PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

[Ellen Z]

Re: Low Carb Diets, Key to Longevity?

My plan is to lose about 10 more pounds and then slowly add vegetables and very limited fruit until I get to a more balanced diet.

The book "Atkins for Life" has very good charts of different classes of food, as you slowly broaden your diet. There's a chart showing which vegetables to eat regularly, which in moderation, which sparingly. It has similar charts for nuts, for beans, for fruit, etc.

[aaron]

Low Carb Diets, Key to Longevity?

How Calorie Restriction Influences Longevity: Protecting Cells from Damage Caused by Chronic Disease

Dec. 6, 2012 — Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have identified a novel mechanism by which a type of low-carb, low-calorie diet -- called a "ketogenic diet" -- could delay the effects of aging. This fundamental discovery reveals how such a diet could slow the aging process and may one day allow scientists to better treat or prevent age-related diseases, including heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and many forms of cancer.

---

As the aging population continues to grow, age-related illnesses have become increasingly common. Already in the United States, nearly one in six people are over the age of 65. Heart disease continues to be the nation's number one killer, with cancer and Alzheimer's close behind. Such diseases place tremendous strain on patients, families and our healthcare system. But now, researchers in the laboratory of Gladstone Senior Investigator Eric Verdin, MD, have identified the role that a chemical compound in the human body plays in the aging process -- and which may be key to new therapies for treating or preventing a variety of age-related diseases.
In the latest issue of the journal Science, available online December 6, Dr. Verdin and his team examined the role of the compound β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB), a so-called "ketone body" that is produced during a prolonged low-calorie or ketogenic diet. While ketone bodies such as βOHB can be toxic when present at very high concentrations in people with diseases such as Type I diabetes, Dr. Verdin and colleagues found that at lower concentrations, βOHB helps protect cells from "oxidative stress" -- which occurs as certain molecules build to toxic levels in the body and contributes to the aging process.
"Over the years, studies have found that restricting calories slows aging and increases longevity -- however the mechanism of this effect has remained elusive" Dr. Verdin said. Dr. Verdin, the paper's senior author, directs the Center for HIV & Aging at Gladstone and is also a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, with which Gladstone is affiliated. "Here, we find that βOHB -- the body's major source of energy during exercise or fasting -- blocks a class of enzymes that would otherwise promote oxidative stress, thus protecting cells from aging."
Oxidative stress occurs as cells use oxygen to produce energy, but this activity also releases other potentially toxic molecules, known as free radicals. As cells age, they become less effective in clearing these free radicals -- leading to cell damage, oxidative stress and the effects of aging.
However, Dr. Verdin and his team found that βOHB might actually help delay this process. In a series of laboratory experiments -- first in human cells in a dish and then in tissues taken from mice -- the team monitored the biochemical changes that occur when βOHB is administered during a chronic calorie-restricted diet. The researchers found that calorie restriction spurs βOHB production, which blocked the activity of a class of enzymes called histone deacetylases, or HDACs.
Normally HDACs keep a pair of genes, called Foxo3a and Mt2, switched off. But increased levels of βOHB block the HDACs from doing so, which by default activates the two genes. Once activated, these genes kick-start a process that helps cells resist oxidative stress. This discovery not only identifies a novel signaling role for βOHB, but it could also represent a way to slow the detrimental effects of aging in all cells of the body.
"This breakthrough also greatly advances our understanding of the underlying mechanism behind HDACs, which had already been known to be involved in aging and neurological disease," said Gladstone Investigator Katerina Akassoglou, PhD, an expert in neurological diseases and one of the paper's co-authors. "The findings could be relevant for a wide range of neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autism and traumatic brain injury -- diseases that afflict millions and for which there are few treatment options."
"Identifying βOHB as a link between caloric restriction and protection from oxidative stress opens up a variety of new avenues to researchers for combating disease," said Tadahiro Shimazu, a Gladstone postdoctoral fellow and the paper's lead author. "In the future, we will continue to explore the role of βOHB -- especially how it affects the body's other organs, such as the heart or brain -- to confirm whether the compound's protective effects can be applied throughout the body."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1206142025.htm

I am doing a ketosis type diet right now. I take in very few carbs. I have already lost 25 pounds without hunger, but I have quite a bit of moodiness and it is difficult to sleep unless I eat more during the day. It is nice to see I may even live longer!

FYI: Went to the dentist yesterday. My teeth are probably in the best shape they have been for years. Gingivitis has improved noticeably. No cavities.
My knees stopped hurting and my back pain has been getting better as well.
My skin has improved.

My plan is to lose about 10 more pounds and then slowly add vegetables and very limited fruit until I get to a more balanced diet.

[shiny!]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

"One of the more mysterious conditions afflicting low-carb Paleo dieters has been high serum cholesterol. ...
So we might take high LDL on Paleo as a possible sign of two things:
- A chronic state of glucose deficiency, leading to very low T3 levels and suppressed clearance of LDL particles by lipid transport pathways.
- Absence of infections or oxidative stress which would clear LDL particles by immune pathways.
The solution? Eat more carbs, and address any remaining cause of hypothyroidism, such as iodine or selenium deficiency. T3 levels should then rise and LDL levels return to normal."
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/categor...-carb-dangers/

Very interesting. I'm prone to hypothyroidism with T3 resistance and feel absolutely awful on low-carb diets. Now I know why.

[ER59]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

"One of the more mysterious conditions afflicting low-carb Paleo dieters has been high serum cholesterol. ...
So we might take high LDL on Paleo as a possible sign of two things:
- A chronic state of glucose deficiency, leading to very low T3 levels and suppressed clearance of LDL particles by lipid transport pathways.
- Absence of infections or oxidative stress which would clear LDL particles by immune pathways.
The solution? Eat more carbs, and address any remaining cause of hypothyroidism, such as iodine or selenium deficiency. T3 levels should then rise and LDL levels return to normal."
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/categor...-carb-dangers/

[lektrode]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3412743/



Their diet shows a low glycemic index because low of refined carbohydrate (no white bread, low amount of pasta, no sweeteners, sweet beverages, can food, frozen already prepared vegetables or dishes, cookies cakes or snacks). Furthermore, they have a good intake of olive and virgin olive oil from different cultivar namely: Nocellara of Belice, Biancolilla, Giarraffa and Ogliarola that seems to have important anti-oxidant properties (unpublished data).

my SO swears by the low glycemic index diet - and the results are quite readily apparent - tho try as she might, i just cant get excited about quinoa, almond flour baked goods etc - altho coconut milk based 'ice cream' is quite acceptable and i've grown quite fond of the taste of almond milk

[Slimprofits]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

The rhetorical arguments creep in too - such as reiterating how starchy Italian diet is after I point out that Italians despite this paradox to Roger's carbs thesis, remain some of the more slender people in the EU. I agree, this is a weakness on my part. I should learn to suffer the heavy patronizing more amicably.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3412743/

The Sicanian Mountains (or Sicani), bordered by Ficuzza wood in the North, Caltanissetta in the East, Salemi in the West and Agrigento to the South represent a very peculiar area where there is a high frequency of centenarians with respect to the Italian average [11,12]. The goal of this study was to characterize the dietary habits of centenarians residing around the Sicani mountains, in 5 villages, namely Giuliana, Bisacquino, Castronovo, Chiusa Scalafani, and Prizzi.

Their diet shows a low glycemic index because low of refined carbohydrate (no white bread, low amount of pasta, no sweeteners, sweet beverages, can food, frozen already prepared vegetables or dishes, cookies cakes or snacks). Furthermore, they have a good intake of olive and virgin olive oil from different cultivar namely: Nocellara of Belice, Biancolilla, Giarraffa and Ogliarola that seems to have important anti-oxidant properties (unpublished data).

[Slimprofits]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

Did you all already see this?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_1...n-doctor-says/

[rogermexico]

Re: PaNu --Zone diet & suggestions

This idea is similiar to "zone diet" of Barry Sears.

Eliminate sugar: definitely agree with that. however, Honey and fruit were available to primitive people (not as "juice" of course.

"Proper fats" might not include whole milk. Dairy foods are the result of agricultural revolution, and not Paleo diets. Dairy has a lot of saturated fats. Paleo diet would have little saturated fat. Grass fed wild animals would have much lower fat than farm animals.

On this same argument, butter is probably not better for you than seed derived oils. It seems to be primarily the high glycemic sugar and flour that are the problems of the agricultural diet, not the oil.

Eat lots of nuts, and more fiber!

Ha Ha You sure are late to the party!

I don't agree with any of your objections, and it is not at all similar to the bogus "zone" diet, which I have criticized extensively. Saturated fat and milk are not dietary poisons, whether they are "paleo" or not (a term I abandoned using years ago). Glycemic index is not an important parameter in the genesis of health problems, only an issue for diabetics.

Read my blog and especially those listed on my blogroll if you'd like to learn more. My core dietary recommendations listed above remain quite sound. I would only add the principle of avoiding manufactured and processed foods of all kinds as much as possible - eating a whole foods diet.

I don't waste any time trying to argue about diet or help people with these things these days. I have better uses for my time.

PS Eliminate sugar means eliminate sucrose crystals added to foods, not eliminate fruit or vegetables.

[Polish_Silver]

Re: PaNu --Zone diet & suggestions

I enthusiastically welcome serious commentary, questions and criticism.


1 Eliminate sugar (including fruit juices and sports drinks) and all flour

2 Start eating proper fats - animal fats and monounsaturated fats like olive oil - substituting fat calories for carb calories. Drink whole milk or half and half instead of skim.

3 Eliminate grains

4 Eliminate grain and seed derived oils (cooking oils) Cook with butter, coconut oil, olive oil or animal fats.

This idea is similiar to "zone diet" of Barry Sears.

Eliminate sugar: definitely agree with that. however, Honey and fruit were available to primitive people (not as "juice" of course.

"Proper fats" might not include whole milk. Dairy foods are the result of agricultural revolution, and not Paleo diets. Dairy has a lot of saturated fats. Paleo diet would have little saturated fat. Grass fed wild animals would have much lower fat than farm animals.

On this same argument, butter is probably not better for you than seed derived oils. It seems to be primarily the high glycemic sugar and flour that are the problems of the agricultural diet, not the oil.

Eat lots of nuts, and more fiber!

[c1ue]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

This article seems to indicate that meat wasn't a big factor, at least for this particular human relative:

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/27/459...opithecus.html

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, June 27, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Australopithecus sediba, believed to be an early relative of modern-day humans, enjoyed a diet of leaves, fruits, nuts, and bark, which meant they probably lived in a more wooded environment than is generally thought, a surprising find published in the current issue of Naturemagazine by an international team of researchers that includes a Texas A&M University anthropologist.

Darryl de Ruiter, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, says the new findings are in contrast to previously documented diets of other hominin species and suggests that Australopithecus sediba had a different living environment than other hominins in the region. Previous research had shown that the australopiths of South Africa lived in the vicinity of grassy and open savannah-like areas, though it was unclear whether they actually occupied a savannah habitat, or if they lived in forested margins near the grasslands.

The team examined teeth from skeletal remains of a group of newly discovered hominins found several years ago in a South African cave about 30 miles northwest of Johannesburg and dated to about 1.98 million years old. The team, comprised of researchers from the United States, Africa, Europe and Australia, named the new species Australopithecus sediba and demonstrated that it displayed a mosaic of both human-like and ape-like characteristics shared both with other forms of Australopithecus and with modern-day humans.

"By examining material recovered from their teeth using diverse tools ranging from dental picks and laser ablation devices, we were able to determine precisely what they were eating," de Ruiter explains.

"This gives us a very clear picture of their diet, and it was surprising. It shows that they ate more fruits and leaves than any other hominin fossil ever examined, more like what a chimp might eat. There was no evidence of them eating native grasses of the area at that time, which is what we see in other australopiths in the region."
Australopithecus is a genus of hominins that is now extinct. Ape-like in structure, yet walking bipedally similar to modern humans, they are considered to have played a significant role in human evolution, and it is generally held among anthropologists that a form of Australopithecus eventually evolved into modern humans.

The Texas A&M anthropologist says the analysis of phytoliths – structures found in plants that often get trapped in plaque on teeth – alongside examination of the chemical makeup of the hominin teeth, suggests that they had a varied diet, and diet of early Australopithecus is a key component central to the study of human origins.

"It shows they had a diet more similar to that of a chimp than anything else," he notes, "though we cannot yet say how much overlap existed between the diets of hominins and chimps.

"They ate fruits, tree bark, nuts, leaves, and sedges, plants such as papyrus or cypress. They might also have consumed some type of animal protein, perhaps in the form of insects or meat, but a lot more research will be required before we can say for sure one way or the other.

"Our findings clearly show they had access to more food sources than we had previously established," he notes.

The team's work was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute for Human Evolution at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, the Ray A. Rothrock '77 Fellowship in the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M and the Max Planck Society.

[jk]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

It's fairly well documented that cancers will go into remission when excess calories are cut from the diet. Sugar, in particular, feeds cancer. By reducing dietary calories, particularly sugar calories, the body will produce less IGF (insulin growth hormone), a necessary precursor to the growth of cancer.

There are documented studies, both animal and human. Several books point this out, not the least of which is Good Calories, Bad Calories- by Gary Taubes, as suggested by Roger Mexico earlier in this thread. Unfortunately, the medical establishment doesn't advertise theories, studies, products or procedures that are not profitable to their business. Why should they?

i have read that, too, and it makes sense. i have no idea if oncologists talk about this with their patients, but i suspect not.

[dummass]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

you seem to think that someone will discover a cure without research or clinical testing- implausible to say the least. how do you know a cure is a cure? how do you know if it's safe? you have to do lots of trials, first in animals and then in humans. these trials are a big deal, and expensive. without the trials all you have is speculation, not a cure.

It's fairly well documented that cancers will go into remission when excess calories are cut from the diet. Sugar, in particular, feeds cancer. By reducing dietary calories, particularly sugar calories, the body will produce less IGF (insulin growth hormone), a necessary precursor to the growth of cancer.

There are documented studies, both animal and human. Several books point this out, not the least of which is Good Calories, Bad Calories- by Gary Taubes, as suggested by Roger Mexico earlier in this thread. Unfortunately, the medical establishment doesn't advertise theories, studies, products or procedures that are not profitable to their business. Why should they?

[swgprop]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

Interesting to consider a very implausible scenario: if someone outside the mainstream establishment actually invents a cure, let's say for multiple types of cancer, a cure that runs counter to a current theory or 2 that's a favourite of a powerful government muckety-muck apparatchik; how will it ever become mainstream? Not having an MD & PhD, how would that person avoid the quack label?

At the risk of further exposing my quack-leaning ways I find this disturbing:

Gates to Donate $10 Billion for Vaccine Research

I'm sure big pharma is happy to ramp up production.

I often wonder what might transpire if a Gates or Buffet were to put that kind of money behind testing and trials of some alternative treatments (Laetrile, hemp oil, essiac, etc.)

Perhaps nothing. Perhaps something amazing.

[jk]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

Interesting to consider a very implausible scenario: if someone outside the mainstream establishment actually invents a cure, let's say for multiple types of cancer, a cure that runs counter to a current theory or 2 that's a favourite of a powerful government muckety-muck apparatchik; how will it ever become mainstream? Not having an MD & PhD, how would that person avoid the quack label?

Yeah, it's completely become a "who do you trust" situation.

It really looks like the "medical establishment" is about to take a serious kick in the gonads on the manufactured demonizations of cholesterol and saturated fat.

I really don't know if that's good or bad - it's good that some chicanery may be outed, but more may go the Philipino psychic surgeons route.

you seem to think that someone will discover a cure without research or clinical testing- implausible to say the least. how do you know a cure is a cure? how do you know if it's safe? you have to do lots of trials, first in animals and then in humans. these trials are a big deal, and expensive. without the trials all you have is speculation, not a cure.

[Spartacus]

Re: PaNu - The paleolithic nutrition argument clinic

Just so. There's no money in curing diseases. Plenty of money in treating them.

There are a lot of "cures" for cancer that don't involve slash and burn practices promoted by big pharma and oncologists. Many are likely worthless but could some of them be for real? You'll never see the FDA endorse any. And the system precludes "legitimizing" them because there's no ROI potential.

So people continue to subject themselves to the horrendous treatments offered up by orthodox medicine.

Interesting to consider a very implausible scenario: if someone outside the mainstream establishment actually invents a cure, let's say for multiple types of cancer, a cure that runs counter to a current theory or 2 that's a favourite of a powerful government muckety-muck apparatchik; how will it ever become mainstream? Not having an MD & PhD, how would that person avoid the quack label?

Yeah, it's completely become a "who do you trust" situation.

It really looks like the "medical establishment" is about to take a serious kick in the gonads on the manufactured demonizations of cholesterol and saturated fat.

I really don't know if that's good or bad - it's good that some chicanery may be outed, but more may go the Philipino psychic surgeons route.