Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

I am freezing all of the time. It is the kind of cold that adding sweaters or blankets doesn't help. I thought it was just me - that I was having the cold flashes that can be a part of menopause but my husband says he feels cold too. (Not as bad as me though.)

Does the body eventually adjust to the no-added-fat? (Never thought I'd be hoping for a hot flash )

I am usually hot...nice mid winter when it is cold out but not so nice when I have to have the heat on.

Silver, I've heard being low in iron can cause the cold feelings. I don't know about the coldness, but during winter many people can be low in vitamin D. and of course you need to take vit. B12.

those who have lost weight may feel colder.

I think we have to consider the possibility of hypothyroidism due to eating so may goitrogenic foods.I have the same problem with an average morning body temp of 96.3.I think this may be a downside of a plant based diet because my problems started when I changed.Could also be reflective of a low sodium diet and less iodine but then I supplement with kelp to get extra iodine.

Cooking only deactivates about 30% of the goitrogens so thats not really a good soultion.

The effect of cooking on goitrogens

"Although research studies are limited in this area, cooking does appear to help inactivate the goitrogenic compounds found in food. Both isoflavones (found in soy foods) and isothiocyanates (found in cruciferous vegetables) appear to be heat-sensitive, and cooking appears to lower the availability of these substances. In the case of isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, as much as one third of this goitrogenic substance may be deactivated when broccoli is boiled in water."


I got this from an article on goitrogens.Only 1/3 is deactivted by heating....thats not enough to be very helpful.

I am too. And - I have noticed that all the crazy's that come to work in the winter wearing shorts all the time - they are the ones with extra insulation on them! So maybe all that fat helps keep them warm, and when we lose it, we get cold. It's a theory anyway....

I too started feeling the cold more when adopting this diet. Ended up losing 60lbs and I am convinced having a high fat diet keeps you warmer. Believe me it's not worth the trade-off. As far as all the goitrogenic theories, bah-humbug. Thyroid issues are rampant in our culture and within the SAD eating, vegetable avoiding, masses. I think it's irresponsible to throw out these comments till there is solid, reliable data. Good luck and don't hold your breath waiting for that! It might be a good topic for that Diet Debate board since they haven't had a post in almost a month. For those interested search goitrogens here and you will find Jeff's comments on the subject.
I also notice I handle the heat much better eating this way, No one seems to bring up that issue much but I find my summer trips to Texas much more enjoyable now that I no longer turn into the overheated sweatbox. Forcing your body to unnaturally produce heat might seem good under certain conditions but you pay a price under others. I think there is also an adjustment period that comes with this issue, too. But I am cooler in cold weather and that's a fact.
f1jim

i've always been cold, so I didn't notice a change when I switched. And now I have so much more personal energy, I move a lot more and that keeps me warmer.

Thanks everyone. Good to know I'm not alone. Thanks for the link Debbie. I should have done a search first!

Silver wrote:I am freezing all of the time. It is the kind of cold that adding sweaters or blankets doesn't help. I thought it was just me - that I was having the cold flashes that can be a part of menopause but my husband says he feels cold too. (Not as bad as me though.)

Does the body eventually adjust to the no-added-fat? (Never thought I'd be hoping for a hot flash )

Have you tried some exercise? Lift some weights for a few minutes, squats, push ups, etc. You get the idea. Raise your core temp that way throughout the day and you'll warm up!

"I think it's irresponsible to throw out these comments till there is solid, reliable data. Good luck and don't hold your breath '

Absolutely not!If all we could discuss were things backed up by a high standard of proof(which is really just someones opinion of what constitutes solid relaible data)then we could not discuss the Mcdougall diet.According to leading authorities like Willett there is not sufficient evidence to recommend the McDougall diet.

We may disagree with Willett but it points out differences in what is considered solid relaible data.Willett is about as mainstream an authority in the science of nutrition as you can get.

It’s 9AM EST and it’s 0 out. I’m waiting until it warms up to 14 and then I can go for my 5 mile run. Don’t tell me about cold. Burrrr.

I followed the links from Debbie's post above until I found a comment by Jeff. This is what he says in a thread titled "Cold Hands and Feet".

JeffN wrote:

pinkrose wrote:This is a common experience related to calorie restriction and a low fat vegan diet.

One of the known side effect of CR is the reported feeling of cold, especially int he extremities. Usually it is only reported in those who restrict their calories and lower their BMI's to extreme levels.

I have never seen it associated with a low fat vegan diet unless it also accompanied a severed drop in calories and/or weight.

Sometimes, it occurs during extreme restriction when weight is being lost but once weight is stable and calories are adequate to maintain a healthy weight, then it is no longer a problem.

I know I have much less body fat and often feel "colder" than those around me who have much more body fat.

However, while a certain amount of internal insulation is required, it is much healthier to wear any other insulation I may need externally rather than internally.

In Health
Jeff

Speaking from personal experience, I have always been thin and always cold (in cold weather). That changes as soon as I eat or drink something hot! So sometimes I just heat a cup of water and sip that if my multiple layers of clothes don't warm me up!

Jamie, that's great advice. I do that sometimes. sipping hot drinks does help.

I don't think it's always (and maybe it is NEVER) about insulation. I think it has to do with metabolism much more than fat levels in the body. Or, as Jeff pointed out, calorie restriction...but calorie restriction also slows down the metabolism, so...

I've never been thin, and I've been cold most of my life. I really struggle with it in the winter time, especially at bedtime: lots of covers, and a heating pad and socks on my feet in bed.
At my heaviest, I had just as much a problem with cold, as I do now with more than 100lbs gone. So having "insulation" isn't really what makes a difference.

I think it's metabolism (I'm sure of it, for me) As I've eaten healthier and really nourished my body, my metabolism has changed a little bit. I think my thyroid is getting the nutrition it needs to function more normally and hopefully the cold won't be as much a bother as it has been.

I didn't say we couldn't discuss issues of any type. But this statement "I think we have to consider the possibility of hypothyroidism due to eating so may goitrogenic foods" makes little sense when you compare the skyrocketing rates of thyroid problems with the very small intake of these vegetables in this country. It doesn't take a lot of math to figure the problem must lie somewhere else. If we were large consumers of these vegetables I might give your comment serious study. Every table I see published shows how little of cruciferous vegetables we eat. While I know you have a personal mission to defame this eating plan, you could at least be not as obvious here on Dr. McDougalls forum.
f1jim