in PD and you'll find my thread on it, if interested).

Since I can get neither here (gabapentin is insanely expensive - like $30 for two of my doses)... I would get it through a special medicare plan in Canada. I don't have that here.

So I have to make do with what being unmedicated (and actually self-medicating with a tramadol addiction). I'm pretty sure the tramadol has something to do with my anorexia but I've been steadily tapering down...
 
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