Michael Buckner/Getty Images
"Jack, 28, has also credited the Paleo diet for his stunning 70-pound weight loss. The 5-foot-10 Jack, who has struggled with weight his entire life, slimmed down from 260 pounds to 190 pounds following the gluten-free eating plan. He said the Paleo diet helps him stay thin without experiencing chronic hunger and pro-inflammatory blood sugar spikes."
Source
Jack Osbourne does Paleo to manage MS: Ketogenic diet aided Sharon's weight lossRelated posts
"Annie was ushered into the promise-filled halls of psychiatry three months after the birth of her first baby when she began to experience racing heart, insomnia, vigilance, irritability, and a host of physical complaints including joint pain and hair loss. No one did blood work, asked about her diet, or cared about any of the myriad observations about her body and its changes in functioning. This was a “head-up” intervention. I believe women deserve better. People deserve better."
Read More: The New Psychiatry: Forget Everything You Think You Know About Mental Health
In a previous post, I wrote about depression being considered an inflammatory and degenerative disorder. In a recent post on Primal Docs, Jen Knutson, MA, MS writes an opinion piece on depression and nutrition:
"It is clear that ingesting unhealthy and/or processed food and abstaining from nutrient dense quality food is correlated with higher depression rates and depressive symptoms. This is likely due to the innate connection between the body and the mind via biological issues, such as inflammation, oxidative processes, and brain plasticity and function, which are altered due to diet quality and nutrient intake. Being able to determine precisely which foods positively and negatively affect depression, and its various forms, has the potential to dramatically change both the number of people suffering from this illness and the way in which it is treated."
Learn More:
Nutrient-Rich Food and Depression – Part 1 of 2
Related Post
Is depression an inflammatory & degenerative disorder?
When you’re sitting around, you heart is pumping about five quarts of blood a minute, and if you run up the stairs or hard or push yourself physically, it can go up 35 or 40 quarts a minute. If you go and run for 26 miles, or do a full-distance triathalon, it completely overtaxes the heart. The heart is pumping 25 quarts a minute for hours and hours, and that starts to cause muscle fibers to tear, which leads to a bump in troponin and other enzymes associated with inflammation, and it causes the death of some muscle cells in the heart.
Dr. James O’Keefe
Time Healthland
Daily activity of the Hadza. Image: Andreas LedererI often see persons in the office with neurological complaints such as headaches, dizziness, difficulty with memory and thinking, or alterations in mood that also have a BMI (Body Mass Index) in the obese category. A common reason offered for not being able loose weight is their inability to exercise.
Conventional wisdom holds that hunter-gathers maintain a normal weight through a combination of the Paleolithic diet and an active lifestyle that burns more calories. According to a new multi-institutional study, Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity published in the July 25 of Plos ONE, this conventional wisdom seems to be incorrect. As described by Science Codex:
The research team behind the study, led by Herman Pontzer of Hunter College in New York City, along with David Raichlen of the University of Arizona and Brian M. Wood of Stanford measured daily energy expenditure (calories per day) among the Hadza, a population of traditional hunter-gatherers living in the open savannah of northern Tanzania. Despite spending their days trekking long distances to forage for wild plants and game, the Hadza burned no more calories each day than adults in the U.S. and Europe. The team ran several analyses accounting for the effects of body weight, body fat percentage, age, and gender. In all analyses, daily energy expenditure among the Hadza hunter-gatherers was indistinguishable from that of Westerners. The study was the first to measure energy expenditure in hunter-gatherers directly; previous studies had relied entirely on estimates.
However, this does not mean you shouldn’t exercise:
The authors emphasize that physical exercise is nonetheless important for maintaining good health. In fact, the Hadza spend a greater percentage of their daily energy budget on physical activity than Westerners do, which may contribute to the health and vitality evident among older Hadza. Still, the similarity in daily energy expenditure between Hadza hunter-gatherers and Westerners suggests that we have more to learn about human physiology and health, particularly in non-Western settings.
Bottom line: The type of food consumed matters tremendously! The key factor in loosing weight is what you select at the grocery store or restaurant! Low-grade chronic inflammation resulting from the modern diet and the impact of modern foods on the brain's regulation of eating behavior are the prime suspects in the obesity epidemic. Returning to the ancestral human diet is the most powerful tool for reclaiming a normal weight.
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Chronic inflammation rears its ugly head. This time, as inflamed, deformed cells circulating in the bloodstream at the beginning of a heart attack. According to Science News:
In people experiencing the opening throes of a heart attack, cells from the inner lining of blood vessels — called endothelial cells — get set adrift in the bloodstream.
Cardiologist and study investigator Dr. Eric Topol observes:
These are sick cells that have been subjected to profound inflammation. (emphasis added)
Cardiologist Christopher Boos, not involved in the study, calls this new finding “a fascinating insight,” but notes it is “very much in the exploratory phase.”
According to the researchers, the number of these inflamed circulating endothelial cells per unit, know as the cell count, “may serve as a promising clinical measure for the prediction of atherosclerotic plaque rupture events.”
You can access the abstract in Science Translational Medicine here. Learn more about the dangers of chronic inflammation in the posts below:
By John Michael
It was Monday night, and I had just finished packing my bags. With everyone else in the house asleep, I had nothing to do but think about my flight the next day. I would be leaving Denver at seven AM, and arriving in my Midwestern hometown sometime in the early afternoon.
I love eating Paleo, but every now and then, especially late at night, I succumb to the lure of other foods, processed foods… industrial foods.
This time it was my nerves. I get anxiety when I travel, and ever since I was a little boy, I’ve used junk food to calm myself. Normally, I eat well, but when anxiety appears, old habits follow. That’s how I ended up in front of my parent’s open freezer at midnight, with its pale light and steaming air pouring over me.
Tuesday morning I woke with a tingling rawness in my gums. I’d fallen asleep without brushing my teeth; an empty pint of ice cream was on my bedside table.
After brushing, the gum inflammation subsided, but I was left wondering, Had this always happened before I went Paleo? Or had I just become sensitive?
Then I thought of the other foods that made me feel inflamed. When I ate tomatoes, my entire body tingled slightly. Not to mention what wheat products did to my GI tract. John Michael’s recipe for farts and bloating: just add grain.
Consideration of my irritated gums sobered me. Had I always had these inflammatory reactions to food but lacked the discernment to notice? Had my body been chronically inflamed by the profligate diet of my early years?
The Search Begins
I’d heard about chronic inflammation on the news, knew it as a silent killer that could secretly spread through my body. But I’d never taken the time to actually learn how it occurred; I’d only heard enough to create a phantom in my mind, a shadowy figure that fear inflated until it loomed over me.
Better, I thought then, to just ignore it.
But I’m not a young man anymore; the damage I do to my body today no longer miraculously disappears tomorrow. Compelled by my irritated gums, I decided to put aside my fear and face the specter of chronic inflammation.
The Mechanism of Inflammation
When a splinter enters my thumb, it incites inflammation. Nearby cells release chemicals, called inflammatory mediators, which activate an autoimmune reaction. In response, blood vessels dilate, filling the damaged area with fluids. This causes swelling and redness, and isolates the injured tissue.
Then immune cells arrive to consume cellular debris and pathogens. When no further damage occurs, the release of inflammatory mediators subsides, and the process of acute inflammation ends.
Unless another splinter pierces my thumb, in which case inflammation begins anew. And if splinters constantly stick my thumb, then it never stops. With irritation never ceasing, cells consistently release inflammatory mediators, and acute inflammation becomes chronic
Chronic Inflammation Revealed
Our own cells are often the victims of these responses. The persistent immune assault can wear them down, reducing their effectiveness and increasing the likelihood of damage and death. It’s logical then that chronic inflammation should play a role in so many diseases.
It can cause cancer by damaging cellular DNA, thus predisposing cells to dangerous mutations. And inflammation also aids in the growth of tumors, often hijacked by cancer to assist in its own development. It even appears in Alzheimer’s, with the brains of sufferers displaying all the signs of a chronic inflammatory response.
One study cited by Dr. John in a recent talk he gave, “New Research on the Role of Nutrition on Neurological Function,” suggests, “Depression belongs to the spectrum of inflammatory and degenerative disorders.” Another study from his presentation notes that when high levels of inflammatory mediator C-reactive protein were found in stroke patients, chances were high they would also have problems with planning, decision-making, and self-control.
The agents of chronic inflammation are many, from lifestyle choices like smoking and diet, to other factors like repeated infection. Obesity incites it, as fat cells leak and rupture, exciting an autoimmune response. Antibiotics, chemicals, and even undigested food can cause it as well.
Avoiding Inflammation
The picture these studies paint is one of the human body as an intricate collection of delicately balanced components, easily destabilized by the introduction of toxic elements.
We can maintain this delicate balance by making good choices, like avoiding cigarettes and other tobacco products. Eating Paleo can re-establish our omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, which is at an unhealthy 1 to 15 in the Standard American Diet.
Spices like turmeric and ginger have anti-inflammatory properties; toss some on your next meal. The probiotics found in yogurt can reduce inflammation by maintaining a healthy gut; if you avoid dairy, then supplements exist to meet your needs. Additionally, keeping a healthy body weight prevents inflammation caused by obesity, and reducing stress helps as well.
By Leslie Why Reap
Evolution, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is “(2a): a process of change in a certain direction: unfolding….c (1): a process of continuous changes from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex, or better state: growth. Wow! Well who doesn’t want to EVOLVE? To unfold? To grow? That is pretty exciting stuff. I want to evolve, unfold and grow, everyday! Now, how about revolution? Two things come to mind when I think of the word revolution: radical change and revolving doors. Neither of which conjure up images of lasting, lifestyle change. So let’s choose to evolve instead of revolve.
What are we talking about here anyway? Why do we need to evolve? Well, let’s take a look. 66% of our adult population is obese or overweight. 62% of Americans don’t eat even one fruit or vegetable a day. Our children are the heaviest, the most sedentary and the sickest they have ever been in history. Rates of cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases are skyrocketing and with that, healthcare costs. Pouring money into researching cures is one approach but whatever happened to “prevention is the best medicine?” Bottom line, we need to become educated and take responsibility of our health and we can start by examining what we put in our mouths each day. How far have we devolved nutritionally in the US? I would say pretty darn close to rock bottom.
Where do we need to evolve? One suggestion is the Paleolithic approach. Why Paleo you say? Dr. John, John Michael and several other Paleo authors have gone into great depth as to why a progression or return to the diet of our ancestors is one of the healthiest paths. I like this laymen’s summary of the top reasons to go Paleo: http://neo-paleolithic-diet.com/index.php/364/the-best-way-to-lose-weight-paleo-diet/ and for a more in depth and balanced review of the Paleo Diet check out wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet .
Why did I choose this path? It works for me. Grains and dairy make me feel lethargic, they slow my digestion and increase mucus. I discovered this before I discovered the Paleo diet. The Paleo approach simply put it into context for me. What does the Paleo diet do for me? It helps me maintain a lean body mass around the year, not just during race season. It helps me maintain energy throughout the day, enables me to think clearly and to multi-task. It helps me manage the balance of good/bad bacteria in my gut that on a more traditional diet with sugar and refined carbohydrates, I fail to do. It allows me to train, recover and regenerate muscle tissue so I am able to get stronger and faster even though I am 41 years old. It helps me be the best role model I can be for my two children. Most importantly, it has allowed me to heal from brain surgery free of addictions and with a positive outlook, a strong mind and a healthy immune system.
We all live in a world of stress and bodily inflammation. We do not need regular doses of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, refined carbohydrates and grains to further aggravate it, and we need a dietary lifestyle to counterbalance it.
I feel blessed to be a contributor to Paleoterran. Please check in regularly to learn more about my stepped approach to “going Paleo,” the 80/20 rule, and pulling off great recipes! I will also dive into how to get more delicious sleep, energizing fitness, and delightful rejuvenation into our daily lives. Are you excited? Ready to evolve? I am!
Leslie Why Reap
“Evolving, one day at a time….”
PaleoTerran welcomes nutritionit Leslie Reap. She brings a fresh and dynamic approach to helping you build your Paleo/primal health. Learn about Leslie in the About page.
Salmon is an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Select wild-caught Alaska salmon to reduce environmental impact.By Dr. John
The typical American diet, based largely on grains, added sugars and fats, and dairy, is pro-inflammatory. Recent studies suggest low-grade chronic inflammation affects neurological function, including the frontal pathways of the brain.
On July 19, a research study published in Brain, Behavior and Immunityrevealeddietary omega-3 fatty acids decrease anxiety by reducing inflammation.
The randomized controlled 12-week trialincluded 68 volunteer medical students. Half received omega-3 supplementation and the other half, placebo. Psychological surveys measuring anxiety, stress, and depression, and blood samples measuring inflammatory cytokines were obtained "during lower-stress periods as well as on days before an exam." As reported by EurekAlert, even though the school had changed its curriculum by eliminating the stressful clustering of medical exams over a 3 day period, students "receiving the omega-3 showed a 20 percent reduction in anxiety compared to the placebo group." There was no change in depressive symptoms.
The reduction in anxiety appears to be modulated by a decrease in cytokines. Students taking the omega-3 supplements had a 14% reduction in the cytokine interleukin-6. The study concluded:
These data suggest that n-3 supplementation can reduce inflammation and anxiety even among healthy young adults. The reduction in anxiety symptoms associated with n-3 supplementation provides the first evidence that n-3 may have potential anxiolytic benefits for individuals without an anxiety disorder diagnosis.
So, are you stressed or anxious? Stick to the Paleo diet to reduce brain inflammation. Eat plenty of fish. Still anxious? Supplement with omega-3.
Links
One of the great advantages of the Paleolithic diet when compared to the SAD (Standard American Diet) is the normal balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. While both are important for health, the ratio of the two should be in balance with roughly equal amounts of O-3 and O-6. As Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS writes -
Now if you go back and look at the diet of all the hunter-gatherer societies, the “natural” diet of Paleolithic man, and the basic diet of any civilization that lived off the land, eating unprocessed and unrefined foods, you find an interesting relationship between the consumption of the two types of fatty acids: It was always in balance.
Now consider the SAD diet: the ratio of O-3/O-6 is 1/15! And that is a conservative estimate. The inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids are much higher than the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. As Artemis P. Simopoulus of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition, and Health in Washington DC notes -
A very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today’s Western diet, promotes the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
In addition to contributing to the development of these diseases, evidence is building that inflammation also affects brain function. In the March 30, 2010 issue of Neurology, H Wersching and colleagues detail their research on the effects of inflammation on higher-level thinking called executive function, specifically on planning, decision-making and self-control. The researchers measured high-sensitivity-C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, in 447 persons (average age of 63 years) without a history of stroke. High-field MRI scans of the brain were obtained in 321 of these. Sophisticated measures of brain integrity were performed including "fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequences for assessment of white matter hyperintensities, automated quantification of brain parenchyma volumes, and diffusion tensor imaging for calculation of global and regional white matter integrity, quantified by fractional anisotropy (FA)."
The subjects with high C-reactive protein, thus inflammation, had evidence of "cerebral microstructural disintegration" primarily affecting the "frontal pathways and corresponding executive function", clear evidence that inflammation disrupts frontal brain processes.
Time for more vegetables.
Related Entries:
An "Insight of the Decade": Chronic inflammation kills
Are mainstream nutritionists beginning to recognize the value of Paleolithic nutrition?
Macrophages are "hallmarks of inflammation" and provide important immunological defense. However, they can also promote disease.Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, describes the Four Horsemen of Aging in his book The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer. Although not a paleo book per se, the discussion of the Four Horsemen - Free radicals, Inflammation, Glycation and Stress - is mostly on target.
Bowden quotes a number of specialists in the field:
Inflammation is one of the things that keeps us alive in a hostile world. … Without inflammation we would be sitting ducks in a very hostile world, with no way to repair the damage constantly being inflicted on us. Our internal inflammatory responses let us attack invaders, surround, them, and ultimately kill them before they kill us. (Barry Sears, PhD)
However, while we need acute inflammation to repair damage done by a cut, an infection, or other insult, chronic inflammation is another matter altogether. While not necessarily the starter switch, “chronic inflammation may be the engine that drives many of the most feared illnesses of middle and old age.” (Christine Gorman)
SAD is largely to blame:
Image: Michael Rupert HayesSo, you started eating Paleo? You’re browsing the blogs trying to figure out just what the Paleo diet is. But one thing you know for sure, fish is Paleo. Indeed, 70 to 80 thousand years ago our ancestors living in Blombos Cave, South Africa were catching fish in the Indian Ocean. They also created the first clear symbolic image, a block of ochre engraved with cross-hatched lines bordered above and below by parallel lines. This stunning find suggests the importance of fish to the development of the human mind. After all, seafood has plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, right?
At the fish counter of your grocery store you pick up a couple of tilapia. The fish are small, bland, and can easily be incorporated into a variety of meals. They are just the right size to serve as the main course. Only one problem - well, probably more than one - tilapia have minimal, if any, omega-3 fatty acids (n-fatty acids) and are high in omega-6 fatty acids: a recipe for inflammation. (We need both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids; what is important is the ratio of the two.) As a primarily vegetarian fish, tilapia, even wild-caught as in the image above, are very low in omega-3. Unfortunately,
