Mark’s Daily Apple

Dear Mark: Ketosis8

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Ketosis Killers

Dear Mark,

What are ketones? How does ketosis play into the Primal Blueprint? Did our bodies evolve to run on ketones? If not, why do they exist?

Ketones, to put it briefly, are compounds created by the body when it burns fat stores for energy. When you consume a diet very low in carbohydrates, the body responds to the significantly lowered levels of blood sugar by flipping the switch to another power source. The body converts fatty acids in the liver to ketones. Ketones, then, become the main energy source as long as blood sugar levels remain low.

Recently, researchers have discovered more about the unique mechanisms behind this energy “switch.� It turns out a specific liver hormone, FGF21, is essential for the oxidation of the liver’s fatty acids. Furthermore, animals who were fed a ketogenic diet over time showed “increased expression of genes in fatty acid oxidation pathways and reduction in lipid synthesis pathways.� In other words, their bodies adapted metabolically and genetically to the diet.

Ketosis was crucial to our evolution. Given the relatively minor role of carbohydrate-rich foods (even the consumption of many tubers is thought to have come later with the advent of cooking practices), our bodies were fairly frequently operating in the arena of ketosis. Add to this the fasts and famines of primal living, and it’s clear that ketones served as an essential energy source.

The Primal Blueprint recommends “generally� about 100-150 grams of carbohydrates a day, but many who follow it or the related paleo principles choose diets that fall in the realm of 50-80 grams a day, a practice (along with IF) that spurs the body to turn on ketosis as needed. These practices encourage “upregulation� of the body’s fat-burning metabolic functioning and “down regulation� of fat storing systems. For those looking to lose fat, this becomes an extremely effective tool. On the other hand, after spending a few days or weeks in a predominantly ketosis mode, it may behoove you to do an occasional higher carb day (maybe 250-300 grams) to simply readjust insulin sensitivity. This is particularly appropriate if you have achieved an ideal body composition (lean body mass and body fat) and don’t need to lose more fat. An essential part of the Primal Blueprint includes both the fat-burning upregulation and the periodic honing of the body’s systems and adaptive responses.

Finally, ketogenic diets, which are generally lumped together by critics, have gotten a lot of bad press. While experts have generally recognized their effectiveness for weight loss, very low carb diets that result in ketosis (like the Atkins) have been criticized on health grounds. The problem with these criticisms? They’re based on diets that allow for 20 grams or less of carbohydrates a day. While I believe we are not meant to run primarily on carbohydrate energy, I do believe we depend on the nutrients offered by low carb vegetables and even some low glycemic fruits. A diet of 20 carbohydrate grams simply can’t allow for the plentiful intake of nutrient-rich vegetables.

When your carb intake is low enough, say 50-80 grams a day, ketosis kicks in when it needs to. Over time, this process becomes efficient as the body “unfolds� in its genetic expression. Yet this carb intake is high enough that you can freely include copious amounts of nutrient- (including potassium) rich vegetables to offer the body sufficient nutrition, fiber, and alkalizing minerals. At 100-150 grams a day, again all from just veggies and fruits, you probably won’t hit ketosis, but you also won’t prompt a rise in insulin or fat storage.

Thanks, as always, for your questions. Look for more on low carb living this week. In the meantime, keep the questions and suggestions coming!

insearchofbalance Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

The Definitive Guide to Grains

What Happens to Your Body When… You CARB BINGE?

Act “As If” - A 30-Day Primal Health Challenge

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Posted: Carbs, Dear Mark, Diet, Health

Portion Distortion0

Which came first, the larger waistline or the bigger portion size? This is like one of those philosophical questions about art imitating life or the chicken/egg paradox.

Do food companies simply cater to the desires of the overweight by serving them more food? Or are people overweight because food companies keep on ramping up their plate sizes in an effort to outdo their competition? Or maybe it is both and we have a horrifying positive feedback loop on our hands. This is a playful rhetorical mind-game for the purpose of this post (albeit one with a serious answer and grave consequences).

At the end of the day, the fact remains that 20 years ago portion size was a fraction of what we see today. To demonstrate this the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) put together a Portion Distortion quiz. Try it for yourself and be blown away by the results.

Further Reading:

What About Water Portion Size?

Dessert Recipes in Moderation

It’s Hard to Eat Too Much of a Good Thing

Hat Tip to Divine Caroline

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Posted: Health, Humor

Weekend Link Love1

A Hearty Life briefs us on a new study suggesting that our socioeconomic standing in life determines our likelihood to recover from a heart attack!

Cognitive Daily is undergoing a site redesign an invites you to weigh in on the topics you’d most like to have them blog about.

Conditioning Research evaluated a study by Canadian researchers suggesting that almonds may be the key to reducing insulin fluctuations.

Dr. Briffa tells us why we need to keep up our Vitamin D (hint: it could save your life!).

Fitness Destinations gives us 11 tips for cooking out without pigging out (a great post to read before heading out to your 4th of July celebration!).

Get Fit Slowly shows us what a 31 lb. weight loss looks like.

Sandy over at JunkFood Science debunks the myth that sprinkling salt on your meals is a nail in the coffin.

Modern Forager reviews the book The Farmer and The Grill: A Guide to Grilling, Barbecuing, and Spit-Roasting GrassFed Meat… and for saving the planet one bite at a time.

My Paleo Kitchen serves up a simple but delicious recipe for Shrimp Shish Kabob.

PharmaLot highlights a recent Harris Interactive Poll suggesting that nearly three-quarters of Americans view the pharmaceutical industry unfavorably.

Getting hitched? According to a study on That’s Fit, it can do wonders for your blood pressure.

The Great Fitness Experiment chronicles an…uhhh…experiment to give up sugar.

Posted: Health

The “As If” Challenge: Starter Recipes4

So, you’ve decided to accept the Primal challenge. No time like the present, we say! To get you started we thought we’d share a few recipes in keeping with the “as if� challenge. No compromises or indulgences. It’s the PB diet straight up!

Mixed Greens Salad

Assemble mixed greens of choice in large bowl (dandelion, watercress, baby spinach, arugula, baby Romaine, mache, and edible flowers for garnish). (Can also add very thin slivers of carrot or beet instead of flowers if desired.) Add 1 Tbsp. chopped chives and 2 Tbsp. chopped green onion. Drizzle with juice of half a medium lime, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Chop one ripe medium avocado, 1 Tbsp. mild green chilis, 2 strips cooked bacon, and 2 Tbsp. white onion. Blend and slightly mash but leave slightly chunky. Add ½ tsp. of minced garlic, ¼ tsp. cumin and salt and pepper to taste.

Cut out tops of one container cherry tomatoes and take out centers for filling. Spoon in avocado mixture, and top with squeeze of fresh lime and a cilantro leaf.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Mix 2 Tbsp coconut oil, ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk, ½ tsp minced ginger, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 minced hot pepper (such as jalapeno). Use as marinade for tenderloin and let sit for 2 hours. Cook tenderloin on grill for 10-15 minutes turning frequently. Let rest under tented foil for 10 minutes. Drizzle with juice of ½ medium lime, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Do you have recipes or other tips to share for the challenge?

William Couch, startcooking Kathy & Amandine, jamailac Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

More Primal Recipes

Smart Fuel

Don’t Fear Fat!

Healthy Options for Seedlings

What is the Primal Blueprint?

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Posted: Diet, Health, Nutrition, Recipes

Act “As If” - A 30-Day Primal Health Challenge22

One Month of Make Believe

Last week we looked at what goes into our decisions to be healthy: the hows, the wheres, the whos and whys of consideration, of envisioning and finally of commitment. It’s a decision that puts ourselves at the core, we said.

Sometimes our path to that decision is smooth. Sometimes it’s a collection of fits and starts. Usually, it’s a little of both. Progress can come with slow, steady dedication and effort. But, oftentimes, there’s at least a few experiences when we put the pedal to the metal. Whether it’s an overwhelming, positive rush of internal motivation or the insistence of an external, swift kick in the pants, these instances of hyperdrive move us forward. And, yes, even if we lose some ground afterward, we’re changed for the experience nonetheless. We’ve felt that higher level of health, whether it be fitness, nutrition, life balance, etc. Even if we give up some of the result, we know how good it was, and mark our words, you’ll eventually crave it again and be back for more.

And, so, that’s why we embrace the fits and starts, the push that is too intense to be wholly sustainable. Our motivation muscle isn’t much different than our physical muscle. Ultimately, you have to max it out to build it.

In that spirit, we have a challenge.

We’re talking something more than a new diet, something bigger than a 5K, something broader than a new work project, something, well, other than streaking through the neighborhood. We’re talking taking on a new identity (alias not required but fun). We’re talking an experiment that lets you slip into a different life than your own. It’s a sneaky, tricky, scheming little trial that will leave you with some good stories and probably a serious sense of accomplishment. What if…you went fully “Primal� for a month? Took on the part of diehard, hardass primal man or woman?

No, we’re not talking about donning skins, killing prey and giving up indoor bathroom facilities. But it does involve the spirit of acting. In all seriousness, what if you chose to play the part of Primal Blueprint extraordinaire, certified/certifiable health nut for one full month. You’d be the person who makes no compromises, no excuses in your diet or exercise routine. You’d take on the life of others who have the energy, the commitment, the bodies, etc. No cheating – ever. We’re talking Soup Nazi inflexibility. Could you do it? Could you do it and have fun while you’re at it?

It’s summer, after all, when the weather and long days are more conducive to better exercise variety, when vegetables and fruits are cheaper and in season, when we all seem to have a happier disposition and more optimistic attitude. (Isn’t July a little more inspiring than January?) Can you think of a better time than now?

Take up your drumsticks and join your fellow Apples in this experiment. All it requires is that you act as if you are a diehard for a single month. It’s a 30-day tale (minus Morgan Spurlock) seeing how the other half (well, far few than half) lives.

The upside, the veritable beauty of the experiment (other than the alias possibilities) is that you are bound to gain new insight and perspective into the life that you’ve wondered about, even pined after. Up until now, it’s been unattainable. (Perfection generally is. But people berate themselves nonetheless.) But to pretend that perfection for one month? That might get interesting. It’s a version of letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. But for a limited time only!

The key phrase here is “as if.”

All you have to do is act as if you were the person at the gym with unlimited resolve.

Act as if you can sustain Primal living 100% of the time.

Act as if you have no desire for sweets, bread, pasta and rice.

Act as if you can let the big and small stresses of everyday life slide off your back.

And don’t worry that you may not be that person. All you have to do is act as if you were. Before you know it as if may turn into I am.

At the end of the month’s challenge, you will see how you feel physically and mentally. Perhaps you’ll love every minute of it and think it wasn’t as hard as you anticipated. Maybe you’ll feel that every day was an all out struggle and you’ll applaud the return to your own version of measured balance. You may also find that your previous life contained some “vicesâ€� you don’t really need anymore. You might find that the sensible (and some not-so sensible vices) contribute to the life you prefer to live… despite the health consequences. Hmmm. Maybe you’ll need another month’s worth of experimentation to decide how you feel.

We challenge you to give it a try. At the very least, you’ll learn something about yourself.

If you’re a regular reader, consider yourself “armed� with all the knowledge and tools you need to play Primal for a month: exercise routines, menus, recipes, stress relief tips, etc. You’re ready for the experiment. The primal role is yours for the taking. Are you game?

Report back with your findings!

(Check back later for recipes to get you started on the right foot.)

Further Reading:

The Primal Blueprint: Your Guide to Acting As If

Have you Decide to Be Healthy?

Practical Advice for Raising Healthy Seedlings

This Year: Evolve Your Resolve

The Whole Series of Eat This Today, Feel Better Tomorrow: 1, 2, 3, Intermittent Fasting, Special Occasions and Dessert Editions

More Recipes

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Sponsor note:
This post was brought to you by the Damage Control Master Formula, independently proven as the most comprehensive high-potency antioxidant multivitamin available anywhere. With the highest antioxidant per dollar value and a complete anti-aging, stress, and cognition profile, the Master Formula is truly the only multivitamin supplement you will ever need. Toss out the drawers full of dozens of different supplements with questionable potency and efficacy and experience the proven Damage Control difference!

Posted: Health, Health Challenges, Primal Health