Motivation of the Day

Motivational Quote of the Day

New Gluten Study

A new study confirms whtat many of us already knew..... that a gluten free diet in non-celiac patients reduces adiposity and insulin resistance!

The "Best" Exercises

A really interesting series starting here that shows a comparison of various exercises in EMG (muscle activation) response.  There is too much information to quote here, if you are into weight training then I highly recommend this series.  Very interesting! For instance, looking at biceps exercises:



Found at http://suppversity.blogspot.com/

Sad Facts!

These results should not come as a surprise.  According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, the leading sources of calories in U.S. diets are:

1. Grain-based desserts
2. Breads
3. Chicken and chicken dishes
4. Sodas and other sugary beverages
5. Pizza
6. Alcoholic beverages
7. Pasta and pasta dishes
8. Tortillas, burritos, tacos
9. Beef and beef dishes
10. Dairy desserts

From http://www.foodpolitics.com/

Vitamin D update

As I've remarked before the two supplements that I routinely recommend to my patients most are Krill Oil and Vitamin D3. Studies on Vitamin D in particular have really increased in frequency over the last year. So, I thought I would do a quick review of some that caught my eye!

First, is a study that over six months looked at Vitamin D 3 supplementation at 2000 iu a day in patients with Type II Diabetes. There were several metabolic improvements. Most notably, significant decreases in LDL (commonly called "bad cholesterol") and LDL/HDL ratio. Given our current accepted understanding of cholesterol (which may be changing, but that's a conversation for another day) and risk for coronary artery disease, you would expect to see decreased risk for cardiac events.  Problems with this study are the relative small size and lack of placebo arm for comparison.

Secondly, a recent meta-analysis looked at Vitamin D supplementation and prevention of dental caries.  This did show a positive association with Vitamin D supplementation and decreased dental caries up to the age of 13, at which the association did not continue. Unfortunately, this study did not break out traditional Vitamin D supplements with Vitamin D3 supplementation and as noted this was not a causal relationship but an association. Certainly, more study is warranted.

Third, a large study looked at Vitamin D levels and risk for development of diabetes. It did confirm a large relationship between Vitamin D levels and likelihood of developing diabetes. I found the following quote interesting (it does make sense):

"As the researchers explain, worldwide rates of type 1 diabetes vary by latitude, with annual age-standardized incidences ranging from a low in the tropics (0.5 per 100,000 in Venezuela) to a high near the Arctic Circle (60/100,000 in Finland). "

Another study showed a link between low Vitamin D levels and severe mental disease in adolescents. This study showed a link between development of seasonal allergies and asthma and low Vitamin D levels. Also, Low Vitamin D Linked to Alzheimer's.

These are just some highlights from the last couple of months. The bottom line is that low Vitamin D levels are highly correlated with numerous disease and metabolic abnormalities in the human body, but is it causative or associative? Which came first the chicken or the egg? Does Diabetes or Alzheimer's cause changes in the human body which inhibit Vitamin D levels? Also, does absolute level matter or does source of Vitamin D (artificial supplementation versus sun exposure)?

We need more "good" (double blind placebo controlled trials) to answer these questions. For now, I continue to recommend Vitamin D3 supplementation (dose depending on what patient's levels are found to be - usually 2000-5000 units a day). But also, get out in the sun a little. Some some exposure daily is good for us! Just don't overdo it!

Whole 7 Final Update

Travel once again threw my diet off. After long multiple plane rides, traditional comfort food looks sooooo good! I did end the week at 182.  I am now back on the strict Paleo diet and plan a Whole 30 attack in January! (Hopefully without any significant travel to interfere)

Whole 7 Day 2 Update

Got more exercise and diet stayed very good yesterday. Scale showed at 180.0. A loss of almost 3 pounds in the first 48 hours! I don't believe it is all water weight either, have been hydrating throughout the day well. It is amazing how the weight can come off when you follow the diet strictly. Travelling to Huntsville, Alabama for business today which usually is a challenge as far as staying true to the diet. Will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Whole 7 Day 1 Update

Great diet. Not as much exercise as I planned. Scale this AM showed 181.8, almost a full pound decrease from yesterday morning!

Update

With the craziness of Thanksgiving, travelling, Black Friday and Cyber Monday there has been a real lack of new and/or interesting nutrition or exercise news that I would like to share, but hopefully that will be changing in the next few days as we all get back into our regular schedule.

My Thanksgiving meals I was able to stay Paleo without cheating, however, with travelling we did not have many fresh fruits and vegetables and hand and so the weekend meals did suffer somewhat!

So I am starting a Whole 7 challenge to myself to be ultrastrict on diet and exercise over the next seven days. Weight this morning was 182.6 pounds, up about two pounds from one week ago. I hope to get to the 178 pound mark by the end of this challenge! More updates to come!

Another Study Showing the Importance of Moving!

This great illustration comes from the study Physical Inactivity as the Culprit of Metabolic Inflexibility. In short, physical inactivity leads to decreased clearance of cholesterol from the blood, a shift towards hyperinsulinemia and glucose as main energy substrate, increased fat deposition, and diffuse insulin resistance.

This goes in line with the blog post from a couple of weeks ago that showed decreased lipase activity with just a simple change from standing to sitting.

Get up and move! Find your inner athlete!

Travel troubles!

It is amazingly hard to keep Paleo when flying around the country! In the last few days have been in Louisville, Chicago, Phoenix, Denver and Nashville. Not many good choices for us hunter-gatherers!

More Success!

Just saw a gentleman that lost 17 pounds this month going Paleo. Triglycerides went from 311 to 158 and fasting blood sugar from 120 to 91!

If you can just get people to commit for two weeks to the lifestyle, you will have them hooked!

Interested in Adventure Sports?

If you're interested in adventure sports, whether it be the Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, or any of the other competitors, you'll be interested in the history behind these events as detailed in this great article from Outside magazine.

 My wife and I hope to compete in a couple of these in the coming year. Hope to see you there!

The Sugar Swindle

Gary Taubes, author of the excellent book Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It with an amazing story of how sugar and high fructose corn syrup makers convinced the world that they were healthy!

This is truly a must read piece! Unfortunately, it goes to show how "science" can be used with bias to prove just about any point. We must all exercise due diligence and use critical thinking when confronted with any news or information. Who paid for the study? Who do the researchers get grant money from? What type of study is it and how well designed is it? These are all questions we need to ask when evaluating new information.

Another Good Krill Oil Study

Another study shows the benefits of Krill Oil versus stand fish oils. Bottom line, you would have to take significantly more fish oil to have the same effect as minimal doses of Krill Oil.  Also, I am very interested in the findings that showed decreased levels of pro-inflammatory molecules in the Krill oil treated mice! Hopefully, more studies will be coming along soon in this area!

New Supplement Company

From their website:
"In 2008, fitness professional Sean Marszalek and food science expert Devenee Schumacher looked around at the growing number of protein supplement products, and didn’t like what they saw. Too many artificial ingredients, artificial sweeteners, inferior protein concentrates, and very few options for people with certain dietary restrictions such as diabetes."

They have developed some of the most Paleo friendly workout supplements that I have seen! The above product has zero sugar, zero carbs and zero fat! Includes high quality 100% Whey Protein Isolate and sweetened with the natural non-caloric sweetener Stevia!

They also have meal replacement bars, antioxidant drinks and fill and go shakes.

I am looking forward to trying their products and writing a full review in the future!

Good Fish Oil Article

The Atlantic has a brief article about Seasonal Affective Disorder and how little is present in the nation of Iceland.  The article attributes it to the quantity and quality of Omega 3 fatty acids in their diets. I found this quote interesting: 

"It's not just the absolute amount of omega-3s that you take in, but also the amount relative to your levels of omega-6 fatty acids. The risk for depression may increase with a high ratio of omega-6 fatty acids -- found in corn, safflower, and soybean oil, and common in processed foods -- to omega-3s. "

Of course, those of us in the Paleo/Primal movement already knew that!

Two Metabolic Syndrome Prevention thru Exercise Studies!

Two different studies. Two different results. The metabolic syndrome is a constellation of signs and symptoms. One is diagnosed by having at three of the following: low "good" (HDL) cholester, high triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, elevated waist circumference and elevated fasting blood sugar. This is important because these patients have a much increased risk of vascular events (heart attack, stroke, peripheral artery disease, etc.) than the overall population. One purports to show that resistance training (lifting weights) is superior. The second purports that cardiovascular fitness (aerobic exercise) helps prevent metabolic syndrome.

The take-home point is probably that exercise in general will help prevent or, at least, delay the onset of metabolic syndrome. More study is needed comparing the two against each other to see which is more beneficial.

In my humble opinion, I suspect that resistance training is superior. While the body's metabolic engine is superior during aerobic exercise, it fairly quickly falls off to its baseline, while resistance training generally will lead to increased metabolic efficiency throughout the day!

Great Ideas North of the Border!

It's nice to see that some groups are actually promoting healthy eating! See the suggested label on this juice box:

This is proposed by the Ontario Medical Assocation. Good for them! As stated atWeighty Matters, "A glass of grape juice contains nearly double the calories and sugar as Coca-Cola!"

Move!

Fascinating article regarding the effects of standing versus sitting on the body's physiology. We are learning that the process of sitting changes  our body's utilization of carbs, protein and fat thru different enzymatic pathways. Read the article and maybe buy one of these! But just look at the blood serum sample comparison of the same patient, eating the same meal when sitting versus standing!

The body's utilization of lipids has clearly changed!

Two More Converts

Today, I saw two patients for their two week follow ups. Both were remarkably similar.  I had seen them both for preventive care evaluation two weeks ago. They were both found to be obese, but also their fasting blood sugars were 116-120 (normal fasting sugar is generally 70-100, glucose intolerance ("pre-diabetic") is 101-125, and diabetic range is > 125). We discussed the Paleo/Primal Diet movement and recommended the "Wheat Belly" book by William Davis MD as an introduction to the diet. Both patients had lost > 10 pounds in the last two weeks, and more importantly their fasting blood sugars were within normal range at 91 and 92, respectively! Their energy levels are up and their gastroesophageal reflux symptoms are resolving!

Carb Heavy Diets Increase Risk for Cognitive Decline - Mayo Clinic

A recent study from the Mayo Clinic shows that diets heavy in Carbs or Sugars increase risk for cognitive decline, while diets high in fat and protein did not!

Dinner two nights ago.

My lovely wife Tracy fixed me this wonderful dinner two nights ago!

Spring Mix Sald with Bleu Cheese, Walnuts, Granny Smith Apple Slices and Paleo Balsamic Vinaigrette found here! And.....

Spice rubbed, grilled New York Strip with a side of the Butternut Squash Pesto Casserole from my previous post!

Paleo Dinner Party

Had a wonderful dinner party with our neighbors Chris and Danielle this last weekend. Food was fantastic!

This is a cucumber, feta cheese and red onion salad! Very light and refreshing!

Next came Chris' pan seared ground chicken patty in a lettuce cup with a light sauce of lime, fish and oyster sauce and diced jalapeno. Really good!

Next came this dish that I prepared. Started with 4-5 lbs of butternut squash, which was skinned, seeds and pulp removed and then cut into 3/4" cubes.  This were placed into boiling water, which was then turned down to simmer for 45 minutes. The cubes were then drained and placed into mixing bowl, salt and pepper to taste were added with 2 tbsp of butter.  Then using a potato masher it was all mixed and mashed. One half of mixture was placed into bottom of 11 X 7 dish. Then a layer of pesto was added (about 1/3 a cup). I used Ina Garten's recipe. (I did not use pine nuts because of my wife's food allergy and greatly reduced the quantities in this recipe). Then 1/4 cup of grated parmesan was evenly spread on top of pesto. The rest of the butternut squash was added next and then finally another 1/4 cup of parmesan.  This was then baked at 350 for 40 minutes.  Cannot begin to describe how hearty this tasted!

Finally, my wonderful wive's gluten free brownie topped with a raspberry-goat cheese coulis and fresh raspberries with Danielle's chocolate-banana mousse! Along with some good Pinot Noir this was an amazing meal served with great friends!

Obesity Lecture

At my medical conference, currently listening to a Harvard endocrinologist.  90 percent of what she has said is wrong! Calorie equals a calorie.....No! Avoid saturated fat ...... No! There is one word, and I'm serious, that she has not mentioned......... Sugar! How can you have a talk about obesity and not even mention sugar. Mind blowing! Simply mind blowing! Sad day for medicine.

Blogging Will Be Light for the Next Week

Blog posts may be infrequent over the next week while I take the family here:


Will be attending a medical conference on Updates in Men and Women's Health. Look forward to writing some posts about living the Paleo lifestyle at Disney!

New Krill Study

Being a fervent fan of Krill Oil supplementation, I am always keeping my eyes open for new studies on the benefits of Krill. This latest study from the October issue of Metabolism shows improvement in glucose and lipid parameters in mice supplemented with Krill Powder.  Krill Powder has a unique amino acid composition and may be superior to Whey protein in bioavailability!  Could Krill Protein Powder be the next big supplement craze?

KAATSU Training

Interesting article on KAATSU or Occlusion Training. Involves using a tourniquet on your  extremity during low resistance weight training. Supposedly, the exercise metabolites are concentrated in the muscle undergoing resistance thereby getting incredible surges in growth hormone and other anabolic activators! One Japanese study from the late 90's documented a 240 X increase in growth hormone with perpetuation of increased levels above control for 24 hours! I plan on giving this a try and documenting the results on this blog.

Too Much of a Good Thing!

A new study suggests that moderate exercise is more beneficial than intense exercise as the body tries to compensate to hold on to weight (fat). This is very much in line with Mark Sisson's theory of "Move, Lift and Sprint!" Makes a lot of sense!

Bell Pepper Soup with Goat Cheese

My wonderful wife, Tracy, made this last night. The Bell Pepper Soup was so rich with the addition of Goat Cheese. The sliced london broil had been marinated in dijon mustard, green onions and worchestershire sauce and then grilled.  The Leeks and Squash were tossed in EVOO, salt and pepper and then baked.

Bell Pepper Soup with Goat Cheese
2 tbsp EVOO
8 baby carrots, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tsp garlic
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
2 red bell peppers
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 cup goat cheese
Full fat sour cream
Basil Pesto
Parsley

Saute carrots, onion, and garlic in 2 tbsp of EVOO in pot.Separate and remove seeds and pith from bell peppers. Roast and remove skins (Best done by placing in zip lock bag immediately after roasting until skins loosen). Add to pot with chicken broth. Use immersion blender to combine. Add salt, pepper, thyme and goat cheese. Use immersion blender. Plate soup in bowl. Add dollop of sour cream. Add small amt of basil pesto on top of sour cream. Sprinkle plate with parsley. Serve!

Leek and Prosciutto over Spaghetti Squash

2 Leeks, Washed, White ends trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup Prosciutto chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Cracked Red Pepper Flakes
1 Spaghetti Squash, cut in half, baked at 375 for 40 minutes, pulp and seeds removed, spaghetti removed and set aside
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp Goat Cheese, crumbled

Makes 2 Large Servings

Melt butter over medium heat, saute Prosciutto for two minutes, add Leeks and saute for 5 minutes, salt and pepper to taste, add Red Pepper Flakes, Add Spaghetti Squash and chicken broth, simmer for 10 minutes. Plate and top with goat cheese crumbles (May add more goat cheese if desired).

Great Lecture Opportunity

On October 23rd, at Transylvania University, come see one of the top nutritionists in the US lecture.

10/23

Kenan Lecture Series presents: Marion Nestle, "Food Politics: How the Food Industry influences Nutrition and Health" 7:30 p.m. Location: Haggin Auditorium, Mitchell Fine Arts Center Marion Nestle, professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, will present "Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health." There will be a reception and book signing after the talk. For more information, contact Meg Upchurch at 8252 or mupchurch@transy.edu

Paleo Lifestyle Activity of the Day!

Hiking down 4600 ft. elevation Mount Mansfield in Stowe, Vermont........in driving rain, wind gusts to 70 mph and extreme fog!!

New Fish Oil Study

"In the new report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, lead study author Dr. Evangelos Rizos and his colleagues completed an extensive review of existing data. They pooled results from 20 studies that included almost 70,000 adult patients.
Through rigorous statistical analyses, they said, they found no significant risk reduction in those getting increased omega-3 in their diet or through supplements."

I, personally, find nothing in this study that would make me change my high opinion of fish oil supplementation. There have been thousands of fish oil studies, why these 20 were chosen is unclear. Also, most of the f/u was for a very short duration, much too short to see a true reduction in adverse events.

Curiously enough, on September 10th the Endocrine Society released new treatment guidelines for Hypertriglyceridemia, which stated:

"Fibrates, niacin, or omega-3 fatty acids be used alone or in combination with statins in patients with moderate to severe hypertriglyceridemia."

I look forward to reviewing the full study in JAMA when released, but for now will keep up my daily Krill Oil!

Had to share!

Courtesy of Melissa Joulwan at www.theclothesmakethegirl.com

Great Fat Heads Video!

Explains some of the history behind the Lipid Theory of Heart Disease and the Paleo movement's thoughts on Coronary Artery Disease. Watch it here!

Two New Converts!

Had a 40 year old female that I saw last week interested in losing weight and getting off some of her medication. We discussed Wheat Belly and the Paleo movement. She has changed her lifestyle and in that one week, she has lost 9 pounds! And 3 inches off her waist! She also has convinced her mother to join her on this journey, and her mom has lost 11 pounds in the last week!

This being my first day back after a quick trip to the Jersey Shore, it is so wonderful to have this be my first patient of the day!

Excellent Cholesterol Overview, Part 2!

The continuation of Mark Sisson's excellent review of Cholesterol can be found here!

Dinner Last Night!

All Paleo! Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Prosciutto. Balsamic Chicken over a bed of Rosemary, and Zucchini, Spaghetti Squash and Leek Cakes!

Excellent Cholesterol Overview, Part 1

Highly recommend Part 1of Mark Sisson's Cholesterol Overview! Found here!

Calcium Scan Best Heart Risk Diagnosis Tool: Study.

Via instapundit.

"A new study of six methods of determining a patient’s risk for heart disease has shown a CT scan of calcium build-up in the arteries around the heart might be the most accurate test.
The new study from researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina reviewed the effectiveness of six different heart disease indicators, including coronary calcium buildup (CAC), blood pressure in the arms and legs, carotid artery thickness, blood vessel health and family history of heart disease.
According to lead researcher Joseph Yeboah, any of these indicators could help improve the current standard of heart disease prediction, known as the Framingham Risk Score (FRS).
“We know how to treat patients at low and high risk for heart disease, but for the estimated 28 million Americans who are at intermediate risk, we still are not certain about the best way to proceed,” he explained in a news release.
“If we want to concentrate our attention on the subset of intermediate-risk patients who are at the highest risk for cardiovascular disease, CAC is clearly the best tool we have in our arsenal to identify them.”

I would be very cautious before jumping to order this test for my patients. First of all, the amount of radiation exposure is not insignificant. Second, how frequently do you have to have to test to watch for progression of disease. And, third, in my experience the coronary lesions with the most calcium tend to be the most stable plaques and much less likely to rupture and cause Acute Coronary Syndrome (a heart attack).

Doesn't This Look Amazing!

Goat Frozen Yogurt with Lemon and Blueberries!

Find the recipe here!

Amazing Success Story

I have a new patient that has always struggled with hypertriglyceridemia. When I first saw him, his fasting triglyceries were 315 (recommended is < 150) on 40 mg of Lipitor! We stopped the Lipitor and did an NMR (advanced lipoprotein analysis) and his tryglyceries were 710 and his LDL were all the more dangerous small, dense variety. This patient was not overweight and was fairly active, playing tennis 3-4 days a week. We discussed "Wheat Belly" and the Paleo lifestyle and the expected changes in his lipid profile: decreased Trig, increased HDL, and a change to large, fluffy LDL. Saw the patient back for health coach every two weeks, and after three months repeated his NMR lipid profile. Amazingly, his triglyceries were now 130! His LDL had shifted to the much less dangerous large fluffy pattern and his "good" HDL had increased 15.  This is a patient that had been on medication his entire adult life that increased his risk for developing diabetes, liver and muscle inflammation and may increase his risk for dementia! Now he is free of any Rx medication, only taking Krill Oil and Vitamin D3.

It is not easy, but it can be done!

On Being a Physician and a Paleo Lifestyle Adherent

I highly recommend this article over at www.paleolithicmd.com. It details the sometimes struggles that can occur between the Paleo Lifestyle dedicated physician and his role in traditional medicine. Couldn't agree more with the article.

Supplement of the Day: Krill Oil

Most people are aware of the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation via fish oil. Numerous studies show the improvement in lipid (cholesterol) parameters and some studies suggest a decreased risk for certain cancers and improvement in inflammatory conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis. But, it appears that not all fish oils are created equal. More studies are beginning to show that Krill Oil is probably the most beneficial fish oil supplement. Because of the unique phospholipids in Krill (the little crustaceans that whales eat), the human body shows greater absorption of the beneficial Omega 3's than any other fish oil. While studies so far have been small, their results have been very impressive!

"

·         Fish oil, also called Omega 3 fatty acids, are beneficial in numerous ways, including anti-inflammatory effects and blockage of plaque formation on arterial walls.  LDL reductions have been show to be approximately 5%, triglycerides by 15% and an increase in HDL of 5%.

·         Krill oil is a particular type of fish oil which the body may be able to absorb better than other forms.  Small studies have shown reduction in LDL by 34%, triglycerides by 20% and an increase in HDL of 43.5%.  Larger studies are needed, but preliminary results are encouraging."

       

"Lipids in Health and Disease"; Incorporation of EPA and DHA Into Plasma Phospholipids in Response to Different Omega-3 Fatty Acid Formulations - A Comparative Bioavailability Study of Fish Oil vs. Krill Oil; J.P. Schuchardt et al.; August 2011

University of Maryland Medical Center: Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology"; Fatty Acids of Astaxanthin Esters in Krill Determined by Mild Mass Spectrometry; S. Takaichi et al.; October 2003

Bunea R, El Farrah K, Deutsch L. Evaluation of the Effects of Neptune Krill Oil on the Clinical Course of Hyperlipidemia. Alternative Medicine Review. 2004;9(4):420-8.
Deutsch L. Evaluation of the effect of Neptune Krill Oil on chronic inflammation and arthritic symptoms. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007 Feb;26(1):39-48.
Kidd PM. Integrated brain restoration after ischemic stroke--medical management, risk factors, nutrients, and other interventions for managing inflammation and enhancing brain plasticity. Altern Med Rev. 2009 Mar;14(1):14-35.
Suzuki Y, Ohgami K, Shiratori K, Jin XH, Ilieva I, Koyama Y, Yazawa K, Yoshida K, Kase S, Ohno S. Suppressive effects of astaxanthin against rat endotoxin-induced uveitis by inhibiting the NF-kappaB signaling pathway. Exp Eye Res. 2005 Aug 25. Published Online Ahead of Print.
Kurashige M, Okimasu E, Inoue M, Utsumi K. Inhibition of oxidative injury of biological membranes by astaxanthin. Physiol Chem Phys Med NMR. 1990;22(1):27-38.

I have been using Neptune Krill Oil for approximately two years and I love the fact that there is no fishy aftertaste like some fish oils can cause. While any otc fish oil that states it is 100% Krill Oil should be beneficial, I personally use Neptune Krill Oil from Rejuvenation Science.

A Tale of Two Meals

Picture from: http://blog.massivehealth.com/infographics/tale_of_two_meals?

Dinner earlier this week

Almond Crusted Cod, side salad, home made Paleo tartar sauce and mixed fruit (blackberries, strawberries and kiwi)!

The Beginning

In January of 2012, I read "Wheat Belly" by William Davis MD. I had been a fan of his website www.trackyourplaque.com for a couple of years and was intrigued by his theories. I started following the diet at the end the month with a starting bodyweight of 202 pounds at 5'10.5" and 12% bodyfat. I am currently maintaining a bodyweight of 180-184 at 9% bodyfat. My exercise levels (resistance training primarily) did not change from prior to the diet to present. Energy levels are up. I feel better in general. This led me to finding the Primal/Paleo community and my wife and I have adopted the lifestyle with wonderful results. I highly recommend Mark Sisson's website www.marksdailyapple.com for frequent updates on the latest news and thoughts on Primal Living. My wife and I have influenced our neighbors to start living paleo as well, he has lost over thirty pounds since beginning in March and she has lost 10! I have been discussing this approach to many of my patients with wonderful results. I have many that have lost 20-50 pounds over the last 3 months while their blood sugar and lipids all show tremendous improvement. With this website, I plan on following the latest research on Paleo/Primal/Low Carb living, lipid research and management, exercise, and travel (and probably a few other things that I find interesting). I hope whoever stumbles on this site, will get some benefit from my experiences and the information shared.