Mark Sisson's Blog, page 166

Dear Mark: Fish Oil and Exercise, Skipping Breakfast Study

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering two questions about two recent studies. First, given that the omega-3 alpha linolenic acid (ALA) has been shown to reduce some of the positive effects of exercise on rats’ metabolic health, could the omega-3s found in fish oil (DHA and EPA) also nullify exercise benefits? Second, what are my thoughts on the recent study showing a link between breakfast skipping and subclinical atherosclerosis?

Ethan asked:

So what does the ALA study say about fish oil supplementation? Or do we expect this adverse effects were specifically caused by ALA and wouldn’t be caused by DHA or EPA?

Not sure, to be honest. There is one study from 1998 where dietary fish oil had beneficial immune effects in sedentary rats, enhancing the anti-tumor activity of killer T cells, but not in people who exercised.

What’s interesting about this study is that ALA and exercise were independently protective, but there was no additive effect. That is, if you just took ALA or just exercised, your body would get better at handling glucose and your body fat would be more insulin sensitive. But if you added it to exercise, the ALA would cancel out instead of enhance the effect.

There are some possible explanations. Maybe the rodents weren’t training hard enough. The authors note that this particular breed tends to go easy on the rat wheel. They don’t sprint, in other words. ALA (or fish oil) might pair better with more intense training.

These were rats eating extremely large amounts of flax oil (10% of calories) to get the ALA. That’s not a good idea for anyone, rat or human. Just as it’s not a good idea to eat 10% of your calories as fish oil. Smaller, more realistic omega-3 intakes at 1-2% of your calories could very well have a much different effect on exercise adaptations.

I wouldn’t worry too much. Even if fish oil impairs to some extent the metabolic adaptations of white adipose tissue, most of the research we have suggests that DHA and EPA supplementation enhances many other responses to exercise:

Improves anaerobic endurance capacity, leaves strength, speed, power unchanged in soccer players.
Speeds up muscle protein synthesis in elderly adults.
Increases body fat loss.

Of course, there’s the fact that fish oil seems to reduce post-exercise muscle damage and soreness. Is this good or bad? Taking fish oil to reduce muscle damage can speed up recovery and allow athletes to return to training or competition more quickly. But muscle damage is exactly what we recover from and, presumably, adapt to. Is fish oil speeding up the adaptation or short changing the stimulus?

In rats with atrophied muscles because of forced bed rest, eating fish oil inhibits the early stage of muscle recovery from atrophy—but they’re not training. They’re just ending bed rest. It’s not comparing apples to apples.

Fish oil actually increases muscle protein synthesis, as seen in the above study in elderly adults. It makes muscles more receptive to protein. While enormous doses of fish oil (10% of calories) may induce a huge anti-inflammatory effect that inhibits muscular adaptations similar to ibuprofen, most people aren’t (and shouldn’t be) eating that much fish oil.

I wouldn’t worry about taking normal doses of fish oil or eating fatty fish.

Hi there. Does anybody (ahem, Mark) have an inclination to weigh in upon the conclusions of this recent study concerning the linear relationship of arterial plaque preponderance and those who the least amount of daily calories for breakfast? I couldn’t find the ultimate sponsor of the study but even though it is another questionaire study, it is intriguing….

Sure, I’ll take a stab.

It’s not the first study to show that people who skip or eat small amounts of breakfast are more likely to have health issues. Plenty of other observational studies have found similar results.

Among Japanese adults, skipping breakfast was linked to greater body weight and waist size.
Among American young adults, breakfast skippers weigh more, have more abdominal obesity, and an elevated cardiometabolic risk profile.
On the other hand, among white and black American teenage girls, eating breakfast is linked to a lower body weight.

There are some confounding variables I find likely to play a role in this and other similar studies.

Healthy user bias. Everyone “knows” that skipping breakfast is bad for you, so breakfast skippers are more likely to exhibit other kinds of unhealthy behaviors like smoking, drinking to excess, not exercising. Sure enough, breakfast skippers eat more and exercise less, and they’re more likely to drink more alcohol and smoke more cigarettes. What if a breakfast skipper eats less overall, exercises regularly, drinks moderately or not at all, and never touches cigarettes? Is he or she in the same position as a breakfast skipper who does the opposite?

Is there a difference between the dietary composition of breakfast skippers and breakfast eaters? Probably so. In one study, Iranian children who skipped breakfast also ate way more fast food, sugary soda, salty snacks, and juice, and way less fruits, vegetables, and milk than those who ate breakfast. In the study mentioned earlier, the teen girls who skipped breakfast also ate less fiber (a marker of whole food/vegetable intake) and calcium. Is it breakfast skipping or is it all the junk and lack of nutrients?

They’re dieting. A common strategy when dieting is to skip breakfast. If you’re dieting, you probably have weight to lose, and it’s not surprising that people who have weight to lose have many of the diseases and disorders associated with extra weight. Maybe breakfast eaters are eating breakfast because they’re already healthy and at their goal weight.

Not everyone skips breakfast for the right reasons. How many balls of stress do you know who skip breakfast because they simply don’t have the time and then proceed to pig out in the break room, at lunch, and on through the rest of the day? Skipping breakfast is a very different experience when you’re a fat-burning beast.

In this latest study, we find our suspicions validated….

Breakfast skippers were more overweight. They were more likely to be smokers. They drank the most. They drank the most sugar sweetened beverages. They had more diabetes. They had higher fasting glucose, larger waists, and higher blood pressure. They were more likely to carry established cardiovascular risk factors.

While the researchers said that controlling for these variables did not abolish the link between small breakfasts or breakfast skipping and subclinical atherosclerosis, it greatly reduced the relationship.

I wouldn’t worry too much. If you currently employ a compressed eating window or IF by skipping breakfast and are the worrying sort, you could try skipping dinners instead.

Hope it helps.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care, be well, and chime in below with your own input!

The post Dear Mark: Fish Oil and Exercise, Skipping Breakfast Study appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Weekend Link Love — Edition 473

Research of the Week

Magic mushrooms reset the brains of depressed patients.

Broccoli improves leaky gut.

“High levels of NQ [Neanderthal quotient, or the amount of Neanderthal genetic introgression a person has] tend to correspond to social fear, autistic tendencies, and depressive tendencies.”

Easter Islanders likely reached South America before Europeans.

A nice paper summarizing how and why modern people have lost their metabolic flexibility.

Dietary potassium is a big determinant of arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 190: Lynne McTaggart: Host Elle Russ chats with Lynne McTaggart, one of the most influential figures in the consciousness and spirituality movements.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

7 Longevity Biomarkers to Track
Enzyme Supplements: Uses, Suggestions, and Alternatives
What I’ve Learned From Eating Abroad

Interesting Blog Posts

I don’t know about anyone else, but I still consider coffee to be a mystical sacrament.

Roundup is killing soil bacteria.

Media, Schmedia

Beef is looking better than ever.

Everything Else

Baltimore Ravens running back Alex Collins uses Irish dancing to improve his footwork on the field.

Sorry, vegans: Those lentils you love so much are the engines of social inequality.

Another example of human and dog co-evolution.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Study that doesn’t surprise me: Replacing saturated fat with monounsaturated fat or carbohydrate fails to improve inflammatory or atherosclerotic markers, and in the case of carbohydrate worsens them.

I’m glad: Gene therapy for blindness appears to work well.

An excellent offer that I hope people accept: Erwan Le Corre offers to train and certify all U.S. PE teachers who want to learn the MovNat method. Just imagine the quality of our athletes (and everyone else) in twenty years’ time.

Article I found interesting: What are the evolutionary explanations for female infidelity?

If you miss PrimalCon (so do I), you’ll love: Bee-Fest, a glamping wellness retreat in the Northern California redwoods led by former PrimalCon presenters Adam and Vanessa Lambert of Bee the Wellness. Use code PRIMAL at checkout for 10% off.

Recipe Corner

Carrot fries aren’t quite fries, but they’re still good.
Chicken empanadas are actually empanadas, and they’re damn good.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Oct 15 – Oct 21)

Can Endurance Training Ever Really Be Primal? – Yes, but there are several “buts.”
The Benefits of Caloric Efficiency (and 10 Ways to Achieve It) – Don’t waste your calories.

Comment of the Week

“The Ministry of Silly Walks strikes again, with the mid-foot, of course.”

– I can’t ignore a Monty Python reference, His Dudeness.

The post Weekend Link Love — Edition 473 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Primal/Paleo Cornbread

This cornbread isn’t made with corn at all, but it sure tastes like the real thing. Buttery and slightly sweet with a rich, cake-like texture, Primal cornbread is the perfect side with a bowl of chili or stew. It can also be used to make cornbread stuffing when Thanksgiving rolls around.

What makes Primal cornbread taste better than all the others is combining finely ground almond flour with cassava flour. The cassava flour is the real secret, because it gives baked goods a smooth, rich texture. This bread has no graininess, no coconut flavor, and only real, whole food ingredients like eggs, butter, and honey.

Servings: 6

Time in the Kitchen: 25 minutes, plus 25 minutes to bake

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
3/4 cup cassava flour (96 grams)
3/4 blanched finely ground almond flour (84 grams)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (45 g)
¼ cup honey (60 ml)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 ml)
3 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder (15 ml)
¼ cup water (60 ml)
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (1.2 ml)

Instructions

Recipe Notes…

If you have a kitchen scale, use it for this recipe, since scooping with measuring cups can result in inadvertently using too much, or too little, of each flour. Changing the flour quantities even slightly will result in bread that has a slightly different flavor and texture. Using more almond flour results in bread that’s less flavorful and slightly drier. Using more cassava flour has nice flavor, but the loaf is heavier and the outside is likely to burn before the inside is cooked through.

This cornbread is baked in a regular loaf pan because it rises better in a loaf pan. The bread won’t rise properly in a square pan.

Preheat oven to 375º F/190º C.

Lightly grease/butter an 8.5×4.5 loaf pan. For easiest release, cover the bottom of the loaf pan with lightly greased parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine egg yolks, cassava and almond flours, butter, honey, salt and baking powder. Once the ingredients have combined into a dough-like consistency, add water and blend just a little more to create a wet batter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, whisk until the egg whites are big and fluffy and soft peaks form (when the whisk is lifted out of the egg whites, a soft peak should form, then fall slightly).

Scrape 1/3 of the egg whites into the food processor. Pulse until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Add another 1/3 of the egg whites, and pulse again until combined.

Scrape the dough out of the food processor into the bowl with the remaining egg whites. Use a spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the dough. Gently fold and mix until there are no white streaks, but be gentle; the air in the egg whites helps the dough rise into a loaf with a light texture.

Scrape the batter into the loaf pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Err on the side of taking the bread out slightly too soon, since slightly underdone cornbread tastes better than dry cornbread.)

Let cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the loaf pan and slicing or cutting into squares. Serve with butter spread on top.

This cornbread is best the day it’s made, but it keeps fairly well for 1 to 2 days in a sealed bag or container.

The post Primal/Paleo Cornbread appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Discipline Equals Freedom!

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

 Hello Mark and Primal community. My name is Hilmir Petersen. I’m 35-years-old and from Iceland.

I got to know the Primal lifestyle community 18 months ago when I was listening to a Joe Rogan podcast and heard a interview with Mark Sisson, and you can easily say that I was really taken by that talk. All my life I´ve been a carbs spokesman and campaigner. But not any more!

I was born “ in” a bakery—family business and grew up literally eating sugar out of the container in many kinds of forms, but I always loved being healthy and strong, so I starting eating more “healthy” = wholegrain (“healthy carb” and less sugar).

I was a basketball player, and I always knew there was something missing in my diet plan when it came to getting my full potential/power for mind and body in games. Every time I tried to follow the right (stupid) pre-game carb-load program (which I read was important to keep energetic through a game), I was slow, weak and tired—especially in the big games!

On the other hand, often when I came to practice after a long day, an early morning 4 a.m. and was active most of the day and had nothing to eat, I was like a rocket/beast but still stuck in the dark…! I kept counting on the wrong plan for me before games because I trusted that it would sustain the energy I needed to perform my best. Omg, how I wish I could go back.

A Big Announcement (and Our Keto Team’s Day on Facebook)

I’m not often bowled over. Maybe it’s my age or personality, but I endeavor to take events as information (whether positive or negative) and not get too caught up in the feedback.

Today, however, I’m bowled over—and a little overcome. I’ll admit part of me wanted to title this a “big-ass” announcement, but who knows how Google reads these things….

Let me cut to the chase…

Late last night my staff and I found out The Keto Reset Diet has reached #4 on the New York Times Advice-How To Bestseller List for Sunday, October 22.

Needless to say, we’re all celebrating today.

When I started this project with my writing partner, Brad Kearns, it was first and foremost about living the keto experiment—literally applying the principles to my daily life the way I’ve been doing for decades to design and hone the Primal Blueprint. In other words, it all started with the personal.

That approach has always been the ticket in my opinion. I don’t ask anyone to consider anything I haven’t already tried, retried, researched, and shaped into something that works in my own life.

This time around with The Keto Reset Diet, however, it felt like a new chapter. Although my health had been great, I went into it curious if these physical experiments would make as much of a difference now. I’ve always believed that to be the case, but the proof would be in the results.

And as I’ve gone on record saying, I wasn’t disappointed. Okay, my mind was blown. At 64, here I was experiencing a level of mental focus and physical energy I hadn’t touched before. That’s when I knew—regardless of what happened with the book itself, this experiment had already been life-changing.

But the experience also made me more passionate about sharing the information with as many people as I could. I don’t consider keto a fad or a bandwagon. It’s too personal for any of that. For me, it’s become a fundamental tool I’ll put in practice for the remainder of my days—not every day but enough for me to extract the most benefit with the least amount of sacrifice. Because, hey, that’s what Primal has always been about.

So, I want to say thank you to each of you—whether you’ve been here since the light-hearted early days of the MDA blog or you’re joining us for the first time today. Thanks for reading. Thanks for purchasing the book—and recommending it to others. Thanks for sharing in the MDA discussion that’s been the seedbed for The Keto Reset Diet and every health project I’ve pursued in the last decade.

You better believe I’m honored this book has made the New York Times Advice/How-To Bestseller List. And my team is, too. But none of this distracts me from the personal reward of this project and the fun I’m having with it. I hope you are, too.

So, on that note, I just had to share the Facebook Live I had a blast doing yesterday with Brad Kearns and Dr. Lindsay Taylor, the coordinator and host of the Keto Reset Facebook Group (which this morning stands at a whopping 8822 members).

We covered a ton of ground and shared more than a few laughs talking everything from stair-stepping recommendations to the real 80/20 rule, carb tracking to my favorite vegetables (including, btw, my famed Big-Ass Keto Salad). Catch the replay here, and let me know what you think.

Thanks again, everybody, for your support of the book and of Mark’s Daily Apple. Have an awesome day.

The post A Big Announcement (and Our Keto Team’s Day on Facebook) appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Making Change Happen: A Transformational Personal Mastery Course

Hey, everybody! I have an upcoming post and VERY special announcement soon, but first let me share a great opportunity being offered by my friend and Primal Health Coach partner, Christine Hassler.

Many of you loved the “No Regrets” Masterclass that she delivered yesterday! I knew you would….

(If you missed it, you can still check out the recording for a short time. The stuff she shares is GOLD.)

By now, you should have a much clearer understanding of why your life isn’t where you want it to be right now—and what to do about it.

Gone are the days of wanting to change but not knowing where to start. Now you know the next step you need to take towards a life that lights you up.

Which is awesome…

(Do you sense a BUT coming on?)

BUT, knowing how to change and actually making change happen are two different things.

Awareness of your struggles is pretty much pointless unless you take action to transform them into superpowers.

That’s why I’m excited that Christine Hassler’s signature online program, Personal Mastery, is open for enrollment, and I’m inviting you to join.

Whatever you’re struggling with right now, whatever change you’d like to make, whatever is in the way of the life you want, THIS course has the answers.

Here are a handful of real-life examples of what you can achieve from this program:

Getting clarity what you’re really here for and pursuing that purpose with fire in your belly
Quitting the job that makes you miserable and starting the business you’ve been daydreaming about
Getting out (and staying out) of debt
Shifting the weight and rediscovering the confidence you have in your own skin
Finally getting over your ex and giving yourself permission to love (and be loved) again
Repairing or strengthening the relationships you have with the important people in your life

Christine only opens Personal Mastery once a year, so if you’re serious about creating a life you adore, don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

All the details about the course are here (including the wow-worthy bonus she’s offering this time around). And if you enroll using the MDA link to register, you’ll also get access to a FREE, fully writable PDF version of my Primal Blueprint 90-Day Journal, courtesy of yours truly!

One more thing…

If you’re interested in Personal Mastery but didn’t watch Christine’s live masterclass, you should 100% check out the recording. She shares a can’t-miss deal on there—but you only get access to it if you watch!

I’m a proud affiliate of Christine Hassler’s Personal Mastery Course. I only ever share details about people and programs I trust and believe in, and this is one of them. Full disclosure: if you sign up from my recommendation, I may receive a referral fee.

The post Making Change Happen: A Transformational Personal Mastery Course appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

7 Longevity Biomarkers to Track

Last year, I wrote about 10 of the most interesting predictors of longevity. Many of them were subjective, but, as we all know, the objective physiological processes that occur in the human body also predict how long we live. Luckily, we can measure most of them. Some are standard at doctor’s checkups. Some require more involved (and expensive) testing. Some you can complete yourself at home with simple household objects.

But if you care at all about how well you’re doing in the longevity game, it’s worth paying attention to some of them.

Triglyceride:HDL Ratio

Also known as the atherogenic index of plasma, a high triglyceride:HDL ratio is one of the best indicators of one’s risk for heart disease. It has the added benefit of also predicting lipoprotein particle size and insulin resistance. These all impact a person’s longevity. It’s difficult to live long when you’re getting heart attacks and your insulin skyrockets if you even glance at a potato.

Sure enough, in elderly women, the T:HDL ratio predicts all-cause mortality (not just cardiovascular mortality).

A ratio of 2 or under is good. Anything above should be addressed before it worsens, and anything above 4 means trouble.

Sex Hormone Status

Our bodies use them to build tissue, build babies, and lead robust meaningful lives. Evolution is mostly concerned with propagation of the species—with reproduction. Some waning is unavoidable with the passage of time, but we shouldn’t accept levels that lower health quality and increase mortality.

In older men, low testosterone is a risk factor for early mortality. Add to that all the other examples of benefits I described in the TRT post.

It’s not just testosterone, and not just in men. Fractures are terrible for longevity, often reducing both quality and quantity of life in the elderly. In both older men and women, low T and low estrogen levels are risk factors for fractures. Sex hormones regulate the body’s response to injuries and burns. The older you get, the deadlier injuries get. A 20-year-old slips and falls and maybe gets a little bruise. If an 80-year-old slips and falls, they might break a hip. 

Serum Magnesium

All minerals play important roles in health and longevity. But serum magnesium is the one that shows up time and time again. For instance, serum magnesium predicts insulin sensitivity. In peritoneal dialysis patients, those with low serum magnesium are more likely to be hospitalized. High serum magnesium predicts physical performance and appears protective against muscle-wasting in the elderly.

Plus, magnesium is safe to supplement. There’s little risk of conflict with other minerals.

Omega-6 Content of the Mitochondrial Membranes

As cellular power plants, mitochondria are perhaps the most important organelles in the body. If they don’t work well, we don’t produce ATP, the basic energy currency used by every single tissue, enzyme, endocrine pathway, and organ in the body. We’ll shut down. The aging process, some researchers have proposed, is initiated by the failure of normal mitochondrial function. Living long and living well requires healthy mitochondria.

Healthy mitochondria start with the right building blocks—the right fatty acids in the right proportions. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondria with a lot of omega-6 PUFAs are more prone to oxidative stress. A “PUFA-deficiency,” for example, preserves mitochondrial energy metabolism in the presence of ethanol abuse. Sounds like a nice deficiency to have.

Meanwhile, monounsaturated fat is crucial for healthy mitochondria. One of the reasons olive oil and other sources of monounsaturated fat (like avocado oil 0r lard) are so beneficial in aging is that they crowd out the mitochondrial linoleic acid and stave off mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Mitochondrial membrane fatty acid ratio tests aren’t exactly standard at most doctor’s offices. Luckily, simply eating less linoleic acid (especially from refined sources like industrial seed oils) and more omega-3s and monounsaturated fats will give you the best shot at optimal ratios.

Red Blood Cell Fatty Acid Composition

The fatty acids present in the blood are worth examining but offer only a  transient glance at the state of your health. Looking at the fatty acids that make up your red blood cells is more predictive. Generally, a higher proportion of omega-6 linoleic acid is bad for longevity and predicts earlier death and physical and cognitive decline.

Linoleic acid makes red blood cells more susceptible to oxidative damage. This ages the RBCs and impairs their ability to deliver oxygen.
More omega-3 in RBC, less colon cancer. More omega-6 in RBC, more colon cancer.
Older adults with low levels of RBC omega-3s decline more quickly than older adults with higher levels. Low RBC omega-3 also predicts smaller brain volume and cognitive decline, even in older adults without any symptoms of dementia.

The stearic acid/oleic acid ratio is another marker to check. This is called the saturation index, as stearic acid is a saturated fat and oleic a monounsaturated fat. A lower saturation index has been linked to several aging-related diseases, disorders, and declines:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Prostate cancer
Colon cancer
Gallbladder cancer

More stearic (saturation) acid is better.

Many studies find correlations between RBC palmitic acid (a saturated fat) and disease, but it’s important to note that RBC palmitic acid is generally not a marker of saturated fat intake. It’s a marker of de novo lipogenesis, the creation of fat from excess carbohydrate.

Like the previous marker, RBC fatty acids aren’t easy to test, but your RBC fat ratios respond quickly to the fats you eat.

Waist Circumference

You might think that this is simple correlation. People with large waists are probably overweight or obese, with all the health issues that stem from those condition. That’s part of it, but waist circumference measures a special type of fat with unique effects on our metabolic health: visceral fat.

Visceral fat, as measured by waist circumference, is highly inflammatory. It secretes inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 which contribute to the type of systemic inflammation that’s at the root of many aging-related diseases.

That’s probably why waist circumference predicts mortality at all levels of BMI, from severely underweight to morbidly obese.

A good rule of thumb is 35 inches and under for men, 32 and under for women. That’s the ideal—something to move toward. Measure at your belly button.

Low Fasting Insulin

In both non-obese and obese people, high fasting insulin levels are associated with a greater risk of cancer mortality. Some have suggested that hyperinsulinemia is just an indictor of insulin resistance, and that insulin resistance and related diseases are the true cause for the link between high fasting insulin and mortality. While the hyperinsulinemic are usually insulin resistant, and this is a major problem, excess levels of insulin itself has deleterious effects.

Insulin helps tissues grow. That’s why bodybuilders often inject it—to increase muscle protein synthesis and stimulate hypertrophy. But insulin can make other things grow, too.

In cancer patients, for example, those who eat the most insulin-producing foods have worse cancer and overall mortality.

In middle aged adults, hyperinsulinemia predicts cancer mortality, even when you control for diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

In older adults with type 2 diabetes, insulin use predicts mortality.

Simple Longevity Action Items…

Luckily, much of this biomarker information is actionable. They aren’t all just correlations, or genetic. You can actually improve them by improving how you eat, train, and live.

Avoid industrial seed oils. These are the richest sources of omega-6 fatty acids in the modern diet, and they’re almost always rancid and oxidized. Terrible for your mitochondria and red blood cell fatty acids.

Minimize insulin production. If you’re insulin-resistant (or don’t train hard enough to necessitate the extra glucose), eat low-carb or go keto.

Don’t snack. Better yet, try fasting sometimes or eating in a compressed window. Constant snacking means you’re not burning the fat on your body (especially the waist) and keeps your liver glycogen topped off. If liver glycogen is full, excess carbs will be converted to fat and your RBC saturation index will drop.

Eat your micronutrients and supplement with magnesium. Spend a week tracking your meals to get a sense of what it takes to consume adequate levels of minerals and vitamins. Take a magnesium supplement.

Normalize your hormones. Natural methods first.

There are certainly other biomarkers that predict longevity and long-term health and functionality, but these are some of the most accessible and actionable.

There’s more to come on the longevity issue. For now, start thinking about these biomarkers. How are you doing on them? What can you change?

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care!

 

The post 7 Longevity Biomarkers to Track appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Join Me on Facebook Live Today 1:00-2:00 PDT!

Hey guys—last minute announcement here! This afternoon from 1:00-2:00 p.m. PDT, join me and my Keto Reset Diet co-author, Brad Kearns, alongside Keto Reset Group moderator, Lindsay Taylor, as we take a deep dive into the book and answer questions on Facebook Live.

And be sure to stay tuned until the end, when we’ll be hosting an opportunity for one live viewer to receive a signed copy of The Keto Reset Diet AND a Primal Kitchen Keto Kit!

I’ve got more coming this morning on Mark’s Daily Apple, so check back soon—and hope you’ll join us this afternoon. Have a great morning, everybody!

The post Join Me on Facebook Live Today 1:00-2:00 PDT! appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Enzyme Supplements: Uses, Suggestions, and Alternatives

Few would disagree that a Primal way of life advocates simplicity above all else. Nutritious foods, strategic movement, and an aversion to stress bordering on (healthy) obsession.

This “simple is good” mentality works swimmingly most of the time. Aligning our lifestyle to our evolved biology allows us to achieve a modern semblance of that all-important homeostasis, and I generally see no reason to tinker if it ain’t broke.

But, unfortunately, it’s not always black and white….

Monoculture continues to favor size and sexiness over nutrient density in our agricultural system, making it harder for us to extract the vitamins and minerals we need from the food we eat. And these days, life tends to include more sitting and stress than we can always fend off, regardless of our good strategies and intentions. 

This leads to something of a dilemma: subsist on simplicity and shake your head at the non-purists, or supplement to fill in the gaps of your otherwise stellar Primal pursuits. Digestive enzymes are one such gap filler, boosting digestive efficiency and ensuring greater nutrient absorption.

I’ve mentioned enzyme supplements on occasion in the past, and plenty of Primal folks have raised questions about them from time to time.

The Big Picture on Enzyme Purpose

Enzymes can be grouped into three broad categories: digestive enzymes, metabolic enzymes, and food-based enzymes. Digestive enzymes, the types you’ll see as enzyme supplements in your supermarket or health store, receive the lion’s share of our attention. As you can probably imagine from the name, they catalyze the breakdown of food into smaller, more absorbable molecules. 

The enzyme supplements you buy in-store are copies of the enzymes your body produces in-house. The pancreas is where most of the enzyme production takes place, but there’s also a decent amount released in saliva and in the stomach. These enzymes facilitate the biochemical reactions in the GI tract that physically enable the body to utilize the nutrients we eat, helping to save energy in the process.

Whereas digestive enzymes spend their days outside of cells, metabolic enzymes work their magic from inside cell walls. Once again, the pancreas is where it’s at for metabolic enzyme production, whereupon they set to work ensuring cell replenishment and reproduction.

The final frontier for enzymes is those that aren’t produced inside the body at all, but are in fact present in the foods we eat. When you hear raw food advocates talking about how heating consumables destroys the enzymes in those foods, these are the enzymes they’re defending. And they’re not wrong: raw foods contain far more enzymes than those that have been fried, baked, grilled or nuked. 

Many nutritionists in this camp believe that the majority of the food we eat should be raw, purely based on the premise that these food-based enzymes really give the digestive system a helping hand. Consuming more of these enzymes eases the pressure on internal enzyme production, ensuring more efficient digestion and preventing depletion of metabolic enzymes in the pancreas. I don’t offer this to say you shouldn’t ever cook your food (I’m not a raw food advocate and enjoy a mix of cooked/uncooked food each day.), but it does illuminate the power of enzymes for digestive health and nutrient absorption.

When It All Goes Wrong

Most people who switch over to paleo or Primal assume that their digestive issues will melt away, never to return again. The problem is, they’re generally transitioning from a diet steeped in ultra-heated, ultra processed foods with virtually no intact enzymes.

As a result, their systems bear the burden and exhaustion of low food-based enzyme input, chronically elevated cortisol, food intolerances, GI inflammation, and perhaps low stomach acid. Throw in an autoimmune disease and almost guaranteed gut inflammation, and their digestive health will undoubtedly be less than ideal. 

In response, enzyme supplementation might be an effective strategy for those who struggle with digestion, particularly in the transition to a healthy, whole foods, Primal diet. 

Where Enzymes Can Help

Researchers have uncovered a whopping 3000 or so varieties of enzymes, but those same folks humbly admit there may be as many 50,000 still to uncover.

Exogenous (a.k.a. lab-created and orally-supplemented) enzymes have been used to good effect in treating lactose intolerance and celiac disease, regulating testosterone, and plenty more besides. In many cases, patients who supplemented with digestive enzymes to treat a given malaise were able to wean themselves off enzyme supplementation after a time and continue on their way, symptom free.

Surprisingly, many of these same enzymes have also demonstrated the impressive ability to speed recovery and muscle damage after intense exercise, lower inflammation, and ease pain. But that’s a whole new kettle of fish and one which merits its own dedicated post.

In any case, these were specific digestive enzyme supplementations for clearly-defined health problems. Things get a little murkier when examining the average consumer suffering from the odd bout of gas or less-than-ideal stool.

As is always the case, everyone is somewhat different in their responses.

First, know that certain enzymes fulfill different roles in the GI tract. The big players are:

Protease, for breaking down protein
Lipase, for fats
Amylase, for carbs
Cellulase, for fiber
Lactase, for lactose
Maltase, for conversion of complex sugars to glucose
Sucrase, for most other sugars
Phytase, for B-vitamin conversion and all-round digestive goodness

That’s a lot to take in, and there’s more nuance to it. Nonetheless, if you wanted to apply it 100% literally, it could look like this…. 

Eating more fatty meat these days but not feeling like it’s settling well? Maybe step up the protease and lipase supplementation. Suspect you have lactose intolerance? Lactase enzyme supplementation might be just the ticket. Not sure what your problem is, but your stomach doesn’t seem to appreciate food right now? A broad-spectrum enzyme supplement containing all of the above is probably your best bet. 

But let me stress—I don’t believe enzyme supplementation should be a stand-in for personal experimentation with dietary particulars. The fact is, some of us do better without certain items in our diets, lactose being one. Others may be able to eat a little of everything but thrive more with adjusted proportions. Enzyme supplementation, particularly as a short-term strategy, can be one tool in your dietary attunement.

Personally, if you’re not able to drill down and identify your digestive Achilles heel but want to give enzymes a go, I’d probably try the broad spectrum approach. Even if you don’t necessarily need to top up concentrations of a certain enzyme in your GI, short-term enzyme supplementation isn’t likely to produce any side effects. Find a supplement that offers decent levels of the enzymatic big players along with betaine HCL, which can aid stomach acidification and hence improve digestion, and you might actually look forward to meals again.

It’s also worth knowing that your enzyme supplement in question could be sourced from one or more of 4 “parents”: plant, animal, bacteria and fungus. Because they’re cheaper to produce and a whole lot less volatile, fungal and bacterial enzyme sources are many times more common than those from plant and animal sources.

That being said, certain plant enzymes like papain and bromelain are now gaining popularity—likely in part because they’re more marketable, but also because they have a wider pH tolerance. Animal-derived enzymes have also historically been used to good effect in the treatment of certain disorders, most notably pancreatic insufficiency.

Unless you can find a plant enzyme supplement that ensures fortification from the ravages of stomach acid via a good enteric coating, fungal enzymes are a good bet.

Dosage and Quality Considerations
Toxicity

As far as supplements go, orally administered enzymes are pretty darn safe. Toxicity complications usually don’t arise unless a person is repeatedly knocking back well over the recommended dosage, and even then the side effects are typically limited to gastrointestinal upset. Robb Wolf has mentioned that in times of GI distress, he’d start off at a dosage 6 capsules (3 times the usual recommended dose) then work his way back down. I’ve talked to others, particularly those who’ve had a gall bladder removed, who take much more than that without issue. That said, there’s no reason to take more than you truly need for the results you want. 

Most cases of enzyme supplementation gone wrong can usually be traced back to extreme food sensitivities: classic examples include allergic reactions to porcine substances, bromelain or Aspergillus species. This probably comes back more to the quality of the enzyme supplement producer than the enzymes themselves, whereby shoddy QA/QC might not catch metabolites and by-products that could adversely react with the consumer…all the more reason to seek out a reputable brand.

Stability

Products that offer enzyme supplements from sources that are pH-tolerant and less likely to become denatured in harsh environments can negate the need for enteric coatings and are generally more stable in any case. As mentioned earlier, certain plant-sourced enzymes like papain can tolerate a wider pH range, but fungal enzymes are generally more resistant, have a broader spectrum of application, and don’t rely on enteric coatings to do their thing.

As an aside, if you’ve set your sights on a more fragile plant or animal-sourced enzyme, choosing a product that contains decent amounts of betaine HCL may be a good bet: the HCL helps your stomach to maintain consistently low pH levels, which should ensure the enzyme coating remains intact.

Potency

This is where things get a little complicated. Virtually all supplements (with perhaps the exception of probiotic cultures) are based on a weight-defined system, be that milligrams (mg), micrograms (mcg) or otherwise. This makes sense when it comes to vitamins and minerals, as weight is directly proportional to the amount of the compound in question.

Not so with enzyme supplements. As Ben Greenfield has said, enzymes are more accurately measured by units of activity and potency rather than unit weight. With this in mind, judging the potency of an enzyme blend can be achieved not by noting how many milligrams there are of each strain, but how many Food Chemical Codex (FCC) units each strain presents. Common FCC units of measurement include HUT (Hemoglobin Unit Tyrosine base) and USP (United States Pharmocopia).

Compare FCC units of individual enzymes (i.e. protease, lipase, etc.) to get an idea of which is most potent. But remember that potency doesn’t always imply quality, and that starting at a lower dose then working your way up is probably a wise course of action.

Additives

Back to simplicity. You likely know the drill for seeking out high quality supplements: avoid those undesirable “other ingredients” like gluten, dairy, cornstarch, soy and ambiguous compounds like “tablet coating.” Those with suspected food allergies should be pickier with these additives than others, and don’t be afraid to shop around.

Digestive Enzyme Alternatives

I’ve certainly got no issue with enzyme supplementation (I include a digestive enzyme formula in the Primal Master Formula), but if you’re looking for alternatives then there are plenty of options.

As I mentioned earlier, aiming for more food from raw sources is a critical part of realigning your digestive efficiency. But within that raw food spectrum are certain enzymatic powerhouses that could provide an alternative almost as powerful as dedicated enzyme supplements.

Papaya and pineapple, as the respective sources for the enzymes papain and bromelain, are a good start. Both papain and bromelain are proteolytic enzymes that efficiently break down long-chain proteins into simpler forms, making their parent fruits a good choice for the average Primal meat-eater. Other potent sources of plant-based enzymes include kiwifruit, avocado, and raw honey. Coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil also purportedly aid internal enzyme production.

I haven’t seen enough evidence to support the claim that raw meat and raw dairy products provide digestive enzymes that our own body can utilize, but there are other reasons why it might be worth giving either a shot anyway.

Beyond enzyme-rich foods, there are other easy steps you can take to support your body’s enzyme production and to streamline digestion in general. As you already know, leafy greens should be a significant part of each day’s Primal vegetable intake, but here’s another reason to give yourself a generous heaping: those greens contain ample cellulose, which attaches to toxic bile and keeps it moving out the back door. Cinnamon, or so the research would have us believe, performs a similar bile acid-binding role.

If general digestive upset is your problem, upping your bone broth consumption is also probably a good idea. The proline and glycine present (especially if you make your own extra-strong batches at home or use a quality collagen supplement) help to alleviate inflammation in the GI tract and regulate digestion, while the ample nutrients in a good cup of broth help to restock your reserves and rebuild damaged intestinal walls.

Finally, if your digestive issues are being caused by low stomach acid (this is more common than you think), you can try using a betaine HCL supplement short-term or employ natural alternatives if you prefer. Try 1-2 tablespoons of either raw apple cider vinegar or fresh-squeezed lemon juice in a glass of water before meals to stimulate your stomach’s digestive juices and minimize gaseousness post-feast.

And, of course, don’t forget ample prebiotic and probiotic sources in your diet for overall gut biome health. 

Thanks for reading, everyone. Do you supplement with enzymes? What’s been your experience with them? Any particular products or blends you’d recommend? Be sure to share your thoughts below.

The post Enzyme Supplements: Uses, Suggestions, and Alternatives appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Dear Mark: Is Keto Ancestral, Ketone Breath, and Keto for Lupus?

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering some questions about keto (hey, you folks keep asking!). First, is being on a ketogenic diet actually congruent with our ancestry? Is there historical precedent? Next, is bad breath really a reliable indication of being in ketosis? And finally, could going keto help treat the autoimmune disease lupus?

Let’s take a look:

First, Ryan asked:

My understanding and experience with Ketosis as a state, is that it is not necessarily hard to get into, but is difficult to maintain for any period of time. By “difficult” I mean you have pay very close attention to everything you are eating, or you will easily slip out of Ketosis…

So, my question is this. From an evolutionary perspective, is long term Ketosis something we “should” be aiming for? Assuming long term ketosis was optimal, it seems that we would have evolved to easily maintain it under a number of circumstances, and not easily slip out of it, instead of the opposite.

Thanks for all you do!

Ryan

Interesting question, Ryan. I dig it.

I’ve written about whether or not we need to be in long-term ketosis, coming to a similar conclusion. It isn’t necessary for most people, and it’s probably not optimal, either.

Why ask folks to go keto for 4-6 weeks then? That’s not “long term,” but it’s longer than “transient.” Paleolithic hunter-gatherers wouldn’t have gone that long without food, nor would they have consciously avoided carbohydrates if they were available. There’s no evidence of long-term wholly ketogenic populations.

But that doesn’t mean they weren’t producing ketones on a regular basis. Before everyone had constant access to cheap food without having to work for it, ketosis was more common. It wasn’t a constant state of being, but it was always in the vicinity. The food situation was ketotic in three main ways:

Glucose wasn’t as plentiful as it is today. The starchy tubers you could access came packaged with a ton of fiber. That reduced the amount of digestible glucose and increased the amount of tuber a person could eat and still produce ketones.
Constant snacking wasn’t tenable. There was no fridge to open when you were bored. You couldn’t just dig through a non-existent pantry. The kind of constant low-level eating that keeps glucose topped off and inhibits ketone production—snacking—just didn’t happen very often. A lot of time elapsed between meals, which was very conducive to fat-burning and ketone production.
Obtaining food required physical activity. Exercise, in and of itself, stimulates ketone production by increasing energy expenditure and reducing energy availability. If you have to physically work for your food, you will produce ketones. And sometimes the hunt comes up short, AKA you train on an empty stomach.

You’re correct that extended, protracted ketosis probably wasn’t the norm for our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Rather, they spent most of their time in what I call the keto zone, where one slips easily into and out of ketosis. The Keto Reset offers a way to emulate that ancestral metabolic environment by condensing it into a shorter time frame, to make up for the lack of lifelong dalliance with transient ketosis and the enhanced fat metabolism it creates.

Just a quick question, Mark. Does being in ketosis cause bad breath? My daughter has an unusually acute olfactory sense and swears I have keto breath. Am old, sedentary, 25 lbs overweight (belly) and trying to slim down via intermittent fasting and carb restriction.

Yes, ketone breath is a common indicator of ketosis.

In epileptic kids on ketogenic diets, acetone in the breath is a sign of ketosis.
Breath acetone also signals ketosis in adults on ketogenic diets.
Reseachers have found that breath acetone predicts the rate of fat loss in humans. More acetone, more fat loss.
Even ketogenic rats get ketone breath.

All signs point to “yes.”

Just wondering about something. Has anyone suggested anything about Lupus, an autoimmune disease. I’ve had Lupus for 27 years. After going on low carb I am in remission. Not sure, but it has to have something relevant. No longer on any of the medications. Thankful!

There’s reason to believe going low-carb or ketogenic can help lupus and other autoimmune diseases.

For one, many of the foods known to trigger or exacerbate autoimmune diseases are higher in carbs, like grains. Going low-carb necessitates their elimination. The Primal eating plan, whether ketogenic or not, also eliminates refined foods in general and industrial seed oils in particular, both of which are inflammatory and can contribute to autoimmune flareups.

Two, ketogenic diets may directly affect the inflammasome involved in lupus. Inflammasomes are the mediators of inflammatory pathways in the body, and their activation is linked to many different diseases. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in particular is a critical mechanism in the progression of lupus—and ketogenic diets are known to inhibit it.

Three, “fasting-mimicking diets,” or ketogenic diets, have been shown to improve outcomes in rodents with autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a type of brain and spine inflammation. They do this by actually regenerating immune cells damaged by the progression of the autoimmune disease. All the rodents improved their symptoms and 20% entirely reversed them.

Four, it’s working for you! This is the most convincing piece of evidence that it helps, at least for you.

That’s it for today, folks. Thanks for reading. Be sure to chime in down below with your own input.

The post Dear Mark: Is Keto Ancestral, Ketone Breath, and Keto for Lupus? appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.