William Davis's Blog: Dr. Davis Infinite Health Blog, page 85

What if I feel fine eating grains?

Many health problems from grain consumption are overt–you can feel it or see it, such as fibromyalgia or skin rashes.

But many consequences of grain consumption are silent and can only be seen with lab tests or other investigative tools such as endoscopy. But the lack of current symptoms does not mean that there is not a future of health problems from grain consumption.

Understand this basic fact and you can be enormously empowered in diet and 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. We are Undoctored.

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

Available at all major bookstores and Amazon.

The post What if I feel fine eating grains? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Product Review: New Bluetooth-Enabled Blood Pressure Monitors

Knowing how to apply some of the new health tools coming our way can help you stay healthy the Undoctored way.

For blood pressure, new Bluetooth-enabled, self-inflating devices that communicate with your Smartphone are available. Here, I review and road test the Withings BP monitor and the Qardio Arm device.

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. We are Undoctored.

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 Product Review: New Bluetooth-Enabled Blood Pressure Monitors appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

I will be LIVE on the Undoctored Inner Circle Thursday, June 29th

I shall be LIVE again on the Undoctored Inner Circle Virtual Meetup on Thursday June 29th at 6 pm Central/7 pm Eastern/5 pm Mountain/4 pm Pacific.

Let’s again discuss the Undoctored program: pitfalls, difficulties, and ways to succeed. The Virtual Meetup function allows us to meet as a group to discuss issues or questions via live video. Let’s specifically discuss the recent headlines declaring saturated fat and coconut oil cause heart disease–which, of course, they do not. They, in fact, are our preferred forms of dietary fat.

(The Undoctored Inner Circle is a paid membership site that includes features such as the live Virtual Meetup, webinars, the Undoctored Health Network video collection, Health Tool Product Reviews, and a Discussion Forum.)

To join, go to the Undoctored Inner Circle and sign in.

The post I will be LIVE on the Undoctored Inner Circle Thursday, June 29th appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Is sugar making you AGE faster?

 

Americans consume the equivalent of 300 loaves of bread each year (representing enormous exposure to the amylopectin A carbohydrate that behaves like sugar or worse). They also consume 200 pounds of sugar. It is not uncommon for sugar alone to comprise a quarter of all calories taken in over the course of the day—some of it out in the open, some of it hidden.

To understand the adverse effects of sugars—sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, and other fructose-rich sweeteners, such as agave, honey, and maple syrup—we need to understand two phenomena:

1. Insulin resistance

2 Glycation.

Insulin Resistance

When blood sugar rises, insulin is released by the pancreas. Repeated over and over again, the cells of the body fail to respond to the insulin; they become “insulin resistant.” This leads to further rises in blood sugar and inflammatory responses, failure to respond to normal appetite signals, and growth of visceral (deep abdominal) fat. The cells of the body—deprived of glucose for energy due to the failure of insulin (which allows entry of glucose into cells)—resort to fat and protein for energy, resulting in rises in blood triglycerides from fats released into the bloodstream, along with loss of muscle.

The essential first step that creates insulin resistance is therefore a rise in blood sugar. Any rise in blood sugar above fasting levels (90 mg/dL) will, over time, provoke insulin resistance: The higher the blood sugar and the more frequently it occurs, the more insulin resistance is provoked. Fructose worsens the effect: inflammation, growth of visceral fat, increased blood triglycerides and fatty acids, and fatty liver—all powerful blockers of insulin that worsen insulin resistance.

The conventional medical solution? Sugar “in moderation,” increased whole grain consumption, lots of low-fat foods—disastrous dietary advice, followed by drugs that come to our “rescue,” handily explaining why the diabetes drug industry is growing at unprecedented rates along with booming executive salaries.

The Undoctored solution? Eliminate foods that start the process in the first place. If we eliminate foods that send blood sugar and insulin to high levels, the entire collection of abnormalities reverse. We also slash fructose intake to only fruit—no high-fructose corn syrup or other sources. Yes, do the opposite of conventional dietary advice and eat no “healthy whole grains,” don’t restrict fats but increase their consumption, and never rely on low-fat or other fructose-containing foods.

While most people are able to reverse blood sugar and insulin levels back to normal, also undoing insulin resistance and diabetes, some people have progressed so far down this path and have irreversibly damaged beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin (high blood sugars and high triglycerides damage the pancreas). People in this situation may not return to normal. This situation is suggested by failure to enjoy fasting blood sugars of 70 to 90 mg/dL after ideal weight is achieved and despite doing everything else right. Drugs may indeed be helpful in this uncommon situation. The key is to therefore follow this lifestyle before pancreatic beta cell damage sets in.

Glycation

Glycation refers to the glucose- and fructose-modification of proteins that occurs when glucose or fructose levels increase, a reaction between sugar and body proteins. Glycation occurs at a natural low rate just from normal blood sugar levels, even while fasting, but it occurs at increasingly greater rates with any rise in blood sugar above 90 mg/dL.30 Primitive people had limited exposure to sugars: seasonal fruit, tropical fruit in some environments, honey. They certainly did not have around-the-clock, everyday access to sweetened foods and soft drinks, nor were they advised by government agencies to load up on amylopectin-containing grains. It means that modern sugar consumption, made worse by the grain domination of the modern diet, exposes you to repetitive waves of protein glycation.

Once it occurs, the glycation reaction is irreversible. Glycation alters the properties of proteins, making them nonfunctional, essentially creating cellular debris that gums up the function of whatever organ they reside in, much like rust interferes with smooth functioning of the gears in a motor.

All of this has serious health consequences:

If glycation of the proteins of the lenses of the eyes develops, opacities accumulate, leading to cataracts.
Glycation of skin proteins gives you brown-colored “age spots” and wrinkles.
Glycation of cartilage proteins makes cartilage brittle, eroding and leading to inflammation and the pain of arthritis.
Glycation of kidney tissue leads to declining kidney function.
Glycation of LDL particles in the bloodstream makes them more likely to contribute to atherosclerosis (heart disease).
 Glycation of brain proteins contributes to dementia.

Those with diabetes experience high blood sugars throughout most of the day, therefore glycating more vigorously than the rest of us, explaining why, for instance, they have heart disease, cancer, cataracts, and dementia earlier in life than those without diabetes.

You may recognize the phenomena of glycation as sounding an awful lot like the phenomena of aging, reflected in the advanced glycation end-product, or AGE, theory of aging. Yes, to a substantial degree, aging is a consequence of diet that proceeds faster due to sugars and grains, regardless of whether they are “organic,” “sprouted,” or any other label designed to pull your attention away from the sugar.

Any time blood sugar rises above normal, glycation occurs at an accelerated rate. What foods raise blood sugar the most, triggering the greatest degree of glycation? Grains and sugar. Gluten-free foods made with cornstarch, tapioca starch, potato starch, and rice flour are guilty of the same. And whatever you do, don’t be tricked by talk of “low glycemic index.”

The Undoctored solution is to stop overstimulating the processes of glycation or fructation in the first place by eliminating, or at least managing, all the foods that are responsible for these reactions. Removing the appetite-stimulating effects of wheat and grains via gliadin-derived opiates also helps bring the feeding frenzy of sugar in all its various forms to a halt.

The post Is sugar making you AGE faster? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Is sugar aging you?

Americans consume the equivalent of 300 loaves of bread each year (representing enormous exposure to the amylopectin A carbohydrate that behaves like sugar or worse). They also consume 200 pounds of sugar. It is not uncommon for sugar alone to comprise a quarter of all calories taken in over the course of the day—some of it out in the open, some of it hidden.

To understand the adverse effects of sugars—sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, and other fructose-rich sweeteners, such as agave, honey, and maple syrup—we need to understand two phenomena:

1. Insulin resistance

2 Glycation.

Insulin Resistance

When blood sugar rises, insulin is released by the pancreas. Repeated over and over again, the cells of the body fail to respond to the insulin; they become “insulin resistant.” This leads to further rises in blood sugar and inflammatory responses, failure to respond to normal appetite signals, and growth of visceral (deep abdominal) fat. The cells of the body—deprived of glucose for energy due to the failure of insulin (which allows entry of glucose into cells)—resort to fat and protein for energy, resulting in rises in blood triglycerides from fats released into the bloodstream, along with loss of muscle.

The essential first step that creates insulin resistance is therefore a rise in blood sugar. Any rise in blood sugar above fasting levels (90 mg/dL) will, over time, provoke insulin resistance: The higher the blood sugar and the more frequently it occurs, the more insulin resistance is provoked. Fructose worsens the effect: inflammation, growth of visceral fat, increased blood triglycerides and fatty acids, and fatty liver—all powerful blockers of insulin that worsen insulin resistance.

The conventional medical solution? Sugar “in moderation,” increased whole grain consumption, lots of low-fat foods—disastrous dietary advice, followed by drugs that come to our “rescue,” handily explaining why the diabetes drug industry is growing at unprecedented rates along with booming executive salaries.

The Undoctored solution? Eliminate foods that start the process in the first place. If we eliminate foods that send blood sugar and insulin to high levels, the entire collection of abnormalities reverse. We also slash fructose intake to only fruit—no high-fructose corn syrup or other sources. Yes, do the opposite of conventional dietary advice and eat no “healthy whole grains,” don’t restrict fats but increase their consumption, and never rely on low-fat or other fructose-containing foods.

While most people are able to reverse blood sugar and insulin levels back to normal, also undoing insulin resistance and diabetes, some people have progressed so far down this path and have irreversibly damaged beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin (high blood sugars and high triglycerides damage the pancreas). People in this situation may not return to normal. This situation is suggested by failure to enjoy fasting blood sugars of 70 to 90 mg/dL after ideal weight is achieved and despite doing everything else right. Drugs may indeed be helpful in this uncommon situation. The key is to therefore follow this lifestyle before pancreatic beta cell damage sets in.

Glycation

Glycation refers to the glucose- and fructose-modification of proteins that occurs when glucose or fructose levels increase, a reaction between sugar and body proteins. Glycation occurs at a natural low rate just from normal blood sugar levels, even while fasting, but it occurs at increasingly greater rates with any rise in blood sugar above 90 mg/dL.30 Primitive people had limited exposure to sugars: seasonal fruit, tropical fruit in some environments, honey. They certainly did not have around-the-clock, everyday access to sweetened foods and soft drinks, nor were they advised by government agencies to load up on amylopectin-containing grains. It means that modern sugar consumption, made worse by the grain domination of the modern diet, exposes you to repetitive waves of protein glycation.

Once it occurs, the glycation reaction is irreversible. Glycation alters the properties of proteins, making them nonfunctional, essentially creating cellular debris that gums up the function of whatever organ they reside in, much like rust interferes with smooth functioning of the gears in a motor.

All of this has serious health consequences:

If glycation of the proteins of the lenses of the eyes develops, opacities accumulate, leading to cataracts.
Glycation of skin proteins gives you brown-colored “age spots” and wrinkles.
Glycation of cartilage proteins makes cartilage brittle, eroding and leading to inflammation and the pain of arthritis.
Glycation of kidney tissue leads to declining kidney function.
Glycation of LDL particles in the bloodstream makes them more likely to contribute to atherosclerosis (heart disease).
 Glycation of brain proteins contributes to dementia.

Those with diabetes experience high blood sugars throughout most of the day, therefore glycating more vigorously than the rest of us, explaining why, for instance, they have heart disease, cancer, cataracts, and dementia earlier in life than those without diabetes.

You may recognize the phenomena of glycation as sounding an awful lot like the phenomena of aging, reflected in the advanced glycation end-product, or AGE, theory of aging. Yes, to a substantial degree, aging is a consequence of diet that proceeds faster due to sugars and grains, regardless of whether they are “organic,” “sprouted,” or any other label designed to pull your attention away from the sugar.

Any time blood sugar rises above normal, glycation occurs at an accelerated rate. What foods raise blood sugar the most, triggering the greatest degree of glycation? Grains and sugar. Gluten-free foods made with cornstarch, tapioca starch, potato starch, and rice flour are guilty of the same. And whatever you do, don’t be tricked by talk of “low glycemic index.”

The Undoctored solution is to stop overstimulating the processes of glycation or fructation in the first place by eliminating, or at least managing, all the foods that are responsible for these reactions. Removing the appetite-stimulating effects of wheat and grains via gliadin-derived opiates also helps bring the feeding frenzy of sugar in all its various forms to a halt.

The post Is sugar aging you? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Why Do Grain-Free People Look Different?

People adopting a grain-free lifestyle not only reclaim magnificent health and lose weight, they also change in appearance.

But WHY would that be? Why are some of the changes so dramatic that people are accused of posting mother/daughter photos?

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.

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. We are Undoctored.

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

Available at all major bookstores and Amazon.

The post Why Do Grain-Free People Look Different? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Can We OPT-OUT Of Conventional Healthcare?

As healthcare costs continue to rise, with specialty drugs in particular being advertised to the public and driving as much as 26% annual growth in use, we stand apart in the Undoctored program as enjoying magnificent health. We are healthy, slender, look and feel younger, while not subjected to the lists of medications, doctoring, and hospitals that drive healthcare costs.

Can we thereby OPT-OUT of conventional healthcare and healthcare insurance and save money, a LOT of money, while enjoying our level of superior 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. We are Undoctored.

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 Can We OPT-OUT Of Conventional Healthcare? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Why “Heart Healthy” Foods CAUSE Heart Disease

Many, perhaps most, products labeled “heart healthy” actually CAUSE or contribute to heart disease, an incredible situation that has developed due to the eagerness of Big Food to profit from this claim.

We avoid all foods labeled “heart healthy.” Here’s why.

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. We are Undoctored.

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 Why “Heart Healthy” Foods CAUSE Heart Disease appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Direct-to-Consumer Lab Tests: Obtain lab tests on your own without a doctor

If your doctor refuses to obtain the lab tests you need for health, you can easily do it yourself. You can then put the information to use to obtain health that is SUPERIOR to the health the doctor would have achieved.

Among the direct-to-consumer lab testing services:

Direct Labs (http://www.directlabs.com)

Lab Corp (http://www.labcorp.com)

HealthCheck USA (http://www.healthcheckusa.com)

Quest (http://www.questdiagnostics.com)

Request A Test (http://www.requestatest.com)

Lab panels:

Inside Tracker (http:///www.insidetracker.com)

Wellness Fx (http://www.wellnessfx.com)

Fingerstick, saliva, urine: ZRT Labs (http://www.zrtlab.com/)

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.

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

Available in all major bookstores and Amazon.

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

The post Direct-to-Consumer Lab Tests: Obtain lab tests on your own without a doctor appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Secrets Hidden in Your Resting Heart Rate

A simple resting heart rate contains valuable information on health and can be tracked over time to alert you to changes in health. With the new health tracking devices–wristbands, smartphone apps, digital scales and other devices that measure heart rate–tracking your resting heart rate, even during sleep, is easier than ever.

If you identify a higher heart rate above ideal, especially above 70 bpm, then you can take steps to reduce heart rate, far better than the drugs that doctors prescribe to slow heart rate.

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. We are Undoctored.

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

Undoctored is available in all major bookstores and Amazon.

The post Secrets Hidden in Your Resting Heart Rate appeared first on Dr. William Davis.