Government Food Pyramid making us sicker?  Today’s modern diet is mostly made up of processed foods – whole wheat bread, brown rice, cereals, granola bars,  etc.   Little do folks realize that these type of foods, especially the ones listed as “low fat” can increase your risk of heart disease (see recent blog post titled “Processed Carbs – Not Dietary Fat – Increase Your Risk of Type II Diabetes, Heart Disease and Obesity”).

Do your research -  fat is not the problem!  Refined carbs, not dietary fat contribute to overall greater metabolic damage (elevated blood pressure, Obesity, Type II Diabetes, blood fat disorders, etc).  An Editorial published in the April issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition titled “Are Refined Carbohydrates Worse Than Saturated Fat?“discusses the importance of reducing refined carbs in your diet instead of fat.

50 grams of fructose may be too  much.

That’s what researchers from the University of Florida recommend in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition article “How safe is fructose for persons with or without diabetes?”  After analyzing the results of several studies involving the consumption of fructose and its metabolic effects, these researchers concluded “…obesity and diabetes rates were low when total fructose intake was in the range of 25–40 g/d.”

Fruit juice is even more efficient at making us fat as reported recently  in the Science Daily in Fructose-Sweetened Drinks Increase Nonfasting Triglycerides In Obese Adults.  Similar findings were also reported in  The Journal of Clinical Investigation in “Consuming Fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans”.

All of these studies confirm what we’ve already known instinctively – don’t “over-do”  fruit.   Bottom line (no pun-intended): if you’re trying to lose weight or stubborn fat around your middle, it’s a good idea to keep your fructose consumption low.   There are some who would even recommend your total fructose intake be as low as 25 to 15 grams a day! Continue reading

Ancel Keys- where it all began and where it all went wrong!

Found a follow-up article to my previous post on Total Cholesterol not being a good indicator of Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD).

For years, we have been led to believe that dietary fat is evil.  Walk down any grocery store aisle and observe shelves stocked with low-fat products or count the numerous health related books that recommend a low-fat diet.  You’ll even witness physicians, nutritionists and even personal trainers advising their clients to reduce dietary fat to improve over-all health.  Little did we know that these low-fat recommendations were actually making us sick!

Slowly, but surely, mainstream America is beginning to recognizing the role refined carbs, not dietary fat, plays in increasing your risk of many diseases – Type II Diabetes, CVD and obesity.

Follow the link below to read the Scientific American recent report on:

Carbs against Cardio: More Evidence that Refined Carbohydrates, not Fats, Threaten the Heart

“…Now a spate of new research, including a meta-analysis of nearly two dozen studies, suggests a reason why: investigators may have picked the wrong culprit. Processed carbohydrates, which many Americans eat today in place of fat, may increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease more than fat does—a finding that has serious implications for new dietary guidelines expected this year…”

I guess it’s the word “diet” in the “Paleo Diet” that concerns most parents.  Diets are often associated with deprivation and unhealthy eating habits.  But this is NOT the case when eating “paleo”.  It’s a diet that’s been around for years – millions of years to be more exact.  It’s a diet that mimics the way our ancestors evolved to eat over time.   It wasn’t until the onset of the agricultural revolution and the introduction of grains some 15 – 20,000 years ago that we began to see evidence of the new “diseases of civilization“.

So, what about your kids on the Paleo Diet? Robb Wolf takes a look at the nutritional breakdown of the Paleo Diet in a recent blog post.  If you don’t have time to read it,  I can sum up it up with a quick quote :

“Kreiki! Look at that. If you consume a Paleo Diet it LOOKS like you are taking a nutritional supplement.”

Kids, Paleo and Nutrient Density

Especially of late I’ve been getting a lot of questions on “how to go paleo”.  I will often respond with the standard CrossFit nutrition statement :  eat meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starches and no sugar. This statement is usually followed by a lengthy, possibly overwhelming, detailed-oriented conversation on paleo nutrition specifics:

• no grains
• no breads (whole grain products, pastries, tortillas, English muffins, etc.)
• no pasta
• no rice
• no corn products
• no dairy (butter, yogurt, cheese, etc)
• no legumes (beans, including soy beans)
• no peanuts (legume)
• no white potatoes
• no sugar (table sugar, fruit drinks, sports drinks, syrup, agave, etc)
• no high-fructose corn syrup
• no artificial sweeteners, etc.
• no refined vegetable oils
• no grain-fed animal products (beef, fish, etc)
• no preservatives
• no processed foods

There is a moment of silence as they realize I’ve just described what most folks eat on a regular basis.  Slowly a look of shock and disbelief spreads across their faces as they realize they should not be eating whole wheat toast at breakfast, chicken pasta with veggies for lunch, and even the sacred brown rice for dinner.   Before they can justify their dietary habits with the usual response of  “everything in moderation”, I begin to explain the science behind foods not permitted on The Paleo Diet:  hyperinsulinism, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, skewed omega 3 to omega 6 ratios, lipid profiles, ph acid – base balance, phytates, lectins, gluten, leaky gut, metabolic syndrome, silent inflammation, CVD, auto-immune issues, diseases of modern civilization, etc.

I summarize by explaining that  The Paleo diet is the oldest diet around.  For millions of years we were hunter- gatherers eating what nature provided.  Our bodies evolved to process these natural foods, unlike the foods that were first introduced 15,000 to 20,000 years ago during the agricultural revolution.  So, how do you go paleo?  What can you eat?  Paleo friendly foods include:

• grass-fed meats
• wild caught fish and seafood
• organic fowl
• eggs high in omega 3’s
• a variety of veggies
• a variety of  fruits
• a variety of nuts and seeds
• a variety of good fats (olive, coconut, almond, walnut, etc)
• avocados
• coconut milk
• and coffee is allowed (yep, I drink mine black)

At each meal (and snack) I’m combining a protein, some veggies (sometimes a little fruit) and a healthy fat.  It’s that easy.  Yet, it’s important to understand that there is a “method to the madness” – there is science and research (and my own personal experiences) that  link this diet to a healthier body.   To help you jump start your journey into paleo nutrition, I’ve added a new “Paleo Tools” resource tab.   Click on the ‘Paleo Tools” tab at the top of this page to find:

Videos on Paleo Nutrition

Paleo Shopping List and Guides

The BEST Paleo Cookbook

Leading  Paleo Nutrition Experts

Paleo Reading Recommendations

Free Paleo Recipes

Additional Paleo Resources and Blogs I Follow

One last thing. Don’t believe everything I write or say.   I’m not a dietitian providing nutrition counseling or nutrition management programs.   Doubt me.  I’m a skeptic by heart myself.  I never accept what others say, especially those practicing and preaching conventional wisdom with little results.   I’m interested in not only how fit you appear to be on the outside, but also how fit you are on the inside with excellent bio-markers of health.  I search for the latest, cutting-edge information and research.   I spend a great deal of time reading and reviewing abstracts, books, and other websites.  I suggest you begin this journey by doing the same.     Do your own research, find your own answers, become your own expert.  In addition to the resources listed in the “Paleo Tools” tab, I also use the following unbiased internet resources on a daily basis:

• PubMed is a free database accessing online medical literature (citations, abstracts and some full text articles)

• Google scholar allows you to search scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles

• Google Books is a collection of digitized books which allows you to view limited previews portions of most books as well as do “text searches” within the book to locate specific information.

Consult with a physician before beginning in new exercise or fitness program

Robb Wolf: Biochemist, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Champion Powerlifter, Crossfit Coach, and Owner of NorCal Strength and Conditioning

Below is an email I recently sent to Robb Wolf expressing my gratitude and appreciation for unselfishly sharing “pseudo science” in order to help others improve their  performance in the gym, over all healthy and more importantly quality of life.

Robb –

It was absolutely wonderful to once again hear you lecture in person out in San Diego.  Although I’m always impressed with your ability to explain complicated science to the masses, I must admit I’m most impressed to actually see accompanying client pre/post blood work panels and before/after photos backing up your claims.  The seminar out in CA was my third in person “Robb Wolf Nutrition Experience” – first having heard you lecture in Baltimore at a CrossFit Level One Certification, followed by your CrossFit Nutrition Certification held in Atlanta.   Recently I was also presented with a unique opportunity to once again hear Dr. Cordain lecture, this time in Orlando.   Why, you may ask, am I traveling all over the country to hear what you and Dr. Cordain have to say?  Because I know from personal experience the information you’re prescribing works!

Upon hearing you lecture for the second time and further investigation on my own, I created a much shorter, watered-down, power-point presentation highlighting information and research presented in your Nutrition Seminar.  I can be obsessively evangelistic when I find a program that works for me.  I’ve shared this presentation numerous times with many in my small world:   in my home, on my laptop in Starbucks, my child’s school, group of nurses in my husband’s Surgery Center, etc.   The results for those adopting the Paleo Diet have been amazing and consistent:

• After implementing the diet in our home, my husband has consistently shown improved bio markers of health each time he is asked to submit blood work for insurance purposes.   Wanting to understand more, he attended your Nutrition Seminar.  As a physician he was equally impressed with the science and research presented during your lecture.  Because of his time with you, his own personal success and continued study, he now recommends The Paleo Diet to his patients.  These patients are often overweight (Metabolic Syndrome) or have symptoms indicative of an autoimmune disorder.

• A nutritionist/personal trainer/avid cyclist friend reluctantly agreed to attend one of my nutrition lectures at his wife’s request.  His wife, who is also a nutritionist/personal trainer, had attended this same lecture in my living room earlier that month.  Although she had already implemented the diet in their home, she felt he would be more supportive if he heard “the science supporting the diet” (as a cyclist he was not sure this diet would support his long weekend rides).  During the nutrition lecture he shared with a group of nurses he too had been surprised to see changes in his blood work from a recent doctor’s visit.  Both he and his wife have been on the Paleo Diet for several months now and have never looked better.

• My retired neighbor was recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.  Within three weeks of following The Paleo Diet his physician took him off of his “sugar medications” and reduced his cholesterol medications.  His active wife was surprised to lose 8 pounds and has become an avid supporter of The Paleo Diet.  She recently returned from a two-week cruise and shared that she found it easy to follow the diet while traveling.

• An employee reported her husband had also recently been Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.  She shared with me that by monitoring his blood glucose levels daily they had watched his blood sugars return to normal within weeks of implementing the Paleo Diet in their home.

• A friend reported that from further investigation and through testing he was formally diagnosed as gluten sensitive.  He was surprised to learn gluten sensitivities can lead to auto immune issues, such as Hashimoto’s Thyroid disease, which he had.  His sister had already been diagnosed with celiac disease.

The most moving experience involved one of my recent CrossFit clients who is not only a close friend, but also a well respected Neurologist in the medical community.  After hearing the nutrition lecture in my home, his only comment later via email was an expressed doubt about a dietary connection between lectins and MS.  I challenged him to a private experiment of our own:  read the The Paleo Diet book, commit to eating “strict paleo” for 5 weeks, and do a CF WOD together at least once a week.   It was a very emotional experience for both of us when he called to share the results of his post blood work.  In 5 short weeks not only had he lost 10 pounds, his post blood work indicated:

• Reversal of previous indication for metabolic syndrome/ insulin resistance evaluation
• LDL Size moved from Pattern B to Patten A
• Triglycerides levels from 192 lowered to 89
• C-Reactive Protein down
• Insulin levels down from 11 to 5
• Slight decrease in HbA1c levels

In an email he wrote he entered the program “a skeptic” and exited “a believer”.  During our experiment, he went on to explain that he was able to share with a young family member that her recent serious medical condition may be a result of her diet.  He recommended a book on the Metabolic Syndrome for the family to read.  Further, because he has a large MS patient population and is frequently asked to lecture to other medical practitioners, students and support groups he became re- interested in Dr. Cordain research involving MS.   After viewing Dr. Cordain’s online lecture “Pre-agricultural Diets in the Prevention and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis” and doing further research, he contacted Dr. Cordain directly.  Several emails later, I’m excited to report he is now using Dr. Cordains’ slides and research in his own MS presentations!

This weekend he stopped me while we were out one evening to thank me once again. He explained because of our time together, he was able to reach a lifelong goal to be in great shape on his 50^th birthday, and more importantly he has changed the way in which he now approaches treatment with many of his patients.  Although I’m appreciative of his compliments, the true recognition goes to you, Robb.    You have committed your time, skill and expertise to help others reach often unreachable, but desired goals and lifelong dreams.   You have made a profound difference in my life and the lives of my family, friends and clients.  This is the result of your body of work.  From my heart, thank you for sharing your insight and nutritional guidance through your seminars and blog.  You are effecting change in the lives of many in a very powerful way.

With fond appreciation and gratitude,

Cheryl Polack