The other major category of milk protein is whey. Whey is a blend of multiple types of smaller proteins and hormones, including immunoglobulins, insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), estrogens, and other growth factors. (Remember, milk is a powerful growth promoter!) For this reason, milk is a highly insulinogenic food, which means that the combination of lactose plus whey dairy proteins causes the release of very large amounts of insulin when consumed.
The remarkably large amount of insulin secreted in response to milk and whey protein intake may prove problematic for those with metabolic syndrome, as in this population, it does not promote a healthy hormonal response. Anyone seeking to improve insulin sensitivity (or avoid becoming insulin resistant) would be best served by avoiding dairy products.
Insulin is not the only potentially detrimental hormone increased by milk. Milk consumption also significantly elevates IGF-1, another powerful growth-inducer. IGF-1 promotes growth in children, but it is also associated with promotion (or indirect facilitation) of various cancers, such as breast, colon, and prostate. Of course, we’re not saying that if you drink milk, you’ll get cancer, but if you’re at high risk, consuming substances that increase the growth of cells, including abnormal cells, seems unwise.
"Sugar cravings and eating too many foods that contain sugar may cause health problems such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. If one gives in to his sugar cravings, the sugary foods that he ate will cause his blood sugar to increase quickly and then crash. The blood sugar crash then makes him crave for more sugar, so he eats more sugary foods and the cycle continues. According to Dr. Deirdre Rawlings of the Clayton College of Natural Health, one can break this unhealthy cycle by eating healthy foods that fight sugar cravings."
To combat sugar craving
Tomatoes
Tomatoes can also fight sugar cravings because they are high in serotonin. Studies suggest that low serotonin levels are among the main causes of sugar cravings. The serotonin in tomatoes functions as a neurotransmitter that tells a person's brain that his sugar cravings have been satisfied. Tomatoes are also high in chromium, a mineral that reduces food cravings, regulates cholesterol, fat and blood sugar levels.
"What I have personally found to be the most effective way to get rid of a relentless craving is to take a hot shower."
The water must be hot… not so hot that you burn your skin..
Let the water run over your back and shoulders and let it heat you up. Stay there at least 5-10 minutes.
By the time you step out of the shower, you are likely to have a “dazed” feeling, like when you’ve been sitting in the sauna for a long time.
"At that point, your craving will most likely be gone."
If you want protein, eat 'real food,' not a bar, experts say
Rachael Rettner, MyHealthNewsDailyFeb. 5, 2013
Although popular, high-protein bars, shakes and other products aren't the best way to get your protein, experts say.
In 2012, 19 percent of new food and beverage products launched in the United States were labeled as being " high-protein," according to Mintel, a market research company. That's higher than anywhere else in the world, including India (9 percent), and the United Kingdom (7 percent), Mintel said.
Proteins are essential nutrients, found inside every cell in the body. They are used for growth and maintenance, including tissue and muscle repair (muscle-building), and play a smaller role as an energy source. In general, about 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories should come from protein, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Adult women should eat about 46 grams of protein a day, and adult men should eat about 56 grams a day. Most people in the United States actually get more than enough protein. A 2009 to 2010 U.S. food survey found that, on average, women eat about 70 grams of protein per day, and men eat about 100 grams.
A bar or shake might seem like an easy way to get the recommended amount of protein, but you're better off getting the nutrient from real food, some experts say,
"I never recommend protein supplements," said Katherine Tallmadge, the author of "Diet Simple" (LifeLine Press, 2011). "People need to be eating real food."
High-protein bars and shakes are often high in calories (and sugar), too, and don't leave people feeling full in the same way that a well-rounded meal, with a variety of flavors and nutrients, does, Tallmadge said.
"You can feel full or more satisfied with fewer calories" when you eat real food, she added.
Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, according to the CDC.
Let’s look at the label – sure it says it has 20 grams of protein, all the essential amino acids, is 100% ‘pure’ – blah, blah, blah… Unfortunately, what you think you’re getting and what you’re actually getting can be two very different things. Protein powders fall under the realm of ‘supplements’ in the eyes of the government and therefore are not regulated nor checked for purity or content. A Consumer Reports investigation uncovered concerning amounts of arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium in several well known and darn right popular protein powders – we’re talking ‘exceeding maximum’ pharmacologically deemed ‘safe’ numbers here. And do you really know what else could be in there? There have been several cases and reports of seemingly innocent ‘protein powders’ being contaminated with anabolic steroids or like substances which have resulted in positive ‘doping’ test results.
Have you ever went to the meat counter and asked the butcher to cut you off a big slab of whey or cracked open an egg to be greeted with a white powder? I’m guessing it’s a great big negatory on that one. Believe it or not protein powders are a processed food. Yes, you heard that correctly – these powders are far from a ‘natural phenomenon’. You cannot milk a cow and get a powder, city kids you’re just going to have to trust me on this one. So, where does the powder come from? In the case of whey, it’s often a waste product of cheese making and unless you’re getting the super pricey, meat is a better deal, protein powder from grassfed animals you’re likely getting ‘grain-fed waste’. Let’s also consider the process that makes the whey into a powder (it’s liquid in real life…) – this process be it whey or egg white often utilizes extremely high heat (like higher than cooking). This ‘hot air’ denatures the protein to an extent that may increase its carcinogenic load. And hold on, there’s more!! Some of these powders even come with some bonus MSG!! Remember that rule about food that comes in a package, needs a label and can live on a shelf for an extended period of time? Apply that here.
But I Need A Post Workout Meal?!?!
Relax!! Yes, the post workout meal is important but consider the goal of that meal along with your overall goals. The primary purpose of post pain party fuel is to restore the muscle protein and glycogen that was depleted during the workout and to promote recovery. If getting/staying lean and enhancing health and longevity are also on your list of ‘things to do’ – then liquid food will not the best choice make.
Why? Two-words: Insulin Response. Granted after you workout your insulin sensitivity is heightened and it takes less of it to clear the post workout meal glucose from the blood; but this phenomenon should be taken advantage of not hindered by a liquid induced blood sugar surge. Liquids require less processing and digestion, so instead of the slow steady blood sugar rise that happens with a dose of starchy carb and some protein from real food sources; the ‘shaker bottle’ cocktail results in a zero to 60 increase in blood glucose levels. This pedal to the metal rise requires insulin fast and even though sensitivity is heightened the end result is more insulin being produced to clear the sugar bombarded blood. This folks – is NOT what we’re going for! If you find this whole post workout eating thing a whole lot of confusing definitely check out Robb’s post about the ins and outs of the game. But understand that you can’t do better than ‘real food’ regardless of what your friends or the label on a tub of powder say.
So, what’s a ‘Magnus’ to do?? Put the shaker bottle away and stop paying for the college educations of the “I work on commission” salespersons kids and “JUST CHEW IT”! Your body, taste buds and wallet will be MUCH happier in the end.
So, what Are some situations in which Low Carb is valuable?
1-Insulin resistance/diabetes both type 1 and 2.
Lowering glycemic load can be incredibly powerful in reducing inflammation and metabolic derangement. One could likely get as much benefit from a moderate Low Carb approach (75-100g/day) as a strict ketogenic approach. The study by Staffan Lindeberg looking at a paleo diet in Type 2 diabetic heart patients had carb levels even higher, and folks saw remarkable improvement in insulin sensitivity. In addition to our knowledge that overeating is likely the impetus for insulin resistance, Mat Lalonde has made the point that nutrient deficiencies are also a big factor in all this. If we have inadequate substrates for antioxidant production, ROS species increase inflammation, which itself deranges metabolism and insulin sensitivity, regardless of calorie intake.
2-Neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other conditions seem to really respond to a very LC/ketogenic approach. It looks like we might actually get some studies in this area, which is good considering the growth of these conditions.
Ketosis seems to stabilize calcium homeostasis in the brain (important for mitigating oxidative stress), and provide an alternate fuel source for glycation damaged neurons. We have seen some reports of simply adding a ketogenic dose of MCT oil in the form of coconut products, without carb restriction, actually improving some of these conditions. We have great data indicating a ketone-ringers solution could greatly benefit traumatic brain injuries (TBI), likely for the reasons mentioned above: stabilizing calcium homeostasis and providing an alternative fuel to glucose.
A keto diet can take on many forms, but it typically involves the restriction of carbohydrates to no more than 50g per day. Sources should typically come from whole foods like vegetables, nuts, meat, fish, and so on. Refined carbohydrates, like bagels, pasta, and cereals, should be avoided, as should refined sugars (including high-sugar fruits and fruit juices).
Meals, therefore, should mostly be comprised of protein and some healthy fats (like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados). A good rule of thumb is to follow the 60/35/5 rule in which 60% of calories come from fat, 35% from protein, and 5% from carbs. Protein should be set at about 1.5 to 1.75g of protein for every kilogram of your ideal body weight.
For comparison, a typical Western diet is about 5-15% protein, 10-20 % fat, and 65-85% carbohydrates.
It’s also important to not overdo the protein; a high-protein diet may prevent the body from entering into ketosis. Also, this is not a form of intermittent fasting.
People on ketogenic diets eat more carbohydrates than they think. They’re hidden in vegetables, nuts, and certain meat products. Yes, that peanut butter you’re chomping on could be causing a problem! Especially if it’s store bought – that stuff is loaded with extra sugar.
Some vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, squash, sweet potatoes ...You might think that they’re low carb, but in large consumption, those carbs really do add up.
Meat is the center of most of our lives, and there’s sugar everywhere you look. Some bacon is honey smoked, adding unnecessary carbs to an already delicious product. Why the madness? Look for bacon with no sugar added. When you start to look into Italian sausages, chorizo, and canned meats, there’s more carbs than most think. Some brands have up to 5g carbs per serving when it comes to sausage – so make sure you are being diligent.
Being consistent with a ketogenic diet is extremely important. Being as it can take a few days for your body to become keto-adapted, a cheat day can really take a long time to recover from. By the time your body is back in ketosis, a week may have passed – and that’s a week of no fat burning. This is also where the dreaded water weight will come back on.
If you are weighing yourself on a weekly basis, you may see a 4-6 pound gain of water weight if you did a cheat day 5 or 6 days ago. It also means it will take a few more days for the weight loss to start again. What may seem like a weight loss plateau is really just a delay from your body trying to become keto-adapted again.
Too much excess protein is just a bad thing when you’re in ketosis. As mentioned in a previous article, up to 56% of the excess protein is broken down into glucose. We all know that the body loves to use glucose as the primary form of fuel, and that’s exactly what we don’t want it to do.
This can slow your metabolism down. The body will slow itself down in response to a lack of food or excessive amounts of exercise to conserve itself. Studies show that if you do aerobic exercise for more than 1 hour a day, your metabolic rate can drop by as much as 15%.
In addition, eating too little can have the same effect. If you are eating too little, so much so that your fat stores cannot cover your calorie deficit, your body will begin to use lean mass to get the energy that it needs. This study shows that over a 6 month period of a 25% calorie deficit, your metabolic rate will only drop about 6%.
Studies show that as long as you’re eating at enough of a deficit that your fat stores can cover, your metabolic rate doesn’t change too much. If you do go over that deficit, though, your metabolic rate will severely drop in order to protect vital organs (this is a real “starvation mode” response from your body).
Snacking when you’re hungry is great, but it can also be a setback. Try restricting yourself to eat on a regular schedule, with no meals (however small) in between. This is similar to intermittent fasting, and works very well for some people.
Intermittent Fasting will allow your blood sugar and insulin to drop down to baseline levels, and allow your body to go into its fasting state – where it will burn fat for fuel.
Try Only Three Meals Aday
When insulin is heightened, we can also show signs of hunger, according to this study, which can also lead to being in a calorie surplus.
If you eat 5 meals a day spaced out over 10 hours, try eating 2 or 3 times a day in an 8 hour window. For example, from 10am until 6pm you can eat all the calories you want. After that, don’t allow yourself to eat until the next day.
If you’re finding yourself still at a plateau, you can apply a technique called the fat fast. It is normally a 3 day window of low caloric intake and high amounts of fat to kickstart your body to use your stored fat as fuel.
