*Interview with Melissa Hozack

Blood Pressure: What do I need to know about blood pressure medication and the IP salt?

• If you are on blood pressure medications, your coach needs to know which ones.
  • First ones they look for are the ACE inhibitors that end in “pril” or “sartin”
    • These are potassium sparing medications- the way they work, we don’t want to give extra potassium as in our Ideal Protein salt, we just want to give the Redmond salt.
    • Clients on meds like lisinopril, can be on a potassium supplement, but NOT Ideal Protein salt.
  • Do you start all of your clients on the IP salt?
    • All clients start on the IP salt unless they are on those ACE’s or ARBs, or for some other reason for high potassium.
  • Should coaches just start their clients on real salt, not the Ideal Protein salt?
    • There is a document on the clinic manual with the list of medications that shouldn’t be combined with Ideal Protein salt.

When do you need to see your pharmacist or doctor about medication changes for blood pressure?

• Pretty dramatic drops can be seen in the first week or two depending on how much glycogen or water weight they lose.
• As soon as you take out the sugar from the diet, insulin levels begin to decrease
• Medications shouldn’t be adjusted for at least a week or two in.
• You can take your own blood pressure. Doctors or pharmacists can begin de-proscribing once down to 110 or 100 over 60 or 70. Some clients may even feel symptoms of hypotension (light headed or nausea), if so, contact your doctor.
• The first medication people are generally taken off of is a water pill like hydrochlorothiazide.
• Other medications are slowly tapered off.

For diabetes, why do some people start on the alternative program?

• For some people who have a really high carbohydrate intake prior to starting the program, the alternative program for a week or two is a good baby step to the full program.
• Would the alternative program be good for someone who is having reactions, headaches, flu symptoms and rashes?
  • If someone is in Phase 1 and having these symptoms, go ahead have them keep going.
  • If you are suspicious that someone might start having issues because they had issues in other programs, you might want to start them on the alternative program for a week or two.

What is the ideal range for blood sugar levels?

• In the US a non diabetic should be at 70-100 fasting levels, diabetics 70-130, after meals should be under 180.
• In Canada, diabetics should be at 4-7 fasting and 3.9-7.2 after meals.
• Diabetics on the Ideal Protein program should be self testing at least 3-4 times a day especially if they are on insulin.

How soon should you adjust medications for diabetes?

• Definitely be in contact with your doctor or pharmacist from the beginning of the program. Make sure your doctor and coach are working closely together.
• For coaches, make sure people taking sglt-2 start on Phase 4 and then to the alternative program. Clients will likely not need this medication once they are ready to go on Phase 1.
• Glp-1 can be the next medication to go.
• Medications like gliclazide can be all together gone by week 1 or 2.
• Metformin is a medication a lot of people are on and will likely be the last medication you are taken off.

What about insulin for Type 2 diabetics? How should that be handled?

• Type 1 diabetics are diagnosed early on and don’t produce enough insulin.
• Type 2 diabetics have insulin resistance and are put on insulin.
• Type 2 diabetics will have a sliding scale, but their insulin will likely be reduced by half early on.
• Type 2 diabetics should be self testing 3-4 times a day.

What is insulin resistance?

• When you are eating a high carb diet, you are consuming a lot of sugar and when your body sees sugar it has to produce insulin in response to it. Your insulin is there to get your blood sugar down. What people don’t realize is that your body has to put the insulin somewhere. Insulin is your fat storing hormone, it opens up our fat cells and tucks away the sugar. After a while your body decides that it has had enough, so that is where the insulin resistance comes from.
• Biggest indicator of insulin resistance is with your cholesterol. Insulin turns on a switch in your liver that all your statin drugs turn off. So if you are on drugs like Lipitor and other statin drugs, if you want to get off of those drugs you have to stop eating sugar so that you can stop producing insulin. This way, your liver will stop producing that extra LDL cholesterol.
• Insulin resistance leads to metabolic syndrome components (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity).

What is leptin?

• Leptin is the hormone in the body that makes you feel full. So a lot of people can feel really full if they have a lot of leptin in their body.
• If you are in ketosis you will likely not feel hunger, due to leptin levels and because you aren’t having the ups and downs of your blood sugar levels.

What does Skinny Fat mean?

• Some clients come in low on the scale, but also low on their lean body mass. Within a couple weeks on the program, clients can actually gain weight. These clients tend to be protein deficient, so their body can now make muscle cells and boost immunity.

My coach told me my lean body mass was lower this week, but I have been eating my 8oz a day, should I be eating more protein?

• Make sure you are getting your Branch Chain Amino Acids, not working out, eating all of your 3 packets, and eating every 3 hours.

I have been off all of my meds for 2 months, what should I think about as I head into maintenance?

• Keep your carbs low. Where are you going with your GPS (grains, potatoes and sugars)? Stay away from these things because they all turn into sugar.