If you'd like to know the absolute best way to manage diabetes type 1 and 2, or prevent prediabetes from turning into type 2 diabetes, watch this video interview with the authors of a new book "Mastering Diabetes".
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Diabetes-Revolutionary-Permanently-Prediabetes-ebook/dp/B07TRJJHN2
This method is safer, faster, and dramatically more effective than either the current medical approach, or the keto diet approach.
And so why is this truth "shocking"? The scientific research on this approach goes back almost a century, and has been replicated in subsequent studies over and over and over. This is not news...it's just that nobody knows about it.
Figure that one out.
Here's the interview:
https://youtu.be/enIvfC985U8
Monday, February 17, 2020
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Chronic Stress is not a good thing
I'm belaboring the obvious here. This post is motivated in part by the news that Bruce McEwen, the neuroscientist who "trailblazed a new way of thinking about stress", has died:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/10/science/bruce-s-mcewen-dead.html
He is credited with leading us away from the view that all stress is bad. Stress is the property that allows for structure to occur...if all the sudden all points of stress were removed from a building, the building would collapse. But that's a mechanical property and we're talking about emotional stress. Is there a corollary? Yes of course there is, one example is as one increases their physical strength their regulation of mood increases as well.
But there are limits - too much stress is structure destructive, and too little means structure will not be balanced and sturdy. There's a delicate balance, and at that balance stress is at the optimal level. Since biology and psychology are dynamic functions, keeping stress at optimal levels requires continuous adjustment, which we do more or less unconsciously when we are functioning at more or less optimal levels in the key determinants diet, activity, and sleep. When we get off track we feel it, and make adjustments we know have the best chance of getting us back to the right balance.
The problem I address over and over in my blog is we are collectively so far from optimal balance we've lost the ability to even see and feel where that is. We live in a world that does not support the attainment of this "sweet spot". The active sources that are functioning to help us get back to that balance are few and far between, and can be expensive and time consuming. And without that level of (let's call it) intervention we are much less likely to get there from here. We can take in the "balance" perspective and attendant information on the intellectual level, and still...change can be difficult to the point of seeming impossibility.
But what is more important than our health? Without it we are quickly reduced to "half selves", or worse.
I'm reminded of a "Poor Richard" (Ben Franklin) axiom: "Pour your purse into you head" (advocating education). I would expand that to include your psychology and biophysiology.
Avail yourself of these resources if at all possible, it's more than worth the time, effort, and money.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/10/science/bruce-s-mcewen-dead.html
He is credited with leading us away from the view that all stress is bad. Stress is the property that allows for structure to occur...if all the sudden all points of stress were removed from a building, the building would collapse. But that's a mechanical property and we're talking about emotional stress. Is there a corollary? Yes of course there is, one example is as one increases their physical strength their regulation of mood increases as well.
But there are limits - too much stress is structure destructive, and too little means structure will not be balanced and sturdy. There's a delicate balance, and at that balance stress is at the optimal level. Since biology and psychology are dynamic functions, keeping stress at optimal levels requires continuous adjustment, which we do more or less unconsciously when we are functioning at more or less optimal levels in the key determinants diet, activity, and sleep. When we get off track we feel it, and make adjustments we know have the best chance of getting us back to the right balance.
The problem I address over and over in my blog is we are collectively so far from optimal balance we've lost the ability to even see and feel where that is. We live in a world that does not support the attainment of this "sweet spot". The active sources that are functioning to help us get back to that balance are few and far between, and can be expensive and time consuming. And without that level of (let's call it) intervention we are much less likely to get there from here. We can take in the "balance" perspective and attendant information on the intellectual level, and still...change can be difficult to the point of seeming impossibility.
But what is more important than our health? Without it we are quickly reduced to "half selves", or worse.
I'm reminded of a "Poor Richard" (Ben Franklin) axiom: "Pour your purse into you head" (advocating education). I would expand that to include your psychology and biophysiology.
Avail yourself of these resources if at all possible, it's more than worth the time, effort, and money.
Friday, February 7, 2020
What is Narcissism?
The word itself originates in a Greek myth about a hunter known for his beauty who “distained those who loved him, causing some to take their own life to prove their devotion to his striking beauty. Narcissus is the origin of the term narcissism, a fixation with oneself and one's physical appearance or public perception.” wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(mythology)
It is also said we are all narcissistic in that one must have some degree of focus on the self in order to survive. Self preservation is essentially a manifestation of the biological drive instincts that enable all creatures to survive and procreate. There are degrees of self preservation, and there are degrees of narcissism. Narcissism might be seen as a pathological expression of self preservation. “Self-preservation is normal and healthy, but narcissism is detrimental to the species. The difference between them shows in our interaction with others.” http://refulgentcoleman.blogspot.com/2013/10/self-preservation-vs-narcissism-three.html
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) identifies 9 criteria that might be called “self-involvement indicators”, and proposes a diagnosis of pathological narcissism when 5 of the 9 are present in an individual. It is also important to note theory is continually evolving as our understanding grows, and apparently DSM-6, when it is published, will contain alterations. One medical sociologist has this to say:
When I first started in the world of conventional mental health the DSM 3 was being used. It was a helpful manual at the time. However, what the lay person needs to understand is that these illnesses are created by symptoms that overlap with various diagnoses. That many people are improperly diagnosed therefore receive the wrong treatment causing more problems in the form of medication side effects with treatment that has zero to do with the cause of the problem .There are no tests to check for mental illness except for brain scans that show schizophrenia. Dr. Daniel Amen believes his brain scans help to diagnose mental illness among other things, some of his peers disagree.
Instead of using destructive labels how about we deal with the negative events and/or physiological issues like psychosis due to a lack of vitamin B12 in the case of one vegetarian I read about yesterday. Or how about hormonal imbalance or leaky gut? https://www.quora.com/When-is-the-DSM-6-likely-to-be-released-What-important-revisions-will-it-contain/answer/Suzanne-Kellner-Zinck
Personally I support the view that many pathological mental disorders are exacerbated or caused completely by biochemical imbalances addressed more efficiently in many cases with better nutrition and a discontinuation of medications foreign to the body.
Pathological narcissism is thought to be caused by exogenously induced trauma into the very young developing ego, which creates the neurotic condition of “over-defensiveness”, which then begins to manifest as compromised interaction with others, and self-destructive behaviors.
The Mayo Clinic web page on narcissistic personality disorder lists symptoms and behavioral manifestations:
Signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder and the severity of symptoms vary. People with the disorder can:
- Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance
- Have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration
- Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
- Exaggerate achievements and talents
- Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate
- Believe they are superior and can only associate with equally special people
- Monopolize conversations and belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior
- Expect special favors and unquestioning compliance with their expectations
- Take advantage of others to get what they want
- Have an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
- Be envious of others and believe others envy them
- Behave in an arrogant or haughty manner, coming across as conceited, boastful and pretentious
- Insist on having the best of everything — for instance, the best car or office
At the same time, people with narcissistic personality disorder have trouble handling anything they perceive as criticism, and they can:
- Become impatient or angry when they don't receive special treatment
- Have significant interpersonal problems and easily feel slighted
- React with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make themselves appear superior
- Have difficulty regulating emotions and behavior
- Experience major problems dealing with stress and adapting to change
- Feel depressed and moody because they fall short of perfection
- Have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation
“Treatment for narcissistic personality disorder centers around talk therapy (psychotherapy).”
General awareness of this disorder appears to be on the rise. If you do a web search on narcissistic personality disorder you can quickly find videos by clinical psychologists speaking about symptoms and manifestations in more general terms. Perhaps the most significant of these are lack of empathy as the basic condition, and emotional volatility as the basic manifestation.
In my own experience emotional problems can be largely overcome with a combination of talk therapy (which I view as basically a course of self-education), good nutrition, and physical activity. The three of these concurrently might be said to be “the holy trinity” of healing for these modern times where “emotional intelligence” is not taught in schools (and many families are dysfunctional), the general state of nutrition is abysmal, and many of us do not “move our bodies” sufficiently for good health.
On another level it might be said we can come to greater awareness of the potential for negative impact (to our health) caused by our survival instincts formed in prehistoric “wild conditions” while living our lives in “civilized conditions”. An excellent book “The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health & Happiness” co-authored by psychologist Doug Lisle and nutritionist Alan Goldhamer cover this topic succinctly: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+pleasure+trap&crid=36AKDBKSMNEPX&sprefix=the+pleasure+%2Caps%2C194&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_13
In brief the “motivational triad” is 1) seek pleasure 2) avoid pain 3) conserve energy, a good prescription for success in a nomadic hunter gatherer world where calories are scarce, predators are everywhere, and abundant energy is necessary for survival. None of those conditions exist in “civilized world”, in fact it is quite the opposite: calories (pleasure) that are nutritionally deficient while being “too delicious” to resist are everywhere, predators are banished, and we sit and look at “screens” for hours at a stretch.
Is it any wonder in our time we see exponential progression of so-called “degenerative diseases”, and increasing levels of narcissism?
Thursday, January 30, 2020
There is No Such Thing as the Immune System
This idea seems self evident once heard. But I have only heard it from one source, Dr. Doug Graham of FoodNSport.com at one of his many excellent retreats.
Here's the deal...the anatomical systems of the body are:
1) the cardiovascular system
2) the digestive system
3) the endocrine system
4) the muscular system
5) the nervous system
6) the renal system
7) the reproductive system
8) the respiratory system
9) the immune system?
Each of the first eight is a specific biomechanical system:
-cardiovascular: heart,arteries,veins,capillaries
-digestive: mouth,stomach,intestines
-endocrine: hormone glands
-muscular: muscles
-nervous: nerve network
-renal: kidneys filter blood to produce urine
-reproductive: genitalia,uterus
-respiratory: lungs
Of course much more could be said about each of them, but the point is they are comprised of specific organs and biomechanical constructions of tissue relevant to the functions of that particular system.
So where are those specific organs and tissues located in the immune system? Is it the microbiome? Well maybe, we know how important it is to immune function. But it is not comprised of physiologic tissues...it is, as we know, bacteria, viruses, and parasites. We also know when the balance of friendly to unfriendly of these innumerable critters gets out of whack our health collapses and all kinds of problems follow. But none of these little guys is us, they are not our tissue. It's not a biomechanical system of the body.
A more appropriate name for immune function is, well, just that, immune function. If immune function is good, you're good, if not, not so good.
I'm not sure why immune function was tacked onto the anatomical systems, which were first established in the 16th century: "Andreas Vesalius founded modern anatomy with the publication of De Humanis Corporis Fabrica (On the Structure of the Human Body) in June 1543". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK458/
Perhaps physiologists and biologists didn't know where else to put it, but recognized it's significance. Immune function is exceedingly complex, and we can't say we really understand it very well yet. The significance of the microbiome was recognized very recently in relative terms. On the other hand I think it was Hippocrates who first said "all disease begins in the gut". Definition of science - if it can't be measured it doesn't exist.
Mind you I am not anti-science, not at all, I just recognize it's limits.
What we do know for sure is immune function draws on all of the anatomical systems of the body. And again, we can be reasonably sure we don't understand it all that well yet. If we did we probably would not have exponential epidemics in cancer, autism, Alzheimer's, all of the many autoimmune disorders, etc, etc.
But we are making progress...we actually do understand how to reverse and cure all the cardiovascular diseases for example, but these modalities have not filtered into medical practice yet. And we know why, right? It doesn't involve drugs! In fact it requires patients to suspend use of drugs.
And that is a pill too large for the healthcare system to swallow at this point.
So if critters that were formally only thought of as pathogenic are now known to be crucial to our health, what other things might we find that are unidentified parts of immune function? How 'bout this one:
Sunlight disinfects the blood.
UV penetrates the epidermis and dermis and reaches the hypodermis where we find - blood vessels. And UV is well known to kill viruses and bacteria: http://sunlightinstitute.org/sunlight-disinfectant/
Why don't we know this? Well, again, the health care (disease management) industry can't make a dime on it. They are too busy promoting the idea that sunlight causes cancer. And, sure, we know too much sunlight is destructive (one should minimized getting "burned" by the sun). But what is the cumulative effect of all this advice to avoid the sun? More cancer?
Very possibly.
Here's the deal...the anatomical systems of the body are:
1) the cardiovascular system
2) the digestive system
3) the endocrine system
4) the muscular system
5) the nervous system
6) the renal system
7) the reproductive system
8) the respiratory system
9) the immune system?
Each of the first eight is a specific biomechanical system:
-cardiovascular: heart,arteries,veins,capillaries
-digestive: mouth,stomach,intestines
-endocrine: hormone glands
-muscular: muscles
-nervous: nerve network
-renal: kidneys filter blood to produce urine
-reproductive: genitalia,uterus
-respiratory: lungs
Of course much more could be said about each of them, but the point is they are comprised of specific organs and biomechanical constructions of tissue relevant to the functions of that particular system.
So where are those specific organs and tissues located in the immune system? Is it the microbiome? Well maybe, we know how important it is to immune function. But it is not comprised of physiologic tissues...it is, as we know, bacteria, viruses, and parasites. We also know when the balance of friendly to unfriendly of these innumerable critters gets out of whack our health collapses and all kinds of problems follow. But none of these little guys is us, they are not our tissue. It's not a biomechanical system of the body.
A more appropriate name for immune function is, well, just that, immune function. If immune function is good, you're good, if not, not so good.
I'm not sure why immune function was tacked onto the anatomical systems, which were first established in the 16th century: "Andreas Vesalius founded modern anatomy with the publication of De Humanis Corporis Fabrica (On the Structure of the Human Body) in June 1543". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK458/
Perhaps physiologists and biologists didn't know where else to put it, but recognized it's significance. Immune function is exceedingly complex, and we can't say we really understand it very well yet. The significance of the microbiome was recognized very recently in relative terms. On the other hand I think it was Hippocrates who first said "all disease begins in the gut". Definition of science - if it can't be measured it doesn't exist.
Mind you I am not anti-science, not at all, I just recognize it's limits.
What we do know for sure is immune function draws on all of the anatomical systems of the body. And again, we can be reasonably sure we don't understand it all that well yet. If we did we probably would not have exponential epidemics in cancer, autism, Alzheimer's, all of the many autoimmune disorders, etc, etc.
But we are making progress...we actually do understand how to reverse and cure all the cardiovascular diseases for example, but these modalities have not filtered into medical practice yet. And we know why, right? It doesn't involve drugs! In fact it requires patients to suspend use of drugs.
And that is a pill too large for the healthcare system to swallow at this point.
So if critters that were formally only thought of as pathogenic are now known to be crucial to our health, what other things might we find that are unidentified parts of immune function? How 'bout this one:
Sunlight disinfects the blood.
UV penetrates the epidermis and dermis and reaches the hypodermis where we find - blood vessels. And UV is well known to kill viruses and bacteria: http://sunlightinstitute.org/sunlight-disinfectant/
Why don't we know this? Well, again, the health care (disease management) industry can't make a dime on it. They are too busy promoting the idea that sunlight causes cancer. And, sure, we know too much sunlight is destructive (one should minimized getting "burned" by the sun). But what is the cumulative effect of all this advice to avoid the sun? More cancer?
Very possibly.
Sunday, January 26, 2020
If you suffer with constipation try these suggestions
1) Don't eat between meals! It overworks the digestive system.
2) Wait till you poop before eating again. This is pretty normal if one is eating only two meals a day and digestion is working well. This gives your digestive system a bit of a rest between jobs, a good thing. If constipation is stubborn you may have to be more stubborn than the constipation! Drink only water until you finally poop, then eat again. It may take awhile, that's OK.
3) But you don't have to eat at that point, ideally one should only eat when they are hungry. We do "emotional eating" a lot of the time. It's a big part of the overall problem with general levels of health today. When you eat for better digestion it doesn't take long to feel the difference between emotional and true hunger eating. THAT is a very good point to arrive at.
3) But you don't have to eat at that point, ideally one should only eat when they are hungry. We do "emotional eating" a lot of the time. It's a big part of the overall problem with general levels of health today. When you eat for better digestion it doesn't take long to feel the difference between emotional and true hunger eating. THAT is a very good point to arrive at.
4) The first stage of digestion is mouth, teeth, saliva. With a bite of any given food type, how long does it take you to thoroughly masticate (turn into something resembling a liquid) and swallow. That is your first clue as to how big a job you are throwing into your digestive system.
5) Eat more of the foods that are easy to digest that are also nutrient dense (vitamins and minerals on a per calorie basis). Fruit is easiest, vegetables are next, meat is hardest.
6) Eat simpler meals. Foods of one type are digested better than a mix of foods.
On that last point, we have very similar digestive physiology as other higher primates. They don't have the convenience of grocery stores! They eat only one specific food at one meal. Mono meals are actually the best idea for better digestion. Or meals with only 2-3 same group components, for example, first meal of the day, a fresh fruit "salad" of one papaya with one banana and a half cup blueberries, or 3 mangos with one banana and a half cup blueberries. Or...whatever is fresh and good and available. Of course ripe tasty fruit is a must. If you suffer with constipation do more of that. Bonus: it's delicious too!
7) Always stay hydrated. How much water you will have to consume to achieve that will vary by the water content in the foods you eat. Juicy fruits of course have the highest water content, meats the lowest. And raw foods are highest, cooked foods the lowest.
The good news is eating for better digestion also dramatically improves or reverses other conditions that are a result of impacted digestive process, such as diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and Crohn's disease.
And listen! When your doctor says "there is no cure for that" what he or she really means is there is no FDA approved medication they can prescribe that cures that condition. When your doc then says "but I can prescribe medications that manage that condition, which you will unfortunately have for the rest of your life" you are in the office of a doc that is either willfully blind (big pharma influence) or ignorant to the remarkable healing effects of diet/lifestyle modifications. But if your doc instead says "but there are diet/lifestyle modifications that are remarkably effective in reversing that problem, and I can help you with that" count your lucky stars, you are in the office of a physician that practices some form of whole foods plant based nutrition.
Some forms of this approach are more effective than others, for a quick exposure to the most effective of them I recommend a well known book by a former surgeon from the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Esselstyn's "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease", short and to the point, an eye opening easy fast read.
https://www.amazon.com/Prevent-Reverse-Heart-Disease-Nutrition-Based/dp/1583333002
The good news is eating for better digestion also dramatically improves or reverses other conditions that are a result of impacted digestive process, such as diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and Crohn's disease.
And listen! When your doctor says "there is no cure for that" what he or she really means is there is no FDA approved medication they can prescribe that cures that condition. When your doc then says "but I can prescribe medications that manage that condition, which you will unfortunately have for the rest of your life" you are in the office of a doc that is either willfully blind (big pharma influence) or ignorant to the remarkable healing effects of diet/lifestyle modifications. But if your doc instead says "but there are diet/lifestyle modifications that are remarkably effective in reversing that problem, and I can help you with that" count your lucky stars, you are in the office of a physician that practices some form of whole foods plant based nutrition.
Some forms of this approach are more effective than others, for a quick exposure to the most effective of them I recommend a well known book by a former surgeon from the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Esselstyn's "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease", short and to the point, an eye opening easy fast read.
https://www.amazon.com/Prevent-Reverse-Heart-Disease-Nutrition-Based/dp/1583333002
Forget the Fads: This Is the Only Diet Tip You Need
The article below is from a free subscription I get called Dr. Eifrig's Health & Wealth Bulletin. I'm blogging this because the "diet tip" he offers (intermittent fasting) is arguably the single most powerful thing one can do for their health, regardless of any specific type of diet type. It's also easy to understand, and once you get into the swing of it is also easy to do.
Dr. Eifrig writes investment letters, but also writes a free letter about health, which you can read more about and sign up for a subscription here if you wish:
https://healthandwealthbulletin.com/about/
https://healthandwealthbulletin.com/about/
I will add one thing, if you have an exercise routine that burns a significant amount of calories it's important to replenish calories soon after, studies have shown that's the "window of opportunity" for the maximum benefit from the exercise itself and the nutrition consumed afterward. If you can, eat within an hour, or two max.
I prefer fresh fruit for that first post workout meal for a few reasons:
1) it replenishes energy stores more quickly and efficiently than other foods
2) it is "nutrient dense" (high in vitamins and minerals on a per calorie basis)
3) consuming a significant portion of your daily plant food intake "fresh, whole and raw" is a significant key to health.
4) fruits are one of the more delicious forms of plant foods, which makes that first meal of the day a "reward" for exercise, which will make you want to do it again!
1) it replenishes energy stores more quickly and efficiently than other foods
2) it is "nutrient dense" (high in vitamins and minerals on a per calorie basis)
3) consuming a significant portion of your daily plant food intake "fresh, whole and raw" is a significant key to health.
4) fruits are one of the more delicious forms of plant foods, which makes that first meal of the day a "reward" for exercise, which will make you want to do it again!
5) fruit burns fewer calories (in digestion) per calories consumed because it digests so quickly and easily
Fruit is also most efficiently utilized on an empty stomach, another reason to eat fruit after an intermittent fasting workout.
Fruit is getting a bad rap these days, which is marketing disinformation designed to push us toward getting our necessary calories from animal product sources rather than plant sources.
Michael Pollan, one of the more respected and prolific writers on food and nutrition says this, "eat food, not too much, mostly plants". If you do want to eat mostly plants, and you want the transition to go easy and be sustainable, eat fruit.
Fruit is also most efficiently utilized on an empty stomach, another reason to eat fruit after an intermittent fasting workout.
Fruit is getting a bad rap these days, which is marketing disinformation designed to push us toward getting our necessary calories from animal product sources rather than plant sources.
Michael Pollan, one of the more respected and prolific writers on food and nutrition says this, "eat food, not too much, mostly plants". If you do want to eat mostly plants, and you want the transition to go easy and be sustainable, eat fruit.
And here is this months letter from Dr. Eifrig:
Millions of us are struggling with diets, exercise routines, and extreme money-saving measures…
That’s because so many of us make New Year’s resolutions. But most of us will give up next week and all but about 8% of us will quit by February.
So, chances are, you’re surrounded by media about the latest and greatest diets. Losing weight is one of the most popular resolutions, usually around the same as saving money.
There’s one media outlet we trust for this kind of dietary data: U.S. News & World Report. It just released its annual review of the best and worst diets.
One of our favorites, the Mediterranean diet, topped the list again this year. This is a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, whole grains, and olive oil. It has been linked to everything from preventing cognitive decline to protecting our gut bacteria.
The shocker on the list this year: the uber-popular “keto” diet is one of the absolute worst diets.
Ketogenic diets are typically high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets. Here’s the basic idea behind it…
Normally, our bodies break down carbs to make glucose, which we use for energy. When we don’t eat carbs, our bodies will break down fat. When fat breaks down during a process called ketosis, it creates an acid called a ketone.
The ketones act as energy units that feed your body. They travel through your bloodstream to muscles. This is actually how you maintain energy when you fast. And “keto” diets are meant to jump-start this process.
Here’s the thing… ketogenic diets work, and they do help people lose weight. But they’re extremely difficult to maintain over a long period of time. One study out of the Rowett Research Institute in Scotland found that obese men following a ketogenic diet for four weeks lost almost 14 pounds. But subsequent studies saw high dropout rates later on, as the diet was difficult to follow for long.
Longtime readers know I’m not a fan of unsustainable fad diets. And it’s essential for people to understand the risks and rewards.
So, if you still want to try a diet – especially if you really want to test out a keto diet – I’ve got a much simpler, safer way to do that.
The secret to is to simply eat nothing.
I’ve written several times about the benefits of fasting. Fasting helps you lose weight in the long term as well as control insulin levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and protect your heart. We know that it lowers diabetes risk and helps with chemotherapy.
It’s the only “diet” plan that makes sense. And exciting new research in the last two years points to maximizing the benefits of fasting by focusing on a time interval instead of switching full days.
In other words, restricting eating to a short period of time (such as eight or 10 hours) does more to lower blood sugar levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure in the long term than avoiding eating over a full day.
In fact, a new article published in the New England Journal of Medicine at the end of 2019 showed that shortening eating time to just six to eight hours flips a metabolic switch. You switch carbohydrate-fueled energy for ketone-based.
Remember, ketones are acids that form when your body breaks down fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Flipping that switch to turn on ketone-burning metabolism leads to improved stress tolerance, longer lifespans, and a lower risk of cancer and diabetes.
It turns out that eating in a shorter time frame (than food marketers want) has a lot to do with our body’s natural cycles. Our metabolism syncs up better with our natural circadian rhythm. By only consuming calories during certain parts (perhaps the digestion or activity peaks) of our rhythm’s cycle, we can more effectively break foods down.
Try eating from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Or push it to six hours and eat between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. And no snacking in the interim. The best part of this type of fasting is that you can either reduce how many calories you consume, or you can keep it the same. You can adjust as needed depending on how you feel and if you want to lose weight.
Make fasting part of your routine this year and you’ll see better results than you would on an extreme diet. For most of us, it’s a good, sensible way to not just lose weight, but to improve your health overall. Just use caution and speak to your doctor if you have diabetes, particularly if you take insulin injections.
Millions of us are struggling with diets, exercise routines, and extreme money-saving measures…
That’s because so many of us make New Year’s resolutions. But most of us will give up next week and all but about 8% of us will quit by February.
So, chances are, you’re surrounded by media about the latest and greatest diets. Losing weight is one of the most popular resolutions, usually around the same as saving money.
There’s one media outlet we trust for this kind of dietary data: U.S. News & World Report. It just released its annual review of the best and worst diets.
One of our favorites, the Mediterranean diet, topped the list again this year. This is a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, whole grains, and olive oil. It has been linked to everything from preventing cognitive decline to protecting our gut bacteria.
The shocker on the list this year: the uber-popular “keto” diet is one of the absolute worst diets.
Ketogenic diets are typically high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets. Here’s the basic idea behind it…
Normally, our bodies break down carbs to make glucose, which we use for energy. When we don’t eat carbs, our bodies will break down fat. When fat breaks down during a process called ketosis, it creates an acid called a ketone.
The ketones act as energy units that feed your body. They travel through your bloodstream to muscles. This is actually how you maintain energy when you fast. And “keto” diets are meant to jump-start this process.
Here’s the thing… ketogenic diets work, and they do help people lose weight. But they’re extremely difficult to maintain over a long period of time. One study out of the Rowett Research Institute in Scotland found that obese men following a ketogenic diet for four weeks lost almost 14 pounds. But subsequent studies saw high dropout rates later on, as the diet was difficult to follow for long.
Longtime readers know I’m not a fan of unsustainable fad diets. And it’s essential for people to understand the risks and rewards.
So, if you still want to try a diet – especially if you really want to test out a keto diet – I’ve got a much simpler, safer way to do that.
The secret to is to simply eat nothing.
I’ve written several times about the benefits of fasting. Fasting helps you lose weight in the long term as well as control insulin levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and protect your heart. We know that it lowers diabetes risk and helps with chemotherapy.
It’s the only “diet” plan that makes sense. And exciting new research in the last two years points to maximizing the benefits of fasting by focusing on a time interval instead of switching full days.
In other words, restricting eating to a short period of time (such as eight or 10 hours) does more to lower blood sugar levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure in the long term than avoiding eating over a full day.
In fact, a new article published in the New England Journal of Medicine at the end of 2019 showed that shortening eating time to just six to eight hours flips a metabolic switch. You switch carbohydrate-fueled energy for ketone-based.
Remember, ketones are acids that form when your body breaks down fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Flipping that switch to turn on ketone-burning metabolism leads to improved stress tolerance, longer lifespans, and a lower risk of cancer and diabetes.
It turns out that eating in a shorter time frame (than food marketers want) has a lot to do with our body’s natural cycles. Our metabolism syncs up better with our natural circadian rhythm. By only consuming calories during certain parts (perhaps the digestion or activity peaks) of our rhythm’s cycle, we can more effectively break foods down.
Try eating from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Or push it to six hours and eat between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. And no snacking in the interim. The best part of this type of fasting is that you can either reduce how many calories you consume, or you can keep it the same. You can adjust as needed depending on how you feel and if you want to lose weight.
Make fasting part of your routine this year and you’ll see better results than you would on an extreme diet. For most of us, it’s a good, sensible way to not just lose weight, but to improve your health overall. Just use caution and speak to your doctor if you have diabetes, particularly if you take insulin injections.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
Jordan Peterson - "I really hope there's something wrong with me"
Have you run across Jordan Peterson yet? He's a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology turned philosopher who is rocking the boat recently by fighting the recent tide of anti-free speech sentiment coming from the radical left. When legislation was passed in Canada recently compelling a particular use of speech, he took a stand and caught all kinds of flack for being anti-gay and transphobic. Well if you listen carefully to what he says on this topic it's quite clear he is neither, but we love our sound bytes these days.
He in fact is making the (potentially very important) overarching point that radical left ideology (Stalin, Mao Zedong) was the cause of more deaths by genocide in the 20th century than were caused by the radical right (Hitler).
But no, he is not on the radical right either. He is firmly in the camp that used to be called "classic liberal".
He also has a lot to say about psychology (how bout that:), which the title of this post refers to in a brief youtube where he unpacks the paradox "I really hope there's something wrong with me".
He in fact is making the (potentially very important) overarching point that radical left ideology (Stalin, Mao Zedong) was the cause of more deaths by genocide in the 20th century than were caused by the radical right (Hitler).
But no, he is not on the radical right either. He is firmly in the camp that used to be called "classic liberal".
He also has a lot to say about psychology (how bout that:), which the title of this post refers to in a brief youtube where he unpacks the paradox "I really hope there's something wrong with me".
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