$4 per gallon gas is good for your health!

Gasoline is now approaching $4 per gallon in some parts of the U.S. But there's a silver lining in this dark cloud. In fact, I see this as a positive for your health.

How can higher gas prices possbily be good for health?

Imagine this trend continues: Fuel prices climb higher and higher. Driving your car will become increasingly more costly. What will be the fall-out?

Well, there will be a number of implications. But among the developments will be a broad impetus towards rejecting fuel-based sources of transportation. This may come as a shock to you, but humans legs were meant for walking!

Remember way back when, Mom would say "We need some milk"? In 1953, you wouldn't get in your car and zip to and from the supermarket. Instead, you would walk a quarter-mile, half-mile or more to the store. And you would carry your bags back. You might walk a mile or two to school and back. In 2006, this seems incomprehensible.

Higher fuel prices will prompt a gradual return to 1953--As transportation costs climb, your town may try and make it easier to walk as an alternative means of getting places.
Imagine that it was easy to walk three blocks to the grocery store, produce stand, work or school, walk along pleasant paths on the weekend, stroll to the home of friends. Drive or walk? Leave the car in the garage and save you and your family hundreds of dollars a month in gas bills.

In a few years, given the current fuel cost trends, there won't be a choice. But it will be in your favor for health.
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One hour blood sugar: Key to carbohydrate control and reversing diabetes

One hour blood sugar: Key to carbohydrate control and reversing diabetes

Diabetics are instructed to monitor blood glucose first thing in the morning and two hours after eating. This helps determine whether blood sugar is controlled with medications like metformin, Januvia, Byetta injections, or insulin.

But that's not how you use blood sugar to use to prevent or reverse diabetes. Two-hour blood sugars are also of no help in deciding whether you have halted glycation, or glucose modification of proteins the process that leads to cataracts, brittle cartilage and arthritis, oxidation of small LDL particles, atherosclerosis, kidney disease, etc.

So the key is to check one-hour after-eating (postprandial) blood sugars, a time when blood glucose peaks after consumption of carbohydrates. (It may peak somewhat sooner or later, depending on factors such as how much fluid was in the meal; protein, fat, and fiber content; presence of foods like vinegar that slow gastric emptying; the form of carbohydrate such as amylopectin A vs. amylopectin B, amylose, fructose, along with other factors. Once in a while, you might consider constructing your own postprandial glucose curve by doing fingersticks every 15 minutes to determine when your peak occurs.)

I reject the insane notion that after-eating blood sugars of less than 200 mg/dl are acceptable, the value accepted widely as the cutoff for health. Blood sugars this high occurring with any regularity ensure cataracts, arthritis, and all the other consequences of cumulative glycation. I therefore aim to keep one-hour after-eating glucoses 100 mg/dl or less. If you start in a pre-diabetic or diabetic range of, say, 120 mg/dl, then I advise people to not allow blood glucose to go any higher. A pre-meal blood glucose of 120 mg/dl would therefore be followed by an after-eating blood glucose of no higher than 120 mg/dl.

No doubt: This is strict. But people who do this:

--Lose weight from visceral fat
--Heighten insulin sensitivity
--Drop blood pressure
--Drop HbA1c and fasting glucose over time
--Reduce small LDL and other carbohydrate-sensitive measures

By the way, if you inadvertently trigger a high blood sugar like I did when I took my kids to the all-you-can-eat Indian buffet, go for a walk, bike, or burn the sugar off with a 30-minute or longer physical effort. Check your blood sugar again and it should be back in desirable range. But then learn from your lesson: Eliminate or reduce portion size of the culprit carbohydrate food.

Comments (27) -

  • Might-o'chonri-AL

    8/2/2011 6:11:40 AM |

    Glyco-sylation occurs inside a cell's endoplasmic reticulum lumen when certain  carbohydrates  (in the form of N-linked oligo-saccharides) meld with a newly folded protein that gets translated into  a glyco-protein.  There are different rates of activation and de-activation  between glyco-sylated and un-glycosylated proteins; this affects how that protein migrates as it tries to perform it's job and how  glycation can induce degenerative states.  Tissue cells with endoplasmic reticulum stress can exasperate certain disease progression because such "stress" there promotes more glycosylation.

  • Annabel

    8/2/2011 12:40:42 PM |

    I couldn't agree more with the advice to test every 15 minutes as a means of discovering your own "sugar curve." When I tried this, I found that my own peak falls pretty consistently at 75 minutes after beginning a meal. Testing at 2 hours completely overlooks my highest blood glucose levels.

    It's a particularly good technique for those folks whose A1c levels are higher than their fingersticks would predict...it's almost surely because they're doing their sticks way past their glucose peak.

    When test strips cost up to a buck apiece, it may feel hard to justify using six or eight of them on a single meal--but what you learn may save tens of thousands in medical bills!

  • Curt

    8/2/2011 1:31:12 PM |

    Another great article - thank you! I'm curious about your thoughts on controlled 1 hour blood sugars (mine are rarely over 110) but baseline levels that aren't much lower. Typically in the 95-105 range. I will get something in the 80s occasionally, but 100 is more common. I never really spike - even a high carb meal will only get me to 130s or so and that never really happens as I don't eat much sugar/starch at all.

    Another quick question: You've mentioned a couple times recently about this way of eating being particularly good for VISCERAL fat. That is exactly what I've found. Tremendous benefits and I feel great. I have leveled out for a while (months) in fat loss, however, with a good amount of subcutaneous fat still present. Is there another protocol for getting after this type of fat? I'm already no wheat, low carb, paleo.

    Thanks again for your excellent articles! Always learning something new.......

  • ShottleBop

    8/2/2011 1:38:20 PM |

    Do you have citations to support your statement that glycation occurs at BGs of 100 or more?  This is one of the more-commonly discussed issues on diabetes discussion boards--but folks are wont to ask for backup.

  • Jeff C

    8/2/2011 1:47:11 PM |

    Regarding glycation specifically...

    1. Do you agree that fructose ("frucation") causes more AGE than glucose?
    2. What to you make of Ray Peat's assertion that poly-fats are much more glycalating than glucose?

    "The so-called "advanced glycation end products," that have been blamed on glucose excess, are mostly derived from the peroxidation of the "essential fatty acids." The name, “glycation,” indicates the addition of sugar groups to proteins, such as occurs in diabetes and old age, but when tested in a controlled experiment, lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids produces the protein damage about 23 times faster than the simple sugars do." (Fu, et al., 1996)." - Ray Peat

  • Richard

    8/2/2011 3:21:55 PM |

    Thanks for the great article!
    I've just begun tracking blood sugars closely, changed my diet to one very low in carbs and no grains, and am determined to find ways to keep at it. I've started a blog just track my progress and keep me honest: http://transformation-transformative.blogspot.com/
    I'll also try the 15 minute testing to see where my personal peak in blood sugar occurs.
    Again, many thanks!

  • steve

    8/2/2011 3:31:08 PM |

    Hi Dr. Davis:  What is the relationship between fasting BG taken at the Dr's office and A!C?  My fasting BG level is 73.5 but my A1C is 5.4.  I would have expected the A1C to more correspond to the fasting measurement; in the case of my wife it does.  Is it related more to the red blood cells lingering around longer or lipoprotein particles which increases the chance of glycation?  Recently had a larger than normal amount of carbs in a meal- rice and blueberries and BG spiked to 119, not to bad, but will experiment with carb portion to keep under 100 as BG may be a contributing factor to my CAD.  I am also a hyperabsorber of fat despite being an ApoE 3/3.

    As an aside, i have sent around a link of one of your interviews regarding Wheat Belly and many eyes have been opened as well as many looking to buy the book.  Might not be a bad idea to have a link to any of your interviews on Wheat Belly posted to this site.
    Thanks for the enlightening good work!

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/3/2011 12:23:09 AM |

    Hi, Shottle--
    This will be the topic of an upcoming discussion. The documentation of this effect is quite extensive. It is no longer a matter of "if" but "how much."

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/3/2011 12:25:11 AM |

    Hi, Jeff--
    This is one of oranges and apples comparisons.
    Fructose does indeed induce flagrant glycation. Glucose induces glycation, though less vigorously.

    However, there is a separate but very poorly named process called exogenous glycation which has less to do with glycation than with oxidation of fats.

    This will be the topic of future discussions.

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/3/2011 12:26:22 AM |

    My first thought is that, if weight loss is ongoing, there is a temporary situation of insulin resistance that generally dissipates with weight stabilization.

    It's also possible that your pancreas has inadequate baseline production of insulin. I'm hoping it's the first possibility.

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/3/2011 12:28:05 AM |

    Hi, Steve-

    You will find that, if you did frequent fingersticks around the clock, the highish A1c reflects the higher blood glucose values that occur after meals.

    Thanks for the feedback on the Wheat Belly project. I will indeed crosslink some of the more relevant discussions.

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    8/3/2011 2:39:31 AM |

    Advanced glycation end products (AGE) involve some of haemoglobin's hydro-carbon Beta side chain valine residue linking up to non-polar "glucose" aldehyde compounds and certain non-"glucose" aldehydes. Various pathological kinds of AGEs can occur from distinct events; in one situation it is macrophage activity producing enzymatic myelo-peroxidase, which can activate hypochlorite favoring a serine amino acid wing to form up to make the AGE called glyco-aldehyde.

    Probably the AGE called methyl-glyoxal is the one most relevant to diabetes prevention; since Type 1 diabetics blood serum levels of methyl-glyoxal is +/- 6 times higher than normal. This AGE can be formed when the byproduct triose-phosphate (triose = subset of carbs) is generated from the glycolytic pathway called  Embden-Meyerhof; this  byproduct risks being made into methyl-glyoxal.

    Maybe the most well known AGEs are the non-enzymatic Amadori products formed via hydrolysis; one is called glyoxal coming from glucose oxidation. And the other Amadori type AGE is 3-deoxy-glucosone (3DG), which requires fructo-selysine and the fructos-amine 3 kinase cascade to shuffle together 3DG.

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    8/3/2011 2:40:38 AM |

    Diabetes reveals the problem with AGEs; this is because diabetics risk incurring kidney nephro-pathy, One of the pathological results is oxidative kidney stress, which limits sodium (Na) excretion thereby fostering  hyper-tension . When AGEs like 3DG, glyoxal & methyl-glyoxal  (among others, like pentosidine ) circulate into the kidneys their carbonyl compounds  are hard to clear by the kidneys; the side effect is to engender  uric uremia problems and meanwhile levels of carbonyls build up in what is called "carbonyl stress".
    Japan research of the plant compound chamaemeloside found that in humans it lowered levels of the AGEs 3DG & pentosidne better than any other natural remedy; optimal response was reduction of down to 1/5 th of subject's starting levels.  Chamaemeloside is the active compound in chamomile (Anthemis noblis); the extraction formula was 1 Kg of chamomile flowers steeped covered in 20 Lt. water for 3 hours at 80* celcius ( a lab temperature probably not critical for home remedy preparation).

  • Peter Silverman

    8/3/2011 12:56:13 PM |

    Volek and Phinney in their new book about carbohydrate restriction think that as you increase  fat from 30% to 60% of your diet, insulin resistance increases, then it drops when you go above 60%.  It seems that among the most experienced researchers of carbohydrate restriction, there's little consensus about the optimal amount of fat or carbs.  Ron Krausse, for instance, thinks 35% to 45% is optimal.

  • steve

    8/3/2011 5:23:50 PM |

    Peter:
    When these researchers talk about carb levels are they considering vegetables to be carbs, or just fruits, grains, potatoes?

  • frank weir

    8/3/2011 6:41:32 PM |

    You must mean, "can exacerbate certain disease progression...." meaning: to increase the severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate

  • frank weir

    8/3/2011 6:59:22 PM |

    This is wonderful information BUT I wonder if it might be unfortunate if folks who routinely have post-prandials of 120 to 140 take your 100 level as a sign of "failure"...things are seldom so cut and dried, black and white. I don't know if I'm hitting 100 or less  after every meal, but my A1C has dropped from 7.5 to 5.8 since last November restricting carbs. And I've lost 30 pounds. I will begin to be more dogmatic about one-hour glucose checks but my rough sense is that I'm not at 100 or less a majority of the time. But I might be wrong about that. Do you see what I'm getting at? Glucose control is an ongoing process that includes lots of self education since most GP's are not keen AT ALL on restricting carbs, including mine. When I read your post, my initial feeling was, "Cripes, 100 after EVERY meal? Don't think I can do that...."

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    8/4/2011 1:05:26 AM |

    From another commentator here, in an  earlier thread of Dr. Davis' here is how to use HbA1c to determine your average blood glucose level (note: this is not a morning "fasting" level) .
    1st: multiply your HbA1c by 28.7
    2nd: subtract 46.7 from 1st amount
    3rd: take last number as your average waking hours mg/dL blood glucose over last  few months  
    ex:  HbA1c of 5.4 x 28.7 = 159.98 minus 46.7 = 108.28 mg/dL of average blood glucose level

  • Peter Silverman

    8/4/2011 2:24:31 AM |

    They don't count non-starchy vegetable as carbs.

  • ShottleBop

    8/4/2011 3:15:11 AM |

    Thanks for the heads up!

  • Find Master

    8/4/2011 1:07:59 PM |

    Dear Web Master,

    We are in process of link building of our site to increase its relevancy and traffic.
    Can you give me information on how I can place my link on your page?

    Our link details are following:
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    CanadaDrugCenter.com is America's choice for safe and affordable prescription and non-prescription medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with substantial savings on all your medication needs.

  • Stephanie

    8/4/2011 2:13:27 PM |

    Dr. Davis,
    I have found that if I take my carb level too low (below 50g per day) that my fasting blood glucose levels actually go up rather than down.  If my carb intake is closer to 70-80, my fasting glucose is lower.

    Have you had this experience with some of your patients?  Can you shed any light onto what might be happening?

    Thanks!
    Stephanie

  • Anne

    8/4/2011 2:34:11 PM |

    Non-starchy vegetables do have carbs and I do have to count them. A half cup of broccoli can have about 6 carbs and since I limit my carbs to no more than 15g/meal, that broccoli on my plate is significant.

    I found getting a scale that reads carbs too was an important tool for me. I found I was ofter overestimating how much of a low carb veggie I could eat. If my blood sugar starts to rise, I go back to measuring and that seems to get me back on track.

    Anne

  • majkinetor

    8/14/2011 1:25:56 PM |

    I think thats normal, its commonly encountered on paleo forums/blogs. It has something to do with physiological insulin resistance, Petro @ Hyperlipid talked about. Look here:

    http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/2007/10/physiological-insulin-resistance.html

  • majkinetor

    8/14/2011 1:38:24 PM |

    I wouldn't suggest that everybody blindly follow CHO < 50g / day. As always, its about the context. People usually forget that. We mostly extrapolate from results of people who already have metabolic problems.

    Anyway, I am currently perfectly healthy apart from some minor dermatology problems (eczema).
    When I have prolonged periods of reduced CHO input (around 50g / day), I eventually start having some mucus problems. Dry eyes particularly, but also joint pain. I am not 100% sure if its about low carb diet, but it looks like it. Now I target 75g < CHO < 100g per day by adding small potato and a bit more chocolate to my diet.

    I think overemphasizing carb reduction is not good thing for most people. Carbs should go down by pretty big amount for most people, but not to extreme. In anyway, its better to measure then to guess. My sugar is never above 110 after meal and fasting is always around 95.

  • John F

    8/13/2012 9:48:10 AM |

    I decided to take this advice and have been tracking my 60 mins postprandial blood glucose for the past two days to see if all the years I've been low carbing have been making any difference. Especially working my way through different foods to see how they affect me and I've ranged from 64 mg/dl to 97 mg/dl so I'm pretty hapy.

    However this evening 60 minutes after my dinner of panfried steak with a creamy cajun sauce I got a reading of just 55 mg/dl. A lot of websites say this is too low. I'm 32, healthy male, 5,9", weigh 160 lbs, not diabetic and I don't feel sick so I'm not sure what to make of this low reading. The only thing I did was finish a hard CrossFit workout about 30 mins before I had dinner... so a total of 90 minutes before the blood glucose test.

    Any advice on what this "low" reading means? I'm hoping it's normal and means I'm burning fat!

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"Please don't tell my doctor I had a heart scan!"

"Please don't tell my doctor I had a heart scan!"

I overheard this recent conversation between a CT technologist and a 53-year old woman (who I'll call Joan) who just had a scan at a heart scan center:


CT Tech: It appears to me that you have a moderate quantity of coronary plaque. But you should know that this is a lot of plaque for a woman in your age group. A cardiologist will review your scan after it's been put through a software program that allows us to score your images.

Joan: (Sighing) I guess now I know. I've always suspected that I would have some plaque because of my mother. I just don't want to go through what she had to.

CT Tech: Then it's really important that you discuss these results with your doctor. If you wrote your doctor's name on the information sheet, we'll send him the results.

Joan: Oh, no! Don't send my doctor the results! I already asked him if I should get a scan and he said there was no reason to. He said he already knew that my cholesterol was kind of high and that was everything he needed to know. He actually got kind of irritated when I asked. So I think it's best that he doesn't get involved.


This is a conversation that I've overheard many times. (I'm not intentionally an eavesdropper; the physician reading station at the scan center where I interpret scans--Milwaukee Heart Scan--is situated so that I easily overhear conversations between the technologists and patients as they review images immediately after undergoing a scan.)

If Joan feels uncomfortable discussing her heart scan results with her doctor, where can she turn? Get another opinion? Rely on family and friends? Keep it a secret? Read up about heart disease on the internet? Ignore her heart scan?

I've seen people do all of these things. Ideally, people like Joan would simply tell their doctor about their scan and review the results. He/she would then 1) Discuss the implications of the scan, 2) Identify all concealed causes of plaque, and then 3) Help construct an effective program to gain control of plaque to halt or reverse its growth. Well, in my experience, fat chance. 98% of the time it won't happen.

I think it will happen in 10-20 years as public dissatisfaction with the limited answers provided through conventional routes grows and compels physicians to sit up and take notice that people are dying around them every day because of ignorance, misinformation, and greed.

But in 2006, if you're in a situation like Joan--your doctor is giving you lame answers to your questions or dismissing your concerns as neurotic--then PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take advantage of the universe of tools in the Track Your Plaque program.

People tell me sometimes that our program is not that easy--it requires reading, thinking, follow-through, and often asking (persuading?) your doctor that some extra steps (like blood work) need to be performed. The alternative? Take Lipitor and keep your mouth shut? Just accept your fate, grin and bear it, hoping luck will hold out? To me, there's no rational choice here.

Comments (1) -

  • Anonymous

    5/15/2006 8:07:00 AM |

    I feel better then I have in Years.

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Inulin: A fiber for weight loss

Inulin: A fiber for weight loss

Here's an interesting product that seems to be gaining some popularity for weight loss: Inulin.

Not to be confused with "insulin", with which it is completely unrelated, inulin is a naturally-occurring plant fiber. It's found in broccoli, asparagus, celery, etc. Like beta-glucan from oats or pectin, inulin is a so-called soluble fiber, a fiber that assumes a gel-like consistency when exposed to water.

Inulin has the effect of increasing satiety, or the sensation of fullness. This cuts your craving for foods. I've tried it recently and I prefer it over glucomannan, another soluble fiber for satiety.

The people at Stonyfield Farms have been adding inulin to their yogurts from some time. The nutritionist at the company tells me that there's 2-3 grams of inulin per 6 ounce container of their yogurt.

You can also find inulin as a supplement that you can add to foods, available from some health food stores and online supplement companies. I came across a neat product called Fiber Choice that's now being distributed widely throughout the U.S. I tried their Weight Management version. It was a delicous strawberry taste. The label says take two chewable tablets twice a day, but I found that two tablets three times a day somewhat better. It's best taken around 30-60 minutes prior to each meal and it causes you to be fuller with less food. One caution: It'll cause loads of gas, especially in the beginning. For that reason, you might try starting with a smaller dose, or start on the weekends when you have the option of some privacy!

More info on the Fiber Choice product can be found at their website, http://www.fiberchoice.com.

Disclaimer: I have no relationship with the manufacturer of this product. I'm simply passing on some thoughts on my experience with this interesting possibility for weight loss.

Comments (10) -

  • Anonymous

    5/24/2006 1:12:00 PM |

    Another excellent option is a new product from the manufacturers of Metamucil called Fiber-Sure. It's been on the store shelves for about 2 weeks. 100% Inulin fiber, flavor free, grit free, non-thickening. A heaping teaspoon = 5 grams of soluble fiber. It is designed to be mixed in to food or beverages.

  • Anonymous

    8/17/2007 1:16:00 PM |

    Just wanted to note the presumed typo in the third "paragraph" above -- you wrote "Insulin has the effect of increasing satiety, or the sensation of fullness." I believe you meant INULIN rather than INSULIN...

  • Dr. Davis

    8/17/2007 11:45:00 PM |

    Thanks for catching the typo. Now corrected.

  • Anonymous

    9/21/2008 1:00:00 PM |

    Inulin is a tasteless fiber and is reported to have less than half the calories of sugar/ ( 1.5 kcal gram compared to 4 kcal/gram for sugar) .
    It is used in many reduced sugar yogurts.
    The latest nutrition studies do show effects on satiety, weight loss .

  • Anonymous

    9/21/2008 1:04:00 PM |

    Regarding heart health :  Inulin has proven effects on lowering blood triglycerides.  
    Metamucil ( Psyllium fiber) is better for lowering cholesterol.

  • Anonymous

    5/15/2009 6:51:00 PM |

    Does anyone know what the potassium content of Inulin is?  I have a high potassium blood count and am trying to lower it, but I also need a high-fiber diet.  It seems that some of the best high-fiber foods are also high in potassium.  Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

  • Anonymous

    5/15/2009 6:55:00 PM |

    Can you tell me the potassium content of Inulin?  I have a high potassium blood count and am trying to lower it with diet changes before it reaches the danger zone.  But I also need a high-fiber diet.  It seems that some of the best high-fiber foods are also high in potassium.  Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

  • Anonymous

    5/15/2009 6:57:00 PM |

    Is Inulin safe for dogs?  My little Pomeranium needs an increase in fiber in his diet, and my vet doesn't know anything about inulin.  My dog is a picky eater, so something like inulin would be a perfect choice -- if it's indeed safe for canines.

  • Anonymous

    10/24/2009 6:32:33 PM |

    You need to update your info on Stoneyfield Farms Yogurt. They no longer include the inulin in their yogurt since their products are now all organic.  I guess they could not find an organic source for inulin.

  • buy jeans

    11/3/2010 4:53:50 PM |

    You can also find inulin as a supplement that you can add to foods, available from some health food stores and online supplement companies.

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Is your doctor in cahoots with the hospital?

Is your doctor in cahoots with the hospital?

I got a call from a doctor about a patient we've seen in past.

"I've got Tricia in the office. She's been having some kind of chest and abdominal pain. I think it's esophageal reflux, but just to be safe I'm sending her to the hospital."

I advised this physician that, given Tricia's low heart scan score, she was unlikely to be having a coronary "event" like heart attack or unstable symptoms. It wasn't impossible, but just highly unlikely.

As the patient was without symptoms at the moment and had driven herself to his office, I offered to perform a stress test immediately. (Though stress tests are of limited usefulness in people without symptoms, they can be useful provocative maneuvers in people with symptoms of uncertain significance.)

The doctor declined. Tricia was, after all, in his office and he was responsible for any decisions despite any objections I voiced. Well, Tricia was directed by her doctor to go to a local hospital, though one with an especially notorious reputation for putting virtually anyone they can get their hands on through as many procedures as possible.

As you might guess, this doctor was closely associated with this hospital. He and his colleagues obtain incentives (or are penalized) if they do not generate revenue-producing procedures for the hospital.

So, guess what? Tricia ended up with several procedures, all of which yielded nothing--except $30,000 in revenues from Tricia's insurance company.

I harp on this deplorable state of affairs because it is utterly, painfully, and shamefully TRUE. Just look at the hospital and you'd better brace yourself for a series of tests that could cost you the equivalent of a nice 3 bedroom home. If they were truly necessary after the failure of preventive and other simple efforts, fine. But, all too often, they are driven by profit motives.

Could I have stopped this somehow from occurring? After all, Tricia was reasonably aware of the way we do things around here. I fear that even this failed to serve Tricia well. But I remain hopeful that, as we build broader awareness of these issues, that more and more people and physicians will stand up and refuse to tolerate the status quo.
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American Heart Association diet makes a monkey out of you

American Heart Association diet makes a monkey out of you

Heart Scan Blog reader, Roger, brought this New York Times article to my attention.

In an effort to develop a better experimental model for obesity than mice, scientists have turned to monkeys and other primates. The emerging observations are eerily reminiscent of what you and I witness just by going to the local grocery store or fast food outlet:

"'It wasn’t until we added those carbs that we got all those other changes, including those changes in body fat,' said Anthony G. Comuzzie, who helped create an obese baboon colony at the Southwest National Primate Research Center in San Antonio."

"Fat Albert, one of her monkeys who she said was at one time the world’s heaviest rhesus, at 70 pounds, ate “nothing but American Heart Association-recommended diet,” she said."

Yes, indeed: The American Heart Association diet makes monkeys fat. Extrapolate this a little higher on the evolutionary ladder and guess what?

This is one of the many reasons why, when I have a patient who is counseled by the hospital dietitian on the American Heart Association diet, I advise them to 1) ignore everything the dietitian told them, and then 2) follow the wheat-free, cornstarch-free, sugar-free, whole food diet I advocate.

Not unexpectedly, much of this primate research is not being devoted to just manipulating diet to achieve weight loss and health, but to develop new drugs to "treat" obesity.

Would you like a banana?

Comments (38) -

  • Anonymous

    2/21/2011 3:48:54 AM |

    Back in 2004 I was seeing a Cardiologist because of AFib (since "cured" by an ablation).  The good Doctor wanted to put me on a Statin for reasons having to do with unexplained multiple "risk factors". Not being a big fan of legal drugs, I asked if I could try diet first. He said, "Sure, you can try the American Heart Association diet but...it never works".  Undaunted I tried it anyway and sure enough 3 months later I had gained 15 lbs and my LDL was even higher (I couldn't stop eating).  BTW, I quit the Statin 2 years ago and have been Paleo since. - Jay

  • Sara

    2/21/2011 5:29:27 AM |

    No thank you,
    bananas spike my glucose above 140, he he!!!

  • Anonymous

    2/21/2011 8:56:27 AM |

    I think you are taking the article completely out of context. The monkeys were on the American Heart Association diet and then they added in high frutcose corn syrup. The monkeys got fatter because of the carbs from the corn syrup, not from the AHA diet. Personally I am paleo, but you are pulling a Glenn Beck here.

  • Aerobic1

    2/21/2011 3:28:48 PM |

    The point is not whether HFCS or wheat was the cause, but rather that all simple and refined carbohydrates will create the pot belly that Shiva and most of Americans have.  The animal cruelty police should spend their efforts in Washington protesting the plethora of garbage advice that is forced on us by organizations like the AHA and cut their funding.  By doing so, it will have a significant positive impact and help reverse the upward trends of obesity, diabetes and heart disease that your tax dollars go to perpetuate.  The AHA is one of the most corrupt and lobbied groups by special interests agriculture, the same folks who bring you the refined carbs.  Once the agriculture industry checks clear in the AHA bank account, the AHA "heart Healthy" seal of approval is on the box.  If you bother to look most of the AHA "Heart Healthy" cereals have refined cereals grains and high fructose corn syrup.

  • Anonymous

    2/21/2011 4:35:17 PM |

    Researchers in England and Singapore have developed a device which can assess the risk of heart disease.

    http://insideireland.ie/2011/02/21/watch-like-device-to-assess-heart-disease-risk-9317/

  • Anonymous

    2/21/2011 6:08:36 PM |

    I have followed this blog for sometime. I do appreciate Dr Davis's efforts and the comments made in the blog.
    But I think he needs to address the criticisms made in the previous blog entry. Completely ignoring the comments and questions and moving onto a new topic seems to point toward an unseemly arrogance and a lack of respect for the readers.

  • jean

    2/21/2011 6:41:17 PM |

    Um, click on the link, but prepare for a very sad sight, the poor guy, (or girl) looks miserable.

  • Anonymous

    2/21/2011 7:28:25 PM |

    What's Dr. Davis' alternative to AHA? Is it in a book or something?

  • Anonymous

    2/21/2011 8:23:41 PM |

    As an alternative to the AHA and the ADA dietary guidelines,see Jenny Ruhl's two sites for a start.

    Blood sugar 101
    http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/

    Low carb dieting
    http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/index.php

  • Anonymous

    2/22/2011 12:13:08 AM |

    To all the entitled anonymous douchebags, if you don't like what Dr. Davis says in his blog leave! Dr. Davis doesn't work for you.

  • Anonymous

    2/22/2011 12:35:43 AM |

    Two weeks after no dairy, no wheat and some really delicious juicy steaks I am five pounds lighter and feel great.
    I don't give a rip what my lipids are because I am not going to do anything any differently anyways!

    Blood sugars never break 100.

  • Drs. Cynthia and David

    2/22/2011 1:07:42 AM |

    @second Anonymous- try reading the article before criticizing Dr. Davis for mischaracterizing it.  You'll see he was correct.

  • Lori Miller

    2/22/2011 1:20:03 AM |

    @Anonymous #2, the group on the HFCS drinks (among other things) and the group on the AHA diet were two different groups of monkeys:

    "Dr. Grove [of Oregon Health and Science University] and researchers at some other centers say the high-fructose corn syrup appears to accelerate the development of obesity and diabetes....

    “'It wasn’t until we added those carbs that we got all those other changes, including those changes in body fat', said Anthony G. Comuzzie, who helped create an obese baboon colony at the Southwest National Primate Research Center in San Antonio.

    "Still, about 40 percent do not put on a lot of weight.

    "Barbara C. Hansen of the University of South Florida said calories, but not high fat, were important. 'To suggest that humans and monkeys get fat because of a high-fat diet is not a good suggestion', she said.

    "Dr. Hansen, who has been doing research on obese monkeys for four decades, prefers animals that become naturally obese with age, just as many humans do. Fat Albert, one of her monkeys who she said was at one time the world’s heaviest rhesus, at 70 pounds, ate 'nothing but an American Heart Association-recommended diet', she said."

    The article goes on to refer to the first diet as "high fat," even though it's only 33% fat, and the way the article is written, it's hard to tell the groups apart.

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    2/22/2011 1:49:54 AM |

    Take the banana; a banana a day for one year offers hormetic (small bit of bad does good) low dose radiation of +/- 3.6 milli-rems for the entire year. Low dose radiation boosts the cytokine activity of NK (Natural Killer), the tumor stopper. A chest x-ray doses out 10 milli-rems by comparison.

    Potassium Kiss, found in bannanas, is 0.0118% K40 isotope potassium. It emits mostly gamma radiation (when proton snags an extra electron) and some beta particles (when neutron mass spins off an electron and neutron becomes a proton); which are "slow" in collision with things, like a cell.

  • Anonymous

    2/22/2011 2:00:22 PM |

    To a recent "Anonymous":

    Dr Davis does have have an obligation to his readers. By convention, he is expected to explain himself and respond to polite and appropriate questions regarding his blog. That is why the interaction is provided, and he seems usually to encourage the dialogue. Dr Davis could have just as easily established this blog without the interactive feature. Currently, among usual glowing reader comments and often enlightening questions has come some criticism. His response to this criticism is what is currently lacking ... of course, this is only my opinion.

    By the way, I am not exactly sure what "entitled anonymous douchebags" have to do with anything.

  • John Townsend

    2/22/2011 3:11:15 PM |

    RE: “blah blah ... completely ignoring the comments and questions and moving onto a new topic seems to point toward an unseemly arrogance and a lack of respect for the readers.” by anonymous.

    Fortunately, commentary on this excellent blog is for the most part constructive and informative. However a comment like this is frankly annoying because it’s mean-spirited, disingenuous, cowardly, and clearly not helpful. The poster is not obliged to read this blog, let alone dump on it like this anonymously!

  • Misty

    2/22/2011 4:13:12 PM |

    Interesting!  I have been advising a woman who works in a chimpanzee sanctuary in the North West.  There is one chimp who had blood sugars of 1000.  

    Sadly, they have put this chimp on Crystal Light and Tofu as a remedy.  

    Chimps share 99% DNA with humans.  We know that aspartame and soy are both dangerous to the human body.  

    The most interesting thing is, she rebelled when her goodies were taken away.  

    They too are addicts just like us.

  • Flavia

    2/22/2011 7:20:22 PM |

    You're the only doctor I trust. The more i see the changes in my BP and overall health following your advice, plus the more I learn about what should first be done to treat hypertension, the more pissed off I get.
    What jerk puts a young woman on atenolol without even asking for some tests or if she eats too much salt or if she's wound high at the dr's office!!?? What the hell!?

    BTW, my blood pressure has dropped even more- an average of around 121/81- from 151/102. This is with 12mg of atenolol which I should hopefully kick to the curb soon Smile

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    2/22/2011 7:40:32 PM |

    Hi Misty,
    Although chimps and humans share 96% identical proteins the implication of our intervention is complicated. Here's why.

    We actually have 40 million genome variables, including 500
    DNA repair/apoptosis pathway proteins. 5% of proteins show different splice variations; we have different arrangements of coding regions on the chromosomes we share.

    Chimps have 2.5 splice variations in places where humans only 1.5 gene splicing possibilities. 80 proteins we share similar gene intron segments for the chimp's intron is longer. Humans have more genetic activity post-translation to further modify events.

    Humans don't have Neu5Gc (N-glycolyl-neuraminic acid) which is a sialic acid binding immuno-
    globulin-like lectin (Siglec). This mediates molecules of sialic acid to perform differently. It directs what gets bound; the result is spleen macrophage response for chimps immune system works differently.

    The chimp ligand (thing that binds to something) processing mechanism extends to how they metabolize estrogen and phyto-estrogen iso-flavenoids (like soybeans contain). They pass both ligands, like wheat lectins, and estrogens more fully in their urine than humans do.

    For chimps a high fat diet causes less urinary excretion of estrogen, as well as less of the fragments of peptides from lectin ligands. To be precise high protein and high carbohydrate diets also diminish those metabolites % in chimp urine; just less so than high fat.

  • worldinside

    2/22/2011 8:46:30 PM |

    Dr Davis,

    I have just found your blog because I have only recently begun searching for dietary info in order to guide me in rebuilding my skeletal muscle (and brain) after a so-far-11-month bout of severe adverse effects to a statin.  (When prescribed my readings were: Total Chol 297, HDL 117, LDL 165, triglycerides 73 – after 2 months of little exercise as the result of pneumonia and eye surgery.)

    The widespread acceptance of the "Paleo" diet interested me greatly, because I independently came to some of the same conclusions several years ago.  There is, however, a big Something that I don't understand and that I haven't seen addressed.  I hope you can – briefly, I know – educate me.  Why such severe restrictions on carbs when they were so important in our survival?

    The characterization of Paleo as high protein, high fat, low low carbs doesn't square with my college science courses and subsequent reading.  Early, early man would have grubbed around for whatever he could find, and, yes grubs would have been eaten were he lucky enough to find them, as well as other insects, wounded  small game, carrion, and fruit/berries/nuts.  Early man would also have discovered ROOTS and TUBERS very early on, and wild pea pods and the like, long, LONG before he was capable of running down game alone or in concert, or could even be sure of modest, reliable supplies of protein and fat.

    And once he was a hunter, then what?  Not much fat on wild monkeys and stressed hooved animals (lots of other predators were after them, too), and one had to live between those perhaps widely spaced hunts that were successful and had to be shared.  More ROOTS and TUBERS – because fruit alone tends to leave you hungry for more (the fructose), whereas a nice raw potato, a few carrots, could calm the gnawing in the stomach.

    Yes, I see that we now need considerable protein and a lot of fat (compared to current guidelines) because as we progressed  our expanded diet of increased amounts of protein and fat permitted our brains, especially, and our bodies to evolve to take advantage of such nutrients.  But I can't agree with the demonization of a large segment of our natural food supply.  Cut out grains.  I can see that.  But the sweet potato?  In the skin?  With generous amounts of butter gilding its fiber-rich goodness?

    Why?

  • Anonymous

    2/22/2011 10:09:55 PM |

    This may clarify, in their recent 2010 paper, M Konner and SB Eaton, estimate the ancestral diet (as % of daily energy) composed of
       35-40 acrbohydate,
       25-30 protein, and
       20-35 fat.
    They comment that the carbohydrate source for “hunter-gatherers” (HG) was from fruit, vegetables, and nuts, not from grains. They go on to say that the reduction of carbohydrates to extremely low levels is not consistent with the HG model, but neither is a high-carbohydrate, “meat as a condiment” type of diet.

    Konner and Eaton, both physicians, published their seminal paper on Paleolithic nutrition in 1985. The statistic above comes from their most recent paper of 2010. For those interested in how the popular interpretation of scientific research tends to “spin” the original detail, references to both their papers are below. Unfortunately, the 1985 article in the New England Journal of Medicine is restricted to paid subscribers only, while the recent invited article in Nutrition in Clinical Practice is available free online.

    Eaton SB, Konner M. Paleolithic Nutrition: A consideration of its nature and current implications. N Engl J Med. 1985 312:282-289.

    Eaton SB, Konner M. Paleolithic Nutrition: Twenty-five years later. Nutr Clin Pract 2010 25:594-606. http://ncp.sagepub.com/content/25/6/594

  • Brent

    2/22/2011 10:22:14 PM |

    There seem to be a few anonymous people making posts giving their opinion about how this blog should be run. Some of their assertions remind me of the entitlement mentality ruining this country.

    First, Dr. Davis is under no obligation to answer anyone's comments or questions.  How much do you pay to come here and read? I thought so.

    Second, when he chooses to respond, understand it is taking time out of his day that could go to his medical practice, (Real clients who pay for his services) his family, or without knowing the man personally, his hobbies or other interests.  How much time do you think it would take to write an answer to each person who poses a question in the response section on this blog?  Keep in mind how much slower writing is than speaking! It would take hours.

    Maybe it hasn't occurred to some of you that an answer to one person in the comments section won't be seen by very many people.  A much better use of his time is to write a short blog post at some time in the future that will be seen by many, and will be search-able, rather than answering the same question over and over again in the comments section.

    It's not all about you, people. Get a life.

  • Lori Miller

    2/23/2011 1:20:07 AM |

    Worldinside, first, there's no one paleo diet. At certain times and places, like Cro-magnon Europe, the diet was nearly all meat. Paleolithic humans ate animals (snout to tail, not just muscle meat), fruit (in season), and, yes, tubers when they were available.

    Second, probably unlike Paleolithic humans, many readers of this blog don't have normal blood glucose reactions to carbohydrates. As you probably know, carbohydrate consumption spikes blood sugar even in normal, healthy people. In people with diabetes or metabolic syndrome, eating a tuber can cause BG levels that can lead to organ and tissue damage. Overconsumption of carbs over a month in such people can lead to high triglycerides as well--not to mention weight gain.

    While it's useful to look at how Paleolithic humans ate, we also need to look at medical science and keep our own individual quirks in mind. Humans need to eat protein. We also need to eat fat; we can't make essential fatty acids ourselves, and dietary fats have a unique ability to allow us to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. But there's no such thing as an essential carbohydrate (people who have hypoglycemia aside). Our liver can make blood glucose from protein. And just because something is natural and somebody else can eat loads of it, doesn't mean everybody can eat it.

  • revelo

    2/23/2011 1:47:45 AM |

    Assuming your goal is longevity and health in old age, it doesn't matter what our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate, because they didn't live much beyond age 70, which is quite young by modern standards. Living to 100 and being healthy in your 90's is very unnatural, so it follows that those of us who want to live that long should eat unnaturally. All the evidence I've see suggests that being lean and conditioned is the way to go, regardless of diet, but that a mostly vegetables diet is most conducive to longevity. Eating mostly grains is also okay. Eating high-fat or high-meat is NOT conducive to longevity.

    If you are not lean and conditioned, then first priority is to become lean and conditioned, and any diet which helps towards this primary goal is a good diet. Only after you become lean and conditioned do you really need to start worrying about diet.

  • Anonymous

    2/23/2011 4:03:16 AM |

    … as always such enlightening comments …

    In my neighborhood, it is generally accepted that the life expectancy at birth for preindustrial populations was 30-35 years. This was due not to the absence of older people but due to the extremely high infant and child mortality. Deaths overwhelmingly were due to infectious diseases that are now under control, more or less. With the longer average life spans came the advent of the diseases of civilization: atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung and colon cancers, essential hypertension, obesity, diverticulitis, and even dental carries. As of 2011, US life expectancy at birth is 78 years.

    For sure, aerobic fitness is essential to health and longevity in the modern world however, medical science has demonstrated that many of the diseases of civilization would be minimized with appropriate dietary modification. Yes, the same medical science that we are throwing rocks at in the current “cutesy” survey of the AHA offered in this blog session.

    One method of analysis in medical research is the examination of the Paleolithic diet supporting the discordance hypothesis that tries to explain that the mismatch in our modern diet from that what our genome has evolved is the cause of some chronic diseases. As an example, consider the modification of sodium intake. Studies of our ancestors diet estimates their sodium intake at about 800 mg/day, compared to a current adult average of 10,000 mg/day estimated by the WHO. Well-validated computer simulations predict that a reduction of 3000 mg/day (30%) in sodium intake would result in 40,000 to 90,000 fewer deaths from coronary heart and stroke each year in the US. On the other hand, moderate ethanol intake has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk. Ethanol consumption was probably nonexistence before the invention of agriculture and not part of the paleo lifestyle.

    No one has all the answers but blindly following any particular lifestyle or lifestyle advocate will probably not get you to a healthy 9th decade or simply a healthy older life. However, with a little luck and the judicious adoption of demonstrated healthy habits in fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle we all may get there.

  • Anonymous

    2/23/2011 4:31:32 AM |

    I think the problem people have with The Heart Scan Blog is that they forget the doctor is referring to people who have metabolic problems. I've met many people who are fat and who eat potatoes and fruits yet keep their cals low and lose a ridiculous amount of weight. But at the same time I know people who, if they ate the same way, they would gain weight.

    In general, the info on this blog is really good. Sure there are times where it seems that the doctor has recanted his hate of weight so much that he begins going after the most random stuff (i.e.. butter), but realize that this is a blog and that - as mentioned previously - everyone is different.

    Closing anecdote: My grandfather is 94. He's incredibly healthy (runs a whole mango farm in Asia). His diet would be deemed bad by most of the people on this blog. He eats oatmeal topped with mangoes for breakfast, Hawaiian Bread with SPAM sandwich (because he's out on the farm), and he eats white rice for dinner. His cholesterol is perfectly fine. His heart is perfectly fine. In fact, the doctors are always amazed at how healthy it is.

    So it goes to show, it depends on YOU. Do your research, see what info is out there, don't rely entirely on any one source of info. So a doctor recommended you a diet you don't agree with? Guess what? Go see another doctor! Just be sure you aren't going from one doctor to another until you hear the answer you WANT to hear as opposed to the one you NEED to hear.

  • worldinside

    2/23/2011 10:40:57 AM |

    Thank you to all the  Anonymousi, Lori and Revelo who replied to my question, especially the first responder.  I've downloaded the paper and am looking forward to reading it.  I was pleased to note that, as I believed, those early diets were pretty well balanced.

    And thanks, Lori and another, for pointing out that this site is intended largely for people with CVD and/or metabolic disorders.  (That explains the every 15 min BG readings!)

    I was not questioning because I was confused about which diet to follow, but rather, was confused by the way the term "Paleo" [diet] was being thrown around on this site by several commenters, as in "I've been Paleo for two months now and feel great.  No more carbs for me."  And I wondered if that was the site terminology for the diet plan envisioned by Dr Davis.

    Revelo, I don't think I agree with your statement, " Only after you become lean and conditioned do you really need to start worrying about diet."  First of all, unless you've a metabolic disorder I think you should be mindful rather than worrying about your diet.  Second, I'm inclined to believe that once you're conditioned that's when you can stop worrying, if you were so inclined.  You've cranked up the mitochondria and they're working away at increased effectiveness even while you're not working out.

    By the way, I used to love oatmeal in the morning.   Several years ago I started what turned out to be about two years of oatmeal for breakfast every single morning – with half and half or cream and brown sugar.  Then I stopped as suddenly as I had started.  I think my body needed something the oats supplied, and then it no longer did.  And I stayed slim all that time.  Now I don't touch fructose except in fresh fruit (Thank you, Dr Lustig), so no sugar either white or brown should I ever again get the oatmeal urge.

  • Eric

    2/23/2011 1:15:16 PM |

    To all the "anonymous" posters-

    After reading Dr. Davis' blog for some time now, I can assure you he will respond if the comment is worth his time.

    General bad mouthing is rampant on a blog and if he spent most of his time refuting narrow minded opinions he wouldn't have time to be a cardiologist or write. So chill out or go elsewhere.

    Also- his views aren't directed to just people with metabolic syndrome. It's for people who seem to be the American picture of "health" but are a ticking time bomb for diabetes, stroke, heart attack. His knowledge delves deeper than just a typical lipid panel (LDL, HDL, triglycerides).

    People should know what they speak of, before the pop of at the mouth about topics they aren't well suited to debate.

    Good post Dr. Davis.

  • terrence

    2/23/2011 5:33:37 PM |

    Anonymous February 23, 2011, said "…. after looking it over following a very strong recommendation, I can say that I will not be back."

    Thank you anonymous - based on your silly comment from which I took the quote, you have absolutely NOTHING to say. I am delighted you are going.

    r Davis, thank you for yet another informative, intelligent post.

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    2/23/2011 7:38:26 PM |

    Some are not abreast of the science and how it is clinically relevant. A 33 year 14,000 patient study of Danes, published 18 Feb 2011 in Annals of Neurology, indicates Doc's insistance is well founded.

    (In case you wonder why neurologists' data are relevant it is because 87% of fatal strokes are ischemic strokes. Now on to the science reported.)

    Danes followed those with strokes over 33 years and found that NON-fasting triglyceride levels were more of an indicator than cholesterol level.
    Specificly: women and men with over 89 mg/dl NON-fasting triglycerides had 1.2 times more stroke risk.

    Doc's rants about blood sugar after eating, including butter induced spike, are in line with NON-fasting triglycerides being
    a risk factor. He does detail
    triglyrerides in other posts and goes into the VLDL mechanism too. My layman's focus on LDL & genetics overlooked what this blog clued me in to.

    Laboratory lipid blood work shows the fasting trigylceride number. Doc pushes home test of
    post-meal blood sugar since it is a surrogate of VLDL and NON-fasting triglycerides getting elevated (or not).

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    2/24/2011 12:08:16 AM |

    Non-diabetics, like me, think blood sugar science is for the other guy. Doc seems to be trying to hammer it home that it is relevant to some more of us.

    Let's focus on coronary problems, like multi-vessel coronary disease, although it is all tied in to cardio-vascular "events". A meta-analysis of 20 studies covering 90,000 non-diabetics is worth summarizing.

    Over 12 years those 90,000 non-diabetics' heart risk (multi-vessel coronary artery disease) correlated exponentially with both fasting and post-meal blood glucose levels. This was irregardless of the person not meeting the diagnostic criteria for being diabetic; and irregardless of "normal" fasting blood sugar, or even signs of glucose intolerance. In other words, the +/- 2 hour span of blood sugar dynamic is connected to cardio-vascular events.

    (Multi-vessel coronary disease is when the left ventricle functions, but there is +/- 70% stenosis narrowing of blood vessel from plaque.)

    European Diabetes Epidemiology Group's 2003 "DECODE" research shows that the interplay  of blood sugar and cardio-vascular risk can start even in the "normal" blood sugar range. The risk progresses in a linear
    fashion, yet there is no specific point where can say individual has passed the point of no return into danger.

    Again, the DECODE data's
    significance is that post-prandial (after meal) glycemia, and to a lesser extent fasting blood sugar level, is relevant to cardio-vascular events even in some non-diabetics.

    Non-diabetics can still share some of the 30 risky genes with type II diabetics and yet not become diabetic. We don't know which of us has what of those allelo-morphs (a.k.a. allele; a DNA sequence on a chromosome).

    So, non-diabetics (specificly those with the alleles similar to diabetics) may have normal fasting &/or normal post-prandial blood sugar yet be at risk of a cardio-vascular event. Furthermore, non-diabetics with suspiciously elevated fasting blood sugar are thought to be manifesting one of those genetic SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism, a.k.a. mutation).

    Clinically 35% of diabetics have cardio-vascular events and 5 years later 35% of those go on to have a fatal incident. In comparison 24% of non-diabetics have cardio-vascular events, yet 5 years later 33% of those who share the risky allele(s)go on to have a fatal incident. In other words, everybody who took a first "hit" has virtually the same chance of dying; speculation is the non-diabetics who go on to die share the dying
    diabetics risky allele(s).

    Discussing what (say) grand-dads
    eating habits is annecdotal; as is we non-diabetics assumption time won't alter things for us.
    Many of us do not share genes with any diabetic risk, so Doc's "gluco-phobia" is irrelevant. He obviously
    sees plenty, diabetic and non-diabetic, who come to him so they won't die unnecessarily.

    For you who may live long enough to see routine testing, or doing research, here is a list of the 10 alleles most associated with European ancestry adult onset diabetes relevant to what was discussed above.

    It bears mentioning that each may have up to 3 allele sub-variations for each risk
    gene. In no particular order, they are:
    FTO rs8050136, IGFBP2 rs4402960,
    CDKAL1 rs7754840, HHEX rs1111875,
    SVC30A8 rs13266634, PPARG
    rs1801282, KCNJ11 rs5219, TCF7L2
    rs7903146, CDKN2A/B rs10811661and rs93000039.

  • Dr. William Davis

    2/24/2011 12:20:46 AM |

    Wow. I see I enter a fascinating conversation.

    In response to a question posed by Worldinside: The difficulty with carbohydrates differs substantially from person to person, based on 1) genetics, e.g., apo E2, 2) intensity of physical activity, 3) preceding lifelong carbohydrate exposure, 4) current weight and insulin sensitivity, 5) vitamin D status, 6) lectin content of consumed foods. There are other factors.

    Point: There cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach to diet. This is one of the main reasons I advocate postprandial glucose checks, a means to assess a specific individual's carbohydrate tolerance.

    And thank you, Eric and Terrence, for understanding that this is a blog and that I do my best to respond, given my time constraints. I've just finished a 10 hour day in the office, spent 2 hours starting in the early a.m. editing a new book (to be released by Rodale in fall). I now turn to website responsibilities until late tonite.

    There's only so much you and I can fit into a day.

  • Kent

    2/24/2011 4:13:42 PM |

    Can't wait for the new book, the first one was truly a God send.

    Does it have a title yet?

  • Anonymous

    2/24/2011 5:00:16 PM |

    I find this blog to be very helpful in sorting out what to eat and how it may effect me.  
    I have increased the amount of Vit D and fish oil that I take daily.
    He is providing a good public service with the blog for which I thank him.

  • ArtsyNina

    2/25/2011 1:26:37 AM |

    Dr. Davis- I've been following your blog for a while now and always enjoy your posts! Informative for sure - both the posts and all of the comments.  Your sign off question gave me a good giggle.  Keep up the good work!


    artsynina.blogspot.com

  • Gene K

    2/28/2011 6:22:23 PM |

    @Kent

    You can read the already written chapers of the book if you log in to the TYP site: trackyourplaque.com.

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  • John Gardner

    7/11/2011 5:23:22 AM |

    The American Heart Association had always given good advice on caring for one's heart. It is up to us if we heed them or not.

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