Low Carb Diet Support - Blog Feeds http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/ Get the latest updates from some favorite Low Carb bloggers in one easy place! (This forum is moderated, so posts will not show up immediately.) en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:55:15 GMT vBulletin 60 http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/images/misc/rss.jpg Low Carb Diet Support - Blog Feeds http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/ The Statinator Paradox/Dr Mike http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23331-statinator-paradox-dr-mike.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:51:49 GMT Pity the poor lipophobes and statinators.  They’ve just taken another grievous wound to their favorite theory and haven’t even got sense enough to know it.  In fact, not only do they not have sense enough to realize they’ve taken the hit, they’re actually crowing about it.The current issue of the... Pity the poor lipophobes and statinators.  They’ve just taken another grievous wound to their favorite theory and haven’t even got sense enough to know it.  In fact, not only do they not have sense enough to realize they’ve taken the hit, they’re actually crowing about it.The current issue of the Journal of the American Medical [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23331-statinator-paradox-dr-mike.html Low vitamin D levels linked with increased risk of type 1 diabetes (again)/Dr. John B http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23329-low-vitamin-d-levels-linked-increased-risk-type-1-diabetes-again-dr-john-b.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:48:07 GMT Type 1 diabetes is a condition characterised by raised levels of sugar in the bloodstream, and it’s underlying cause is a lack of insulin (usually secreted by the pancreas). The condition is ‘auto-immune’ in nature, which means that it is caused by the body’s immune system reacting to and damaging... Type 1 diabetes is a condition characterised by raised levels of sugar in the bloodstream, and it’s underlying cause is a lack of insulin (usually secreted by the pancreas). The condition is ‘auto-immune’ in nature, which means that it is caused by the body’s immune system reacting to and damaging it’s own tissues (in this [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23329-low-vitamin-d-levels-linked-increased-risk-type-1-diabetes-again-dr-john-b.html More bad news for the makers (and takers) of cholesterol-reducing drug ezetimibe (Zet http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23314-more-bad-news-makers-takers-cholesterol-reducing-drug-ezetimibe-zet.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:52:53 GMT Previously, I have written about the drug combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe (sold as Vytorin in the US). Both of these drugs reduce cholesterol, but through different mechanisms. Taken together, these drugs do do a good job of reducing cholesterol levels And we all know that the lower we get... Previously, I have written about the drug combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe (sold as Vytorin in the US). Both of these drugs reduce cholesterol, but through different mechanisms. Taken together, these drugs do do a good job of reducing cholesterol levels And we all know that the lower we get the cholesterol levels down the [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23314-more-bad-news-makers-takers-cholesterol-reducing-drug-ezetimibe-zet.html Faster walking associated with reduced risk of death/Dr. John Briffa http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23302-faster-walking-associated-reduced-risk-death-dr-john-briffa.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:59:36 GMT Exercise is generally good for health, and one form of exercise that I advocate strongly is walking. Regular walking has been associated with protection from chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It also is an activity that tends to take people outdoors. This may have spin-off... Exercise is generally good for health, and one form of exercise that I advocate strongly is walking. Regular walking has been associated with protection from chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It also is an activity that tends to take people outdoors. This may have spin-off benefits in terms of, say, [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23302-faster-walking-associated-reduced-risk-death-dr-john-briffa.html Statin side-effects that the pharmaceutical industry appears not to want you to know http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23290-statin-side-effects-pharmaceutical-industry-appears-not-want-you-know.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:18:43 GMT There is generally unbridled enthusiasm in the medical establishment for cholesterol-reducing drugs known as statins. While they do have the ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes, they don’t appear to reduce overall risk of death in individuals who... There is generally unbridled enthusiasm in the medical establishment for cholesterol-reducing drugs known as statins. While they do have the ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes, they don’t appear to reduce overall risk of death in individuals who have no history of cardiovascular disease when they start [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23290-statin-side-effects-pharmaceutical-industry-appears-not-want-you-know.html Slower eating leads to higher levels of appetite-sating hormones/Dr. John Briffa http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23282-slower-eating-leads-higher-levels-appetite-sating-hormones-dr-john-briffa.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:08 GMT There’s a fair chance that at least once in your life you’ve been advised to eat slowly. I think this is good advice, at least in part because slower eating generally means more thorough of chewing of food (which aids digestion and reduces the risk of symptoms such as indigestion, reflux and... There’s a fair chance that at least once in your life you’ve been advised to eat slowly. I think this is good advice, at least in part because slower eating generally means more thorough of chewing of food (which aids digestion and reduces the risk of symptoms such as indigestion, reflux and heartburn). However, another [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23282-slower-eating-leads-higher-levels-appetite-sating-hormones-dr-john-briffa.html Statinators spill the beans/Dr Mike http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23266-statinators-spill-beans-dr-mike.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:24:02 GMT Oftentimes people become so fixed in their thinking – and in their belief that everyone else thinks the same way – that they unwittingly raise the curtain and expose the wizard of their flawed thinking, showing it for what it really is.  Statinators have done just that in an article in the current issue of [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23266-statinators-spill-beans-dr-mike.html Higher protein diets found to have benefits for bone/Dr. John Briffa http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23261-higher-protein-diets-found-have-benefits-bone-dr-john-briffa.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:40:14 GMT I make no secret of my leaning towards high-protein, relatively low-carb diets. I am well aware of the relatively unhealthy reputation that such diets have. However, when one looks at the research one generally finds that the criticisms of such diet are based on theoretical and ideological... I make no secret of my leaning towards high-protein, relatively low-carb diets. I am well aware of the relatively unhealthy reputation that such diets have. However, when one looks at the research one generally finds that the criticisms of such diet are based on theoretical and ideological concerns. They are not, generally speaking, based on [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23261-higher-protein-diets-found-have-benefits-bone-dr-john-briffa.html Can drinking tea help mitigate against the effects of stress?/Dr. John Briffa http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23253-can-drinking-tea-help-mitigate-against-effects-stress-dr-john-briffa.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:44:30 GMT Probably all of us know that life events and ‘stress’ can change our mood, but there’s less acknowledgement, I think, that what we can have impact here too. One example relates to blood sugar imbalance: if blood sugar levels plummet it can switch on the body’s stress response, which in turn can... Probably all of us know that life events and ‘stress’ can change our mood, but there’s less acknowledgement, I think, that what we can have impact here too. One example relates to blood sugar imbalance: if blood sugar levels plummet it can switch on the body’s stress response, which in turn can induce feelings of [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23253-can-drinking-tea-help-mitigate-against-effects-stress-dr-john-briffa.html Side effects of rat poison? What a surprise/Jonny Bowden http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23224-side-effects-rat-poison-what-surprise-jonny-bowden.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:21:59 GMT Image: http://www.jonnybowden.com/email/images/poison_bottles.jpg (http://www.jonnybowden.com/email/images/poison_bottles.jpg)A new study from the American College of Surgeons 95th Clinical Congress (Oct 2009) shows what I have long suspected: Coumadin is bad news. Coumadin is the most common... A new study from the American College of Surgeons 95th Clinical Congress (Oct 2009) shows what I have long suspected: Coumadin is bad news.


Coumadin is the most common brand name for a drug called warfarin, which to this day is still used for its original purpose-- rat poison. (It causes the poor rodents to bleed to death, an effective way to get rid of them, I guess.)


According to the research, warfarin (Coumadin) was associated with a 30 percent increased risk of death among trauma patients and a 20 percent increased risk in those 65 and older. More than 31 million prescriptions a year are written for Warfarin according to the Food and Drug Administration.


Coumadin is an anticoagulant (a blood thinner). It's given to people who are considered at risk for blood clots, which could conceivably lead to stroke or heart attack. The down side is that if it thins the blood too much, the patient is at risk for hemorrhage. If you couldn't clot at all, you'd bleed to death from a minor scrape; if you clot too much, you can get a stroke. Much like with many things in the body, there needs to be balance, and Coumadin shifts the balance in favor of thinning. But is it the only way to keep the blood thin? Hardly.


My mother was on Coumadin for years. She'd go to the doctor regularly to have her clotting factors measured and her dose adjusted. Why? Because doctors wanted to check her "Pro Time" (PT) a measure of your tendency to clot as well as her "INR" which basically tells you the speed of clotting. Anyone on Coumadin has these tests done regularly.


Warfarin slows down the production of clotting factors in the liver by inhibiting the action of Vitamin K which promotes the formation of clotting proteins. My mother's doctors told her to avoid foods with vitamin K. Since foods high in vitamin K include kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and green tea, and since vitamin K is now recognized as playing an important part in bone health, you can see why I might have been concerned.


Though I couldn't convince my mother's hapless doctors of this, there are much better ways to thin the blood, starting with fish oil. A tablespoon or two a day (or a few high-potency capsules like these should do the trick. And fish oil comes with an awful lot of "side benefits" like heart health, improved mood and lowered triglycerides. Not to mention it's probably the most anti-inflammatory natural substance on earth. Other nice blood thinners include gingko and vitamin E. If these natural substances weren't so effective at thinning the blood, doctors wouldn't tell you to avoid them before surgery!


Speaking of supplements- the vitamin store is getting a whole new look! We think you'll love it, and the shopping experience will be a lot more fun. Also, we're going to be adding many new products. One of those products will be Nattokinase, another terrific natural product that's getting a ton of attention as an anti-clotting compound that's good for heart health. Nattokinase is found primarily in foods that almost no one likes, primarily the smelly fermented sticky soybean dish known as Natto. Natto is eaten in Japan, but even the Japanese think it's an acquired taste!


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More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23224-side-effects-rat-poison-what-surprise-jonny-bowden.html World Health Organization study links mobie phone use with enhanced risk of brain and http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23211-world-health-organization-study-links-mobie-phone-use-enhanced-risk-brain.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:50:09 GMT Mobile phones are undeniably convenient, but that fat that they emit electromagnetic radiation means that they have at least some potential to affect individuals who use them. For a long time, the party line was that mobile phones are safe. This is a message the industry has been particularly keen... Mobile phones are undeniably convenient, but that fat that they emit electromagnetic radiation means that they have at least some potential to affect individuals who use them. For a long time, the party line was that mobile phones are safe. This is a message the industry has been particularly keen to cultivate. However, at least [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23211-world-health-organization-study-links-mobie-phone-use-enhanced-risk-brain.html Lethal Fructose - Teenagers Staggering Consumption/Jonny Bowden http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23202-lethal-fructose-teenagers-staggering-consumption-jonny-bowden.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:00:12 GMT Back in 1977, average daily consumption of fructose was about 37 grams per person per day.

Recent surveys show that it's up to 54.7 grams, or about 10 percent of total caloric intake. And for teenagers- who consume a ton of sodas- fructose intake averages a whopping 72.8 grams, the equivalent of 18 spoonfuls of the stuff every single day.


Why should we care? It's deadly. Fructose is one of the worst sweeteners you can possibly consume.

Table sugar (sucrose) is made up of fructose and glucose. Studies that compare the effect of these two simple sugars (glucose and fructose) consistently show that it is the fructose part of table sugar that does the most damage, raising triglycerides and creating insulin resistance.


High-fructose corn syrup- while it's been demonized a lot recently- is only marginally worse than plain old sugar (high fructose corn syrup is about 55% fructose and 45% glucose while table sugar contains equal amounts of both).


Recently, researchers at the Department of Physiology at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland decided to investigate the effect of a high-fructose diet on the children of diabetic patients. Twenty-four healthy young men were enrolled in the study; 16 of them were children of diabetic parents, 8 were not.


In the first part of the study, all of the 24 young men were fed a "regular diet" and in the second part, they were switched to a diet that added 35% more calories from fructose.


The researchers expected that the children of diabetics might be more susceptible to disorders associated with insulin and fat metabolism, so there was reason to expect that the children of diabetic parents would be particularly vulnerable to the effects of a high fructose diet.


And indeed, the children of diabetic parents did start the study with higher levels of triglycerides and lower levels of insulin sensitivity. But the fructose caused havoc not only in the children of diabetics, but in the children of non-diabetics as well.


In other words, high fructose is bad for everyone.


The high-fructose diet decreased insulin sensitivity in both groups (by about 5%).


It also increased blood levels of triglycerides by a whopping 110 % in the children of diabetics. But the children of diabetics were not the only ones affected: the high-fructose diet increased triglycerides by a stunning 50% in the children of non-diabetic patients as well!


It gets worse. In both groups, deposits of fat in the liver increased by more than 75%.


To me, fructose is like fur. Fur looks great on its original owners- it belongs on the backs of animals where it looks just fine, thank you very much! On the backs of people at the opera…. Not so much..


It's the same thing with fructose!


Fructose belongs in fruit, where it is surrounded by fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and other good stuff. Extracted from its natural source and concentrated as a sweetener, it's a metabolic disaster.


I have no problem with consuming fructose in fruit (unless you are a diabetic or very insulin resistant). I have a huge problem with extracting fructose from its normal sources, producing cheap fructose-based syrups made from corn, and then sticking it in every food and food product in the supermarket.


That's a recipe for disaster.


By the way, my personal favorite sweetener is Xylitol. It mixes great in hot beverages, stands up to heat, is sweeter than sugar, has a very very low glycemic impact, and actually has some health benefits, preventing bacterial adhesion to surfaces.









Save this week with 15% off Xylitol - read about it here














Reference:
J Clinical Nutrition 09; 89: 1760-1765





More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23202-lethal-fructose-teenagers-staggering-consumption-jonny-bowden.html The Four Horsemen of Aging, Part I/Jonny Bowden http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23201-four-horsemen-aging-part-i-jonny-bowden.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:00:12 GMT
I've nicknamed the four dangerous processes that age our bodies as "The Four Horseman of Aging." Wherever something breaks down in the body-be it the brain, muscles, circulatory system or immune system, you name it - you don't have to dig too deeply to find the handiwork of one or more of the Four Horseman.


These Four Horseman together are probably responsible for the bulk of what happens to our bodies when they break down.

By now you're probably asking yourself, "what exactly are these horsemen" or more to the point, "why should I care?" Here's the answer -


Anything that happens to your body that you wish were not happening, from the beginning of disease to the breakdown of systems to the loss of functionality, is being driven by the engine of these four processes.


The name of these processes may not be familiar to you, but, guaranteed, they are behind the scenes of every disease of aging ever experienced by the human species.


So, without further ado, allow me to introduce them to you:

1) Oxidative damage
2) Inflammation
3) Glycation
4) Stress


Many of the strategies I talk about in my new book pertain to preventing or combating the damaging effects of these four processes. The four of them, collectively, can damage cells and DNA, wear down organs and systems, deeply damage the vascular pathways that deliver blood and oxygen to your entire body and even shrink the size of your brain.


They're involved in heart disease, cancer diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, and cognitive decline, not to mention - a host of "less serious" diseases that can vastly diminish the quality of your well-being.


Even though these four processes often overlap and work together to cause serious damage to both your physical health and your mental well-being, let's break them down into manageable chunks and tackle them one by one.


In a short time, it will be apparent how each contributes to the damage the other does and how the same weapons-whole foods, nutrients, stress reduction, exercise, detoxification, relationship improvement and the many other things we'll be discussing in Part II of this series - actually do double duty, effectively battling more than one of the four processes that effectively shorten your life.


Watch for Part II, Free Radicals, in next week's newsletter.





More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23201-four-horsemen-aging-part-i-jonny-bowden.html Could our ancient ancestors have given today’s champion athletes a run for their mone http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23176-could-our-ancient-ancestors-have-given-today-s-champion-athletes-run-their-mone.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:59:03 GMT Anyone familiar with my health ‘philosophy’ will know that I am a big believer in using our ancient past to inform our modern-day dietary and lifestyle habits. Logic dictates that, say, the foods we’ve eaten for longest in terms of our time on this planet are the foods that we’re generally going to... Anyone familiar with my health ‘philosophy’ will know that I am a big believer in using our ancient past to inform our modern-day dietary and lifestyle habits. Logic dictates that, say, the foods we’ve eaten for longest in terms of our time on this planet are the foods that we’re generally going to be the [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23176-could-our-ancient-ancestors-have-given-today-s-champion-athletes-run-their-mone.html Are we really becoming steadily more sedentary?/Dr. John Briffa http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23169-we-really-becoming-steadily-more-sedentary-dr-john-briffa.html Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:52:14 GMT Body weight, and specifically fatness, is determined by a complex interplay of factors including diet, exercise and sleep habits. In some posts, I have highlighted the effect that one hormone – insulin – has in this piece. In short, insulin stimulates the manufacture of fat in the body, while... Body weight, and specifically fatness, is determined by a complex interplay of factors including diet, exercise and sleep habits. In some posts, I have highlighted the effect that one hormone – insulin – has in this piece. In short, insulin stimulates the manufacture of fat in the body, while impairing it’s breakdown. It also facilitates [...]

More... ]]> Blog Feeds LCE Robot http://lowcarbeating.com/low-carb-diet-support/blog-feeds/23169-we-really-becoming-steadily-more-sedentary-dr-john-briffa.html