Well, I've dropped another 5 lbs since last Saturday and I'm now at 199 lbs! Goodbye to the 200's forever! Meanwhile, my blood sugar is now consistently within the normal range between meals, rising only slightly into the "pre-diabetic" range after meals. My prediction: that within another month or so, my blood sugar will be completely normal and will remain so for the rest of my life! And all of this without any medication whatsoever, proving that type 2 diabetes is purely a dietary condition that is preventable, controllable and curable by diet and exercise, alone.
Where my blood pressure is concerned, it has fallen into the "prehypertension" range, with today's measure being 128/88. This is with medication, though. So, where the blood pressure is concerned, I'm lagging behind a little, but, the good news is that it is coming down and should continue to do so as all other factors also diminish. I noticed my systolic pressure was a little higher than last time, but the diastolic, which is the more critical, has fallen. I'm not certain as to whether that's a positive development or not. My guess is that it is, since the diastolic did drop.
Meanwhile, the Total Gym has been shipped and is on its way. It should arrive by January 7th. Once I have it, I should begin to accelerate my weight loss, raise my HDL and lower my LDL and lower my blood sugar much more. My only concern is that the addition of strength training may cause a rise in my blood pressure, as well. So, I'll have to monitor that carefully and try to make my Total Gym workouts more "aerobic" by doing more reps at a faster pace and with less resistance, as opposed to increasing resistance and doing fewer reps. Also, increasing my walking time would help regulate my blood pressure. Overall, things are shaping up very positively.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Almost There on My Blood Sugar!
This evening, for the second consecutive day, my before-meal and after-meal blood sugar measures were 92 and 121, respectively. The 92, before the meal, is well within the normal range (which peaks at 113) and the 121 (after the meal) is only 8 points above normal.
So, these results indicate yet another threshold has been crossed. My blood sugar appears to now be normal between meals and just barely into what is called the "pre-diabetic" range afterward. I am confident it won't be much longer - perhaps a few more weeks - until my blood sugar is within the normal range, not only between meals, but all the time. When this occurs and when it becomes a stable norm, effectively, I will no longer be a diabetic.
This is due almost entirely to the Paleo Diet (exercise plays a role, also, but it's mostly the change in diet). As long as I continue to eat this way (and why wouldn't I?), I will remain a non-diabetic for the rest of my life, which will be much longer, due to the Paleo Diet.
Bear in mind that most type 2 diabetics are never cured. Of course, this is simply because they are (1) ignorant of the fact that diabetes is a preventable and curable condition that responds to changes in diet (as I'm proving) and (2) they are badly mislead by their doctors and nutritionists, who, like mine, have told them they can eat anything they want to, just in "moderation," and have hooked them on medications that never solve the underlying problem and only maintain their diabetic state until it progresses to full-blown type 1 diabetes.
At least some of these "healthcare professionals," if not most of them, know very well that diabetes is curable with changes in diet. So what motivates them to not share this information with the public? Money. Now, I'm not a socialist. I believe in free market capitalism. But, free markets only function correctly to the extent that all participants are honest, fair and ethical. For a doctor, who has sworn an oath to heal the sick and to do no harm to his patients, to then withhold vital information from his patients that would solve their medical problems - not to mention dispensing dangerous and damaging drugs to them, because it's more profitable than curing illness, is simply criminal behavior. If the majority of the public knew what their doctors are really up to and how they are being not only fleeced, but put at risk of injury and death, the medical profession would be forced to either clean up its act and return to the values of the Hippocratic Oath, or be subject to lawsuits and possible jail time. I'm not kidding.
My own doctor prescribed Metformin for my diabetes. I immediately looked it up on the web as soon as I got home from his office and found that it is the most dangerous drug for controlling diabetes on the market.
Had I blindly followed my physician's orders, I am sure I would be, not only in far worse health than I am now, but in worse health than I was when I went to see him, in the first place. What recourse do I have? Unfortunately, none, because he prescribed a legally approved drug for its normally intended use. As long as drugs like these are allowed to become legal medications, doctors will continue to prescribe them and patients will continue to suffer and die needlessly.
So, these results indicate yet another threshold has been crossed. My blood sugar appears to now be normal between meals and just barely into what is called the "pre-diabetic" range afterward. I am confident it won't be much longer - perhaps a few more weeks - until my blood sugar is within the normal range, not only between meals, but all the time. When this occurs and when it becomes a stable norm, effectively, I will no longer be a diabetic.
This is due almost entirely to the Paleo Diet (exercise plays a role, also, but it's mostly the change in diet). As long as I continue to eat this way (and why wouldn't I?), I will remain a non-diabetic for the rest of my life, which will be much longer, due to the Paleo Diet.
Bear in mind that most type 2 diabetics are never cured. Of course, this is simply because they are (1) ignorant of the fact that diabetes is a preventable and curable condition that responds to changes in diet (as I'm proving) and (2) they are badly mislead by their doctors and nutritionists, who, like mine, have told them they can eat anything they want to, just in "moderation," and have hooked them on medications that never solve the underlying problem and only maintain their diabetic state until it progresses to full-blown type 1 diabetes.
At least some of these "healthcare professionals," if not most of them, know very well that diabetes is curable with changes in diet. So what motivates them to not share this information with the public? Money. Now, I'm not a socialist. I believe in free market capitalism. But, free markets only function correctly to the extent that all participants are honest, fair and ethical. For a doctor, who has sworn an oath to heal the sick and to do no harm to his patients, to then withhold vital information from his patients that would solve their medical problems - not to mention dispensing dangerous and damaging drugs to them, because it's more profitable than curing illness, is simply criminal behavior. If the majority of the public knew what their doctors are really up to and how they are being not only fleeced, but put at risk of injury and death, the medical profession would be forced to either clean up its act and return to the values of the Hippocratic Oath, or be subject to lawsuits and possible jail time. I'm not kidding.
My own doctor prescribed Metformin for my diabetes. I immediately looked it up on the web as soon as I got home from his office and found that it is the most dangerous drug for controlling diabetes on the market.
Had I blindly followed my physician's orders, I am sure I would be, not only in far worse health than I am now, but in worse health than I was when I went to see him, in the first place. What recourse do I have? Unfortunately, none, because he prescribed a legally approved drug for its normally intended use. As long as drugs like these are allowed to become legal medications, doctors will continue to prescribe them and patients will continue to suffer and die needlessly.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Paleo Diet - Day 51
Moderate weight loss, this time: just two pounds, down to 204 lbs. But, consider that yesterday was my office Christmas dinner, which we ate out at a BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse. This was my first adventure into eating out since beginning the Paleo Diet and I was curious as to whether I could pull it off in at least near-Paleo fashion, or if I'd have to settle for something a bit more or less Neolithic. As it turned out, I had the Sesame Chicken Salad, which was certainly filling enough. It consisted of chopped chicken breast, lettuce, carrots, red cabbage and, I think, a wee bit of tomato, all finely shredded and covered with some sort of "mystery" stuff. It looked to me like shredded deep-fried onion, but it was crispy and brown. As I couldn't determine what the stuff was, I worked around it as I ate and left it on my plate. The one ingredient that troubled me, though, was the clear oily dressing on the shredded veggies. I couldn't tell by it's sweet taste just what it was, but I'm fairly certain it must have been loaded with sugar, as, by the end of the meal, I was feeling a tingling in my feet and legs. Maybe it was just bad furniture design, but I think the effects I felt were a rise in blood sugar. I meant to check that after getting home, but forgot about it. Oh, and, no, my beverage of choice was not beer, but water.
Meanwhile, this morning, my blood sugar (pre-meal) is at 114, just one point above the normal range. This has been a trend for several days, now, with my pre-meal blood sugar being either within or just slightly above the normal range and the after-meal reading being somewhat into the low pre-diabetic range. But, the important thing is, this is now the trend or norm, at the moment, which is a good thing. So, the next downward movement should be deeper into the normal range, where it may stay entirely, even after the meal. That would be close to the ideal I'm shooting for, which is completely normal blood sugar and the end of my diabetes.
On the blood pressure front, I've bought a home monitor that works well and my reading, as of this morning is 115/89. My systolic pressure is in the normal range, while my diastolic is on the borderline between pre-hypertension and stage 1 hypertension. This is down from when I bought the monitor, a few days ago, so it does represent some positive progress, at least. I need to work on getting that diastolic pressure down a bit more. By the way, this is with the use of medication. My ultimate goal, of course, is normal blood pressure without medication. Obviously, that will take some more time, but, I've only been on the Paleo Diet for 51 days, at this writing. I've still got a long way to go and, as I progress, my blood pressure should come down, naturally.
Meanwhile, this morning, my blood sugar (pre-meal) is at 114, just one point above the normal range. This has been a trend for several days, now, with my pre-meal blood sugar being either within or just slightly above the normal range and the after-meal reading being somewhat into the low pre-diabetic range. But, the important thing is, this is now the trend or norm, at the moment, which is a good thing. So, the next downward movement should be deeper into the normal range, where it may stay entirely, even after the meal. That would be close to the ideal I'm shooting for, which is completely normal blood sugar and the end of my diabetes.
On the blood pressure front, I've bought a home monitor that works well and my reading, as of this morning is 115/89. My systolic pressure is in the normal range, while my diastolic is on the borderline between pre-hypertension and stage 1 hypertension. This is down from when I bought the monitor, a few days ago, so it does represent some positive progress, at least. I need to work on getting that diastolic pressure down a bit more. By the way, this is with the use of medication. My ultimate goal, of course, is normal blood pressure without medication. Obviously, that will take some more time, but, I've only been on the Paleo Diet for 51 days, at this writing. I've still got a long way to go and, as I progress, my blood pressure should come down, naturally.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Revised Weight Loss Goal
In considering where I am, currently, with my weight loss, versus what I still see in the mirror, it has occurred to me that perhaps my initial target weight of 190 lbs is a bit too high. I am presently at 206 lbs, as of yesterday. That's only 16 lbs above my initial target weight, yet, it's evident from what I'm observing, that I probably have at least an additional 20 lbs of fat left to lose before I reach my optimal lean body weight.
If that's the case, then my new target weight should be in the neighborhood of 186 lbs or so. In my thirties, I weighed in, at my leanest, at around 145 lbs. However, considering I gained muscle mass in my early-to-mid forties, I probably added at least 30 lbs of muscle tissue. Bear in mind that muscle tissue is more dense than adipose tissue (fat) and, thus, weighs more than fat. Even when my body was pretty lean, in my mid-forties, I probably had a higher percentage of body fat than I will have as a result of the Paleo Diet, when I get to the point at which I stabilize and begin maintaining my weight. As I recall, in my mid-forties my abdominal muscles were still covered by a thin layer of fat so they could not be revealed (a major source of frustration for me then) and, because I was on a high carbohydrate diet of mostly pasta and breads and very little meat, my triglycerides were high, in spite of my high exercise level. At that time, I weighed in at around 200 lbs or so.
Considering my dietary mistakes at the time, plus the additional fat loss I could have benefitted from then, I'd say my ideal lean body weight should be under 190 lbs, probably closer to 180 to 185 lbs.
Given that, I am resetting my target weight for 185 lbs and I'll see how I look and feel when I get there.
Now, there is just one complicating factor that needs to be taken into consideration, and it's one I've already mentioned: muscle weighs more than fat. So, as I continue to lose fat, I will also be gaining muscle, due to my coming Total Gym workouts. If this occurs, I'm sure it will mean, based upon past experience, not to mention exercise physiology, that my ideal lean body weight may actually creep upward. Instead of 185, I may find that, with added muscle mass, my ideal lean body weight comes out to more like 190 or 195 lbs. In fact, I may find it increasingly difficult to continue losing weight, while at the same time, I'm losing more fat. After all, the goal here is fat loss, not weight loss. Since weight can be composed of muscle, fat, even bone tissue, weight loss, in and of itself, is not an indicator of improving health.
So, I'll shoot for 185 lbs, for now, with the caution that added muscle mass may reduce the amount of weight loss necessary to reach a healthy lean state.
If that's the case, then my new target weight should be in the neighborhood of 186 lbs or so. In my thirties, I weighed in, at my leanest, at around 145 lbs. However, considering I gained muscle mass in my early-to-mid forties, I probably added at least 30 lbs of muscle tissue. Bear in mind that muscle tissue is more dense than adipose tissue (fat) and, thus, weighs more than fat. Even when my body was pretty lean, in my mid-forties, I probably had a higher percentage of body fat than I will have as a result of the Paleo Diet, when I get to the point at which I stabilize and begin maintaining my weight. As I recall, in my mid-forties my abdominal muscles were still covered by a thin layer of fat so they could not be revealed (a major source of frustration for me then) and, because I was on a high carbohydrate diet of mostly pasta and breads and very little meat, my triglycerides were high, in spite of my high exercise level. At that time, I weighed in at around 200 lbs or so.
Considering my dietary mistakes at the time, plus the additional fat loss I could have benefitted from then, I'd say my ideal lean body weight should be under 190 lbs, probably closer to 180 to 185 lbs.
Given that, I am resetting my target weight for 185 lbs and I'll see how I look and feel when I get there.
Now, there is just one complicating factor that needs to be taken into consideration, and it's one I've already mentioned: muscle weighs more than fat. So, as I continue to lose fat, I will also be gaining muscle, due to my coming Total Gym workouts. If this occurs, I'm sure it will mean, based upon past experience, not to mention exercise physiology, that my ideal lean body weight may actually creep upward. Instead of 185, I may find that, with added muscle mass, my ideal lean body weight comes out to more like 190 or 195 lbs. In fact, I may find it increasingly difficult to continue losing weight, while at the same time, I'm losing more fat. After all, the goal here is fat loss, not weight loss. Since weight can be composed of muscle, fat, even bone tissue, weight loss, in and of itself, is not an indicator of improving health.
So, I'll shoot for 185 lbs, for now, with the caution that added muscle mass may reduce the amount of weight loss necessary to reach a healthy lean state.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Still More Weight Loss
Today is day 44 of the Paleo Diet and I'm down to 206 lbs, a reduction of 5 lbs since last week! So, the additional walking exercise is paying off. That's now 27 lbs I've lost, in total, since beginning the diet on November 2nd.
I won't have the money to order my new Total Gym until next week, and after ordering it, there will probably be a delay of a few weeks before it arrives, so I won't have any Total Gym results to report until probably sometime in January.
Once I do begin using the Total Gym, however, get ready for some dramatic results! As I said earlier, I've had my old Total Gym since 1997 and, when I first began using it, I was already in pretty good shape, but, even so, there were remarkable improvements. Given the shape I'm in now, I expect the results of using the Total Gym will be even more impressive, as I tone my muscles and add new muscle tissue.
Meanwhile, there has been a light dusting of snow overnight, but the streets are still clear, so I will be doing my 60 minute walk this afternoon, which should help spur some further weight loss I can tell you about next Saturday.
I won't have the money to order my new Total Gym until next week, and after ordering it, there will probably be a delay of a few weeks before it arrives, so I won't have any Total Gym results to report until probably sometime in January.
Once I do begin using the Total Gym, however, get ready for some dramatic results! As I said earlier, I've had my old Total Gym since 1997 and, when I first began using it, I was already in pretty good shape, but, even so, there were remarkable improvements. Given the shape I'm in now, I expect the results of using the Total Gym will be even more impressive, as I tone my muscles and add new muscle tissue.
Meanwhile, there has been a light dusting of snow overnight, but the streets are still clear, so I will be doing my 60 minute walk this afternoon, which should help spur some further weight loss I can tell you about next Saturday.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Blood Sugar Progress
After yo-yo-ing up and down for a while, my blood sugar has now stabilized around the low "pre-diabetic" range (110 to 150) now. It seems to be headed in an overall downward trend and the next big push will be into the normal range. But, keep in mind, it's still early in my Paleo Diet program, with less than two months under my belt (which is too big for me now!).
This evening, I tested around dinner, with my blood sugar being at 126 before the meal and, after a couple of hours, during which I did some light exercise (treadmill for five minutes, a set of jumping jacks, some push-ups and some squat-thrusts, since we've had an ice storm today and I can't walk outside) and a spoonful of cinnamon, it was down to 120! Lower than before the meal. I love it when that happens. Proof positive that exercise and cinnamon are an effect means of blood sugar control. Much better than drugs!
Sometime around my next birthday (October 2008), I should be back to normal again, I estimate. That will be close to one full year, as I started the diet on November 2nd 2007. To celebrate my 56th birthday, I plan to eat out (as Paleo-friendly as I can find) and ask for the senior discount, just to see what kind of reaction I get. I have no doubt they'd ask for my ID even now, much less then.
This evening, I tested around dinner, with my blood sugar being at 126 before the meal and, after a couple of hours, during which I did some light exercise (treadmill for five minutes, a set of jumping jacks, some push-ups and some squat-thrusts, since we've had an ice storm today and I can't walk outside) and a spoonful of cinnamon, it was down to 120! Lower than before the meal. I love it when that happens. Proof positive that exercise and cinnamon are an effect means of blood sugar control. Much better than drugs!
Sometime around my next birthday (October 2008), I should be back to normal again, I estimate. That will be close to one full year, as I started the diet on November 2nd 2007. To celebrate my 56th birthday, I plan to eat out (as Paleo-friendly as I can find) and ask for the senior discount, just to see what kind of reaction I get. I have no doubt they'd ask for my ID even now, much less then.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
More Steady Weight Loss
Today, I'm down another two pounds from this time last week. Not a lot of weight loss, but it's consistent with Cordain's prediction of slower, steady weight loss, following the initial rapid weight loss.
This means, of course, that I've burned off 7,000 calories more than I took in during the week (a 3,500 calorie deficit equals one pound of burned fat). Not bad, considering all that changed was that I lengthened my evening walks to double what they had been; i.e., to about 20 minutes. I had an especially good walk last night, averaging around 4 mph, I'd say (based upon past experience). It was a good way to generate some body heat to keep warm with in the cold drizzle. ;)
Keep in mind that I haven't yet added in my 60 minute walks, the first of which will be this afternoon. With that figured in, I should expect to see a bit more weight loss by next Saturday than I've had this past week. Given that my total walking time by then will amount to just a little more than 37% more than what it was this week, I'd guesstimate my weight loss for next Saturday to be around 2.74 pounds. Again, not a staggering result, but one must consider that I'm now into the phase during which my continue fat loss is a reflection of how many calories I expend, though it's still typical for me to be losing fat while sleeping or sitting at my computer. It's just slowed down, that's all. I still have a lot of body fat, both apparent and hidden, to lose and as long as there is more fat than the number of calories I consume can support, the excess fat will continue to be used as fuel. Since I've increased my exercise, and will be increasing it more (especially once I get my old broken down Total Gym replaced) in coming weeks, that excess fat will not only continue to be burned off, but at an accelerated rate.
About that Total Gym, I've had mine since 1997 and it's been a great workout machine, but it has developed a defect in one of the plastic rollers that causes a loud popping sound when the gym's in use. It doesn't keep me from using it, but it's irritating enough I want to replace the gym (the part can't be replaced) with a new Total Gym 1700 Club (one of my "Christmas presents" to myself). Then, I'll really be taking off the fat.
This means, of course, that I've burned off 7,000 calories more than I took in during the week (a 3,500 calorie deficit equals one pound of burned fat). Not bad, considering all that changed was that I lengthened my evening walks to double what they had been; i.e., to about 20 minutes. I had an especially good walk last night, averaging around 4 mph, I'd say (based upon past experience). It was a good way to generate some body heat to keep warm with in the cold drizzle. ;)
Keep in mind that I haven't yet added in my 60 minute walks, the first of which will be this afternoon. With that figured in, I should expect to see a bit more weight loss by next Saturday than I've had this past week. Given that my total walking time by then will amount to just a little more than 37% more than what it was this week, I'd guesstimate my weight loss for next Saturday to be around 2.74 pounds. Again, not a staggering result, but one must consider that I'm now into the phase during which my continue fat loss is a reflection of how many calories I expend, though it's still typical for me to be losing fat while sleeping or sitting at my computer. It's just slowed down, that's all. I still have a lot of body fat, both apparent and hidden, to lose and as long as there is more fat than the number of calories I consume can support, the excess fat will continue to be used as fuel. Since I've increased my exercise, and will be increasing it more (especially once I get my old broken down Total Gym replaced) in coming weeks, that excess fat will not only continue to be burned off, but at an accelerated rate.
About that Total Gym, I've had mine since 1997 and it's been a great workout machine, but it has developed a defect in one of the plastic rollers that causes a loud popping sound when the gym's in use. It doesn't keep me from using it, but it's irritating enough I want to replace the gym (the part can't be replaced) with a new Total Gym 1700 Club (one of my "Christmas presents" to myself). Then, I'll really be taking off the fat.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
My First Taste of Venison
Today at work, I was given the gift of a rather large, nearly 2 inch thick venison steak. One of the guys I work with is a bow hunter and, this time of the year, can be counted on to have lots of deer meat on hand.
So, I took the meat home, slapped it on my new George Foreman Grill, and waited for some fat to come dripping out. It never came. This was the leanest piece of meat I've ever eaten. It even made Laura's Lean Beef look like something from McDonald's. I was amazed to find that not a speck of fat was produced during cooking.
As for the smell and taste, as it was cooking, it smelled a bit like the bison patties I'd had a couple of weeks ago. The taste was a little different and varied from a bison-like flavor to a more "gamey" taste, whatever that means. It came out a little more rare than I'm accustomed to with beef, but I had read that it is best to eat game meat a little on the rare side, as cooking it as long as beef renders it very tough and stringy. So, the meat was mostly very tender, although I did encounter some stubborn gristle in the middle that was impossible to swallow because I just couldn't chew it down to a manageable size. This beast was a buck, so I'm told, so it was a very muscular animal, not some overfed domesticated creature standing around waiting to be slaughtered.
There was enough meat to put some away for tomorrow's lunch and dinner, as well. Not bad for free. Had I bought this meat commercially, I'd have to have ordered via mail order and it would have probably cost me in the neighborhood of $30 to $50.
Now, the really good part: according to one seller of venison products, this meat typically has only 0.34 calories from fat and about 26 grams of protein per pound. Excellent! But, even as generous as my friend is, I expect this will be an occasional treat, at best.
So, I took the meat home, slapped it on my new George Foreman Grill, and waited for some fat to come dripping out. It never came. This was the leanest piece of meat I've ever eaten. It even made Laura's Lean Beef look like something from McDonald's. I was amazed to find that not a speck of fat was produced during cooking.
As for the smell and taste, as it was cooking, it smelled a bit like the bison patties I'd had a couple of weeks ago. The taste was a little different and varied from a bison-like flavor to a more "gamey" taste, whatever that means. It came out a little more rare than I'm accustomed to with beef, but I had read that it is best to eat game meat a little on the rare side, as cooking it as long as beef renders it very tough and stringy. So, the meat was mostly very tender, although I did encounter some stubborn gristle in the middle that was impossible to swallow because I just couldn't chew it down to a manageable size. This beast was a buck, so I'm told, so it was a very muscular animal, not some overfed domesticated creature standing around waiting to be slaughtered.
There was enough meat to put some away for tomorrow's lunch and dinner, as well. Not bad for free. Had I bought this meat commercially, I'd have to have ordered via mail order and it would have probably cost me in the neighborhood of $30 to $50.
Now, the really good part: according to one seller of venison products, this meat typically has only 0.34 calories from fat and about 26 grams of protein per pound. Excellent! But, even as generous as my friend is, I expect this will be an occasional treat, at best.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Paleo Diet & Sleep Apnea - Addendum
It seems I was right on in my theory about whether the Paleo Diet's fat loss effect might reduce or reverse obstructive sleep apnea. According to the following abstract from a peer reviewed medical study, it seems that the amount of fat content in the uvula (one of the upper airway tissues also implicated as a causal factor in obstructive sleep apnea) has a direct correlation with the severity of obstructive sleep apnea:
Morphology of the uvula in obstructive sleep apnea.
J L Stauffer , M K Buick , E O Bixler , F E Sharkey , A B Abt , E K Manders , A Kales , R J Cadieux , J D Barry , C W Zwillich
"Alterations in pharyngeal structure and function are considered fundamental in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, little is known about morphologic features of the pharynx in patients with OSA. We therefore studied the tissue composition of the uvula (midsagittal section) in patients with OSA, using a quantitative, morphometric point-counting technique. Uvula tissue was obtained by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in 33 patients (mean number of apneas per hour of sleep = 32.7 +/- 5.2) and by autopsy in 22 normal subjects not known to have OSA. All statistical comparisons were controlled for differences caused by age and body mass index. Patients with OSA had a significantly greater percentage of muscle in the uvula (18.1 +/- 1.9% versus 9.3 +/- 2.1%, p = 0.02) than did normal subjects. A significant difference in fat content was also found (9.5 +/- 1.4% in patients versus 4.0 +/- 1.0% in normal subjects, p less than 0.02). These differences between patients with OSA and control subjects could not be accounted for by anthropometric or sex differences. The percentage of uvula fat tissue was significantly related to the frequency of apneas and hypopneas in sleep (r = 0.43, p less than 0.01). Uvula morphology in 6 nonapneic snorers undergoing UPPP was similar to that of patients with OSA. We conclude that the uvula in patients with OSA contains more muscle and fat than the uvula in control subjects, possibly contributing to pharyngeal narrowing in OSA.
Mesh-terms: Female; Human; Male; Middle Aged; Palate, Soft, pathology; Palate, Soft, surgery; Sleep Apnea Syndromes, pathology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes, physiopathology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes, surgery; Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Uvula, pathology; Uvula, surgery;"
That's two sources that corroborate my theory! Given this discovery, I wonder if it's possible, after all, to entirely eliminate sleep apnea via the Paleo Diet? It would require significant fat loss, but that is exactly what the Paleo Diet provides.
Morphology of the uvula in obstructive sleep apnea.
J L Stauffer , M K Buick , E O Bixler , F E Sharkey , A B Abt , E K Manders , A Kales , R J Cadieux , J D Barry , C W Zwillich
"Alterations in pharyngeal structure and function are considered fundamental in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, little is known about morphologic features of the pharynx in patients with OSA. We therefore studied the tissue composition of the uvula (midsagittal section) in patients with OSA, using a quantitative, morphometric point-counting technique. Uvula tissue was obtained by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in 33 patients (mean number of apneas per hour of sleep = 32.7 +/- 5.2) and by autopsy in 22 normal subjects not known to have OSA. All statistical comparisons were controlled for differences caused by age and body mass index. Patients with OSA had a significantly greater percentage of muscle in the uvula (18.1 +/- 1.9% versus 9.3 +/- 2.1%, p = 0.02) than did normal subjects. A significant difference in fat content was also found (9.5 +/- 1.4% in patients versus 4.0 +/- 1.0% in normal subjects, p less than 0.02). These differences between patients with OSA and control subjects could not be accounted for by anthropometric or sex differences. The percentage of uvula fat tissue was significantly related to the frequency of apneas and hypopneas in sleep (r = 0.43, p less than 0.01). Uvula morphology in 6 nonapneic snorers undergoing UPPP was similar to that of patients with OSA. We conclude that the uvula in patients with OSA contains more muscle and fat than the uvula in control subjects, possibly contributing to pharyngeal narrowing in OSA.
Mesh-terms: Female; Human; Male; Middle Aged; Palate, Soft, pathology; Palate, Soft, surgery; Sleep Apnea Syndromes, pathology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes, physiopathology; Sleep Apnea Syndromes, surgery; Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Uvula, pathology; Uvula, surgery;"
That's two sources that corroborate my theory! Given this discovery, I wonder if it's possible, after all, to entirely eliminate sleep apnea via the Paleo Diet? It would require significant fat loss, but that is exactly what the Paleo Diet provides.
The Paleo Diet As a Sleep Aid
I hadn't mentioned it before, but I have suffered from severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) for many years (it was officially diagnosed by a sleep study done in December 2004), as well as a mild case of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and occasional bouts of insomnia.
I was curious to see what effect, if any, the Paleo Diet might have on these conditions and, though my comments about it here are entirely anecdotal, I can tell you with some confidence that the Paleo Diet does play an important role in reversing, if not negating these conditions.
The RLS and the insomnia are gone. I noticed this within the first few weeks. Loren Cordain says, in The Paleo Diet, that your sleep will improve as a result of the diet and I believe he's entirely correct. This effect, plus possible repair of nerve damage that might be partially involved in my RLS, seems to have rendered it a thing of the past. As for the insomnia, I have had no trouble getting to sleep relatively quickly since about the third week of the diet.
Now, where the OSA is concerned, I didn't expect that to be affected by the diet, as the cause of it is a blockage of my airway by my soft palate and other tissues in my airway that relax when I'm asleep. However, this is not to say there hasn't still been a positive change in the amount and quality of sleep I'm getting - there has been. Nevertheless, I can still tell that I've had apneas during the night, as I still suffer some daytime drowsiness. But, the good news is that this has been reduced, at least to the point at which I'm feeling better rested, have more stamina and less drowsiness.
Even though I probably should not expect the Paleo Diet will reverse or cure my sleep apnea, a thought has occurred to me: if the soft palate, like all fleshy parts of the body, contains fat, then isn't it at least possible that the fat loss I'm experiencing as a result of the diet might also have the added effect of shrinking and tightening my soft palate? Pursuing this thought further, I did a little Googling and found the following on the Journal of Applied Physiology website:
"It has been hypothesized that the pressure in tissues surrounding the upper airway is one of the determinants of the size and shape of the upper airway. To our knowledge, this pressure has not been measured. The purpose of this study was to test whether the pressure in a tissue lateral to the upper airway, the lateral pharyngeal fat pad pressure (Pfp), differs from atmospheric and pharyngeal pressures and whether it changes with breathing. We studied six male lightly sedated pigs by inserting a transducer tipped catheter into their fat pad space by using computerized tomographic scan guidance. We measured airflow with a pneumotachograph attached to a face mask and pharyngeal pressure with a balloon catheter. Pfp differed from atmospheric pressure, generally exceeding it, and from pharyngeal pressure. Pfp correlated positively with airflow and with pharyngeal pressure, decreasing during inspiration and increasing during expiration. Changes in Pfp with ventilation were eliminated by oropharyngeal intubation. We conclude that Pfp differs from atmospheric and pharyngeal pressures and that it changes with breathing."
So, it would seem there is something to my theory, after all. The tissues of the upper airway are the chief culprit implicated in obstructive sleep apnea. Further, this study confirms that these upper airway tissues are at least partly composed of fat. These tissues are found to put pressure on the upper airway, thus constricting it, causing momentary cessations in breathing (i.e., apneas). Now, consider that when one loses body fat, the loss of fatty tissue is universal; i.e., it occurs all over the body, as the body uses fat for fuel. This fat burning is indiscriminate; the body has no preference for fat in any one particular part of the body (hence the myth of spot reduction; i.e., the incorrect belief that sit-ups and crunches will removed abdominal fat). Thus, as fat is lost from all the body's tissues at once, it stands to reason that these pharyngeal fat pads are also losing fat - they are shrinking. If this is correct, then the tissues of the upper airway involved in obstructive sleep apnea might very well respond favorably to the fat-loss effect of the Paleo Diet. This might, at least, lead to reducing my severe case of OSA to a milder case, much as it was during the mid-nineties, when I first suspected I might have sleep apnea. This is encouraging!
I was curious to see what effect, if any, the Paleo Diet might have on these conditions and, though my comments about it here are entirely anecdotal, I can tell you with some confidence that the Paleo Diet does play an important role in reversing, if not negating these conditions.
The RLS and the insomnia are gone. I noticed this within the first few weeks. Loren Cordain says, in The Paleo Diet, that your sleep will improve as a result of the diet and I believe he's entirely correct. This effect, plus possible repair of nerve damage that might be partially involved in my RLS, seems to have rendered it a thing of the past. As for the insomnia, I have had no trouble getting to sleep relatively quickly since about the third week of the diet.
Now, where the OSA is concerned, I didn't expect that to be affected by the diet, as the cause of it is a blockage of my airway by my soft palate and other tissues in my airway that relax when I'm asleep. However, this is not to say there hasn't still been a positive change in the amount and quality of sleep I'm getting - there has been. Nevertheless, I can still tell that I've had apneas during the night, as I still suffer some daytime drowsiness. But, the good news is that this has been reduced, at least to the point at which I'm feeling better rested, have more stamina and less drowsiness.
Even though I probably should not expect the Paleo Diet will reverse or cure my sleep apnea, a thought has occurred to me: if the soft palate, like all fleshy parts of the body, contains fat, then isn't it at least possible that the fat loss I'm experiencing as a result of the diet might also have the added effect of shrinking and tightening my soft palate? Pursuing this thought further, I did a little Googling and found the following on the Journal of Applied Physiology website:
Lateral pharyngeal fat pad pressure during breathing in anesthetized pigs
"It has been hypothesized that the pressure in tissues surrounding the upper airway is one of the determinants of the size and shape of the upper airway. To our knowledge, this pressure has not been measured. The purpose of this study was to test whether the pressure in a tissue lateral to the upper airway, the lateral pharyngeal fat pad pressure (Pfp), differs from atmospheric and pharyngeal pressures and whether it changes with breathing. We studied six male lightly sedated pigs by inserting a transducer tipped catheter into their fat pad space by using computerized tomographic scan guidance. We measured airflow with a pneumotachograph attached to a face mask and pharyngeal pressure with a balloon catheter. Pfp differed from atmospheric pressure, generally exceeding it, and from pharyngeal pressure. Pfp correlated positively with airflow and with pharyngeal pressure, decreasing during inspiration and increasing during expiration. Changes in Pfp with ventilation were eliminated by oropharyngeal intubation. We conclude that Pfp differs from atmospheric and pharyngeal pressures and that it changes with breathing."
So, it would seem there is something to my theory, after all. The tissues of the upper airway are the chief culprit implicated in obstructive sleep apnea. Further, this study confirms that these upper airway tissues are at least partly composed of fat. These tissues are found to put pressure on the upper airway, thus constricting it, causing momentary cessations in breathing (i.e., apneas). Now, consider that when one loses body fat, the loss of fatty tissue is universal; i.e., it occurs all over the body, as the body uses fat for fuel. This fat burning is indiscriminate; the body has no preference for fat in any one particular part of the body (hence the myth of spot reduction; i.e., the incorrect belief that sit-ups and crunches will removed abdominal fat). Thus, as fat is lost from all the body's tissues at once, it stands to reason that these pharyngeal fat pads are also losing fat - they are shrinking. If this is correct, then the tissues of the upper airway involved in obstructive sleep apnea might very well respond favorably to the fat-loss effect of the Paleo Diet. This might, at least, lead to reducing my severe case of OSA to a milder case, much as it was during the mid-nineties, when I first suspected I might have sleep apnea. This is encouraging!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Oops!
Seems I misread that chart. It says exercise per 10 minutes. Anyway, I found a more appropriate chart: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CalorieBurnChart.htm, which shows the number of calories burned per minute, which was what I was searching for in the first place.
According to the second chart, I'd be burning .036 calories per minute x my weight of 213 lbs = 7.668 calories per minute by walking at a normal pace on asphalt pavement. Given that, 160 minutes of walking per week should burn 1,226.88 calories per week, or roughly less than half a pound per week. Seems a bit low to me, as I've been burning more fat that this just sitting at my computer. I ate a sirloin steak just a couple of hours ago and I can already smell ketone waste in my urine, so I know I'm burning body fat just sitting here typing this. But then, maybe my metabolism is a little different than most people's. It seems a high amount of dietary protein significantly increases my metabolic rate. This makes sense to me, as I was a skinny kid and, back then, ate mostly meat because I didn't like veggies much. If my theory is correct, I should do better than a mere 7.668 calories per minute, thus I'll lose fat quicker the chart projects. This may be due to the extra muscle mass I gained during the nineties, as well. The more lean muscle you have, the more fat you can burn and the less effort it takes to do so.
Given all that, I'll at least round up the calories per minute to 8 and say that, for 160 minutes of walking per week, I'd burn 1,280 calories per week, which still seems low, though, checking with some other sources, most seem to say about 7 calories per minute. The factor they are not including is one's starting weight, however. The more you weigh, to begin with, the more calories per minute you'll burn because you're doing more work to move a heavier mass than someone who weighs less.
Using the calorie calculator I found at http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jumpsite/calculat.htm, I determined I'd be burning about 1,290 calories per week, so I guess there is no arguing with the math, especially since this calculator takes your weight into account. Okay, then. So, at that rate, I'll lose a pound every two weeks or so. That's just for the effort expended during exercise, though. It doesn't account for the fat I'm obviously still burning while at rest, as a result of having more stored body fat than my body can find calories to maintain. That has to be considered, as well. It's hard to calculate how much that is, as I've been walking daily more or less since I started the Paleo Diet, thus, my walking has been adding to my calorie burning.
Another way of getting to a reasonable estimate of how much I can expect to lose is to consider that the exercise schedule I've proposed (20 minutes a day during the week, plus 60 minutes on the weekends) adds 3.2 times the amount of walking I've been doing. If I've been losing an average of 0.27 lbs per day since my water loss stabilized, then 0.27 x 3.2 = 0.864 lbs per day. If this holds true, then I can expect to arrive at my target weight of 190 lbs by December 28th. That's figured at 213 lbs - 190 lbs = 23 lbs to be lost divided by 0.864 lbs = 26.62037 days. So, my present weight loss from cutting my calories formerly supplied by grains, dairy and processed foods, added to the weight I'll be losing from increasing my exercise should get me to my target weight of 190 lbs by the end of the month. It's only 23 lbs to lose, so I don't see why not.
According to the second chart, I'd be burning .036 calories per minute x my weight of 213 lbs = 7.668 calories per minute by walking at a normal pace on asphalt pavement. Given that, 160 minutes of walking per week should burn 1,226.88 calories per week, or roughly less than half a pound per week. Seems a bit low to me, as I've been burning more fat that this just sitting at my computer. I ate a sirloin steak just a couple of hours ago and I can already smell ketone waste in my urine, so I know I'm burning body fat just sitting here typing this. But then, maybe my metabolism is a little different than most people's. It seems a high amount of dietary protein significantly increases my metabolic rate. This makes sense to me, as I was a skinny kid and, back then, ate mostly meat because I didn't like veggies much. If my theory is correct, I should do better than a mere 7.668 calories per minute, thus I'll lose fat quicker the chart projects. This may be due to the extra muscle mass I gained during the nineties, as well. The more lean muscle you have, the more fat you can burn and the less effort it takes to do so.
Given all that, I'll at least round up the calories per minute to 8 and say that, for 160 minutes of walking per week, I'd burn 1,280 calories per week, which still seems low, though, checking with some other sources, most seem to say about 7 calories per minute. The factor they are not including is one's starting weight, however. The more you weigh, to begin with, the more calories per minute you'll burn because you're doing more work to move a heavier mass than someone who weighs less.
Using the calorie calculator I found at http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jumpsite/calculat.htm, I determined I'd be burning about 1,290 calories per week, so I guess there is no arguing with the math, especially since this calculator takes your weight into account. Okay, then. So, at that rate, I'll lose a pound every two weeks or so. That's just for the effort expended during exercise, though. It doesn't account for the fat I'm obviously still burning while at rest, as a result of having more stored body fat than my body can find calories to maintain. That has to be considered, as well. It's hard to calculate how much that is, as I've been walking daily more or less since I started the Paleo Diet, thus, my walking has been adding to my calorie burning.
Another way of getting to a reasonable estimate of how much I can expect to lose is to consider that the exercise schedule I've proposed (20 minutes a day during the week, plus 60 minutes on the weekends) adds 3.2 times the amount of walking I've been doing. If I've been losing an average of 0.27 lbs per day since my water loss stabilized, then 0.27 x 3.2 = 0.864 lbs per day. If this holds true, then I can expect to arrive at my target weight of 190 lbs by December 28th. That's figured at 213 lbs - 190 lbs = 23 lbs to be lost divided by 0.864 lbs = 26.62037 days. So, my present weight loss from cutting my calories formerly supplied by grains, dairy and processed foods, added to the weight I'll be losing from increasing my exercise should get me to my target weight of 190 lbs by the end of the month. It's only 23 lbs to lose, so I don't see why not.
Further Weight Loss Progress - Addendum
Well, no sooner did I post my last entry than I consulted Loren Cordain's book, The Paleo Diet for some clues as to why my weight loss has slowed. I had forgotten reading that he said one loses weight rapidly, at first, then continues to lose weight steadily.
Of course, this is contingent upon continuing to follow the diet. Cordain says, "Most people experience rapid weight loss within the first three to five days. This is mainly water loss, and it stabilizes fairly quickly. After that, how much weight you lose will depend on two things - how overweight you are to begin with and how many total 'deficit' calories you accumulate. After the initial water loss, it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat. It is not unusual for people who are obese (medically, this means people who are 30 percent or more over their ideal weight) to lose between 10 and 15 pounds each month."
According to a chart of calories burned per minute of exercise (http://www.coolnurse.com/calories_burned.htm), at my present weight of 213 lbs (as of December 1st), I should expect to burn over 70 calories per minute of walking, provided my pace is 4 mph. That's pretty close to my usual pace, and since the chart says 70 calories/min at 200 lbs, even if my pace is a little under 4 mph, I'd still be burning about that many calories per minute. Therefore, to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 per week (assuming I want to lose a pound a week), I'd need to walk for ten minutes, five days a week, which is what I'm doing now. I can do better than that, though. Even on my schedule, I can get in about twenty minutes a day during the week and up to an hour a day on Saturdays. If I do that, I'll be burning 11,200 calories per week (70 calories/min x 160 minutes of walking), or 3.2 lbs of fat per week. That would average out to 0.45 lbs per day of fat loss. That's 0.18 lbs per day more than I burned off during the last 15 days. If I continue at that rate, I'll be down to 190 lbs in 51 days, plus or minus, if I start now.
So, my new exercise goal, then, is to increase my walking to twenty minutes a day after work and an hour on Saturdays. Quite "do-able." My target weight: 190 lbs. My target date: January 22nd. Given the season, I may have to use my treadmill for some of that walking, but it should work out about the same. Also, given the season and the unfortunate fact that the majority of people don't eat anything like their paleolithic ancestors anymore, I should be losing weight over the holidays while everyone else is getting fatter.
Of course, this is contingent upon continuing to follow the diet. Cordain says, "Most people experience rapid weight loss within the first three to five days. This is mainly water loss, and it stabilizes fairly quickly. After that, how much weight you lose will depend on two things - how overweight you are to begin with and how many total 'deficit' calories you accumulate. After the initial water loss, it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat. It is not unusual for people who are obese (medically, this means people who are 30 percent or more over their ideal weight) to lose between 10 and 15 pounds each month."
According to a chart of calories burned per minute of exercise (http://www.coolnurse.com/calories_burned.htm), at my present weight of 213 lbs (as of December 1st), I should expect to burn over 70 calories per minute of walking, provided my pace is 4 mph. That's pretty close to my usual pace, and since the chart says 70 calories/min at 200 lbs, even if my pace is a little under 4 mph, I'd still be burning about that many calories per minute. Therefore, to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 per week (assuming I want to lose a pound a week), I'd need to walk for ten minutes, five days a week, which is what I'm doing now. I can do better than that, though. Even on my schedule, I can get in about twenty minutes a day during the week and up to an hour a day on Saturdays. If I do that, I'll be burning 11,200 calories per week (70 calories/min x 160 minutes of walking), or 3.2 lbs of fat per week. That would average out to 0.45 lbs per day of fat loss. That's 0.18 lbs per day more than I burned off during the last 15 days. If I continue at that rate, I'll be down to 190 lbs in 51 days, plus or minus, if I start now.
So, my new exercise goal, then, is to increase my walking to twenty minutes a day after work and an hour on Saturdays. Quite "do-able." My target weight: 190 lbs. My target date: January 22nd. Given the season, I may have to use my treadmill for some of that walking, but it should work out about the same. Also, given the season and the unfortunate fact that the majority of people don't eat anything like their paleolithic ancestors anymore, I should be losing weight over the holidays while everyone else is getting fatter.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Further Weight Loss Progress
Since I last reported on my weight loss of 15 lbs in the first 24 days of my Paleo Diet, I have lost an additional 5 lbs, or an average of 0.27 lbs per day over the intervening 18 days since my last weight loss report. So, it looks like my calculation of .6 pounds per day has slowed a little, possibly due to portion sizes in some of my meals. I've been eating frozen black angus burger patties, which are rather large, even after cooking, so I suspect they are the culprit.
Where the beef I'm eating is concerned, I have some positive news, in that, I've started eating Laura's Lean Beef meat products, which are all pasture-fed beef, free of hormones, steroids and antibiotics, as well as not being corn-fed. I highly recommend this brand, which is readily available at all Walmart and Homeland stores. I put a patty of Laura's ground beef into my skillet, the other day, expecting I'd see the usual puddle of clear liquid fat that I've observed when cooking those black angus patties, but, I was pleasantly surprised to see absolutely no sign of any fat emerging from the meat at all, right up until it was done. Not even the surface of the meat had the usual glistening of fat; it still looked dry. But, the meat was moist and tender and thoroughly delicious.
In addition to Laura's Lean Beef, I've also tried Dakota Naturals' Bison Burgers, which are 100% range-fed buffalo meat. Not quite as lean as Laura's Lean Beef, but pretty close. The taste and smell is slightly different from beef, but in a pleasant way. I enjoy both the Bison Burgers and Laura's and will be eating this meat regularly, as I can afford to. It's a bit costlier than regular beef or pork.
Meanwhile, my blood sugar, which has been dropping - though seesawing a little - has more or less stabilized, for the time being, in the low 100s. Still not where I'd like to see it yet, but then, it's only been a little over a month or so since I started and, by Loren Cordain's claims for the Paleo Diet, I should expect it to be at least six months to a year before my blood sugar, as well as my blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides are in the normal range consistently. One factor in all this is exercise, of course. I have been walking almost every evening, after work, but I haven't had time for a longer, more strenuous walk, yet. I have the time for this on weekends, and, if the weather's uncooperative, there is always my treadmill. But, the gist of it is that I need more exercise and, when I start getting it, I expect to see both my weight loss and my blood sugar normalization improve.
Where the beef I'm eating is concerned, I have some positive news, in that, I've started eating Laura's Lean Beef meat products, which are all pasture-fed beef, free of hormones, steroids and antibiotics, as well as not being corn-fed. I highly recommend this brand, which is readily available at all Walmart and Homeland stores. I put a patty of Laura's ground beef into my skillet, the other day, expecting I'd see the usual puddle of clear liquid fat that I've observed when cooking those black angus patties, but, I was pleasantly surprised to see absolutely no sign of any fat emerging from the meat at all, right up until it was done. Not even the surface of the meat had the usual glistening of fat; it still looked dry. But, the meat was moist and tender and thoroughly delicious.
In addition to Laura's Lean Beef, I've also tried Dakota Naturals' Bison Burgers, which are 100% range-fed buffalo meat. Not quite as lean as Laura's Lean Beef, but pretty close. The taste and smell is slightly different from beef, but in a pleasant way. I enjoy both the Bison Burgers and Laura's and will be eating this meat regularly, as I can afford to. It's a bit costlier than regular beef or pork.
Meanwhile, my blood sugar, which has been dropping - though seesawing a little - has more or less stabilized, for the time being, in the low 100s. Still not where I'd like to see it yet, but then, it's only been a little over a month or so since I started and, by Loren Cordain's claims for the Paleo Diet, I should expect it to be at least six months to a year before my blood sugar, as well as my blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides are in the normal range consistently. One factor in all this is exercise, of course. I have been walking almost every evening, after work, but I haven't had time for a longer, more strenuous walk, yet. I have the time for this on weekends, and, if the weather's uncooperative, there is always my treadmill. But, the gist of it is that I need more exercise and, when I start getting it, I expect to see both my weight loss and my blood sugar normalization improve.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Since I'm having Thanksgiving alone this year (not unusual for me), a full turkey was out of the question and, besides, I prefer ham. Turkey's too dry for me. So, I have my crock pot busy working on a beef stew I'm going to have later this evening, and I've already had a brunch of a 1 inch thick, 6 inch long sirloin steak with onions, jalapeno slices, mustard, carrots and bottled water. Yum! It was good.
But, the main thing I wanted to address in this entry is the answer to a thought I've been having: what if everyone - the entire human race - or even a large percentage of us went back to eating the paleolithic diet of meat, vegetables and fruits? What would happen if billions, or even just millions of people began excluding grains and dairy and processed foods from their diet forever?
Of course, the answer points out, in glaring contrast, exactly what I've been alluding to here; i.e., that the food industry, in particular, grain and dairy producers and the companies that manufacture foods using their products all have a vested interest - a market - to protect. In league with them, the entire medical establishment and the pharmaceuticals industry has a vested interest - a market - to protect. The grain and dairy producers make billions per year from their products, which are, in turn, used by food manufacturers to make yet more billions per year selling their products made with grains and dairy products. The medical establishment has built an entire industry around "treating" various diet-related diseases that are caused by a diet rich in grains and dairy, while the pharmaceuticals industry has built a multi-billion dollar industry around selling drugs to suppress the symptoms of these dietary diseases - but never to cure them. So, you have a chain of vested interests, all joined together at the hip, all profiting immensely from your pain, suffering and ill-health - and all with a huge motivation to not only continue this sad state of affairs (sad for us, great for them), but to actually expand upon it! Anyone who would argue otherwise is either a lobbyist for one or more of these industries, or is a simple minded idiot. Since most of the American public are quite obviously not lobbyists, what does that imply?
But, maybe I'm being too harsh on you folks. After all, for your entire life - indeed, for the entire lives of the 500 ancestors who lived before you - grains and dairy have been part of the human diet and no one has had any inkling that there was ever anything different or wrong with that. In fact, just the opposite. We've been told all our lives that we require grains and dairy in our diet for survival and good health. So, it is no surprise, then, that the vast majority of human beings have unlearned the eating habits of their distant ancestors (in fact, everyone living today never knew of those eating habits, to begin with) and are pursuing a diet that is killing them, all the while believing that what they eat is good, healthy food.
But, getting back to the original question, in light of what I've just said, it should be glaringly apparent to anyone who can think critically (and our numbers are shrinking) that there is a huge monolithic power arrayed against us that has our ill health and suffering - not our well-being - at heart as they pursue their huge profits, made from willfully poisoning our food supply on a daily basis. To anyone who would ask if I believe these folks would deliberately do such a thing to billions of people worldwide, I would answer, do you really believe, in light of what I've said above, that they would not? As I said, there is a vested interest to protect, worth countless trillions in revenue. Oh! I left out one of the key players in this "food chain" (pardon the pun, I couldn't resist!): government, and those behind the scenes who actually control it (which are people very different from those whom we've elected). Who benefits from the taxes paid by the huge multinational corporations that supply the world's food products, manufacture drugs and medical appliances, etc? So, you see, we are all slaves to a behemoth that feeds off of our continued ill health and suffering, whether we like it or not.
But, through the Paleo Diet, we can all free ourselves from the machine we've been enslaved by. You don't need grains and dairy and processed foods any more than you need high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. In fact, you'll lower your risk of all of these conditions by not eating grains and dairy and processed foods. You have the power to decide what you put into your body. The choice is all yours, not the people who want to keep you hooked on what they're peddling to us. A little food for thought on this day we give thanks to the Lord for our bountiful feast.
But, the main thing I wanted to address in this entry is the answer to a thought I've been having: what if everyone - the entire human race - or even a large percentage of us went back to eating the paleolithic diet of meat, vegetables and fruits? What would happen if billions, or even just millions of people began excluding grains and dairy and processed foods from their diet forever?
Of course, the answer points out, in glaring contrast, exactly what I've been alluding to here; i.e., that the food industry, in particular, grain and dairy producers and the companies that manufacture foods using their products all have a vested interest - a market - to protect. In league with them, the entire medical establishment and the pharmaceuticals industry has a vested interest - a market - to protect. The grain and dairy producers make billions per year from their products, which are, in turn, used by food manufacturers to make yet more billions per year selling their products made with grains and dairy products. The medical establishment has built an entire industry around "treating" various diet-related diseases that are caused by a diet rich in grains and dairy, while the pharmaceuticals industry has built a multi-billion dollar industry around selling drugs to suppress the symptoms of these dietary diseases - but never to cure them. So, you have a chain of vested interests, all joined together at the hip, all profiting immensely from your pain, suffering and ill-health - and all with a huge motivation to not only continue this sad state of affairs (sad for us, great for them), but to actually expand upon it! Anyone who would argue otherwise is either a lobbyist for one or more of these industries, or is a simple minded idiot. Since most of the American public are quite obviously not lobbyists, what does that imply?
But, maybe I'm being too harsh on you folks. After all, for your entire life - indeed, for the entire lives of the 500 ancestors who lived before you - grains and dairy have been part of the human diet and no one has had any inkling that there was ever anything different or wrong with that. In fact, just the opposite. We've been told all our lives that we require grains and dairy in our diet for survival and good health. So, it is no surprise, then, that the vast majority of human beings have unlearned the eating habits of their distant ancestors (in fact, everyone living today never knew of those eating habits, to begin with) and are pursuing a diet that is killing them, all the while believing that what they eat is good, healthy food.
But, getting back to the original question, in light of what I've just said, it should be glaringly apparent to anyone who can think critically (and our numbers are shrinking) that there is a huge monolithic power arrayed against us that has our ill health and suffering - not our well-being - at heart as they pursue their huge profits, made from willfully poisoning our food supply on a daily basis. To anyone who would ask if I believe these folks would deliberately do such a thing to billions of people worldwide, I would answer, do you really believe, in light of what I've said above, that they would not? As I said, there is a vested interest to protect, worth countless trillions in revenue. Oh! I left out one of the key players in this "food chain" (pardon the pun, I couldn't resist!): government, and those behind the scenes who actually control it (which are people very different from those whom we've elected). Who benefits from the taxes paid by the huge multinational corporations that supply the world's food products, manufacture drugs and medical appliances, etc? So, you see, we are all slaves to a behemoth that feeds off of our continued ill health and suffering, whether we like it or not.
But, through the Paleo Diet, we can all free ourselves from the machine we've been enslaved by. You don't need grains and dairy and processed foods any more than you need high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. In fact, you'll lower your risk of all of these conditions by not eating grains and dairy and processed foods. You have the power to decide what you put into your body. The choice is all yours, not the people who want to keep you hooked on what they're peddling to us. A little food for thought on this day we give thanks to the Lord for our bountiful feast.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Into the Normal Range!
This evening, prior to dinner, I checked my blood sugar and found it was at 102. The high end of the normal range for blood glucose is 110. My blood sugar, two hours after dinner (broiled burger patty with onions and jalapeno slices; carrots; cranberries and bottled water), had spiked to 137, which is lower than my previous lowest measurement.
So, it looks as if the Paleo Diet and the cinnamon are paying off. I expect that, with minor fluctuations, my blood sugar is now headed into the normal range, where it will ultimately stay - without any medication whatsoever!
My doctor is going to freak out when I tell him I did this simply by cutting grains, dairy and processed foods from my diet and doing a little walking. His mindset is that the way to handle everything is with drugs. He does absolutely nothing to encourage the patient to make corrections in diet, and that is especially alarming in the case of diabetes - which is a dietary disease! So, you ask, why haven't I dumped this guy and found a better doctor? Because they're all the same! They are trained to become legalized drug pushers, shills for the pharmaceuticals industry, right from the start of their education. The emphasis in modern medicine is upon suppression of symptoms with the use of drugs - not curing disease. Why? Because, if they were to cure these diseases, the market for their services, as well as the market for drugs, would dry up. There is a reason why the American Cancer Society has been around for 94 years without having found a cure for cancer. There is a reason why the American Diabetic Association encourages diabetics to eat grains and dairy - the very same foods that caused their diabetes, in the first place! Diabetes is a diet-related condition, correctable by changes in diet - not the "incurable" disease that doctors and the pharmaceuticals industry want us to believe it is. I am living proof!
So, it looks as if the Paleo Diet and the cinnamon are paying off. I expect that, with minor fluctuations, my blood sugar is now headed into the normal range, where it will ultimately stay - without any medication whatsoever!
My doctor is going to freak out when I tell him I did this simply by cutting grains, dairy and processed foods from my diet and doing a little walking. His mindset is that the way to handle everything is with drugs. He does absolutely nothing to encourage the patient to make corrections in diet, and that is especially alarming in the case of diabetes - which is a dietary disease! So, you ask, why haven't I dumped this guy and found a better doctor? Because they're all the same! They are trained to become legalized drug pushers, shills for the pharmaceuticals industry, right from the start of their education. The emphasis in modern medicine is upon suppression of symptoms with the use of drugs - not curing disease. Why? Because, if they were to cure these diseases, the market for their services, as well as the market for drugs, would dry up. There is a reason why the American Cancer Society has been around for 94 years without having found a cure for cancer. There is a reason why the American Diabetic Association encourages diabetics to eat grains and dairy - the very same foods that caused their diabetes, in the first place! Diabetes is a diet-related condition, correctable by changes in diet - not the "incurable" disease that doctors and the pharmaceuticals industry want us to believe it is. I am living proof!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
15 Pounds in 24 Days...and Falling!
Not only is my blood sugar coming down, but, so is my weight. As of this morning (11-17-07), I have lost 15 pounds in the 24 days since beginning the Paleo Diet, and the first three days were my transition period, when I was still eating some of the "bad" stuff.
So, from merely cutting grains and dairy and processed foods from my diet, plus walking a little, I am down from 233 pounds (as weighed by my nutritionist - now former nutritionist) on October 25th to 218 pounds, as of today. Proof positive that the Paleo Diet is great for weight reduction.
What is happening is that my body has accumulated a lot of fat over the last ten years or so and now, in order to maintain itself, it requires the same amount of calories per day that I was taking in. But, the difference is that now it's not finding those extra calories, because I'm no longer supplying them. If there aren't sufficient calories to maintain all that fat, then it gets burned off as my body goes into "starvation" mode (actually, a state of ketosis) and begins burning fat for energy. Since I have way more fat on me than there are calories to maintain it, it's being burned at a fairly high rate: about .6 pounds of it per day, by my calculations.
Ketosis is a stage in metabolism which occurs when the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies which can be used by the body for energy. Aside from rapid loss of body fat, you can tell you're in a state of ketosis by the smell of your urine. It has a kind of "funky" odor to it that is quite unusual.
Any successful weight (fat) loss program should produce ketosis, otherwise, you're just losing water and, worse yet, perhaps muscle tissue. The big difference in the Paleo Diet is that you're gaining muscle mass, just by the way you're eating. In your former typical American diet, you had very little protein to supply the body with the building blocks for lean muscle tissue. But, on the Paleo Diet, which is rich in high quality protein, you're supplying your body with all the protein it needs to build new muscle. This means that, when there are fewer calories in your diet than there used to be (because you're not pumping yourself full of sugar and starch anymore), your body has to find fuel elsewhere and it starts using your fat reserves as fuel. In other words, your body goes into a ketonic state, in which your liver is processing fat into fatty acids and ketones. It's the ketone waste you smell in your urine. Since the Paleo Diet ensures you'll be gaining muscle mass - not losing it, you're protected from the ill effects of other diets, which only cause you to shed water and muscle tissue.
If my calculations are correct and I'm losing weight at the rate of about .6 pounds per day, assuming that remains constant, I'll be down to about 190 pounds in another 46 days or so. Now, you may ask, what's to prevent this from becoming a "runaway" weight loss? Well, your body's natural tendency is toward equilibrium. In other words, you could never continue losing body weight as long as you're eating food, once you get to a certain weight. We each have an ideal weight at which our body will naturally reset itself to, given the right conditions; i.e., the right diet and exercise level. It's been many years since I've been at that ideal weight and I have gained muscle mass, via strength training in the 1990s, so I don't really know what my ideal weight is, yet. My body will tell me when it gets there. I would guesstimate, though, that it's somewhere between 190 and 200 or so. I say this because, when I began putting on muscle in my early forties, I started out at a weight of around 190 or so. But, I may not have been as lean then as I thought I was, and part of that weight may have consisted of some excess fat. I guess I'll know for sure when my weight loss stabilizes and I'm at equilibrium again. Man, that's gonna feel good!
So, from merely cutting grains and dairy and processed foods from my diet, plus walking a little, I am down from 233 pounds (as weighed by my nutritionist - now former nutritionist) on October 25th to 218 pounds, as of today. Proof positive that the Paleo Diet is great for weight reduction.
What is happening is that my body has accumulated a lot of fat over the last ten years or so and now, in order to maintain itself, it requires the same amount of calories per day that I was taking in. But, the difference is that now it's not finding those extra calories, because I'm no longer supplying them. If there aren't sufficient calories to maintain all that fat, then it gets burned off as my body goes into "starvation" mode (actually, a state of ketosis) and begins burning fat for energy. Since I have way more fat on me than there are calories to maintain it, it's being burned at a fairly high rate: about .6 pounds of it per day, by my calculations.
Ketosis is a stage in metabolism which occurs when the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies which can be used by the body for energy. Aside from rapid loss of body fat, you can tell you're in a state of ketosis by the smell of your urine. It has a kind of "funky" odor to it that is quite unusual.
Any successful weight (fat) loss program should produce ketosis, otherwise, you're just losing water and, worse yet, perhaps muscle tissue. The big difference in the Paleo Diet is that you're gaining muscle mass, just by the way you're eating. In your former typical American diet, you had very little protein to supply the body with the building blocks for lean muscle tissue. But, on the Paleo Diet, which is rich in high quality protein, you're supplying your body with all the protein it needs to build new muscle. This means that, when there are fewer calories in your diet than there used to be (because you're not pumping yourself full of sugar and starch anymore), your body has to find fuel elsewhere and it starts using your fat reserves as fuel. In other words, your body goes into a ketonic state, in which your liver is processing fat into fatty acids and ketones. It's the ketone waste you smell in your urine. Since the Paleo Diet ensures you'll be gaining muscle mass - not losing it, you're protected from the ill effects of other diets, which only cause you to shed water and muscle tissue.
If my calculations are correct and I'm losing weight at the rate of about .6 pounds per day, assuming that remains constant, I'll be down to about 190 pounds in another 46 days or so. Now, you may ask, what's to prevent this from becoming a "runaway" weight loss? Well, your body's natural tendency is toward equilibrium. In other words, you could never continue losing body weight as long as you're eating food, once you get to a certain weight. We each have an ideal weight at which our body will naturally reset itself to, given the right conditions; i.e., the right diet and exercise level. It's been many years since I've been at that ideal weight and I have gained muscle mass, via strength training in the 1990s, so I don't really know what my ideal weight is, yet. My body will tell me when it gets there. I would guesstimate, though, that it's somewhere between 190 and 200 or so. I say this because, when I began putting on muscle in my early forties, I started out at a weight of around 190 or so. But, I may not have been as lean then as I thought I was, and part of that weight may have consisted of some excess fat. I guess I'll know for sure when my weight loss stabilizes and I'm at equilibrium again. Man, that's gonna feel good!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
The Cinnamon is Working!
The other day, I began my cinnamon experiment, taking one tablespoon of cinnamon powder per day in an effort to see if it reduces my blood sugar.
Well, the first dose was about an hour before dinner followed by a walk before dinner. I tested my blood glucose both before and after eating, allowing two hours after the meal. The results on my first test were that my blood glucose remained stable at 156, both before and after eating.
Last night, I followed exactly the same regimen and, for the first time, my blood sugar test after dinner was actually lower than the reading I obtained before the meal! If this becomes a trend, then I've found the ideal program for reversing my diabetes: the Paleo Diet, coupled with a small dose of cinnamon and excerise daily. I can do that!
Well, the first dose was about an hour before dinner followed by a walk before dinner. I tested my blood glucose both before and after eating, allowing two hours after the meal. The results on my first test were that my blood glucose remained stable at 156, both before and after eating.
Last night, I followed exactly the same regimen and, for the first time, my blood sugar test after dinner was actually lower than the reading I obtained before the meal! If this becomes a trend, then I've found the ideal program for reversing my diabetes: the Paleo Diet, coupled with a small dose of cinnamon and excerise daily. I can do that!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Cinnamon as a Remedy for Diabetes
Well, since I first met with my nutritionist two weeks ago, I've already lost 4 pounds on the Paleo Diet. My blood sugar has remained in the 100's and my test this evening showed perfect stability of my blood sugar at 156 both before and two hours following dinner. I might be able to credit that result to a vigorous walk before dinner and the fact that dinner consisted, in part, of green apple slices topped with powdered cinnamon. Cinnamon is known to lower blood sugar and, of course, so does exercise, by burning off glucose.
After this happy result, I did some research on cinnamon as a remedy for diabetes and found that, in a study in which patients were given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder daily, their blood sugar was reduced. The study also confirmed that this effect is the same in people who don't have diabetes.
So, I've decided to consume at least one tablespoon of cinnamon per day, as well as use it in my meals, and see if I notice any effect. My goal is to get my glucose down to around 100 and maintain it there. So far, I appear to be on track to achieving this, since the upper limit of normal blood sugar is 110.
By the way, I've canceled my second appointment with the nutritionist and won't be seeing her again. Why would I, when she advocates allowing me to eat the foods that will perpetuate my diabetes and actually make it worse? In the end, I'm the only one I can trust with my own health.
After this happy result, I did some research on cinnamon as a remedy for diabetes and found that, in a study in which patients were given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder daily, their blood sugar was reduced. The study also confirmed that this effect is the same in people who don't have diabetes.
So, I've decided to consume at least one tablespoon of cinnamon per day, as well as use it in my meals, and see if I notice any effect. My goal is to get my glucose down to around 100 and maintain it there. So far, I appear to be on track to achieving this, since the upper limit of normal blood sugar is 110.
By the way, I've canceled my second appointment with the nutritionist and won't be seeing her again. Why would I, when she advocates allowing me to eat the foods that will perpetuate my diabetes and actually make it worse? In the end, I'm the only one I can trust with my own health.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Off to a Great Start!
I'm a fifty-five year old man and I was in good shape in my forties, doing strength training and walking six miles a day. Since then, I've developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and, now, just two weeks ago, I was informed that I am a type 2 diabetic. That's the bad news.
The good news is that I had begun reading Loren Cordain's The Paleo Diet before I was diagnosed and would have been giving it a try, anyway, to reverse the other conditions I'm afflicted with, aside from the diabetes. Having started the Paleo Diet within two days of my diagnosis, I have already begun to see my blood sugar coming down from the 200's to the 100's, in just days, folks.
Now, I'm a believer. I am finding the Paleo Diet is not only easy to do and easy to stick with, but is so because it is the natural diet of humankind. It is what our ancestors ate for over 2 million years, before the advent of agriculture and the domestication of cattle, some 10,000 years ago, brought grains and dairy into the human diet. In short, this is the diet we were all meant to eat.
Since the introduction of grains and dairy, human beings have been afflicted with an increasing array of diseases and conditions that were unknown to our paleolithic ancestors. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and diabetes are all diet-related diseases that, even today, are unheard of in modern day hunter-gatherer tribes (what few of them are remaining. We keep killing them off by introducing them to "civilization"), let alone in our paleolithic ancestors. We know, from archaeological evidence, that our paleolithic ancestors never suffered from these conditions. We know that they didn't eat grains or dairy, as these weren't introduced until about 10,000 years ago. So, it has been principally the introduction of grains and dairy products, as well as modern man's processed foods and chemical manipulation of foods that has created all these dietary diseases.
Today, there are more obese people than ever in history. Paleolithic people were lean and muscular. Today, there are more people with high triglycerides and high blood sugar than ever in history. Paleolithic people had normal blood sugar and triglyceride levels because they didn't have the elevated levels of sugar in their diet that we have today. Today, there are more people than ever in history suffering from high blood pressure and heart disease, Paleolithic people never knew such conditions. They didn't exist.
Getting back to my own case, since starting the Paleo Diet, just days ago, not only has my blood sugar begun coming down, but I'm feeling 100% better than I was and I'm anticipating that when I return to my doctor in a couple of weeks to check my lipids and blood pressure again, I'll find that has begun to normalize, as well.
Since I was consuming cheese daily and drinking a gallon of milk every three or four days or so, I'm convinced that dropping dairy from my diet entirely has, by itself, been of tremendous benefit. That's to say nothing of the effects of cutting grains and processed foods out, also.
The good news is that I had begun reading Loren Cordain's The Paleo Diet before I was diagnosed and would have been giving it a try, anyway, to reverse the other conditions I'm afflicted with, aside from the diabetes. Having started the Paleo Diet within two days of my diagnosis, I have already begun to see my blood sugar coming down from the 200's to the 100's, in just days, folks.
Now, I'm a believer. I am finding the Paleo Diet is not only easy to do and easy to stick with, but is so because it is the natural diet of humankind. It is what our ancestors ate for over 2 million years, before the advent of agriculture and the domestication of cattle, some 10,000 years ago, brought grains and dairy into the human diet. In short, this is the diet we were all meant to eat.
Since the introduction of grains and dairy, human beings have been afflicted with an increasing array of diseases and conditions that were unknown to our paleolithic ancestors. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and diabetes are all diet-related diseases that, even today, are unheard of in modern day hunter-gatherer tribes (what few of them are remaining. We keep killing them off by introducing them to "civilization"), let alone in our paleolithic ancestors. We know, from archaeological evidence, that our paleolithic ancestors never suffered from these conditions. We know that they didn't eat grains or dairy, as these weren't introduced until about 10,000 years ago. So, it has been principally the introduction of grains and dairy products, as well as modern man's processed foods and chemical manipulation of foods that has created all these dietary diseases.
Today, there are more obese people than ever in history. Paleolithic people were lean and muscular. Today, there are more people with high triglycerides and high blood sugar than ever in history. Paleolithic people had normal blood sugar and triglyceride levels because they didn't have the elevated levels of sugar in their diet that we have today. Today, there are more people than ever in history suffering from high blood pressure and heart disease, Paleolithic people never knew such conditions. They didn't exist.
Getting back to my own case, since starting the Paleo Diet, just days ago, not only has my blood sugar begun coming down, but I'm feeling 100% better than I was and I'm anticipating that when I return to my doctor in a couple of weeks to check my lipids and blood pressure again, I'll find that has begun to normalize, as well.
Since I was consuming cheese daily and drinking a gallon of milk every three or four days or so, I'm convinced that dropping dairy from my diet entirely has, by itself, been of tremendous benefit. That's to say nothing of the effects of cutting grains and processed foods out, also.
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