143: Viv Hamilton – Low Carb Vegetarian

Fabulously Keto

Viv Hamilton

Prior to switching to a low carb way of eating, Viv Hamilton had been obese for about twenty years and had had the usual experience of yoyo dieting.

After a serious car accident in 2019, she was told by the surgeon that she would develop severe arthritis and need a knee replacement within about 3 years. After about 9 months of rehabilitation, the arthritis symptoms developed and began to rapidly worsen.

Luckily Viv and her husband are patients at the Freshwell surgery. When Viv’s husband was recommended to try going low carb, she decided they would go low carb together. She thought it would help if she lost some weight before the anticipated knee replacement operation. However, there didn’t seem to be much information about going low carb as a vegetarian. Cutting out wholegrains went against the traditional advice for vegetarians who are told to combine pulses with wholegrains to obtain complete proteins from plants. Viv did her own research and found out that small seeds (flax, hemp, sesame, chia etc) are not only low carb, they have a better nutritional profile than starchy grains and they are at least as good in complementing the profile of amino acids in pulses.

Switching to low carb was transformational for Viv. Within four months the arthritis symptoms had disappeared. In total she has lost over 6 stone, and is now in the healthy weight range. IBS symptoms have also gone away and she has been de-prescribed most of her blood pressure medicine.

As a way of saying thank you, she volunteered to help others on their low carb journey, volunteering for Freshwell and the Colne Valley PCN and joining the charity, The Public Health Collaboration as an Ambassador.

Viv’s Top Tips

1. We are all individuals – find what is convenient that fits in with you. Fits your lifestyle as well as your metabolism.
2. Stay away from ultra processed foods.
3. Be aware that caffeine can dis-regulate insulin and can produce sugar spike.

Resources Mentioned

Public Health Collaboration (PHC)

Public Health Collaboration (PHC) YouTube

Freshwell Website

Freshwell Play Store App

Freshwell Apple App Store

White Chocolate

Quotes by Viv Hamilton

“The scary thing was that it totally undermines all your ideas about cooking and food.”

“Traditionally for IBS they say don’t go long periods without food, eat little and often.”

“Knowing what I knew about being vegetarian, it was actually quite scary to say I have got to cut out all the grains when I went low carb.”

“Mushrooms are actually a complete protein.”

“When I was a teenager I discovered I was getting addicted to caffeine.”

“You might be surprised that a vegetarian is worried is being pushed to plant based food.”

“The other side of that environmental question is if your diet makes you sick, what is the environmental impact of being sick?”

“I personally am choosing not to eat meat but am happy to support other people to eat the meat.”

Connect with Viv Hamilton on social media

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VivHamilton1

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/382235179606729