Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

A very small and unscientific study (no control group) has found what I found to be true when I tried Atkins. A low carbohydrate diet seems to ease the discomfort of Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

• Can Cutting Carbs Help an Irritable Bowel?

For the first two weeks, the participants ate a “standard diet” of 55% carbohydrate, 30% fat, and 15% protein. Then they were switched to a very-low-carb diet for the next four weeks, similar to the Atkins Induction phase. They were provided with the food to eat.

Of the 13 people in the study, 10 reported “adequate relief” from their symptoms all four weeks of the study. The other three reported relief on two or three of the weeks. The improvement was evident in Quality of Life measures as well as objective measures of stool frequency, etc.

Here is the link to the study:

• A Very Low-Carbohydrate Diet Improves Symptoms and Quality of Life in Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The real question is why I don’t follow a low carbohydrate diet all the time. When I KNOW that relief from my stomach pain is within my reach, why do I keep eating foods that are high in carbs? I LOVED how I felt when I was eating a low carb diet, but I have found myself completely unable to follow the diet. Why?

The short answer is: because I’m nuts.

Any time a certain food is restricted, I find myself wanting it even more. Anyone who was starved as a child understands this reaction. Being told that I cannot have carbs made me want them even more, despite the fact that I felt so much better when I was on that diet. In the end, I have to find a balance between my psyche and my digestive tract. Somewhere in the middle is where I end up eating, so sometimes I still have severe abdominal pain, but at least now I know WHY.

I watched a couple of videos last week that really inspired me to eat healthy and exercise right now.

The first video is a talk by Alan Russell about medicine and the upcoming methods of making our bodies healthy again with regenerative medicine.

He said:

The richer we are, the longer we live. The older our population, the more expensive the diseases are to treat.

Diabetes is a debilitating disease. Why can’t we inject the pancreas with something that regenerates the pancreas and cures Diabetes?

We are learning how to switch on feature that our bodies could do when we were a fetus. A mammalian fetus, if it loses a limb in the first trimester of pregnancy, will regrow that limb. Our DNA has the capacity to do these sort of wound healing mechanisms.

In the future, medicine will be able to regenerate our bodies. This talk from Aubrey de Grey about how medicine could eventually get to the point where we could actually live forever.

It’s VERY important that we take the BEST care of our bodies now so that we can be the people who are able to take advantage of these technologies when they finally become available to all of us.

I watch House M.D. EVERY week and I absolutely LOVE it. Dr. House says the things that I think parents should hear. I cheered and clapped when House bitched out the hippie parents of a child with asthma when they refused to buy him inhalers.

I prepared myself for the worst when House started lecturing this mother about childhood obesity. Here is what he said:

Download this video for your iPod

The audio is kind of choppy, so here’s a transcript:

House: Well, good news, the lab says it’s not strep, so we’re done.
Mother: Wait a second…
House: No! REALLY! Not strep. The boys in the lab sure are hard drinkers, but they’re pros. Plus, your kid has none of the symptoms for strep. I just figured it was quicker running the test than arguing with you. My point is, GO!
Mother: I just wanted to ask your opinion, Doctor. She’s having a birthday party next week and she’s upset that I’m getting a sugar-less cake.
Child: The other kids HATE it!
House: THIS is why you’re here…
Mother: Sugar is the leading cause of obesity in America.
House: You want a doctor to scare her about the dangers of sugar… [House closes the door to talk privately.]
Mother: She needs to get her weight under control.
House: [to the daugher] Well, you know… I feel sorry for those other kids, Wendy, who don’t have a mom like yours. A mom that knows that sugar causes heart disease, appendicitis, and athlete’s foot.
Mother: Well, that’s not fair…
House: [to the mother] Oh yes, it is. No, I get it. You want her to slim down a little so she can wear pretty clothes, like yours. I LOVE the bracelets. HEY! What about matching outfits?! You could be twins! Oh! She CAN’T be your daughter! It’s impossible! You look WAY too young! [to the daughter] Happy Birthday! [to the mother] Get the kid a damned ice cream cake!

House is exactly right. It’s almost as if parents care more about childhood obesity because of the way it reflects on THEM instead of for valid reasons. They are so ashamed of having an overweight child that they are willing to starve their growing children or give them dangerous diet pills in order to make their kids perfect.

Oprah Winfrey has created a whole array of podcasts that are meant to help you get the Best Life. In particular, she has a Health and Wellness podcast that you can watch every week. You can find her podcast on iTunes and on YouTube:

• iTunes – Oprah’s Best Life Podcasts: This link will open iTunes and take you to the iTunes Store

• YouTube – OPRAH’s Channel

You can find additional materials on Oprah’s website here:

• Oprah’s Best Life Series

The podcast that corresponded to this episode about Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Checklist was pretty interesting:

The unstoppable MissBHavens started the new year with a modified South Beach plan. She is cutting out some carbohydrates in her diet and she thought she would try Stevia with her coffee. Unfortunately, the results weren’t even near to palatable for her.

• MissBHavens » Blog Archive » Truvia? FALSIA!

One thing that tripped me up last time was that I have a zero tolerance policy for artificial sweeteners. They’re vile. I’ve tried Equal, Splenda, Sweet n’ Low and even the 50/50 Splenda/sugar baking blend to no avail. They’re hellagross.

Stevia? I had high hopes.

The sh*t is nasty. It makes my coffee taste contaminated.

Honestly, out of all the sweeteners, I like Stevia the best. They all have a sickly sweet taste. They all taste wrong when compared to sugar. In the end, it might be better to just give up coffee altogether, MissBHavens. After my fights with caffeine, I am to the point where I won’t touch the stuff.

Read more about caffeine here:

• Starling Fitness » How To Quit Soda

• Starling Fitness » Avoid Caffeine

Read more about Stevia here:

• Starling Fitness » Stevia: Is It Safe?

• Starling Fitness » Liquid Stevia

This article from the University of California in San Francisco talks about a study that shows that obesity is not only caused by overeating. Serotonin ALSO creates fat tissue in the body of worms irregardless of what is eaten.

You can see the whole article here:

• ScienceDirect – Cell Metabolism : Serotonin Regulates C. elegans Fat and Feeding through Independent Molecular Mechanisms

The summary is pretty straightforward:

Obesity and thinness are not solely determined by feeding behavior. Rather, feeding behavior and fat metabolism are coordinated but independent responses of the nervous system to the perception of nutrient availability.

So, what does that mean to me? I can’t control how much weight I’m going to lose or gain because my serotonin levels are mixed up? Can that be true? Is it really out of my hands?

They don’t know yet. Since this study is so preliminary and it was done on WORMS, they really don’t know how that transfers to the human body. They DO know that low serotonin levels cause weight gain, so what are some ways to increase your serotonin levels?

• Drugs: The pharmaceutical companies are quick to promote their medications for serotonin balance. With drugs, however, are the side effects. Just a few of those side effects are: nausea, insomnia, problems with ejaculation, somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or sleepiness), increased sweating, fatigue, decreased libido, and anorgasmia (inability of a person to ever achieve an orgasm while having sexual intercourse). If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, then popping anti-depressants to lose weight is not an option.

• Alternative Therapies: 5-HTP is supposed to naturally raise your serotonin levels, but there are no proven studies of this. If it WERE approved, the FDA would be recommending it along with the non-alternative drugs. Considering the KNOWN side effects of the FDA approved drugs, I am even MORE unwilling to use something that hasn’t been fully tested.

• Sunlight: This method of raising your serotonin levels is FREE and has been shown in study after study to improve serotonin levels. Make sure you spend time outside or get a sunlamp. I use this Blue Max Desk Lamp every morning for at least thirty minutes, but sunlight is FREE. Get outside. Open your blinds and curtains. Take a walk. If you see the sun peek out from the clouds, immediately take a break outside for a few moments.

• Eat Right: The jury is still out on how to eat right for your serotonin levels. Your neurotransmitters are made from protein, so one would think that eating a lot of protein should help with serotonin. Carbohydrates also raise serotonin levels when eaten, which is part of the reason it feels so good to eat. Fats are also necessary to keep the brain functioning well. Science hasn’t issued a perfect percentage of protein, fats and carbohydrates for serotonin health, so we are left with common sense. Eating a wide variety of whole foods is going to help you A LOT more than eating highly processed foods, especially if you’re trying to raise your serotonin levels to lose weight.

• Exercise: There have been several studies showing that exercise increases serotonin production. The studies have different ideas of the kinds of exercise. Some of them say that the intensity level needs to be high for a sustained amount of time to increase production. Others say that low-level exercise EVERY day helps. Until the medical community figures out what is best, it’s probably a good idea to exercise every day and get your heart rate up.

In the end, the news that my body shape isn’t entirely a result of the food I put in my mouth is both a blessing and a curse. It feels a little bit discouraging to know that no matter how little I eat, I might still be resistant to losing weight because of my serotonin levels. It also feels a little justifying. Whenever I notice how little I eat compared to thin people, I now know that it might be because their serotonin levels are different than mine. Additionally, I can do everything in my power to make sure I get enough sunshine and healthy food to make that chemical makeup in my body better. They say that knowledge is power and I choose to believe them. Knowing what’s going on is half the battle.

Via: Eating Habits Not Sole Cause of Thinness or Obesity – US News and World Report

This video from Underground Wellness about five fake health foods he found at the grocery store:

These are the foods that he found that he says are NOT health foods:

• Vitamin Water: If you look on the ingredients listing, it has 13 grams of sugar per serving and there are 2.5 servings! There are 32.5 grams of sugar in this bottle. Drop the Vitamin Water and pick up some REAL water.
• Ensure: Sugar 23 grams. That means there are six teaspoons of sugar in Ensure. Soy is not a health food. Canola oil is not a health food either. Natural and artificial flavors.
• Yoplait Yogurt: It has 27 grams of sugar, which is eight teaspoons of sugar. What kills a good bacteria in your stomach? SUGAR! If you want to have yogurt, go out and buy plain yogurt and add fruit.
• Zone Bars: They use soy protein and he says that soy is not a health food.
• Slim Fast Bars: The number one ingredients is corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils.

Here are the two websites that he mentioned in the video:

• Mercola: The Evidence Against Soy

• The Great Con-ola

On the whole, the idea that your body can’t process soy protein or canola oil isn’t something I know enough about to agree or disagree with. Whether those foods he chose are health foods or not is EASY. He’s right, all of those foods are things that are best to avoid. Drink water from the tap. Eat plain yogurt and add your own fruit to make it tasty. Make your own smoothie with real milk and fruit. Pack a snack bag full of grains and dried fruit rather than depend on weight loss bars. Real food ALWAYS trumps manufactured food for health.

Last Sunday’s Sheldon comic caused quite a reaction in the forums. Here is a comment from one of the readers:

• Sheldon: Sheldon Talk forum: Feedback on Sunday’s “Grilling with e. coli” Strip

There is a “restaurant” in Memphis called Dyer’s (an appropriate name, you’ll see) that has been in business over 75 years. Their specialty is deep fried burgers (just the meat, to be totally clear). No, that’s not the killer part (well, yes, but it gets better/much worse). The killer part is that they deep fry the burgers in a big kettle of grease that has NEVER BEEN CHANGED in over 75 YEARS. They just top it off a bit if needed (probably not often, since the grease from the burgers adds to it). They just throw the patties in and they sink — when they’re done they rise to the top.

Here is a photo of the kettle of grease:

If the idea of 75 year old burger grease isn’t enough to keep you away from burgers for a while, then I don’t know what is…

If you’re a long-time reader, then you probably remember these two entries from back in 2004. If you’re a new reader, these entries might be the reason that you’re a regular now.

• Starling Fitness » How To Quit Soda

• Starling Fitness » Carbonation, Soda, Aspartame and Caffeine Withdrawal

I have found myself back on caffeine a couple of times since I wrote those original entries, but I’ve been caffeine-free for the last few months now and I’m surprised at how often I’m tempted to go back to it. Sometimes just the smell of Mike’s Diet Coke is enough to entice me.

In all honesty, I feel better when I’m not drinking soda of any kind. I don’t know if it’s the caffeine, the sweeteners or the carbonation, but I feel MUCH better when I just have water. Sometimes I even order a milk, but it’s so rare that I shouldn’t even mention it here.

Why should you avoid caffeine? I don’t necessarily think you should. Caffeine affects ME negatively, but that doesn’t mean that it will affect you the same way. The most important thing during this whole journey is learning how to listen to your body. How do you know if caffeine is negatively affecting your body? Here are a few symptoms that might tell you that you should try giving soda a rest:

• Gastro-Intestinal Problems: stomach bloating, gas, uncontrollable farting, pain. This is the reason that I first went off soda. It didn’t help with my stomach, but I’ve heard other people say that pop was the whole reason for their stomach pain.

• Anxiety: anxiousness, irritability, restlessness, inability to concentrate. HELLO! Caffeine is a DRUG! It’s a mind enhancing drug that makes you more alert. Being in a constant state of alertness isn’t necessarily healthy for you. Some people tolerate it more than others, but if you’re experiencing those symptoms, you might want to throw yourself in rehab.

• Sleep Issues: inability to sleep, sleep binges on the weekends. Ironically, when I’m off caffeine, I am more alert during the day. Sure, I don’t have those hyper-alert moments like I do when I’m on caffeine, but I don’t have those lows either. The highs aren’t as high and the lows aren’t as low, so on the whole, I do a lot better as far as alertness and ability to sleep is concerned. THIS was the unexpected benefit I found from being off caffeine.

Not everyone has a caffeine addiction. Not everyone who drinks soda, sips coffee or chugs Red Bull needs to look at their caffeine consumption, but for the few of us who are very sensitive to the chemical, it’s best to avoid it.

Photo via: Found in Mom’s Basement: 1947: The year of mutant children

The October New Scientist has a great article that debunks many myths about sleep. They even attack the idea that sleep deprivation causes obesity:

• Time to wake up to the facts about sleep – being-human – 16 October 2008 – New Scientist

What of the risk of a sleep shortage causing obesity? Several studies have found a link, including the Nurses’ Health Study, which tracked 68,000 women for 16 years (American Journal of Epidemiology, vol 164, p 947).

The hazard, though real, is hardly anything to worry about. It only becomes apparent when habitual sleep is below 5 hours a day, which applies to only 5 per cent of the population, and even then the problem is minimal. Somebody sleeping 5 hours every night would only gain a kilogram or so of fat per year. To put it in perspective, you could lose weight at the same rate by reducing your food intake by about 30 calories per day, equivalent to about one bite of a muffin, or by exercising gently for 30 minutes a week.

In truth, few obese adults are short-sleepers, and few short-sleeping adults are obese. The Nurses’ Health Study also revealed that people sleeping more than 9 hours a night are just as likely as short-sleepers to be fat.

Ever since that study linking sleep deprivation with obesity, I have been faithfully marking how much sleep I get every day, but it looks like all I need to do is make sure I get at least five hours and no more than nine hours in order to be “safe” from sleep-related weight gain. In fact, the weight gain experienced by the short sleepers could be attributed to eating a little extra food while they are awake, so as long as I stay on program, I should be just fine.

On some days, I could sure use an extra hour of sleep, but other days, I really need to use that time for work or family. It’s nice to know that sleeping less than eight hours isn’t necessarily the death sentence that the media has made it out to be.

Via: Mind Hacks – Myths of the sleep deprived