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.

Really 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 professional 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.

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.

I 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 loss 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!

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. 

Wow, 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:)

*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.

*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.

*Ever 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.  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.

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

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.  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.

What 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 coconut 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.  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.

We’re in Atlanta for the Ancestral Health Symposium, I feel like it’s Christmas!  Before I tell you what it is, don’t forget that I’ve got some local talks coming 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.

This is my first year at AHS, so I’m a Newbie, but by looking at my Class/Lecture options, I can tell you this is All About The Science.  That’s what I love about this whole Paleo/Primal/WestonAPrice movement;  it’s not funded and promoted by Big Pharma or Big Food, it’s all about the science!

Here’s some of my lecture opportunities for today:  How to Love Randomness: Antifragile Responses in the Human Body and Their Consequences by Nassium Taleb MBA/PhD   The Consuming Instinct: What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Porn and Gift Giving Reveal About Human Nature, by Gad Saad PhD;  Sexual Fitness and Women’s Fertility Cycles, by Geoffrey Miller PhD;  Why Women Need Fat: Three Evolutionary Puzzles, by Will Lassek MD;    The Wahls Diet to Treat Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, by Terry Wahls MD (OMG!!  Have you all seen her YouTubes/Ted Talks??  This doctor was CRIPPLED with MS and has literally reversed her condition thru nutrition!!) ;  Ancestral Principles in Clinical Practice Panel (several doctors); and MORE!!!  I’ll be keeping you up-to-date each day with my classes, and with bullet points that I learn.

I’m also going to post what I eat, and my Hotel Workouts here, instead of on my What I Eat Page.

Yesterday, aka Travel Day,  I had a breakfast smoothie (homemade raw keifer, a raw egg, chocolate whey, collagen, spinach, bananas, ginger, and molassas),   a Jay Robb bar, 5 figs, and a chicken/raw cheddar roll up for lunch,  and we stoppped for dinner in Davidson NC and ate at Flatiron (EXCELLENT), where I had my first Wagyu (sp?) burger/medium/no bun covered with cheddar and onions and avocado, with a pretty simple salad, and some great french fries ( I shared them with Mark before I ate the whole pile).  It took us about 11 hours to get here from Delaplane because we hit a pretty bad accident in NC.  Ugh. Sat for an hour.  My only workout yesterday was 15 minutes on a bike early in the morning.

We’re about to head off to the gym now.  It’s a huge hotel, and a pretty fit crowd, so I have high hopes that it’s a nice one.

Did anyone hear that President Bush had a stent put in the other day?  Has anyone heard of a Cardiologist by the name of Dr. Thomas Dayspring?  Here’s a smidge of his bio:

Thomas Dayspring, MD FACP, FNLA, NCMP

Director of Cardiovascular Education at Foundation for Health Improvement and Technology (FHIT),  Wayne, New Jersey (Greater New York City Area) ,   Medical Practice.

He’s a Paleo Diet promoting doctor, who thinks standard medical advice to prevent and treat heart disease is creating more heart disease.  Here’s a blurb from a whole article he just wrote on President Bush’s stent:

“I submit the following graphic for your “dining” pleasure. In 1977 the US Government on the advice of Senator George McGovern’s committee advised new dietary recommendations where fats were to be drastically reduced and whole grains and complex carbs were to be the new miracle food: this was incorporated into USDA Dietary Guidelines in 1980 and into the Food Pyramid in 1992. Follow the incidence of obesity in the US since the introduction of the low fat, high carb diet – remembering also that any food low in fat and cholesterol regardless of sugar content gets the AHA seal of approval. Note that within ten years of those recommendations there was an explosion of obesity (orange bar).  ”

Wow!  Check out the yellow blocks vs the orange blocks.  Standard/Mainstream advice has been a TOTAL FAIL.  For the whole article, check here.

If you’d like to listen to one of his podcasts, check here and here.  I hope you read, and I hope you listen.  If you really really want to change your health, improve your health, lose weight, and feel good, then it’s really all up to YOU to educate YOURSELF.  Don’t wait for your doctor, or me, to tell you what to do.  Be proactive, get to know how the body is supposed to work, and learn what works for you.  Take control of your health, take control of your children’s health.  No one else will care as much as you do.  Knowledge is power.

I’ve got a great post on Insulin Resistance today, because I’ve had a lot of questions about sugar and diabetes.  Insulin Resistance happens before full-blown diabetes Type 2, and this post will explain why, what, and how.  First though, here’s my Workshop/Talk details:

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 exit, 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.

Here’s a question from my email:

Hi Debbie,  My doctor said I have Insulin Resistance, and high blood sugar.  He said I need to lose weight.  Is Paleo the best way?

First, I want to explain what Insulin Resistance is, because statistically, about 1 in 4 Americans have this condition, and it’s pretty serious.

Any carb we eat, (fruits, vegetables, grains, sugars, or beans), our body breaks down to Glucose;  this is what our cells use for energy.  Glucose molecules are tiny and small and can cross the gut wall into the blood stream.  Our NORMAL blood sugar/blood glucose should be between 80 and 100 mg/dcl. (That’s about a teaspoon or two total)  After we eat, it can rise a little for about an hour, but after 2 hours, it should be back to 100 or less.

When it rises ABOVE 100, our pancreas releases INSULIN into the blood stream to sweep up the excess glucose and deposit it into cells: muscle, liver, and fat tissue.   It also sweeps up OTHER NUTRIENTS and deposits them into cells; this way the cells have fuels for their furnaces (mitrochrondria).  Appropriate levels of insulin are NORMAL, and healthy.

Insulin Resistance happens when INAPPROPRIATE levels of glucose are released into the blood stream, and corresponding insulin is released to go in and control it.  Insulin is a caustic, irritating hormone.  If excess levels are constantly circulating, the cells that normally have “open doors” shut the doors in an effort to protect themselves.  Blood sugar then stays high (this is ALWAYS being monitored by the hypothalamus), and the pancreas keeps pumping out more insulin – in an effort to lower the blood sugar.   Does this make sense?  It’s a feed back loop.

What are the effects of Insulin Resistance?  There’s a bunch, here’s a few:  hardening of the arteries, damage to the nerve cells of the eyes, kidneys, and extremities, increased LDL ( especially the bad, dense, small particles), lowered HDL, increased Triglycerides, increased clotting risk, higher blood pressure, increased risk for cancer,  and inflammation.  Actually, these effects are a combination of the both high circulating insulin and high circulating glucose.  They’re both very damaging when they’re in excess.

Guess what NEVER gets insulin resistant?? Your fat cells:(  They never say no.  Muscles say no, the liver says no, but fat cells, which is really an organ (oddly), say YES YES YES, bring it on!)  Excess glucose eventually gets repacked into TRIGLYCERIDES (3 glucoses + glycerol backbone), and deposited.

Excess insulin and blood sugar also eat up your Magnesium and Vitamin B stores, so if you know you have insulin resistance, you should probably supplement with those ( at least.).  Exercise helps makes muscles cells MORE sensitive to insulin/i.e.  less likely to be resistant. Notice I said “likely”.  Exercise isn’t a magical wand that counterbalances overeating, ever.

I’ll be talking about Blood Sugar, Insulin, and it’s affects at my talks, but if you can’t make them, email me any questions you might have. Oh!  Yes!  The Paleo Diet is GREAT for insulin resistance, because it excludes refined grains and sugars – the simple carbs that easily bring blood glucose levels above 100. We’ll definitely talk about this at the workshop.  Please know that Insulin Resistance is very serious, even if you don’t have full blown Diabetes T2. Some good news?  It’s “Fixable”!!  Here’s a post by Dr. Mark Hyman if you’re interested in what tests to ask for.

I’m getting ready to leave Wednesday for the Ancestral Health Symposium in Atlanta.  Four days of lectures on fascinating science topics.  The best part is my husband’s going with me, so we can divide and conquer as many lectures as possible  He’s awesome – and he’s fit!

Here’s the link to Ancestral Health if you’re interested.

Looking forward to sharing what I learn:)

I’ve got some great information on Thyroid today, but first I want to let you know that 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 exit, 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.

Why this topic?  Because Carbs/Glucose, blood sugar highs and lows,  effect weight, hormones, inflammation, mood/neurotransmitters, and literally every disease out there.  It really, really, really matters that you understand what blood sugar is, what your body does with it, and it’s very profound  effects.  The more you know, the better you can take care of yourself and your family.

Email me thru the contact page if you can attend.

On to Thyroid!

I’m going to bullet point some facts here:

Thyroid issues, hypo and hyper, affect millions of Americans; more people have thyroid issues than Diabetes.  The thyroid gland is in charge of your heart rate, body temp, blood pressure, growth, and the metabolism( rate of activity) for every single cell in your body.

Fixing issues involves MORE than just supplementing with thyroid hormone or suppressing the gland.  The Endocrine/Hormonal system is COMPLEX, and treating it as a “stand alone” issue isn’t smart.

The standard test for Thyroid Function is determining levels of TSH/thyroid stimulating hormone.  The thyroid doesn’t make this hormone, the Pituitary does.  It’s affected by the hypothalamus, BLOOD SUGAR, estrogen, iodine, gut function, and more.  So just supplying a little more thyroid hormone in the form of Synthroid or Armor often doesn’t address the Real Issue behind thyroid dysfunction.  Know anyone who has to constantly UP their meds because it doesn’t seem to be working?   The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists have been trying to get guidelines (think: Insurance paid for tests)  changed since 2003 to make the acceptable range of TSH smaller, 3 -5, and T3 and T4, active and inactive forms, tested. So far, in Main Stream Medical, it hasn’t happened.  However, there are SEVERAL doctors out there now, regular MDs who practice Functional and Alternative medicine, NDs, ODs, Chiropractors, and more, who WILL order the right tests for you.  Do a search of your area to find them.  There’s probably more than you think.  Anyway..

The Thyroid makes the hormones T4 and T3,  the “recipe” is Tyrosine and Iodine (T4 is tyrosine and 4 molecules of iodine, T3 has had one iodine knocked off).  T3 is called the “Active Form” of thyroid hormone, or what our cells actually use.  TSH levels DO NOT necessarily reflect  T3 and T4 levels!!!

The body has to convert T4 to T3, but many things can interfere with this:  proper gut bacteria are CRUCIAL to and directly involved with this conversion (gas/bloat/indigestion – you probably have too much bad bacteria and not enough good),  and an imbalance of good and bad bacteria can lower thyroid function.

Cortisol (from physical or mental stress)  disrupts the T4 to T3 conversion, by blocking the enzyme that knocks off that extra iodine, and it also blocks the T3 receptor sites.

Estrogen dominance – a HUGE issue not just for women, but men, (soy, plastics, etc = estrogenic compounds) blocks receptor sites, making T3 unusable.

Don’t eat enough protein (tyrosine is an animo acid) or iodine containing foods?  What if you have poor digestion and eat foods containing tyrosine and iodine, but you have insufficient stomach acid and enzymes that allow you to breakdown and assimilate those nutrients? Your body won’t have the components to make good T4 and T3.

T4 becomes T3 in the LIVER (primarily, it also converts in the Kidney and Lungs – NOT in the Thyroid gland – weird huh).  If you have a “congested/slow/fatty” liver, from chemicals, sugar, alcohol, bad fats, toxins, etc, your liver function is compromised.

Leaky gut – from incomplete digestion of proteins – allows undigested protein into the blood stream.  The immune system sees these “foreign invaders” and mounts an attack.  Unfortunately, the attack often is directed to OTHER areas of the body (joints, pancreas..) like the Thyroid (Hashimotos).  ( here we are back to digestion and the gut)

Poor diet?  Too much sugar/flour, not enough fat and protein?  Welcome to zigzagging Blood Sugar, which increases Cortisol, which blocks T4 to T3 conversion.

On a diet? Low calorie diets INSTANTLY slow down Thyroid function – after all, the thyroid is supposed to monitor incoming calories and determine if a starvation situation is at hand, or everything’s normal.  If the thyroid suspects starvation, it slows down Metabolism to save your life.  This will come in handy if you get stranded on a boat or in a snowstorm. (you never know.)

I could go on and on and on, but do you get the point that your Thyroid isn’t an Island?  That dysfunction can be from so many other areas of the body, and that very very very possibly, you can fix and improve Thyroid Function thru Nutrition and Stress Control?

One more thing I want to talk about:  Iodine.
There’s some differing opinions on Iodine in Hashimotos, some say yes, some say no.  You’ll have to read and determine that for yourself (Chris Kressler and Dr. Brownstein are great places to start).  But as for Thyroid Health overall, Iodine is vitally important. Supplement form is good, but food is always best.  Eat your seafoods, and add seaweed, which is easy to get in any store now in dried forms.  It’s salty, cheap, delicious, and easy to throw in your salads or casseroles.  It has protective effects against cancer, and its vitally important to breast, prostate, eyes, and ovaries.  It’s also CRUCIAL to fetal, infant, and children’s developing brains.

Wow.  That’s enough for today. More on thyroid health when I give my talks.  Eat Real Whole Food!

Life is Good:)  I’m away for a 4 day Nutritional Therapy Weekend – so actually, I’m in heaven. Especially since I’m a Group Leader this year and not a student this time (much less stress).   Four days of talk about physiology, food, and the effects different nutrients have on the body. That said, I’m also in a hotel – with NO kitchen, for 4 days.  So how will I eat?  Just fine.  I started compiling my list of “what to bring” on Saturday, when I got home from the beach.  I don’t really like to eat out often, and I haven’t for years, so packing is second nature by now.  Just like I did on vacation, I’ll be posting my food (What I Eat page) and workouts each day I’m here.

Before I do that though, I wanted to pass on some Power Information to help you have a healthy weekend.

1. As of today,  80% of Americans will die from a Chronic Disease.  Almost ALL chronic disease is PREVENTABLE thru diet and lifestyle choices.  Despite Advertising to the contrary, Chronic Disease is NOT due to lack of Pharmacuticals.   The MainStream recommendations of eat less fat/less calories, exercise a ton, and load up on the grains is CONTRIBUTING TO/CAUSING CHRONIC DISEASE.   Don’t Do It!!

2.  Feeling stressed? Adrenal glands shot?  The best fuel for adrenal glands is ANIMAL FATS.  Why?  They’re LOADED with fat-soluble vitamins – A, D, E, and K, and minerals, that are ONLY viable WITH FAT. (Plus, EVERY SINGLE CELL IN YOUR BODY has a membrane MADE OF FATS, mostly saturated fats because they’re structurally the most stable.)  That means the nutrients are USED to both replenish the cells of the adrenal glands, and the glands have those nutrients available to make their hormones(your stress hormones and your sex hormones).  You need these hormones to deal with the ups and downs of life.

3.  Sugar Suppresses the Immune System for up to 24 Hours. Consumption halts white blood cell action, suppresses antibody action on foreign objects, and the transport of Vitamin C is interfered with.  This applies to you, and your children.  Dealing with chronic sickness? Constant throat, ear, nose, bladder, etc infections?  Cut out the sugars and grains (THEY’RE BOTH BROKEN DOWN TO GLUCOSE IN THE BODY) for a week and see what happens.

4.  Have you ever heard of Podcasts?  These are radio-shows that you can listen to over your computer or smartphone, in your house, or on the move.  There are Doctors and Scientists putting out a WEALTH of FREE information that YOU should be using to buff up your own health, or the health of your loved ones.  You can listen in the kitchen while you’re cooking, on your ipod while you’re walking or working out, or in your car commuting.  There’s hundreds of FANTASTIC sites to choose from.  A couple of my favorites are: http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/,  which probably has more shows than any site out there and the facilitator, Jimmy Moore is an excellent host;  and the Dr. Lo show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/drloradio.  Honestly, you want ammunition to live a healthier, happier life?  Start filling your head with how to do it.  Make it a priority!

5. Interested in the Nutritional Therapy School, or becoming a Nutritional Therapist?  I can vouch that it’s a fantastic program!  Here’s their site, and a little bit of their philosophy:  http://nutritionaltherapy.com/:

“NTA’s Nutritional Therapists address nutrition from a holistic perspective. The NTA trainings offer a clear alternative to the grain-based, low fat nightmare that is the official diet of modern America.  The Nutritional Therapy Association is founded on the beliefs of such nutritional pioneering greats as Weston A. Price and Dr. Francis A. Pottenger, considered two of the greatest scientific minds ever to research nutrition, food supplies and their effects on modern society.

NTA’s philosophy is that the myriad of health problems plaguing modern society result from weaknesses in the body’s physiological foundations brought on by poor nutrition. As an educational organization, NTA is dedicated to helping healthcare professionals understand and reverse the tragic and unsuspected effects of the modern diet on their patients and clients. Throughout our seminars, students access a wide range of educational tools and techniques that help identify and correct nutritional imbalances.”

I’m off to workout before class starts.  I’ll be posting my workouts after I do them, but I’m thinking cardio/legs, cardio/bi’s today.