Archive for November 2008
The Paleo Diet
I'm finally getting around to reading The Paleo Diet, by Loren Cordain. I'm doing so on my new Amazon Kindle, which I love. I've had the Sony Reader (500, then 505) for some time, but though it's wonderful quality hardware, it requires software to interface (a kinda iTunes-like thing) and Sony simply refuses to make its Connect software compatible with the Mac (I switched about a year ago, never to look back). So, Sony Corporation:…Read More
Hunting Fail
My brother found this one. But here's the best one of all time, I think. Enjoy the Holiday.Read More
Cardiovascular Health
Here are a couple of must listen podcasts. You can call 'em up on your computer, or, put them on an iPod, iPhone, or other player and listen whenever. I like taking them in while driving. These two particular podacasts are a two-part interview by Jimmy Moore. ‘Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show’ Episode 185: Interviewing ‘Heart Scan Blog’ Author Dr. William Davis (Part 1) ‘Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show’ Episode 186: Interviewing ‘Heart Scan Blog’…Read More
How Animal is That?
We're going to roast beef bone marrow tomorrow night, to have along with my aunt's French onion soup, which incidentally, she makes from scratch using this exact same thing, roasting and then making stock to a nice thick reduction over about two day's time. Her French onion soup is essentially demi glace with onion in it (and without the roux). There's two of them like that, now cut up into 16 pounds worth. Inspiration here…Read More
Good Carbohydrates, Bad Carbohydrates?
I had intended to point out that Dr. Michael Eades sponsored a Q&A with Gary Taubes, author of Good Calories, Bad Calories, and it's worth a read. I found this quote concerning the general leanness of Asians on relatively carb-rich diets particularly interesting in light of my own conclusions: The Asian question first. I do address this in the book and I address it again in the afterward of the paperback. There are several variables…Read More
Selfish Fat – Barry Sears on CBN 700 Club
Here's something I was going to toss up the other day, but got sidetracked. It's an interview of Barry Sears, author of The Zone and other books, and his latest: Toxic Fat. Take a look: It's interesting how he characterizes fat (adipose tissue) as a kind of "cancer." It immediately reminded me of my "tumor" analogy I wrote about back at the first of the year: I think the tumor analogy is an interesting one,…Read More
Harping on Vitamin K2
I'll keep harping on it so long as Stephan keeps harping on it, and I don't think that's happening anytime soon. My previous K2 posts here, here, and here.Read More
What You’re Up Against – Eggs Linked to Diabetes
Via reader Chris S. comes this absolutely astounding news: "Eating an egg a day can raise the risk of developing diabetes." And, of course, such "startling" news is being uncritically reported all over the place. You can access the abstract here. In a word: absurd. I don't know what's worse, actually doing this sort of meaningless and useless "research" in the first place, or mindlessly shilling for it via sensational "news" reporting. In my opinion,…Read More
It’s Gotta Be The Fat…
Via Mark's Daily Apple, comes this Prevalence of Obesity map. Click right here to see an animation of how it changes year over year from 1985 - 2007. Then, stop to consider that at no time ever in history have there been so many diet programs, TV shows, books, programs, emphasis -- and by far and away, most of the diets all have a similar common theme: less fat (especially animal), more "whole" grains. So:…Read More
Something to Keep You Busy – Lotsa Links
While working on a promised summary page to lay out the basics of my approach to food and fitness, I've been lax in making regular postings. But, there's still lots of great stuff out there. Here's some of it to keep you busy. Doc Eades and Jimmy Moore both take on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Board which, no doubt, will again tell you that you need to "eat more whole grains, less fat, and get…Read More
Wellsphere
You may have noticed the new badge to the right. I've been invited to blog at Wellsphere. Not something I sought out -- they contacted me -- but it looks to be an interesting gig. I'll do my best. Wellsphere’s mission is to help millions of people live healthier, happier lives by connecting them with the knowledge, people and tools they need to manage and improve their health. Recognizing that each person has their own…Read More
Reader Input, Results, Q&A
A bit busy right now, so let me just round up a bunch of things in one post. You know the drill. Reader Bud sends a link to an article along so that we know that diabetes in America is now costing $200 billion per year. Of course, if this and other similar blogs were "required reading," costs would drop to under a 10th of that in time. Well, at least we can be grateful…Read More
Confirming a Bias
The problem with doing science is enormous. I have often said that science is a "discipline," and what I mean when I say that involves the recognition that it can be used even more easily to conceal the truth -- or even advance falsehood -- than to establish the truth. In fact, science, qua discipline, can't really "establish the truth." It can only really show what's unequivocally false. Doing this involves confining one's self (through…Read More
Eggs: They’re Trying to Kill You
Newly minted with a PhD in biology, Monica, who links to a couple of my posts on healthful fat, also dissects for you the differences in all the labeling concerning eggs. Go take a look. There's a picture, too. And note: properly raised chickens are not vegetarians. They eat bugs of all sorts when allowed to forage in pastures and this is a huge source of proper nutrition for them; and it shows in the…Read More
More on Vitamin K2
No need to do much here but point you to the goods. Stephan (who else?) asks: "Can Vitamin K2 Reverse Arterial Calcification?" 2 MK-4 (and perhaps other menaquinones like MK-7) may turn out to be an effective treatment for arterial calcification and cardiovascular disease in general. It's extremely effective at preventing osteoporosis-related fractures in humans. That's a highly significant fact. Osteoporosis and arterial calcification often come hand-in-hand. Thus, they are not a result of insufficient…Read More
Carnitas & Persimmon with Cinnamon
Sorry for the crappy pic, but this was dinner last night. Pork carnitas & persimmon with cinnamon. Very easy to make, quick, and surprisingly delicious. For the carnitas, I used the pre-cooked & packaged version from Trader Joe's. Doesn't appear to have any ingredients I couldn't pronounce. I conceived of this only minutes before, while sipping on a glass of The McCallan, 12-yr-old (just as good as the 18, in my very experienced opinion), over…Read More
Bones & Fat
Back a month or so ago I posted about Jennifer McLagan's book Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient. I've been going through it and, well, it's just fabulous. It's really reminiscent of a sort of "tragedy" where it's the virtuous and the good who are vilified which, is bad enough in itself. But to add insult, this all comes at the injustice of elevating the completely fraudulent to undeserved lofty heights. Now think about…Read More
Vitamin K2, Menatetrenone (MK-4)
Since my last but fairly recent vitamin K2 post, Stephan has posted on K2 from the perspective of cardiovascular disease. Take a good look at it, as well the references he cites. Did you read his other posts on K2, as I suggested? If not, maybe now is the time. I previously wrote: You really owe it to yourself to look into this. Think of it this way: 60 years ago they were curing cavities…Read More
Evolutionary Nutrition
I came across a great post from Robb Wolf of CrossFit NorCal. If you live anywhere near Chico, CA, this is definitely the place you want to be working out and training. The thing about Robb is that not only is he running quite a show out there in terms of physical conditioning, but he's a biochemist as well. He knows his nutrition. You might have noticed that the nutrition approach we recommend at CrossFit…Read More
More on Alzheimer’s and Ketogenic Therapy
It was last April when I pointed to a study suggesting that Alzheimer's might be linked to the whole sugar-insulin deal. That is: refined carbs and sugar, again. I pointed to this post at The IF Life in last weekend's roundup, but here it is again for reference. This adds an interesting twist, in identifying an inflammatory omega-6 fat, arachidonic acid, as a potential culprit. And all this leads to speculation and hypotheses, now, that…Read More
