Aluminum Standard

This recently-released paper has been "chewed on" at a number of places this week.  Here's the funniest report I have seen so far:
http://ramblingsofacarnivore.blogspot.com/2011/06/unnecessary-starvation-cures-diabetes.html
So glad I had that lecture last week about how science works.  Reminded me that I needed to do a post like this.  People have been crying out for gold-standard randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical studies.  This study is the aluminum standard, I guess..  It's not a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study, and the sample size is too small for it to ever be included in one of those fancy evidence-based libraries that I don't have a card to.
I don't know how IT got through.  The control group isn't really a control, even though that is what they called it.  They are using it as more of a baseline standard.  That double-blind thing is mainly nonsense.  People usually know what they are eating.  I think these folks figured out they were hungry.
Just sayin' this study isn't randomized.  Can you point out the Where's Waldo?
Time's up:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomized_controlled_trial

Doing Experiments on Myself

This is a lesson on how to screw up an n=1 experiment.  Oh, the perils!  How can I get anywhere without a double-blind placebo-controlled study??  Some days, I think I've got the blind part down......
Dr. Eades' latest post on restarting a low-carb diet reminded me of what happened this week.  You can see it here:  http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/saturated-fat/tips-tricks-for-starting-or-restarting-low-carb-pt-ii/
Early this week, I gave blood.  I always take a day off from any kind of dieting on the days I give blood.  I tend to get out of whack.  Not sure why-could it be from downing the two packages of oatmeal raisin cookies, a bag of Cheetos, and a container of metallic orange juice while waiting it out at the canteen????
This canteen feast means that I always re-start my low carb diet the day after giving blood.  This time I drank more than the normal amount of water, I thought.
By Thursday, I thought I had fully recovered from both giving blood and the carb-fest.  I went out to the garden early in the day because it has been getting so hot.  The plan was to not tax myself too much or stay out too long.  As I was finishing up the the final harvesting, a friend stopped by.  So I decided to stay, and we weeded the entire herb garden, took out a couple plants, gabbed excessively and then went for turning the compost.  I think I was out there for another hour and a half or so.  Since it was to be just a short jaunt, I didn't bring any water, or stop for a hose break.
By the time we finished, I had a headache.  Then I remembered that I had gotten up too early in the morning for the real coffee, so I had fixed myself a quick cup of decaf before heading out the door.  Surely the headache was from the lack of caffeine.  As soon as I got inside, I had a cup, fixed myself a large salad for lunch, and then made a huge jar of punch.  It's just a large olive jar filled to the top with water, a plug of frozen lemon juice and pulp, and a half teaspoon of plum puree to make it pink.  I chugged the punch, yea that was good!
So I thought I had enough water with all the salad and the punch.  I didn't feel thirsty.  By the afternoon, the headache was back and I was feeling a bit weak.  I then discovered that in my rush out the door so early, I had forgotten to take my magnesium.  I took my pill with some water.  It didn't help.
Next thing, I had a snack.  Cheese.  Gotta do low carb.  That didn't help.
Next thing, I had a plum, and a glass of water.  The plums are small and I had the carbs, so why not.  That didn't help much.
Then, I kept thinking, glad this isn't happening within earshot of "coach" [redacted], for she would surely blame it all on my dangerous and disastrous low-carb diet.
Next, I downed a glass of water with some fake salt mixed in, for potassium.  I started to feel a little bit better.
I waited for a bit, and next, I downed an entire serving of full-fructose Emergen-C, with extra water, even though I knew I would pay later in extra cravings.  That didn't help much either.  Another half hour went by and I still didn't feel well.  I still had a headache and cramps in my feet.
Next, I took another magnesium pill with a cal-mag, and an extra glass of water.  Finally, that did the trick!  It was the cal-mag all along!  (Oh, and about 5 more glasses of water??)  Confounded again!  I guess we'll never know.

Don't these people have anything better to do?

I got another letter from a coach on a weight-loss website today.  Seems it was too scary to have my e-mail address posted on my page.  You can read about it here:
" Hello

Telling people how to contact you to get access to your outside blog is like someone who is told they can't advertise on our site and that's there way around it. I can't allow you to do that, so I removed that info from your [redacted]Page.

Thanks,

Jen"

Update

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile, but by the time you finish reading this, you'll know why.
Racket Guy and I are now following the same eating plan together, and I just have to say, I'm speechless.
He lost 4 pounds in 10 days, and it was really a hassle because his pants wouldn't stay up.  It took us a long time to find the belt that he had worn 10 years ago, since it was buried in the pile of stuff that we just threw into the closet right before the holiday guests arrived last winter.
After a few days on my plan, he thought he was going to die. He almost did, from the immediate kidney failure.  I called the ambulance and they rushed him to the hospital.  This was really a hassle because I had to find someone to take care of the cats and to feed the snails.
While we were at the medical center starting dialysis we found out he had contracted osteoporosis during his short stint on the diet.
While they did additional testing, they found that he had a high level of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, so they decided to admit him to the hospital.  (So that's why we missed the latest episode of Glee, sorry folks!  They didn't have a working television in the waiting room by ICU.)
In the morning, his doctor visited, and told him that he had incurred a fair amount of bone loss during the 10 days on the diet. We looked at some of the x-rays and I was shocked to discover that his right femur was completely missing.  Now all this time, I had thought that the reason that he collapsed was from dehydration.  Since I heard that the weight people lose on such a diet is just from water, I just made that connection.  It never occurred to me that the dramatic weight loss was NOT due to water alone.  The doctor did explain that while he was not dehydrated, he would regain the 4 pounds of water weight he lost and then some if he just went off that disastrous diet.
He felt a bit better after eating a bit of the hospital food.  They brought a bowl of maple oatmeal with skim milk, a container of Jello, a cup of juice and some apple slices.
I guess that is what I should be feeding him now, until he regains enough strength to feed himself.  I need to go to the grocery store to pick up a few items on his food list:  quinoa, oatmeal, skim milk, applesauce, fat-free soy margarine and a bunch of containers of Ms. Anorexic Bovine ice cream. 
He was feeling a bit weak this afternoon, and I wanted to give him a shake of potassium in his seitan salad, but when I called the cardiologist for permission, they said she had already left for the day.  Probably out golfing, gee, just when we need her.
Thank you all for your support and prayers during these trying times.  It is about time for us to get honest with ourselves, to listen to our bodies, and to pay attention to the experts.  If we had just taken the advice of the experts, none of these disasters would have happened.

Scientific Method 101

Science.  It's like making sausage, really.  Maybe with some floor scrapings and a dash of meat glue.
I remember one of my first gigs as a professional.  I worked with a huge group of in-house consultants, a real "navy seal" team.  We had all the tools and the training and were ready for anything.
Due to the success of the division I was assisting, I was selected to help write a white paper about a popular statistical technique.  Our team met for months, thrashing out the outline and general flow of the paper.  Each participant was asked to write a case study, so that the final report would contain a nice selection of examples that readers could draw upon depending on their situation.
Like the other statisticians, I wrote my portion of the paper.  Then the papers were sent out for review by the other team members.  Several months later, the team leader decided that we all needed to revise our papers.  It seems like most of the team members were required to re-write their papers more in line with the scientific method.  We were supposed to have a hypothesis, and H0's, H1's, that sort of thing. 
I resisted rewriting my paper because that is not how it happened.  Basically, I was low on the totem pole, and so was assigned to sort of the Tora Bora of the company.  We didn't use lots of the fancy statistical techniques, but my clients were very happy with me, and quite pleased with the results. 
I was told by the team leader that there was no way that we could have made real improvement by just "random messing around".  He insisted it was impossible.
"So, if it is impossible, do you want to take away all the improvement they have seen?" I countered.
The leader insisted that the improvement could not take place without an H0 or H1 beforehand, and told me my example would not be included in the report.
Amazing!  That was a great learning experience for me.  It was then that I became fascinated with truth, and who gets to decide it.  I started reading about the scientific method, the philosophy of science, and realized that it really is just a philosophy, and for people who insist that it is the real truth, well, that's just their religion.
This story does have an interesting ending.  Despite not having my example published, the paper was widely lauded by the authorities.  My client went on towards continuing success.  The very simple technique was used by another sister division, and that division eventually applied for and won the Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award.  A version of the technique used was also used in a study that was eventually published in a "peer-reviewed" journal.  So, yes, I am a peer.
Lately, it does seem like there is much push-back from the authorities on the Paleo/Low-carb scene.  Plenty of experts are getting into the act, instructing all the lost low-carb souls on the ways of science.  But I think lots of this push-back is what my Missouri uncle used to call bovine effluvium.  It's just lots of talk designed to establish their authority, and it certainly takes nothing away from the actual improvements some of these poor souls on such a faddish and untested diet have actually experienced.

My Latest Letter from a Weight Loss Coach

So, it looks like I am being held to a different set of rules than the other posters who include links on their blogs, or promote their viewpoints.  I am not really clear on this warning.  It sounds like I am also not allowed to promote any of these dangerous viewpoints in addition to posting a link.  What do you think?

This letter, although firm, seems a bit nicer than the others.  They have probably figured out that I'll just post it anyway.  Is it me, or is this starting to sound a bit more cultish?

"Hi [redacted]

I saw your blog for today. We can't allow you to post a link to an outside blog that discusses our experts in such a negative way. Of course you're entitled to your opinions, but you can't use your SP blog to promote those viewpoints.

I know that we're conservative when it comes to what we recommend to our members. But because we're such a mainstream site we need to be very careful about what we recommend and discuss. At some point, we could even bring on more integrative experts to give differing points of view on these topics. But that's not where we are for now.

Please do not link your SP blog to your outside blog any more.

Thank you,

Jen"

More Oily Humor - Quack diets

Since I am not allowed to post controversial topics on that other site anymore, and since I am no longer allowed to include links to outside sites on my [redacted] blog anymore, I thought I would try it the other way around for awhile.
Here's a funny and revealing post about Quack diets:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/messageboard.asp?imboard=7&imparent=24498598
Since controversial posts tend to be removed quickly, I thought I would add some quotes here too.  You can post your controversial remarks here.  But, keep it clean people!  (No used motor oil allowed.)

"One universal truth about "quack" diets, supplements, etc. is that they have no valid scientific results with which their claims can be supported. Now, by valid, I mean a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. That means that the effects of the therapy in question are compared directly to patients receiving a placebo and that neither the patients themselves nor (and this is important) the researchers know whether the patient is getting the real thing or a placebo during the study.

Frequently, quack medical sites or ads will include a line like this: "Mainstream medical professionals have expressed skepticism over the effectiveness of the Kumquat and Motor Oil diet, but hundreds of individuals have reported dramatic results." This usually segues into some kind of testimonial from those same "individuals" about how the Kumquat and Motor Oil diet has changed their life, reduced their cholesterol, restored their hair, etc. etc.
If you see something like that, run away. Far away. Here's why: the reason for placebo-controlled, double-blind studies is that studies of therapies which aren't placebo-controlled and double-blind don't work. THe need for a placebo is obvious. The double-blind is needed because if the researchers or the subjects know they're getting the therapy they _will_ report improvement. The researchers have expectations and it's impossible to keep those expectations out of the patient interviews. The patients have hopes and expectations which are similarly impossible to quash. Quack diets and quack supplements rely on this. You can't trust anecdotal evidence. You can trust statistics."

 "Where can I find info on the motor oil diet? sounds like the right diet plan for me."

"They've actually replaced it with the new Quince and DOT 20 Brake Fluid Diet. :)"


 "Sounds delicious, too expensive for me though."

" :)
Good info....applies to diets, supplements and other food items...such as health claims made about acai berry, coconut oil, protein powders, etc.
dietitian Becky"

My Anniversary Post

Wednesday, May 04, 2011[This blog was originally posted on a weight loss website.  It has been edited.]

Yes, it has been one year since sparking! Thank you, Spark community!

Here are the highlights:

Met my goal in March of this year. I lost a total of 59 pounds! I am still figuring out maintenance. The plan was to stop when I hit 10 lb above my final desired weight, and then I would just ease into the weight as I gradually added more carbs. But, that hasn't happened. Instead, the weight eased up, and now I am back on the Rosedale plan which is lower-fat, lower-carb than what I was on a month ago. I am also back on a few challenges. This time I am going to overshoot, and then hopefully it will go better. When I get there, I'll re-tool, and decide if I want to continue with the weight loss or not.

I have a cheat meal out several times a month, and that may go down since our favorite eatery is closing. I continue to try to grow as much of my own food as I can. In my garden, I am going to focus on more greens and growing less fruit.

As of today, I have lost a total of 54 pounds. My body fat has gone from over 46 down to 33 percent. I don't have any other illnesses or conditions. My blood pressure is lower, and no more GERD, aches and pains, or stomach issues. Currently I don't eat many grains or soy, and especially avoid wheat.

I have found that motivation is both delicate and fleeting, especially when people continue to sabotage my weight loss by telling me that my diet of choice is unhealthy and unsustainable. This year, I will be minimizing my contact with such people and focus on those friends who can productively share in my journey and fully celebrate my success.

I am not going to allow people who are sure of their data to speak for me or tell me what has or shall work for me. I will listen to my body instead of the so-called "experts". That includes nutrition experts, researchers, the USDA, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association.

If you want to read more about what a year it has been, please visit:

exceptionallybrash.blogs
pot.com/2011/05/so-this-is
-what-happened-to-me.html


[177 positive comments were posted]

My Final Warning

I guess providing data about coconut oil was too over-the-top.  Here's a nice bitchy folksy letter from a "coach" on a weight loss website.  This message is a bit more stern than the last one. Before, I was admonished for my "dangerous" posts and was told that I couldn't post like that anymore. (Read the first letter here .) Now I'll be kicked off if I tell one other person that it is OK to make popcorn with artercloggingsaturatedfat-laden coconut oil.

"Hi [redacted]

I know we've talked about this before, and I'm sure you can also guess why I'm writing you a note. It seems like with some recent posts lately (such as the thread about coconut oil), you are constantly butting heads with [redacted], our Registered Dietitian, and challenging the advice she gives.

You don't have to agree with the dietary guidelines we promote, but we don't allow members to promote a style of eating that does not agree with our guidelines. You are welcome to share experiences, but not post messages that make it seem like our advice is wrong. We feel that our recommendations are based on sound research- again, you don't have to agree- but you do have to respect that if you'd like to remain a member of [redacted] and participate in our Community.

Please consider this to be your final warning on the subject. If you have questions, let me know.

Thanks,

Jen"

My answer - Part 2. Want diet compliance? Ply them with Alcohol

[Note:  This post is the second part of a multi-part response to a particularly annoying and misleading article written by a registered dietitian on a weight loss website.  My responses appeared on the weight loss website in February, but have been removed from there due to censorship issues.  Here's the link to My Answer, part 1: here  ]
OK, OK, maybe that title was a bit over-dramatic, but you DID click, didn't you? Good! Now, where were we? 

Oh, yes, that first experiment, where non-obese, non-dieters went on a 30:20:50 diet for a bit and then were told to eat whatever they wanted to. 
Surprise? They ate less, 441 calories a day less on average, without much hunger. That's quite a dramatic shift. 

And the problem with that is?? There were some problems. First, to entice the participants to continue with the program, they added one "free" meal per week. Now it wasn't really free, the participants presumably kept track of what they ate at that meal, and reported it accurately. They were also allowed up to two drinks per week. They were also allowed to make substitutions for local, seasonal produce. (Out with the yukky canned fruit that was listed on the menu page!) 
 
It was reported that the participants had reduced their calories spontaneously during the final 12-week period, and they continued to lose weight without feeling too hungry. But what I thought was odd is that they went through all this trouble to capture baseline data, and then left the first weight data point off the chart. Why would they do this? It's probably because they were losing so much weight in the first few days, and the data probably wouldn't look all that good if the bulk of the weight lost during the entire study was during the first two weeks of stabilization. I'll bet they lost alot, based on their reports of really high hunger at that time, and because, like many of us, who doesn't lose about 4 pounds in the first days of practically ANY diet? 
 
OK, time for a re-cap. The researchers say they doubled the protein percentage from the baseline, but, since it's ISOCALORIC, they also had to take the fat down by 40%. You might think by reading just the title and the abstract of the paper that all these good results were because they upped the protein, but the researchers concluded that the good results were because of the lowered fat! (They probably put this in as a nod to the "experts" who insist that eating a low-fat diet helps with weight loss, totally ignoring the satiety issue in the process.) 
 
What's the "REAL" reason that the diet worked? It's hard to tell, because they changed so much stuff, but here are some potential reasons: 
1. They increased the protein percentage 
2. They decreased the fat percentage 
3. They allowed alcohol so partying it up with red wine will get you thin
4. They allowed a free meal, so being in control of your choices and having a social life will get you thin. 
5. They allowed seasonal produce so being a locavore/macrobiotic will get you thin (this is my fave reason). 
6. And there is another reason. But first.... 
 
In the abstract, they also added something that totally dumbfounded me. They actually said that the reason that the so-called "low-carb" diet works is because of the satiating effect of the extra protein. Call me simple, but I would think that a possible reason a low-carb diet might work is because it is low-carb. But since that is nutritional heresy, they didn't even discuss it directly, although they danced around the issue in the discussion section. 
 
But I'm wanting to get back to reason 6. There's something else going on here. In this experiment, researchers said that they increased protein, decreased fat, and kept carbs constant. But that's not what really happened. When they left people to their own devices, they decreased their calorie intake, which resulted in the relative reductions in ALL the macronutrients. Using a hypothetical 2000-calorie stabilized participant, when they ate whatever, they were averaging only 1559 calories, which works out to 117 grams protein, 35 grams fat and 195 grams carb. Compared to the baseline, that's an increase of only 45 grams protein, a decrease of 43 grams of fat and a DECREASE of 55 grams carb. Here's reason number 6 in a line all by itself. 
 
6. They decreased the amount of actual carbs by 22%. 
 
Which reason is it? Can't tell. Yet the researchers came up with reason 1. 
 
Next: Going back to the first "sister" study. 

Nuts about Coconut

Wow, somebody didn't take their happy pills this weekend!

There was a crazy coconut thread posted on a weight loss website recently.  Since I am not into sending them any more traffic, I'll copy some of the posts here.  As you read through the posts, keep in mind the dangerous nature of most of them, and why it is so important for guardians of the truth to remain eternally vigilant.
I am so glad that the Registered Dietitian cleared it up about what research is and I hope statements like these will encourage others to do a little of their own research about coconut oil.  'Cause after all, "one needs to be reading RESEARCH"!

 OP:  " I am confused about coconut oil. For years, I thought that I was told that coconut oil was an unhealthful oil, not heart friendly. But recently, I have been hearing more and more virtues of coconut oil extolled. I had a jar of it here and after hearing one more benefit of it today, decided to break it open to make fried rice for dinner. The coconut oil I have is solid; but I read online of people drinking it, like it would be a liquid.
I'm confused about what is best, and even whether or not it is a healthful oil."

Here's a non-random sample of the comments:

"The kind you have is good for you. The people that are drinking it are probably melting it first. Not something I would do, yuck!
I do use coconut oil on a very regular basis to cook with. I also use coconut milk in place of cream for a lot of things.
My HDL cholesterol is awesome as a result :)"

[redacted] registered dietitian [redacted]:  "Coconut oil is very highly saturated. SO for years it was a no-no. Now days, PRELIMINARY research is indicating that it may have some health benefits---but more research is needed for evidence. SO for now, you can use it in your special cooking to add that wonderful taste and texture...BUT do not go overboard and feel that it will bring about great health benefits or weight loss. AND drinking it is not justified by the research...MODERATION is STILL the key."

"I've heard nothing but good things about coconut oil from my holistic health practioner."

 "I agree with [redacted] on this, in moderation all vegetable oils are useable especially if cold pressed.. Moderation is a hard man to dance with for some food cultures- this is where the real problem is.."

 "Coconut oil is great stuff, Im out of it right now and I miss it for making things like my pancakes."

 "I just bought some, and am using it in moderation, as with the extra virgin olive oil and the canola oil I also use. It is a solid, but I understand in the heat of summer it will liquify. (I'm certainly not going to drink it!)"

"I use it for frying. Things get so golden brown and never burn because CO maintains it's structure at high temperatures.
Some people eat hunks of it though that's just over the top. Too much of a good thing, yk?"

[redacted] registered dietitian [redacted]:  "One needs to be reading RESEARCH to get valid, reliable information on this topic."

"I make lotion out of 50% coconut oil, 50% olive oil infused with calendula, nettle and red clover then I add some beeswax and honey and let me tell you my skin feels amazing after using my lotion."

[redacted] registered dietitian [redacted]:  "As I said in my original post...PRELIMINARY research is showing some health benefits. BUT more evidence is needed to make generalized recommendations for consumption regarding ones lipid profile and weight with the usage of MCT oil/coconut oil.
This gives a good overview:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18223605
Yes there are small studies showing positive results. Some studies are showing nothing....larger trials are needed. This is how research works. You do NOT make general nutrition recommendation for the public based on one study that had 40 subjects. It takes time and it can be frustrating."

"I believe saturated fats are better for you than hydrogenated oils....There is increasing bad information coming out about hydrogenation. We use Coconut and olive oil the most here but we do it to avoid hydrogenated oils, we still don't use it excessively, especially not drinking it! Coconut oil is high in lauric acid also which is suppose to be good for things. I use coconut oil on our eczema problems in our family and it also works great!"

"Despite what [redacted] and other people who tout "conventional wisdom", saturated fat isn't really bad for you. Much better than margarine, corn or other highly processed vegetable oils."

[redacted] registered dietitian [redacted]:   "ONCE again there is preliminary research investigating coconut oil---THERE IS NOT PROOF that it is a healthy oil to use. It is highly saturated. THERE is research to support the use of vegetable oils, canola oil, olive oil, nut oils---which all contain a higher amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat--and can benefit heart health."

 "Case in point...
I'll just leave these links here for anyone interested in reading more about what's in the different oils and what effects they might have on you.
Omega-3s: [redacted]
Omega-6s: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-6_fatty_acid#N
egative_health_effects
Different oils: www.marksdailyapple.com/healthy-oils/
"
"Dr. Mary Newport writes about ketone bodies, an alternative fuel for your brain which your body makes when digesting coconut oil, and how coconut oil may offer profound benefits in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.
If her theory is accurate, this could be one of the greatest natural health discoveries in a long time. Backing up her claims is the remarkable recovery of her own husband."

 [poster used text from this website:] www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/c
oconut-oil.htm

[poster used text from this website:] http://www.hypothyroidismdietinfo.com/hypothyroidism-diet/hypothyroidism-diet-foods-virgin-coconut-oil.php

"I'm not taking dietary advice from agencies that said margarine was better for us than butter anymore. Where was the 'more research needed'?"

 "If people go and read the actual research, not only will they find plenty, but they will notice the great disconnect between the actual research and what is currently recommended by the so-called "experts". Newer research shows that not only is sat fat not bad for people, the short-chain fatty acids in butter and coconut oil are easier for people to burn."

 " I love making popcorn with it."

 "I've been reading Nourishing Traditions and coconut oil is supposed to be very healthy. I add a spoonful to my smoothies."

[redacted] registered dietitian [redacted]:  "I do not want any of our [redacted] members reading this thread to be misinformed or mislead about coconut oil (but that is what many of the posts on this thread are doing). I just checked again on the Natural Medicinces Comprehensive Database and there is currently insufficient reliable evidence to support statements that coconut oil is healthy and a good oil---that it can help with heart disease and obesity. The research is NOT there to make such statements."

 "I wouldn't like it if people were misinformed either. Here's some information:
www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/h/
4397-pulling-the-curtains-on-another-c
spi-scare-campaign
"
"Here's more: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20071648?itool
=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_R
esultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=2
"

"I use coconut oil daily, it has not caused me personally any ill effects and has improved many issues for me"

"Glad it is working for you! And luckily, our government classifies coconut oil as a food, not a medication, so we don't need a prescription or a referral from anyone to enjoy it if we choose."

I'm a free Radical (AND, what's UP with all these CAPS???)

http://www.gnolls.org/2199/you-are-a-radical-and-so-am-i-paleo-reaches-the-ominous-stage-3/
Is stage 3 the same as a stage 3 tornado?  Seems like it, as I surely got smacked down by the nutritional "experts" today.
I think I am beginning to notice when the American Dietetic Association sends out a new list of talking points, and their footsoldiers prepare for battle.  What is so scary about Paleo, anyway?  This is how some of the fight is going down, the Clif notes:
1.  Brush off a legitimate question about the Paleo diet by saying that there is no data and everything should be in moderation.
2.  When somebody shows some data, continue to emphasize YOUR point by using LOTS OF CAPITAL LETTERS so they'll KNOW you are serious and they'll KNOW you are right.
3.  If that doesn't work (and somebody shows more data), silence the person who brought the other data to the table.  Here are the ways to do this:
     a.  ban the person who shows more data
     b.  turn a discussion about food into a discussion about food as medicine and then declare that YOU are the only one authorized to comment on nutritional therapy.
4.  Emphasize to those who are left standing of the importance of the scientific process.  Use the words "evidence-based" (even though you have removed any evidence) and "medicine" to re-establish and maintain your authority.
5.  Repeat as necessary.

We're all living in a van down by the river

Everybody sinking together.  We're doomed.  We're a 100% Protein Power household now.
Enjoy! this funny video.

Weekend Reading

I just found Dr. Jack Kruse's new blog this weekend, and good thing I am now a carnivore, as the posts are quite meaty.  I hope you will visit here:
I first heard about Dr. Kruse on Jimmy Moore's recent podcast.  It is a very interesting discussion, and important for anyone who is overweight, insulin resistant or has osteopenia.
Here's the podcast.

More Plate-y goodness! Better than Plate o' Shrimp?

Looks like everyone is having plate-y fun this week.  What's not to love about the USDA plate??  Tom Naughton is at it again.  You can laugh here:
http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2011/06/06/the-usda-explains-my-plate/
I know why the little sector's aren't even.  It has nothing to do with the amount of each food we should eat.  (In fact, the whole idea has nothing to do with what we should be eating, IMHO.)
It's really a copyright thing.  Check this out:
http://www.rockypeaklc.com/hbdi.html
I have used the Ned Hermann Brain Model extensively in my career, back when the USDA was still tinkering in the land of the pyramids.  Note the plate shape, the Jungian Four-ness, and all the pretty colors.  There is blue for protein (to match the blue that is used as a molecule in all those chemistry model kits.)  There's even a green zone for green veggies, a yellow zone for the higher-carb yellow and orange veggies, and a red zone for tomatoes, watermelon and raspberries.  And you don't have to worry about that little dairy planet, circling around the real plate like Neptune.
Here's some history, and a new and better plate:
http://www.fitbomb.com/2011/06/its-not-that-hard.html
And another favorite of mine (warning, may by unsuitable for some eaters):
http://paleozonenutrition.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/myplate-alternatives/just-eat-real-food-myplate/
I still have a fondness for plate o' shrimp.  Please take the time to visit my earlier post and scroll to the bottom to get the link for the Repo Man vid:
http://exceptionallybrash.blogspot.com/2011/06/plat-o-shrimp.html 
(I just can't get enough of Repo Man!  "Put it on a plate son, you'll enjoy it more...." Makes you think that the USDA plate was developed by a walk-on.)

Carb Flu, or is it just allergies???

Here's a great new post by Dr. Mike Eades:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/ketones-and-ketosis/tips-tricks-for-starting-or-restarting-low-carb-pt-i/
I didn't know anything about low-carb flu the first time I tried Atkins.  At the time, I was a long-distance runner.  I felt terrible on the diet, and abandoned it after two weeks.  I didn't try lower carb for another thirty years.
Regular readers probably remember that I didn't just decide to go on a low carb diet.  I started taking a sleep medication and the amount of carbs I wanted to eat decreased dramatically. But it wasn't without an adjustment period.
I lost a ton of weight very rapidly, and was quite dizzy and unsteady.  I had a terrible headache, foot cramps, digestion changes, and woke up flushed and anxious.  But, I also got rid of all my aches and pains, hot flashes, skin break-outs, salt-sensitivity and cravings.  I wish that I had known about the addition of salt and other minerals.  This information probably would have saved me lots of misery.
Now, I can restart my aches and pains by eating a large evening meal of wheat and other carbs.  I can start the break-outs by eating a combination of carbs and animal fat.  I can restart the hot flashes by eating a ton of carbs or protein in one sitting.  I can restart my cravings by eating a higher carb diet for several meals in a row, or by eating only one piece of bread.  I can restart my weight gain from one carby meal.
At the time, I attributed the wonky side-effects to the sleep medication.  If I had reduced my carb content on a low-carb diet plan, I would have attributed the changes to the diet and abandoned it.  At least, if I had been listening to my body.
My Rheumatologist Fired Me
Well, not really, she still wants to see me once a year, that's just CYA.  But she took my lupus diagnosis off the chart.  There's no lupus, no Sjogren's, no aches and pains, no symptoms like that at all.  Done.  Gone.  I don't have carb flu anymore.

Plate o' Shrimp

Wow!  Just Wow!  I was JUST thinking about what to eat for dinner, and I opened the freezer, and I saw the shrimp all wrapped up in a blue container, and I thought, "Hey, I think I'll have a plate of shrimp."  And then I get on the internets and find out that there is a new food plate to replace the old food pyramid.
Cool Huh?  (So cool that they bought a whole new domain name in all it's plate-y goodness.)  Here it is:
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
I really liked the Metabolism Society's truncated icosohedron food "thing" because I really like all the Buckminster Fuller stuff, like domes and pyramids.  Remember this?
http://www.carbohydratescankill.com/1750/old-news-for-april-1-2011
Then again, I was also a fan of the four food groups from years ago, since it was so Jungian.  I guess we have covered all the appropriate nutritional geometry and have come full circle, back to Carl Jung.
Plates are cool.  Who wouldn't like a plate graphic to remind me what to eat?
Here's my favorite plate:  http://www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/category_s/54.htm
Hmmm, how about a plate o' shrimp for every meal?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLGrXGEMOSo&NR=1  Enjoy!

More on Gary Taubes

Here's an audio of Gary Taubes on the radio.  I just love Sonali Kolhatkar in the morning, love her accent!
http://ia600602.us.archive.org/3/items/DailyDigest-053111/2011_05_31_uprising.mp3