Heart surgeon speaks out about what really causes heart disease.

That is an opinion -- not a fact. Just like what I said is my opinion, but it's an opinion I believe to be true for most people. From what I have experienced just by doing research, it would appear the obesity epidemic began once fat started being demonized, and high carb/low fat diets became popular. I am not saying that high carb diets don't work for certain people, but I am not convinced they work for many people. Also, I am NOT saying that all people who adhere to high carb diets are fat. There are many vegans and vegetarians who are unhealthily thin, and I think that's just as bad as being obese.

Sorry, I have just not seen any evidence that shows that eating excessive amounts of sugar (from fruit or otherwise), grains, starchy foods, and other things that cause an insulin response in the body, to be healthy over a long term. All the research I have seen shows that high blood glucose levels is what fuels cancers, along with so many other health conditions that afflict people these days. All the latest research shows fat to be healthy. The body utilizes fat immediately for energy without spiking the blood sugar like non-vegetable carbs do.

 

If you're not finding research to suggest anything other than what you want to believe you're not doing good research. You can find research to suggest anything. It's very easy to find research that suggests all kinds of contradictions. Just a few years ago all of the big health books and studies were promoting a high carb, low-fat diet. They are still very popular, it's not like what I'm saying is unheard of, it's just less popular at the moment because the high-fat craze is in fashion. It will constantly go back and forth because the confusion and "new research" is what sells. What is considered healthy is largely determined by the media, internet, health books and published research studies and journals included.

I never stated anything as a fact sir. You can find this information quite easily though. I never implied that you said everyone eating high carb is fat, what I responded to was your statement about a high carb, low-fat diet being a recipe for disaster. That was also an opinion that you stated as if it was a fact. There are vegan, vegetarian and omnivores who eat a high carb, low-fat diet who are not overweight nor underweight.

There's so many things in your statements above I could argue against but I have no desire to do so. Continue on your journey.

 

^^^^^ Are there still some people who believe that complex carbohydrate claptrap? Jane Brody from The New York Times more than anyone else promoted this nonsense. I cannot think of few other people who are so eloquent but so clueless at the same time and this makes her a dangerous person.
http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/lowfat-capitalism

 

I think it's important here that we define what we mean by "sugar." Glucose (a sugar) is the only source of energy the brain can use, period. People who eat high-protein, low-carb diets can actually go into a mild ketoacidosis (when your blood becomes too acidic) as a direct result of your body trying to turn protein into...you guessed it....sugar. Carbs are the most easily digestible because they're the body's first choice in energy production.

That being said, I don't think it's a good idea for everyone to down ice cream and candy bars all day. There are healthier sources of carbs the body can use. Also, our obesity epidemic seems to generally align with the advent of high fructose corn syrup, and I can't help but think that has something to do with it.

But speaking of obesity, I personally suspect there is more to it than just what we eat. My family is a case in point--my dad's a larger guy (he topped out at 290 at 5"11) and my sister (who looks just like him) has been overweight since 4th grade. I however, take after our mom, and have been skinny my whole life. I'm one of those people everyone loves to harass because I eat whatever I want and struggle to gain weight. My sister and I were raised in the same house and basically ate the same foods. And yet she's overweight and I'm not. I should add that she has been a vegetarian for 14 years, eats a ton of vegetables, whereas I subsist on pasta and dairy products. I rarely touch vegetables. She also dances 4 days a week whereas I sit on my ass. On paper, I should be the obese one, yet I'm not. Something else is going on here.

I really enjoyed this talk on the subject of insulin resistance causing obesity (instead of the other way around, like we've been taught). Check it out if you have the chance.

http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_attia_what_if_we_re_wrong_about_diabetes.html

I should also add that I don't think everyone needs the same amount of carbs. I personally have chronic depression, and carbs are a precursor to serotonin, so I find I need a high-carb diet. I've also eaten paleo meals before at friends houses and I feel weak and hungry afterwords. I don't feel full until I have substantial amounts of carbs--even with a ton of protein, which supposedly makes you full. Of course, not everyone is like me, and some would do better with a different carb/protein/fat ratio.

It's all about experimenting until you find something that works with your body.

 

Actually, fat -- not glucose -- is the body's preferred source of energy. A person who is fat-adapted, like myself, can burn fat for energy, and they can function just fine with as little as 30 grams of carbs per day. The reason you might feel tired or sluggish after eating a paleo meal is because your body is still conditioned to burn carbs for energy. This changes over time once you reduce carbs from your diet and eat more fat.

Also, you're confusing ketoacidosis (something associated with diabetes) with ketosis, which are two very different things. Ketosis is when your body simply uses fat instead of glucose for energy. The former is a bad thing, while the latter is not.

Glucose is NOT the only source of fuel for the brain. When you eat something like coconut oil, your body makes ketone bodies, which are an alternative fuel for the brain, and are actually associated with improved brain function. This might be why healthy fats, such as the medium-chain triglycerides found in coconut oil, have shown to be beneficial in treating patients with Alzheimer's disease.

 

Quality fat is the slow burning fuel for the human body.