I had this for FOUR months and was, at times, in excruciating pain. At first I thought I had caught an STD so went to the doctors and got tested. Came back negative so they sent me home. The pain in my testicles got worse and urinating was difficult, so I went back. Got an antibiotic that seemed to work for 5 or 6 days but then the pain returned.

Through much frantic searching I found this page and gave your diet a shot. It was much more difficult than I thought at first - I never realised how much sugar I was eating on a daily basis. I started getting huge sugar cravings after 3 days and after 7 days I felt sick/had diarrhoea etc. I’ve been on it for 24 days now and no symptoms at all, plus I have lost my excess weight! I think I will stick to it for longer as I feel much healthier without all that sugar.

Thanks again, I have bookmarked this page for future reference
Rob

Good to hear from you. It seems we share some common ancestry. Personally I was initially surprised to learn that potatoes come from South America and have only been eaten in Europe and Ireland for some 300 years or so.

Not that I have a problem with potatoes per se, or carbohydrates for that matter. As I’m sure you’re well aware from my other posts. The main “foods that fight” recommendation is to experiment for a time with not eating starchy carbs like potatoes at the same meal with high protein foods like steak or chicken. My suggestion is to try this idea out out for say just 2 weeks and then try a meal of meat and potatoes. Then pay attention to how you feel. If you feel great, then great, your body can handle that sort of food in that sort of combination. Perhaps in the future it will not. Everything changes and this is why I disagree with any sort of nutritional dogma.

Just think of it as an experiment and a learning experience about your own body. Personally I don’t seem to do to bad on sweat potato. Oven baked sweat potato “fries” with a little coconut oil, salt and herbs/spices are good!

Take care,

Stephen

Loving your blog, it has really helped me get a footing on the way I want to steer my health.

This recipe reminds me of my childhood, my grandfather used to put cauliflower into my mashed potatoes and say they were just how potatoes were in the west of Ireland, lumpy.

I will try this recipe and look forward to reporting back.

I would also like to ask you if you are against potatoes fully? I have read the article about foods that fight, it makes alot of sensse but i wonder if you have any other small dishes or foods that compilment potoatoes as being from Ireland they have such a common place and are so tasty sometimes anyway love the blog, keep it up.

All the best.

Barry.

I’m glad you’ve gained some positive things from BE. The video attached to this post isn’t mine. It’s a clip from a show David Attenborough did. However, you certainly are free to do whatever you please.

As for you being very far from weak or defenseless - that was the whole point of the post. What you choose to eat has nothing to do with that. The video of a persistence hunt is a powerful example of the awesome survival capabilities of the human animal. Nothing more.

All the best,

Stephen

I’m glad you enjoyed this post. It was indeed thanks to Ken’s comments that I was able to expand and clarify my point further.

Take it easy,

Stephen

The video was amazing and I think it helped make your point. The comments only continue to make the point.

Powerful stuff, keep writing it!

Cheers,
Jeremy

I highly recommend you buy, read and implement the advice in Dr Bernstein’s book The Diabetes Solution. If you click the link it will take you to the Amazon page for the book.

Speaking for myself I don’t believe the ideas that seem to be so pervasive these days in regards to genetics. As far as I am aware as a non-expert genetic expression does not occur without some sort of environmental stimulus.

For instance many people in a family may end up with a particular condition. Today it’s put down to genetics. However, often people within a family unit tend to eat similarly to each other, have similar attitudes, behaviors and lifestyles. Children learn from their parents and pass the habits on to their children and so forth. The similarity in environment (diet, lifestyle, etc) stimulates similar gene expression (health or illness as the case may be).

You’ll find more on these ideas regarding controlling your own gene expression for the better at Mark’s Daily Apple, along with lots of fantastic lifestyle advice.

I hope that helped. All the best!

I have recently been diagnsoed with type 2 diabetes - and found your comments very interesting. I am a very fit, healthy, slim woman in her thirties. I am trying to work out why I have developed it - the doctors originally misdiagnosed me type 1 ( late onset) because I am so healthy. But I don’t have the antibodies - so looks like I’m type 2. I am ( was ) a bit of an orange juice junkie in the past - but not too bad; plus have done the lemon cleanse - not crazily but I think it could of pushed things over the edge? Lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup for a couple of weeks. I do run though … so am quite physically fit, so its all a little confusing. Could it just be genetics and my body type? My grandfather developed type 2 - and I have late onset type one on my other side of the family. I know that I’m completely wheat and gluten intolerant and went off it all eleven years ago - then off sugar and all fructose for a couple of years but recently started eating sugar again… including orange juice - a lot of it. At the moment I’m taking a small amount of insulin but am pretty determined to try and do most of it through my diet and exersize so its a bit of trial and error at the moment. I think I’ve probably been mildly insulin resistant for a while and self medicated with my gluten free diet ….. but is this my body type or my love of oranges ? Thanks for any helpful comments - Sarah

It’s been my pleasure to enjoy our discussion. It’s not every day that I get to hold an adult level discussion with someone on the Internet. Hopefully Balanced Existence will continue to be a source of interest and insight for you. Always feel free to comment when you feel motivated to do so.