I’m always looking for collaborators for future experiments. If you’re interested in collaborating on scientifically rigorous self-experiments with low-carb foods, supplements, or other health interventions, please let me know in the comments or via the contact form on the right.
Two posts this week, both pre-registering my next studies: Determining causes & interventions for my elevated blood pressure & exercise-induced rhinitis (runny nose).
For the blood pressure and rhinitis, I’m excited to branch out to experiments other than blood glucose effects. Experiments for both will start Monday and I should have results to report in 3-4 weeks.
Experiments the past two weeks were focused finishing up the flour replacement tests. I’ve finally got that done and will be posting the results next week. In the meantime, I’ve gotten started on the whole food testing with almonds, salmon, and tuna. I’ve also done a few rounds of the vinegar tests with my standard breakfast, though that will take a decent size dataset before I’ll be able to draw any conclusions (BG on morning meals is noisy due to the dawn phenomenon).
Next week, I’ll be continuing the whole food testing and starting the blood-pressure and rhinitis experiments.
– QD
Active & Planned Experiments
- Blood Glucose Impact of Low-Carb Foods & Ingredients
- Goal: Determine blood glucose impact of low-carb foods and ingredients
- Approach: Protocol
- Status:
- Reported:
- Up next:
- Whole foods (vegetables, meats, low-carb fruits)
- Dietary fibers
- Miscellaneous low-carb prepared foods
- Blood Glucose Impact of Supplements
- Goal: Determine blood glucose impact and mechanism of promising supplements
- Approach: Protocol
- Status:
- This week: Initial replication
- Reported:
- Up next:
- Full meal test
- Alternate macronutrients
- Alternate acid sources
- Blood Pressure
- Goal: Identify causes & interventions to improve my elevated blood pressure
- Approach: under development
- Status:
- This week: Request for feedback on experimental design
- Reported:
- Up next:
- Analysis of historical data
- Effect of deep breathing protocols
- Allergies/Breathing
- Goal: Identify causes & interventions to improve my breathing during exercise
- Approach: under development
- Status:
- This week: Request for feedback on experimental design
- Reported:
- Up next:
- Effect of masking
- Effect of antihistamines
- Improving Sleep
Let me know in the comments if there’s any other experiments you’d like to see.
– QD
Observations & Data
- Sleep
- Sleep still low this week, again due to intermittent insomnia.
- Pulse may be stabilizing.
- HRV still up this week, still don’t understand how to interpret this…
- Blood Glucose
- Blood glucose still looking good, but it’s hard to tell with my current metrics. Might start including time low & high, rather than just time-in-range.
- Other Blood
- Off week for hemoglobin and cholesterol
- Blood pressure continues to be “elevated.” Hopefully my new study will uncover something useful here.
- Body
- Weight and waist started dropping again. If this continues, will need to figure out a way to add more food.
Sleep
Blood Glucose
Other Blood
Body
Methods
- Sleep
- Metrics: total time, heart rate variability, pulse (sleeping vs. waking)
- Methods: Apple watch + Autosleep app
- Frequency: daily
- Blood Glucose
- Metrics: fasting BG, Avg. BG, coefficient of variation, time 70-140 mg/dL, time <60 mg/dL
- Methods: Dexcom G6 CGM
- Frequency: continuous
- Other Blood
- Metrics: weight, waist circumference, BMI, waist/height
- Methods: scale + Renpho tape measure
- Frequency: daily
- Body
- Metrics: hemoglobin, cholesterol, blood pressure, pulse
- Methods: Hemocue 801, Cardiocheck PA, Omron Evolve
- Frequency: daily for blood pressure & pulse, every 2 weeks for hemoglobin & cholesterol
