Archive for August 30, 2013

Fun Facts on Cholesterol and Statins

dog suntanningHow about some Cholesterol facts to take you into the Holiday Weekend?

Cholesterol isn’t a dangerous substance that our body sadly makes a ton  of, that goes straight to our arteries and causes plaque build up.  Cholesterol is a Gift from God, seriously.   Our liver sends it to heal areas of damage and inflammation in our body. It’s an antioxidant.  Cholesterol is also a “recipe” component of Vitamin D; all our adrenal and sex hormones (no Testosterone or Estrogen without it); every SINGLE cell membrane; our neurotransmitter receptors (want your Serotonin?); and our bile salts (they break down fats).   And that’s a short list.  You can’t live without cholesterol, and studies, (study after study after study for decades) show that people with higher cholesterol LIVE LONGER.  Here’s a blurb from Dr. Brownsteins Blog about women and mortality:” Compared to those with a cholesterol of less than 190mg/dL, women with cholesterol levels from 190-308mg/dL had a 41-43% reduction in all-cause mortalitySimilarly to men, cholesterol levels over 308mg/dL had an insignificant (2%) rise in all-cause mortality.”   Don’t hear that every day, do you.  Cholesterol is CARDIO-PROTECTIVE.  The pharmaceutical industry’s push to get you to lower cholesterol has been about money, not your health.  There’s a great analogy that blaming cholesterol for your heart disease is like blaming the firemen at the scene of the fire.  They’re there to put out the fire, they didn’t cause it.

If you’re one of the more than 30 million Americans on a statin drug, maybe you should rethink that.  The side-effect list of these drugs is scary:  memory loss and confusion, muscle weakness, liver damage – we’ve all heard these; but did you know that about 60,000 people A YEAR are developing Type 2 Diabetes from their statin drug?  (if that’s happened to you, different law firms are running ads looking for clients to represent – maybe some settlement money will ease the pain.)  And what about someone who’s already Diabetic being put on a statin?  Diabetes is a condition of too much glucose/blood sugar, and too much insulin.  Guess what increases blood glucose and insulin?  Statin Drugs!  Hmm.    Oh, and Insulin – which is a very irritating, damaging hormone – damages the arteries, which causes the liver to makeeat the junk food cholesterol to send to the site of the damage and patch it up.  So the statin drug that lowers cholesterol, supposedly to prevent heart disease ( studies show it doesn’t), actually causes damage to the cardiovascular system.    Here’s another tidbit about statins:  we now know that some types of cholesterol have more potential to cause damage than other types (small, dense LDLs are more prone to oxidation than large, fluffy LDL, ONLY oxidized cholesterol is dangerous;   HDL is considered cardio-protective).  Statins lower ALL cholesterol – not just small, dense LDLs.  There’s NO drug that can do that.  There’s also NO drug that raises HDL.   Diet does though – the right diet.  Lower carbohydrate, higher fat diets,( that keep your blood glucose in the NORMAL range of 80 – 100mg/dcl), lower LDL and raise HDL.  This diet also lowers your triglycerides, which are a DIRECT reflection of the amount of carbohydrate you eat. (the success rate of Standard Health Advice, i.e. eat low fat, high carb, exercise a ton, has failed abysmally) Did you know that for all the triglycerides you make out of your excess carbs, your liver has to make LDL – small and dense, to transport it? Isn’t that interesting??!!!  I just learned that last week.  Interested in learning more yourself?  Here’s a Dr. Mercola article, or you could pick up this book:http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Cholesterol-Myth-Disease/dp/1592335217, or this book:  http://www.amazon.com/Cholesterol-Clarity-What-Wrong-Numbers/dp/1936608383.

catsdogsschoolReview:  lower your cholesterol with a statin drug, and you’ll also:  lower your production of Vitamin D; lower your production of sex and adrenal hormones;  decrease integrity of your cell membranes; impede your neurotransmitter uptake (serotonin, dopamine, gaba..) lower your ability to heal wounds; and raise your risk for artery damage, Type 2 diabetes, liver damage, muscle weakness and soreness, and memory loss.  OH!!  Some of the same cells that produce cholesterol also produce CoQ10 – an enzyme that’s vital for the jobs of every single cell in our body. Turn off cholesterol, turn off C0Q10.   Wow.  That’s a long list, and I haven’t even covered everything.

There’s some food for thought (Real Whole Food), for the long holiday weekend.  Happy Labor Day!

 

Eat for Health, Weight Loss is a Side-Effect

I received an email that I think expresses how a lot of people feel when they read my posts:

Hi Debbie,

I understand that you’re saying that there’s some nutritional benefits to eating Real Whole Foods, even if they contain fats, but if I do, I’m afraid I’ll gain weight, and I need to lose weight. 

There’s more, but you get the point.  Folks, we get fat from excess carbohydrates, vegetable oils and trans fats, artificial sweeteners, toxins/chemicals in our water, food, personal care products and the drugs we take, alcohol (excess carbs), and stress (cortisol compels glucose and insulin into the blood stream).  We don’t get fat from Real Whole Foods I PROMISE!!!  The whole Calories/Fat/Cholesterol/Diet Foods Stuff – it’s all wrong.  We can just fat ratlook around and see that Diets Don’t Work; about 50 million Americans go on a diet each year, many lose weight, between 1 and 4% keep if off.  Weight:  skyrocketing – we’re up to 70% overweight as a country now.  Heart disease, Cancer, Stroke, Auto-Immune conditions, Mood Disorders, GERD/reflux, Migraines/Headaches:  skyrocketing.

What causes all these health disorders?  Excess carbohydrates, vegetable oils and trans fats, artificial sweeteners, toxins and chemicals in our water/ food/ personal care products and the drugs we take, alcohol (excess carbs and hard on liver),  and stress (cortisol/glucose/insulin). These things impede our livers, cause inflammation throughout the body, and stimulate addictive pathways in our brain.

When you eat Real Whole Food for your health, the weight comes off – forever.  We’re not made to be sick and overweight, that’s a state we create by our daily choices and habits.  We have such power to change this.  Eat for Health and the weight comes off.

Do you believe me, but have a hard time eating well consistently?  Beef up your knowledge.  Read the blogs, listen to the podcasts, buy the books, fill your head with nutrition facts that make making the right choice easier and more natural, less effort.  Know what I mean?  Thewheatbelly Wheatbelly Doctor (Dr. William Davis) was on livinlavidalowcarb yesterday.  Before he was the Wheatbelly Dr., he was the Track Your Plaque Cardiologist.  He’s amazing.  He’s talking about Cholesterol and Heart Disease here :http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/8510/718-cholesterol-clarity-interview-with-cardiologist-dr-william-davis/.  Take the time to listen in your car, in your kitchen, or while you’re walking/running.  Fill your mind with ammunition!

Time to say Adios.  I’ve got coconut milk with chocolate mint leaves steaming on the stove, and then I’m off to teach two classes this morning:  Booty Camp and Centergy – I still love group fitness after 26 years:).  The coconut milk/chocolate mint is for this ice mint chip icecreamcreamhttp://civilizedcavemancooking.com/grain-free-goodies/mint-chip-ice-cream-against-all-grain-book-review/.   I’m changing the recipe slightly, using only coconut milk and cream, no almond milk, adding raw eggs, and a whole avocado instead of a third.  Do I think this is a junk food?  Absolutely Not!  These are nutrient dense ingredients – foods like these make my family healthier, don’t stimulate addictive behaviors, and leave us all feeling very satiated.  Choose Real Whole Foods-

Workshop Tonight, and Cholesterol/Health Resources

WORKSHOP REMINDER:  I’ve got another workshop/talk planned on Blood Sugar, and it’s relationship and effect on Weight, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Thyroid, and Mood.  The date is TODAY, August 28, 6-8pm,  the charge is $30/person, and the venue is the Marshall Community Center, 4133A Rectortown Rd, Marshall, Va.  This is literally right off Rt 66, and very easy to find.  There’s plenty of parking and the room is big, so bring a friend or a family member if you’d like.  You can pay at the door.

cavemenReally good health is only achievable when You decide to take control of your own health destiny.  It’s important to not just put your fate in the hands of busy doctors.  The information available to us today is amazing, and we’re crazy if we don’t put some degree of effort into learning our bodies biology and actual strategies and practices that will make a difference in our lives.

The number of forward thinking Doctors and Researchers who have blogs is staggering.  There’s also Podcasts, which are a wonderful way to learn while driving, cooking, cleaning, or working out.  Take advantage of these FREE resources!  Here’s some of my favorites:

Dr. John Briffa , his blog, and his most recent podcast on cholesterol and heart disease;   here’s Cardiac Surgeon Dwight Lundell’s podcast,  Dr. Colin Champ runs a great blog, so does the WheatBelly doc, Dr. Davis.  The best place to find over 700 podcasts, and lists of jimmy mooreprofessional blogs?  Livinlavidalowcarb, the guy who runs that, Jimmy Moore, is AMAZING.  He has a book coming out today, Cholesterol Clarity, in which he interviews 29 experts on cholesterol and it’s actual relationship to heart disease.  I’ve already ordered it and can’t wait to begin reading.

I’ve got to say it again:  if you really care about your health, and your loved ones health, invest yourself.  If your source of information is cereal boxes that have the AHA seal of approval, or an add touting a drug featuring attractive people and tiny print / side effect lists, you’re playing with fire.  The pharmaceutical industry is a BUSINESS.  Businesses make MONEY.  That’s their goal.  Keep that in mind.    Our health is dependent on the food we eat, the sleep we get, the relationships we have, and the toxins we encounter.  Not one of us is deficient in a pharmaceutical drug.  Not one of us.  Become informed; use the information available to you to become Powerful and Healthy.

If you’re local, I hope to see you at tonight’s Talk.  I promise, TONS of information to help you make good decisions about your health.

More Fat Facts, Workshop Reminder, Success Story

WORKSHOP REMINDER:  I’ve got another workshop/talk planned on Blood Sugar, and it’s relationship and effect on Weight, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Thyroid, and Mood.  The date is Wednesday, August 28, 6-8pm,  the charge is $30/person, and the venue is the Marshall Community Center, 4133A Rectortown Rd, Marshall, Va.  This is literally right off Rt 66, and very easy to find.  There’s plenty of parking and the room is big, so bring a friend or a family member if you’d like.  You can pay at the door.

How bout some more Fun Facts on Fats?  Specifically, animal fats:)

cows vs chemistsYou might be surprised to know that Beef Fat is only 46% saturated, 43% monounsaturated, and about 10% polyunsaturated.  Hmmm.  Weird. That seems a little different than we’ve been told.  It also contains CLA ( a fatty acid that fights cancer, lowers triglycerides and heart disease risk); ALA (a fatty acid that lowers blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity), and steric acid ( a fatty acid that lowers LDL cholesterol).  The Omega 3 to 6 ratio?  About 1:1, especially if it’s been fed grass and not just grain.

Poultry fat is about 70% UNsaturated and 30% saturated, pretty much the same as Olive oil as it contains the same fatty acid: oleic acid (40%), which lowers LDL cholesterol.  Turkey fat contains palmitic acid, which lowers total cholesterol and LDL.  Poultry fat is also loaded with an antiviral/antibacterial fatty acid, so eat it for your immune system.  The Omega 3 to 6 ration?  About 1:1.

Lard (oohhh, scary lard!),  is 40% saturated, 50% MONOunsaturated, and 10% PUFA.  Wow.happyeat lard   We’ve been lead to believe that lard goes straight to your butt or arteries.  Not. True. Our body uses those fatty acids for many, many jobs.  Lard also has potent anti-microbial fatty acids, and HUGE tocopherol contents (these make Vitamin E) in the fat.  Hmm.

What about cream?  That’s artery clogging, right?  Wrong.  Cream is LOADED with vitamins A and D, and K2.  It also contains a fatty acid called Butyric Acid, this builds the lining of your gut (good bye leaky gut), is a favorite food of the good bacteria in your colon, and lowers triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol.  Cream also contains CLA.

Wow.  These foods sound like Health Foods, right?  Right.

For decades now we’ve heard that Saturated Fats are bad, and that replacing these harmful fats with vegetable oils would be good for us.  The message has been effective; statistically speaking, consumption of vegetable oil has skyrocketed, and consumption of saturated fats from animal sources and coconut/palm oil has plummeted.  Think you don’t eat many vegetable oils?  If you’re eating premade, processed, refined food, or restaurant food, you’re eating vegetable oils.  That’s a guarantee.

fat guy in canoeThis advice from our government and public health experts has been a disaster:  now our consumption of trans fats and Omega 6 oils is so high, that we’re seeing side effects in spades: epidemic numbers of heart disease, cancer, auto-immune disease, diabetes, asthma, and weight gain, to name a few.   The structure of Poly-Unsaturated (PUFA) vegetable oils is fragile and unstable; they’re incredibly prone to damage form heat, light, and air.  The really bad part is that our body uses these damaged fatty acids in our cell membranes, hormones, brain matter, etc.  Think of the implications for a moment.  Think what it’s doing to your child’s brain, immune system, and weight to eat the Standard American Diet full of Inflammatory, Disease causing vegetable oils, trans fats, sugar and flour.  What’s it doing to you?

Here’s a Success Story from one of my favorite sites, Marks Daily Apple:  http://www.marksdailyapple.com/a-different-kind-of-success-story/#axzz2dAUkAenw.  Hope to see you Wednesday night – I promise loads of Information and Inspiration.

 

 

Fun Facts On Fat

hanging hamsterThank you if you attended yesterdays Blood Sugar/Cholesterol/Thyroid workshop:)  If you’re planning to attend next Wednesday’s, 8/28,  I’ll be looking forward to seeing you.

There’s a lot of confusion and questions about fat, and while I’m addressing that in my talks, I want to put some facts on paper/screen so that you can stare at them and let them sink in.  This won’t in anyway be a Primer on Fats, more like Fun Facts on Fats.

Fats are either Saturated, Monounsaturated, or Polyunsaturated.  Cholesterol ISN’T a fat, it’s an alcohol sterol.   (These are just going to be bullet point facts, not a chemistry lesson.)

*  Saturated fats (SF) have incredibly stable structure, that’s why about 50% of EVERY CELL membrane in your body is made from SF.   Cholesterol is another fatty substance that is fat ratincorporated into EVERY CELL membrane of your body; it’s also stable and allows nutrients in, and waste out PROPERLY.

* Eat a diet low in SF, or take cholesterol lowering medications so that less is made, and you COMPROMISE THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR CELL MEMBRANE.  Nutrients WON’T get in and out properly.  If this goes on for years, you’re in trouble.

* Fats don’t just go from mouth to stomach to butt / belly fat.  That’s not how we work.  The fats we eat are completely broken down to their barest molecular structure, and then sent by the liver to do thousands of different functions in the body:  build hormones, “transport” fat soluble nutrients, become part of immune system, build brain matter (60% of the brain is fat), build bones;  I could go on and on, but know that when you eat fat, isn’t not just stored, it’s used to build your body.

* Olive Oil isn’t an Omega 3, it’s an Omega 9.  Olive oil and Avocado Oil are MONOUNSATURATES.  They’re a little less stable than SF, but MUCH more stable than Polyunsaturated Fats.  Keep them away from light or heat.  Consider NOT cooking with olive oil (SF are best for cooking); if the heat’s too high, you’ll damage the fatty acids.  The same happens if you leave you olive oil out on the counter, exposed to light, and not in a dark cabinet.  OUR BODY USES DAMAGED FATTY ACIDS – AND THIS ISN’T A GOOD THING.

* Vegetable oils (corn/soy/canola), nuts and seeds, and Fish Oil,  are POLYUNSATURATED FATS (PUFA).  PUFAs are incredibly delicate and UNstable, very, very prone to damage from heat, air, and light.  It’s a crime that Big Food and Big Medicine have been encouraging their use in cooking for the past several years. When we cook with these fragile oils, they become rancid and damaged and then our body incorporates them into our cell membranes. WHEN DAMAGED PUFAS ARE INCORPORATED INTO CELL MEMBRANES, THE LIVER PRODUCES MORE CHOLESTEROL TO STABILIZE THE MEMBRANE.

fat cat* Trans Fats are liquid vegetable oils that have been “hydrogenated” to make them solid.  These things are a DISASTER for us.  Experts argue over which has been worse for our health, Sugar or Trans Fats.  Trans Fats raise LDL B(that’s the bad, small, dense LDL), raise the Insulin response to blood glucose (= more insulin in circulation), lower testosterone, raise abnormal sperm, lower the ability of enzymes to do their conversions and work, increase free radicals, and if they get incorporated into cell membranes (and they will if you eat them), completely disrupt the membranes functions (and there’s a bunch).

* If a Food Product, like crackers, says 0 Grams Trans Fat – don’t believe it.  That cracker has to be held together by something, and it needs staying power on the shelf.  The FDA allows any Food Product that has LESS than a Half Gram/Serving to say 0 Trans Fats. This is criminal, it seems small and inconsequential – it’s NOT.  This really adds up dangerously.

Hope you can make Wednesday nights talk as I’ve got a whole lot more information on fats, plus I’m explaining how our body digests and uses them.  The more you know, the more power you have to make healthy decisions for yourself and your family.  For now, be smart and safe, Eat Real Whole Foods.

The Effects of High Blood Sugar

WORKSHOP REMINDER:  I’ve got 2 workshops/talks planned on Blood Sugar, and it’s relationship and effect on Weight, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Thyroid, and Mood.  The dates are Friday, August 23, 12-2, and Wednesday, August 28, 6-8pm,  the charge is $30/person, and the venue is the Marshall Community Center, 4133A Rectortown Rd, Marshall, Va.  This is literally right off Rt 66, and very easy to find.  There’s plenty of parking and the room is big, so bring a friend or a family member if you’d like.  You can pay at the door.

vegetable comicI hope everyone local can attend one of these upcoming talks.  I PROMISE you’ll leave energized, excited, and empowered.  Our health is dependent on the food we eat.  Blood Sugar regulation, and it’s effects on your weight, your health, and your mood (and your children’s weight, health, and mood) is HUGE.  If you understand what the body does with flours, grains, and sugars, and honestly, it’s pretty simple, you have the power to change yourself!

Here’s a little preview:  You eat a bowl of oatmeal, with a banana, and some orange juice, for breakfast.  That’s about 70 grams of carbohydrate, or 18 teaspoons.  Our body only wants a teaspoon or 2 in the blood, any more is considered a “dangerous situation”, which is the case here. The pancreas releases insulin, which disposes of the 16 excess teaspoons:  some to empty muscle cells (on an as need basis), some to the liver (it stores about a teaspoon), and the rest… get remade into Triglycerides.

LDL cholesterol is made to transport these triglycerides to your stomach area = LDL shoots up.  The immune system is immediately weakened, for at least several hours, as macrophage/natural killer cells/white blood cells production is halted ( imagine the caveman poolimplications if you’re stepping into a sick office, or your child sits next to a sneezy kid at school).   Gut flora’s affected, because bacteria and yeast eat sugar – it’s their favorite food.  Any bad bacteria or yeast get a little boost.   Then, every sugar HIGH is answered with a corresponding LOW.  Low blood sugar causes our adrenal glands to release Cortisol and Adrenaline; great if we need to out run a bad guy, bad if we’re sitting at a car or a desk.    Both Insulin and Cortisol block the Thyroid conversion of T4 to T3 – hello Thyroid issues.

You’ve also caused Insulin to shuttle Amino Acids out of the blood circulation, and into the muscle cells. This means the brain loses access to amino acids that it’s hungry for.  You know how you’ve heard that we need to eat carbs so our brain can produce Serotonin ( a neurotransmitter that supports a level mood)?  Serotonin’s made from protein, specifically, the amino acid Tryptophan.  Carbs just contain OPIATES that temporairly stimulate mood as opposed to actually increasing our serotonin brain stores.  Those same opiates cause ADDICTION.  Hmm.  Ever wonder why those darn chips, crackers, or pretzels are so hard to put down?

I could go on and on, and if you come to one of my talks, I will.  If your primary motivation is to lose weight, then attend. You will.  Let that be what starts you on your journey.  But know that the more you learn about how your body operates, the more it becomes about your health.  When you let your health ( and your children’s health) be your guide, WEIGHT LOSS IS A SIDE EFFECT.   If you’re not a Local, get in touch with me, and we’ll consult over the phone or via Skype.  Again, Empower yourself.

Workshop Reminder and Info Teasers

WORKSHOP REMINDER:  I’ve got 2 workshops/talks planned on Blood Sugar, and it’s relationship and effect on Weight, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Thyroid, and Mood.  The dates are Friday, August 23, 12-2, and Wednesday, August 28, 6-8pm,  the charge is $30/person, and the venue is the Marshall Community Center, 4133A Rectortown Rd, Marshall, Va.  This is literally right off Rt 66, and very easy to find.  There’s plenty of parking and the room is big, so bring a friend or a family member if you’d like.  You can pay at the door.

notdieting:lifestyleI have so much information for my talks that I’ve been agonizing on how to condense this.  What will I be talking about?   Here’s some teasers:

* How do Triglycerides affect Cholesterol

* Why it can be impossible to lose weight if you eat refined carbs (oatmeal is refined!) all day

* Why fat DOESN’T make you fat

* What comprises Thyroid hormone, and what can mess it up

* What role does Stress/ Cortisol play in weight gain, weight loss, and disease

* Exercise and it’s role in weight loss

* How to use a Blood Sugar meter/Glucometer, and how they can be a great tool for weight rosie the riviterloss and health

* How thyroid function affects cholesterol

* The role of Amino Acids/Digestion/Blood Sugar in Brain Health

Become Empowered; exercise control over your weight and your health.  The more you know, the more you can make good decisions for yourself and your family.  Become your own best health advocate.  Hope to see you at one of the talks!

 

Ancestral Health 2013 Wrap-Up

WORKSHOP REMINDER:  I’ve got 2 workshops/talks planned on Blood Sugar, and it’s relationship and effect on Weight, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Thyroid, and Mood.  The dates are Friday, August 23, 12-2, and Wednesday, August 28, 6-8pm,  the charge is $30/person, and the venue is the Marshall Community Center, 4133A Rectortown Rd, Marshall, Va.  This is literally right off Rt 66, and very easy to find.  There’s plenty of parking and the room is big, so bring a friend or a family member if you’d like.  You can pay at the door. 

ahs 2013Wow, that was the best conference I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to a lot of conferences.  Here’s a few bullet points of “What I Learned” from yesterdays lectures:

*Insulin Resistance is so high in some people right now because Glucose (from any starch or sugar) SOMETIMES causes a positive feedback loop that results in Excess insulin being released back into the bloodstream.  What’s worse?  INFLAMMATION can cause the same positive feedback of excess Insulin being released into the blood.

*Best way to lower Insulin Resistance:  Remove Omega 6 oils(that’s all your vegetable oils), Sugar, and Refined Carbs from your diet.  (he went thru several studies to give us that answer…..)

*I got a picture with Jimmy Moore of www.livinlavidalowcarb:)jimmy moore

*Some people worry about Arachidonic Acid from Saturated Fats causing inflammation; apparently we need to worry about the AA from Omega 6 vegetable oils instead, because it’s already in it’s “usable” form, which contributes to inflammation.  The AA in saturated fats get converted to AA if we need it – big difference.

*OMGosh the Eye Dr. was Fantastic.  A Paleo Eye Dr – wow.  Anyway, she said that 4 of the top 5 reasons for blindness have preventable components thru diet, nutrition, and lifestyle.  For instance, Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) causes bleeding and vessel changes in the eye.  High and low blood pressure are detrimental to the eyes.  Glaucoma, Myopia, Cataracts, Macular Degeneration:  in short, control blood sugar because BLOOD GLUCOSE AND INSULIN are TOXIC to the eye!!  Inflammation is detrimental to the eyes.    Insufficient Vit D, lutein, and zeaxanthin are very detrimental to the eyes, (eat your egg yolks and get some sun!!).    She also makes the connection that DIGESTION MATTERS.  You can have the best diet in the world, but if you don’t have sufficient stomach acid or enzymes to break down your food, or you have leaky gut or poor microbiota, you’re not going to be able to harvest the nutrients your food supplies.  This is an EASY fix!!   BTW, Dr. Shilpi Mehta is the head of the Paleo Meetup Group in Boston, in case you’re from Boston and interested.

mark and carrie*I got a picture with Mark Sisson and his beautiful wife Carrie.  He writes www.marksdailyapple.com.

*Fatty Liver Disease:  this was great, and relevant.  So many people have Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease now, between 33-40% of the population, including about 10% of all American children.  This Is Serious.  Our liver has at least 500 jobs to do.  Fatty Liver inhibits MANY of those jobs.  This condition can linger for yyeeaarrss before it’s identified via ultrasound.  How does fat accumulate, especially in the absence of alcohol (which for years was the only reason for Fatty Liver):  Fructose, Glucose, Omega 6 oils, Nutrient Deficiencies, Inflammation.  This is fixable and preventable!!!  The next step after Fatty Liver is Cirrhosis – which there isn’t much coming back from.  What about the 10% children statistic??  Moms – you have power here – use it!  Oh, and have you all looked at the ingredients on your Baby Formula???  Vegetable oils (omega 6), fructose, and glucose –  AHHHH!  We’re poisoning babies right off the bat!  Afraid of Fatty Liver?  Eat Medium Chain Triglycerides – coconut oil is the best source.  It not only prevents fatty liver in decades of studies, but it can REVERSE fatty liver.  More Study Results:  PUFAs/Omega 6 /vegetable oils lead to MORE cirrhosis;  Saturated Fats lead to LESS cirrhosis.    NonAlcoholicFattyLiver Disease is about to become the #1 reason for Liver Transplants in the US.

*ron rosedaleEver heard of Dr. Ron Rosedale?  He has some great books out – wow, he’s a powerhouse.  He thinks optimal Total Cholesterol is 250.  He thinks the Pharmaceutical Industry is NOT out to make you better.  Increased Calcium from supplements is consistently linked with an Increase in Mortality.  Calcium DOESN’T make bones strong – PROTEIN makes bones strong and flexible, calcium makes them rigid.  Leptin is a hormone that’s just as important as Insulin, and we can become Leptin Resistant just like we can become Insulin Resistant – and then we’re in trouble.  Leptin controls the Hypothalamus, our master gland.  Imagine if it’s not working right.

*Sun Worshipping and Cancer:  We produce Vit D from the interaction of UVB rays and Cholesterol ON OUR SKIN.  This is the most USABLE form of Vit D.  People who work inside get more Melanoma than people who work outside.  Despite several decades of more sunscreen, more hats, more clothes in the sun,  skin cancer and Melanoma continue to increase.  DIET AFFECTS MELANOMA AND SKIN CANCER, and several sunscreens contain cancerous ingredients!!  Don’t eat refined sugars and flours, don’t eat vegetable oils or hydrogenated oils, DO eat lots of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, healthy proteins, some nuts and some seeds.  Real Whole Foods.  Check EWG.com for their ratings of sunscreen products.  Why slather cancer chemicals all over you or your kids in an effort to prevent cancer?

*Finally, I started the day off with a Combat class taught by Kyle Maynard. kyle The guy has no arms or legs.  I will never whine another day in my life; he kicked our butts.  To all the people who take my classes – Thank Goodness We Do Tabatas – because we did them with him and I hung in there, but it was HARD.  Of course, there’s no whimping out, because he did the whole thing.

You all, eat Real Whole Foods.  Shop, cook, plan, pack.  It matters.

Day 3 Ancestral Health Symposium

Ancestral Health 2013 is fantastic!  I still can’t believe I’m here around all these people I’ve known for years through the internet.  They are real!  I’ve been pretty bold about going up to meet these stranger/mentors, introducing myself and telling them how much they’ve helped me, but I’m still feeling shy around Mark Sisson.  Not Today Though!  Today’s the day I get over that and meet him:)

Here’s some bullet points of what I learned yesterday:

* darker skinned people have less serum (blood) Vit D than lighter skinned people, but darker skinned people have better bones  (hmmm..  so massive doses of D aren’t the answer???)

*you must have adequate Vit A and Vit K to to utilize vit D.  These are all fat soluble vitamins (which means fat is necessary for our body to assimilate them), and they’re mostly found in the usable form in meat.

*increasing supplemental Vit D without adequate fat, A, and K can lead to kidney stones and other soft tissue calcifications  (vitamin A’s in liver, we make the best D from the sun, and  K2 is from grassfed animal products)

*great lecture from the MD for Reno Police Department who was hired to improve the really, really horrible health of the entire department.  Initially, he put them all on the Food Pyramid/American Heart Association diet – low fat, high carb, lots of exercise.  Conditions worsened.  Two years ago, Robb Wolf moved to Reno, joined up/led the program, converted it to a Paleo Diet and Exercise program, and improvement has been fast and vast and easy to track as all the officers get full blood workups and physicals every year.

*Martha Herbert is an autism/neurology dr.  Her site is http://www.marthaherbert.org/.  She feels that autism is due to todays diet, toxins, and world, and that it’s treatable.  She says that in the last 6 years the advances in brain knowledge have been huge.

*the next lecture was disturbing as it was all about environmental toxicity.  here’s a quote from bodyburdon.com: “Scientists estimate that everyone alive today carries within her or his body at least 700 contaminants, most of which have not been well studied (Onstot and others).”  Ugh.  In the past 100 years, we have about 100,000 NEW chemicals in our environment.  Who knows the extent of the damage they’re causing.

* the next lecture was from Sarah Ballentyne at thepaleomom.com – I love her!!  Little background:  she’s a PhD scientist who was struck with I think 2 autoimmune diseases and now devotes her life to figuring out A I conditions.  She said there’s at least 140 know AI diseases that affect about 50 million americans.  They’re very difficult to diagnose and many people are tested for years and years before they get a diagnosis.  All AI diseases are increasing – a lot, in the past 50 years.  Of course she’s linking this rise to diet and the environment (lack of nutrition and too many toxins, stress, etc).  She has a book coming out very soon (sept,) and I think it will probably be one of the best books on AI disease ever.  She’s super smart but able to talk to the masses.  If you’re affected by AI, you should buy this book. http://www.thepaleomom.com/2013/01/announcing-my-book-the-paleo-approach-reverse-autoimmune-disease-and-heal-your-body.html   Anyway,  everyone with AI also has Leaky Gut and disrupted gut flora.  Lack of iron and zinc are also common demonimators.   These are fixable, although the damage often isnt’.  If you’re interested in some answers to those now, email me for some simple solutions.  Or wait til the book comes out bc I know it will be fantastic.

* Georgia Edes MD talked about mental disorders and diet;  you can probably guess by now where all these doctors are going with this.  Diet and environment diet and environment diet and environment.   Studies show that the Western Diet (high refined carbs, processed foods, vegetable oils/Omega 6, hydrogenated oils, almost 200 pounds of sugar/person, etc) is contributing to ADHD, depression, anxiety, and on and on.  These foods cause inflammation – of the brain.  MOMS,  IT MATTERS WHAT WE FEED OUR KIDS.  PLEASE DON’T FOOL YOURSELF THAT A LITTLE JUNK HERE AND THERE, OR PASTA EVERY NIGHT, DOESN’T MATTER – IT DOES.  She also has a website and you might be interested as she’s also following the KETOGENIC DIET for quite sometime now:  http://diagnosisdiet.com/

* Omega 3 and Inflammation:  this was by the actual researcher (Jeff Leighton PhD)  who studied the Inuits in 1973 and why they didn’t have any Cardiovascular Disease or Plaque despite an almost all fat diet.  He said that he’s from the 19th century:)  He was a great speaker and since his field of study (he conducts the research as opposed to just gathering and studying it) is Omega 3 and “uptake”, he answered some questions I’ve had forever, here’s the answers:   it doesn’t matter it you take your fish oil in one big dose or split it up;  people who exercise regularly absorb more O3 than those who don’t;  women absorb more than men;  inflammation does NOT affect O3 absorption; no, there is no laboratory proven perfect dose, heavier people do NOT absorb O3 as well as leaner people.

And that was it for the day.  Actually, I took one more lecture called Hypothalamic Inflammation that was so over my head I have NOTHING to say about it!

What I ate yesterday:  Paul Newman coffee w raw cream, coconut butter mixed with chocolate protein, and a banana for breakfast.  Lunch was buffalo meatloaf, cooked squash, salad, and dark chocolate;  dinner was beef jerky from US Wellness Meats, fresh vegetables from home, and more dark chocolate.  Oh, I sampled lots of different jerkies, cheeses, and chocolates from the Expo hall again.  I’ve spent all my money, so no more expo-fun today:(

My Hotel Workout was just 30 minutes of squats and leg presses, shoulder presses, and push-ups.  I also did 8- 1 minute jump rope intervals.  We’ve also taken an hour walk about Atlanta for the past two nights – sorry Atlanta, but you’re not that pretty of a city.  DC has spoiled me.

This morning I/we have a Combat workout with Kyle Maynard – where I’ll “practice skills that will make an assailant 3x my size whimper.”;   then Diet, Inflammation and Depression or the Physiology and Biochemistry of the Paleolithic Diet for Weight Reduction (decisions decisions); then Nutrition for the Eyes, Brain, and Heart ( Shilpi Metha MA, OD); then Carbs as a Hormetic Stressor, by Mike Nelson MS PhD;  Heat and Health by Ron Rosedale MD (who’s read the Rosedale Diet??  he’s all about Leptin!);  Circadian Rhythhms by Paul Jaminet, PhD (the Perfect Health Diet book);  Fatty Liver, by Victoria Prince  MD/PhD;  Is SunWhorshipping Increasing Your Risk of Melanoma by Anastasia Boulais, MBBS, BMedSc (what does all that mean?), and then I’ll need to choose between a lecture on Sleep Apnea/ADD/Malocclusion and Dry Eyes and Inflammation.  Decisions, decisions.

No time for pictures – I need to lift for a few minutes before my class.  xoxo

 

 

Ancestral Health Symposium, Day 2 (lower body fat is good!)

Wow!  This conference rocks!!!  I’m meeting people who I’ve known, read, and learned form via the Internet for years, like Jimmy Moore from livinlavidalowcarb,   Melissa from Whole 30, and Ben Greenfield, from bengreenfieldfitness.  Here’s a pic with us in the gym. ben Today I plan to get bold and meet Mark Sisson from MarksDailyApple and his stunning wife Carrie.  I’m in heaven.

The lectures were amazing, and since everyone is limited to about 50 minutes, there’s a BUNCH of lectures.  Here’s a few bullet points/what I learned:

*99% of Ferrari owners are male/ when men fight and win, their testosterone rises, if they lose it decreases/ testosterone rises when they drive sports cars/ no hormone change by men in response to what women drive/ expectant fathers have a decrease in testosterone, this should help them stay put/not wander

*bananas are the #1 fruit consumed in the US, none are grown here/ world banana growing and harvesting conditions are horrible

*1977 the McGovern Commission decided that Americans would be healthier with less real foods, and instituted policy that demonized meat, milk, eggs, and butter, but encouraged vegetable oils and low fat products, this has had DISASTROUS health consequences

*spices and food flavorings developed in different countries/areas due to the pathogens native to those areas, i.e. food as medicine

*being UNable to control your environment makes you STRONGER, the more controlled the environment, the weaker you are (this had nothing to do with childrearing, but wow do I see the connection)

******************This Is Cool************

Men statistically prefer women with some meat on their legs and butt.  Leg and butt fat is FULL of the Omega 3 DHA.  Almost none of this is used/burned for fuel in a woman’s life until the last trimester of her first  pregnancy.  The last several weeks of pregnancy are when the baby grows the most, and there is MAJOR brain development.  The brain is about 60% fat, and about 30% of that is DHA.  During this time,  AN OUNCE OF LOWER BODY FAT/DHA will be burned PER DAY, to build babies brain.  If women are LOW on body fat AND DHA, this DOES compromise intelligence. (There’s also a LOT of cholesterol in a healthy brain)  So eat your fish and healthy fats if you want a healthy baby!!!  Back to the first statement of men preferring women with meat on their bones:  it perpetuates the species.

uswellnessWhat did I eat yesterday?  Well, we drove here, so we brought food, and there’s a great Expo with all the Paleo food makers, raw cheese/milk products, ghee, nuts, dark chocolate, potato chips fried in chipscoconut oil – YUM.  I tried all the samples!   Anyway,  for breakfast:  my coffee with raw cream, some coconut butter mixed with chocolate protein, and a banana;  for lunch leftovers from tuesday night dinner: sausage, cooked and fresh veggies, feta, chocolate square; and for dinner:  sardines from a tin with tomato/zuch/avocado all fresh, and another chocolate.

We went to the gym yesterday morning (that’s where I met Ben!) and did a 40 minute lightish workout:  jump rope, 10 sets of leg press, 10 sets of bicep curls, 8 sets of back, abs.  We were tired from very very little sleep the night before, so I didn’t push too hard in the gym.  This morning however, I feel great – got a good nights sleep and I’m ready to go:)

Classes today:Fat-Soluble (A,D,E&K) Vitamin Interactions w Chris Masterjohn PhD;   Impact of a Paleolithic Diet on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Lipoproteins by Scott Hall MD and Robb Wolf B.S;  A Whole Body Approach to the Brain by Martha Herbert MD;  Environmental Toxicity and what to do about it, by Tim Gerstmar ND;  The Intersection of Nutrition and Autoimmune Disease by Sarah Ballantyne PhD;  1 Year Ketosis Experiment by Jimmy Moore; Brain Food by Georgia Ede Md;  Hypothalamic Inflammation by Kyle Mamounis BS/PhD cand.; and The Role of Omega 3 oils in the Treatment of Chronic Inflammation, by Jeff Leighton PhD. Whew.

Like I said, the lectures are only 45 -50 minutes, so there’s a LOT of information.  Mark’s here with me, so can divide and conquer. kyle He went to Kyle Maynard’s talk yesterday***** Kyle is a lifelong quadruple amputee, who does EVERYTHING.  Mark said his lecture was worth the entire trip.  Here’s one of his YouTubes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ-EeabZLg8.

That’s all for now, we’re off to workout before we sit for 8 hours.