Happy New Year! 10 Gifts of Evolution

Nick Lane Does It Again
Life Ascending is Lane's latest (and greatest). He summarizes his thoughts on the 10 greatest inventions of evolution and reviews the evolutionary history, geology, plant and animal kingdoms of planet earth. Unlike the 2005 publication Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life which took me a year to read (?wtf I s*ck), this one is breezably less biochemy and a fascinating, intriguing, critically-thought out read. In fact I am almost DONE. It ties in much of the evolutionary thoughts that Mr. Billy E., Dr. Tourgeman and I have reviewed on the blogs regarding genetic expression, nutrigenomics, longevity/ aging/ death, chronic diseases like (kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes and other age-related diseases) and DISEASE REVERSAL. Mr. Lane believes diseases are reversible by control of of certain genes (gerontology- related genes elucidated from C. elegans (nematodes)) which have homology across phyla.


The Ten Gifts
1. The Origin of Life
2. DNA
3. Photosynthesis
4. The Complex Cell
5. SEX
6. Movement
7. Sight
8. HOT BLOOD
9. Consciousness
10. Death

Guess what chapters I immediately skipped to ???!



Another Rolling Stones classic (omg too cute): As Tears Go By

One More... mp3 Player...

D*mn. 

Sweat all over the MP3 player again, my like 5th or 6th in like 8-9 yrs, which finally frizzled out and BROKE.

What do you guys use?

Paleo, Muscles, Homunculus, and Natural Selection

Paleo, Muscles, Homunculus, and Natural Selection

Insulin and Aging: How Paleo Works

Ai M showed the disparity between insulin changes between oral glucose loading (75 grams glucose) versus a high saturated fat CREAM dosing.


Carb equivalents 75 grams = 5 servings CARBs

Go to nutritiondata.com for more comparisons.

1 serv CARB = 15 grams

Dairy -- 1 cup milk = ~15 g

Fruit -- 2 bites is about 15 grams (small palm-full).

Grains (~ 15 grams):
Oatbran 1/3 cup. Oatmeal 1/3 cup. Bread 1 slice or half-slice depending on the density. Rice 1/3 cup. Pasta 1/3 cup. Broccoli 2-3 cups just kidding but infinitely more compared with grains which have an insanely high-carb density as well as genetic propensity to trigger stress, glucocorticoid and the expression of other 'bad' genes. See prior animal pharm FUNGENUT post HERE.

Legumes (~15 grams):
1/2 cup beans


Ai M et al. Clinica Chimica Acta 387 (2008) 36–41. Email me for the PDF if desired.

What is PALEO?
None of the above
--no dairy (except casein-free clarified butter/GHEE or whey protein)
--no grains (corn, oats, gluten (wheat/barley/rye), rice, etc)
--no legumes (beans, soybeans (unlesss soaked+fermented), peanuts)


Please see recent NephroPal post:
Insulin and Aging: How Paleo Works

Click above link...

Insulin: Chronic Kidney Disease and Atherosclerosis

Health from a paleolithic standpoint...

Please click below:

Insulin: Chronic Kidney Disease and Atherosclerosis

'Roid Rage: Vitamin D3 -- DO IT (Part II)

Vitamin D and Athletes

Vitamin D is not just a sun-derived vitamin, but is a crucial steroid precursor that is transformed into one of the most potent hormones in the human body for strength, power, lung function and regulating gene expression in every organ system.

Athletes need Vitamin D.

Dr. Cannell has written quite extensively about the role of vitamin D in athletes.

See prior post: 'Roid Rage Vitamin D3 -- DO IT (Part I)



Don't miss Dr. T's recent post: Vitamin D Summary of Actions. SUPERB!




Vitamin D: Flu, Asthma, Bronchitis, H1N1 Protection

Swine Flu H1N1.

Worried? Don't be.

Baby wanna be a millionaire? Vitamin D3... just do it. Baby by me, 50 cents YO.


Many factors can predispose an individual to be immunocompromised and more susceptible to the flu or H1N1 or bronchitis:
--sleep deprivation
--mental stress
--excessive physical training
--fatigue
--hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue
--VITAMIN D INSUFFICIENCY
--VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
--poor, unbalanced gut biofilms (read Dr. Ayers Cooling Inflammation)
--gluten/wheat, lectins, omega6 and associated inflammation
--nutritional deficiencies
--et cetera


Vitamin D stores may be depleted under all the circumstances above.

For the past season, naturally, I've been a total ding dong, frequently skipping my vitamin D supplement and sunlight. Yeah missed a boatload of doses. (*haaa* Yeah, I am THE vitamin-D-fairy-godmother and I hand it out like candy... wtf I s*ck) So... Three weeks ago my asthma came back full force and within days I was in the middle of a bronchitis/coughing attack again with a fever for 2 days. Last episode was EONS ago. Couldn't shake it but after a boost of vitamin D via a modified Stoss protocol (20,000 to 50,000 IU for 3 days) that Dr. Cannell frequently discusses for prophylaxis or acute treatment of influenzae or other viral infections, my coughing and infection were completely gone. My cough was almost gone OVERNIGHT. On the other hand, Dr. Cannell talks about much higher doses. Since I was not deficient, just 'insufficient', I used a lower dose.

The bronchitis was entirely aborted, shortened to a few days not a few MONTHS or a few WEEKS like the normal course of chronic bronchial inflammation I had experienced annually in the past. I ran 13.1 miles a week later and was fine (though my power and pace s*cked). My ghetto batgrrrl picture wasn't so bad though *wink*. Vitamin D does a body better. My skin, hair, muscles, recovery, breathing and body fat are all far better now that I'm back on the program.

Prior post: Stoss protocol Vitamin D3 Nature's Antibiotic

Vitamin D deficiency and chronic lung disease. Gilbert CR, Arum SM, Smith CM. Can Respir J. 2009 May-Jun;16(3):75-80.

Vitamin D and respiratory health. Hughes DA, Norton R. Clin Exp Immunol. 2009 Oct;158(1):20-5. Review.




Vitamin D Associated with Fitness, Power, Strength and Lower Body Fat

Two research articles highlight the relationship between higher vitamin D levels and athletic performance. The first showed a positive relationship between higher VO2 max and higher blood vitamin D (p<0.05) in n=59 adolescent and young females. Incidentally, lower body fat (p<0.05) was associated with higher vitamin D levels.

The second study reviewed baseline vitamin D concentrations (which were LOW low low) in 99 female athletes age 12-14 yo and found "Jumping mechanography to measure muscle power, velocity, jump height, and Esslinger Fitness Index from a two-legged counter movement jump and force from multiple one-legged hops was performed. Body height, weight, and serum concentrations of 25(OH)D, PTH, and calcium were measured. RESULTS: Median serum 25(OH)D concentration was 21.3 nmol/liter (range 2.5-88.5 [median 8 ng/ml with range 1-35.4 ng/ml]) and PTH 3.7 pmol/liter (range 0.47-26.2). After correction for weight using a quadratic function, there was a positive relationship between 25(OH)D and jump velocity (P = 0.002), jump height (P = 0.005), POWER (P = 0.003), Esslinger Fitness Index (P = 0.003), and force (P = 0.05). There was a negative effect of PTH upon jump velocity (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: From these data we conclude that vitamin D was significantly associated with muscle power and force in adolescent girls."


Girl Power!

Association among cardiorespiratory fitness, body fat, and bone marker measurements in healthy young females.
Mowry DA, Costello MM, Heelan KA. Mowry DA, Costello MM, Heelan KA. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2009 Oct;109(10):534-9.

Vitamin D status and muscle function in post-menarchal adolescent girls.
Ward KA, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Feb;94(2):559-63.




Vitamin D Alters Gene Expression

Many components of our diet are in fact potent modulators of genetic expression. Vitamin D is among many. In a variety of clinical trials, vitamin D lowers CRP (inflammation), increases testosterone (I've seen it and HH reports his anecdotal experience here), thyroid hormone, and (in rats) raises estrogen. Is this helpful for athletes? There are many mechanisms by which vitamin D exerts benefits for athletes including improved breathing, lung function, oxygenation, immunity protection, muscle strength, endurance, muscle power and hormone optimization (e.g. the big 'T').

Micronutrients and amino acids, main regulators of physiological processes. Verheesen RH, Schweitzer CM. Med Hypotheses. 2009 Oct;73(4):498-502.

Human physiology is supposed to be a complex interaction of regulating processes, in which hormones, genes, their proteins and apoptosis are thought to play a dominant role. We hypothesize that regulation of physiological processes is mainly influenced by amino acids and micronutrients with hormones, proteins, apoptosis and gene modifications being their derivatives. Furthermore, we suppose that the cells power plant, the mitochondrion, is in fact an intracellular bacterium, living in absolute symbiosis. Because of its intracellular existence it depends on the host's micronutrients completely. Within the host these micronutrients regulate their own formation, degradation, uptake and excretion. Known deficiencies, such as iodine and vitamin D, affect billions of people. Many micronutrients neither have been investigated, nor have they been studied in relation to each other and solid data are not available. Optimal levels of many micronutrients and all amino acids are not known.

Amino acids, vitamins and minerals are capable of altering gene expression, inducing apoptosis and regulating chemical processes. It makes them highly attractive for creating better health, against low cost, as we have already proven in the case of rickets, cretinism and scurvy in severe deficiencies. By creating optimal living conditions and study mitochondria from a symbiotic point of view we suppose that diseases not only can be prevented, but the course of diseases can be altered as well.

Ask Your MD for A Blood Test

Tracking of blood vitamin D levels (known as [25(OH)D]) is necessary to make sure you have the optimal range, not too high and not too low. Other labs to track are calcium and magnesium (and PTH if you have plaque or chronic kidney disease). Supplementation with either over-the-counter Vitamin D3 or prescription ergocalciferol (which is inferior and should be avoided) is contraindicated if you have a condition called sarcoidosis or isolated hypercalcemia (high calcium).

With dose initiation or increases, the blood levels take about 4-6 wks to stabilize. Consider requesting a blood test to confirm the value (either self-directed ZRT at heartscanblog or the vitaminDcouncil.org).

Dr. Harris MD discusses the accuracy of the vitamin D tests available on the market. Don't be blinded by his scorching hot brilliance or body. Paleo nutrition blog: HERE and HERE.

Dr. Cannell MD advises goal serum vitamin D [25(OH)D] 60 to 80 ng/ml (or 150-200 nmol/L). Personally my breathing and hormones appear to me the most optimal at 70s ng/ml. The past year I checked the [25(OH)D] twice and it was not more than 60. Incidentally, I did not feel so 'right on' as compared to when I had levels in the 70s. Everyone perhaps owns a 'set point' and you might need to figure what that is for yourself depending on your athletic performance, pulmonary function, immunity, mood and other metrics.

Hopefully your doc will not ignore the healing power of diet and certain nutritional supplements like vitamin D. (bwt don't bring the below article in -- the suggested doses are pathetically low baby doses).

• Nutrition 101: physicians can no longer ignore the healing power of diet and nutritional supplements. O'Keefe JH. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2008 Jun;6(5):593-6.PDF here.

Low Vitamin D = Low Strength

Low serum Vitamin D concentrations are independently associated with SARCOPENIA decreased muscle strength:

• Concomitant lower serum albumin and vitamin D levels are associated with decreased objective physical performance among Japanese community-dwelling elderly.
  Kwon J, Suzuki T, Yoshida H, Kim H, Yoshida Y, Iwasa H. Gerontology. 2007;53(5):322-8.
• Relationship between muscle strength and vitamin D metabolites: are there therapeutic possibilities in the elderly?
  Bischoff HA, Stähelin HB, Tyndall A, Theiler R.
  Z Rheumatol. 2000;59 Suppl 1:39-41.
• Prevalence of sarcopenia and predictors of skeletal muscle mass in healthy, older men and women.
  Iannuzzi-Sucich M, Prestwood KM, Kenny AM.
  J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2002 Dec;57(12):M772-7.
• Effects of vitamin D supplementation on strength, physical function, and health perception in older, community-dwelling men.
  Kenny AM, Biskup B, Robbins B, Marcella G, Burleson JA.
  J Am Geriatr Soc. 2003 Dec;51(12):1762-7. [Vitamin D 1000 IU daily was not sufficient to statistically improve strength or perception]

Low Carb Paleo: Weight Loss 50 Pounds

Courtesy Shouts

A couple of acknowledgements to my uber COOL blog buddies...

Thank you NephroPal for being an amazing party-geek pal!! The above lovely SPOOKY graphics are courtesy of Dr. T.

Thank you Jimmy Moore for the recent shout-out at Livin La Vida LOCA! Jimmy, you are my HERO . . .


*evil laugh* HAAA HAA HE

Thank you Gentlereaders, today I am going scare the cr*pola out of you.


I haven't posted any 'before' vs 'after' pictures until now. I hope it might possibly inspire people to make and reach their goals. Truly NOTHING is impossible.

Transformation is about releasing what is already inside. One of the best tools that I found to motivate myself is to visualize what I want to transform myself into... like... gentle yoga-ites, wicked Angelinas, bad*ss DC comixxx superheroes.

OK so now you know my secret... mind over matter... mind over MASS... mind over the MIDDLEGUT. Feel free to share yours...


AFTER: Low Carb Paleo 19% Body P H A T

I've come a long way BABY... and I intend to stay that way. As a former fatty (yeah I can say that but you can't) like many others, you get into a mindset where you know what behaviors may trigger a so-called relapse back to former fattiness. For myself I have found through many trials and errors that certain things work. What works without fail is having good hormone control by exercising frequently (low intensity, long duration + high HIGH intensity, short short duration... yeah s*x counts unless your cardiologist told u 'no') and watching the intake of carbohydrates (fruit, ice cream, rice, potatoes, french fries MY DOWNFALL, etc). All CARBS. I indulge only if I know that I will be doing some workout later, otherwise I'll pay for it by gaining 2-5 lbs the following week. Yeah, that is just the mitochondrial biomechanics of my formerly thrashed pancreas and the intense quantity of adipose cells that I have from being 50 lbs fat.

Fat cells shrink but never go away...





BEFORE: High Carb USDA S.A.D. 38++% Body Fat

Being overweight since my teens makes me really appreciative of the transformative changes that other individuals have gone through or are currently going through. It is not easy sometimes.

Hurdles and obstacles can be like running a Navy Seal gauntlet. Holidays are even more brutal! Summers can be cake to stay active doing jogs and summer sports but I find for myself winters absolutely require strategic planning. I organize going w/friends to half-marathon events to guilt myself into not flaking on them (and me). The cold freezes my BOOTAH off. (And I live in Cali, sorry!!! *aaah*) Another deterrant for bad habits creeping back is scheduling 'rewards', for instance, going to day spas for relaxing massages. In fact, calming massages helped me to lose weight and improved athletic performance. Is everyday too much? j/k.





Diet Diet Diet

At my all-time high weight, I became committed to embrace changes when I could no longer fit into size 10 jeans... Vanity can be a great motivator. Whatever floats your boat. No I don't really care about heart disease or strokes. Just. My. JEANS.

First I started jogging again. What a cr*ppy lame*ss way to lose weight. Didn't lose more than 10 lbs per year the first three years. I had to discontinue my oral contraceptive at one point because it was giving me irregular skipped heart beats (from high insulin/ glucoses) which prevented exercising beyond a threshold.

The weight really came off when the diet came into line.

I stopped nearly all CARBS (1 carb = 15 grams high glycemic index):
--rice (2 cups daily = 6 servings carbs)
--bread, chocolate croissants, granola cereal (1-2 servings carbs)
--cranberry juice (O M G 2-3 servings carbs)
--caramel walnut sticky buns (bottomless pit)
--Peet's mochas XTRA LARGE (7 servings carbs incl HFCS)

Kept the meat, seafood and non-starchy veggies.



Low Carb Paleo Reverses Obesity

Inadvertently I went low carb Paleo though I had not even heard of Paleo back in 2005. My main grain was rice (coz I am Asian). In the beginning, it was hard to stop but when I felt lighter, stronger and less HUNGRY, it wasn't difficult.

For Asians, Pacific Rim and Indo-Asians, BMIs of 27 or greater than are considered obese (HERE). As you can see from the above 'before' pictures, no doubt about it I was obese. Metabolic syndome. Low HDL, high Triglycerides/sdLDL and blah blah blah. Back then, I would've failed any glucose or insulin tolerance test... if I didn't know how to cheat and pass (e.g. no carbs x2 days prior; I educate diabetes patients).

During pharmacy school I learned how to jog with my drinking buddies and girlfriends... but when I strained a hamstring and didn't know how to heal it, I turned to a 10 lb box of See's chocolate and regained 20 lbs. I was lucky enough that after re-injurying the same pathetic hamstring, my wonderful doctor gave me a referral to physical therapy. The skills from physical therapy changed my training and conditioning forever. I learned the benefits of stretching, strengthening and yoga, and learned that I could re-build my physical body.

Rebuild my brain? Gluten, omega-6 and obesity are toxic to the brain. Diet, yoga and fish oil rebuilt my brain.



Saturated Fat Grew My B**BIES Back

Like any anal retentive pharmacist, you go to the nth degree. I chronically ran a lot (really hard, really far) because I thought it was 'healthy'. My lowest weight was too low (lost lean mass, sarcopenia). My diet was too low saturated fat... though back then I 'thought' it was sufficient and actually high.

The result was I got really sick. In 2004, I developed asthma and coughing spells for 6-8wk durations annually. The birth control contributed (raised insulin, decreased B12, lowered estrogen and testosterone which maintain healthy bronchodilation and lung immunity). I was a stupid pharmacist; I didn't know. A couple of courses of antibiotics likely j*cked up the inflammation further by imbalancing the gut flora and biofilms. Later I was fortunate to discover vitamin D in 2007 (via the heartscanblog) and cured myself and my kids. We are now all off inhalers, antibiotics, steroid tapers, albuterol breathing treatments and same-day urgent care visits. THANK GOD for the stellar Dr. Davis, his healing strategies and opening my eyes to the lies behind the fairy stories. When my daughters were on steroid inhalers, I noticed that they stopped growing for 3 months. I always wonder if my oldest is permanently stunted from the effects of antibiotics and steroids. Now... the only steroid we do is vitamin D!

When I lost 50 lbs of weight by 2007, I also lost some feminine A S S E T S . My BMI at the time was 18.2-18.6 and weight 108-110 lbs (lifetime low). Took 5 years to lose 50 pounds. And the t&a. Bra size: (---) A ! (normal: D). When I started blogging February 2008 for Dr. Davis, the timing coincided with the beginning of my personal trial with Crossfit and high saturated fat diets for the purpose of attaining and regaining health benefits. Petro turned me on to Hyperlipidemia.

It worked.

My muscles and mammaries all grew (back). I started Crossfit shortly afterwards in March 2008 after reading Volek, Drs. Eades and Robb Wolf. At my DiabloCrossfit affiliate I met several others who had also lost 50+ lbs in only 1-2 yrs (not 5). Our family went gluten-free July 2008 and threw our first Paleo princess bday party (albeit high carb) in August for our daughter. Got Xfit nutrition certified in October 2008. Got more sat fat in and did some more Xfit, gained some muscles... some gluts... more mammaries... good stuff. What a rollercoaster of the best times of my life!

Muscles and mammaries net GAIN: 11 lbs ! Boo !

Prior Posts:
--What To Do After You've Lost 50#
--Get Into My Genes


Pubmed Reference (THANK YOU nocarb! Will try out ur COOL handy dandy TOOL):
Prevalence of overweight and obesity and their association with hypertension and diabetes mellitus in an Indo-Asian population. Jafar TH, Chaturvedi N, Pappas G. CMAJ. 2006 Oct 24;175(9):1071-7.