1. Is glucose worse when it has fructose, like sugar does? Would this mean that potatoes are less bad than sugar?
Sugar is particularly obesogenic compared to any other carb because of two things - its sweet taste and it's half fructose. In fact, the fructose is what causes the sweet taste, so it's the fructose that is the main culprit.
- Fructose has a sweet taste and the state of sweet disrupts blood glucose homeostasis through its affects on dopamine/serotonin. Antidepressants like serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have long been known to affect weight because of this.
- Fructose is a hepatotoxin like alcohol, and creates liver fat. This liver fat exacerbates and perpetuates metabolic conditions.
But glucose all by itself without the fructose, as is the case with potatoes, still impacts blood glucose because it adds extra glucose to a system that likes to keep its blood glucose under strict control. Anything that disrupts blood glucose homeostasis will result in metabolic dysfunction over time.
So you don't want to look for items that are "less bad" because there is no such thing as "less diabetes". You either have it or you don't.
2. My wife recently had a terrible bout of non-stop seizures. She was in intensive care for three weeks. She has always had seizures but they were well controlled until this set back. What I found interesting is that her morning blood glucose would always be in the 60s mg/dL. I have read on your blog that blood sugar this low is not normal. Could this be contributing to her recent health problems?
I am not a doctor so I cannot tell you what could have caused your wife's recent bout of seizures. It could have been a number of things. I have migraine with aura. I can sometimes detect triggers but most times cannot.
What I can tell you is that blood glucose dysregulation plays a very critical role in controlling conditions like migraine, seizures and other neurological issues. This is because the brain suffers first when there is a lack of blood glucose homeostasis. There are certain cells in our body that require glucose to remain alive and functioning. Some of those cells are in the brain.
Disturbances to blood glucose homeostasis causes an energy crisis in the brain exacerbating neurological conditions. When I was able to better control my blood glucose, my migraines subsided. Insulin plays a vital role in getting glucose into these glucose dependent cells. Insulin resistance interferes with this process. Improving insulin sensitivity through the stabilization of blood glucose should be priority number one if you want to better control neurological conditions.
You are correct that a fasting blood glucose of 66 mg/dL is not normal. It is hypoglycemia and it will be very difficult for your wife to control her seizures if her blood glucose is on a roller coaster. I do not know why her blood glucose is dropping this low. It can be for a number of reasons, including seizure medications.
So I suggest you talk to her doctor about your concern and see if he has any answers for this. Other than that, your wife is going to have to diligently watch her diet and exercise routine. Lifestyle factors are the main contributor to blood glucose abnormalities.
3. I am sick of slim people talking about "junk food", "preservatives" and "additives". Is it true that people are obese because of preservatives in food?
No. I have spoken about this in other posts.
I feel your frustration because I am also sick and tired of this misconception. Obesity is not the result of preservatives, additives, chemicals or anything else found in conventional food. You can become obese off completely natural and organic, whole grain and fermented wheat products.
People start going through a rabbit hole of nonsense when they follow this type of advice but the diet sphere has always been ripe with this type of foolery. There are plenty of thin people eating Doritos and pizza boats daily. Just visit your local university's dorm room. It will be very difficult for you to find an 400 lbs. person on campus. There are many athletes that eat sheer "junk" on the daily and are perfectly slim. There are many people who are extremely picky with their food and only want the healthiest choices available and are still 400 lbs.
Obesity is the result of blood glucose dysregulation. Nothing else. It doesn't matter what food you eat as long as it doesn't interfere with blood glucose. The reason that "junk food" has gotten a bad rap is because it is usually filled with sugar, grains and plant based oils which all further contribute to blood glucose dysregulation.
No one knows for how long any individual can retain their blood glucose control while eating so called "junk". Look at low carb people. They eat clean and are still obese and unable to take control of their blood glucose. So controlling blood glucose and keeping it under control is dependent on a lot more than just food. Many individualized factors are at play here.
4. I want a real hack that I can use and it be effective. I LOVE McDonald's breakfast and I want to be able to eat it daily without it causing me obesity or diabetes. I know that's a lot to ask for but it's not like I'm asking for money and it's not every meal. I just want my breakfast! It's so convenient and delicious!
I know you think I'm going to reply that I can't help you and have no hack. But I actually do. In fact, it is the only real hack that exists.
If you understand that obesity/diabetes is rooted in blood glucose dysregulation, then the only thing you have to do is keep your blood glucose control and you will be free of developing either condition. But how? McDonald's and other fast food is notorious for interfering with blood glucose control and this is why everyone knows these foods are very obesogenic. But they are also very delicious. Is there such a thing as having your cake and eating it too?
Well, there is no magic pill you can take that can help you preserve your blood glucose regulation after eating biscuits and pancakes at McDonald's but there is a magical thing you can DO. All you have to do is walk five miles to the McDonald's, eat your breakfast and as you take the last bite, get up and walk five miles back home. The exercise will prevent your postprandial blood glucose from ever rising in a significant enough way to later cause hypoglycemia from prolonged insulin release. It's not even using insulin to clear the blood glucose!
This shows the actual curative mechanism of exercise rather than just the palliative mechanism of diet. With diet you are always hiding and avoiding but exercise causes an actual mechanical, quantifiable effect. This effect has been exploited by athletes, the world over, and this is how they can have McDonald's endorsements, and actually eat their food, with no adverse effects.
There is your hack, which will actually work. It would work if you are diabetic as well, it just depends on how well controlled it is, how many medications are being taken and what stage it's currently at.
But like all short cuts in life, you can run into problems. Walking a total of ten miles a day, everyday, can become unpredictable. Weather, illness, injury, age, work and other responsibilities can all get in the way of having the stamina and time to put into this endeavor. Remember, you can never fail one time or you will lose control of your blood glucose as you're basically walking on a tight rope to maintain it. You would need a lot of dedication and determination to be consistent with this hack. Even athletes eventually retire and become diabetic.
5. I usually like to go to the Dunkin' Donuts before work. I really like their coffee. While there I also get a breakfast sandwich, because I cannot have the dougnuts. I have to modify the sandwich so it's low carb by telling them to remove the bread and double the egg. The egg now becomes the "bread" so I can hold the sandwich. There is just one issue. They double the price. Low carb followers always talk about the modifications you can do at any restaurant but they leave out how pricey it can get. Prices have gone up anyway and this diet is going to break the bank.
Yes. That's why you want to avoid eating out as much as possible because you are already going to be spending more on food regardless. Might as well get more bang for you buck buying food you can prepare at home.
With low carb you can go to any restaurant and modify the food to fit your diet but prepare to pay more. Restaurants have always used carbs as filler. Carbs are cheap and create the illusion of a large portion. This makes you believe you got your money's worth, when you have to unzip your pants just to stay seated after a plate full of bread, pasta and salad. It is all smoke and mirrors though. When you remove all those carbs, you realize you are eating a plate of air and being robbed.
At the Dunkin' Donuts, tell them to ring each item of the sandwich separately. For example, they can ring up 2 eggs, one sausage patty and one cheese individually, rather than the whole sandwich and it will come out cheaper. Whether they are willing, or aware they can ring up the order that way, is another story.
All you have to do is just shop smarter when you do have to eat out. Stay away from fast food. It is not a bargain and usually ends up costing you more than a real restaurant, because you have to modify the menu and buy triple to make up for what's taken away.
6. Why does eating rice and beans or potatoes cause the feeling of being so full but it wears off so quickly?
Rice, beans, potatoes, pasta, all of this starch, causes a rise in blood glucose which makes insulin follow suit and this tells the body that enough food was eaten so hunger subsides and the feeling of being full increases. The problem is that excess insulin release to clear all of that glucose, continues dropping blood glucose while fasting causing the hunger to return in order to prevent hypoglycemia.
Blood glucose is what the body uses to determine its nutrient availability and whether it needs to be hungry or not. Not calories, not buffets, not portions, not micronutrients but blood glucose's influences on insulin. That is the main and sole determiner of how hungry and how fat you get.
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