XerXes
'Cell Progression'
Photography from a hot-air ballon by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
"With Earth from above, I simply want people to see the Earth as it is today, as faithfully as possible. What motivates me is the impact a photograph can make within the framework of environmental preservation. The great novelty of our time is that mankind has the power to change its environment and I want my photos to testify to this fact so people can realise this."
--Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Demything Myths in My Mind
A couple of things I harass and harp on are now shaded in grey instead of the archetypical black-white which I tend to prefer for simplicity and reductionism. My kids eat gluten (at school and parties) and in choosing my battles, I've accepted certain facts of life. They're going to be exposed, they like it and we just all have to do our best. And our best is a template based on strictly relative terms (e.g. my mood). Gluten is definitely a struggle stillsince it permeates all restaurant food and sauces. On alibaba.com, one can purchase cheap bags of high-protein (high-toxicity) hybridized modern wheat or maize gluten (vital wheat gluten 75% of total protein wet content) in which a restaurant, supplier or large-scale cook can 'doctor up' their goodies. Gluten imparts many favorable food benefits: moisure, 'perfect viscoelasticity', taste, addiction, bounciness, baked good fluffiness, sauce thickening, dough extension, sausage filler, meatball tenderness (lionhead casseroles are infamous), petfood 'protein', etc.
With all that said, since moving to Shanghai, quite honestly I have been surprised by the number of people aware of gluten intolerance and progressive in that manner, and grateful that the volume of gluten is far less here in China than the USDA-Big Agra-permeated culture of the U.S.
Anyway. Call me skeptical today...
Seven (Paleo) Myths that I've Slowly Come to Highly Suspect
1. Gluten is 100% bad and toxic
--Demyth: Not for everyone (especially if no intestinal permeability), every moment, every minute, every dose
2. Dairy is non-paleo
--COME ON. Human variance, intestinal permeability, status of DPP-IV (casein enzymes) and gut flora determine this. Same with gluten...
3. Intermittent fasting is 100% safe
--See prior adrenal tagged posts. Martin Berkham fanboys [I'm jealous of y'lls kevlar-coated adrenal glands] may go please very gently f*ck yourselves...and continue cortisol-inducing yo-yo dieting and eating cheesecake. Sorry. #FAILEO if one has f*cked up adrenals.
4. VLC/ketosis is 100% safe
--Demyth: see above
5. High glycemic index safe starches are 100% safe
--Demyth: high GI carbs can induce inflammatory cascades of gene expression. For who? See the FUNGENUT study. I dunno...
6. Low carb (less than 200 grams/day) or VLC/ketosis induces 100% fat loss
--Demyth: it depends on hormones and insulin sensitivity(primarily adrenal/NE/EPI and anabolic
ones, progesterone and testosterone and if there is excessive E or xenoestrogens). See Ebbeling Ludwig et al JAMA 2007; side figure those who exhibit decent insulin sensitivity (maintain low insulin after 75 grams of lines of glucose) can lose weight on any kind of diet (this study used hypocaloric, low GI, 170 g v. 220 g carbs). IR=insulin resistance7. High glycemic index safe starches (white stuff -- lines of dextrose, white rice, white modern potatoes, table sugar, etc) induce 100% optimal health and fat loss
--I'm ambivalent because I cannot and I know a lot people who this is the case. Why? Hormone fluxes are sometimes OFF and subOPTIMAL. Who loses fat and gains optimal health with higher glycemic loads and higher GI foods? I've seen this work well in the athletic, the insulin sensitive and the ones who perform high or decent volume glycolytic activity. See Poliquin on Carb Intake to Meet Glycolytic Repetition Volume. Also gotta see Sloth and Astrup.
What I Do Know
1. Modern wheat is SUPER TOXIC, SUPER ADDICTIVE, SUPER FATTENING, SUPER INFLAMMATORY
2. Modern wheat contains an estimated SEVERAL HUNDREDS-FOLD more (toxic) proteins than heirloom or non-hybridized wheat
3. The USDA is playing a joke on us... I don't trust the pyramid or anything else they purport, especially if it involves Monsatan or their former executives who now frequently staff places like the FDA or EPA (Environmental 'Protection' Agency). BRILLIANT.
4. If intestinal permeability exists, you'll be guaranteed suboptimal health, chronic sublethal infections and significant levels of cellular inflammation which may or may not ever be detectable by standards of non-integrative medicine
5. Pharmaceuticals generally do not work and in fact worsen. The worse pharmaceuticals cause long-range adverse effects on intestinal permeability and endogenous hormone fluxes (broad spectrum antibiotics, Z-paks, proton pump inhibitors, acid blockers, oral birth control, synthetic hormones, glucocorticoids, prednisone, etc)
6. Too much sugar is toxic, addictive, fattening and inflammatory. When I'm not stressed out and working out a ton, I can do sugar with relative impugnity. YET. During certain times of my menstrual cycle or when I am not strenuously working out, I notice if I hit (some) sugar (e.g. organic palm, organic coconut sugar, white stuff, etc) then I will inevitably want to do lines of crack/sugar over and over and over and over infinitum again (e.g. candy cigarettes or almond flour pound cake or cookies).
7. Everything makes horrorific sense in light of evolution
8. Bell shaped curves -- I like these; these typically represent well
9. I don't need RCTs to tell me the sky is blue or that something makes sense
(sometimes the ridiculousness in Pubmed makes me throw my hands up)
10. We're omni-whores, consumers of everything and we still survive
References
Live probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis bacteria inhibit the toxic effects induced by wheat gliadin in epithelial cell culture. K Lindfors,* T Blomqvist,* K Juuti-Uusitalo,* S Stenman,* J Venäläinen,† M Mäki,* and K Kaukinen‡. Clin Exp Immunol. 2008 June; 152(3): 552–558.
INFECTIONS, TOXIC CHEMICALS AND DIETARY PEPTIDES BINDING TO LYMPHOCYTE RECEPTORS AND TISSUE ENZYMES ARE MAJOR INSTIGATORS OF AUTOIMMUNITY IN AUTISM. A. VOJDANI,J.B. PANGBORN; E. VOJDANI; E.L. COOPER. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOPATHOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY Vol. 16, no. 3, 189-199 (2003).
Low glycemic index diets and body weight. B Sloth and A Astrup. International Journal of Obesity (2006) 30, S47–S51.
Effects of a Low–Glycemic Load vs Low-Fat Diet in Obese Young Adults. Ebbeling, Ludwig, et al. JAMA. 2007;297(19):2092-2102. 297(19):2092-2102.
37 comments:
ok, I think I finally have my adrenals a bit happier. My cortisol levels seem ok too. My rT3 ratio is nearly normal.
If I ever get that fixed, how would you suggest I go about losing about 20 pounds?
I am not much of an advertisement for the Paleo diet, but I am fairly fit.
Congrats on your improved adrenal/cortisol/ne/epi fluxes! Nice to hear. I think the best tools in assessing are (1) rT3 and (2) ASI. Strong work!!
Now you can BURN, BURN, BURN... I'm sure the at the cellular level and molecular pathway level, you trump most individuals with suboptimal rT3.
How did you fix it? Would love to hear...
http://drbganimalpharm.blogspot.com/2010/06/beach-body-burn-body-fat-and-be-forever.html
among all other objections i have the biggest one is: "Intermittent fasting is 100% safe"
aren't humans, given our ability to run pretty much well on previously stored energy, designed (evolutionary, genetically) to spend most of time in an "non-fed" state, when energy is provided by lypolisis and gluconeogenesis?
three-four-five meals a day - that's for "peasants" either just plain fat or skinny fat (the most manifest indicator of which is complete absence of waist let alone abs)
Anonymous,
See you make the same mistake as the hubris and arrogance that some display that everyone is just like you.
IF depends on hormones. Some people do not display well synchronized fluxes of epi/ne (adrenaline) to kick in ketosis production and GNG (hepatic gluconeogenesis). They are damaged by chronic 24/7 stress or neolethal toxins that directly cause adrenal/thyroid dysfunction which is neolithic, not paleolithic.
Thanks for your ideas.
G
Nice. The Paleo dogma began a few years back. There is no "answer" that works for everyone. The process of refinement, the true alchemy, is a life's journey.
I'm not totally there yet, but I am closer even though I am currently taking Armour after a round of Cytomel (brand name, not extended release)
I am not exactly sure what I did. I mean, I've been religious about getting enough sleep, but the big changes seemed to occur after
- adding consistently more carbs (a la PHD)and
getting sunlight on my face every morning possible (a la Kruse)
I felt great and I was very close to a normal rT3 ratio when I crashed suddenly with a noticeable weight gain in just one weekend (and up 2 bra sizes). I went in for blood work right away and my rT3 had gotten worse.
At that point I went back on the Armour and checked Dhea, progesterone. The only test that seemed off was the progesterone was too high.
I'm now using progesterone creme only in the last half of the cycle and only half the amount I was on.
Just last week, in the last round of bloodwork, my estradiol was a little high, but my rT3 has improved, and is nearly normal again even though I am taking Armour.
I am not really sure what to do about the estradiol.(I'm in my lates 40's) I suppose it will improve as I lose weight.
I am a little gun shy and I feel like I need to be cautious. If I screw something up now and gain even more weight....
I would like to lose some weight as I am so uncomfortable in my clothes, but I've not quite gotten the results that I read about so much on Paleo and low carb boards. I do feel and sleep better though and lots of improvements in my skin.
Sorry, what is ASI?
Thanks for the link to the older post re: fat burning. I've printed it out to read carefully.
Intermittent fasting may be 100% survivable, but survival (to the extent we can reproduce) does not equal safe or even optimal conditions, it merely means we have the physiologic means to take the hit. If we were to construe the use of every survival mechanism as being optimal, we should not only fast intermittently, but also live with a hungry panther (sympathetic nervous system activation), have a fever constantly, and look forward to morning sickness.
That said, I think intermittent fasting is much safer than constant obesity.
I like it!
Last year I was a fat burning machine, today I'm in cortisol hell.
I have a lot of reasons to suspect how I got here. One interesting one may be successfully getting off Metformin. Eschewing the PUFUs is what finally did it, but doing so led to switching old diet stables with plenty of cruciferous vegetables. Maybe the copious veggies caused my thyroid to tank, and/or a major emotional stress-er I experienced last fall, or getting off thyroid meds but still continuing to cheat with wheat. Could be any one or even all of these reasons.
Anyway I know I do tend to over do stuff. Moderation in all things will be my new focus. Moderation in veggie intake; experimentation with Ray Peatism; IF; walking long distances while IFing; and the list goes on.
I really do need to calm the hell down so I can find that wonderful hormonal balance once again.
Anonymous,
I wish you luck... you sound like you are on the right path. The ASI is adrenal stress index. It is not perfect. It fails to measure OUR RESPONSE to stressors which is sometimes more important the curves, especially when the ASI looks good. How we react and deal with an acute stress and the resultant peak in cortisol is more telling often (e.g. hunger, low BG, child's tears, car honking, high intensity xfit or metcon, etc).
http://www.metametrix.com/files/test-menu/interpretive-guides/Adrenal-Stress-IG.pdf
http://www.metametrix.com/test-menu/profiles/hormones/adrenal-stress-plus
Have you considered Nature-throid as a replacement for Armour until things are ironed out?
Cortisol and adrenaline flux differently often. If you are low adrenaline, you need something that helps 'perk'. If you are high adrenaline, you need to focus on 'calm'. Then the cortisol will flux more adaptively over the long run when you target what is off. You know it's dynamic and each day can be a little different... You said 'I really do need to calm the hell down so I can find that wonderful hormonal balance once again.' You are HELLUV funny grrrl. You'll get there...
I was confused what did you mean by getting off of metformin? Did that help or hinder?? Are you IF'ing still??? That is a VERY VERY bad idea. It drives unbelievable cortisol and adrenaline to maintain BG (blood sugars) to prevent crashes and to make glucose (liver gluconeogenesis). If you were on metformin, then metformin prevents some of the gluconeogenesis as part of its pharmaceutical action. (high doses of some nutraceuticals do this too -- I had low BG with alpha lipoic acid on low carb and felt crappy).
G
Blondeau,
Very nicely said! I trust 'alchemy' and faith in our community...
Pål,
Thank God for human variance and rockin freaks like you (and Blondeau) ;) (JUST KIDDING)
G
Tom,
EXACTLY...nice snaark.
Also just to add. We're domesticated (plentiful food/carbs in mom/baby, 24/7 ambient temperatures, lack of circadian diurnal/nocturnal signals (sun/dark) blah blah blh). Like d*mn sheep. The downregulating of pathways in regards to this 'domestication' is not pretty. For many I don't think it lends itself to IF in some cases.
awesome demything session! quick question about one of your responses in the comment section:" If you are low adrenaline, you need something that helps 'perk'."
What would be your suggestion for fixing low adrenaline? (Besides eschewing IF and such.) My experience with IF'ing and high fat/lc diets has been exactly how you describe it: lack of 'perk'. Thanks in advance for your time =)
Some research has shown that pollutants from plastics, nuclear and other toxic waste has changed our chromosomes from Mother to child and new mother to new children since the 50’s, making diabetes more than just a food and diet problem. Diet and low carb- no grains is so important as pre-Diabetes can be stopped and not full blown D.
There's something about the grains, maybe WGA that's particularly bad. I know for certain that brown rice and sorghum causes psoriasis for me.
I'm still siding on the high fat diet since it's clearly a better fuel. It's like a turbo diesel: it's more efficient at producing ATP and the the ketone bodies byproducts can also be used. It makes no sense evolutionarily that we can perform worse on a better fuel. As Dr. Rosedale pointed out in his response to Paul Jaminet, it's not ketosis that we want, it's the burning of those ketones.
http://www.lucastafur.com/2011/05/bioenergetics_08.html
js290,
Apparently many grains and legumes DO share cross-allergenicity... (but is that for people with permeability issues????!)
Thanks for sharing the bit about psoriasis. Intestinal IMpermeability is key I think for longevity. Tight as a nun's blankety blank!!!
mpix,
I agree. It's epigenetic.
I also agree it can be prevented to 'full blown D'! Thank goodness so many solutions abound...
psychic24,
Most of the adaptogens will modulate adrenaline whether high/low via cortisol and the adrenal glands (holy basil, rhodiola, eleutheros, ashwagandha, phosphatidyl serine, omega-3 fish oil (pure, high quality, distilled), etc) but for low adrenaline tone, DGL or licorice has been shown to be helpful for the 'perk'. However for those with normal or HIGH adrenaline tone, DGL and licorice can potentially induce high BP and hypertension, so it is rather contraindicated in that case. Does that make sense?
G
js290,
I disagree with Lucas.
Ketosis can be stressful, depends on the individual. It requires adrenal gland participation and a syncing of adrenaline/cortisol fluxes to produce hepatically generated ketones.
What happens is BG has to go down enough but not too much without turning on cortisol. This also requires expression of AMPK to shut off energy consuming processes and turn on the ATP generating processes to bring up cellular energy. (fat, protein and glycogen synthesis and hepatic gluconeogenesis gets turned off) (fatty acid oxidation, turned on)
Coordination with the adrenals is a must... otherwise won't happen. Sufficient thyroid hormone in the mix is also necessary.
Yes -- fats are optimal but not everyone is either keto- or fat-adapted...!!!!
http://nephropal.blogspot.com/2010/01/phat-fat-mobilization-v-accumulation.html
Harris is correct (although he denies the clinical existence of suboptimal adrenal function... wtf)
I do adore Lucas but some individuals are quite fine as glycolytically burning machines. There is human variance in metabolism (perhaps the apoE2 are most adapted to grains). He needs to consider perhaps the findings here and other adrenal 'CLAMP' studies and the counterregulatory hormones (glucagon, GH, adrenaline) and their role in regulating fatty acid liberation and generation to ketones... that deal with lowered BG and extended fasts:
http://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/fatty-acid-oxidation.php
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7042239
Some people suffer from low adrenaline tone or mistimed adrenaline fluxes... yes it happens.
G
----------------------
Diabetes Metab Rev. 1989 May;5(3):285-98.
Human ketone body production and utilization studied using tracer techniques: regulation by free fatty acids, insulin, catecholamines, and thyroid hormones.
Keller U, et al.
mpix123 and lightcan,
There is scary data out there. Check the below out:
(1) Partition of Environmental Chemicals between Maternal and Fetal Blood and Tissues
Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (3), pp 1121–1126
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es1019614
Passage of environmental chemicals across the placenta has important toxicological consequences, as well as for choosing samples for analysis and for interpreting the results. To obtain systematic data, we collected in 2000 maternal and cord blood, cord tissue, placenta, and milk in connection with births in the Faroe Islands, where exposures to marine contaminants is increased. In 15 sample sets, we measured a total of 87 environmental chemicals, almost all of which were detected both in maternal and fetal tissues. The maternal serum lipid-based concentrations of organohalogen compounds averaged 1.7 times those of cord serum, 2.8 times those of cord tissue and placenta, and 0.7 those of milk. For organohalogen compounds detectable in all matrices, a high degree of correlation between concentrations in maternal serum and the other tissues investigated was generally observed (r2 > 0.5). Greater degree of chlorination resulted in lower transfer from maternal serum into milk. Concentrations of pentachlorbenzene, γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, and several polychlorinated biphenyl congeners with low chlorination were higher in fetal samples and showed poor correlation with maternal levels. Perfluorinated compounds occurred in lower concentrations in cord serum than in maternal serum. Cadmium, lead, mercury, and selenium were all detected in fetal samples, but only mercury showed close correlations among concentrations in different matrices. Although the environmental chemicals examined pass through the placenta and are excreted into milk, partitions between maternal and fetal samples are not uniform.
(2) Executive Summary
Body Burden — The Pollution in Newborns
A benchmark investigation of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides in umbilical cord blood
http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php
Chemicals and pollutants detected in human newborn umbilical cord blood
Tests show 287 industrial chemicals in 10 newborn babies
--Mercury (Hg)
Pollutant from coal-fired power plants, mercury-containing products, and certain industrial processes. Accumulates in seafood. Harms brain development and function.
--Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) - tested for 18, found 9
Pollutants from burning gasoline and garbage. Linked to cancer. Accumulates in food chain.
--Polybrominated dibenzodioxins and furans (PBDD/F)
Contaminants in brominated flame retardants. Pollutants and byproducts from plastic production and incineration. Accumulate in food chain. Toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system
--Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs)
Active ingredients or breakdown products of Teflon, Scotchgard, fabric and carpet protectors, food wrap coatings. Global contaminants. Accumulate in the environment and the food chain. Linked to cancer, birth defects, and more.
--Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans (PCDD/F)
Pollutants, by-products of PVC production, industrial bleaching, and incineration. Cause cancer in humans. Persist for decades in the environment. Very toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system.
--Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) -
DDT, chlordane and other pesticides. Largely banned in the U.S. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and numerous reproductive effects.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) - tested for 46, found 32
Flame retardant in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulates in the food chain and human tissues. Adversely affects brain development and the thyroid.
--Polychlorinated Naphthalenes (PCNs)
Wood preservatives, varnishes, machine lubricating oils, waste incineration. Common PCB contaminant. Contaminate the food chain. Cause liver and kidney damage.
--Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Industrial insulators and lubricants. Banned in the U.S. in 1976. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and nervous system problems.
Dr. BG,
I agree with most of your observations, and especially about intermittent fasting.
IF gets me lean and ripped very fast...
...and makes me lose hair.
No thanks!
Dr. Funkenstein
Love this post!
Yes! Adrenal fatigue totally throws a major monkey wrench into things when it comes to ketosis (I remember Nora Gedgaudas saying that people w/ adrenal fatigue have problems with gluconeogenesis) and thyroid problems f*ck EVERYTHING up!
I've been experimenting with cold thermogenesis and there is something about it that makes a ketogenic diet finally work for me. I think Dr. Kruse is onto something with his theory of mammalian metabolism being controlled by seasonal temperature/light cycles.
I really think Keto needs it cold and dark, which would make sense according to how the rest of nature operates. I won't eat that way come summer, though. I'll be eating a seasonally appropriate diet.
At any rate, I'm finding ice packs SUPER helpful for belly fat (DIE, white adipose tissue!) and cold showers/baths phenomenal for muscle recovery, muscle development and overall inflammation reduction (seriously, my singing voice even got better!)
During my last cycle, I slapped an ice pack on my belly and had NO cramps!! That is really major!
I heart ice.
Dr.F,
I hear ya!!! Funky cortisol fluxes threaten hair... whether it's IF, extensive ketosis, crazy family members, marathon running, endurance racing or psychotic internet boyfriends ;)
Pretty,
That is so awesome!! I love me a cold shower here and there!!! for MANY reasons ;)
I do have to say when I start swimming what I hate is the initial layer of subcutaneous fat that builds until I get to cross training and longer durations and expanded aerobic foundations... I'm sure my insulin sensitivity waxes and wanes.
Thanks for your observations! I'd conjecture that the selective CT on belly fat might be related to reduced inflammation, better insulin sensitivity, less local cortisol and burning of brown adipose by thermogenesis. Nifty!! I personally haven't read everything and definitely the gold/dirt in the comments on Kruse's CT post (short attention span) but initially he discussed the seal effect, how our heart rate decreases when our faces our plunged in cold. I suspect part of the some of the benefits of CT might be related to a connection to the parasympathetic neural tone that is super connected to improved healing, rest and digestion...
I'm still waiting for some rehmania (iherb apparently is being taxed and delayed in CHINA *arrrgh*) but thanks to some of your tips and comradery, my adrenals are grateful and banging out some sexxxxy!
Much love,
G
BTW did you see some more paleo posts on adrenals???! Love MIKE!!!!!
http://confessionsofacrossfitcoach.blogspot.com/2012/04/adrenal-dysfunction-intro-primer.html
I'm glad to hear your adrenals are happy:)
There's def. a major parasympathetic reflex when I go in a cold tub of water. I can feel my heart rate slow and I get in a really mellow zone.
I've noticed that female swimmers tend to have a layer of subcutaneous fat like you mention (but the guys don't. Hmmm.) They get sort of brawny looking. I'm thinking there might be a difference between shorter cold water exposure and logging long laps in a pool (and between spot icing, too).
Well, since you mentioned both evolution and the bell-shaped curve..
http://jeffreybrauer.blogspot.com/2012/03/low-carb-or-low-fat-it-depends.html?showComment=1335059331337#c4575574082532378001
Epic Post!! You are a rockstar! In a future post, can you also discuss the myth of "homeostasis"? I made the mistake of trying to have a respectful discussion on Ned Kock's blog. Epic Fail! Some people just don't get that a simple 4-hour hack can set you back for months, or you never get back. You know, people aren't stooopid just because homeostasis doesn't work for them.
Hey folks, listen to the good doctor on the IF thing. She really knows her stuff here.
Brash,
YOUR BRASHNESS is spectacular ;) I'm not really into homeostasis... rock the boat. We adjust and adapt for allostasis. Sorry I missed the debate at Ned's!
Jeffrey of Troy,
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the Gaussian curves! I love your blog -- keep up the strong work!!
Personally I think these optimal macro ratios can change with time on a intra-individual bases. I did well initially on VLC/ketosis (and so have many at Paleohacks to cure their SIBO, intestinal permeability). It is not ideal if however one is athletic; I f*ckin fried my adrenals to a FLAKY CRISP doing half marathons and wimpy sprint tri's while fasted.
The blue zones are quite telling how higher carb macro's do work and work very well. These blue zone centenarians are quite physically active. In Okinawa, most of the elderly will do community group exercises as well as tending to gardens and being very physically active at low to moderate intensity, as my understanding is.
Pretty/Erin,
Do you think there exist gender outcomes with CT, as most things can be gender based...????!
That is awesome to hear the syncing in of the PSNS with CT!! I am not surprised!!!!! AT ALL. ;)
I think we will hear more and more of the benefits (as long as people don't screw up the protocol and fry their skin).
Bikram yoga also fried my adrenals. Extreme heat and the sweating out of minerals are NOT GOOD. I can see how mild-moderate CT will avoid this barrior to health progression. Most of us are already quite minerally depleted and raunchied... Perhaps somehow CT can help preserve the cold minerals and excrete the bad (as Kruse alludes to me).
Have you heard of CNTF? It rebuilds tissue and nerves but most interestingly it converts sympathetic neurons to PSNS... (like meditation??!)
I didn't realize but all the triathlon training involving swimming is mild CT. I've resumed that since last Dec and have felt that helped my adrenals to recover as well.
Thanks for your updates! Sorry -- my vpn went down. I'll catch up more with you!
G
Hi, Dr B G. Found your blog through Diabetes-Warrior.net. I like your blog.
On to the disagreement.
Myth #1 is a bit of a straw man, isn't it? I mean, you focus on gluten but you could have addressed the actual substance instead - wheat. We could also draw a parallel with alcohol. Is alcohol 100% toxic? Yes, it is. However, alcohol is an acute poison, while gluten (rather wheat) is a chronic poison. So while the symptoms of toxicity may not be immediately obvious, it might just be due to the dose that is too low or too short or both. But lack of obvious symptoms does not equal lack of toxicity. Taubes pointed out in GCBC that the toxic dose for refined carbs (sugar/flour) is 70 lbs/year/person for 20 years before diabetes appears in a given population. This is the diabetes threshold. While here the primary guilty party is refined carbs, gluten could also be an accomplice. Also, it's not just modern wheat, it's all wheat. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease are not new to us. They appeared the same time agriculture (grain crops) appeared. Then there's the idea that gluten is also the _cause_ of intestinal permeability.
RE: Symptoms of carbohydrate poisoning.
Myth #2 is besides the point. Whether dairy is Paleo is irrelevant. But you say "same with gluten". This makes it appear as if you're suggesting that gluten is not 100% toxic either because it's non-Paleo. I'm not exactly sure what you mean here.
Myth #3 is actually true. We fast intermittently every single day when we go to sleep, and every single period between meals. Extending the time between waking and eating by a few hours won't change this picture much, if at all. Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of Berkham. But your argument is "cheesecake". If that's how you see it, it's not the fasting, it's the cheesecake. On the other hand, if intermittent fasting means fighting hunger, I have to agree with you. Hunger is the signal to eat. If we don't eat, then other stronger signals come online to make damn sure we eat. The adrenals would probably be involved here. Constant hunger causes neurosis anyway.
Myth #4 is also true. VLC and ketosis is always, invariably, unquestionably, absolutely, and positively 100% safe all the time, every day, until the end of time, and beyond. Until you eat cheesecake to break ketosis, that is. You probably know about the Stefansson all-meat trial? That's proof enough for me. Even if it's not, there's ample evidence elsewhere that when taken together proves it many times over.
I agree with myth #5. The amount of BS flying around that subject is ridiculous.
Myth #6 is an obvious straw man. 200g/carbs/day is not low carb by any measure. Nor is it enough to induce ketosis for any length of time. The ketosis threshold is around 100g/carb/day. However, your reference suggests that you're really saying that the myth is that ketosis is the _only_ way to lose weight. Straw man again. Though we could argue that weight loss is always due to the same cause - carb restriction. As Taubes explained, low-fat calorie-restricted diets are low carb diets in disguise. Thus, it makes myth #6 true in essence.
I also agree with myth #7. It's all that flying BS again.
I get the sense that your post is mostly about demything the Paleo idea. If that's the case, there's the lean-meat/vegetable-oil myth that is probably the biggest and strongest myth yet. Blame Cordain for that.
Mr. Levac,
Thanks for visiting! I love LOVE LOVEEE Steve Cooksey and his hawwwwtness!!
Paleo is a strawman, a fallacy we've built based on archeological findings, theories and genetic data. So I'd agree. My arguments are as much BS as the myths. *haa* And so are yours.
My premise is that gluten can be broken down by microbial degradation -- our gut microbiota. The same goes for casein in dairy. My subtle point is that humans do have an enzyme that digests and breaksdown gluten and casein which is known as DPP-IV. However this enzyme is limited in function when gluten/casein or heavy metals like mercury bind it, which then inactivates it from further digesting gluten. Sorry if this was so subtle and not obvious. The link goes to Vojdani's research on DPP-IV, gluten/casein and mercury.
Your points are well thought out and noted. However, I think you make wide generalizations for which there are numerous counter-examples, not strawmen that exist.
I agree as well on Cordain. I am grateful for his insights on grains and toxic lectins but the stubborn tenacity toward lean meat/canola oil is ridiculous and unscientific. Probably explains many things and even his unopen n-6 pufa toxic thinking.
@ Dr.
Thanks for the kind words.
If your adrenals still need some recovery, I found pantothenic acid (vit B5)very helpful in that regard. I like 250 mg per day, 500 is a bit much.
Of course, also whole eggs, salt, and sleep.
Jeffrey,
Precisely. The adrenals require precise nourishment as any other vital organ...brain ...muscles ... liver...
Thanks for your list. I'd sincerely concur -- salt, sleep, eggs, B5. I actually had to take the glandulars (Allergy Research 300mg 1-2x daily) for full recovery however which I think depends on individual jacked-ness the adrenals are and the degree of intestinal permeability/inflammation. I avoid most egg whites due to potential allergenicity -- the yolks OTOH are SUPERFOODS. I feed to our kittens raw/rare as well. The cholesterol and raw enzymes and vitamins are essential for hormone and neurotransmitter synthesis.
Thanks for your input ;)
I enjoyed this post so much. It clarified your position on many matters, which seem to resonate mine still. Yet my experience and reading with 100% rye still remains opposite to wheat, mostly (in FUNGENUT too). There seem to be different insulin, inflammatory and other effects and no personal intestinal discomfort either.
BG, have U read or written on resistant starches lately? They feed intestinal bacteria and may well be a player in picture of carb question overall. I see them downplayed All The Time and probiotics, 'real' fiber and Monsatan BS filling up our tubes even here overseas.
For example potatoes in Germany are eaten mostly as potato salads which are sold cooled and form resistant starch which dimishes calories (a bit), lowers GI and forms 'food' for our little fellas in intestines. Interesting health marker effects ensue.
I see minuscule research input on them compared to (sellable and capsulable) probiotics, though RS can draw twice the volume by water compared to conventional fiber. Hunger control anyone?
Of course RS can be a problem, in IBS for example (FODMAP). But not too many things are great for every case anyway. (nuts (PREDIMED etc.) versus nut allergy anyone?)
Regarding fruit, I find that a single French green apple totally kills my appetite, even after vigorous running exercise (at least on top of drinking lots of fluids before eating). Is it because RS, pectin, plasebo or just me & my head? ;-)
Your eternal fan,
- Neo(lethal)
Neo(lethal),
Love your handle ;) and humour...
My hope is that more and more people become aware of our environment, food, networks and their interconnectiveness... So I am glad to hear I echo your thoughts and insights.
I don't talk much about fiber but that is one of the many f-words I like (fun, foraging, food, fornic--n, etc). Mark Sisson's BIG ASS SALADS are great. An apple a day keeps a the doctor away (but probably not 7 or 8!). My parents ate a lot of guava; thus in Taiwan the term might be a guava-a-day...
Thank you for bringing up RS and indigestible fiber. Yeah I've ignored RS as long as I could. I also eat re-heated cold rice frequently. I don't know how much RS is there but I suspect comparable. Potatoes are great especially the more 'heirloom' and ancient tuber varieties, not talking the great white McDonald's mono-GMO-clone sprayed with fungicides and bud-inhibitors!
You might like these below links.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21338535
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21641545
Apple peels contain a significant quantity of great AMPK-boosting compound known as ursolic acid which is also found in thyme, holy basil, rosemary and other longevity enhancing foods, herbs, and spices. Obviously the peel is fiber rich as well which has a lowering effect on glycemic load as well as you mentioned 'feeding our friendly fellas'. It's great stuff. The second study (human) demonstrates how resting energy expenditure, fat utilization, and MASSIVE muscle gains are increased with indigestible fiber compared with highly refined maize starch (high GI). Really? YEAHHH. You are correct I believe. Humans are part carnivore + part vegetarian when all systems are 'go', IMHO (small, large intestine, respectively).
As you also noted, when the GI is down and SIBO/overgrowth are present, all bets are off. Fiber, FOS, fructose and other FODMAPs F-CK UP nutrient absorption, metabolism, permet inappropriate fermentation and increase systemic toxic metabolites from said microbial overgrowth and yeasts. No fun.
Love your ideas. I appreciate the time you took for your comment!
grace
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