Obesity–by Kevin Deeth

Obesity, diabities, and other weight related issues have become an epidemic in today’s society. Trans fats, artificial sweeteners, and sugar loaded foods are partly to blame. Laziness, time restraints, and abundant resources are also major contributors. But how about our ancestors and genetics? What if some of our genes and bodily make up were predisposed towards storing fat? One theory suggests this could be a contibuting factor to the obesity epidemic that has taken over the US.

Thrifty Gene Hypothesis

Background

In 1962 geneticist James Neel proposed the thrifty gene hypothesis to partially explain the rise in diabetes in the world. The central premise of this theory is that through natural selection we evolved to be efficient at food storage and utilization. In Neel’s original hypothesis, he stated that ancient humans went through a cycle of feast and famine. The people who had bodies that were better at fuel storage or utilization were more likely to survive during the famine portion of the cycle. Thus over many generations, we developed genetically to be exceptionally efficient at the intake and utilization of fuel as these were beneficial adaptations throughout the majority of human life.

Relating To Obesity

This theory suggests that humans have genes which predispose them to obesity and fat storage. Essentially, our bodies have evolved as a product of our ancestors whose primary goal when they ate was to store food as fat. This ‘thrifty’ genotype would have been advantageous for hunter-gatherer populations, especially child-bearing women, because it would allow them to fatten more quickly during times of abundance. Fatter individuals carrying the thrifty genes would thus better survive times of food scarcity. However, in modern societies with a constant abundance of food, this genotype efficiently prepares individuals for a famine that never comes. The result is widespread chronic obesity and related health problems like diabetes.

Why Weren’t Our Ancestors Fat?

In the hunter-gatherer society, food was gotten largely through physical activity. Our ancient ancestors have been estimated to have hunt for food for 1-4 nonconsecutive days per week, while women gathered food 2-3 days per week. Needless to say, they were a little more active than the average American who spends anywhere from 10-12 hours a day seated.

‘Stone Age’ genes and ‘Space Age’ circumstances

A 2 minute drive in a car with leather/reclined/heated seats to the grocery store is not the same as several miles of hiking and scavenging to find food and resources. We have theses genes which have been inherited from our “stone age” ancestors in these “space age” circumstances where resources are over-abundant almost to fault, and everything is convenient and easy.

Opposition And Problems

What about other sociities such as asian cultures where obesity rates are not even close to what they are in America?
The field of epigenetics has shown that the body can manipulate the degree of transcription, or activation, a particularly gene has. Even more astounding is that environmental factors can impact the epigenome within a lifetime, thus altering how a gene functions. This suggests that our genes could recognize certain environmental factors available and adapt as a result which would poke holes in the thrifty gene hypothesis.

Conclusion

As can be seen, the genetics of obesity and the thrifty gene hypothesis are a complicated subject. It is easy to accept or dismiss portions of the hypothesis based on select data, but when taken in full it is clear that we simply do not understand everything that goes into the relationship between genetics and obesity.

Regardless, the important thing to remember is that environment and activity levels play a very large role in obesity problems in America. Sure we all have different body types and some of us are more likely to put on weight, but the good news is that with proper dietary and exercise practices, you pretty much control your destiny.

Thanks for reading and I will be interested to here comments about this theory and post.

From South Bend,

Kevin

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Angela in Body, Diet, disease, Exercise, Guest Blog, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

How to argue with a vegetarian

I’m constantly asked, “What diet are you endorsing? Vegan, Vegetarian, Adkins, Southbeach, Paleo etc” I’m not actually endorsing any one diet per say. My philosophy includes eating more whole foods! It’s not actually any specific diet. As we know, the whole dieting paradigm is flawed. We have to make lifestyle changes in order to get healthy in the mind, body, and spirit realm. Although, all the different types of diet schemes have their benefits. I believe that we make choices every time we put something into our bodies, including food, drink, products and especially thoughts. When we think negatively, our minds allow us to make poor choices. The main take away point at this part of my nutrition learning curve is to cut out processed foods. Eat clean and pure. But also, think clean and pure. Eliminate toxic people and emotions from your life. To quote Wiz Khalifa “If you believe you can do it, then you can do it. I don’t follow no cliché, I live to be that way. I don’t try to be different, I try to be me and people think that’s different.” Denise Minger sums up a big difference between the Paleo diet and the Vegan/Vegetarian diet differences in this excerpt from the Real Food Summit this last week. It may help explain some differences of thought. Just more food for thought.

See her site at http://rawfoodsos.com

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Angela in Body, Diet, disease, Mind, Nutrition, Organic, vegan, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Ingenue Wrap

For those of you that have asked me–Dr Angela, why are you so excited about doing a local film–are you getting into filmmaking or just promoting your wellness program? Well, actually neither. Let me give you a little history lesson on the film “Ingenue” that is scheduled for release in 2013 (an amazing film by Kate Chaplin). Kate’s film is based on the historical icon Rosalind Franklin, frequently coined “The Dark Lady of DNA”. Rosalind was a British biophysicist who made substantial contributions to the understanding of DNA. It was her work using Xray diffraction images that led to the discovery of the DNA double helix even though it was Watson and Crick who received credit for this important find. Her contribution to the discovery of DNA was largely overlooked due to widespread sexism in science in the 1950’s.

Kate’s storyline of “Ingenue ” follows a family that finds a genetic clone of Rosaline Franklin’s DNA that is discovered living as a human analog in the basement of their home. They are badgered into raising this clone as a human child. The film outlines the issues of healthcare’s treatment of people, corporate treatment of society, and issues of the negligence of science being overcome by the underlying force of life —LOVE. Please look for this film in theaters next year if you support the change that our nation needs to make to get back to the essentials of human existence.

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Angela in Call to action, disease, Mind, Spirit Leave a comment

Take Charge Day!

Let’s do this Marines! We are superheros!

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Angela in Body, Call to action, Diet, disease, Exercise, Mind, Nutrition, Spirit, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Metabolism Boosters by Kevin Deeth

The Best Metabolism Boosters

A high metabolism means that the body is burning calories at a greater rate than average. However, an elevated metabolism goes beyond helping you burn calories and lose weight. Benefits also include

More energy
Better disease prevention
Improved brain function
Ability to recover from exercise or injury faster
Healthier looking skin… to name a few

“You have a huge amount of control over your metabolic rate. You can burn an extra 500 to 600 calories a day by exercising properly and eating right.” John Berardi, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., author of The Metabolism Advantage

So how does one get an elevated metabolism to reap all of these great benefits? Here are a few things to jumpstart your metabolism and get you on track towards a healthy lifestyle

1. 16 Ounces Of Cold Water Every Morning

Dehydration is your body’s enemy. It slows bodily functions and metabolism.
Your metabolism will slow to conserve energy when you haven’t had enough water to drink, as your organs can’t and won’t function as efficiently.
Scientifically speaking, drinking water has been proven to contribute to your body’s ability to burn calories.
Your body will burn a few extra calories heating the cold water to your core temperature

2. Eat A High Protein Breakfast

If you don’t, your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve energy
A high protein breakfast can boost the metabolic rate up to 30% for as long as 12 hours and provide lower insulin release, while assisting with food cravings.
Aim for something high in protein, containing some complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Cramming protein into every meal helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat does, even at rest
My Example: I have a 2 egg omelette with chicken breast/mushroom/peppers and a serving of my Steel Cut Oatmeal Recipe found herehttp://www.builtlean.com/2012/03/14/steel-cut-oats-recipe/

3. Drink Coffee

In a recent study the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf.
Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing which will raise your metabolism and burn more calories.

4. Lift Weights In Place Of Cardio

Our bodies constantly burn calories, even when we’re doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. To add more muscle you need to lift weights and perform resistance training.
Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily.
After a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate.

5. Drink Green Tea

The brew contains a plant compound called ECGC, which promotes fat burning.
In one study, people who consumed the equivalent of three to five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent.
According to other studies, consuming two to four cups of green tea per day may torch an extra 50 calories by revving up your metabolism.

6. Eat Spicy Foods

Spicy foods contain chemical compounds that can kick the metabolism into a higher gear.
It turns out capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about one tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body’s production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system.
One study suggests spicy food can provide a temporary rise in metabolism of about 8% greater than a person’s typical metabolic rate.

7. Eat Every 3 hours

Eating more often really can help you lose weight and boost your metabolism.
When you eat large meals with many hours in between, your metabolism slows down between meals.
Having a small meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours keeps your metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of a day.
Several studies have also shown that people who snack regularly eat less at meal time.

Conclusion

These 7 suggestions can help promote an elevated metabolism which will allow you to burn more calories and help sustain a healthy lifestyle. While each one may only promote a slight increase in your metabolism, incorporating all of them into a daily routine will surely provide noticeable changes and benefits. Even those of you that are inherently lazy can force some cold water down in the morning or add some spice to your lunch and dinner. Give these a try and find out which ones work the best for you.

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any comments or questions.

From South Bend,

Kevin

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Angela in Body, Diet, disease, Exercise, Guest Blog, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Food Additive Intolerance

Are foods or food additives making you sick? Could it be as simple as Susan’s cure for Lupus by eliminating Red Dye #40? Well, here is my solution for you—Order an ALCAT test!

Many years ago Lucretius expressed the basic concept for The ALCAT Test. He stated, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” Now more than ever, diet plays a critical role in preventing a wide range of degenerative diseases and premature aging. The immune system is a double-edged sword. It should react appropriately and protect against infection when confronted with harmful invaders or “infectious agents” like viruses or bacteria. Unfortunately for some, exposure to common foods, chemicals and molds may trigger chronic activation of the immune system. For over 20 years The ALCAT Test has provided healthcare professionals and their patients with a tool for managing a wide variety of conditions linked to chronic activation of the immune system, such as:

● Digestive Disorders

● Migraines

● Obesity

● Chronic Fatigue

● Aching Joints

● Skin Disorders

● Autism

● And many more…

The ALCAT Test differs from other food allergy or intolerance tests as it accurately and objectively measures leukocyte cellular reactivity in whole blood, which is a final common pathway of all mechanisms. The test utilizes electronic, state of the art, hematological instrumentation. Standard allergy tests, such as skin testing or RAST are not accurate for delayed type reactions to foods and chemicals. They measure only a single mechanism, such as the effect of mast cell release of histamine or the presence of allergen specific IgE molecules. Delayed reactions to foods and chemicals are NOT IgE mediated.

The ALCAT Test also differs from standard IgG tests in that they rely exclusively on one immune pathway, serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG). In fact, high food specific IgG titers are indicative only of exposure, not necessarily intolerance.

The ALCAT Test reproducibly measures the final common pathway of all pathogenic mechanism; whether immune, non-immune, or toxic. It is the only test shown to correlate with clinical symptoms by double blind oral challenges, the gold standard.

Test Results

The ALCAT Test results are presented in an easy to understand, color-coded format. They highlight each patient’s incompatible foods and the level of each reaction (severe, moderate or mild).

Wondering if you have a food intolerance? Order an ALCAT blood test online and find out yourself.

Please contact Angela MD at doc@angelamd.com

Call 317-217-2626 and ask for Michelle (AKA-superjuicer)

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Angela in Body, Diet, disease, Exercise, Nutrition, vegan, Whole Food Leave a comment

Healthcare Reform

Thanks to the Forks Over Knives crew for summing this up so concisely!

The United States Supreme Court’s decision last week on health care reform brought the subject back into the spotlight. We released the below statement through social media, which was shared by thousands.

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Angela in Body, Call to action, Diet, disease, Nutrition, vegan, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Gluten Free

If Oprah Winfrey is doing it, there must be something to this fad. But, is gluten-free dieting just a fad, or is it really an issue in our food products? We have to start by defining what gluten sensitivity is versus celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged when a person with the disease eats a gluten product. This hampers absorption of nutrients and leads to malnutrition along with symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. Now, if you are like me you are asking, “What is gluten?” Gluten is a protein present in wheat flour, which is widely used in commercial goods. It is also found in flour made from barley, rye, and spelt. There are an estimated 3 million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease. The rates are doubling every 20 years in Western countries. The prevailing theory is that our guts have not been taught to deal with gluten as antigens and our immune systems start to react to these proteins as free radicals (Thanks Joe). The first step, I believe is to get tested for celiac disease by your doctor if you know that you react badly to products like cookies, cakes, pastries and breads. Keeping a food/symptom diary can really help determine this. If your celiac tests are negative, you could still have an intolerance to gluten that causes milder symptoms such as achy joints, headaches, chronic fatigue, skin disorders, mood changes and more. There are tests available to check for gluten intolerance that are very simple. These blood tests can help determine if you are having some intolerances to gluten or any other food additive. I should have this blood test available to all AngelaMD.com followers in the next month. Stay tuned for more on that!

Here is a great website with tons of great gluten-free recipes! http://glutenfreefix.com/

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Angela in Body, disease, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Thanks again to Kevin Deeth for another great post! The timing of this information is perfect considering the heightened awareness of processed foods and their toxicity to our bodies. All of our low-fat diet foods are simply free radicals gone wild! Old cousin Joe (see Free Radical post) is throwing an all nighter in our guts when we eat these foods! Remember that the Adkins diet may have seemed great at the time, however Dr. Adkins is now unfortunately deceased. Vitality is the key–focus on lifestyle changes, not dieting!

Kevin writes:

I read a great article on the Wall Street Journal that inspired this post.

Over the last 20 years marketers and food manufactures have coaxed consumers into believing that the cause of rising obesity rates is due to our surplus fat intake. Consumers make choices they believe are healthy based on “healthy labels” when in fact they are not.We’re bombarded with supposedly guilt-free options: baked potato chips, fat-free ice cream, low-fat candies, which people think are healthy options because they are marketed as “low-fat” or “natural”. Yes, a high amount of saturated fat and trans fat is not good, but healthy fats such as the monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s have the opposite effect and are essential to a healthy/well-balanced diet.

Myth: All fats are equal—and equally bad for you.

Fact: Saturated fats and trans fats are bad for you because they raise your cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. But monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for you, lowering cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease.

Myth: Fat-free means healthy.

Fact: A “fat-free” label doesn’t mean you can eat all you want without consequences to your waistline. Many fat-free foods are high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and calories.

Myth: Eating a low-fat diet is the key to weight loss.

Fact: The obesity rates for Americans have doubled in the last 20 years, coinciding with the low-fat revolution. Cutting calories is the key to weight loss, and since fats are filling, they can help curb overeating.

In recent years people have started to figure out that fat may not be main contributor to rising obesity rates, but a surplus of processed carbohydrates may actually be at the forefront of our problems. Cue, the “low-carb” diets where consumers restrict carb intake to under 100g/day. A recent article published by the Wall Street Journal claims that “A diet based on healthy carbohydrates—rather than a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet—offers the best chance of keeping weight off without bringing unwanted side effects”… and I couldn’t agree more.

The Study

Goal: The study was designed to look at the impact of the three diets on measures of energy expenditure, in addition to assessing hormones, fat levels in the blood and other health markers.

Participants followed a low glycemic food plan that focused on fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. The Study explains while people who follow a low-carb diet also lose weight effectively, they have trouble keeping it off and encounter unwanted side effects.
Participants were placed on one of three diets for a month: a low-fat diet limiting fats to 20% of total calories; a low-carbohydrate diet modeled on the Atkins diet, limiting carbohydrate intake to 10% of total calories; and a low-glycemic-index diet, which contained 40% of total calories from carbohydrates, 40% from fats and 20% from protein. Participants were then switched to the other two diets during two additional four-week periods.

Results

“The low-fat diet had the worst effect” on energy expenditure, Dr. Ludwig said. Participants on that diet also had increases in triglycerides, a type of fat, and lower levels of so-called good cholesterol. “We should avoid severely restricting any major nutrient and focus on the quality of the nutrient,”
The low-carb diet had the biggest boost in total energy expenditure, burning about 300 calories more per day than those on the low-fat diet—about the same as an hour of moderate exercise. But that bump came at a cost: increases in cortisol, a stress hormone, and a measure of inflammation called CRP, which can raise the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
Those on the low-glycemic-index diet burned about 150 calories a day more than those on the low-fat diet without any negative impacts on cholesterol levels or various hormones, making it the ideal diet, Dr. Ludwig said. The glycemic index measures the impact of carbohydrates on blood-sugar levels.

Conclusion and Takeaway

A balanced diet filled with healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates is ideal for loosing weight and keeping it off. Yes a low-carb diet can be effective, but you may develop other health risks, suffer from low energy levels, and risk putting weight back on. Carbohydrates are used by our body as energy that can help sustain an efficient and worth-while workout. If your workout is jeopardized due to an nonavailability of adequate energy levels from carbohydrates then your exercise goals are compromised. Just to clarify; I am not advocating people go load up on pasta, breads, cereals, and other processed carbs. The key is to make sure the carbohydrates you do consume all come with a healthy dose of fiber and protein with a low glycemic index from things like fruit, vegetables, minimally processed oats and whole grains.

My Favorite Carb Sources

Quinoa

Steel Cut Oats

Black Beans

Source:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304458604577490943279845790.html?mod=e2tw

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any comments or questions.

From South Bend,

Kevin

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Angela in Body, Diet, disease, Exercise, Guest Blog, Humor, Nutrition, Uncategorized, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Asparagus? Who Knew?

Thanks to sheriff Jim for sharing this tidbit with Angela MD! Being a cancer survivor himself, he is always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to share healthy information with others! Did I mention that he is one hilarious guy! I did not write the following article. I did however feel that it was worth sharing. I don’t have the original article yet but it is cited in the excerpt below. Enjoy the power of the green veggies! Eat your veggies people, eat your veggies!

Asparagus Remedies:

My Mom had been taking the full-stalk canned style
asparagus, pureed it and took 4 tablespoons in
the morning and 4 tablespoons later in the day. She did
this for over a month. She is on chemo pills for Stage 3
lung cancer in the pleural area and her cancer cell
count went from 386 down to 125 as of this past week.
Her oncologist said she will not need to see him for 3
months.

THE ARTICLE:
Several years ago I met a man seeking asparagus for a
friend who had cancer. He gave me a copy of an article,
entitled “Asparagus For Cancer” printed in the
Cancer News Journal, December 1979. I will share it
here, just as it was shared with me: I am a
biochemist, and have specialized in the relation of diet
to health or over 50 years. Several years ago, I learned
of the discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. that
asparagus might cure cancer. Since then, I have worked
with him on his project. We have accumulated a number
of favorable case histories. Here are a few examples:

Case No. 1, A man with an almost hopeless case
of Hodgkin’s disease (cancer of the lymph glands) who
was completely incapacitated. Within 1 year of starting
the asparagus therapy, his doctors were unable to
detect any signs of cancer, and he was back on a
schedule of strenuous exercise.

Case No. 2, A successful businessman, 68 years old,
suffered from cancer of the bladder for 16 years.
After years of medical treatments, including radiation
without improvement, he began taking asparagus. Within 3
months, examinations revealed that his bladder tumor
had disappeared and that his kidneys were normal.Case No. 3,

On March 5th 1971, a man who had lung
cancer was put on the operating table where they found
lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable.
The surgeon sewed him up and declared his case
hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the Asparagus
therapy and immediately started taking it. By August,
x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had
disappeared. He is now back at his regular business
routine.Case No. 4,

A woman had been troubled for a number of
years with skin cancer. She developed different skin cancers
which were diagnosed by the acting specialist as advanced.
Within 3 months after beginning asparagus therapy, the skin specialist said her skin looked fine with no more skin lesions. This woman reported that the asparagus therapy also cured her
kidney disease, which had started in 1949. She had over 10
operations for kidney stones, and was receiving government disability payments for an inoperable, terminal, kidney condition.
She attributes the cure of this kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus treatment.I was not surprised at this result as `The elements of
materia medica’, edited in1854 by a Professor at the
University of Pennsylvania , stated that asparagus was
used as a popular remedy for kidney stones. He even
referred to experiments, in 1739, on the power of
asparagus in dissolving stones. Note the dates!
We would have other case histories but the medical
establishment has interfered with our obtaining some
of the records. I am therefore appealing to readers to
spread this good news and help us to gather a large
number of case histories that will overwhelm the
medical skeptics about this unbelievably simple and
natural remedy.

For the treatment, asparagus should be cooked
before using. Fresh or canned asparagus can be
used. I have corresponded with the two leading of asparagus, Giant and Stokely, and I am satisfied that these brands contain no pesticides or preservatives. Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy to make a puree. Store in the refrigerator. Give the patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and evening. Patients usually show some improvement in 2-4 weeks. It can be diluted with water and used as a cold or hot drink. This suggested dosage is based on present experience, but certainly larger amounts can do no harm and may be needed in some cases.

As a biochemist I am convinced of the old saying that `what
cures can prevent.’ Based on this theory, my wife and I
have been using asparagus puree as a beverage with
our meals. We take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to
suit our taste with breakfast and with dinner. I take
mine hot and my wife prefers hers cold. For years we
have made it a practice to have blood surveys taken as
part of our regular checkups. The last blood survey,
taken by a medical doctor who specializes in the
nutritional approach to health, showed substantial
improvements in all categories over the last one, and
we can attribute these improvements to nothing but
the asparagus drink. As a biochemist, I have made an extensive study of all aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures. As a
result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better
with the latest theories about cancer.Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called
histones, which are believed to be active in controlling
cell growth. For that reason, I believe asparagus can
be said to contain a substance that I call cell growth
normalizer. That accounts for its action on cancer and
in acting as a general body tonic. In any event,
regardless of theory, asparagus used as we suggest, is
a harmless substance. The FDA cannot prevent you
from using it and it may do you much good. It has
been reported by the US National Cancer Institute, that
asparagus is the highest tested food containing
glutathione, which is considered one of the body’s
most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants.

Just a side note… In case you are wondering why this has
not been made public, there is no profit in curing cancer!