William Davis's Blog: Dr. Davis Infinite Health Blog, page 79

The Osteoporosis/Osteopenia Set-Up

Your doctor advises you to take calcium supplements and follow a balanced diet low in fat and rich in healthy whole grains for bone health and prevention of osteoporotic fractures—but it does NOT work. Such advice can even be dangerous. He/she then prescribes drugs for osteoporosis that are costly and toxic.

Yet there are a number of ways to prevent or reverse abnormal bone thinning that are 1) effective, 2) safe, 3) yield many other health benefits, and 4) inexpensive.

Because the doctor dispenses ineffective advice that leads you down the path of prescription medication, we do it ourselves, UNDOCTORED.

About Undoctored:

We are entering a new age in which the individual has astounding power over health–but don’t count on the doctor or healthcare system to tell you this.

We draw from the health information of the world, collaborate, share experiences, collect data, and show how to apply new health tools to achieve levels of health that you may have thought unattainable. We do all this at a time when conventional healthcare costs have become crippling.

The result: personal health that is SUPERIOR to that obtained through conventional means.

Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor

Available at all major bookstores and Amazon.

Undoctored Inner Circle:

InnerCircle.Undoctored.com

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Assisted Fasting With MCT Oil

Medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are a form of oil found in food that can be taken in concentrated form to facilitate weight loss and accelerate reversal of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver. You can also use MCTs to make intermittent fasting easier, as they effectively suppress appetite because they modestly raise the level of blood ketones such as beta-hydroxybutyrate.

My favorite way to take MCTs is as a coffee creamer using MCT oil powder.

A more detailed discussion about how to use ketosis, MCTs, and exogenous ketones can be found in the Undoctored Inner Circle website, the website that builds further on the Undoctored concepts and strategies.

About Undoctored:

We are entering a new age in which the individual has astounding power over health–but don’t count on the doctor or healthcare system to tell you this.

We draw from the health information of the world, collaborate, share experiences, collect data, and show how to apply new health tools to achieve levels of health that you may have thought unattainable. We do all this at a time when conventional healthcare costs have become crippling.

The result: personal health that is SUPERIOR to that obtained through conventional means.

Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor

Available in all major bookstores and Amazon.

Undoctored Inner Circle: InnerCircle.Undoctored.com

The post Assisted Fasting With MCT Oil appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Gluten-testing: New York Deli

I was in New York recently, staying in midtown Manhattan. Anyone who stays in NY knows that there is a deli on just about every block or two. Many of them have large spreads of food for breakfast and lunch, tempting and incredibly convenient, such as the one shown in the photo from Ashley’s Fine Foods on Lexington.

Obviously, there is no way to test each and every food among the hundreds of delis on Manhattan streets. But I wanted to know specifically if at least some of them can be free of gluten residues (to no more than 20 ppm), as tested by the Nima device. If you’ve been to any of these places, you will recognize right away that talking to staff is not easy: many only speak stumbling, if any, English, and are hurried, under the gun of the NY pace of life. Good luck trying to find out if cross-contamination issues apply.

So I tested the sausage patty and one of the bacon choices offered among their plentiful breakfast choices, both shown on the right side of the photo below. Such breakfast meats are often sources for cross-contamination due to shared work surfaces and/or utensils. Can you indulge in such anonymous food choices and remain safe?

I have to admit that I assumed that such meats are ubiquitously exposed to cross-contamination and would test positive. But, in these two instances, they proved negative for gluten residues.

Obviously, two negative results on meats prepared in an indecipherable kitchen in midtown Manhattan should NOT be generalized to all such deli buffets, but it is a bit reassuring that you can indeed obtain at least some foods not contaminated by grains.

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You can actually look younger within the first week

Once you make the decision to completely remove grains from your diet, the inflammatory effects of grain proteins are eliminated. In a very short period of time—-usually within the first week—-you can begin to see a change in your appearance. You will see the difference when you look in the mirror as well as when you step on the scale. Your face will begin to look younger.

Poor choices in food have the potential to cripple health, whether in the form of hemorrhoids or ulcerative colitis. As you will see, many, if not most, of the health conditions that make us reliant on the healthcare system are caused by the foods we choose to eat, many of them chosen because we were advised to choose them or because those choices were made available to us. It may have been your doctor, dietitian, or the barrage of information from media, but it is likely—no, certain—that you were given nutritional information that damaged your health. Conversely, smart choices in food empower health and avert hundreds of health conditions. Food is more powerful than any nutritional supplement, any form of exercise, any prescription drug—nothing matches the power of the choices you make in food. I’ve seen it play out many hundreds of thousands of times, and the science bears it out.

In the Undoctored dietary approach, the culprits behind premature aging and modern disease— grains, sugar, corn syrup, processed foods, food colorings, emulsifying agents, hexane-extracted oils—are eliminated. With their elimination and a focus on real foods such as fats, meats, organs, eggs, vegetables, roots, mushrooms, and select fruits and nuts, appetite diminishes to that reflecting physiologic need, blood sugar and blood pressure plummet, cholesterol (total and LDL) drops like a stone, excess abdominal fat evaporates, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome are gone within days, autoimmune conditions retreat, fatigue and depression lift, and skin rashes clear.

In a very short period of time— usually within the first week of grain elimination, you will begin to see a change in your appearance. You will see the difference when you look in the mirror as well as when you step on the scale. For most people, your face will begin to look younger. Your cheeks will begin to shrink and your eyes will appear larger and the skin around them less puffy. This is because grain elimination removes a major cause of inflammation and edema (water retention). This occurs body-wide but is reflected most vividly on the face. Next, you will quickly notice that the inflammation and visceral abdominal fat disappear, along with those not so lovely love handles.

And not only are outward signs of aging and poor health reversed, but many concealed disease triggers are corrected, as well, such as small LDL particles (the number-one cause for heart disease), the initiating steps of autoimmunity, and abnormal inflammatory processes that lead to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and dementia. And you will start asking new questions: Rather than asking why you have so many health problems and can’t lose weight, you will be asking questions like, “Am I too skinny?” or “I wonder if I need this anti-inflammatory drug or antidepressant any longer now that I feel so good?”

This all starts with eliminating grains. It takes your body just 10 days to completely detox from the toxic effects brought on by years of consuming unhealthy wheat and grains. Then and only then can true healing begin. This is why I urge you to participate in the Wheat belly 10-Day Detox Challenge and then begin your Undoctored life.

I discuss these phenomena further in this video, Why Do Grain-Free People Look Different?

 

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“I can’t lose weight on levothyroxine”

I hear this complaint every day, yet the solution is SO simple.

The Undoctored lifestyle is magnificently effective to achieve weight loss, prevent or reverse hundreds of health conditions, and to free you from prescription medications.

But many people who take levothyroxine (Synthroid), the T4 thyroid hormone, report NO weight loss on the program, along with persistent abnormal symptoms such as low energy, dry skin, and thinning hair, even depression. This is not due to the failure of the program, but is due to the lack of the T3 thyroid hormone, the truly active form of thyroid hormone.

Learn why addressing and correcting the T3 thyroid hormone is crucial and allows Undoctored program benefits to unfold. But you may have to fire your doctor and find one who is better informed on thyroid health to get this important component of health done right.

About Undoctored:

We are entering a new age in which the individual has astounding power over health–but don’t count on the doctor or healthcare system to tell you this.

We draw from the health information of the world, collaborate, share experiences, collect data, and show how to apply new health tools to achieve levels of health that you may have thought unattainable. We do all this at a time when conventional healthcare costs have become crippling.

The result: personal health that is SUPERIOR to that obtained through conventional means.

Based on the book Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor

Available in all major bookstores and Amazon.

The post “I can’t lose weight on levothyroxine” appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Why not order your own lab tests?

Most of us already notice obvious changes in our bodies such as body weight, blood pressure, and waist circumference. During the Undoctored process you will discover that you could also benefit from tracking some important lab values. These lab values will reflect reemerging health in blood sugar levels, triglycerides, and factors that reflect risk for heart disease, stroke, and other conditions.

Here are lab values to consider tracking:

Fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin—all reflecting blood sugar and insulin-resistance status


NMR lipoproteins (NMR LipoProfile) or other advanced lipoprotein testing service (see above)


25-hydroxy vitamin D—an assessment of your vitamin D status


Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3, free T4, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies—all measures of thyroid status


Other measures specific to your individual health concerns can be tracked also, such as a complete blood count (CBC) and ferritin if iron deficiency is suspected.

If you want to take control of your own health care and want to save some money in the process you might want to consider ordering your own testing. Direct-to-consumer blood tests are another category of empowering testing available to us. More people are becoming aware of the additional information available through such testing but not pursued by doctors—a huge swath of health measures that can yield health insights and solutions. Increased exposure to healthcare costs is also fueling the growth of home blood tests. It is common, for example, for lab testing of simple measures— such as cholesterol levels, complete blood count (CBC), and electrolytes—to add up to many hundreds of dollars and to now come directly out of your pocket. More advanced forms of testing can add up to thousands of dollars.

Curious thing: If you go to a lab and ask for the direct-to-consumer price, not the price charged to health insurance, it is typically much lower, often 70 to 80 percent less, since direct-to-consumer lab testing lacks the added layer of costs introduced by health insurance. As with other direct-to-consumer products, competition keeps prices low, unlike the prices charged to health insurance. It means that you can often save money by dealing directly with the lab.

The wide variety of health measures available through blood tests is among the most empowering Undoctored health tools. Knowing, for example, that a deficient blood level of vitamin D explains your low bone density allows you to take action and follow the results of your program over time.

Tracking triglycerides as you convert from a low-fat, grain-filled diet to an unrestricted-fat, grain-free diet—dropping from, say, an abnormally high 300 mg/dL to a wonderful 40 mg/dL—provides feedback on the effects of your diet. A test called hemoglobin A1c, an index of blood sugar fluctuations over a 3-month period, can track a decline from diabetic range to nondiabetic range or, conversely, show failure to achieve nondiabetic range, prompting you to intensify your efforts.

Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing

The following labs make just about any test available direct to the consumer, except in New York, New Jersey, California, and Rhode Island. (Blame the hospital lobbies for this, as they try to protect hospital profits in those states; they want you to rely on their labs only.) In every other state, it means that nearly any lab test you desire can be obtained without a doctor’s order with results delivered directly to you.

Direct Labs


HealthCheckUSA


Lab Corp


Lab Tests Online


Quest Diagnostics


ZRT Laboratory is the premiere finger-stick blood, saliva, and urine direct-to-consumer lab, providing access to an impressive array of testing: cortisol, sex hormones, lipids, HbA1c, heavy metals, thyroid, and others.

You will find a more complete list in the book Undoctored.

A WORD OF CAUTION: Blood work should generally not be obtained during the Undoctored 6-week process because weight loss occurs in the majority during this period, which will temporarily disrupt lab values, making, for instance, blood sugar and triglycerides high (due to the flood of fatty acids into the bloodstream that is a natural part of weight loss). Ideally, blood should be drawn no sooner than 4 weeks after weight loss has plateaued.

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Am I Too Skinny?

People living the Wheat Belly grain-free lifestyle sometimes comment that, after losing weight and experiencing the loss of appetite that accompanies this lifestyle, they are too skinny.

First of all, are you really too skinny? Or do you just feel that way seeing yourself among the most overweight population that has ever walked this planet?

Nobody disappears into nothing on this lifestyle, but there are steps you can take to halt the weight loss and look and feel terrific while enjoying all the health benefits of remaining grain-free.

The post Am I Too Skinny? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

The next Wheat Belly Detox CHALLENGE begins Wednesday, September 6th!

The next Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox Challenge is scheduled to start Wednesday, September  6th!

Through my New York Times bestseller, Wheat Belly, millions of people learned how to reverse years of chronic health problems by removing wheat from their daily diets. Now, I have created an easy and accessible 10-Day Detox Program.

The Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox supplies you with carefully designed meal plans and delicious recipes to fully eliminate wheat and related grains in the shortest time possible. Perfect for those who may have fallen off the wagon or for newcomers who need a jump-start for weight loss, this new addition to the Wheat Belly phenomenon guides you through the complete 10-Day Detox experience.

In addition to this quick-start program, I’ll teach you:

How to recognize and reduce wheat-withdrawal symptoms,
How to avoid common landmines that can sabotage success
How to use nutritional supplements to further advance weight loss and health benefits

The Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox also includes:

Inspiring testimonials from people who have completed the program (and have now made grain-free eating a way of life)

Exciting new recipes to help get your entire family on board

To join the Detox Challenge:

Step 1

Get the book. And read it (at least the first 5 chapters). Detox Challenge participants should be informed and active in order to get the most out of the challenge and private Facebook group. READING THE WHEAT BELLY DETOX BOOK IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. PLEASE DO NOT PARTICIPATE IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1JqzMea

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/wheatbelly10daygraindetox-bn

Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1KwcFTQ

Or grab the course from Rodale.

https://www.rodaleu.com/courses/wheat-belly-10-day-grain-detox

(The PLATINUM level INCLUDES the book.)

Using the code DETOX saves you $20+ when you checkout.

Step 2

Come join the Private Facebook Group.

http://bit.ly/WheatBelly-PrivateFBGroup

Step 3

Head back to the Private Facebook Group starting Tuesday, August 8th (the day before the official start of the Challenge) and onwards for tips, videos, and discussions to help you get through your detox and reprogram your body for rapid weight loss and health. Dr. Davis will be posting video instructions and answers to your questions.

Need support? Lapsed and want to get back on board? Join the thousands of people who are losing weight and regaining health by following the Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox. Join us if you desire support through the sometimes unpleasant process of wheat/grain detoxification and withdrawal or if you are among those who previously followed the program but lapsed, and now want to get back on board as confidently as possible, this Detox Challenge was made for you.

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Join us on the next Wheat Belly/Undoctored Cruise!

Join us on the next annual Wheat Belly Cruise to the Caribbean! Dr. Davis will be there and will share his knowledge, including the many lessons learned over the six years since the Wheat Belly books changed the entire landscape of diet and health. And, on this cruise , we add the perspectives of the Undoctored message that expands personal health to include the use of new health tracking devices, apps, and easy-to-apply insights that achieve even higher levels of personal health.

The Wheat Belly Cruise sets sail December 2-9, 2017 and will include:

Over 9 hours of seminars and workshops delivered by bestselling author of the Wheat Belly books, Dr. William Davis
Live cooking and baking demonstrations
Recipes, recipes, recipes! Provided by our presenters and fellow cruise participants
Group dining experiences with special Wheat Belly Menus
Social events: build circles of support with new friends from around the world
Daily physical activities (light and optional)
Expanding the Wheat Belly concepts to include the new Undoctored book and strategies for even greater levels of personal health

This year, the cruise will be on the Celebrity Equinox with its wonderful wide choice of restaurants, nightly entertainment, and, of course, beautiful Eastern Mexican and Caribbean ports of call.

For more information and to sign up for email updates about the cruise, go here.

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Telltale Signs of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Here are the telltale signs that suggest you may have this common problem of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO.

If uncorrected, SIBO can be responsible for persistent gastrointestinal struggles, increased risk for colon cancer, skin rashes, autoimmune inflammation, higher blood sugars, diarrhea, IBS, and a host of other health problems.

Recognize these signs and you can decide whether you need to pursue the question of SIBO for your full recovery of health.

About Undoctored:

We are entering a new age in which the individual has astounding power over health–but don’t count on the doctor or healthcare system to tell you this.

We draw from the health information of the world, collaborate, share experiences, collect data, and show how to apply new health tools to achieve levels of health that you may have thought unattainable. We do all this at a time when conventional healthcare costs have become crippling.

The result: personal health that is SUPERIOR to that obtained through conventional means.

This is based on my new book, Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor

Available in all major bookstores and Amazon.

The post Telltale Signs of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth appeared first on Dr. William Davis.