November 10, 2026
I want to experiment with a very high-fat based diet. Since there is some amount of risk in eating primarily fats alongside a low-carb diet—with carbohydrates widely considered the staple food for humans—I want to start slow. Just as I started with raw food nine years ago, experimenting for a week, then a month, then extending to nine months, and eventually switching over fully for life, I likewise want to start slowly but fully commit to assessing the impact.
With more exceptions to my raw food diet than desired, partly due to laziness for preparing raw food recipes, I have been indulging in cooked food time and again in recent times.
Cooked food surely has its perils. I have observed it enough to know that it is not the best food, irrespective of what science may have to say. Aside from that, cooked foods—especially high-carb ones—are far more tempting when it comes to snacking. I suspect that snacking could be more damaging than perceived.
During certain activities like washing the car, the initial 2–3 kilometers of my typical 50 km cycling rides, and occasionally while climbing stairs fast, I have been experiencing chest discomfort. It starts slow but rapidly becomes acute, requiring strong willpower to continue. Given my family history and my own past diagnosis of high blood pressure and diabetes before I shifted to a raw food diet nine years back—and further considering that I am now sixty-plus—I suspected an anginal issue. I may not rush to a lab and doctors as a knee jerk reaction, but nevertheless need to address the core problem.
With a couple of experiments in myself, I came to suspect that my issue could just be acidity. The symptoms of simple acidity and a severe heart issue are often similar. Based on an experiment where I temporarily lowered the acid in my stomach, washing the car did not cause me any discomfort this time. It is therefore quite possible that my issue is simply acid reflux. A few months back also, i think i came to a similar conclusion but did not actively working on it for a complete solution.
Given that I am a person with extremely low water intake, it is quite possible that I developed acidity from dehydration alone. Moreover, consumption of savory items that usually accompany cooked foods could be contributing further to the issue.
I also noticed that I may have added half a kilogram to a kilogram to my body weight, which obviously doesn't make me feel great. I believe all of these issues and more could be eased partially with a high-fat based diet.
I will be far more satiated on a high-fat diet, which will limit the temptation to snack. Eating more often invariably introduces more carbs and spices. Carb-heavy foods also have a tendency to spike blood glucose.
So I decided to experiment with a high-fat diet for a week initially, and track how I feel during the day. I started off yesterday living on cashews, roasted peanuts, and similar foods, along with a few bananas. I did feel good yesterday. But that is a tiny sample size to draw conclusions from, and early enthusiasm can easily bias any hypothesis.
As has always been my routine, I will have a cooked Andhra meal for lunch this Sunday also. However, I need to figure out creative ways to maximize healthy fats in that meal as much as possible.
Aside from pure 100% fats like oils, most natural fats are bundled with quality protein and numerous micronutrients, alongside a small amount of carbs. They do have lower water content, but that should be fine. Besides, I will complement them with some fruit intake—kept to significantly smaller portions than my usual raw food routine.
All in all, I think I should do fine for at least a week. The real results will reveal themselves if I continue long-term, God willing!
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