Insulin Resistance Predicts a Variety of Age-related Diseases
By
//
No comments:
In the last post, I reviewed a study by Gerald Reaven's group showing that insulin resistance strongly predicts the risk of cardiovascular disease over a 5-year period. In 2001, Reaven's group published an even more striking follow-up result from the same cohort (1). This study shows that not only does insulin resistance predict cardiovascular disease risk, it also predicts a variety of age-related diseases, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and even overall mortality risk.
Read more »
Read more »
Insulin Resistance Strongly Predicts Cardiovascular Disease Risk
By
//
No comments:
I recently came across a very interesting paper by the research team of Gerald Reaven, an endocrinologist at Stanford. He has long been one of the leading researchers studying insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome, and their association with obesity. Reaven's research, and that of many others, suggests that insulin resistance is a central part of the constellation of metabolic disturbances that are so common in affluent nations*. We also have good reason to believe that it contributes to cardiovascular risk.
All the way back in 1998, Reaven's group published a paper that should raise the eyebrows of anyone interested in cardiovascular health (1).
Read more »
All the way back in 1998, Reaven's group published a paper that should raise the eyebrows of anyone interested in cardiovascular health (1).
Read more »
Recent Interviews
By
//
No comments:
Here are two recent interviews I'd like to share with readers:
Danny Lennon of Sigma Nutrition
Danny Lennon is an evidence-based nutrition coach who publishes a podcast called Sigma Nutriton Radio. We had a nice conversation about why we overeat, including energy homeostasis and the personal economics of food choice. The podcast has a high production value. You can listen to the interview here.
Angelo Coppola of Latest in Paleo
Angelo Coppola and I hit it off recently due to our mutual interests in gardening and self-reliance. We recently had a nice conversation about hunter-gatherer dietary patterns, the personal economics of food choice, US diet history, legumes and the Paleo diet, and how much meat we should eat. You also get to hear a personal story about the only existing video of me as a child (that I'm aware of). This one also has a high production value. You can listen to it here.
Danny Lennon of Sigma Nutrition
Danny Lennon is an evidence-based nutrition coach who publishes a podcast called Sigma Nutriton Radio. We had a nice conversation about why we overeat, including energy homeostasis and the personal economics of food choice. The podcast has a high production value. You can listen to the interview here.
Angelo Coppola of Latest in Paleo
Angelo Coppola and I hit it off recently due to our mutual interests in gardening and self-reliance. We recently had a nice conversation about hunter-gatherer dietary patterns, the personal economics of food choice, US diet history, legumes and the Paleo diet, and how much meat we should eat. You also get to hear a personal story about the only existing video of me as a child (that I'm aware of). This one also has a high production value. You can listen to it here.
New Study Strengthens the Case that LDL Causes Heart Disease
By
//
No comments:
There is little remaining doubt in the scientific/medical community that high levels of LDL, so-called "bad cholesterol", cause heart disease. Yet in some alternative health circles, the debate continues. A new study adds substantially to the evidence that LDL plays a causal role in heart disease.
Read more »
Read more »
Do Slower-digesting Carbohydrates Make Us Feel More Full?
By
//
No comments:
One of the most common pieces of advice in the health-nutrition world is that we should focus our carbohydrate intake on slowly-digesting carbohydrates, because they make us feel more full than rapidly-digesting carbohydrates. Rapidly-digesting carbohydrates, such as potatoes, stand accused of causing us to overeat, resulting in obesity, diabetes, and many other chronic ailments. Is this true?
Read more »
Read more »
My Buddy and Me
By
//
No comments:
Warning -- Satire -- April Fools Post
I have a sheepish confession to make: until recently, I had a tapeworm, and that's why I'm lean.
In 2006, I took a trip to Mexico with a few friends. We often traveled through rural areas, and of course sampled the local cuisine wherever we went. In many parts of Mexico, pork is an important food. Some of it may have been a bit undercooked.
At the time, my interest in food and health was growing, and I was making many changes to my diet. I was glad to see the chubbiness around my neck and waist begin to disappear. The diet was working! Or so I thought...
Read more »
I have a sheepish confession to make: until recently, I had a tapeworm, and that's why I'm lean.
In 2006, I took a trip to Mexico with a few friends. We often traveled through rural areas, and of course sampled the local cuisine wherever we went. In many parts of Mexico, pork is an important food. Some of it may have been a bit undercooked.
At the time, my interest in food and health was growing, and I was making many changes to my diet. I was glad to see the chubbiness around my neck and waist begin to disappear. The diet was working! Or so I thought...
Read more »
Is Meat Unhealthy? Consolidated links
By
//
No comments:
Several people have asked for a consolidated list of links to my series on meat and health. Here it is! This should make it easier to share.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part I. Introduction and ethical/environmental considerations.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part II. Our evolutionary history with meat.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part III. Meat and cardiovascular disease.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part IV. Meat and obesity risk.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part V. Meat and type 2 diabetes risk.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part VI. Meat and cancer risk.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part VII. Meat and total mortality.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part VIII. Health vs. the absence of disease.
Is Meat Unhealthy? Part IX. Summary.
Food Reward Friday
By
//
No comments:
This week's lucky "winner"... donuts!!
Read more »
 |
| Krispy Kreme donuts being made. Hopefully this image isn't appetizing enough to make you want donuts. |
Read more »
Build Your Own Yogurt Maker, Sous-vide Cooker, and All-purpose Fermenter for $40
By
//
No comments:
I make a half gallon of yogurt, twice a month. I like making my own yogurt for many reasons, but it's a bit of a pain. Since I make large batches, I can't use a standard yogurt maker. I often get distracted and over-heat the milk, and the method I use to incubate the yogurt is wildly inefficient (my beloved Excalibur dehydrator). I also need a constant warm temperature for various other fermentation projects, and that's often difficult to achieve with the tools I have.
I finally found a better solution: a temperature controller that accurately regulates the temperature of a slow cooker by turning an outlet on or off. I simply set the temperature of the controller, place the temperature probe into the slow cooker, and plug the slow cooker into the temperature controller outlet. The slow cooker then stays at whatever temperature I want. Here's what the temperature controller looks like:
Once built, the temperature controller with or without the slow cooker can be used for a variety of other tasks (including regulating cooling devices). Here are some ideas that come to mind:
You can build the whole thing for about $40, including the slow cooker.
Read more »
I finally found a better solution: a temperature controller that accurately regulates the temperature of a slow cooker by turning an outlet on or off. I simply set the temperature of the controller, place the temperature probe into the slow cooker, and plug the slow cooker into the temperature controller outlet. The slow cooker then stays at whatever temperature I want. Here's what the temperature controller looks like:
Once built, the temperature controller with or without the slow cooker can be used for a variety of other tasks (including regulating cooling devices). Here are some ideas that come to mind:
- Sous-vide cooker
- High-capacity yogurt maker
- Bread dough riser
- All-purpose thermophilic fermenter (e.g., for tempeh, natto, koji)
- Beer/cider/wine fermentation temperature controller
- Kegerator controller
- Freezer-to-fridge conversion
- Egg incubator
- Soil temperature controller for seed starting
 |
| Don't worry, I'm not turning into a food blogger. But this sous-vide-cooked chicken I made with my DIY temperature controller was pretty tasty. I used this recipe from NomNom Paleo. |
Read more »