I watched the documentary "Fat Head" ....

[FarmerChick]

humans are imperfect

don't think any study you read will ever be perfect for generalizing anything when discussing the human body
(well mostly)

 

[meriruka]

But when you're targeting something broader and cross-cultural, one should keep in mind that it is an incomplete and imperfect study because that is the nature of the beast. That doesn't make them invalid or not "meaningful" but they should be interpreted in that context and one should be prepared to ask those questions and not consider it to have the definitive answers.

ok, coffee is brewing as I type. Meantime, I think we are saying mostly the same thing, that while the effects of diet on a Neanderthal or an Egyptian may lean towards one diet being better than the other, things like lifestyle, climate and race must be taken into account. Not to mention that within each specific group, the dietary needs of the individual could vary widely.

For years my diet has been no refined sugar, avoid fried foods, no meat and most importantly, unaltered foods. I don't eat anything low fat, just smaller amounts of the full fat stuff. I don't eat fake meat, soy based products or chemicals. I just eat a widely varied diet of real food. I have good teeth, no iron or other deficiencies, blood pressure, cholesterol, arteries & weight are all good.
I guess I just need convincing that adding meat to my diet will be an improvement.

 

[sylvie]

WZ, tell me about this symptom: After a carby meal or snack is ingested, 10-20 minutes later, overwhelming sleepiness results in a 'forced' nap of 10-20 minutes. I call it a 'sugar coma'.

I had the exact forced sleep after eating any type of pork. It didn't matter how it was prepared; roasted, smoked, bacon, sausage, chops, fat, no fat. I worked for a doctor who suggested eating sauerkraut with it, but that had no effect.

 

[Dace]

Thanks for the links Wifey....I am gonna go look on netflix!

I enjoy reading about all of the studies but I think equally important is how does it work for people now, today? I would like to say....

I have cut out all sugar (except 2 tsp a day in my morning coffee) all flour, veggie oils, potatoes and anything that is packaged. I eat lots of fresh veggies & some fruit, cheese, whole fat kefir, yogurt, butter, olive oil, salami, meat, and eggs. For a while I entered everything that I ate into Fitday to track what I was eating and make sure I was actually eating enough. According to their charts my daily caloric intake averages about 50% from fat, 20- 25% protein and 20-25% carb. At 50% fat I am losing weight. The fat I eat is mostly saturated and is from the dairy, meat & eggs. The fat I eat is naturally occurring, with the exception of occasional olive oil. The bulk of what I eat is produce though...that is where my carbs are coming from.

I have not only lost 5lbs, but emotionally I feel better, I am more patient, less stressed, happier & more tolerant. My periods are shorter, I have healthy pink cheeks instead of the pale look I have always had....and my belly fat is going away. I never had any health issues to speak of.

I have been eating this way since the first of November and am so happy to be off what I affectionately call the blood sugar roller coaster! I have no sugar or carb cravings at all (except right before my last period when I was up to my elbows in holiday cookies). There is something powerful about switching from a processed sugar & carb laden diet to a nutrient dense more natural diet. I hope that some of you reading this give it a go. It is life changing and I can't imagine ever going back to how I used to eat!

 

[FarmerChick]

many foods contain sleep type effects

heck celery is one

munch on celery to relax.

just gotta know what effects each food has on the body----and of course personal bodies for each of us.

 

[FarmerChick]

But when you're targeting something broader and cross-cultural, one should keep in mind that it is an incomplete and imperfect study because that is the nature of the beast. That doesn't make them invalid or not "meaningful" but they should be interpreted in that context and one should be prepared to ask those questions and not consider it to have the definitive answers.

ok, coffee is brewing as I type. Meantime, I think we are saying mostly the same thing, that while the effects of diet on a Neanderthal or an Egyptian may lean towards one diet being better than the other, things like lifestyle, climate and race must be taken into account. Not to mention that within each specific group, the dietary needs of the individual could vary widely.

For years my diet has been no refined sugar, avoid fried foods, no meat and most importantly, unaltered foods. I don't eat anything low fat, just smaller amounts of the full fat stuff. I don't eat fake meat, soy based products or chemicals. I just eat a widely varied diet of real food. I have good teeth, no iron or other deficiencies, blood pressure, cholesterol, arteries & weight are all good.
I guess I just need convincing that adding meat to my diet will be an improvement.

You don't need meat at this point I believe.....from what you say if you perfected your diet to this level, know your body, then meat added is not needed.

It is when people pull meat sources they require, and do not eat correctly and nutritionally to fill those needs that meat offers, then you have troubles.

I like your thinking!

 

[Wifezilla]

WZ, tell me about this symptom: After a carby meal or snack is ingested, 10-20 minutes later, overwhelming sleepiness results in a 'forced' nap of 10-20 minutes. I call it a 'sugar coma'.

Insulin release driving all the "energy" in to fat cells leaving you without any. I would get SUPER HUNGRY when this happened, but I could see some getting sleepy.

 

[meriruka]

I had the exact forced sleep after eating any type of pork. It didn't matter how it was prepared; roasted, smoked, bacon, sausage, chops, fat, no fat. I worked for a doctor who suggested eating sauerkraut with it, but that had no effect.

I read this and wondered if nitrates could be the issue here, though I'm not sure how much is present in pork roast & chops, the rest typically contain nitrates.

 

[me&thegals]

Thanks for the links Wifey....I am gonna go look on netflix!

I enjoy reading about all of the studies but I think equally important is how does it work for people now, today? I would like to say....

I have cut out all sugar (except 2 tsp a day in my morning coffee) all flour, veggie oils, potatoes and anything that is packaged. I eat lots of fresh veggies & some fruit, cheese, whole fat kefir, yogurt, butter, olive oil, salami, meat, and eggs. For a while I entered everything that I ate into Fitday to track what I was eating and make sure I was actually eating enough. According to their charts my daily caloric intake averages about 50% from fat, 20- 25% protein and 20-25% carb. At 50% fat I am losing weight. The fat I eat is mostly saturated and is from the dairy, meat & eggs. The fat I eat is naturally occurring, with the exception of occasional olive oil. The bulk of what I eat is produce though...that is where my carbs are coming from.

I have not only lost 5lbs, but emotionally I feel better, I am more patient, less stressed, happier & more tolerant. My periods are shorter, I have healthy pink cheeks instead of the pale look I have always had....and my belly fat is going away. I never had any health issues to speak of.

I have been eating this way since the first of November and am so happy to be off what I affectionately call the blood sugar roller coaster! I have no sugar or carb cravings at all (except right before my last period when I was up to my elbows in holiday cookies). There is something powerful about switching from a processed sugar & carb laden diet to a nutrient dense more natural diet. I hope that some of you reading this give it a go. It is life changing and I can't imagine ever going back to how I used to eat!

Dace, that's great!

I love reading about nutrition and food, but I'm starting to believe that maybe we each need to find what works best for all of us.

Some things I truly believe, based on experience, observation and reading many studies:

1. We ALL do better on whole food.

2. We all probably benefit from organic food.

3. Sugar and fake sugars have no benefit to any of us.

For me, I'm going to really be working on more exercise and less sugar. I've cut my grains back quite a bit and have mainly "good" proteins from free-ranging animals. But, I still consume WAY too much sugar.

For me, when I'm exercising, I'm also eating and drinking much better. I feel so alive, energetic and healthy that I just WANT to eat awesomely (lots of veggies, fruits, lean meats and whole carbs, for me).

Here's something to think about: What makes YOU feel healthy? I read these debates, and I fully believe that each of you knows what is working for you, no matter how different your diet is from another's. For me, things are going well when:

1. I have lots of energy. When all is in balance, I literally do not ever, ever run out of energy. I can go nonstop from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight and not wear out. NOT the way I am feeling this winter.

2. I FEEL great, cheerful, enthusiastic, full of P&V.

3. I am healthy, not getting colds or getting sick.

4. My weight is decent. I'm not getting a belly roll.

5. My skin is great. Has color, few/no blemishes, not bad eye puffiness or dark circles.

Not to boycott the conversation, but how do YOU feel when you're doing what works for you?

 

[Dace]

Good points Me&....we are all different and process differently.

The bottom line is that I know I have hit on what works for me because not only do I feel great and emotionally stable (rather than plain ol' emotional!) but this is just easy for me. I don't feel like I have given anything up, I feel like I have benefited so much from eating this way!

I do need to work on a few things....raw milk for one. Hubby and I share a car, so it is complicated for me to find the time to go the 1 hour round trip to pick up milk. That is one of my goals for this year. Also I need to cook more out of NT and start working on more fermented foods and learning how to make soaked or real sour dough for my kids.