tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16859662941955414792024-03-13T09:25:17.477-05:00The Doctor Dad TheoryThoughts on doctoring, healthcare, being a dad, and life's little quirks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1685966294195541479.post-56788775010988691602013-02-25T20:57:00.001-06:002013-02-26T07:19:14.343-06:00The FAT Challenge<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>There is charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably
desirable – Mark Twain</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iFI4pmB0vDA/USwiDoJhH3I/AAAAAAAAAqI/vxRYSYO4-_I/s1600/small__3312500704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iFI4pmB0vDA/USwiDoJhH3I/AAAAAAAAAqI/vxRYSYO4-_I/s320/small__3312500704.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhanusek/3312500704/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is truth in that statement.
There is nostalgia, charm, and even romance about sugar. Sugar is in the memory of your celebrations, your
sadness, and your temptations. It just tastes good! I do however feel I have sufficiently laid
out the reasons why we need to alter our nutritional future and our love affair
with the substance. In this article I
hope to point out some the hidden sugars in our live and then help my readers
define a diet plan and tips to stick with it for life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BUT, I DON’T EAT
MUCH SUGAR</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes you do. You may just
not realize it. If it’s packaged, it
likely has sugar. Manufacturers add
sugar to EVERYTHING. Did you know an 8oz serving of coca-cola has 75mg of SALT?
Why would it need salt at all?
Well because salt makes you thirsty.
So you drink more. It also has
caffeine, which is actually quite bitter, but caffeine is a diuretic so it
makes you pee more (which makes you thirsty).
What an awesome product from a business standpoint. They sell you a drink that they claim is
“refreshing” that actually makes you thirstier.
Of course no one would drink a salty, bitter beverage so they add sugar
to it to cover it up (sugar is diuretic too by the way). Manufacturers add salt to lots of things to strengthen
flavor and then use sugar to cover the “saltiness”. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hidden salt isn't the only story.
Manufacturers know that some people read labels so they have found
really interesting ways to say sugar like the following; corn maltodextrin,
dextrose, molasses, HFCS, rice syrup, sorghum extract/syrup, and my personal
favorite dehydrated cane juice/syrup (dehydrating sugar cane juice is the
literal process of making sugar).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An 8oz “serving” of Snapple, Vitamin Water, and Gatorade all have
about the same amount of sugar as a serving of coca-cola (about 4-5 tablespoons
of sugar). It’s not healthier it’s just
different. Your average fruit flavored
yogurt has 25-30 grams (half of that is added, the other half is lactose). Last week I almost ate a granola bar that had
THREE different added sugars. I am glad
I read the label for that “health food”.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE PROOF IS IN THE PROTEIN</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As many of you know, my hobby is cooking. I love to cook and experiment with food. Most of my fondest memories involve the
interaction of friends and family around food.
I love to watch people enjoy what I have created. I also love science. These two loves have led me to addiction of
sorts. I have a confession to make. I have a man crush on Alton Brown, the
creator of Good Eats on the food network. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fans of the show know that Mr. Brown underwent a visual
metamorphosis while producing the show.
For those of you that are not familiar with his story, have a look
below.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZKFIitKxI0/USwiSM0Zl4I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/9uHxZvIg4fc/s1600/1352042206_4449_Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZKFIitKxI0/USwiSM0Zl4I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/9uHxZvIg4fc/s320/1352042206_4449_Untitled.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All four of those images are the same person, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBJpmz1oduE" target="_blank">Alton Brown</a>. They were taken over approximately 12 months
of time. Mr. Brown didn't like what he
saw on camera. So he, a professional
cook, <a href="http://www.bestselfatlanta.com/Best-Self-Articles/Food-Nutrition/Food-Expert-Alton-Brown-Talks-About-Weight-Loss-and-his-Four-List-Method.html" target="_blank">made a diet change</a>. He didn't hire
a personal trainer and fast for weeks at a time. He just changed WHAT he ate and 9 months
later he was 50 POUNDS lighter. Mr.
Brown had this to say:<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>“Having wrestled with weight my whole life, I knew that a diet
based on denial—based simply on don’t do this, don’t do that, don’t eat this,
don’t eat that—would ultimately fail for me. I rebel against that. I knew if I
was going to design a plan that had any hope of success, it would have to be
based on not things I couldn't eat but things I had to eat, because that’s more
proactive. So I came up with this
concept that there are a great many foods that are extremely high in nutrition
that you ought to be getting every day, some things several times a week. And I
balanced that with the things that did need to be restricted…” – Alton Brown</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His point is that
your diet needs to be something you can live with. His diet was low in carbohydrates, moderate
in proteins, and relatively high in fats, fruits, and vegetables. I recommend the same, but let’s look at some
helpful tips before we get into the specifics of the diet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>LIFESTYLE CHANGE
TIPS</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The classic
“western” diet is designed by manufacturers and food producers to be cheap,
tasty, and portable. It fits our
lifestyle so it’s convenient but it doesn't fit the waist band most of us
want. Your stomach is a fuel tank not
a waste basket. I know plenty of people
that insist on premium gas for their car but don’t think twice about fast food into
their own fuel tank daily. I strongly
recommend you follow these tips:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b>HOME CONTROL –</b> Control what is coming into your home! You and your children can’t snack on
unhealthy foods if it isn’t in the house to begin with. If Ho-Ho’s are around, Ho-Ho’s will be eaten.
<i>(GOAL:
NO IN HOME JUNK FOOD)</i></li>
<li><b>PLATE SIZE –</b>Numerous studies have shown that smaller plate sizes
work. People put smaller portions onto
smaller plates. Studies also show that
people tend to leave the same percentage of food on their plate at the end of
the meal. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/157687320X/ref=nosim/reinagelcommu5-20" target="_blank">In the 1950’s the average plate size was 9 inches, today its 12</a>. <i>(GOAL: SWITCH TO SALAD PLATES FOR MOST MEALS)</i></li>
<li><b>EXERCISE BEFORE MEALS –</b> This one is a little harder. It takes a little time and effort. Studies show that our insulin resistance goes
down significantly immediately after exercise.
This means you need less insulin release to get the same effect. Daily exercise at even a light level for
15-20 minutes will increase your basal metabolic rate. Try to plan a 15-30 minutes of activity
before your largest meal. This could be
as simple as picking up the pace of your daily dog walk and moving it to before
dinner. <i>(GOAL: 20 MINUTES OF EXERCISE BEFORE DINNER)</i></li>
<li><b>EAT AT HOME - </b>70% of meals in America are now eaten outside of the
home. Unless you are brown bagging it
you likely are consuming more calories than you should at these meals. Eating out significantly limits your control
over what is in your meal and what your meal options are. <i>(GOAL:
EAT OUT NO MORE THAN TWO MEALS WEEKLY & PACK YOUR LUNCHES)</i></li>
<li><b>LIVE ON THE EDGE
–</b>All the good stuff at the supermarket is located on the edges. The supermarkets do this on purpose. They want you to walk through the processed
foods (both there and back) to get your milk, meat, and vegetables because
processed foods are much more profitable.
The only canned foods I regularly buy are tomatoes and beans. <i>(GOAL:
SHOP WEEKLY FOR FRESH FOODS ALONG THE EDGE, BUT ONLY SHOP THE AISLES
ONCE A MONTH)</i></li>
<li><b>NO SUGAR DRINKS –</b>Eliminate all sugar added drinks. Limit fruit juices in quantity and drink
those that are only 100% juice with no added sugars. Diet soda drinkers should be aware that
newer studies show that artificial sweeteners are linked to almost as much
weight gain. They appear to cause
insulin release and may lead to increased hunger as well. Alcohol has sugars too. I suggest limiting yourself to no more than
SIX alcohol beverages a week. However if
weight loss is your goal, this should probably be closer to THREE a week. <i> (GOAL:
NO SUGARED BEVERAGES & LIMIT ALCOHOL)</i></li>
<li><b>MINIMIZE FAST FOOD –</b> I would like to say eliminate all fast food,
but sometimes it is the only option. So
instead I will say minimize fast food to only once every other week and always
because it is the only option convenient.
Never “go-out” for fast food.
Try to make “healthier” choices.
Also I would like to point out that not all fast food is in fact “bad”. Two grilled fish tacos with lettuce, cheese,
and salsa from Fuzzy’s is heavenly, and actually pretty good for you. <i> (GOAL:
NO FAST FOOD)</i></li>
<li><b>FIBER COUNTS – </b>Fiber improves digestion, fills you up, and
naturally helps your blood sugar levels when consumed with fructose. Try to limit carbohydrate foods to no more
than 6-8 servings per week and try to consume most if not all your
carbohydrates with natural fiber!
<i>(GOAL: FIBER WITH ALL
CARBOHYDRATES)</i></li>
<li><b>20 MINUTE WAIT – </b>Food intake takes a while to signal to your body
that you are full. The faster people eat
the more they tend to eat. Start with
this simple rule: Anyone (especially kids) can have seconds if they feel they need it
but they must wait 20 minutes from the time they finish the first portion. <i>(GOAL:
WAIT 20 MINUTES) </i></li>
<li><b>PLAN YOUR MEALS – </b>Dietary changes fail because we set up ourselves
for failure. We restrict too much, we
make unreal goals, and most importantly we fail to plan. If you don’t plan out your weekly meals in
advance you will be throwing away a lot of produce and defaulting to
pre-processed “quick” meals. Sunday
afternoon is a great time to prep several meal items for the week. <i>(GOAL:
MAKE A WEEKLY MEAL PLAN & SHOPPING LIST)</i></li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE DIET I
RECOMMEND</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, when it comes to eating healthy, it's just
doing the right thing. And it's not something you have to do 365 days a year,
but I think it's something you have to do 25 days a month. Let's put it that
way.</span> - <span style="background-color: white;">Mike Ditka</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is sound
advice. It’s not about every day, it’s
about most days. Desserts are a huge
source of extra calories. If you are
going to have a drink, consider it your desert.
A small desert is often better than depriving yourself of one and then
having 3 scoops of ice cream the next day. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>DO </b>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Lean meats & eggs (30-35% of diet)</li>
<li>Fresh/frozen & cooked vegetables
& legumes (45%)</li>
<li>Fresh & frozen fruits (10%)</li>
<li>Potatoes – limit 1-2 times weekly</li>
<li>Pasta or rice – limit 1-2 times weekly</li>
<li>Whole wheat breads – limit to 1-3
times weekly (never with another carb)</li>
<li>Olive, canola, grape seed oil, or
butter</li>
<li>Low fat milk and Greek yogurt</li>
<li>Cheese (limited)</li>
<li>Nuts and seeds</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>DON'T</b></div>
<ul>
<li>Bread with meals</li>
<li>Processed baked goods</li>
<li>Non-whole grains</li>
<li>High fructose corn syrup</li>
<li>Added sugar & sweet beverages</li>
<li>Fried foods and fast foods</li>
<li>Margarine</li>
<li>Most canned items</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303?query=featured_home&#t=articleDiscussion" target="_blank">Check out this new research</a> on the <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/02/at-least-7-glasses-of-wine-each-week/273473/" target="_blank">Mediterranean Diet</a> too!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE FAT CHALLENGE</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally we get to
the challenge. I am asking my readers to
consider sticking to my dietary advice for 6 weeks. If you are willing to keep a food journal
(basic items eaten and estimated amount) as well as let me know your starting,
mid, and ending AM naked weight, please contact me at <a href="mailto:bellenbecker@live.com">bellenbecker@live.com</a>. I too
will be joining you in this quest and hope to post some results (anonymous) in
April. I am confident that if you stick
to my plan you will not only lose weight but likely feel better as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MENU IDEAS:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i>Breakfast</i></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/10/egg-muffins-revisited-again.html" target="_blank">Egg Muffins</a></li>
<li>Quick-cook steel cut oats with 1
tablespoon brown sugar and raisins </li>
<li>Plain Greek yogurt with homemade
berry sauce (1-2 tablespoons)</li>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Berry Sauce: (1 cup fresh berries, blend
to desired consistency.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Sweeten with a
little honey if too tart)</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><i>Lunch</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Mixed green/spinach salad with
fresh vegetables and scoop of chicken or tuna salad</li>
<li>Left-overs in smaller portions from night before (if you eat right this is
quite healthy)</li>
<li>Spinach, Swiss, and turkey on
whole wheat tortilla wrap or bread</li>
</ul>
<li><i>Dinner</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Pork</li>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Sear 2-4 center
pork chops on each side and remove from heat.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Saute onions and garlic in pan.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Add can of Rotel and reintroduce pork chops and 1 sliced zucchini.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Simmer 10-20 minutes</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Serve with avocado
salad:</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Diced avocado, tomatoes, red
onion and one can black beans</span></li>
</ul>
<li>Chicken</li>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Bread Chicken
breast (I often use chicken tenderloins) in freshly grated Parmesan and panko
bread crumbs (egg wash) with seasonings of choice.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Bake in oven at 325 until done</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Serve with <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/cauliflower-say-cheese-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Alton Brown’s cauliflower & cheese</a> and fresh green beans</span></li>
</ul>
<li>Steak</li>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Marinade and
grill steaks</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Serve with
<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/roast-beef-tenderloin-with-mushroom-ragout-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">mushroom ragout </a>and roasted brussel sprouts</span></li>
</ul>
<li>Salmon</li>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Place salmon fillets in oven safe glass container.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Add
1/4 cup white wine, pepper, and a dash of dried tarragon.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Bake on 350 for 16-18 minutes</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Serve with sauteed asparagus and orzo pasta with pesto (1/2 cup cooked)</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p>Check out the other three parts: <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-me.html" target="_blank">The FAT In Me</a>, <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-sugar.html" target="_blank">The FAT In Sugar</a>, and <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-you.html" target="_blank">The FAT In You</a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1685966294195541479.post-11064543722312792772013-02-20T21:17:00.001-06:002013-02-25T20:58:59.230-06:00The FAT In You<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is the third of four blog entries designed around educating my readers on the latest knowledge on nutrition and obesity. Up to this point we have discussed my own personal problems with weight gain as well as the causes of weight gain (SUGAR). In this article we will look a little deeper into the associated problems with weight gain and how they affect all of us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why is all this sugar
stuff important to me? Well, because I am a dad
to a beautiful boy and soon another child as well. I care quite a bit about his future. I was alarmed to find out that
nutritionist now expect that my son’s generation is not projected to outlive my own (their
life expectancy is less). That’s sad and
unprecedented in modern times. At least
his generation can feel good that their poor health will vastly improve the
fiscal solvency of social security and medicare for their own children’s
generation. For those that haven't read the previous articles please check out: Part 1: <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-me.html" target="_blank">The FAT In Me</a> and Part 2: <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-sugar.html" target="_blank">The FAT In Sugar</a> before following along while we take a closer look at
some more of the science behind obesity.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A6Jc_wLlR8k/USWK5sgrVII/AAAAAAAAApo/AmZ-8Og_9m8/s1600/small_1571464801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A6Jc_wLlR8k/USWK5sgrVII/AAAAAAAAApo/AmZ-8Og_9m8/s1600/small_1571464801.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sriram/1571464801/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>THE HORMONES MADE ME
DO IT</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">When
nutritionists talk about hormones they </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">aren't</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> talking about estrogen. They are talking about insulin, leptin, ghrelin,
and cortisol. Lets take a closer look:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>INSULIN
– </i> This is the mother of all dietary
hormones. Insulin is released from the
pancreas in response to blood sugar levels.
Insulin has one job. It allows for the uptake of glucose from the blood
stream into the tissues where it can either be burned or converted to fat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><b> INCREASED SUGAR = INCREASED INSULIN =
INCREASED FAT STORAGE.</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
Americans have slowly increased their sugar intake, their release of insulin
has also increased leading to higher insulin levels. The tissues of the body respond to higher
insulin levels by increasing insulin resistance because they don’t need or want
the extra sugar but the pancreas is a stubborn organ and it really wants to get it out of the blood
stream. Increased insulin resistance is
the hallmark of Type II diabetes. The
pancreas senses the increased resistance and it
continues to push out more and more insulin until it essentially burns
out. This state is known as insulin dependent
diabetes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>LEPTIN
–</i> Leptin is released from fat after eating and signals the brain that you are
full. The fatter you are the more leptin
you produce. In theory this should make
fat people eat less, however leptin is blocked from signaling your brain by insulin. So if you circulating insulin
levels are high (as they are in most obese people) then leptin can’t do its job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>GHRELIN
–</i><b> </b>Ghrelin rises when we are hungry and goes down after we have fed. Interestingly obese people have lower levels
which would make one think that they are hormonally “less hungry” however that
may not be how ghrelin really affects weight, because ghrelin is also involved
in our reward system. It causes
dopamine to be released in the reward area of our brain which is what drives
the sensation of pleasure. The good
feelings you have after drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, having sex, and yes,
eating sugar, are all due to dopamine and ghrelin helps that out. This system is blunted in the obese
so they actually get less reward for the same pleasurable
stimulus! That’s right, thin people
enjoy their “addictions” more than fat people do. (that just makes me angry)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eepvHPKrKOE/USWLi6zb0lI/AAAAAAAAAp4/zU-Cs7okwAI/s1600/0fd1eb496d184bac92cb9499f9056665_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eepvHPKrKOE/USWLi6zb0lI/AAAAAAAAAp4/zU-Cs7okwAI/s200/0fd1eb496d184bac92cb9499f9056665_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Incidentally,
this dopamine pathway likely helps explain why buproprion (a common
anti-depressant) has been shown to be weight neutral to actually weight
negative. It works by prolonging the
exposure of dopamine in your brain.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 14.25pt;"><i>CORTISOL –</i></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;"> Cortisol
and stress are best buddies. When stress
goes up, cortisol goes up with it. When cortisol
levels rise in most people, their response is to eat. And they preferentially crave fat and
sugar. We </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">are not</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;"> sure exactly why this
is, but scientist theorize that this may be the natural reaction of our body to
early forms of stress (starvation/illness).
It stands to reason that if the body suspected metabolic stress it would
do what it could to prepare for it by gathering resources (fat) for the future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>SUGARS WITHOUT FIBER</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At least a few times
since starting my knowledge quest on nutrition I have had people say to me “but
fructose is fruit sugar, its natural”.
This statement has two bits of faulty logic. <i>1) The
belief that natural is healthy. </i>There
are lots of things in nature that will kill you. Being naturally occurring has nothing to do
with being healthy for you. Cocaine,
arsenic, and tobacco are all naturally occurring and pretty bad for you. <i>2)
The belief that all fructose is equivalent.</i> In the liver, fructose is fructose, enough
said. However how it gets there is
vastly different. Almost all naturally
occurring fructose is conveniently packaged in nature with a whole lot of
FIBER. Fiber speeds up transit in the
gut which leads to less absorption of fructose as well as stimulating an
earlier satiety signal to the brain which helps you to stop eating. Added sugar, fruit juices, and HFCS are
rarely packaged by companies with fiber.
This is because soluble fiber attracts moisture and reduces the shelf life of products
while insoluble fibers add bulk (weight) to an object without improving taste
(cost more to produce without increasing sales).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>I WAS MADE THIS WAY</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3iySWrOofz4/USWK6p2YJII/AAAAAAAAApw/HIYtczmb1dA/s1600/fat-baby-03-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3iySWrOofz4/USWK6p2YJII/AAAAAAAAApw/HIYtczmb1dA/s320/fat-baby-03-thumb.jpg" width="206" /></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;">The scary part about all of this knowledge is that we may already
be genetically programmed to be fat. We
are born with all the fat cells we will ever have. How big they become is largely dependent on
our diet but the total number is decided while we are in the womb. Insulin is what causes the production of fat
cells in the fetus. So if mom had higher
base levels of insulin from years of excess sugar consumption then baby is more
likely to have more fat cells at birth!
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;">We know this is true because mom’s with gestational diabetes have much heavier babies on average. <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=mothers-pregnancy-weight" target="_blank"> We also know that the birth weights of today’s children are much higher than past generations and this is largely attributed to larger weight gains in pregnancy and higher circulating levels of insulin! </a>Depressing </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">isn't</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;"> it.</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 14.25pt;"> Well it gets
worse. For most of the 60’s, 70’s, and
80’s we had a huge decrease in breastfeeding and huge increase in formula
feeding of babies. Some mom’s don’t have
a choice between breast or formula, but a lot do. A lot choose formula. Well guess what. A 100ml serving of liquid formula has between
11-12 grams of sugar. The same size
serving of breast milk is 7-7.5 grams! We are training our babies to crave sweeter substances right from birth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>ALL THOSE BAD THINGS</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the last article I
mentioned that sugar and fructose in particular can lead to a lot of bad
things. We already talked about diabetes
and obesity but ponder these as well:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>BLOOD PRESSURE &
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION –</i> Fructose breakdown requires nitrous oxide (NO)
utilization. NO is our natural dilator
of blood vessels. With less around we
have more vasoconstriction leading to higher blood pressure. NO is also needed to achieve and maintain an
erection (Viagra works by helping NO bind to another substance). Less NO means
less erection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>HIGH CHOLESTEROL </i>–
Fructose breakdown also produces VLDL, the worst kind of LDL or “bad
cholesterol”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>GOUT – </i>Fructose
breakdown also <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120913104121.htm" target="_blank">produces uric acid which will form gout crystals</a> if levels get
to high<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<i style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROM & INFERTILITY –</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> increased insulin leads to increased body fat which leads to PCOS in women.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">PCOS patients have deregulation of their hormone axis leading to infertility.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">PCOS patients are sometimes treated by giving them a diabetes drug (metformin) which actually makes your tissues more sensitive to insulin and thus potentially decreases your circulating insulin levels!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DIABETES </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> VASCULAR DISEASE </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">à</span></i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i> STROKE & HEART
ATTACK –</i> Just a reminder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>ALZHEIMER'S - </i>And just to upset my
older readers I thought I would <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/17/carb-diet-alzheimers/1637481/" target="_blank">point out this article</a>, which showed a tendency
toward higher rates of Alzheimer’s in those with carbohydrate heavy diets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>ABOUT THAT EXERCISING</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My latest writings
have been almost solely focused on nutritional changes, and in particular sugar
reduction. I do not want people however
to ignore the benefits of exercise. Exercise
does burn calories. Intense exercise may
not burn as much as I previously thought when compared with light exercise but
it definitely does burn calories and a whole lot more than no activity at
all. You can estimates calories burned
per mile of running (0.75 x weight) versus walking (0.53 x weight) and clearly see
a difference. Exercise has other added
benefits as well. Exercise improves
skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity (also what the diabetic drug metformin
does) which allows your body to produce less insulin to produce the same effect. Less insulin is a good thing. Exercise reduces stress which leads to lower
cortisol production which reduces both blood pressure and appetite. Finally, exercise increases your bodies
metabolic pathways (TCA cycle runs faster) which increases liver insulin
sensitivity and decreases the conversion of fructose to fat! So please, don’t stop exercising!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hopefully by the
start of next week I will have finished part four where I will discuss hidden
sugars, diet tips, the diet I recommend, and even some sample menus in the final installment: <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-challenge.html" target="_blank">The FAT Challenge</a>. Until then consider buying one of these two books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Chance-Beating-Against-Processed/dp/159463100X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361416540&sr=8-1&keywords=fat+chance" target="_blank">FAT CHANCE</a>: Dr. Robert Lustig</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About/dp/0307474259/ref=pd_sim_b_4" target="_blank">WHY WE GET FAT</a>: Gary Taubes</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1685966294195541479.post-85376124227269344112013-02-15T17:55:00.002-06:002013-09-02T10:04:06.730-05:00The FAT In Sugar<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i> “What if how much you eat and how much you
exercise is much less important than WHAT you eat? What if what
nutritionist and dietitians (and thus the doctors they teach) have
been wrong for the last 25 years?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That was the end of my
last post. If you are reading this and
you have not read part 1: <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-me.html" target="_blank">The FAT In Me</a>, Please do so. Let’s take a look at what I was getting at.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Three weeks ago a
simple dietary question started me on an exploration of the diet world as well
as current trends in nutrition. During
the process I came across a lecture from 2008, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM&list=PL39F782316B425249" target="_blank">SUGAR: THE BITTER TRUTH</a>, by Dr.
Robert Lustig. This lecture, along with
several follow-up lectures and articles has led to my new nutritional awareness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr. Lustig is a very
well-known and respected physician who is an expert on treating obesity. In his lecture he presents, in my opinion,
near indisputable evidence that the cause of most obesity in this country is in
fact SUGAR. In particular, it is the
sugar fructose that he implicates as the white devil. We know that increased caloric intake leads
to obesity and diabetes. However, Dr.
Lustig shows that when the PERCENTAGE OF CALORIES FROM SUGAR goes up but
calories remain the same, the correlation to diabetes and obesity because much
more pronounced! Dr. Lustig shows <b>IT'S
NOT JUST THE CALORIES, ITS SUGAR CALORIES.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVlVJ8aOD8E/UR7Ja0VaqsI/AAAAAAAAApM/1_6rPOEuenI/s1600/medium_139793866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVlVJ8aOD8E/UR7Ja0VaqsI/AAAAAAAAApM/1_6rPOEuenI/s400/medium_139793866.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaibara/139793866/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not one to fall
for the latest fad research topic so I did my due diligence to both myself and
my patients and began to research this topic at length. I warn you though, it is hard to ignore what
Dr. Lustig is getting at given he provides ample scientific proof. <u>What I found is that most nutritionists now agree
with him.</u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can probably get
more out of watching his lecture than reading my synopsis but I will try to
make it a lot easier to understand. Let’s
first explore metabolism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our bodies need fuel
to run. We take in fuel in the form of
food and break it down through various processes to form energy. This “fuel” comes in one of three forms: FAT, PROTEIN, or CARBOHYDRATES. Let’s take a
closer look at each component and the diets based on those components. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>FAT: </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O3BOvtHlUUQ/UR7JaltB3FI/AAAAAAAAAo8/tt_IUu43Y6M/s1600/small_2461225394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O3BOvtHlUUQ/UR7JaltB3FI/AAAAAAAAAo8/tt_IUu43Y6M/s200/small_2461225394.jpg" width="157" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/benchilada/2461225394/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dietary fats (triglycerides) are broken down in the gut and
converted into fatty acids. These fatty
acids are then further manipulated before going to various tissues of the
body. The cells can then either burn
them for fuel or store them as fat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here lies the principle of the low fat diet (ADA, USDA, DASH). In theory if we take in less fat we will have
less fat to store. Seems sound, but the
evidence doesn’t show it. I have plenty
of obese patients that eat low fat diets.
According to research described by Dr. Lustig, the average American has
reduced the percentage of fat in their diet by 10% over the last 30 years (From
35% to 25%) yet we continue to get fatter.
Meanwhile the percentage of calories from carbohydrates has continued to
rise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Low fat diets have some flaws.
Fat consumption leads to earlier satiety than protein or carbohydrates
and generally foods that are higher in fats tend to taste better as well. These two principles make low fat diets
difficult to stick with. Also studies
show that when people embark on diets that are low in fat, they will replace
the missing calories most often with carbohydrates rather than protein either
purposely or unintentionally. We will
get to why this is bad in just a little bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>PROTEIN:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zoh86MAy5rE/UR7Jaz8EgOI/AAAAAAAAApE/TMDvIZ6sdRI/s1600/small__4734719452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zoh86MAy5rE/UR7Jaz8EgOI/AAAAAAAAApE/TMDvIZ6sdRI/s200/small__4734719452.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anotherpintplease/4734719452/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Protein metabolism is much simpler
to explain although the process is actually rather complex. When protein is ingested it is broken down
through a number of processes into amino acids.
Amino acids can then be used to either directly to form cellular energy or
can be converted to glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. This process occurs only in very minute
amounts unless blood sugar is low. This
is the concept behind the high protein diets (ATKINS, ZONE, SOUTH BEACH). The super low levels of carbohydrate drive
down blood glucose levels which drives your body to look preferentially to
protein and fat as energy sources. In
general these “dieting” techniques are actually quite effective but they tend
to produce a lot of bad byproducts and they are very hard to stick to long
term.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>CARBOHYDRATES:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Carbohydrates are essentially
sugars. They come in many forms but in
the end they all get broken down into one of four basic monosaccharaides
(sugars). Since glucose and fructose are
far more common than the other two, we will focus on them. There are not many high carb diets although
the ORNISH diet is one that is high in “low glycemic index” carbohydrates while
being very low in protein and fat. The
ORNISH diet is also usually calorie restricted and is extremely high in fiber
while being relatively lower in fructose.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vgnICvJTXWM/UR7Jaz3NWpI/AAAAAAAAApI/PIDSH7p5dJ8/s1600/medium_3387074828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vgnICvJTXWM/UR7Jaz3NWpI/AAAAAAAAApI/PIDSH7p5dJ8/s200/medium_3387074828.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyjcase/3387074828/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>GLUCOSE –</b> Is the essentially sugar on which all animals
function. An example would be the
natural sugars found in a slice of bread.
Your body readily consumes glucose as energy. In fact
80% of the glucose you eat is burned off.
The other 20% is transported to the liver. During processing of the liver portion, 30%
of this will be converted to fat regardless of your activity level. However a very high activity level could then
lead to fat breakdown for increased energy need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>FRUCTOSE –</b> Fructose is the sugar
found naturally in most fruits. It is
also found in High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and table sugar. Fructose is much sweeter than glucose. Your body can not readily use fructose thus 100%
of all fructose consumed must be broken down in the liver. Like glucose, 30% of the liver metabolized
portion will be converted to fat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let’s take a look at
what I just said via a mathematical example:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Glucose Breakdown (120
calorie sample): </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">96 calorie burned
(80%) </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 24 calorie to liver (20%) </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"><b> 7.2 calorie to FAT (30%)</b></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Sucrose Breakdown (120
calorie sample, 50% fructose): </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">60 calories glucose </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 48 calorie burned </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 12 calorie to liver </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 3.6 calorie to fat</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">60 calories fructose</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 0 calorie burned </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 60 calorie to liver </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 18 calorie to fat</span></li>
<ul><ul><ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"><b>18
+ 3.6 = 21.6 calories to FAT</b></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>HFCS (120 calorie sample,
55% fructose): </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">54 calories fructose<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span>43 calorie burned<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span>11 calorie to liver<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> </span>3.3 calorie to fat</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">66 calories fructose</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 0 calorie burned </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 66 calorie to liver </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;">à</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"> 20.4 calorie to fat</span></li>
<ul><ul><ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 13.5pt;"><b>20.4
+ 2.1 = 23.7 calories to FAT</b></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">WOW!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The math demonstrates Dr.
Lustig’s key point; while all calories are in fact calories, they do not all
behave the same in the body. Even more important is the realization that
FRUCTOSE is making us fat. An alarmingly
large amount of the fructose you consume is directly converted to fat during
processing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sadly, fructose
consumption continues to rise. Early
humans consumed around 15 grams of fructose a day, almost all of which was
packaged with natural fibers to delay digestion and absorption (This decreases
the percentage of the fructose that is converted to fat). <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2525476/" target="_blank">Fructose in the American diet has almostdoubled from 37 grams a day in the 1970’s to well over 60 grams of fructose daily! </a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Everything I just wrote
boils down to this: SOME people get fat
because they eat too many calories and exercise to little. However MOST people get fat because they eat <i>the
wrong kind of calories.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Check
back in another week or so when I following up with part 3 of the series: <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-you.html" target="_blank">The FAT In You!</a> </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1685966294195541479.post-78725544712048823312013-02-10T09:05:00.000-06:002013-02-15T17:58:06.142-06:00The FAT In Me<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VK_ZfMG4Sgc/URezO9GQJfI/AAAAAAAAAok/jS3Sd5Wxrww/s1600/small__2453631636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VK_ZfMG4Sgc/URezO9GQJfI/AAAAAAAAAok/jS3Sd5Wxrww/s320/small__2453631636.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/malingering/2453631636/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m fat. F A T. It’s sad really. I give advice to people every day about
weight loss, exercise, and diet. Yet I’m
fat. I am not always a follower of my
own advice. This is also not a new
development. I weigh 203 pounds. I am 70” tall. That works out to a BMI of 29.1. As a physician, I know that means I am
overweight (BMI of 25-30). Just for
reference, the ideal weight of a 5’10” average framed male is 165lbs or
so. I have struggled most of my adult life with
weight control. I like to cook, like to
eat, and definitely like to enjoy my wine.
I have always felt my problem is that I “like” too much. I overeat. In fact I have always looked at weight gain as being either an issue of overeating or lack of activity. Overeater's generally come in two varieties: 1) people with relatively healthy diets but who consume to much of it (too much of anything is bad); 2) people who only eat 2-3 times per day but choose to eat fast foods, fried foods, and packaged meals (garbage in = garbage out).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My Data:<o:p></o:p></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">AGE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">WEIGHT<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">HEIGHT<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">BMI<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
17<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
165<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
68<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>25.1<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
18<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
160<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
69<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>23.6<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
22<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
225<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>32.3<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
24<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
175<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>25.1<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
26<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
205<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>29.4<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
29<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
195<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>28.0<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
30<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
210<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>30.1<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
31<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
180<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>25.8<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.9pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 13.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
33<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 125.4pt;" valign="top" width="167"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
203<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 114.1pt;" valign="top" width="152"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.6pt;" valign="top" width="159"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b>29.1<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is my actual life data.
Since finishing puberty (I was a late bloomer) I have had but one very
short period of my life when I would not have been considered by medicine to be
overweight. A visual inspection however
would likely have not agreed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sadly, most of patients wouldn't say that I am fat. Some may say I am “little” overweight. In actuality though, most of us are fat. In fact the average American is 25lbs
heavier today than they were 30 years ago.
And it’s not just the very obese that are skewing the data. Even thin Americans are fatter than they use
to be. A <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/150947/Self-Reported-Weight-Nearly-Pounds-1990.aspx" target="_blank">Gallup poll</a> done over the last
20 years shows that our weight has gone up by roughly 20lbs during that period
but more alarming is that our perception of whom is fat (or rather what we think
is ideal) has also gone up by over 10! It
appears that much like beauty, FAT may be in the eye of the beholder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Obesity has been present throughout history but on a whole
the average weight of Americans has been going up since the 1940’s but the rate
at which we are getting fat has rapidly increased since 1980. Most medical literature, including the
<a href="http://www.voxeu.org/article/100-years-us-obesity" target="_blank">conclusions of this study</a>, noted this to likely be due to a general shift to a more
sedentary lifestyle (a shift away from the farm and to the city). However that doesn't quite make sense does
it? Suburbs have existed as far back as
the 30’s and 40’s. America did not see a
massive decline in the farming population in the 70’s. In fact that move occurred much earlier
(30’s). USDA states on their site that
Urban Americans have outnumbered rural Americans since the 1920s! Also, it is important to point out that not
all farmers are heavy workers. It doesn't take a great deal of physical effort to grow crops since the advent of
the tractor and harvesters. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Energy use by people has declined and that most likely has
been part of the problem but is it all?
Ask yourself this question: Did
my grandparents ever go to the gym or for a run? Fast food has also been listed as a cause and
no doubt contributes as well but remember than most fast food chains have been
around since the 1960’s and there are plenty of fat Americans that almost never
eat fast food.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The weight gain mantra is that increased weight is due to either
a lack of exercise or an overabundance of intake. In fact that is what I and most doctors are
taught in school. For years we have
thought of weight gain by this equation:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Change in weight = Calories In – Calories Out</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The national institute on health even preaches this mantra
on their webpage here. This is so
ingrained in medical teaching that until very recently one would be laughed out
of the building to suggest otherwise. But
what if that isn't true? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uEJhkPJ0pAk/URezctxLkBI/AAAAAAAAAos/rqs_lcbzL8M/s1600/small__4222532649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uEJhkPJ0pAk/URezctxLkBI/AAAAAAAAAos/rqs_lcbzL8M/s1600/small__4222532649.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4222532649/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What if how much you eat and how much you exercise is much less
important than WHAT you eat? What if
what nutritionist and dietitians (and thus the doctors they teach) have been wrong
for the last 25 years is wrong? Everything they have taught you would also be wrong!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the last few weeks I have spent an incredible amount of
my free time reading about that very question.
I learned that the Paleo diet may just be better than I thought. I learned that not all calories are created
equal. And I learned that obesity is
much more than a problem of abundance. Later
this week I will share my findings and hopefully be able to offer up some decent
medical advice as well. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The research seems to say that weight isn't a simple
mathematical equation. What type of
calories you consume may be more important long term than how much your consume
or how much you burn off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the scholars among my readers I highly recommend you
check out the following which will be the basis of my next post:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2-FeUTLgJ_0/URezFj1uXJI/AAAAAAAAAoc/vjmTQr1eIKA/s1600/oliverb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2-FeUTLgJ_0/URezFj1uXJI/AAAAAAAAAoc/vjmTQr1eIKA/s320/oliverb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dldewey.com/columns/lausd.htm" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM&list=PL39F782316B425249" target="_blank">Sugar: The BitterTruth</a> – 90 minute lecture that just blew my mind (its the 10th video)</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMjKEncojQ" target="_blank">Sugar:The Bitter Truth (short version)</a> – 12 minute summary of above by a fan</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAqcbQByeec&list=PL39F782316B425249" target="_blank">The Skinny on Obesity</a> – A collection of 5-10 minute videos
breaking down the above lecture</li>
<li><a href="http://vimeo.com/54861706" target="_blank">Calories vs. Carbohydrates</a> – 35 minute lecture on why not
all calories are equal</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&" target="_blank">Is Sugar Toxic</a> – NY Times article by the author of Calories
vs. Carbohydrates that brings it all together</li>
</ul>
<div>
On to Part 2: <a href="http://ddtheory.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-fat-in-sugar.html" target="_blank">The FAT In Sugar</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1685966294195541479.post-4875408687514217052013-01-31T17:29:00.000-06:002013-02-01T07:19:41.072-06:00The Next Fad Diet?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This post was not originally on my list of potential upcoming topics but was spurred in part by two different questions I was asked. The first was at a recent public event I participated in. A question asked to the cardiologist on the panel and later passed on to me was in regard to the healthiness s of low carbohydrate/high protein diets. The cardiologist provided a brief and sound although slightly incorrect answer. I continued his own response by explaining the differences between “dieting” and “lifestyle change” (which I will come back to later) as well as a short break down of several of the more popular diets in question. The next day I received an email from my sister in-law asking me about “The Paleo Diet”. This was an important email for two completely different reasons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>While I was familiar with the paleo diet, my familiarity was only based on what little I had read from a magazine article and seen summarized on the paleodiet.com. The email provided a spark which has led to a great deal of further reading</li>
<li>This was to my knowledge, the first time my sister-in-law had ever asked my medical opinion of something. Ah…warm fuzzy feeling.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y7F_qNF31oc/UQr8NdSQniI/AAAAAAAAAn0/TSOn7wLGv9E/s1600/small__5961891157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y7F_qNF31oc/UQr8NdSQniI/AAAAAAAAAn0/TSOn7wLGv9E/s1600/small__5961891157.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50193753@N02/5961891157/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Paleolithic Diet (or hunter-gather diet) is comprised of high quantities of lean meats, fruits, and vegetables with minimal to no processed carbohydrates, dairy, potatoes or legumes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The exact definition per <a href="http://thepaleodiet.com/">thepaleodiet.com</a> is:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Paleo Diet is based upon eating wholesome, contemporary foods from the food groups our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on during the Paleolithic era, the time period from about 2.6 million years ago to the beginning of the agricultural revolution, about 10,000 years ago. These foods include fresh meats, fish, seafood, fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and healthful oils. Dairy products, cereal grains, legumes, refined sugars and processed foods were not part of our ancestral menu.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It all sounds well and good but is it? Read on while I blow some serious holes in this dietary theory while pointing out its strong points as well. My synopsis is included at the end and may surprise you. It is also important to realize that the paleolithic diet principles are based mostly on evolutionary concepts than actual nutrient fullfillment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE CLAIMS (and rebuttal):</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OLdMndQcz5I/UQr9PbmdjgI/AAAAAAAAAoM/v3m8_mDc2YA/s1600/ec29e0ac0d735647bc03f811c236453c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OLdMndQcz5I/UQr9PbmdjgI/AAAAAAAAAoM/v3m8_mDc2YA/s320/ec29e0ac0d735647bc03f811c236453c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1920&bih=912&tbm=isch&tbnid=UzlvAq1asfghmM:&imgrefurl=http://www.examiner.com/article/unearth-and-discover-the-paleo-diet&docid=KCydNWkWCUHUTM&imgurl=http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/ec/29/ec29e0ac0d735647bc03f811c236453c.jpg&w=448&h=313&ei=6vwKUfLkEMjVqQHrvoGAAw&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:40,s:0,i:241&iact=rc&dur=4945&sig=107484901734594261052&page=2&tbnh=167&tbnw=222&start=32&ndsp=41&tx=143&ty=99" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Genetic Adaptation –</b> The general principle of the paleo diet is that humans are genetically adapted to the diet of our ancestors who were for the most part hunter-gathers until the advent of agriculture and animal husbandry around 12,000 years ago. After all, those that couldn't adapt to the food sources available were not destined to carry on. The paleo diet seems to ignore the fact that we did not stop evolving 12,000 years ago. In fact DNA evidence from early genetic ancestors reveals that many had poor ability to process dairy, starch, and gluten. However today, a vast majority of European and African descendants can fully process dairy without difficulty due to gene adaptation. Further, gluten intolerance, while all the rage on the bookshelf, is actually only found in about 1 out of every 300 Caucasians and is even less common in other races. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Diseases of civilization –</b> Paleo enthusiasts claim that the “western diet” has lead to “diseases of civilization” including cancers, heart disease, hypertension, and obesity. They claim these did not exist prior to the advent of the western diet. There a few problems with this line of reasoning.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>No evidence – We have no idea if those in the Paleolithic or early human era suffered these diseases. No records exist and there is very little physical remains left to make such an assumption. Rather this concept is based on observational studies of a few small hunter-gather tribes that still exist today. These tribes have very limited genetic variation and numerous other factors that likely contribute to their lack of “diseases of civilization”. It’s correlation without causation.</li>
<li>Life Span – Almost all diseases of civilization occur much later in life except perhaps obesity which has more to do with reduced activity (sedentary) than it does with the actual diet. You can eat at McDonalds every day and run 20 miles and not gain weight. Our ancestor’s possible lack of these diseases was due to their 30 year life span, not their diet. They didn't have time to develop these diseases. And why was the life span so short? Mostly due to acquired disease (germs) and malnutrition!</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Meat Eaters –</b> Like many newer diets this one advocates for large amounts of lean protein. The goal is get 55-60% of your energy from animal sources per the website. That isn't such a bad goal but what most people equate that to is 55% of their plate. In general protein is much more calorie dense and it likely would take only 10-20% of your intake in volume to equal 55% of your energy need. Thus many people on the paleo diet are actually consuming much more protein than the diet actually advocates for. This is not a fault of the paleo diet but rather that of many of the participants.<br />
<br />
<b>Yeah Veggies & Fruits - </b>The paleo diet is much less restrictive than Atkins and even South Beach in regards to vegetable and fruit consumption. It emphasizes both soluble and non-soluble fiber intake. This is one of the ideal aspects of going paleo.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Grains, legumes and potatoes are bad –</b> While I am not a huge supporter of processed foods or baked goods, whole grains are for the most part not a bad part of a healthy diet. The problem usually comes from the ease in which one can overindulge in carbohydrate dense products. Contrary to paleo supporter’s statements, most people can fully process and utilize whole grain foods which have good fiber content as well. Food anthropologists state that grains, root vegetables, potatoes, and legumes began being domesticated about 10-11,000 years ago but were likely “gathered” by earlier humans for many years before we developed for agriculture. These earlier humans wouldn't have taken the time and effort to domesticate food sources that they were unable to tolerate/process. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>No Dairy –</b> Dairy is generally avoided in the paleo diet based more on principles of Paleolithic availability rather than actual dietary guidance. Dairy based products would not have been available until the advent of animal husbandry 10,000 or so years ago. Most humans, especially Europeans now carry the genes needed to process dairy and there is evidence of cheese production going back as far as 7-8000 years ago! The paleo diet in its pure forms appears to be significantly lacking in calcium. Its an odd restriction to me. If you were a classic car guy would you not use seat belts because they didn't use to have them?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Malnutrition – </b>Our ancestors likely needed a massively larger quantity of calories to fuel their hunter-gatherer life style thus necessitating the large amount of animal sources for food. (Unfortunately it does not take a whole lot of energy to hunt for the stapler and gather papers in the office). Some estimate that early humans required as much as 4000 calories a day. Gathering 4000 calories worth of vegetable matter a day would be very difficult in many areas of the paleolithic world (however I can do it in my pantry while staying on one shelf). Further, most areas of the world have a fairly limited variety of naturally occurring food plants. Thus most hunter-gathers would have had a restrictive diet leading to significant deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals especially calcium. Those in colder environments likely lived off of purely animal sources for months at a time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>The Acid-Base Balance –</b> I have decided to not spend a great deal of time on this aspect however from what I have read the evidence behind this principle is good in theory however I have doubts as to how much diet actually plays a role.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Salt, Sugar, and Alcohol (aka “the good stuff”) –</b> I don’t like diets that eliminate these purely on principle. People tend to crave these items when they are missing from a balanced diet and cravings often lead to failure of the diet. This is likely why many nutritionists feel the paleo diet is very hard to stick with.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EAjpH8FG8tY/UQr8PtKOquI/AAAAAAAAAn8/uWeZSZflf18/s1600/small_2228452449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EAjpH8FG8tY/UQr8PtKOquI/AAAAAAAAAn8/uWeZSZflf18/s1600/small_2228452449.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpeschetz/2228452449/" target="_blank">Photo Credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<ol>
<li>Added sugar is generally regarded as a poor dietary principle. A little is okay once in a while but no one thinks it’s good for you in abundance. </li>
<li>Alcohol on the other hand has minimal nutrient value but does have several other healthy qualities in limited quantity. Our Paleolithic ancestors likely didn’t consume but they surely would have had they known how to make it. </li>
<li>Salt is perhaps the most obvious and yet controversial restriction of this diet. A diet without added salt tends to be a diet without much flavor. The evidence against salt is actually very poor. While Americans consume more salt than recommended on a whole only a small percentage of people actually have negative consequences of this. Salt restriction while a staple of hypertension treatment has actually only been shown to improve blood pressure in a small percentage of patients. If you haven’t read the book, <u>Salt: A World History</u>, I highly suggest it. You can get it here: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Salt-World-History-Mark-Kurlansky/dp/0142001619" target="_blank">SALT</a></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TIDBITS:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A 2011 ranking by U.S. News & World Report, involving a panel of 22 experts, ranked the Paleo diet lowest of the 20 diets evaluated based on factors including health, weight-loss and ease of following. I personally think that is odd as the paleo diet is easier to follow than several other fad diets. I do though suspect that it is likely not a great weight loss diet unless it is a drastic change from your current diet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The largest proponent of the paleo diet is nutritionist Dr. Loren Cordain. Dr. Cordain has published numerous articles about the paleo diet approach and is very well educated in the field. Unfortunately most of his publications are either observational studies or of very limited sample size and length. Dr. Cordain has written numerous books on the subject and makes his living through sales of paleo diet related literature. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>REVIEW & RECOMMENDATION</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Paleolithic diet is definitely not my favorite diet. But overall it’s not a horrible diet. In fact I think it has many sound principles. I love the focus on vegetables and lean meats however I think some of its restrictions are based on poor science at best. I do think the paleo diet would be a difficult lifestyle to stick to. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I advocate for my patients to keep their diet focused on large amounts of both fresh and cooked vegetables, fresh fruits, leans meats, and healthy fats much like the paleo diet. However I encourage the use of lean dairy and limited whole grains and legumes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The most important factor when deciding on a diet is not necessarily the principles, but the ability to follow through with it long term. When I talk to patients about their weight and diet I try to get them to focus on a LIFESTYLE CHANGE. Any “fad diet” can get you to drop a few pounds quickly but in the end almost everyone puts that weight back on when they stop “dieting”. It’s not about dieting it’s about changing your nutritional life style.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>DO<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> </b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lean meats & eggs<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fresh & cooked vegetables (including legumes)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fresh & frozen <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>fruits</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Potatoes – limit 1-2 times weekly</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pasta or rice – limit 1-2 times weekly</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Olive, canola, or grape seed oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Butter (limited)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Low fat milk and yogurt</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cheese (limited)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nuts and seeds<br />
<br />
<b>DON'T</b><br />
Extra bread with meals<br />
Processed baked goods<br />
Non-whole grains<br />
High fructose corn syrup<br />
Added sugar & sweet beverages<br />
Fried foods<br />
Margarine</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A GOOD DAY:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Breakfast –</i> Greek yogurt and fresh fruit or cooked egg on slice of bread<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Lunch – </i>Mixed greens with fresh vegetables and 3oz of lean protein or cheese<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Snack –</i> Cottage cheese, piece of fruit, or handful of nuts<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Dinner – </i>2 servings of sautéed vegetables, 5-6oz of lean protein, and 1 serving of carbohydrate<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Dessert – </i>Fruit, bite of chocolate, or glass of wine</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>RESOURCES:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://thepaleodiet.com/">https://thepaleodiet.com</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-review-the-caveman-paleo-diet">http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-review-the-caveman-paleo-diet</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/paleo-diet_b_889349.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/paleo-diet_b_889349.html</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0