Revisit the causality of obesity. My last post addressed a point that has historically (and currently) led to great confusion – the idea of what causes obesity.
In the previous post, discussing what I call “the great medical disconnect,” I wrote about obesity (i.e., unregulated horizontal growth) being caused by excess insulin, which in turn leads to overeating and under-moving. This is contrasted with the reverse – overeating causing obesity. Let’s double-click on this idea using one of the most important laws governing our universe – the First Law of Thermodynamics. Whenever people like me or Gary Taubes or Rob Lustig say, “Calories-in-less-calories-out does not explain obesity,” we’re bombarded by folks screaming, “Hey – you’re violating the First Law of Thermodynamics…,” so let me address this point head on.
Below is the First Law in its simplest form. No one disagrees with this point (except maybe folks who think the world is flat or that the sun rotates around the earth). So is this the case? What is cholesterol? I know much more about cholesterol today than I did even two years ago, let alone when I was mindlessly reiterating “standard” cholesterol recommendations to patients years ago.
You can’t talk about nutrition without mentioning cholesterol, but most folks (including many of the doctors who tell you yours may be too high) don’t know what cholesterol actually is, let alone the actual risk it portends. I’m going to be doing a lot of writing about the confusion over cholesterol in the future, but I want to very quickly give you a few things to consider. Cholesterol is a “waxy” substance generally produced by our liver. Without we could not live, which is to say cholesterol is vital for many functions in our body.There are many types of cholesterol particles that vary by size, density, and functionMore often, what people mean when they say “cholesterol” is “lipoprotein,” and these are not the same thing.
I’ve tried resisting the urge to include this figure, but I just can’t help it. Balancing Omega-3 and Omega-6? Omega-3 and omega-6 are types of essential fatty acids - meaning we cannot make them on our own and have to obtain them from our diet.
Both are polyunsaturated fatty acids that differ from each other in their chemical structure. In modern diets, there are few sources of omega-3 fatty acids, mainly the fat of cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, black cod, and bluefish. There are two critical omega-3 fatty acids, (eicosapentaenoic acid, called EPA and docosahexaenoic or DHA), that the body needs. Vegetarian sources, such as walnuts and flaxseeds contain a precursor omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid called ALA) that the body must convert to EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are the building blocks for hormones that control immune function, blood clotting, and cell growth as well as components of cell membranes.
By contrast, sources of omega-6 fatty acids are numerous in modern diets. The body also constructs hormones from omega 6 fatty acids. Andrew Weil, M.D. What I actually eat, part II – “IFIK” (circa Q3 2012) Note to readers: This post was written in September of 2012.
PLEASE do not ask me why I eat ‘this’ or why I don’t eat ‘that’ — as what is shown here does not necessarily reflect what or how I eat today (or more importantly, how you should eat). My diet evolves constantly, due to my constant tweaking and self-experimentation. Over time, I’ll share it here and there, but what I eat is not at all the focus of this blog. I ask that you refrains for asking questions about what I eat your comments. For reasons I don’t fully understand the most read post on this blog is one I wrote very quickly and with very little thought. After a full year in “strict” (i.e., no “cheat” days) nutritional ketosis I wanted to experiment with other eating patterns. Why the change? My curiosity was sufficiently piqued to break a golden rule – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
I was very happy after a year of nutritional ketosis, but I did wonder if I could improve on a few things. NuSI. Dietary cholesterol and the risk of c... [Int J Clin Pract Suppl. 2009. Peter Attia, MD — The Straight Dope on Cholesterol. Revisit the causality of obesity.