How much meat in the diet?

A friend recently e-mailed me about the recent NPR report by Allison Aubrey: We Evolved To Eat Meat, But How Much Is Too Much?. I responded with a few quotes from Dr. Cordain's most recent book The Paleo Answer: 

In a 2010 meta analysis, scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health reported that red meat consumption was not associated with either heart disease or type 2 diabetes, whereas eating processed meats resulted in 42 percent greater risk for heart disease and 19% greater risk for type 2 diabetes.

If you are faithful to the basic principles of the Paleo Diet, consumption of saturated fats within the range of 10-15% of your daily calories will not increase your risk of heart disease.

Remarkably, computerized dietary analyses from our laboratory show that despite their high meat content, modern-day Paleo diets actually contain lower quantities of saturated fats than are found in the typical U.S. diet.

Stay away from saturated fats in processed foods. These artificial concoctions carry the baggage of refined grains, sugars, vegetable oils, trans fats, dairy, salt, preservatives, and additives that are definitely not good for our bodies. The saturated fats you consume from grass-fed beef, poultry, pork, eggs, fish and seafood will not promote heart disease, cancer, or any chronic health problems.

Also, here is a real life case to consider:

Joseph finally quit grains to lower his bad cholesterol

Milk and exercise-induced asthma

iStockphotoIn his most recent book, The Paleo Answer, Dr. Loren Cordain, takes a deeper dive into the mechanisms through which the typical Western diet contributes to illness. On the relationship between milk and exercise-induced asthma, Dr. Cordain writes:

If the gut becomes leaky, which it invariably does on a typical Western diet, beta casomorphin-7 in milk can enter our blood stream and travel to our chests, where it stimulates production from MUC5AC glands located in our lungs and respiratory tracts. A final piece of this puzzle is that beta-casamorphin-7 is much more likely to trigger mucous production if the lungs and the respiratory tract are inflamed by asthma. Many people’s exercise-induced asthma symptoms disappear on the Paleo Diet.

He then presents a case reported by a personal trainer:

I am a trainer, and I work with very overweight woman, Jenny, who recently started my boot camp. She weighs 360 pounds at present. Until recently, she also suffered from exercise-induced asthma. For the first week of boot camp, she could ot get through a class without her inhaler. Although I admired her dedication, it was painful and a bit scary to watch.

Then I put her on the Paleo Diet. This week, after doing this for a little less than two weeks, she no longer needs her inhaler. Miraculous!

Jenny’s also doing great on the diet – she’s not hungry at all, so I know the weight will be coming off soon as well. 

New to Paleo? A few links to get you started

The ancestral diet, also known as the Paleo diet, is an approximation of the original diet of our ancestors living before the development of agriculture and animal husbandry around 10,000 years ago. They ate lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and berries. Studies reveal our ancestors were taller and healthier than people today. Below are some books, websites, and a DVD to help you learn about this new - and yet very old! - approach to nutrition.

BOOKS

The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat (2010) - Dr. Loren Cordain is a top expert on the nutrition of our ancestors. This book should serve as the main gudie for the Paleo diet.

The Paleo Answer (2012) - Dr Cordain’s new book provides more detail and answers common questions about the Paleo diet.

The Paleo Diet Cookbook: More than 150 recipes for Paleo Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Beverages by Loren Cordain, Nell Stephenson, and Lorrie Cordain.

Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals. This primal cookbook was written by Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier.

WEB SITES

Marks Daily Apple – this very popular site covers diet, fitness, and other aspects of primal health. Check theSuccess Stories link, especially The Unconquerable Dave.

Everyday Paleo – this popular site by Sarah Fragoso has plenty of recipies. Sarah is also the author of the Everyday Paleo cookbook and Paleo Pals, the first children’s book on Paleo nutrition.

MOVIE (DVD)                       

At the age of 24, CJ Hunt had a health crisis - one that led him to explore a number of human diets is search of the best possible choice to achieve a “longer, healthier and happier” life. The movie, In Search of the Perfect Human Diet, documents his journey. Ready to learn why the Paleo diet may be the best for you? Hunt has already done a lot of the groundwork for you. Order your DVD here or ask your local library to order it.

If you are on a special diet for health reasons, discuss the Paleo diet with your doctor before making changes. Also discuss with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or diabetes since your medications may need to be lowered. Also, if you are on Coumadin or have hemochromatosis, discuss this diet with your doctor before you start.

Success story: Jennifer avoids gastroplasty

Happily, I am no longer considering gastric bypass surgery. All of my hard work has paid off with a 100 pound loss. In fact, based on my current health and body fat percentage, I no longer qualify for bypass surgery.  In the future, I know that there will be obstacles, but I also know that I will continue to lose. The goal is to shed 60 more pounds. Losing 100 pounds has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. Along the way, there have been celebrations and tears, but I’ve never regretted the cookie I didn’t eat.

Robb Wolf

Stephanie's Paleo success story

I toyed around with Paleo-esque ways for the first two months of the year, but it wasn't until March that I completely cut out things such as dried fruit (which still contain sugar) and let go of my passion for nuts, as I really wanted to benefit most from the Paleo diet for fat loss. As soon as I cut out gluten, dairy and legumes it was incredible how quickly my situation changed. Definitely the first two weeks were hard but the drive of knowing you are doing something great for your health is what kept me going. I was making a choice to be my best. What initially started out to be a 30-day challenge, was soon after extended, and I haven't turned back since.

Paleo Works

Paleo for a special needs family

It took years to get our bodies into this dysregulated state, and it will take many years to fully recover. In the meantime, we have learned to patiently tend to our health. Following a Paleo lifestyle means keping our stress down, eating clean foods, eliminating grains & dairy, sleeping adequately, exercising appropriately, and keeping the focus on our health. The experience described above easily could have broken any marriage and family apart. Thankfully, we were able to use it to bond us together and created the peaceful and loving family we have always wanted.

PeaceLovePaleo

Paleo diet helps young woman overcome anorexia

I know this is not a typical success story, but I feel that my mental success is equally as important as my physical success. I am finally looking forward to movies, meeting new people, completing my school work, and playing with my 17 month old. I now eat to live instead of living to eat/binge by myself.

Mark's Daily Apple

Obesity in adults linked to cognitive dysfunction

Duke University and CDC predict 42% of Americans will be obese by 2030. The impact on the nation's health (and economy) will be significant. Obesity is associated with many modern diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and sleep apnea. Other associations include migraine headaches, increased brain pressure (pseudotumor cerebri), rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammation of the brain's frontal lobes and hypothalamus.

Obesity is measured using the Body Mass Index (BMI) and is calculated by dividing body weight by the square of the height. As noted by Medscape Neurology, BMI “is the most common means that clinicians use to define obesity.”

Central obesity, obesity of the abdomen, is also harmful to health. The extra adipose tissue collects below the skin (subcutaneous adipose tissue) and around the abdominal organs (visceral adipose tissue). While many of us grew up thinking extra fatty tissue was harmless, it is now understood that the adipose tissue of central obesity represents a “pathogenic tissue compartment” (a compartment of tissue that can make us sick).

In a study published in March 2012 issue of Age and Ageing, Dae Hyun Yoon MD, PhD and associates looked at the whether obesity, as measured by BMI, and central obesity affected brain function.

In 250 patients, 60 years of age or older, the amount abdominal fatty tissue (both visceral and subcutaneous) was measured on an abdominal CT scan and compared to the results on the MMSE-KC, a Korean diagnostic scale similar to the Mini-Mental State Examination that measures cognitive function. The researchers discovered that persons 60-70 years of age with a high BMI or high visceral obesity had significantly more difficulty with memory and thinking. According to Medscape Medical News:

After controlling for age, sex, education, hypertension, and diabetes, high BMI and being in the top tertile for visceral adipose tissue area were significantly associated with poor cognitive performance in those up to age 70 years.

Dr. Yoon explained:

Visceral adipose tissue is more metabolically active than subcutaneous adipose tissue and is thought to have a stronger influence on insulin resistance, among other things. It has long been considered as a pathogenic tissue compartment and this research shows a positive association between visceral adipose tissue area and low cognitive functioning. (emphasis added)

Contrary to popular belief, excess fat does not just sit there; it produces inflammatory substances that affect a variety of bodily functions. The extra fat impacts how the brain works; or, in this situation, doesn’t work.  

Staffan Lindberg MD, PhD, writing in his medical textbook Food and Western Disease: Health and nutrition from an evolutionary perspective, notes that “overweight was extremely rare among hunter-gatherers.” As he shows, increasing evidence is pointing to the ancestral diet as the best model for reclaiming health.

To learn more about the ancestral human diet, consider these Ancestral Diet Resources. Also, take a look at the response in BMI and central obesity of these two dedicated Paleo advocates! (Unconquerable Dave and Diana)

Go Paleo to reduce and then get rid of obesity. Keep your brain sharp.

If you are on a special diet for health reasons, discuss the Paleo diet with your doctor before making changes. Also discuss with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or diabetes since your medications may need to be lowered. Also, if you are on Coumadin or have hemochromatosis, discuss this diet with your doctor before you start.   

Health and happiness often go together

I learned very early how to disguise my weight and how I felt about myself. It was no accident that I found a career in fashion, as I was an expert at styling-using clothing to disguise any and all perceived or imagined flaws. I never wore any fitted clothing, and if I did, it was during the few times that my weight had gone down to where I felt happy. That never lasted. Soon I would be right back to where I had started, plus a few more pounds on top of that. 

Mark's Daily Apple 

SUNDAY PALEO / April 22, 2012

Everyday should be Earth day. Patagonia.

FITNESS

Backwoods Workouts With the World’s Fittest Man
"Erwan Le Corre doesn’t care for treadmills or pumping iron. He gave up karate long ago and lost interest in playing soccer. Nor does yoga, yin to the yang of the weight room, hold much appeal for the 40-year-old Frenchman. Yet Le Corre is built like a track star and can climb a tree as quickly as cat. He is also is adept at carrying logs, tossing rocks, scaling cliffs, slogging through mud pits and wrestling." - Smithsonian.com

MODERN DISEASES

Daily Soda Consumption Increases Stroke Risk
"In the study, men and women who consumed one or more sugar-sweetened sodas per day were 16 percent more likely to have a stroke over a 20- to 30-year period, compared with those who drank no soda." - MyHealthNewsDaily Staff 

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Mechanisms and Clinical: n-3 PUFAs; The Potential for Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability
"The n-3 PUFAs have been shown to exert a range of anti-inflammatory actions, he said, which include decreased production of arachidonic acid-derived prostaglandins and leukotrienes, decreased production of inflammatory cytokines, decreased expression of adhesion molecules and decreased expression of degrading proteinases that can erode plaque caps." - Medscape

NUTRITION

Eat Like A Caveman: Nutrition Lessons From The Paleolithic Era
"Paleo diet–approved foods are high in soluble fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, omega-3 and monounsaturated fats and low-glycemic carbohydrates—the kind of nutrients that allowed our ancestors to have strong, lean and active bodies." - Wellness Times

Teach Kids to Read “High Fructose Corn Syrup” in Ingredient Lists
"So off to the candy aisle we went. We walked out of the store with a bottle of Mellow Yellow because it was cheap and the print was bigger. In case you don’t know what that is – I certainly didn’t – it’s a lemon soda that contains nothing but poisonous substances. If you try this experiment at home, whatever you do, don’t open that bottle!" - The Primal Parent

PALEO RECIPES 

• Paleo Shrimp and Whitefish Ceviche, A Chilled Snack with Ginger
• Two Minute Tuna Salad
• Sweet BBQ Baby Back Ribs (and instructions for a DIY wood-fired grill)

TRANSPORTATION

In the market for an electric car? Check out the new Ford Focus here and here. Or, maybe you want to wait for the Sora electric motorcycle by Lito Green Motion; video here.

URBAN FARMING

Urban farming is reaching a new level. Not only are communities, such as Boise, increasingly embracing the concept, its benefits beyond food, such as in Green Gotham, are also increasingly being recognized. Now Michigan is proposing a “100-acre, $100-million urban-farming research center in Detroit” and Colorado State University is hiring its “first urban agriculture extension agent.”

Find a brief survey of urban farming in cities throughout the world here. Some people are even being salaried for their efforts.

FROM THE ARCHIVE

 Hiking in Torres del Paine National Park 

Ancestral Diet Resources

The ancestral diet, also known as Paleo or primal diet, is an approximation of the original diet of our ancestors living before the development of agriculture and animal husbandry that occurred around 10,000 years ago. They usually ate lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and berries. Studies reveal that our ancestors were taller and healthier than many people living today. Below are some books, websites, and a DVD to help you learn about this new (and yet very old!) dietary lifestyle.

BOOKS

The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat (2010) - Dr. Loren Cordain is a top expert on the nutrition of our ancestors. This book should serve as the main gudie for the Paleo diet.

The Paleo Answer (2012) - Dr Cordain’s new book provides more detail and answers common questions about the Paleo diet.

The Paleo Diet Cookbook: More than 150 recipes for Paleo Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Beverages by Loren Cordain, Nell Stephenson, and Lorrie Cordain.

Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals. This primal cookbook was written by Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier.

WEB SITES

Marks Daily Apple – this very popular site covers diet, fitness, and other aspects of primal health. Check the Success Stories link, especially The Unconquerable Dave.

Everyday Paleo – this popular site by Sarah Fragoso has plenty of recipies. Sarah is also the author of the Everyday Paleo cookbook and Paleo Pals, the first children’s book on Paleo nutrition.

MOVIE (DVD)                       

At the age of 24, CJ Hunt had a health crisis - one that led him to explore a number of human diets is search of the best possible choice to achieve a “longer, healthier and happier” life. The movie, In Search of the Perfect Human Diet, documents his journey. Ready to learn why the Paleo diet may be the best for you? Hunt has already done a lot of the groundwork for you. Order your DVD here or ask your local library to order it.

If you are on a special diet for health reasons, discuss the Paleo diet with your doctor before making changes. Also discuss with your doctor if you have high blood pressure or diabetes since your medications may need to be lowered. Also, if you are on Coumadin or have hemochromatosis, discuss this diet with your doctor before you start.                                               

PaleoTerran.com

Revised 9/16/12

Did we start loosing willpower in the late 1970's?

If you, or someone you know, have become obese, you may have received "friendly" advice that it is all about will power. Somehow, if you just will it, you can loose weight. After all, the problem is with you. You are either eating too much, or not exercising enough. You will likely also hear the same message from your doctor. Our food producers love this answer. Hey, if you are obese, it is not their fault. It's the lack of willpower.

As the chart above suggests, many of us must have lost our willpower in the late 1970's. That's when obesity started going up.

Although willpower is a factor in many human activities, this view of obesity simply does not ring true. The increase in the average weight of the population since the late '70s is not due to lack of willpower. It is due to the increased availability, and marking, of increasingly low-quality food and its effect on the brain. 

Thus, the solution is not more willpower, although it always helps. The solution is knowledge. The more we understand that low-quality food is becoming the overwhelming component of the typical modern diet, and, the more we understand this diet increases the likelihood of chronic diseases, the more we recognize we must make our own nutritional decisions instead allowing our culture to lead us astray.

But, how do we begin? Especially when there are so many, often contradictory, diets being recommended. We can start by trying to reproduce the diet of our ancestors. After all, those living before agriculture and animal husbandry were often taller and healthier than we are. As best as can be determined, they did not suffer from the modern chronic preventable diseases that the CDC reports currently accounts for about ¾ of healthcare spending - hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution can’t be discarded without consequences.

Its time to learn about ancestral human nutrition on our own: not an easy task. Fortunately, there are many guides to help us along the way. For those new to the ancestral diet, the next post will provide links to resources to help you get started. For those already enjoying its benefits, there is still more to learn.

Addendum: Ancestral Health Resources coming later this week.