“…Another condition that fits this description—misattribution to a wrongly demonized dietary factor—is gout. Animal protein in general, and red meat, in particular, typically take the blame for gout, with alcohol—beer, especially—a close second. Gout occurs when a compound called uric acid builds up in the body and precipitates into crystals that lodge in the joints. The big toe is most commonly affected, but gout attacks can affect other joints. Uric acid comes from the breakdown of purines, which are concentrated in animal proteins but are also found in plant foods. Uric acid isn’t a problem in a healthy body that excretes it properly. It’s only problematic when it accumulates and solidifies, and the primary driver of this is high insulin. Just as with sodium, hyperinsulinemia inhibits excretion of uric acid. The answer isn’t to reduce dietary purines (which would mean cutting back on some of the most nutrient-dense foods available); the answer is to reduce insulin levels.”

See “The Hidden Problem of Chronic Hyperinsulinemia“.

So, to prevent gout you need to lower your insulin levels. Eat a reduced carbohydrate diet – yes, exclude potatoes, grains, beans and fruit. If you have gout you’ve likely got an insulin problem…but…

…You know what else can contribute to gout? Blood pressure meds. And there’s evidence that it might not be a good idea for seniors to be on blood pressure meds at all. But that’s another story.

So, high insulin and blood pressure meds – a recipe for gout.

If you’ve got drawerful of meds – find a new doctor, please.

Ciao.

I highly recommend DietDoctor.com! An excellent resource – I was reading Andreas Eenfeldt MD long before he created his website and program.

Here’s what low carb looks like:

Stop the bread, cakes, cookies, muffins, cereals, crackers, sweetened drinks, seed oils (canola, corn, soy, etc.), potatoes, rice, quinoa, etc. These foods convert to sugar quickly and/or promote inflammation. Forget counting calories, weight watchers, eating less and exercising more. You’ve tried this for a lifetime and it doesn’t work.

Obesity and diabetes are the results of hyperinsulinemia caused by eating too many carbs. When you eat refined carbs your body cannot access your fat stores for fuel. But when you restrict carb consumption your insulin levels drop and your body can now access your body fat for fuel.

There’s a ton of books I can recommend to help you understand how we got it so wrong and how to right the ship. I’m going to put a list together. If you read only one or two of these you will find yourself getting angry that you’ve been lied to about obesity, about how to lose weight and improve your health. I know I am. But I also know that I am now in control and have learned just how easy it is to control my weight and my health.

Don’t get me started on cholesterol. The only number that matters is your triglyceride/HDL ratio. It should be less than 2 – the lower the better. Statins – just say NO! Statins are one of the biggest con jobs in health history.

Here’s the best part of low carb or keto. Your metabolic markers improve almost immediately – long before you’ve lost the weight.

Take control now. Go to DietDoctor.com to get started.

These iconic words come from one of our favorite shows “The Great British Baking Show”.

If you’ve got a Netflix account you should start watching. There are several versions – start with the plain “The Great British Baking Show” – there are others like Masterclass, The Beginning, etc. Watch a single episode at a time – you get to know the bakers and find yourself rooting for them. There is such a diverse group of bakers. Well done!

Every weekend the bakers have to complete three challenges that are evaluated by Paul and Mary (see below). One baker is designated “Star Baker” and one has to go home. At the end, three bakers will vie to win it all. Great fun!

Above are the original hosts of the show Mel, Sue, Mary and Paul. After a number of seasons the show moved to a new network – Paul came with it but Mary, Sue and Mel decided to stay with the old. In the newer version Paul is joined by Prue, Noel and Sandy. They’re good but, honestly, we loved Sue, Mel and Mary – especially, Sue and Mel. We still miss them.

It’s been a joy to watch. A reality show done the right way.

Ciao.

People often ask me “how much should I weigh” – wanting me to provide them with a specific weight in pounds or kilos.

While I can give people a ball-park figure based on their height and weight, how much we should weigh is when our waist circumference is half our height. At this weight, we have the lowest risk of heart attack and stroke (cardiovascular disease) and the lowest amount of Years of Life Lost.

Health is not a number on the scale.  It’s the measurement of the amount of fat in our abdomen, around our liver, kidneys, pancreas and heart.

As you, dear reader, know I have a special interest in nutrition and health. The above quote is from a blog article that I read written by a Canadian registered dietitian Joy Kiddie.

What is a healthy waist circumference? Half your height. If your height is 64 inches then your waist circumference should be 32 inches or less. I strongly encourage you to read Joy’s article for the science behind this. BMI is not helpful in determining future cardiac events and life span but waist circumference is. So, stop weighing yourself and start measuring your waist.

You all know I’m a proponent of low carb. Why? Because it works. Metabolic health is improved on a low carb lifestyle EVEN in the absence of weight loss.

Look around you. The dietary guidelines have failed. Eat less and exercise more DOES NOT WORK. Reject low fat high carb and embrace low carb high fat. Your life will thank you.

Ciao.

This is what a real leadership team should look like. This is representative of my America.

Thank you Speaker Pelosi!