Category Archives: weight loss

How to Do Intermittent Fasting

Leave a reply

If you’ve been wondering how to do intermittent fasting, this is your go-to guide.

Intermittent fasting is possibly the least expensive and at the same time, the most powerful healing method available to us.

Every religion has an element of fasting—whether it’s the 30 days of Ramadan or the various one day Hindu fasts. Our ancestors definitely knew what they were doing.

Our ancestors ate whatever was freshly available.

But often they couldn’t find anything to eat, and their bodies adapted to be able to function without food for extended periods of time. Today, we still have this same biology – we haven’t evolved at all.

And, if anything, fasting from time to time is more “natural” and healthier than constantly eating 3-4 (or more) meals per day.

So let’s look at some of the questions people have about Intermittent Fasting.

1. What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a way of eating where you eat for a short period and then you don’t eat for a longer period. It’s not so much about what you eat but rather about when you eat.

When you don’t eat, you give your body time to spend more of its energy on internal healing and repair—which that cannot happen if it is constantly working on digestion.

2. Who should do it?

Intermittent fasting is for anyone who wants to optimise their health, to lose weight, to lose their belly fat, to improve immunity and to improve their clarity of thought.

It is relatively easy because you are not starving and nor are you changing your food preferences. At the same time it is completely safe.

3. What Are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting ?
Longer Life Span:

Studies show that animals age slower and live longer when they consume fewer calories. This can be achieved by eating less each day, or by fasting on intermittent days. Eating less every day, on the other hand, is like starving and the body will kick in the starvation response, ie, it will conserve fat, making it very difficult to lose fat.

Balanced Hormones:

Fasting helps lower blood sugar and insulin levels, and leads to an increase in human growth hormone. These help in losing weight, maintaining muscle mass, and reducing the risk of insulin resistance, diabetes, and heart disease.

Faster Weight Loss:

Many studies have shown that both people burn more fat and lose weight with intermittent fasting.

4. Why is Intermittent Fasting Effective?

It helps reduce oxidative damage, inflammation and optimizes energy metabolism. This helps the body deal with stress better.

During fasting, the body breaks down and ‘eats’ damaged proteins and cellular debris, a process called autophagy. So this is like cleaning up the house – keeping the house clean and shiny.

5. How does Fat Burning happen?

Not providing the body with food for some time forces it to access its fat stores for energy, leading to fat loss.

6. What are the Types of Intermittent Fasting?
Alternate Day Intermittent Fasting:

You eat one day and then fast the next. It can be slightly difficult to sustain.

16/8 Daily Fasting:

You fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours. So for example you eat an early dinner at 7 pm and then you skip breakfast the next day and eat lunch at 1pm. And the you can eat for next 8 hours, ie until 9pm.

You can do this every day or twice a week, depending on your need, your health status and your willingness.

It doesn’t matter when you start your 8-hour eating period. You can start at 8am and stop at 4pm. Or you start at 2pm and stop at 10pm. Do whatever works for you.

24 hr fast

You fast once or even twice a week. Fasting on a predetermined day makes it easy to follow, as it does not require a decision each time. Having religious sanction makes it easier, as followed by Hindus on various days of the week.

Whichever type of intermittent fasting you choose, it works and also gives you flexibility with your diet.

You don’t need to be extremely strict with what you eat but don’t be lax either.

7. How to Start?

To start, you can simply delay your meal by an hour beyond the regular time. And increase daily till you reach the desired interval.

8. What Should I Eat After My Intermittent Fast?

Once the fasting period is over, simply go back to normal eating. No compensation, no reward and no binges.

You will find yourself spontaneously choosing to eat healthier foods during the eating windows.

9. How does Intermittent Fasting Affect My Blood Sugar?

Intermittent fasting is a great way to get your blood sugars under control. But if you are taking pharmaceutical drugs to control diabetes, you are at risk of developing hypoglycemia. You need to see a doctor trained in Intermittent fasting to guide you.

10. Can I Exercise When Intermittent Fasting?

Yes you can. Both during the fasting and during the Eating windows. In fact, high intensity exercise during the fasted state will accelerate fat loss. tre

11. Why Do I Get Hungry When Intermittent Fasting?

Well, you’re not eating any food so naturally you may feel hungry. But if you hear your stomach rumbling, that is just ‘housekeeping’ – or cleaning of the intestines.

Hunger pangs usually reduce after your first 2-3 fasts as your body adapts.

12. Can I Drink When Intermittent Fasting?

Yes you can drink water, bone broth or green tea. No calories.

13. Can a hypothyroid person choose intermittent fasting?

Yes they can.

Intermittent fasting helps the body stabilise blood sugars and hormones, as it mimics ancient eating patterns on which our biology is based.

And another benefit? You don’t have to prepare food so frequently! The kitchen can take a rest!

Stay Healthy.

6 Charts That Show How The War On Fat Was A Gigantic Mistake

Leave a reply

 

bacon-7.png

The war on fat is the biggest mistake in the history of nutrition.

As people have reduced their intake of animal fat and cholesterol, the incidence of many serious diseases has gone up. We are now in the midst of worldwide pandemics of obesity, metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes.

Studies conducted in the past few decades conclusively show that neither saturated fat nor dietary cholesterol cause harm in humans. Scientists are now beginning to realize that the entire low-fat dogma was based on flawed studies that have since been thoroughly debunked.

Here are six graphs that clearly show how incredibly damaging it has been to advise people to reduce their consumption of animal fat.
1. In Europe, the Countries that Eat the Most Saturated Fat Have the Lowest Risk of Heart Disease

saturated-fat-heart-disease-in-europe
Saturated fat heart disease in europe – Data from: Hoenselaar R. Further response from Hoenselaar. British Journal of Nutrition, 2012.

 

The reason for this is simple, actually … the truth is that saturated fat simply has NOTHING to do with cardiovascular disease. There is no paradox. It was a myth all along.

Thanks to Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt for the enhanced graph.
2. The Obesity Epidemic in the USA Started at Almost The Exact Same Time the Low-Fat Dietary Guidelines Were Published

low-fat-guidelines

Low fat guidelines – Kris Gunnars – Source: National Center for Health Statistics (US). Health, United States, 2008: With Special Feature on the Health of Young Adults. Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US); 2009 Mar. Chartbook.

Although this graph doesn’t prove anything (correlation does not equal causation), this does make sense because people started giving up traditional foods like butter in place of processed “low-fat” foods high in sugar.

Since then, many massive studies have been conducted on the low-fat diet. These studies show clearly that the low-fat diet does not cause weight loss and has zero effect on cardiovascular disease in the long term.

Despite the poor results in the studies, this diet is still recommended by nutrition organizations all over the world.
3. Diets that Are High in Fat But Low in Carbohydrates Cause More Weight Loss than Diets that Are Low in Fat

weight-loss-graph-low-carb-vs-low-fat

weight loss graph low carb vs low fatKris GunnarsSource: Brehm BJ, et al. A randomized trial comparing a very low carbohydrate diet and a calorie-restricted low fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy women. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2003.

If animal fat was as bad as they say, then diets that contain a lot of it should be both fattening and harmful to your health. However, the studies do NOT back this up.

In the study above, women eating a low-carb, high-fat diet until fullness lost more than twice as much weight as women eating a calorie restricted low-fat diet.

The truth is, diets that are high in fat (but low in carbs) consistently lead to much better results than low-fat, high carb diets.

Not only do they cause more weight loss, but they also lead to big improvements in pretty much all the major risk factors for diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
4. The Diseases of Civilization Increased as Butter and Lard Were Replaced with Vegetable Oils and Trans Fats

fat-consumption-in-usa

fat consumption in usa – Kris Gunnars – Source: National Center for Health Statistics (US). Health, United States, 2008: With Special Feature on the Health of Young Adults. Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US); 2009 Mar. Chartbook.

In the 20th century, several serious diseases became common in humans.

The heart disease epidemic started around 1930, the obesity epidemic started in 1980 and the diabetes epidemic started around 1990.

Even though these diseases were almost unheard of before, they have now become the biggest health problems in the world, killing millions of people per year.

It is clear from the graph above, that these diseases have skyrocketed as animal fats have been replaced with shortening, margarine and processed vegetable oils.
5. The Obesity Epidemic Started as People Reduced Their Intake of Red Meat and High-Fat Dairy Products

fatty-food-consumption-from-1980-1990

fatty food consumption from 1980 to 1990 – Kris GunnarsSource: Hu FB, et al. Trends in the Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease and Changes in Diet and Lifestyle in Women. The New England Journal of Medicine, 2000.

It amazes me that some people still blame traditional foods like meat and butter for the diseases of civilization. These foods have sustained humans in good health for a very long time and blaming new diseases on old foods just doesn’t make sense.

All the data shows that people actually reduced their consumption of these foods as these diseases went up.

The graph above, from the Nurses Health Study, shows that Americans were reducing their intake of red meat and full-fat dairy at the same time the obesity epidemic was starting.
6. In the Framingham Heart Study, Heart Disease Goes up as People Replace Heart-Healthy Butter with Toxic Margarine

butter-vs-margarine-stephan-guyenet-larger

butter vs margarine

Stephan Guyenet  Kris GunnarsSource: Gillman MW, et al. Margarine intake and subsequent coronary heart disease in men. Epidemiology, 1997. Photo source: Whole Health Source.

In the graph above, based on the Framingham Heart Study, you can see how heart disease risk goes up as people eat less butter and more margarine instead.

For some very strange reason, many health organizations are still recommending that we avoid heart-healthy butter and replace it with processed margarine.

It’s simple: eat the way grandpa and grandma used to. And you’ll enjoy the health quality they did.

From Kris Gunnars

You’re not sick because you’re fat. You’re fat because you’re sick

Leave a reply
Sarah Berry

Weight problems cannot be measured by numbers, according to David Ludwig.Weight problems cannot be measured by numbers, according to David Ludwig.

Overeating isn’t making you fat.

Rather, getting fat makes you overeat.

This is the word of Dr David Ludwig, an obesity expert and professor of nutrition at Harvard.

“It may sound radical, but there’s literally a century of science to support this point,” Ludwig tells The New York Times.

So what, if not overeating, is causing an obesity crisis of epidemic proportions?

There are two things to consider, says Ludwig, who examines the epidemic and foods that act as “fat fertilisers” in his new book, Always Hungry.

Firstly, what we are eating is a big problem.

“It’s the low-fat, very high carbohydrate diet that we’ve been eating for the last 40 years, which raises levels of the hormone insulin and programs fat cells to go into calorie storage overdrive,” he explains.

“I like to think of insulin as the ultimate fat cell fertiliser.”

The calories become so well stored in the fat cells that our bodies cannot access them to burn for energy. This means we always feel hungry, as our bodies cry out for fuel they can use and simply trying to eat less exacerbates the problem without addressing the real issue.

“When we cut back on calories, our body responds by increasing hunger and slowing metabolism,” Ludwig says.

“We think of obesity as a state of excess, but it’s really more akin to a state of starvation.”

He continues: “If the fat cells are storing too many calories, the brain doesn’t have access to enough to make sure that metabolism runs properly.

“So the brain makes us hungry in an attempt to solve that problem, and we overeat and feel better temporarily. But if the fat cells continue to take in too many calories, then we get stuck in this never-ending cycle of overeating and weight gain. The problem isn’t that there are too many calories in the fat cells, it’s that there’s too few in the bloodstream, and cutting back on calories can’t work.

“And that makes weight loss progressively more and more difficult on a standard low calorie diet.”

The second part of the problem is predetermined by genetics. 

In this sense, fat people and thin people aren’t all that different, but it explains why the same diet can have dramatically different outcomes.

We have a body weight ”set-point” Ludwig explains, which seems heavily based on the genes we were born with.

“We’ve been following the wrong advice for too long. Dieting doesn’t need to be this hard. The key to long-term weight loss isn’t counting calories; it’s eating in a way that lowers insulin levels, calms chronic inflammation and, by so doing, readjusts the body weight set-point to a lower level.”

This involves nourishing through nutrition instead of eating by numbers. And nutrition guidelines are finally starting to catch up with ever-evolving nutrition science.

This year, sugar took over from fat as public food enemy number one. In the States at least, where new dietary guidelines advise significantly cutting back on sugar – specifically limiting added sugars to 10 per cent of daily calories.

“The quickest way to lower insulin is to cut back on processed carbohydrates and to get the right balance of protein and fat in your diet,” he says. “A high fat diet is really the fastest way to shift metabolism. It lowers insulin, calms fat cells down and gets people out of the cycle of hunger, craving and overeating.”

It also gets them out of the cycle of calorie counting, reiterating that the battle of the bulge is much more than just a numbers game.

“Cutting back on calories won’t do it. That doesn’t change biology. To change biology, you have to change the kinds of foods you’re eating.”

Change the way we eat to Stay Healthy.

High Blood Sugar Level Increases Risk of Breast Cancer and Brain Shrinkage

Leave a reply

from William Faloon, Luke Huber, ND, and Kira Schmid, ND

Protecting arteries against after-Meal glucose Spikes

 

With 12% of all American women destined to develop a breast tumor, taking preventative steps make sense, especially if the same approach also slashes risk of dementia and heart attack…and helps shed fat pounds.

An abundance of published research links high-normal blood glucose levels to increased breast cancer risk. This article reviews the evidence and emphasizes the importance of maintaining glucose at safe low-normal ranges.

Compelling Findings
Senior Woman With Adult Daughter In Park

Life Extension®’s  analysis of 12 independent studies identified strong data suggesting increased breast cancer risk amongst women with so-called “normal” blood glucose levels. For example, premenopausal women with a blood sugar above 84 mg/dL had more than two-times the risk of developing breast cancer compared to those with a blood sugar below 84 mg/dL.

A study of 10,633 women from Italy found significant relationships between blood sugar levels and breast cancer risk.9 In this study, women in the highest glucose quartile (median 96 mg/dL) had a 63% increased risk for breast cancer compared to those in the lowest quartile (median 73 mg/dL) after being “fully adjusted” for multiple variables. The authors stated in the discussion:

Glucose: Our Modern Day Enemy

High-normal blood glucose is a leading cause of premature death overlooked by mainstream doctors today.

More than 80% of the adult population has blood sugar levels that are too high. Most of these people are not diagnosed with diabetes, but just by having high-normal fasting glucose  (over 85 mg/dL), risk of death from cardiovascular disease increases by 40% according to a long-term study conducted on close to 2,000 people.27

This and other studies show that even in otherwise healthy people, those with high-normal glucose are at increased risk of vascular death. For example, those with higher after-meal glucose (for example, 101 mg/dL compared to 83 mg/dL) had a 27% increased risk of death from stroke.

A large body of published scientific research documents that people with higher after-meal glucose spikes have sharply increased risks for most of the diseases we associate with aging such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, kidney failure, retinal damage, and vascular blockages.

Chart 1 on this page shows the horrific consequences when glucose levels are elevated above optimal ranges. (We classify optimal fasting blood sugar as under 86 mg/dL).

Chart 1: Increased Health Risks in People with “Normal” Glucose Levels
Condition Glucose Levels (mg/dL) Increased Risk
Developing Type II Diabetes 100-104 Up to 283%
Stomach Cancer 95-105 Up to 130%
First-time Heart Attack Above 88 242%
Need for Coronary Bypass or Stent Procedure Above 95 73%
High Normal Blood Sugar Harms the Brain
Blood Sugar Test

In September 2012, Australian researchers published findings showing blood glucose at the high end of normal resulted in significant brain shrinkage.47,48

The shrinkage occurred in regions of the brain (hippocampus and amygdala) involved in memory and other critical functions. Atrophy (shrinkage) in these brain areas worsens memory.47,48

For this study, neuroscientists at Australian National University in Canberra studied 249 people in their early 60s. Each of them had blood sugar levels in the normal range. The study subjects’ brains were scanned at the beginning of the study, and again four years later.

Comparing the before and after images, the researchers found significant brain shrinkage among those whose blood sugar levels were high but still below the World Health Organization’s threshold for pre-diabetes (fasting glucose under 110 mg/dL). The researchers report that these high normal levels may account for a 6% to 10% decrease in the volume of the hippocampus and amygdala.

The lead researcher stated, “It is this chronic exposure to high glucose levels that is more likely to lead to poorer brain health.” He cautioned that these findings should not be taken “lightly,” as the association between high normal blood sugar and brain shrinkage was “robust.”

Proven Methods To Lower Blood Glucose

Intermittent Fasting is a great way to improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels.

Ensuring adequate intake of nutrients like chromium, lipoic acid, and green tea extract improves insulin sensitivity, as does ensuring that you maintain youthful blood levels of hormones like DHEA.

green olives plate
Why Aren’t Doctors Taking Steps To Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

Doctors rely on outdated reference ranges, meaning they accept dangerously high glucose levels as being normal. Yet more than 80% of the adult population has glucose levels that put them at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cancer. The bottom line is that doctors are not lowering their patient’s glucose levels enough to prevent these needless diseases.

Taking Charge of Your Blood Sugar

It is advised that we keep their fasting sugar in the range of 75 – 80 mg, and an abundance of peer-reviewed published research findings validates this position.

If your last blood test showed fasting glucose of 86 mg% or higher, please see an Integrative Medicine specialist near you, and get back on the path to good health.

Summary
Technician with patient getting mammogram

High-normal blood glucose is a leading cause of premature death overlooked by mainstream doctors today.  More than 80% of the adult population has glucose levels that are too high.  An abundance of published research links high-normal blood glucose level to increased breast cancer risk.  New research links even high normal blood sugar level to brain shrinkage in key areas involved with memory.  Reducing ingestion of simple sugars and starches helps, but as people age, most of them produce excess glucose in their liver (gluconeogenesis) that causes higher glucose levels no matter how many carbohydrates they restrict. The key is to inhibit intestinal absorption of carbohydrates, suppress excess production of glucose in the liver, and improve glucose utilization in tissues through enhanced insulin sensitivity.

It is simple to Stay Healthy.

 

Magnesium as Weight Loss Support?

Leave a reply
 Angela Buhri

Minerals and microelements

Recently we hear a lot about magnesium. Since I am taking natural magnesium on a regular basis my health has drastically increased in several regards. But how about weight loss? Can it really support your weight loss process?

So I decided to give that mineral a closer look. And what I got to learn so far sounds very promising.

To begin with, the older you are the less your body can utilize magnesium from food and the larger amounts you need to supplement.

Here are some facts about magnesium:

  • Magnesium helps the body with basic functions of the nerves, what is crucial these days with the increasing electromagnetic pollution through cell phones.
  • Not only nerves, but also muscles and other organs need magnesium for proper function. Very good news for us is the fact that magnesium also makes better use of all nutrients for sufficient digestion and it helps the body to better process the food you consume. This can definitely help you maintain a healthier weight.
  • If you have a blood sugar problem, magnesium might at least be part of the solution since it plays an important role in regulating your blood sugar levels. According to a 2013 study in the Journal of Nutrition, a high intake of magnesium has been linked to lower glucose and insulin levels. Both of them control fat and weight gain.
  • British researchers found in another study that supplementing magnesium can help reduce water retention and relieve bloating during the menstrual cycle.
  • Younger people can achieve weight loss simply by adding magnesium-rich food to their daily diet. Fruits, green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, fish, meat and dairy products are all rich in magnesium. Of course the food has to be fresh from the market or the farm. The older you get, a healthy diet may not be enough and you may need to supplement magnesium.
  • Magnesium is a contributing factor in balancing your metabolism and providing the body with energy, which makes exercising easier and the fat-burning process faster and more effective. It helps the body synthesize proteins, carbs and fats and you need less food to be full and satisfied.
  • Another tremendous benefit of that mineral is that it allows the body to convert blood glucose into energy effectively what plays a major role in your body’s insulin function. That way supplementing magnesium alone can help to apply healthier eating habits.
  • A deficiency in magnesium leads to a loss of energy and fatigue, just to name a few side effects. This again reduces the motivation to work out and exercise. Healthy amounts of magnesium make you feel better emotionally and physically. You find it easier to eat properly for better weight maintenance.
  • When your magnesium levels are low, you feel more exhausted and you crave any kind of food.
  • Magnesium can even reduce anxiety and stress…both can cause increased hunger and appetite. While under stress, your body stores more fat, making it difficult to lose weight. According to Dr. Carolyn Dean magnesium neutralizes the effects of stress.

Products rich in magnesium on wooden spoons.

Whatever nutrient you lack, your body begins to crave it. Since most of us have un-learned to listen to their body, lack of vital nutrients often show in form of cravings for sugary and unhealthy foods. Hardly anybody craves magnesium per se, unless you regularly supplement it so that your body had the chance to get used to and distinguish it from other nutrients.

Of course as one of my long-time readers you already understand that all this only works if you strictly stick to whole foods. Processed foods have not only lost most of their nutrients (including magnesium), but also contain lots of additives and toxins that contribute to weight gain.

Therefore, when weight is an issue, there is only one option: eat natural, healthy, organic produce and, depending on your age, you may want to add some extra magnesium. For faster and easier weight loss, both internal and external use is recommended. You can purchase a natural magnesium salt from the Dead Sea and regularly take a bath with Epsom salt.