Fundamental Diet Changes

[Pop_Rivit]

One that I failed to mention is a 2002 study from the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health.

The study looked at the glycemic index, glycemic load and risk of type 2 diabetes. The report concluded the following:

Quote:
In animals and in short-term human studies, a high intake of carbohydrates with a high glycemic index (a relative measure of the incremental glucose response per gram of carbohydrate) produced greater insulin resistance than did the intake of low-glycemic-index carbohydrates. In large prospective epidemiologic studies, both the glycemic index and the glycemic load the glycemic index multiplied by the amount of carbohydrate) of the overall diet have been associated with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes in both men and women. Conversely, a higher intake of cereal fiber has been consistently associated with lower diabetes risk. In diabetic patients, evidence from medium-term studies suggests that replacing high-glycemic-index carbohydrates with a low-glycemic-index forms will improve glycemic control and, among persons treated with insulin, will reduce hypoglycemic episodes. These dietary changes, which can be made by replacing products made with white flour and potatoes with whole-grain, minimally refined cereal products, have also been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and can be an appropriate component of recommendations for an overall healthy diet

 

[benjamming]

I think that's what I was looking for. Before, I start looking those up though, do they show correlations (however strong) or causation? Not that correlations are worthless, but they can't lead to a theory, only a hypothesis.

 

[BearZDefect]

I agree that highly refined foods contribute to many problems as written above.

I'd like to second this info from Steve:
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
no one diet works for everyone.

May want to read some nutritional typing books.

Solves a lot of problems for folks.

But remember, if it comes in a box you'd be better off eating the box!

For me, whole wheat bread is as bad as white bread.

Vegetables, fruit, and red meat seem to serve me best. Aside from that, I can eat a bit of rice, enough sweets (no corn syrup), and plenty good fats.

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: BearZDefect

For me, whole wheat bread is as bad as white bread.

Vegetables, fruit, and red meat seem to serve me best. Aside from that, I can eat a bit of rice, enough sweets (no corn syrup), and plenty good fats.


Same here. Over the last twenty years I had been increasingly adopting the conventional "good" foods - more chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, and whole wheat. I never got to the fish because I just couldn't stand the taste.

I also gained weight like crazy, my appetitie was insatiable, and my lipid profile got not one bit better. Now I'm reading that my "improvement" regimen was almost exactly wrong for me, and was causing the appetite and weight gain. I have now dropped those improvements from my diet, and have been slowly working on adding more fish. My appetite is more in control, the pounds are slowly coming off, and I am working on adding more vegetables. Apparently I have the taste receptors that make many cruciferous vegetables seem bitter, so this is a struggle. I haven't gotten my lipids tested yet, but just from a "reality check" standpoint, I think I'm on a better track.

 

[crinkles]

i'm going to cut out dihydrogen oxide this year. apparently it is in most things we consume nowadays, and i'm just sick of eating all these chemicals in my food. it gets added to the dirt when growing food so it grows faster and better. its hard to work with for the farmers because if you inhale it, it can kill you so they have to dose it out in metered amounts.

 

[dave123]

Acura Tech are you going to DLD.

 

[Cutehumor]

I find this thread the day before the super bowl. Super bowl is pig out time. appetizer in 1st qt, dinner at half time, and desert in 4th qt

 

[Benzadmiral]

Breakfast: toasted wheat bagel with light cream cheese, plus low-acid orange juice on the rocks and a cup of mostly-decaf coffee. Sometimes two eggs' worth of the Egg Beaters with some paprika or pepper.

Lunch: salad of iceberg lettuce (I've tried the dark green kind, and I don't like it much), with radishes, green onion, red bell pepper bits, and pickles; some yogurt; possibly a packet of cheese crackers with peanut butter. Also some cookies through the morning, but hey, without some treats what would life be?

Dinner: salmon or other fish with lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic pepper, with frozen peas; or chicken soup with extra canned chicken to supercharge it, and some bread for dunking; or pasta with olive oil and the pepper and salt. Occasionally a few chips, more likely saltine crackers. Now and then a little bread dipped in pepper-charged olive oil. Cookies, oatmeal usually, and a bit of 60% cocoa dark chocolate; fewer cookies since I've been doing the chocolate. Need to see if I can change to wheat pasta and crackers. Right now I'm having some couscous a couple nights a week. Peanuts as a snack.

Water to drink, orange juice, or decaf coffee, occasionally tea; don't remember the last time I had a cola; don't (can't) do beer or red wine.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
I work nights and most often am not home for a proper home cooked meal, so I would often succumb to temptation and just get fast food. But now I'm at the point where I'm just sick of it. Eating it makes you sick and I'm against just about every facet of the fast food business model.

Too many people don't bother to think that even though they can get a double cheeseburger for $1 (what a deal, right?) that there are just so many hidden costs. The fast food model supports poor health, factory farms, pollution, non living wages, the list goes on. But I'm not here to rip on fast food all day. We all know that it kinda sucks.

You are 100% correct.
Quote:

-Eliminate corn syrup completely. Cut down on white sugar. Use honey and maple syrup as needed. Fresh fruit is OK in moderation.

-Stick mostly to food found in the outer perimeters of the grocery store. Produce, fresh dairy, meats, and baked goods. Basically foods that are not long term shelf stable.

-Cut the fried foods. The quality of most restaurant frying oil is suspect. (After a round of beers all bets are off with this rule!)

Recently I've crossed over into a ketogenic diet to shed a couple extra pounds for summer. I'm 5'10 and 180lbs and I'd like to be 165 by May. So far it's been working well; I've lost 11 pounds (down from 191) over three weeks. I've eschewed sugar entirely, as well as starchy foods. It's good. I feel great. I don't have energy for strenuous extended exercise, but I don't do strenuous extended exercise. I live a normal lifestyle like you or many others. Walk around, maybe bound up and down some stairs, and wrench on cars.

 

[Shannow]

A month before Christmas, my FIL was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, having been on blood pressure meds (increasingly stronger), and cholesterol meds for years.

Doctor gave him a year to sort his act out, and recommended a local personal trainer.

Trainer cost him $700, but got him on a vitamin and fish oil regime, some light gym work, and 8km of walking per day, plus a diet of much vege, wholegrain breads, a couple hundred grammes of lean meat/fish/egg, spread over small meals every two hours.

3-1/2 months later, blood pressure is gone, cholesterol is gone, Type 2 diabetes is gone, along with 20lb, and a few hundred dollars for new clothes.

His mood is amazingly improved, and he's planning activities and travel rather than moping around home.

 

[L_Sludger]

That's great, Shannow! It's amazing what healthy diet and exercise can do to improve mental health, isn't it?

 

[Randy_O]

Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels
Same here. Over the last twenty years I had been increasingly adopting the conventional "good" foods - more chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, and whole wheat. I never got to the fish because I just couldn't stand the taste.

Same here,; In my case I switched to vegan 5 years ago and haven’t felt better in my life!

 

[biodiesel]

Originally Posted By: Randy_O
Same here,; In my case I switched to vegan 5 years ago and haven’t felt better in my life!


Vegetarian maybe, but not Vegan. Not if you're putting "lots of cream" in your coffee.

 

[NJC]

Future generations will be appalled at our [censored] diet - shelf-life and convenience over good nutrition ... at what cost, and was it really worth it? I grind my own red hard wheat for bread, pancakes/waffles, cookies et al.

I want to not only surpass fourscore and twenty, but do it in decent health too.

 

[IndyIan]

What do you use to grind your wheat? My wife is interested in this but we haven't found a good grinding system.

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels


Same here. Over the last twenty years I had been increasingly adopting the conventional "good" foods - more chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, and whole wheat. I never got to the fish because I just couldn't stand the taste.

I also gained weight like crazy, my appetitie was insatiable, and my lipid profile got not one bit better. Now I'm reading that my "improvement" regimen was almost exactly wrong for me, and was causing the appetite and weight gain. I have now dropped those improvements from my diet, and have been slowly working on adding more fish. My appetite is more in control, the pounds are slowly coming off, and I am working on adding more vegetables. Apparently I have the taste receptors that make many cruciferous vegetables seem bitter, so this is a struggle. I haven't gotten my lipids tested yet, but just from a "reality check" standpoint, I think I'm on a better track.


An update - Got my lipids checked recently. My good cholesterol, which was too low, was still a little low. Bad cholesterol has always been OK, and still was.

The big change was in triglycerides - they should be under 150. Over the last 10 years mine were usually around 220, but the most recent on the conventional diet referenced above was 280. On the blood type diet, they are now down to 152.

 

[NJC]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
What do you use to grind your wheat? My wife is interested in this but we haven't found a good grinding system.

Indylan, we use the Nutrimill. Mine has broken down AT LEAST 3 times, so I haven't been impressed. It's a bit dusty but I do like the ability to load hopper before turning on, and it has a BIG capacity. BTW, 2 of 3 breakdowns have been catastrophic failures from grinding popcorn. Something the unit IS supposed to do but is not quite robust for the task.

 

[JosephH1]

Originally Posted By: Shannow

Doctor gave him a year to sort his act out


Hey Shannow
That is a great result for your FIL. The body has amazing recuperative powers if given a chance.

The ultimatum from the doctor has piqued my interest. What was meant by that? Beyond the health impact of doing nothing, what would the consequences be? Would he be dropped as a patient? Spanked? Have his insurance canceled?
Any doctor who gave me an ultimatum like that would be dropped immediately. I worry that we are heading into a era of overbearing coercion in a number of areas including healthcare in the US.

I wish your FIL the best of luck

 

[Shannow]

Joseph,
the ultimatum was nothing sinister...scare would be more appropriate.

Just a prediction that within a year, he'd have to take active intervention, pills, needles, whatever, and that there was still a chance to head it off...and a lecture on the side effects of diabetes, like blindness and kidney issues.