OBESITY AND THE PALEO DIET

By Brian Kelsey

The “SAD” Diet

Consists primarily of: Fast Food Processed Food/Pre-prepared Meals Low Fat Meals/Snacks High Carbohydrate Processed Oils and Transfats Sugar, Sugar, SugarThis diet is literally killing us!

You can thank the 80’s

The 80’s brought us: Terrible music Even worse fashion (parachute pants were

cool) The war on fat and cholesterol

USDA creates the food pyramid Advocates decreased consumption of fat/sugar Increased consumption of carbohydrates

Rise of the processed food and diet industries

We are the Government, would we lie to you?

The Food Pyramid It’s Offspring

The Obesity Epidemic

We are now the third fattest nation on earth behind Saudi Arabia and Mexico.

More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese.

Since the 1980’s, rates of obesity, diabetes and heart/cardiovascular disease have tripled.

We are not only fatter, we are sicker: Estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the

U.S. was $147 billion in 2008; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight

The Obesity Epidemic

Obesity-related conditions include: -Heart disease -Stroke -Type 2 diabetes -High blood pressure -Orthopedic problems -Sleep apnea -Depression -Kidney disease -Hyperlipidemia (High levels of fat in blood) -Certain types of cancer

It’s just business, nothing personal The food industry is no different than the

tobacco or fuel companies: Lobby government agencies (such as

USDA and FDA) Backed by “Food Scientists” Supported by government subsidies Focused on profits despite negative

health consequences to the public

We are literally high on food

Food acts on the reward pathway in the brain

Causes release of Dopamine and Endorphins Reinforces eating behaviors

Sugar has been found to more addicting than cocaine and heroin

Certain grains (especially wheat) contain “morphine like” compounds

Prehistoric hormones in a modern world Our sense of taste was originally designed to find

nutritious foods to ensure survival. Thanks to food science, we have crap like:

Transfats/Margarines Corn Syrup/High Fructose Corn Syrup Artificial Sweeteners Preservatives Variations of Salt additives

Food is scientifically designed to: Taste good Cause overconsumption Increase sales

I ate it so I have to burn it right? All calories are not equal. Each macronutrient (protein, fat,

carbohydrate) elicits a specific hormonal response. This is the key to health!

During digestion: Protein converted to amino acids Fats to fatty acids, stored as triglycerides Carbohydrates to glucose Unused glucose converted to fatty acids

Hormones Involved in Diet

Insulin Glucagon Leptin Cortisol Dietary hormones are either:

Anabolic or Catabolic (build or breakdown) Lipogenic or Lipolytic (fat building or fat burning)

Insulin-The Fat Maker

Insulin is the “energy” or fat storage hormone. Anabolic, lipogenic

Insulin tells the body to: Store glucose in the muscles and liver

for energy Store the rest as fat Transports amino acids into muscle cells

to build and repair Fiber and fat in food slow the release of

insulin.

Insulin

Constant elevated blood levels of insulin cause: Hypertension Cardiovascular disease Coronary artery disease Obesity Chronic inflammation Diabetes Decreased testosterone production in

men

Insulin

Glucose will always be used as fuel when insulin is present. Fat will stay

Insulin resistance- cells no longer respond appropriately to insulin's signal Forces pancreas to release more insulin Insulin signal eventually is no longer

recieved

Leptin

Leptin- Satiety Hormone (fullness) Decreases lipogenesis Made and released by fat cells

More fat, more leptin Tells us we have eaten enough/stored enough

fat (energy needs are satisfied) High insulin levels block the leptin signal. Leptin resistance- the leptin signal no

longer is properly noticed in the brain.

Cortisol

Cortisol- stress ( or anti-stress ) hormone Lipogenic Catabolic

Released in response to physical/mental stress and inflammation

Stores Fat, blocks insulin Increases :

Blood pressure Heart rate Appetite Blood sugar

Cortisol

Chronically elevated levels of cortisol can lead to: Depression Poor sleep Fatigue Food craving (especially calorie dense

salty and sweet foods) Overeating Obesity Insulin resistance

Glucagon

Produced and released by pancreas Released in response to low blood sugar or a high

protein/low carb meal Catabolic, Lipolytic Opposes insulin

Increases blood sugar Can convert amino acids into glucose for fuel High protein in diet will blunt catabolic effects

Constant State of Flux

Hormones follow Circadian Rhythm Searching for Homeostasis

Leptin low in am, cortisol high As day progresses leptin will increase, cortisol will

decrease Insulin and glucagon will fluctuate with food intake Increased insulin at night blocks growth hormone

release

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

Glycemic Index: Measure of increase of blood sugar after

the consumption and breakdown of carbohydrate

Glycemic Load: Amount of insulin released in response to

blood glucose levels Beets, rutabagas and carrots are

examples of foods with a rather high glycemic index but low glycemic load

You’re fat on the inside too!

Visceral Fat- Located around the abdomen, muscles and digestive organs

Driven by elevated insulin levels Most dangerous of type of fat!

Drives inflammation Insulin resistance Diabetes Cardiovascular disease

When you lose weight, visceral fat is the first to go Large waist size is usually an indicator of visceral

fat

The Skinny on Fat

Important for cellular function Great source of energy Need balance of Omega-6’s and Omega3’s

Suggested ratio is 2:1 Omega 6 fats found in

Processed food Vegetable/seed oils Non-pastured (grain fed) animal proteins and eggs

Pastured (grass fed) animals are much lower in omega 6’s and higher in omega 3’s

Too much Omega 6 causes inflammation We are getting approximately 20:1 in our diets

The Hunter-Gatherer Diet

The Paleo Diet consists of: Meats (preferably grassfed) Fish Seafood Fresh fruits and Vegetables Limited Nuts and Seeds Healthy Oils and Fats such as olive and

coconut oil Food was limited and opportunistic

The Hunter-Gatherer Diet

The Paleo Diet does not include: Grains of any kind, this includes wheat, bread,

pasta, rice, corn (it’s technically a grain), oats and barley

Dairy which includes milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt and sour cream

Legumes which includes beans of any kind, peas, soy, lentils and peanuts (yes they are a legume)

No Alcohol, sorry No White Potatoes (sweet potatoes and yams are

ok)

The Benefits of a Paleo Lifestyle Burning stored fat for energy Dietary hormonal balance Balanced energy and reduced fatigue More efficient athletic performance Stable blood sugar Reduced allergies Improved sleep patterns Improved digestive health

Paleo and the Auto-Immune Connection Auto-immune disease- immune system loses

the capacity to discriminate our “self” from “non-self”

Auto-immune diseases include: Rheumatoid arthritis Ulcerative colitis Chrons Celiac disease Multiple sclerosis Lupus Psoriasis Alzhiemers

The “Leaky Gut Theory”

Leaky Gut Syndrome (also called increased intestinal permeability): Damage the intestinal lining creating openings and

allowing foreign substances to directly enter the blood stream

Due to the ingestion and improperly digested food components most commonly found in grains, dairy and legumes.

Bacteria, toxins, incompletely digested proteins and fats may "leak" out of the intestines into the blood stream.

Triggers autoimmune reactions

Why no Grains?

GMO’s Phytates- binds to certain vitamins/minerals and

inhibits there absorption Lectins- toxins developed by plants as a defense

Lectins enter the blood stream and causing immune reaction and inflammation

Gluten- protein found in wheat, rye and barely Improperly digested Causes gas, bloating, upset stomach Causes celiac disease Associated with other auto-immune disorders

Why no Grains?

High Glycemic Whole wheat bread has higher GI than table

sugar Grains are converted to glucose

Excess glucose stored as fat High levels of triglycerides from carbs in

blood leads to: Systemic inflammation Cardiovascular disease Heart disease

Why no Legumes?

Legumes Similar to grains Hard to digest Cause GI distress Contain GMO’s

Weren’t consumed by the paleo hunter-gatherer They also contain phytates and lectins as mentioned

with grains Saponins-

Damaging to the intestinal lining and eventually enter the blood stream causing an immune reaction

Soy is in many processed foods

What about fiber?

Fiber containing veggies- Greens (kale,

collard, turnip) Mushrooms Pumpkin Peas Peppers Spinach Sweet Potatoes

Fiber containing fruit- Apples Avocados Bananas Berries Kiwi Oranges Pears Prunes

Why no Dairy?

Full of hormones Especially estrogen

Intended to make young animals grow rapidly and strengthen their immune systems

Contains lactose Form of sugar Causes increased blood sugar and insulin release

Lactose is digested in the gut by an enzyme called lactase Approximately 65% of the worlds population have

not inherited the enzyme lactase Lactose Intolerance

Why no Dairy?

“What about Calcium and Vitamin D”? Milk is not a good source of vitamin D

Has to be fortified Vitamin D synthesized by sunlight

Go outside! You can get plenty of calcium from fresh

vegetables/fruits-Greens Carrots Berries FigsCabbage ArtichokeGrapefruit PineappleBroccoli Celery Banana OrangesSpinach Pears Mango

Control the inflammation Inflammation comes from stress, exercise and diet

Actual cause of heart and cardiovascular disease Fish Oil-Consists of 2 very important Omega-3 fatty acids:

EPA = eicosapentaenoic acid DHA = docosahexaenoic acid

Reduces inflammation Improves cognitive function

Recommended 1000-5000mg of high quality Omega-3 per day depending upon health needs, dietary intake or athletic regimen

Sleep! (7 to 9 hours per night depending on needs) Drink plenty of H2O