Obesity And the paleo diet

1. Obesity And the paleo diet By Brian Kelsey

2. The “SAD” Diet • Consists primarily of: • Fast Food • Processed Food/Pre-prepared Meals • Low Fat Meals/Snacks • High Carbohydrate • Processed Oils and Transfats • Sugar, Sugar, Sugar This diet is literally killing us!

3. You can thank the 80’s • The 80’s brought us: • Terrible music • Even worse fashion (parachute pants were cool) • The war on fat and cholesterol • USDA creates the food pyramid • Advocates decreased consumption of fat/sugar • Increased consumption of carbohydrates • Rise of the processed food and diet industries

4. We are the Government, would we lie to you? The Food Pyramid It’s Offspring

5. The Obesity Epidemic • We are now the third fattest nation on earthbehind Saudi Arabia and Mexico. • More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese. • Since the 1980’s, rates of obesity, diabetes and heart/cardiovascular disease have tripled. • We are not only fatter, we are sicker: • Estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight

6. The Obesity Epidemic • Obesity-related conditions include: • -Heart disease • -Stroke • -Type 2 diabetes • -High blood pressure • -Orthopedic problems • -Sleep apnea • -Depression • -Kidney disease • -Hyperlipidemia (High levels of fat in blood) • -Certain types of cancer

7. It’s just business, nothing personal • The food industry is no different than the tobacco or fuel companies: • Lobby government agencies (such as USDA and FDA) • Backed by “Food Scientists” • Supported by government subsidies • Focused on profits despite negative health consequences to the public

8. We are literally high on food • Food acts on the reward pathway in the brain • Causes release of Dopamine and Endorphins • Reinforces eating behaviors • Sugar has been found to more addicting than cocaine and heroin • Certain grains (especially wheat) contain “morphine like” compounds

9. Prehistoric hormones in a modern world • Our sense of taste was originally designed to find nutritious foods to ensure survival. • Thanks to food science, we have crap like: • Transfats/Margarines • Corn Syrup/High Fructose Corn Syrup • Artificial Sweeteners • Preservatives • Variations of Salt additives • Food is scientifically designed to: • Taste good • Cause overconsumption • Increase sales

10. I ate it so I have to burn it right? • All calories are not equal. • Each macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) elicits a specific hormonal response. • This is the key to health! • During digestion: • Protein converted to amino acids • Fats to fatty acids, stored as triglycerides • Carbohydrates to glucose • Unused glucose converted to fatty acids

11. Hormones Involved in Diet • Insulin • Glucagon • Leptin • Cortisol • Dietary hormones are either: • Anabolic or Catabolic (build or breakdown) • Lipogenic or Lipolytic (fat building or fat burning)

12. Insulin-The Fat Maker • Insulinis the “energy” or fat storage hormone. • Anabolic, lipogenic • Insulin tells the body to: • Store glucose in the muscles and liver for energy • Store the rest as fat • Transports amino acids into muscle cells to build and repair • Fiber and fat in food slow the release of insulin.

13. Insulin • Constantelevated blood levels of insulin cause: • Hypertension • Cardiovascular disease • Coronary artery disease • Obesity • Chronic inflammation • Diabetes • Decreased testosterone production in men

14. Insulin • Glucose will always be used as fuel when insulin is present. • Fat will stay • Insulin resistance- cells no longer respond appropriately to insulin's signal • Forces pancreas to release more insulin • Insulin signal eventually is no longer recieved

15. Leptin • Leptin- • Satiety Hormone (fullness) • Decreases lipogenesis • Made and released by fat cells • More fat, more leptin • Tells us we have eaten enough/stored enough fat (energy needs are satisfied) • High insulin levels block the leptin signal. • Leptin resistance- the leptin signal no longer is properly noticed in the brain.

16. Cortisol • Cortisol- stress ( or anti-stress ) hormone • Lipogenic • Catabolic • Released in response to physical/mental stress and inflammation • Stores Fat, blocks insulin • Increases : • Blood pressure • Heart rate • Appetite • Blood sugar

17. Cortisol • Chronically elevated levels of cortisol can lead to: • Depression • Poor sleep • Fatigue • Food craving (especially calorie dense salty and sweet foods) • Overeating • Obesity • Insulin resistance

18. Glucagon • Produced and released by pancreas • Released in response to low blood sugar or a high protein/low carb meal • Catabolic, Lipolytic • Opposes insulin • Increases blood sugar • Can convert amino acids into glucose for fuel • High protein in diet will blunt catabolic effects

19. Constant State of Flux • Hormones follow Circadian Rhythm • Searching for Homeostasis • Leptin low in am, cortisol high • As day progresses leptin will increase, cortisol will decrease • Insulin and glucagon will fluctuate with food intake • Increased insulin at night blocks growth hormone release

20. Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load • Glycemic Index: • Measure of increase of blood sugar after the consumption and breakdown of carbohydrate • Glycemic Load: • Amount of insulin released in response to blood glucose levels • Beets, rutabagas and carrots are examples of foods with a rather high glycemic index but low glycemic load

21. You’re fat on the inside too! • Visceral Fat- • Located around the abdomen, muscles and digestive organs • Driven by elevated insulin levels • Most dangerous of type of fat! • Drives inflammation • Insulin resistance • Diabetes • Cardiovascular disease • When you lose weight, visceral fat is the first to go • Large waist size is usually an indicator of visceral fat

22. The Skinny on Fat • Important for cellular function • Great source of energy • Need balance of Omega-6’s and Omega3’s • Suggested ratio is 2:1 • Omega 6 fats found in • Processed food • Vegetable/seed oils • Non-pastured (grain fed) animal proteins and eggs • Pastured (grass fed) animals are much lower in omega 6’s and higher in omega 3’s • Too much Omega 6 causes inflammation • We are getting approximately 20:1 in our diets

23. The Hunter-Gatherer Diet • The Paleo Diet consists of: • Meats (preferably grassfed) • Fish • Seafood • Fresh fruits and Vegetables • Limited Nuts and Seeds • Healthy Oils and Fats such as olive and coconut oil • Food was limited and opportunistic

24. The Hunter-Gatherer Diet • The Paleo Diet does not include: • Grains of any kind, this includes wheat, bread, pasta, rice, corn (it’s technically a grain), oats and barley • Dairy which includes milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt and sour cream • Legumes which includes beans of any kind, peas, soy, lentils and peanuts (yes they are a legume) • No Alcohol, sorry • No White Potatoes (sweet potatoes and yams are ok)

25. The Benefits of a Paleo Lifestyle • Burning stored fat for energy • Dietary hormonal balance • Balanced energy and reduced fatigue • More efficient athletic performance • Stable blood sugar • Reduced allergies • Improved sleep patterns • Improved digestive health

26. Paleo and the Auto-Immune Connection • Auto-immune disease- immune system loses the capacity to discriminate our “self” from “non-self” • Auto-immune diseases include: • Rheumatoid arthritis • Ulcerative colitis • Chrons • Celiac disease • Multiple sclerosis • Lupus • Psoriasis • Alzhiemers

27. The “Leaky Gut Theory” • Leaky Gut Syndrome (also called increased intestinal permeability): • Damage the intestinal lining creating openings and allowing foreign substances to directly enter the blood stream • Due to the ingestion and improperly digested food components most commonly found in grains, dairy and legumes. • Bacteria, toxins, incompletely digested proteins and fats may "leak" out of the intestines into the blood stream. • Triggers autoimmune reactions

28. Why no Grains? • GMO’s • Phytates- binds to certain vitamins/minerals and inhibits there absorption • Lectins- toxinsdeveloped by plants as a defense • Lectins enter the blood stream and causing immune reaction and inflammation • Gluten-protein found in wheat, rye and barely • Improperly digested • Causes gas, bloating, upset stomach • Causes celiac disease • Associated with other auto-immune disorders

29. Why no Grains? • High Glycemic • Whole wheat bread has higher GI than table sugar • Grains are converted to glucose • Excess glucose stored as fat • High levels of triglycerides from carbs in blood leads to: • Systemic inflammation • Cardiovascular disease • Heart disease

30. Why no Legumes? • Legumes • Similar to grains • Hard to digest • Cause GI distress • Contain GMO’s • Weren’t consumed by the paleo hunter-gatherer • They also contain phytates and lectins as mentioned with grains • Saponins- • Damaging to the intestinal lining and eventually enter the blood stream causing an immune reaction • Soy is in many processed foods

31. What about fiber? • Fiber containing veggies- • Greens (kale, collard, turnip) • Mushrooms • Pumpkin • Peas • Peppers • Spinach • Sweet Potatoes • Fiber containing fruit- • Apples • Avocados • Bananas • Berries • Kiwi • Oranges • Pears • Prunes

32. Why no Dairy? • Full of hormones • Especially estrogen • Intended to make young animals grow rapidly and strengthen their immune systems • Contains lactose • Form of sugar • Causes increased blood sugar and insulin release • Lactose is digested in the gut by an enzyme called lactase • Approximately 65% of the worlds population have not inherited the enzyme lactase • Lactose Intolerance

33. Why no Dairy? • “What about Calcium and Vitamin D”? • Milk is not a good source of vitamin D • Has to be fortified • Vitamin D synthesized by sunlight • Go outside! • You can get plenty of calcium from fresh vegetables/fruits- • Greens Carrots Berries Figs • Cabbage Artichoke Grapefruit Pineapple • Broccoli Celery Banana Oranges • Spinach Pears Mango

34. Control the inflammation • Inflammation comes from stress, exercise and diet • Actual cause of heart and cardiovascular disease • Fish Oil-Consists of 2 very important Omega-3 fatty acids: • EPA = eicosapentaenoic acid • DHA = docosahexaenoic acid • Reduces inflammation • Improves cognitive function • Recommended 1000-5000mg of high quality Omega-3 per day depending upon health needs, dietary intake or athletic regimen • Sleep! (7 to 9 hours per night depending on needs) • Drink plenty of H2O