Enchanted Places

Full Sail By Ryan Farish
Courtesy Youtube.com

Stargirl: "You have to find your own way. Sometimes I try to erase myself. I imagine a big pink soft soap erase, and it's going back and forth, back and forth, and it starts down at my toes, back and forth, back and forth, and there they go -- POOF! -- my toes are gone. And then my feet. And then my ankles. But that's the easy part. The hard part is erasing my senses -- my eyes, my ears, my nose, my tongue. And last to go is MY BRAIN. My thoughts, memories, all the voices inside my head. That's the hardest, erasing my thoughts... And then, if I've done a good job, I'm erased. I'm gone. I'm nothing. And then the world is free to flow into me like water into an empty bowl."

Leo: "And?"

Stargirl: "And...I see. I hear. But not with eyes and ears. I'm not outside my world anymore,a nd I'm not really inside it either. The thing is, there's no difference anymore between me and the universe. The boundary is gone. I am it and it is me. I am a stone, a cactus thorn. I am rain..."

Leo: (...something did happen. A small thing. I was aware of stepping over a line, of taking one step into territory new to me. It was a territory of peace, of slience. I had never experienced such utter silence before, such stillness. The compmotion withint me went on, but at a lower volume, as if someone had turned down my dial. And an eerie thing happened. While I never did totally lose awareness of myself, I believe I did, so to speak, lose Cinnamon [Stargirl's pet rat he is cradling]. I no longer felt his pulse, his presence, in my hands. It seemed we were no longer separate, but were one.)

--From Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (sequel:
Love (comma) Stargirl) which NYT reports
it is a 'poetic allegorical tale about the magnificence and rarity
of true nonconformity.' The books are
young adult fiction from my
kids (versus O-L-D-*-S-S adult...)

Dr. Michel de Lorgeril

The French physician who has busted Big Pharma myths synthesized regarding statins, dietary fat and cholesterol, Dr. Michel de Lorgeril has a new published article on the Okinawa ancestral lifestyle. He spent a few weeks living in Okinawa and observing this unique island culture known for one of the highest density of centenarians on earth.

• The Okinawan diet: a modern view of an ancestral healthy lifestyle. One-page preview.
  Salen P, de Lorgeril M.
  World Rev Nutr Diet. 2011;102:114-23.

De Lorgeril is really cool. I discussed him earlier HERE (JUPITER=FAIL). Like Peter at Hyperlipid, he's been blogging about disease and health misconceptions for years (archives back to 2008). Also, recall Pedro Bastos, Loren Cordain et al, he wrote a critical re-appraisal for the benefits of dietary saturated fats for heart disease prevention. I added his English/French blog to the animal pharm blogroll (BLOG-ASM) along with several other highly noteworthy resources such as Healthy Guts (by the gorgeous Ms. Consuela Werner who blogs also at RobbWolf.com) and GAPS practitioners + guides.



Benefits of Compassion

Why does chill-axing bring perspective, calm and serenity? Are humans meant to attain higher levels of cerebral functioning for maximal health, longevity and community contributions?

What can be learned from the Okinawans and also our respective ancestors?

De Lorgeril and Salen report 'Besides the traditional diet, three important aspects of the Okinawan lifestyle are physical fitness, the social support network and the spirits of Okinawa. These are all interconnected since keeping physically fit is part of the spiritual belief system of Okinawa, and physical activity can be as simple as ‘kitchen gardening, where plants and herbs are considered imbued with spiritual energy’ [1]. However, physical activity may be a more structured activity such as ‘traditional dance which is meditative and celebrates myths of ancient times’ [1], or it may be an ‘invigorating martial art like karate which demands a harmonious blend of mind and body’ [1]." Emphasizing the strong ties to ancestors and the social network present in their community, Okinwans celebrate frequently with feasting and festivities and memorials for deceased ancestors. In the same spirit, 'Yuimaru is a typically Okinawan concept, and means that everyone must share and help each other' writes Salen and de Lorgeril.

I discussed traditional Okinawa lifestyles and diet HERE which was high saturated fat and high protein compared to mainland Japan. They are fishermen, farmers and pastoralists enjoying many fermented foods, bitter and sour greens and vegetables, raw goat sashimi, raw goat milk and other traditional pork-centered meals.


Oxytocin

This is somewhat unrelated but yet maybe. Watch this TED video by Paul Zak 'Trust, morality -- Oxytocin'.

Where do you get your hits of Oxytocin?

I love e-hugs and hugs from the people I hang with; I think it gives me hits of Oxy-T.

Our little kitten 'Angel' that we fostered for about ~1 month shot up my Oxytocin briefly whilst she tagged around me all day, letting me cuddle and love her and as I watched my daughters care deeply for her like their own baby. After I had to sent her back to the petstore for an opportunity for adoption, the Oxytocin drain out like a dead battery. [BTW she was quickly adopted within 10 days, and we're grateful.]

Oxytocin. Neat hormone.

I'm not sure I'd agree to call it a morality hormone like some scientists. Like a rage or hits of 'E', (not that I'd know) it appears to me to ellicit deep empathy and facilitate connections; imbibing concreteness to emotions which are typically positive (though not always, for instance when baby is crying/shrieking). Scoping and feeling out your family, friends, coworkers (or enemies), businessmen and connecting to what they're experiencing brings understanding that transcends differences no matter how epic. It promotes GAME. Got your game on?

Campbell and Garcia reported in an article Neuroanthropology: Evolution and Emotional Embodiment that 'For instance, among male Arrial pastoralists from northern Kenya, self-reported quality of life, which may be thought of as a measure of well-being, is predicted by the number of male supporters as well as amount of body fat (Campbell unpublished data).' I thought was weird but it makes sense... success in the hunt or herding is tied to cooperation, empathy with your co-patriots and co-herders and effective communication. Better GAME.



Evolution, Oxytocin, Sociality, and the Primate Brain

Researchers Campbell and Garcia also write:

The social brain hypothesis holds that it is the demands of complex social interactions in groups that have spurred the adaptive increase in brain size across the biological order Primates (Dunbar, 1998, 2009), a relationship not found in other mammalian orders (Shultz and Dunbar, 2007). The importance of bonding among primates would explain why affiliation through physical touch initiates a neurochemical cascade, involving oxytocin and opiates, that is positively reinforcing and fundamental to effective social cohesion (Dunbar, 2010). While such neuroendocrine mechanisms remain important in human social interaction, they do not appear sufficient to explain group cohesion among humans for whom language and technology form the foundation for greatly expanded spheres of social interaction.

Social, Complexity, Cortex, and The Behavioral Regulation of the Internal Milieu

Reading more on evolution, the brain and oxytocin, I'm blown away by Schulkin who wrote Social Allostasis: Anticipatory Regulation of the Internal Milieu. 'Most primates are highly social except for the solitary orangutan, with the exception, of course, of a long relationship between the mother and her offspring, present in all primates, including the orangutan (Robson and Wood, 2008; see Figure ​Figure22). Core features in the origins of the genus Homo consist of some of the following (Stringer and Andrews, 1988; Robson and Wood, 2008): longer gestational period, long life spans, forward locomotion with heel and hind limb dominance, dominance of stereoscopic vision and forward movement of the eyes, and expanding use of the hands... hysiological cognitive systems are oriented to the social milieu. Their evolution and expression underlie the diverse forms of complicated social assessments; group size, for instance, is correlated with cortical expansion (Dunbar and Shultz, 2007). Consider the complex social relationships of primates, the hierarchy, and the distribution of food resources, shelter protection, dominance, and comfort through co-alliances. Such systems are quite varied and all involve cephalic innervations and expression.' The side figure depict an 'endocast of the frontal region of a putative Homo around two million years ago and a representation of (a) chimpanzee, (b) orangutan, (c) gorilla, and (d) human frontal plane (Falk, 1983).' In Table 3 the EQ (encephalization quotient) of each hominid is estimated in evolutionary time. I am not sure how accurate the Homo Neanderthal EQ is presented here; I thought I had read that the cranial volume was larger than Hss but need to dig that out. Hormone pathways, infrastructure and neurons (Von Economo neurons (VENs)) supporting the fabric of hominid social interconnectedness (cortisol, CRH, oxytocin, vasopressin, etc) are located in the frontal cortex of great apes and humans.

Many of the prosocial behaviors and the evaluative processes in cephalic systems are anticipatory and not only reactive to events. Information molecules such as CRH (or oxytocin or vasopressin) underlie diverse forms of anticipatory behaviors. The concept of “allostasis” is in part to take account of anticipatory control (Sterling and Eyer, 1988) amidst diverse forms of adaptation underlying this regulatory adaptation that supports social contact and internal milieu (Schulkin, 2003). Importantly, feedforward and social regulation of neuropeptide expression is an important factor.Social contact is at the heart of ontogenetic development, a long noted piece of epistemological history differently expressed across diverse cultures. Family and group structure through meaningful contact is essential for our mental health. Supportive social contact is not an absolute prophylactic but a helpful ameliorative in combating disease and breakdown (Steptoe et al., 2002), along with predictive abilities (Miller, 1957, 1959); intermittent unpredictable aversive events are a long known production of pathology (e.g., gastric Weiss, 1970), increasing allostatic load (e.g., Schulkin et al., 1998; Tannenbaum et al., 2002).Unremitting social distress, high cortisol when cumulative, decreases social competence process (e.g., brain morphology and decreases in memory function (Sapolsky, 1992, 1995), and increases the allostatic load (McEwen and Stellar, 1993; Johnston-Brooks et al., 1998; McEwen, 1998; Seeman et al., 2001). Allostatic load is one predictive factor in aging (Karlamangla et al., 2002; Hellhammer et al., 2004); age, health, and economic disparities are all functionally related to allostatic overload (Crimmins et al., 2003; von Kanel et
al., 2003; Carlson and Chamberlain, 2005; Szanton et al., 2005).

What is really freaky is that Schulkin points out the epigenetic data on cortisol and oxytocin. 'Interestingly, oxytocin and CRH are also altered by maternal care across generations of offspring. Cross-fostering studies in rodents have shown that variation in maternal care is transmitted in both genomic and non-genomic mechanisms; individual differences in maternal behavior are transmitted from one generation to another (Francis et al., 1999; Meaney, 2001; Champagne, 2003).One example is the link between maternal licking and grooming (high or low) which is consistently transmitted to female offspring; moreover, decreased social comforting contact has long-term implications for most mammals studied (e.g., Levine, 1975; Meaney et al., 1996; Liu et al., 1997). There is wide variation in this phenomenon that has long-term implications on cephalic systems; those rat pups comforted by social contact have greater regulatory capacity as adults on diverse systems in the brain, including neuropeptide and neurotransmitter systems (dopamine, serotonin, CRH).' So yeah. Some people may be able to blame their mothers! Grandmothers! And Great-Grandmothers! The lack of licking, caring and grooming does affect perceptions and confidence. [reminds me... need to hug/s-mother my kids more]

Here is a diagram of cortisol release relative to brain structures. Cortisol is great for short term adaptation to situations. Detriment occurs with long-term cortisol disruption of proper signalling: (See Table 4)
• Disruption of immune response
• Protein loss
• Growth and reproductive disruption
• Bone loss
• Brain deterioration

In PTSD (post-tramautic stress syndrome), cortisol and CRH (cortisol releasing hormone) are dysregulated. Low production and inappropriate release of cortisol are common. Prozac deficiency? No. It is an evolutionary programming system with a major bug in it. Gold et al discusses some research done in military Special Forces in high stress circumstances with 2 intereresting findings. Positive correlation was been found between DHEA/Cortisol ratio and better performance. DHEA and Allopregenolone supplemention provided 'resilience to stress by helping terminate HPA activation and preventing harmful effect of glucocorticoids.'



Get ur GAME on... Keep cortisol in check... And don't forget oxytocin, it's not just for boobs (e.g. breastmilk-let downs).

Maybe this is the one of secrets of Okinawan and African Arrial pastoralists...


References:

1. Oxytocin may mediate the benefits of positive social interaction and emotions.
   Uvnäs-Moberg K.
   Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1998 Nov;23(8):819-35. Review.
   
2. Short-Term Compassion Training Increases Prosocial Behavior in a Newly Developed Prosocial Game. Susanne Leiberg, Olga Klimecki, Tania SingerPLoS One. 2011; 6(3): e17798.


3. Integrated metabolic regulation during acute rest states [TCM-like states] in man, similarity to fasting: a biochemical hypothesis.
   Jevning R.
   Physiol Behav. 1988;43(6):735-7. Review.


4. Long-term endocrinologic changes in subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program.
   Werner OR, Wallace RK, Charles B, Janssen G, Stryker T, Chalmers RA.
   Psychosom Med. 1986 Jan-Feb;48(1-2):59-66.


5. Compassion: An Evolutionary Analysis and Empirical Review
   Jennifer L. Goetz, Dacher Keltner, Emiliana Simon-Thomas
   Psychol Bull. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 May 1.
   Published in final edited form as: Psychol Bull. 2010 May; 136(3): 351–374.


6. Neuroanthropology: Evolution and Emotional Embodiment
   Benjamin C. Campbell, Justin R. Garcia
   Front Evol Neurosci. 2009; 1: 4. Prepublished online 2009 July 24.


7. Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mechanisms in Mind-Body Medicine: Development of an Integrative Framework for Psychophysiological Research
   Ann Gill Taylor, Lisa E. Goehler, Daniel I. Galper, Kim E. Innes, Cheryl Bourguignon
   Explore (NY) Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 January 1.
   Published in final edited form as: Explore (NY). 2010 January; 6(1): 29.


8. Social Allostasis: Anticipatory Regulation of the Internal Milieu
   Jay Schulkin
   Front Evol Neurosci. 2010; 2: 111.


9. The Neuroendocrine System and Stress, Emotions, Thoughts and Feelings
   George E. Vaillant
   Mens Sana Monogr. 2011 Jan-Dec; 9(1): 113–128.


10. Adrenocortical activity during meditation. [Testosterone -- same 3 groups, Cortisol --no change in controls, slightly lowered after 3-4 mos TCM practice, significantly lowered and for long time after by long-term TCM practitioners]
    Jevning R, Wilson AF, Davidson JM.
    Horm Behav. 1978 Feb;10(1):54-60.


11. Neuro-psychopharmacogenetics and Neurological Antecedents of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Unlocking the Mysteries of Resilience and Vulnerability
    Abdalla Bowirrat, Thomas J.H. Chen, Kenneth Blum, Margaret Madigan, John A. Bailey, Amanda Lih Chuan Chen, B. William Downs, Eric R. Braverman, Shahien Radi, Roger L. Waite, Mallory Kerner, John Giordano, Siohban Morse, Marlene Oscar-Berman, Mark Gold
    Curr Neuropharmacol. 2010 December; 8(4): 335–358.


12. Social vocalizations can release oxytocin in humans.
    Seltzer LJ, Ziegler TE, Pollak SD.
    Proc Biol Sci. 2010 Sep 7;277(1694):2661-6.


13. The Okinawan diet: a modern view of an ancestral healthy lifestyle.
    Salen P, de Lorgeril M.
    World Rev Nutr Diet. 2011;102:114-23.
    
    

Okinawans: Hormones and Pork (again)

'The Jungle Effect'

I'm reading 'The Jungle Effect' by Dr. Daphne Miller MD, professor at UCSF. It is better than the Blue Zone. She has some candid interviews and observations that remind me of Weston A. Price and Francis Pottenger's nutritional insights. Dr. Miller went around the world, lived amond native groups who practice ancestral food and lifestyle cultures.

Her perspective is neat because it encompassed both the medical and nutritional points of discussions -- vitamin A and D and omega-3's are frequently referenced. She keenly noted how Okinawans lived in their 80s and 90s wihtout being incapacitated or wheelchair bound. When women transitioned to menopause they reported 'easy menopause transitions free from hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and mood swings. In addition, the fatigue, poor memory, depression los of sexual drive, and impotence that we consider to be a normal part of agiing were rarely experienced by even the eldest of Okinawans.'


Sex

She also reports that 'In fact, the research team interviewed a number of men and women who were still experiencing healthy, active sex lives in their eighties and beyond.' Why? Could it be the pork? The pigs raised on green pastures and imo -- the purple sweet potatoe that is loaded with antioxidants?


Okinawans: High Levels of Hormones

Dr. Miller is keen and a girl after my own hormonal heart...
'After doing lengthy laboratory analyses on the Okinawan elderly, the Centenarian Study research team was ablt to identify more specifically how these foods may be helping to preserve their vitality. the foods seemed to augment natural homrone levels since Okinawans had higher levels of thyroid hormone, cortisol, and sex hormone -- including TESTOSTERONE, DHT, ESTRADIOL, and DEHYDROXYEPIANDOSTERONE -- than a comparison group of elderly from the United States. Interestingly, if you look across the lifespan, Okinanawans and North Americans seem to have different hormonal patterns. While the average North American starts out in adolescence with higher levels (a fact that many researchers atribute to the synthetic hormones commonly found in U.S. meat and dairy products), the hormone levels seem to fizzle out by the time most Americans reach their mid-fifties. Okinawans, however, tend to start low, increase slowly, and maintain their hormone levels longer than elderly in the United States."


Better Adrenal Organs

..'In fact the researchers did an autopsy on one very elderly woman and were surprised to see that her adrenal glands (the organs where many of these hormones are produced) were the same weight as those of a much younger woman.'


Pork Does a Body Good

Miller references one of the coauthors of the Okinawa diet book, Craig Willcox, as believing that 'pork, as it is eaten traditionally on the island, is actually an important player in the longevity diet.' Errr... that somehow did not make it into the text. Yes. I checked. Fervently and was strongly disappointed with the book and its pork-deficiencies.

'He explained that the long-lived participants in the Okinawan centenarian AStudy had high blood levels of proline and glycine, which came, at least partly , from the collagen and elastin in pork. These proteins help the body to build and regenerate normal tissue' she reports.


Pork = Excellent Source of Selenium for Glutathione

'Pork happens to be an excellent source of selenium, an essential mineral that concentraes in the breast and prostate and acts as a building block for a powerful cancer-fighting enzyme called glutathione peroxidase.' She lists sources of selenium: spinach (cooked 1 c) 2.7 ug; whole-grain bread slice (11.2 ug); sunlfower seeds (1/4 c) 25.4 ug; anchovies (3 oz) 31 ug; pork loin 4 oz (37 ug); halibut 3 oz (39.8 ug); Brazil nut (1 nut) 100 ug. Bison is a great source especially raised on sunflower screenings and/or pasture contains 26-31 ug selenium per 100 grams (~ 3 oz). [Thank you gentlereader Sweeney for the reference HERE] Selenium is vital not only for our #1 antioxidant and de-toxifier glutathione, but also for components of enzymes responsible for conversion of thyroid, adrenal hormones and neurotransmitters in our nervous and immune systems.


Pig: What You Eat is What You Are

Is Okinawan pork different? Possibly. Miller states 'In Okinawa, most pork is raised on purple and orange imo [special species of sweet potato, which apparently has a slimly consistency]. Certainly a pig eating such nutrient-rich food cannot help but be nutrient-rich itself.' Lard? Bone broths? Okinawans are subsistence farmers. Miller discusses how the fat was discarded and only lean meats consumed... misinformation? She fails to mention cooking with lard. Again, with my self experimentation, 1-2 Tbs of saturated fat raised my HDL chol from 89 to 105 mg/dl in ~6wks (18%). Perhaps higher, bionic HDLs help traditional Okinawans achieve centenarian status?



Prior posts:

Brain and Cholesterol
When is Cholesterol Too Low? -- coconut oil raises HDL
Brain and Adrenal Health
Okinawan resouces -- pork-rich, island shoreside diet

Benefits of High-Saturated Fat Diets (Part V): The Traditional Okinawans

Goya Chanpuru dish courtesy of TastyIsland

According to Dr. Willcox, Principal Investor for the Okinawa Centenarian Study that started in 1975, "Among the entire population, which takes a sparing approach to food, there is 90 percent less coronary artery disease than in the wider world, a third less incidence of cancer, and breast cancer is virtually unheard of." HERE. In long-living Okinawan and Japanese, their dietary intake as surveyed in the 1970s was higher in both protein and dietary saturated fatty acids (see below abstract) compared to their shorter-lived peers at that time. When Okinawans move away (like to Brazil) heart disease risk factors appear (see last abstract). Diet is 80-90% of our health I believe because our bodies are designed to express what is dictated by our environment and food macro- micronutrients (foraging/hunting v. lounging; fecundity v. fasting). (These are the PPAR alpha gamma and delta receptors; their role is to 'sense nutrients' and to 'sense energy demand' in order to ultimately balance our energy needs). To me, the observations from blue zones and centenarian data always seem to reinforce that the physically active, low carb mod-high fat Paleo/TYP approach is the most optimal at this time, as it was for centenarians studied in the 1970s.


Protein and Fats?

Dietary Protein and Fatty Acids activate PPAR alpha gamma delta. (Like drugs but no adverse effects and gosh so yummy...)
(a) PPAR Delta: Omega-3 PUFAs, Fish Oil, Grassfed Beef
(b) PPAR Delta: Dagger in the Heart of CAD
(c) PPAR Delta: Prevent Sarcopenia, Poverty of the Flesh
(d) PPAR Delta: Saturated Fatty Acids Are Anti-Atherogenic


Okinawan culture not only embraces one of the most heart-healthy diets (high seafood, animal meat, milk, eggs, saturated fats, high minerals and low carb) but also a very physically active lifestyle. Additionally, like other long-living societies, they display a distinct community spirit and lifestyle that values every members' contributions including elders, daily prayer, frequent festivals honoring ancestral spirits, playing/dancing (Bali, Polynesian style) regularly, exercising/tai chi together, working diligently until the day they pass away, hot baths (sweat out toxins) daily, avid music listening, folkmusic singing, instrument playing (sanshin) and is tied around all generations of extended families yet promotes self-sufficiency and self-reliance. Traditional Okinawan livelihoods and common activities are still farming, fishing and gardening.


Internet? I am not sure if it would be embraced by these happy, busy, peaceful inhabitants of this subtropical semi-Paleo-fantasy island... They are too busy LIVING. *ahaa*



Carbohydrate intake (less than mainland Japan, ALL GLUTEN-LESS):
--sweet potato
--rice
--mochi (sticky rice dessert)
--buckwheat noodles
--raw goat milk (alkaline, more similar casein profile to human milk)




Here are some 'secret' foods from this ancient society:
--goya (twice the vitamin C as citrus) Okinawan version of Chinese bitter melon known to lower blood glucoses and inflammation; the above pictured dish goya chanpuru is a staple (goya, eggs, pork, lard, bonita shaved taurine/fish)
--nigari (more Magnesium and Calcium than trad'l tofu)
--sweet potatoes (anti-inflammatory, rich in carotenoids and hormone precursors)
--fish fish fish seafood seafood seafood (taurine, iodine, omega-3s, carotenoids, krill oil, astaxanthin)
--goat meat: stewed, stir fried
--raw goat sashimi which is considered a delicacy (taurine, omega-3s, CLA, and other muscle building/fat-burning fatty acids)
--raw goat milk (plant sterols, short and medium-chain saturated fatty acids, CLA)
--LARD LARD LARD (anti-inflammatory, lowers sdLDL-particles and %-sdLDL, increases particle buoyancy like other saturated fatty acids like lauric acid)
--BOAR PORK BOAR PORK BOAR PORK (pork belly, stews, stock, etc)
--miso (centenarian Okinawans have ME-SO-PRETTY skin and coronary arteries! ..."source of vitamin E, saponin, isoflavones, lecithin, choline, and dietary fiber from soybeans; vitamin B2 from koji mold; and vitamin B12 from lactic or propionic acid bacteria" ...fermented foods and probiotics that promote longevity are staples Japanese food)
--fermented fish sauce (source of vitamins B12, K2, MKs) Ishiru/squid, Ishiru/sardine, Shozzuru (pickled juices of mackerel-sardines-anchovies)--red tofu (fermented source of vitamin K2 MKs)
--seaweed (iodine, marine minerals and antioxidants like FUCOIDAN/ fucoxanthin)

Nutrition for the Japanese elderly.
Shibata H et al Nutr Health. 1992;8(2-3):165-75.

The present paper examines the relationship of nutritional status to further life expectancy and health status in the Japanese elderly based on 3 epidemiological studies.

1. Nutrient intakes in 94 Japanese centenarians investigated between 1972 and 1973 showed a higher proportion of ANIMAL PROTEIN to total proteins than in contemporary average Japanese.

2. High intakes of MILK and FATS and OILS had favorable effects on 10-year (1976-1986) survivorship in 422 urban residents aged 69-71. The survivors revealed a longitudinal INCREASE in intakes of ANIMAL foods such as EGGS, MILK, FISH and MEAT over the 10 years.

3. Nutrient intakes were compared, based on 24-hour dietary records, between a sample from OKINAWA Prefecture where life expectancies at birth and 65 were the LONGEST in Japan, and a sample from Akita Prefecture where the life expectancies were much shorter. Intakes of Ca, Fe, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and the proportion of energy from PROTEINS and FATS were SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER in the former than in the latter. Intakes of CARBOHYDRATES and NaCl were LOWER.

PMID: 1407826

Impact of diet on the cardiovascular risk profile of Japanese immigrants living in Brazil: contributions of World Health Organization CARDIAC and MONALISA studies.
Moriguchi EH et al. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2004 Dec;31 Suppl 2:S5-7.

1. Japanese immigrants from Okinawa living in Brazil have a higher mortality from cardiovascular diseases and have their mean life expectancy shortened compared with their counterparts living in Japan.

2. A cross-sectional study comparing Okinawans living in Okinawa (OO) and Okinawan immigrants living in Brazil (OB) was designed to characterize the dietary factors that could interfere with the profile of cardiovascular risk factors and with this reduction on the life expectancy when Okinawans emigrate to Brazil.

3. In total, 234 OO and 160 OB (aged 45-59 years) were recruited to the present study to undergo medical and dietary history, blood pressure measurement, electrocardiograph (ECG), blood tests and 24 h food/urine collection.

4. In the present study, OO subjects presented with 37% less obesity and 50% less systemic hypertension than OB. The OB subjects used threefold more antihypertensive medication than OO. Meat intake was 34% higher in OB than OO, whereas fish intake was sevenfold higher in OO than OB. Serum potassium levels were 10% higher in OO than OB. Urinary TAURINE (an index of seafood intake) was 43% HIGHER in OO than OB. Urinary isoflavones (an index of the intake of soy products) were significantly lower in OB than in OO. Of (OMEGA-3 PUFAs) acid (20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) were TWO- TO THREE-FOLD HIGHER in OO than OB, respectively.

5. The rate of ischaemic ECG changes in OO subjects was only 50% of that of OB subjects.

6. There were no differences in the smoking rate between OO and OB subjects.

7. The results of the present study suggest that coronary risk factors and cardiovascular health are not only regulated by genetic factors, but that the impact of LIFESTYLE (MAINLY DIET) can be large enough to modulate the EXPRESSION OF GENES.

PMID: 18254187



The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage

By Rachel Laudan (Kolowalu Books, 1996) HERE






Read more about Okinawan food, culture and lifestyles:

Diary of Local Okinawan TASTY Dishes *YUMM* Goat sashimi, boiled testicles with miso and vinegar, slow cooked stews (fatty pork), goya chanpuru
Children of Heaven Interview: Live SLOW Live LONG
Okinawan 'Lard' Recipes *ahhhha*
The Way of ChoJu: Consuming Longevity in a Rural Japanese Village (Masters Thesis by J. Busch)
Mashed Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato Recipe (americanized)
Goat Meat and Milk Productivity in Subtropical Okinawa for last 80-130+ years
Goat Meat and Pig Rearing in Okinawa Prefecture
Traditional Yagi (Goat) Dishes and changes in modern Okinawan youth -- Yagi-jiru Goat soup, stir-fried goat, raw yagi-sashi goat sashimi, etc
Raw Grassfed Goat Milk in an Okinawa Study Tolerated due to different type of non-allergenic beta-A2 casein and better saturated fatty acid profile (butyric, propionic, lauric, caprylic, etc)
Okinawan Goat Milk
Traditional Japanese Condiments: shoyu, miso, ishiru, preparations
Truth About Saturated Fats by M. Enig and S. Fallon: "In Okinawa, where the average life span for women is 84 years—longer than in Japan—the inhabitants eat generous amounts of pork and seafood and do all their cooking in LARD (Franklyn D, Health, September 1996, 57-63 .)" This is not apparently the case currently... as canola and other refined omega-6 oils which oxidize super rapidly increased to predominant use after the 1980-90's; canola is not great but less omega-6 compared with corn, soybean, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, grapeseed, or peanut oils.
Okinawa Centenarian Study and Genetics
Ex-Pats in Okinawa and Crossfit Asia/Okinawa
Bizarre Food's Andrew Zimmern checks out: traditional Okinawan sea snake soup, raw goat ball and testicles, yako-gai (giant sea snail), squid ink soup, and giant tuna eyeballs, stewed in mirin, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar
"Blue Zone Okinawans formed moais to support each other in good times and bad" HHhmmmmm.... sounds like... our TYP forum? our Paleo blogoshere? our Xfit gym networks?
Goat's Milk, Blue Zones and Longevity: "Goat's milk - 80 percent of all people over 90 have consumed goat’s milk many times per week throughout their life. It is rich in blood-pressure lowering tryptophan and antibacterial compounds."
Blue Zone concordance: Ikaria, Greece similar to Okinawa, Japan in lifestyles, hot baths (?Magnesium, Iodine), raw goat milk consumption, wild greens, tea-drinking, relaxing, embracing community and family closely, etc

Brain: Sexual Dimorphisms

Striving to optimize all hormones to evolutionarily-normal youthful levels brings about optimal regression/stabilization of any insulin resistance and vascular calcifications. A side effect is optimal lifespan and vitality. These are lessons learned from trial and error, and backed up by meager medical science (albeit exploding in volume). Though we are all a self-experiment of n=1, I find it astounding that we are more bound by our experiences by our vast similarities than by our vast differences.
--Vitamin D (Calcidiol [25(OH)D] blood levels: 60 - 70 ng/ml)
--HDL-cholesterol (Yes... I believe it is a hormone; HDL-receptor=SR-BI. Large HDL has powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-atherogenic, pleiotropic anti-aging effects. Goal HDL: Concentration greater 60 mg/dl with Large-HDL outsizing and outnumbering Small-HDL by greater than 60% of the total (because HDL2 tracks with longevity). Goal HDL: Avg particle size greater than 9.2 nm on NMR/VAP)
--Insulin (less than 5 mIU)
--Cortisol (stress hormone: low end of normal)
--PTH (parathyroid hormone: lower end of normal)
--Free T4 (active thyroid hormone: upper end of normal)
--TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone: ~ 1.0 mIU)
--Free Estrogen (E2, E3: normal)
--Progesterone (P: normal)
--Free Testosterone (T: normal)
--DHEA-S (normal)
--Omega-6/Omega-3 (Fatty acid profile test: 1.5 to 1.0 ratio (similar to traditional Okinawan and Inuit))
--(Adiponectin, Leptin, Human Growth Hormone, IGF-1, Pregnenolone, Myostatin, Melatonin, Eicosanoids, Retinoids, Essential/nonessential Fatty acids, Saturated Fatty Acids, Essential/nonessential Amino acids (eg Arginine, Taurine), Neuropeptides (eg Tyr-Arg=kyotorphin), etc)



Why are hormones so important? I've wondered this frequently lately after being diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency. Not only are hormones (and pro-hormones like vitamin D) a focus of many disease reversal protocols (i.e. cancer, infertility, etc), but they define who we are... what we are... what gender... social interactions... moods... libido... bone health... inflammatory status...


Our hormones and/or lack of hormones makes us do a lot of things... Sometimes unconscious thoughtless things... A recent study in oral contraception-users demonstrated how hormone-manipulation lead to different mate selection. Millions of women use hormonal contraception to prevent ovluation, control acne or reduce painful PMS/peri-menopausal/fibroid conditions.
The pill makes women sniff out wrong partner
Effect of Putative Male Pheromones on Female Ratings of Male Attractiveness: Influence of Oral Contraceptives and the Menstrual Cycle


Can these be creating a generation of children with less hardy genetic stock? Does how we perceive sexual characteristics and dimorphisms (like a deep baritone voice, sexy/symmetrical body) affect our future progeny?

Evolution-wise it does indeed make sense that 'opposites attract.'


Let's geek out. Science-wise, this could be translated into 'dichotomous Major Histocompatibility Complexes captivate.'

Our body odor in fact may indicate our MHC's which are genes that encode our immunity. MHCs help determine matches between organ donors and organ receivers. Pheromones are emitted from glands and detectable in body odor. How do we sense pheromones?
Body odour preferences in men and women: do they aim for specific MHC combinations or simply heterozygosity?
MHC-dependent mate preferences in humans.
Human body odour, symmetry and attractiveness.


Through our noses which are connected to our reptilian/fish-brain which control unconscious, visceral functions (cardiac, vascular, GI, pulmonary, reproductive), and other roles vital for self-preservation like focus/flight/fright/fight/fertilization/repetition. Dr. Perricone the tan, attractive dermatologist who knows his hormones discusses the benefits of pheromones in reducing cortisol and adrenaline and the effects on mood and mate selection HERE. PBS television endlessly showcase his lectures during pledge drives. I wonder why? He does offer good science (and he's certainly easier on the eyes vs. Weil or Orman) and good entertainment. His line offered a $200 pheromone product previously, but apparently it has been scaled down to a smaller, less expensive solution (probably more suited to the recession... but uuummmm I wouldn't really know). Does having optimal pheromones make you look younger, more radiant, less wrinkly?? More irresistible to the opposite sex?? Does having optimal hormones build better houses, hunt for bigger bison, fish for copious catches? Does having optimal hormones make you smarter? More alert? More strong? Does having optimal hormones guarantee getting laid??!? I sure hope so...*wink* Being a more attractive and 'appealing' mate sort of guarantees continuation of ancestral genes. Would you want to mate a potato? Attraction to opposite immune MHC's guarantees diverse traits which can increase more optimal gene-environment interactions. Makes immense sense to me. In my little n=1 experiment I started on a topical hGH (human growth hormone) product similar to one offered at Bloomingdale's for the skin. After 1-2wks, I noticed that the skin looked fantastically better. Personally I'm convinced that youthful hormones -- even topical ones -- bring about youthful results. With oral Vitamin D for one year, I have already experienced more youth, ageless abundance of hair/nails/skin, lean muscle gains/speed, imperviousness to infections, and breathing easier (no more asthma). Drowning in your own lung secretions is slightly non-conducive to survival.


One fish species in Central America known as the wrasse (see picture) in fact changes genders via hormone changes. When the male leader becomes absent or a pre-ponderance of female wrasses occurs, a female wrasse will undergo a 'sex change' and transform into a secondary male wrasse.

Male sex organs transform into female structures.

I find that a-s-t-o-n-i-s-h-i-n-g.

We don't need exogenous stem cells. Does all life on earth contain an inherent ability to transform when giving the appropriate hormonal cues and environmental triggers? I witness transformations everyday...from my own practice, co-workers and friends' stories, on the cardiology forums and my Crossfit gym/network. Men with 'man-boobs' (who I envy if they're cup-D or higher *wink*) become male-gendered again. Women with testosterone/estrogen (xenobiotic) excess and progesterone deficiency resume feminine secondary traits. An interesting story that Nicki and Robb Wolf told at a nutrition certification at their Crossfit gym in Chico was how they were going to add a disclaimer on their waiver: Paleo nutrition and Crossfit can cause pregnancy; do Crossfit at your own risk! They reported 11-12 pregnancies ALL in the same month among women who stated they couldn't become pregnant for years...!! I wonder why?? (stopping canola/Mazola/toxic-omega-6s + those 'd*mn dirty grains'; eating fats, fish oil, seafood/grassfed, vegs, nuts/seeds, and adding functional movement with intensity)
Sex Change in the Bluehead Wrasse: Temporal Concordance of Changes in Brain and Behavior (See the Table: great review of neuropeptides Arg-vasotocin v. Arg-vasopressin in mammals and brain, behavior, and subsequent sexual dimorphisms)
Surroundings cause tropical fish to change sex: scientists
Crowds cause sex change



Our middle brain is known as the limbic system (PALEOpallium) which is believed to be derived from early mammals. The limbic system controls ludic behavior (not lewd, l-u-d-i-c, from Latin 'to play'). It is also associated with passion, happiness, fear, love, joy. Have you noticed on Planet Earth that only the mammals play? Birds and bees do not. Neither do reptiles. The genetic advantage of 'playing' maybe connecting learning experiences from the past to the present. Can the promotion of curiosity, exploratory thoughts, and artful/inquisitive natures be a survival benefit? A shore-based diet rich in mollusks, seafood and fish is believed to be the turning point for human dominance of the earth and the food chain (yes, it can be argued otherwise, probably depends on the continent? I dunno). Mollusks and seafood are abundant sources of omega-3 long-chain fats known as EPA and DHA. Land mammals also contain EPA and DHA in organ meats and grassfed dairy/muscle meat/adipose. Omega-3 fats EPA and DHA have been shown in infants to raise IQ points and at high dose, improve signs and symptoms of depression and schizophrenia.

DHA deficits of the third brain, the neocortex/neopallium, are severely correlated to brain disorders like bipolar and schizophrenia. R.C. Caspar, a Stanford researcher, wrote "Human neurodevelopment is the result of genetic and environmental interactions. This paper examines the role of prenatal nutrition relative to psychiatric disorders and explores the relationship among nutrients, mood changes, and mood disorders. Epidemiologic studies have found that adults who were born with a normal, yet low birth weight have an increased susceptibility to diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and stroke in adulthood. (Nutrients, neurodevelopment, and mood. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2004 Dec;6(6):425-9.)" He discusses beneficial placebo-controlled research results of EPA and DHA on depression and bipolar.
Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and function of the nervous system: update on dietary requirements for brain. Part 1: micronutrients.
Attention deficit disorders--drugs or nutrition?
A meta-analytic review of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids.
Role of omega-3 fatty acids in brain development and function: potential implications for the pathogenesis and prevention of psychopathology.
The role of omega-3 fatty acids in mood disorders.



Paleo exercise has a component of 'playfulness' and random spontaneity. At Crossfit, we hardly repeat the same routine. In fact, at with paleo and Crossfit, omega-3 fish oils are highly-suggested. EPA and DHA fish oils can affect physical results, performance and notable gains, as well as cardiovascular disease reversal. Omega-3 oils can allow us to play harder and longer. With stronger hearts and muscles. With great endurance. Without electrical conductance disturbances (like atrial fibrillation).
Omega–3 Fatty Acids, Exercise, Physical Activity and Athletics
Fish oil reduces heart rate and oxygen consumption during exercise.
Intakes of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish in relation to measurements of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Effect of Erabu sea snake (Laticauda semifasciata *SNAKE OIL he hee*) lipids on the swimming endurance of aged mice.


Strength manifests in a variety of avenues. For survival, it appears to me that mental vigor, intelligence, genetic disposition, and physical power are all indispensable. Is it unusual that a convergence between the best things for our brain/sexual-dimorphisms, our also the best for our body and heart. Maybe not! Finally a 19-year study in the BMJ by Dr. S. Blair demonstrates that superior muscle strength relates to lower mortality from heart disease, cancer, and all cause-death in men, even after adjusting for cardiovascular fitness (on treadmill testing). Full PDF click here. I first came across this landmark trial in my fave mag FitnessRx for Men Jan 2009 issue, p. 142-144. I love this journal... for the ummmmm... in-depth... uummm scientific articles.
Association between muscular strength and mortality in men: prospective cohort study.

As the author Fahey EdD concluded in his review...'Get STRONG and live long.'


Don't be sarcopenic.

Greek: Poverty of the Flesh