The Foundation of Optimum Health – What and When to Eat Part I

Every year, millions of people embark on diets with the genuine intention of losing weight, improving their health, and enhancing their self-esteem. Dietary studies and the ongoing obesity epidemic lead to two key conclusions: first, all diets can be effective; second, all diets ultimately fail. Regardless of whether someone follows the Atkins, Grapefruit, Mediterranean, Keto, or low-calorie diet, they may see short-term results—typically within two to six months. Unfortunately, after this initial success, weight loss often plateaus, followed by an inevitable regain of weight, despite the dieter's best efforts to comply with their diet. All diets have been designed with a myopic view of the causes of obesity.

Insulin control is key

Obesity is a complex issue, involving multiple factors with no single cause. Do carbohydrates contribute to obesity? Yes. Can consuming excessive calories lead to obesity? Yes. Does insulin resistance play a role in obesity? Yes. Does fructose consumption have a linear relationship to obesity? Yes. Do processed foods lead to obesity? Yes. Each of these factors interplay with various hormonal pathways that result in weight gain, with insulin being the most significant hormone involved. Low-carb diets effectively reduce insulin levels. Low-calorie diets restrict calorie intake, thereby lowering insulin as well. Diets that eliminate processed foods, such as the paleo and carnivore diets, also reduce insulin production.

Currently, our approach to tackling the obesity epidemic revolves around the idea that the solution lies with one "magical" diet. Heated debates continue, suggesting that too much fat leads to obesity—thus advocating for a low-fat diet—or that excessive carbohydrates necessitate a low-carb diet. Some argue that too many processed foods require a shift to organic, pasture-raised options, while others contend that dining out too frequently calls for more home cooking. Similarly, there are those who advocate for completely cutting out sugar. In varying degrees, each perspective holds some truth.

There is no need to choose sides in the diet debate. Obesity is a hormonal dysfunction affecting hunger, satiety, glucose metabolism, and fat storage. The most significant hormonal factor in weight gain is insulin, known as the fat-storage hormone. This is clearly illustrated by observing individuals with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. No matter how much or what type of food a person with type 1 diabetes eats, they will not gain weight if they do not take insulin.

Therefore, the most rational weight loss approach is reducing or controlling insulin levels. One of the best ways to achieve this is through time-restricted eating, commonly known as intermittent fasting. Understanding what and when to eat can empower you to take control of your health. Below are the basics of what to eat.

Reduce the Consumption of Added Sugars

Added sugars pose a significant threat to your health. Sugar stimulates insulin secretion, but its dangers go beyond that. Table sugar consists of equal parts glucose and fructose. Fructose notably decreases lipolysis (fat burning), increases insulin resistance, and slows down your metabolic rate. This rise in

insulin resistance results in higher insulin levels in the body. Since sugar, particularly fructose, lacks any nutritional value, its consumption is a recipe for health disaster. There is no valid reason to add any type of sugar to food or beverages. Unfortunately, sugar is often hidden in many products, so it's essential to check food labels.

Read All Food and Beverage Labels

Food labels, much of the time, are intentionally deceptive. For example, sugar is not always labeled simply as "sugar." There are at least 56 names for sugar, including sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, agave nectar, molasses, corn sweetener, corn syrup solids, dextrose, and many others, such as brown sugar, date sugar, and maple sugar. Furthermore, the term "natural" in ingredient lists is also deceptive. According to the FDA, "natural" does not guarantee how the food was produced or processed, nor does it speak to its nutritional value (The U.S. Food, 2016). "Natural sugar" is merely a marketing term applicable to all non-artificial sweeteners.

A common trick by the food industry is to use multiple names for sugar to keep it from being high on the ingredient list. By law, companies list ingredients in descending order according to the amount included in the food. For example, flour is usually the first ingredient listed on the bread label because there is more flour than any other ingredient.

Do NOT Snack.

One of the greatest weight loss frauds of all time is the idea that humans are grazing animals. The belief that snacking—or eating multiple times per day—is healthy contradicts our physiology and many traditional food practices. Snacking emerged as a small part of American life in the early 1900s, but over the last few decades, it has become a staple for most Americans, largely due to the convenience food industry. This shift has coincided with an increase in the consumption of snacks, sugar/fructose, and seed oils, leading to a notable rise in obesity starting in the mid-1980s. 

Snacking can continuously stimulate insulin secretion, keeping levels elevated and hindering fat loss. So, what should you eat as a healthy snack? The answer is simple: nothing. Do you need to snack? No. It's best to simplify your life by eliminating unnecessary variables like snacking.

Coffee? Absolutely.

We've been led to believe that coffee, particularly caffeine, is unhealthy. However, research indicates otherwise. Drinking coffee is associated with a 10 to 15 percent reduction in total mortality (Freedman et al., 2012). According to Huxley et al. (2009), each cup of coffee consumed reduces the risk of diabetes by 7 percent, with a maximum of six cups per day. Additionally, coffee may offer protection against Alzheimer's disease (Eskelinen & Kivipelto, 2010) and Parkinson's disease (Ross et al., 2000). While these studies show a strong correlation, it's important to note that correlation does not imply causation.

It's worth mentioning that most coffee is highly processed, and if you're drinking coffee every day, you want to ensure it's free of toxins. I recommend finding an organic brand of coffee. My personal favorite is Lifeboost Coffee, which is 100% pure USDA organic, mycotoxin-free, GMO-free, pesticide-free, low acid, and shade-grown.

Tea? Absolutely.

There is seemingly an infinite number of tea varieties.  Tea has also been shown to be very healthy (Jing et al., 2009).  Remember to not add any caloric sweetener.

Other Dietary Pearls:

• Avoiding food is the most effective way to reduce insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. The key to losing fat and improving one’s health.

• Carbohydrate restriction has the greatest effect on lowering blood glucose levels and insulin resistance.

• Studies show that carbohydrate restriction has the biggest benefit for losing weight (Feinman et al., 2015; Russell-Jones et al., 2007).

• Replace carbohydrates with protein and fat.

• Only use protein sources that are wild, pastured, and grass-fed and finished.

• Only consume vegetables that are organic. If organic vegetables aren’t available, do not eat them.  Glyphosate (Roundup) is a killer.

• Do not consume polyunsaturated seed oils like corn oil, soy oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and more.  Many researchers believe this is the worst food one could possibly consume.

• Consume beef tallow, lard, butter, palm oil, olive oil, palm oil, and coconut oil. They are your best friends.

• Start intermittent fasting 12 or more hours per day. 

Watch for Part II of The Foundation of Optimum Health – What and when to eat.  You’ll learn the basics of when to eat, fasting myths, and the beneficial effects on our bodies.

Michael Furci is a Certified Nurse Practitioner.  Contact us for a FREE consultation HERE. 

References

Eskelinen, M. H., & Kivipelto, M. (2010). Caffeine as a protective factor in dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 20(s1), S167-S174. Received from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20182054/

Feinman, R. D., Pogozelski, W. K., Astrup, A., Bernstein, R. K., Fine, E. J., Westman E. C., . . . Worm, N. (2015). Dietary carbohydrate restriction as the first approach in diabetes management: Critical review and evidence base. Nutrition, 31(1), 1-13.  doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.06.011

Freedman, N. D., Park, Y., Abnet, C. C., Hollenbeck, A. R., & Sinha, R. (2012). Association of coffee drinking with total and cause-specific mortality. New England Journal of Medicine, 366(20), 1891-1894. Received from https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa1112010

Huxley, R., Ying Lee, C. M., Barzi, F., Czernichow, S., Perkovic, V.,Grobbee, D. E., Batty, D., & Woodward, M. (2009). Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Tea Consumption in Relation to Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169(22), 2053-2063. Received from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/773949

Jing, Y., Han, G., Hu, Y., Bi, Y., Li, L., & Zhu, D. (2009). Tea consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 24(5), 557-562. 

DOI: 10.1007/s11606-009-0929-5.

Ross, W. G., et al. (2000). Association of coffee and caffeine with the risk of Parkinson disease. JAMA, 283(20), 2674-2679 Received from file:///C:/Users/mindb/Dropbox/Tenpenny%20IMC/Blog/joc91293.pdf

Russell-Jones, D., & Kahn, R. (2007). Insulin Associated Weight Gain in Diabetes: Causes, Effects, and Coping Strategies. Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, 9(6), 799-812. DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2006.00686.x

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2016). The FDA requests comments on use of the term "Natural" on food labeling. Received from https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/use-term-natural-food-labeling