2/ "Whenever you eat anything, even the “fat bombs” (homemade high-fat snack foods) favored by the keto community, burning stored body fat (along with the manufacturing of ketones in the liver) ceases abruptly while you process the ingested calories."
3/ "The lifestyle essentials include increasing all forms of general everyday movement (especially frequent breaks from prolonged periods of stillness), following a sensible exercise program (including brief, high-intensity efforts)...
4/ "implementing superb sleep habits (which helps lower stress hormones and regulate appetite and satiety hormones), and setting aside time every day to unwind and unplug from hyperconnectivity."
5/ "Keeping a written journal provides long-term benefits, including better emotional regulation, self-awareness, & self-confidence; lower inflammation, blood pressure, & stress hormone levels; and better insulin sensitivity, liver function, lung function, & immune cell activity.
6/ "Gratitude journaling, in particular, has been shown to prompt spikes of the feel-good hormones dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin."
7/ "Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions driven by diet and physical inactivity, is today’s #1 global health epidemic: even more than COVID-19, because metabolic disease dramatically increases susceptibility to the virus and the severity of its symptoms and mortality risk.
8/ "The five markers of metabolic syndrome are high blood pressure, high blood glucose, excess belly fat, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol.
"Across all species, the individuals who produce the least amount of insulin over a lifetime live the longest." (p. 2)
9/ "A calorie-restrictive diet alone will not reduce body fat over the long term: genetically-programmed survival mechanisms against starvation will start kicking in to lower your metabolic rate.
10/ "Calories you burn during strenuous, depleting workouts make little or no contribution to your fat-reduction goals, as they are offset by a corresponding increase in appetite as well as a reduction in routine caloric expenditure during the day." (p. 2)
11/ "Chronic inflammation indicates the body is struggling to defend itself against a chronic stressor, such as reactive foods (e.g., gluten, peanuts, lactose), excess exercise with insufficient recovery time, chronically elevated glucose & insulin levels, or seasonal allergies.
12/ "This eventually leads to immune suppression, digestive disturbances, hormone dysfunction, assorted minor conditions ending with “itis” (arthritis, colitis, gastritis, sinusitis), and major modern killers such as cancer, heart disease, and diseases of cognitive decline.
13/ "The senile plaques and neurofibrallary tangles of Alzheimer’s disease may be driven by glycation. Dementia is fundamentally a metabolic disease characterized by impaired glucose metabolism in the brain, with molecular and biochemical features that correspond with diabetes.
14/ "The connection is so strong that Suzanne De La Monte’s Brown University team has coined the widely appropriated term “type 3 diabetes” to describe conditions of cognitive decline." (p. 6)
15/ "Dr. Sinha suggests that you will fare much better against all manner of exposure to pathogens, ranging from the common cold to a global pandemic, if you possess three attributes: an intact immune system (strongly correlated with healthful eating and regular exercise)...
16/ "an intact respiratory immune system (regular exercise helps keep the sinuses and lungs clear, with strong filtration abilities), and a strong aerobic system (which builds the strong accessory breathing muscles vital in preventing severe complications from infection)." (p. 8)
17/ "The nutritional value of grains pales in comparison to that of truly nutrient-dense foods such as fish, eggs, liver, fermented foods such as sauerkraut and yogurt, and colorful produce." (p. 8)
18/ "The naturally high volume of oil in an olive, avocado, or coconut means it can be extracted without high heat and chemical solvents.
"In contrast, refined seed oils' similarity to natural fat molecules confuses the body into integrating these agents into healthy fat cells.
19/ "Unfortunately, they are very difficult to burn for energy and can greatly hamper your overall ability to burn stored body fat over time.
"Seed oils also break down into toxins that generate oxidative damage and systemic inflammation." (p. 11)
20/ "Fructose doesn’t spike blood glucose or trigger insulin production as other forms of carbs do because it needs to be processed in the liver before it can be burned for energy. The liver is also where excess glucose is converted into triglyceride and stored as fat.
21/ "This makes fructose the winner of the “carbohydrate most likely to convert into fat” award—especially if you consume lots of other carbs and don’t exercise enough to deplete your glycogen stores." (p. 12)
22/ "The gliadin protein contained in genetically engineered modern-day “dwarf” wheat stimulates the appetite receptors in the brain to the extent that you are prompted to consume an additional four hundred calories per day.
23/ "On ingestion, gliadin degrades into an opioid polypeptide, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and has been linked not only to appetite stimulation but also to behavior disturbances, ADHD, allergic reactions, and impaired immune and neurological functioning." (p. 14)
24/ "The ideal meat or fowl is a local animal that was 100% grass-fed or pasture-raised.
"Oily, cold-water “SMASH” fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon [wild-caught], herring) have the highest omega-3 values & overall health benefits. Canned varieties are very affordable.
25/ "Shellfish (clams, crab, crayfish, lobster, mussels, oysters, shrimp, scallops) is also highly regarded for unique and potent nutritional offerings. The high zinc content in oysters boosts testosterone and dopamine, giving them a well-deserved reputation as an aphrodisiac.
26/ "Canned tuna is nutritious and affordable; the best varieties are white, light, and albacore.
"Seaweed (kombu, kelp, nori, wakame) is the best source of dietary iodine, which is critical for healthy thyroid functioning and hard to find in other foods.
27/ "Enjoy the unique flavor and phenomenal nutrient density of fish eggs (roe), such as salmon roe and caviar. They are one of the only rich dietary sources of vitamin D and are very high in omega-3s, the all-important vitamin B12, and selenium.
28/ "Avoid most types of farmed fish; fish imported from the Baltic Sea, Chile, and Asia (concerns about polluted waters, chemical use, long transport times); predatory fish (king mackerel, mahi-mahi, marlin, shark, swordfish, big tuna because of mercury and other contaminants).
29/ "Many farmed fish are raised in cramped, polluted pens and exposed to high levels of dangerous chemicals (PCBs, dioxins, methylmercury, dieldrin, toxaphene, ethoxyquin). These are fat-soluble compounds that accumulate in the flesh of fatty fish such as salmon.
30/ "Farmed salmon have 5x more inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids because of their junk-food diet, which typically includes refined seed oils. Farmed salmon are given hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics to ward off disease in their cramped, unsanitary conditions.
31/ "There are some categories of farmed fish with minimal toxin levels and good nutritional profiles that make them safe to consume. Stick with U.S. sources to avoid pollution and lax chemical regulations in other countries. Farmed freshwater coho salmon is acceptable.
32/ "Wild-caught salmon in a can or previously frozen is considerably less expensive than fresh wild-caught salmon.
"Safe domestic farmed fish include barramundi, catfish, crayfish, rockfish, sablefish, striped bass, tilapia, trout, and most farmed shellfish.
33/ "In addition, farmed shellfish are attached to a fixed object, just as they are in the wild. They don’t eat artificial feed, and they have a nutritional profile similar to that of their wild counterparts." (p. 26)
34/ "Eggs deliver across-the-board nutritional benefits. Egg whites contain high-quality complete protein, while the yolks are a treasure trove of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, healthful omega-3 and saturated fats, and vitamins A, E, K2, B complex, and folate.
35/ "Eggs are high in choline, which boosts memory and cognition and supports cell maintenance and DNA synthesis.
"Meta-analyses have refuted any connection between egg consumption and heart disease (or even blood cholesterol levels) and confirmed eggs' nutritional benefits.
36/ "Beyond a true local farm-fresh egg (conventional eggs can be 30 days old on the store shelf), cartons labeled with both “pasture-raised” and “certified humane” or “animal welfare approved” are next-best.
"An eggshell should feel robust and take some effort to crack." (p.28)
