Most of our greatest learning occurs, not in the classroom, but in deep discussion of truth with our peers. Much of truth is discovered or unearthed upon the battlefield of controversy, and is only kept alive by banter and sharp exchange with our peers.
What laboratory testing is necessary when you start your weight loss journey on a Ketogenic, Low-Carbohydrate, Paleolithic or any other dietary changes? Why do you need them and what are you looking for? We discuss these questions and others on today’s PeriScope. Lots of questions from around the world to day . . . this one lasted a bit longer than normal . . . 45 minutes to be specific. But it’s a good one because of all of your fantastic questions! You really don’t want to miss this one.
You can see the video below or watch the video combined with the rolling comments here on Katch.me/docmuscles.
A list of the labs that we discussed are listed below:
This list will at least get one started, provide the screening necessary to identify insulin resistance (Diabetes In-Situ), Impaired fasting glucose, diabetes and allow for screening for a number of the less common causes of obesity.
I would highly recommend that you get these through your physician’s office so that appropriate follow up can be completed. These labs will need to be interpreted by your physician, someone who understands and is familiar with various causes of obesity.
Until next time . . .
This evening on PeriScope, we talked about the 10 things you can do to stay motivated on your low-carb lifestyle. A number of great questions were asked including:
And, much much more . . . It’s like a college ketogenic course on overdrive . . . for FREE!!!
You can see the PeriScope with the comments rolling in real-time here: katch.me/docmuscles
Or, you can watch the video stream below:
See you next time.
Diseases seem to arrive in three’s each day in my office. Today I had three different patients with cholesterol concerns who were notably confused about what actually makes the cholesterol worse, and what causes weight gain. Each of them, like many patients that I see, were stuck in a state of confusion between low fat and low carbohydrate lifestyle change. My hope is to give my patients and anyone reading this blog a little more clarity regarding what cholesterol is, how it is influenced and how it affect our individual health.
First, the standard cholesterol profile does not give us a true picture of what is occurring at a cellular level. The standard cholesterol panel includes: total cholesterol (all the forms of cholesterol), HDL (the good stuff), LDL-C (the “bad” stuff) and triglycerides. It is important to recognize that the “-C” in these measurements stands for “a calculation” usually completed by the lab, and not an actual measurement. Total cholesterol, HDL-C and triglycerides are usually measured and LDL-C is calculated using the Friedewald equation [LDL = total cholesterol – HDL – (triglycerides/5)]. (No, there won’t be a quiz on this at the end . . . so relax.)
However, an ever increasing body evidence reveals that the concentration and size of the LDL particles correlates much more powerfully to the degree of atherosclerosis progression (arterial blockage) than the calculated LDL concentration or weight (1, 2, 3).
There are three sub-types of LDL that we each need to be aware of: Large “fluffy” LDL particles (type I), medium LDL particles (type II & III), and small dense LDL particles (type IV).
Second, it is important to realize that HDL and LDL types are actually transport molecules for triglyceride – they are essentially buses for the triglycerides (the passengers). HDL can be simplistically thought of as taking triglycerides to the fat cells and LDL can be thought of as taking triglycerides from the fat cells to the muscles and other organs for use as fuel.
Third, it is the small dense LDL particles that are more easily oxidized and because of their size, are more likely to cause damage to the lining of the blood vessel leading to damage and blockage. The large boyant LDL (“big fluffy LDL particles”) contain more Vitamin E and are much less susceptible to oxidation and vascular wall damage.
Eating more fat or cholesterol DOES NOT raise small dense LDL particle number. Eating eggs, bacon and cheese does not raise your cholesterol! What increases small dense LDL particles then? It is the presence of higher levels of insulin. Insulin is increased because of carbohydrate (sugars, starches or fruits) ingestion. It is the bread or the oatmeal you eat with the bacon that is the culprit. The bread or starch stimulates and insulin response. Insulin stimulates the production of triglycerides and “calls out more small buses” to transport the increased triglyceride to the fat cells (4, 5, 6, 7).
Fourth, following a very low carbohydrate diet or ketogenic diet has been demonstrated to decreased small dense LDL particle number and correlates with a regression in vascular blockage (8, 9). So, what does this really mean to you and me? It means that the low-fat diet dogma that that has been touted from the rooftops and plastered across the cover of every magazine and health journal for the last 50 years is wrong. . . absolutely wrong.
I talk about this and answers questions on today’s Periscope. You can see the recording on Katch.me with the comments in real time here:
https://www.katch.me/docmuscles/v/2f0b6d07-d56a-368b-b4f6-34a5ab3da916
Or, you can watch the video below:
References:
Don’t fear the fat. If you haven’t seen the movie Cereal Killers, you should watch it by clicking here. D.J. O’Neill ditches wheat and sugar in a food plan consisting of 70% fat – under the guidance of legendary South African Sports Scientist Prof. Tim Noakes.
Do you think it will catch on?
With a great deal of fear out there about this virus, a catchy little rhyme and song often helps to remind us about prevention. It’s interesting that potential pandemics bring out songs and rhymes. Isn’t this where “Ring around the Roseys” came from?
