Quote from YH on February 22, 2019, 4:04 pm

After nearly seven months of low Vitamin A, with long periods of close to zero Vitamin A, I thought it was time to provide another update.

Physical improvements:

My eyesight is definitely better. Even-though I am nearsighted(-2.75) I can now read street signs without glasses. In a few months, I plan on taking an eye exam to see how much it improved. The whites of my eyes are much clearer. They used to have periodic redness.

I gained about 8 pounds since last August. I was also a little swollen at about month 4, and my pants were a bit tighter. Now they fit fine. I think it may have been some edema as my tissues were being repaired. The swelling is now gone and I still kept the weight. I think more protein has helped with this.

Back pain and spinal pain is still gone. I can walk for hours and feel little fatigue. My mobility has also improved. Even when I periodically added in some dairy, the pain did not return.

My humpback is nearly gone. Posture is effortlessly straight. I will be checking my height again in my next physical, along  with bloodwork. This is the only thing that has ever helped my back issues despite spending  a decade trying almost every method(chiropractor, yoga, posture coaches, in additional to researching the topic) under the sun short of surgery.

Despite the cold and dry weather, my lips don't get chapped. My hands don't get any dryness, even in freezing temperatures.

Work endurance is much higher. I can work overtime without batting an eye. I also wake up much earlier.

Calluses on my feet is almost gone. No more orange tinge anywhere on my hands or feet. Even-though I lift weights, the calluses on my hand is hardly visible and repairs very quickly.

Hair is much easier to manage. I have thick wavy hair, and it is usually a mess. These days my hair is much more coherent(it could be my thyroid is finally working better). There is also a few new hairs growing around the crown of my head.

Skin is better. It is much much finer and less rough. Red bumps on my arm are nearly gone. Myxedema on my upper arms is also nearly gone. Fungal issues/itchy skin issues only seem to return if I eat high carotene/vitamin A foods.

Face is more symmetrical. My eyes look more alert in pictures.

Breathing is more relaxed and silent.

Mental improvements:

No more depression. Optimistic attitude. I recently changed jobs and transitioning to the new job was not arduous at all.  Intruding thoughts are thing of the past. If I do decide to eat more preformed Vitamin A, intruding thoughts are the first thing to return.  I have tested this a few times over the past seven months by eating Vitamin A foods.

I sleep better and fall asleep easily. Vitamin C did help me sleep in the beginning, but I am finding I don't need it anymore. I also wake up at sunrise with no alarm, even if I stay up a little late.

Concentration is still improving. I can sight-read music for piano again, something I haven't done in over ten years. Additionally, reading books is much easier.

Handwriting is excellent. Sketching hand has improved significantly. This is probably also related to my eyesight.

Increased awareness. I don't know how to describe this, but I am able to subdue conflicts very efficiently with friends, family, and coworkers. It is becoming clear to me if a person provokes an arguments due to emotional turmoil rather than to solve a problem. I therefore always try to steer a conversation away from this tension. Later on, I'd typically try to talk it out alone with the person.

Additionally, I'm becoming more empathetic towards friends and family. I can now sit and let other people talk, and when it is my turn to talk, I only try to say what is relevant, without imposing my opinion. I have become quicker at making jokes or acute observations regarding a circumstances to help break social tension in professional atmospheres. Overall I am less self conscious and more in the moment. I think the increase in patience  and the acuteness of my senses is  changing my behavior overtime.

I have completely stopped smoking cigarettes because I don't crave them at all. Cravings for many junk foods are gone.

Diet:

Currently my diet is based on beef(roasts, burgers, brisket, steak, pastrami, corned beef, stews) and wheat(breads, groats, bulgur, couscous). I didn't digest beef well at first, but I currently digest it very well. Over the past month, I have been making an effort to eat at least a pound of meat a day. I think getting more meat in my diet has helped me the most in terms of detox symptoms.

I also include potatoes, any white flesh roots, oats, lamb chicken, scollops, tilapia, brenzino(small portions), onions, cauliflower, sauerkraut, white cabbage, kiwi fruits, lemons, sodas, coffee, dark chocolate, mineral water, coconut, refined olive oil, sunflower/safflower oil.

Occasionally, I have small amounts of beans, nuts, seeds, and store bought cookies. My coffee consumption has gone down to 2 cups from 4 cups. I also have beer,wine, and spirits, on the weekends.

I include dairy in tiny amounts. Some cream/milk in coffee, and sometime bread on butter. Sometimes a small amount of milk chocolate. I think dairy might be beneficial in extremely controlled amounts. Whenever I tried to include more than a serving of dairy a day, I'd run into problems.

I sometimes go without food. I can go 8+ hours between meals without needing a snack. Sometimes I unintentionally fast for 16-20 hours if I am busy working or traveling. I generally do keep regular meals though, as I don't notice any benefit with fasting. It is just unusual for me to forget about eating.