Definitive Leptin page 2

**Littlesigh** · 07-01-2011, 12:42 PM

ETA - I have watched some of his talks and I appreciate the link.[/QUOTE]

Check out Youtube.. there are other informative videos by the guy (can't recall his name) that figured it all out. Just search for Leptin.

Good luck

**Digby** · 07-01-2011, 07:25 PM

This is most recent I found on Mark's blog: Take 2 Bites & We’ll See You in the Morning | Mark's Daily Apple

**Hepcat** · 07-03-2011, 04:34 AM

If you don't want to buy Richards' book just read the articles at his websites. And check out his you tube channel.

The Five Rules of The Leptin Diet® | Weight Loss News

YouTube - ‪WellnessResources's Channel‬&rlm;

Then you know everything about "Mastering Leptin" that you need to apply it in your life.
The book gives you the scientific background but you don't need this for doing the Leptin Diet. Jack Kruses Leptin prescription plus Richards'' website plus Mark's or Robb's book and you have everything you need for your own LR Rehab protocol.

Also helpful: Brad Pilon's vimeo Vids about "Inflamation"Theory" and "Leptin & Inflammation". Very good stuff - easy to understand.
Leptin and Inflammation on Vimeo

**brahnamin** · 07-03-2011, 05:00 AM

It's not that I don't want to buy Richard's book so much as I literally don't have the money to drop on it. I have watched his videos and for the most part between him and Dr. Kruse I believe I have a fair understanding about how the whole leptin diet works - from initial reset to maintenance. What I'm not convinced of is the necessity of the specific protocols they recommend.

Which, as far as this thread goes, is neither here nor there.

I just wanted to put a buzz in Mark's ear because I really am hoping he will address this in some future post. Particularly the differences between his approach and the Leptin Diet guys' approaches. Because one of the things I like best about the Primal/Paleo approach is that it tackles hormonal issues as well as weight loss and healthy living in a very loose, intuitive manner.

What I like least about what I've read about the Leptin approach is the rigidity it requires (and not just in the initial 8 week reset).

So yeah, I am hoping Mark chimes in at some point. I know it probably won't be as soon as I might like it, because even if he had nothing on his plate (as if, right?), I know Mark is very thorough in his research and it's one of the things I respect most about him as a person and about the content of his site.

See, here's my thing with it all. The PB has a ton of success stories. Hell, I consider myself one of them (though I'm still in the process, I'm nevertheless down 50 lbs). A LOT of these success stories are people who were almost CERTAINLY leptin resistant at the start and just as certainly probably are NOT leptin resistant at the finish. And yet they made it without the leptin diet or Dr. Kruse's leptin reset.

Y'know, I get the lure of optimizing your results. But I don't think quick fixes - no matter how effective - trump sustainability. And for me the Leptin Diet has no sustainability. There's just no way I'm going to stick to it. So, for my money I'd rather continue in my sustainable habits rather than form one set of habits now and have to form another set later. It might take me longer to get there, but I think my end result will be more stable for it.

**Digby** · 07-03-2011, 06:36 AM

The key is to find what works for you within the primal principles. I'm doing great on the leptin protocol, but have made minor adjustments that I can live with, borrowing from different sources; so I don't think there is a truly definitive leptin program outside of eat protein upon waking, don't snack or eat too close to bedtime. I really appreciate what Dr K is trying to do to help get the message out, for it has been of enormous help to me. Even so, while the 50g protein may be what Dr. Kruse finds ideal, people are variable, so if some people only do 30g, but stay on track with the rest, I can't see how that wouldn't be still quite good. I like the adage: don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

Here's a list of a few things I've pulled from Richard's Mastering Leptin that are important guides for me:

Notes from Mastering Leptin, Byron Richards

Leptin tells thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones, pancreatic hormones, and sex hormones how to perform. Leptin can function without any help from these other hormones, but these other hormones cannot function properly without leptin. (Kindle Locations 314-315).

Leptin responds to specific rhythmic patterns and is a fundamental hormone in regulating your body rhythms. (Kindle Locations 470-471).

Leptin is the essential hormone that controls energy balance and metabolism in the human body. Problems with leptin disrupt the natural balance of homeostasis and are, therefore, the cause of a great majority of health problems. (Kindle Locations 538-540).

These issues have little to do with willpower; the urge to eat is driven by a misguided sense of survival. This confused survival instinct is under the influence of leptin. This results in abnormal behavior and cravings for food. (Kindle Locations 1048-1050).

Therefore, alcohol consumption, especially at night, can fuel overeating even in healthy people, sending them into leptin resistance. (Kindle Location 1118).
Remember, the hypothalamus gland of the brain is where this leptin signal is being processed. The hypothalamus gland is the “old brain.” It seeks to regulate the chemical reactions in the human body from the neck down. (Kindle Locations 1125-1126).

It is best to avoid all artificial sweeteners on The Leptin Diet because they flood the brain with sweet sensation in the absence of calories. This type of “sweet ingestion abuse” occurs nowhere in our genetic evolution. (Kindle Locations 1939-1941).

The Leptin Diet consists of five key dietary rules. These rules apply to almost everyone. They are essential to mastering leptin. Individuals need to learn to implement the Five Rules on a consistent basis in their life. Doing so establishes a solid foundation for mastering leptin. Rule 1: Never eat after dinner. Allow eleven to twelve hours between dinner and breakfast. Never go to bed on a full stomach. Finish eating dinner at least three hours before bed. This rule is explained in chapter 15. Rule 2: Eat three meals a day. Allow five to six hours between meals. Do not snack. This rule is explained in chapter 17. Rule 3: Do not eat large meals. If you are overweight, always try to finish a meal when you are slightly less than full; the full signal will usually catch up in ten to twenty minutes. Eating slowly is important. This rule is explained in chapter 18. Rule 4: Eat a breakfast containing protein. This rule is explained in chapter 19. Rule 5: Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat. This rule is explained in chapter 20. (Kindle Locations 1982-1995).

The number-one sign that there is a problem with leptin resistance is overeating at night. This is the single most important symptom indicating that leptin is really out of control. (Kindle Locations 2054-2055).

They [leptin levels] peak in the evening hours and are the highest during the first two hours of sleep. They gradually fall during the night and reach their lowest level around noon; then they begin to rise again. (Kindle Locations 2063-2064).

The bottom line is that frequent eating clogs the liver’s fuel system. Fatigue is a common symptom for a person with a clogged liver. (Kindle Locations 2213-2214).

Thus, from a dietary point of view, the foremost reason for elevated cholesterol is snacking between meals, not the cholesterol content of food. (Kindle Locations 2218-2219).

When you eat between meals it changes powerful hormonal signals which prevent the breakdown of fat, confuse your liver, and induce calories to head for fat storage. (Kindle Locations 2134-2135).

There is a simple test to help determine you have eaten too many carbohydrates. Stand on the scale first thing in the morning and then stand on the scale at night. If you weigh over two pounds more at night than in the morning, one of the Five Rules of eating has most likely been violated. If (Kindle Locations 2698-2701).

If caffeine raises blood pressure more than four points, contributes to weight gain around the middle, and/or there is great trouble following the Five Rules, then it can be assumed that caffeine intake is excessive. This is because excess sympathetic nerve stimulation causes a numbing effect on fat cells in the abdominal area. This leads to excess weight gain around the middle. In such situations, caffeine is making adrenaline resistance worse. Therefore, the overcaffeinated individual is irritable, hyper, prone to high blood pressure, has trouble sleeping, has insulin resistance, and is gaining weight around the middle. (Kindle Locations 2914-2920).

The issue of leptin resistance is the key factor for a truly misguided hunger signal: the brain cannot properly sense the amount of fuel stored in fat; therefore, it enforces a hunger signal. The result is that the eaten food keeps being sent into fat storage. Insulin resistance and adrenaline resistance work together with leptin resistance to lock in eating patterns that are erratic. Individuals with these issues are lacking in stress tolerance, and they try to use food to cool off or settle down emotional feelings. The result is an emotional eater who locks in the problems of leptin, insulin, and adrenaline resistance. *(Kindle Locations 2941-2945).

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is the key hunger signal in the brain. This signal must be turned off for an individual to feel satisfied from food. If this signal stays elevated, then eating continues (figure 10). Leptin and NPY are opposites. As leptin levels rise inside the brain, NPY levels fall. Unfortunately, when there is leptin resistance, leptin does not enter the brain at the proper rate. NPY levels stay high, causing individuals to eat more than they need before the brain gets the message that they are full. Diabetics and obese individuals have the highest elevations of inappropriate NPY.238 (Kindle Locations 2958-2963).

While any exercise helps, consistent resistance training is the best for promoting healthy GH [growth hormone]function. *(Kindle Locations 4643-4644).

**brahnamin** · 07-03-2011, 08:09 AM

@ Digby - Thank you for that. I really appreciate the time that must have taken you to post and it does make things much clearer for me.

**Digby** · 07-03-2011, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by brahnamin

@ Digby - Thank you for that. I really appreciate the time that must have taken you to post and it does make things much clearer for me.

My partner asked me for the "skinny" on the book, so I thought I would print out all my highlights, so it was already done. Glad to share. If you have any questions, I'll search the Kindle for them.