Archive for January 2009
A Morning in San Francisco
Alright, mostly just photos. Mostly about food. We began the morning with breakfast at Sears Fine Food. Years ago (before the timeshare), we used to stay at the Chancellor, right next door. Then we stayed at a hotel on the other side of the Saint Francis at Union Square, and now we're on the opposite corner and about 3 minute's walk at a timeshare. If you stay in SF, stay close to Union Square. Just…Read More
Weekend
I'm likely to get something off in the AM, links most likely. For the time being, I'm sitting at the bar in the Daily Grill, just off Union Square in amazing San Francisco. As much as they try, the commies just can't seem to completely ruin it. I'm eternally charmed and count myself lucky to live a mere hour's drive away. Next up: Morton's Steakhouse.Read More
What Do You Think You Know About LDL Cholesterol? (Pt 2 of 2)
Part One The purpose of part one was to demonstrate the meaninglessness of calculated LDL cholesterol in relation to the equation used to calculated it, and how triglycerides, while being a very important risk factor for heart disease in its own right, have been steadily increasing on average and potentially giving a false sense of security as increases in triglycerides cause a mathematical (not necessarily biochemical) lowering of calculated LDL serum cholesterol. I promised that…Read More
Thanks
Thanks to all of you for the many wishes for a happy birthday by email and writings on the wall on Facebook. I really appreciate it, and hope this single post serves as adequate acknowledgement. I turned 48 today. Still working a few bits on the second LDL cholesterol post, but I'll be up later.Read More
Just Go Ahead And Wait For “Public Policy”
I had to laugh. The National Institutes of Health awarded Creighton University $4 million to continue its landmark study linking vitamin D to a reduction in cancer risk. The study’s findings, reported in June 2007, showed for the first time in a clinical trial that postmenopausal women consuming optimal amounts of calcium supplements, as well as vitamin D3 supplements at nearly three times U.S. government recommended levels, could reduce their risk of cancer by 60…Read More
What Do You Think You Know About LDL Cholesterol? (Part One)
Are you aware that the LDL cholesterol results you get in your routine blood workup is likely a complete fiction? That's right, and it's because LDL isn't measured, but calculated. Here's the formula, called the Friedewald equation: LDL = Total Cholesterol - HDL - Triglycerides/5 So, for example, if one goes on a grain based, high carb, low fat diet which is well known to make triglycerides skyrocket, what would be the effect on your…Read More
Modern Day Weston Price?
Well, perhaps not exactly, but let's see if we can't find something to cheer about. But first, in review: In 1939, he published Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, a book that details a series of ethnographic nutritional studies performed by Price across diverse cultures. Some of the cultures studied include the inhabitants of the Lötschental in Switzerland, the inhabitants of the Isles of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, the Eskimos of Alaska…Read More
Diet Fad Insanity
Here's a couple of articles that came to me by way of email (thanks Karen & Jim). 100-calorie nibbles For the dieter who's looking to lose a few, the market wants to help you. For the past couple of years, certain companies have offered small portions of snack foods bundled in 100-calorie packs. Roughly 175 products -- among them Nabisco's Oreos and Teddy Grahams, Hershey's Dark Chocolate and, yes, even Hostess' Twinkies, in the form…Read More
Ask Mark Sisson
Many of you will recall my guest post over at Mark's Daily Apple. At the time, Mark and I agreed he'd do one here as well, and I decided it would be best to wait until after the holimonth. Well, it's time; and though he and I bounced a few ideas back and forth, I was always left disappointed about all he could've addressed, but wouldn't, in sticking to one subject. Well, I'm happy to…Read More
Hot Chicken Bacon Salad
Here's one that I often eat down at Trials Pub, as it's the most Paleo friendly dish on their menu. I didn't take as long to prep this as would normally be called for (more reduction on the balsamic vinegar), but it was very tasty nonetheless. How it went was there was a chicken breast and a half, three strips of thick-sliced bacon, red onion, spinach, and a bottle of inexpensive balsamic. Get about 1/3…Read More
Saturday Link Roundup
So much stuff and so little time to comment extensively on everything I'd like to. So, rather than let stuff stack up for the "someday" when I can get to it, I think I'll clean out the queue once per week and just give you the links, along with a quick comment. If I've got a lot, I'll probably split them between Saturday and Sunday entries. - A friend emails to alert me to PumpOne…Read More
Quick Workout Note
Beginning last week, my trainer and I have decided to switch things up. Instead of predominantly lifting weights twice per week, I'm now doing weights once and the other workout is a crossfit styled routing, always different. So far, I've had two workouts, and we're talking about lots of pull-ups, push-ups, kettlebell swings, and just now, TRX suspension straps, and various other variations of various varieties. Quite a different routine. I like it. And I…Read More
We Live in a Zoo
What a day for a title like that, eh? What, with about a million cattle and sheep herding around D.C., trying to get an angle on how they get to be led around by the nose for the next four years... Alas, politics isn't the core subject of this post. Rather, I would like to introduce you to someone worth paying attention to. I got an email from this gentleman last week introducing himself, and…Read More
Vegetarian Paleo
Here's how to deal with me when we have a fundamental conflict, unlike some people. A comment from a vegetarian reader. I see this blog all of the time and I love reading it. I never comment because, as interesting as I think it is... I am newly a vegetarian and am really enjoying this lifestyle choice. Is it possible to practice this diet with the exclusion of meat? I keep a foodie blog, tracking…Read More
Saturated Fat
Who eats the most of it? Think you know? Let's speculate first, based on heart disease death stats, by country. So, if the "diet-heart hypothesis" were true in its general position on fats, and on saturated fats in particular, then ought we not see some significant correlation between saturated fat intake and coronary heart disease deaths? That graph above coveres only the first 15, but there are 26 countries if you click the link above.…Read More
Reader Questions
Reader Auti emails in: You look 30 years younger and absolutely amazing! I am impressed with your results... I am a 31 year old nurse. I follow Marksdaily apple as well as Arthur De Vany. I have dabbled in low carb only to go on a splurge by the end of the night when my cranky mind is driving me toward that oh so yummy and deadly cookie. Not that I am over weight, because…Read More
Surf & Turf
Bea & I decided to split a ribeye steak and a dungeness crab last night. Notice the clarified butter. I like to make my own rather than use ghee, because I like it just slightly browned. That makes for a slightly sweet taste that goes way good with the crab (steak too, actually). The steak has what I call a "drizzle." I pan fried it in bacon dripping in a casr iron skillet, medium high,…Read More
Paleo Tales of Success
I find that many people don't really grasp the essence of the Paleo (and Paleo-like) way. They approach it like they approach other diets, focus on what you can't have, and eventually go on in their endless quest for some silver bullet. To my mind, the Paleo way is about two things, primarily. 1) To obtain not just sufficient or even good nutrition from food, but to obtain optimal nutrition from food. So, with respect…Read More
Veggie Color & Spaghetti
Let's get right to it. The other night I had family over and did a Thai green curry. While I didn't get a final dish pic, here's a transitional, all color. Prior to this, I did the chicken breast and Polish sausage (in coconut oil). In a separate sauce pan, I heated a can of coconut oil and about a couple of tablespoons of Thai green curry (should be able to get in most supermarkets).…Read More
Vitamin D and All-Cause Mortality
This is from August, but I just stumbled on it. Here's a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and the Risk of Mortality in the General Population Conclusion: The lowest quartile of 25(OH)D level (Read More