Q's Review and Questions
of the book, Rosacea 101:
Includes the Rosacea Diet
(Answers Included)
Brady,
Firstly my sincerest apologies for the late (MEGA LATE) reply and review. I have had a lot on (personal problems and a lot of stress) thus kept procrastinating in reading the book, which has just about led to being a year.
I have this mind set of "when I start I want to do is properly thus I'll start from next week". To be honest i never got around to it with all the problems, until recently and even when I did, it was a slow process but am glad I finally got there. So as promised a year on it may be (for which I am apologise once again), below is my review:
Review:
This is the first time I've ever written a review, so ill just be honest...
One of the main things I was hoping the book would help me on is the diet, in regards to what to eat as I keep thinking 'oh my god' there is nothing to eat etc. and this topic was covered fully in the 30 diet plans
provided, which has helped a lot and given a better understanding as to what can and cannot be eaten. There was also chapters which were really interesting to know such as the chapter on 'ETS' that I had never heard of, but found it really good.
I am afraid to say that I am not one that reads a lot and if I am, then I am the type of person that likes to read a summary or to get to the point as quick as possible or read things that only interest me. There were chapters that were perfect for me all of which were vital for the diet. Then there were chapters that were not for me, these were more in depth in regards to why and how rosacea happens (mostly in the appendix and the medical ones). I still gave some of those chapters a read and found it easily worded for someone who has no medical knowledge, with big and complex words explained very well. I've personally always believed that diet is a major factor but never had the will power to give it a go, but this book has definitely given me that extra push and in a way it can been seen as the light at the end of the tunnel.
I believe this book would also be perfect for a doctor or a medical practitioner as it has chapters which go in depth in to the medical terms and world. At the same time I would definitely recommend it to a average person who has rosacea and is finding it difficult to start or understand this diet (as myself). Because one can easily say 'start a diet with low carbohydrates and no sugar', but there will be 101 questions that will be running in the mind of the person about to start the diet.
I also recommend this book as a moral booster or motivator (silly it may sound but true it is, well in my case it was) as there are stories in the book as well as certain chapters that make the reader see how true the logic and theory of no sugars and low carbs is, thus making the reader want to prove it right!
There are certain things that were not answered (101 questions running in the mind of a person about to start the diet), but then again this could be me just trying to be very picky and specific (also this could be questions that can be asked in the support forum), if you could shed some light on the following I would be very very grateful, as this is the last hurdle left for me to start this diet.
Questions:
1. The 30 grams of carbohydrates that we are allowed, do they have to have no sugar content in them? in other words anything that has 1 gram sugar, put it back correct?
Answer
All carbohydrate is different forms of sugar. (See page 88 in the book under the sub heading "Carbohydrate." You may choose whatever form of sugar or carbohydrate you want to eat for the day. Let's say you choose a teaspoon of table sugar which amounts to 4 grams. Even though I encourage you in the book to avoid table sugar over and over and warn you of this, you could include it in the 30 grams for the day. You really can decide whatever you want to eat. If it includes honey, sugar, or whatever carbohydrate you may find, just don't eat more than 30 grams in a day. The reason I kept repeating in my book to avoid any type sugar is that I want you to become aware of how sugar is intrinsically added into most processed food. Just beware of this fact and you will be able to limit your total carbohydrate intake for the day to 30 grams.
2. When I went shopping to look for the cheese and other items such as the mixed nuts (the list of snacks we are allowed on page 113), they all had carbohydrates and sugar? so i take it if it has any sugar do not get correct? but if it has just carbs then its ok
Answer
No, just read the answer to question 1 again. You can pick any food or drink that contains any carbohydrate that includes any type of sugar. You just limit your choices to total no more than 30 grams of carbohydrate a day. I recommend mixed nuts because they are high in protein and fat and lower in carbohydrate than most snacks.
3. I take it fried food is okay on this diet? as i was advised to stay clear from fried food by my chinese herbalist? so am afraid o having stuff like friend eggs as most of the eggs are fried such as ommlets, fried eggs etc? or am i correct in saying fried proteins are good, but fried carbohydrates, chips, chicken etc is bad (then that would also class the fried chicken as good?) make sense?
Answer
On page 88, under the subheading "FAT," I want you to repeat the last line of the paragraph over and over, 'Fat is Good.' Chapter 25, Fat Vs. Sugar, it would be good to re-read this chapter. You may eat as much fat or fried food as you want. I mention in Appendix X9 to avoid trans fat. Other than trans fat, eat as much fat for thirty days as you want. After the 30 days you can then go back to avoiding what your Chinese herbalist recommends or eat anyway you want.
4. Are we allowed brown rice (even though it is carbohydrates), as it was stated in your book (Page 113) to avoid certain foods of which you wrote white rice, but did not mention brown rice. along with other things you stated such as not eating plain crackers, thus meaning we can eat other crackers? am sought of confused.
Answer
Brown rice is acceptable, just no more than 30 grams a day. On page 113 I did say to avoid white rice if you are an omnivore. I say avoid white rice to vegetarians on page 134. As long as you limit the amount to no more than 30 grams of carbohydrate brown rice can be included. Crackers usually have a lot of carbohydrate but some crackers use whole grains and thus reduce the carbohydrate content. Nevertheless, count all the carbohydrate for any crackers you eat and keep the limit to 30 grams a day.
5. Is there like 2-3 specific vitamins you recommend one on this diet, as you have provided a massive list and it is hard to figure out which is needed more then the other. One I was considering is Evening Primrose Oil, what others can you suggest? or will 2-3 not be enough
Answer
Vitamins are your choice. I just provide a list of suggestions. To narrow it down to just three I would suggest Vitamin C, a multi B Vitamin complex and a Multi Vitamin. However, if you choose to invest the amount of vitamins I suggest for a 30 day trial, you might find the difference in your health astounding. We need to boost up our immune system to defeat rosacea. If you are a male drop the Evening Primrose. If you are a middle age female also take the Evening Primrose.
6. Is stuff like Lettuce, Cucumbers, Green Peppers okay to have and having them a lot each day? (Neither have Carbohydrates or Sugar or do they?)
Answer
You really need to get a carbohydrate gram counter book, like Dr. Atkin's Carbohydrate Counter. While these items have little carbohydrate they indeed do have carbohydate. If you can eat just these items you mention, they will fill you up and you can eat a lot but you must continue to add the carbohydrate grams you are eating and limit them to 30 grams a day. So, yes, you can eat these items as long as you keep within the 30 grams of carbohydrate a day.
7. Avocados and Grapefruits are allowed, does that mean we can eat as much of these or not? (Neither have Carbohydrates or Sugar or do they?)
Answer
Again you can eat as much as you want as long as the total amount of carbohydrate is limited to 30 grams a day for 30 days. Yes, these have very little carbohydrate so just watch the total amount of carbohydrate you eat in a day.
8. Boiled eggs I normally have with salt and pepper, I understand make sure the salt has no dextrose, what about the pepper? also it is said not to have more then the limit stated in the books for fats, as eggs have fat in the yolk, so that means not to have too many eggs correct?
Answer
Eggs have no carbohydrate. You may eat as many eggs as you want. I have never said to limit fat intake other than avoid trans fats. You can eat as much fat and protein as you want each day. Remember that the Rosacea Diet is just for 30 days. After the 30 days you can then eat whatever you want and modify the Rosacea Diet to suit your own body. Pepper is your choice. Some rosaceans report that pepper is a trigger for rosacea but as I clearly explain in Chapter 11, Triggers, pepper may or may not be a trigger for you. You will just have to find out for yourself whether pepper is a problem for your rosacea or not.
9. What is meant by 'Half and Half' on page 114?
Answer
Half cream and half milk.
10. When you say 'soy' on page 132 do you mean 'soya'?
Answer
I carefully checked page 132 in my 373 page paperback and could not find the word soy on the page. I don't recall ever writing the word soya in my book so I am guessing I meant soy as you state it says.
11. I will be having grilled chicken, now if it is left as it is, it will be fairly dry, so what my mum normally does is add slight herbs/spices to it, would that be allowed?
Answer
Again, read Chapter 11, Triggers. Spices are possible rosacea triggers and you will just have to experiment whether a particular spice triggers your rosacea or a flush. It is up to you whether to use spices on the Rosacea Diet since most spices contain no carbohydrate you may use whatever amount you like.
12. Is Milk in protein shake powder okay or would you recommend sticking with water and protein shake powder? ( If milk I am assuming I will have to count the carbohydrates correct?)
Answer
You will have to add the carbohydrate content of the milk to your 30 gram limit. Cream has zero carbohydrate. Water has zero carbohydrate. Milk contains carbohydrate. Look up how many grams of carbohyrate is in a glass of milk. Add the amount to the whatever carbohydrate you eat that day and limit your total to 30 grams of carbohydrate for the day for thirty days. After the 30 days you can change the way you eat to fit your lifestyle.
13. Low GI Carbohydrates is what I should be looking for if I am going to have any carbohydrates on the diet (maybe as snacks)?
Answer
Yes. I discuss the Glycemic Index (GI) in Appendix X4. Some prefer the GI but the Nutrition Label on food and drink items does not contain the GI and uses carbohydrate gram content instead. Just keep your carbohydrate intake to a limit of 30 grams per day for thirty days and then you may change your diet to whatever amount of each food group you want after the 30 Day Rosacea Diet. I repeat this many times in my book.
14. At some point in the book you say you are allowed grains, dairy and whole grains and then other parts you say you are not? am confused (I am assuming staying away from the grains and whole grains totally is good)
Answer
Basically if you are an omnivore (you eat meat, fish,& poultry along with fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy) I suggest avoiding grains and diary since these tend to be high in carbohydrate and low in protein. Vegetarians eat foods that are high in carbohydrate like grains, so they will have to reduce the amount of grains, whether whole wheat or brown rice, etc., to 30 grams of carbohydrate a day. This will be a challenge but not impossible for vegetarians. I explain how vegetarians can do this in my book with a 30 day plan. If you want to eat grain and diary I suggest you re-read Chapter 32 for some suggestions on how to do this.
15. What about soups?
Answer
Yes, as long as you keep the carbohydrate count to less than 30 grams of carbohydrate for 30 days. After the Rosacea Diet, change your diet to fit your lifestyle. Learning that reducing your carbohydrate intake will help control your rosacea is what the Rosacea Diet is all about. The Rosacea Diet simply shows you that this is another way to control rosacea. It works!
Apology :):
I do apologise for the lengthy list of questions that I have come up with after reading the book, but would be very very grateful if you could help in answering them to easy my mind and make this diet easier.
I do hope that once I start this diet and stick to it (hard it will be as you have said and for myself as the environment and people I am around will not help), will result in a positive outcome and me writing a massive paragraph to add to all the others that have confirmed this diet works.
Thanks again for providing me with the book, which i believe will be a valuable asset now and for the near future and shall never go to waste :)
Kindest Regards
Q
