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PREVENTION
Ketogenic (keto) Diet
Keto diet incorporates two most important elements for our health and longevity:
Intermittent fasting, and Carbohydrates cut down.
Notice! As explained below, most respected health practitioners like Dr. Gundry, Dr. Berg and many others, attribute the importance of the keto diet, first and foremost, to its intermittent fasting.
Next comes the low consumption of carbohydrate!
Ketogenic (keto) Diet
The Importance of Fasting
Fasting or better stated INTERMITTENT FASTING, is the most important element of the keto diet.
Dr. Gundry, in his book "Unlocking the Keto Code" gives a convincing explanation why. To put it briefly, our mitochondria which are the energy producing elements in our cells (1000-2500 of them in each cell) have to deal with positively charged particles/molecules, that are in search of electrons to neutralize their positive charge. Given sufficient time, proper "coupling" is achieved. This way, "Mitochondria processes sugars, amino acids (from proteins), and free fatty acids (from dietary fats) into energy" (copied from page 32 of the book), generating CO2 in the process.
However, not having enough time for the proper coupling process, The coupling of these positively charged particles, ends up with the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl ions (OH−), which are highly reactive molecules. These ROS particles generate an oxidative stress that if not treated in time, damages the mitochondria and, as a consequence, the cell!
By adopting the keto diet and the intermittent fasting - two meals a day, 6 - 8 hours in between the meals, no other foods intake in between the meals, and after the second meal, we give the mitochondria enough time to "clean the house" and avoid the accumulation of the destructive ROS and consequentially, the oxygen stress.
Pr. David Sinclair, a professor of genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School, describes in his books and in this video, the effect of intermittent fasting - an increase of 30% and more, of the longevity of various species through the reduction of mTOR and the activation of AMPK enzymes (go to minutes 16:17 to 17:35 of the linked video).
The Imaportance of Fasting
The Keto Diet
Keto Diet
Generally speaking The Keto dietary macronutrients are divided into approximately 55% to 60% fat, 30% to 35% protein, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. Specifically, in a 2000 kcal per day diet, carbohydrates amount up to 20 to 50 g per day.
Specifically, we recommend to follow Dr. Gundry Keto diet recommendations, a diet that provides a more "balanced" supply of ketones. In this video, Dr. Gundry explains (min. 1:27): brain at full ketosis still needs 30 to 40 percent of its fuel as sugar as glucose instead of ketones". So here is his suggested diet as outlined in his book Unlocking The Keto code:
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Lots of vegetables that contain both prebiotic fiber and polyphenols,
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Nuts and some seeds like Chia Seeds that are rich with Omega-3,
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Pressure-cooked lentils and other legumes,
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Eggs,
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Some wild fish, shellfish, and mollusks,
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Omega-3 supplement
What makes the Keto diet so important? Read more
Generations grew for thousands of years on a diet that calories and other health ingredients were mostly provided by fat and plants, with small amounts of carbohydrates.
Then, with the development of agriculture, for a relatively short period of time, humans converted to cultivated products, and calories became abundant from carbohydrate rich recipes, made up with sugar, plants and fruits.
Body use of carbohydrates:
Our digestive system converts carbohydrate elements into glucose, fructose and/or galactose, that are absorbed into the blood in the small intestine.
Cells need glucose for energy. However, most of them are unable to use glucose without the help of insulin.
Insulin gives glucose access to the cells. It attaches to the insulin receptors on cells throughout the body, instructing the cells to open up and grant entry to glucose.
Low levels of insulin constantly circulate throughout the body. A spike in insulin (triggered by high glucose blood level) signals to the liver that blood glucose is also high, and the liver ""responds" by an increase of glucose absorption changing it into storage molecules of lipids and glycogen. Glycogen and lipids are major storage forms of energy (stored in fat tissues called Adipose) that are tightly regulated by insulin and metabolic signals.
What is considered by many as an OK amount of carbohydrates is NOT OK for our body. It "provokes" an unrestricted insulin signaling, resulting in hyperinsulinemia (insulin in the blood that is higher than what's considered healthy) that increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease and decreases health span and life expectancy (Read more). Furthermore, excess - unused body converted “sugars” (converted mostly to glucose from their "original" carbohydrate structure) are transformed by the liver into lipids that are stored in fat (adipose) tissues. Epidemiological studies showed that high-dose insulin therapy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Bottom line - to avoid this hyperinsulinemia, a drastic reduction of the daily carbohydrate intake is required, which is one element of what the keto diet offers. There are numerous guides on the web on how to start the keto diet. We thought that “Getting Started: Practical Keto Guide” is a very good starting point (notice the notification below about the animal fat component in this diet). For those who like watching/listening to videos, try the following two links (by Dr. Berg): Video 1, Video 2
Healthy Foods - Over numerous generations, our body was "trained” to digest large quantities of fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, insects and meat and some may have had hard food items such as seeds, nuts, and plant's organs such as roots and tubers.
Here is a list of foods that fit to what our body was trained for:
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Nuts and some seeds,
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Sheep’s- and goat’s-milk dairy products,
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Pressure-cooked lentils and other legumes (pressure-cooking to remove lectins),
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Some wild fish, shellfish, and mollusks,
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Pastured poultry, omega-3 eggs, and some grass-fed, grass-finished beef,lamb, pork, or game.
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Some occasional prebiotic (bananas, cabbage..) and probiotic (yogurt, kefir...),
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In-season, low-fructose fruit, or diet rich with plant rich fiber foods and the use of other plant (coconut, avocado) fats to overcome food cravings during the intermittent fasting periods.
Body use of carbohydrates
Avoid lectins and gluten
Insulin Resistance
Development of insulin resistance is a long process - "our body digests highly processed, high-carbohydrate foods very quickly, which causes our blood sugar to spike. This puts extra stress on our pancreas to produce a lot of insulin, which, over time, can lead to insulin resistance" [REF1] with far reaching health implications [REF2] - diabetes 2 is just one of them.
"Metabolic syndrome is associated with insulin resistance, elevated glucose and lipids, inflammation, decreased antioxidant activity, increased weight gain, and increased glycation of proteins. Cinnamon has been shown to improve all of these variables in in vitro, animal, and/or human studies" [REF3]. Use 2-3 drops of cinnamon oil diluted in 1/2 table spoon of coconut oil to avoid these glucose / insulin spikes when you eat high glucose / sugar foods. Read more about cognitive decline and insulin resistance, Read more here.
Avoid Lectins And Gluten
Ingestion of the lectins, can result in acute GASTRO INTESTINAL (GI) tract distress. According to Dr. Gundry, and others, gluten is just one variety of lectins. Lectins are a type of protein that occurs naturally, mostly in the skin, of many plant foods and some animal-based foods (grains). Some plant foods contain higher levels of lectins than others, such as legumes and nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers). As for the nightshade vegetables, peel their skin, and remove the seeds, to get rid of this toxic substance. Read more [REF1].
Lectin's toxicity: Gut epithelial cells (the single cell layer that form the luminal surface (lining) of both the small and large intestine (colon)) are constantly exposed to mechanical and other stresses and consequently individual cells frequently experience plasma membrane disruptions. Repair of these cell surface disruptions allows the wounded cell to survive: failure results in necrotic cell death. Plasma membrane repair is mediated, in part, by an exocytotic event that adds a patch of internal membrane to the defect site. Lectins are known to inhibit exocytosis. This study concludes, "Lectins potently inhibit plasma membrane repair, and hence are toxic to wounded cells. This represents a novel form of protein-based toxicity, one that, we propose, is the basis of plant lectin food poisoning."
Keto diet - Important notifications:
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Many growers of Meat and Fish are feeding their animals/fish with cultured products, hormones, antibiotics and other artificial products that could make their ingestion more destructive than productive. Many are using avocado and other such fruits as a substitute for animal fat in their diet.
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Use of oils (most recommended - coconut and olive) should also be very selective in terms of being organically certified and cold pressed.
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Sourcing of eggs should be oriented to free-range sources, again - to limit their exposure to antibiotics and various chemicals that were used for the growing of their food.
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Taking Care of Your Gut Microbiome - Well maintained gut microbiome is essential for our brain, thyroid gland, and many other body organs as well as our autoimmune systems - (Read more)
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KETOSIS and KETONES - Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body uses fat and ketones rather than glucose (sugar) as its main fuel source. Glucose is stored in your liver and released as needed for energy. However, after carb intake has been extremely low for one to two days, these glucose stores become depleted.
WHAT ARE KETONES? - ketones and ketoacids are alternative fuels for the body that are made when glucose is in short supply. They are made in the liver from the breakdown of fats.
Ketones are formed when there is not enough sugar or glucose to supply the body's fuel
needs.
A ketone is a byproduct of fat being burned it's an alternative and preferred fuel source to glucose it's a more efficient fuel for the brain and the heart and it actually better than than glucose for your metabolism. It's triggered by the absence of carbohydrate so when you get rid of the carbohydrates your body then will transfer over and convert to ketones that are a more efficient fuel source. (Watch more)
Low and High quality fats
Low Quality: All the oils extracted from vegetable seeds (vegetable oils) such as: corn oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sesame oil and more are simply unhealthy. Vegetable oils wreak havoc on the gut by increasing tight junction permeability.
Tight junctions play an important role in intestinal barrier function by maintaining
selective permeability. Well, unfortunately, "Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are highly susceptible to lipid per oxidation because of their unstable double bonds".
In one study, the omega-6 PUFA rich diet increased host inflammation, oxidative stress,
and gut barrier dysfunction. The study concludes "Various lipids uniquely alter the host-microbe interaction in the gut. While high-fat consumption has a distinct impact on the gut microbiota, the type of fatty acids alters the relative microbial abundances and predicted
functions. These results support that the type of fat are key to understanding
the biological effects of high-fat diets on gut health.”
To complete the picture you will find Here a comparative table of oxidative stability of various cooking oils.
Note! Oils oxidize when overheated. Oxidized oil becomes a detrimental factor to our health. Even healthy, high-quality oils that are warmed, lightened or fried over time will oxidize and completely lose their benefits.
High Quality Fats:
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Oils extracted from fatty fruits such as coconut oil, avocado, and olive oil (cold pressed of course!) are oils whose production process is much more natural for the simple reason that they contain more fat and their fat contains more of the healthy saturated fatty acids as shown in this comparative article. Coconut oil for example is an oil that contains mostly saturated fatty acids that make this oil much more resistant to oxidative damage even when exposed to high heat and therefore this oil is most recommended for use in cooking or frying. The rest of the oils are also recommended but to be used after the cooking or for seasoning of cold dishes.
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Quality butter! Yes, if you are not a vegan, even quality butter is an excellent source of quality and healthy fat that will not make you gain weight and by no means cause you heart problems and clogging arteries as you have probably heard before. It is true that we have said before that we strongly recommend avoiding dairy products altogether but quality butter contains mostly, if not only, fat! And contains almost no protein and milk sugar which are the direct source of problems in dairy products and this is exactly the butter you should look for on the shelf if you are looking for another source of quality fat to enrich your diet with fat soluble vitamins that are very important for our health.
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Nuts and almonds are another excellent source of quality fat but care must be taken that they are organic natural nuts (unroasted). Peel the almond seeds before consuming to avoid the lectins. Also, it is highly recommended to soak them in water for at least 6 hours before eating to remove their phytic acid (phytic acid interferes with the absorption of important minerals like zinc, iron...).
Fatty fruits like avocado and coconut are a wonderful source of quality fat to be eaten almost unlimited! As for the olives, the fat in them is high quality and wonderful but because they are pickled with salt or vinegar we recommend limiting their consumption to a handful or two a day and of course try to find olives that have been pickled in a quality process as much as possible.
Aloe Vera and Keto diet
This scientific study focuses on the importance of "detox" when practicing the ketogenic diet and the role of aloe vera barbadensis as a catalyst in this process, and concludes:
“However, this dietary regime subjects the whole organism to considerable metabolic stress and it is used to propose protocols to support detoxification. Aloe vera Barbadensis Miller can represent an excellent protection of nutritional integration through its beneficial effect, in the first instance on the gut microbiota.”
Aloe recipe for Keto diet smoothies:
Note - As discussed at length on other pages of this site, there is no real alternative to fresh aloe leaves.
Extract the aloe gel from the aloe leaf as demonstrated here. Preparing a smoothie of aloe and some fruit, is not a very good idea because of the high carbs content of that fruit. Use some lemon juice and add date syrup which is better than maple syrup. You may want to try organic STEVIA powder or extract, as a sweetener (if its taste is OK with you).
Keto diet - Important notifications
WHAT ARE KETONES
Low and High quality fats
Aloe Vera and Keto diet
GYM - Exercise
GYM - EXERCISE
Reading the introduction of this study says it all: "Findings from numerous epidemiological studies clearly demonstrate that physical inactivity is associated with a higher prevalence of most cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, including abnormal lipids, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes [REF1]. Additionally, physical inactivity is linked with increased risk of certain forms of cancers, poor psychological health, and an overall diminished quality of life [REF2]. Moreover, research findings also exhibit a robust inverse relationship between physical activity levels and risk of mortality from CVD and all-causes. Last, it has been estimated that physical inactivity contributes annually to approximately 250,000 premature deaths [REF3]. However, despite its widespread benefits, engagement in physical activities or exercise remains scarce, primarily reported to be due to a ‘lack of time’ [REF4]."
"PE (Physical Exercise) determines positive biological and psychological effects that affect the brain and the cognitive functioning and promote a condition of wellbeing. PE plays an important role in counteract normal and pathological aging. Recent evidences have shown that PE triggers potent neuroplastic phenomena, partly mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. In fact, PE cause profound alterations in gene expression and its protein products in the form of epigenomic manifestations (Fernandes et al., 2017)"
GYM Practices Overview
Over the past decade, the concept of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has captivated the attention of the scientific community due to its superior ability to improve cardiorespiratory fitness [REF5] and cardiometabolic health [REF6,REF7,REF8] for a lesser weekly time-commitment relative to the current exercise guidelines [REF2] of Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT). HIIT involves multiple (~4–10 repetitions) brief bouts (20 s–5 min) of high-intensity exercise (80%–100% peak heart rate (HRpeak)), interspersed with either rest or low-intensity workloads throughout an exercise session. Another prominent form of interval training is known as sprint interval training (SIT), which is characterized by repeated (6–10 bouts) 20–30 s all-out supramaximal sprints (>100% VO2max). This strategy enables unfit individuals to accumulate periods of vigorous to high-intensity exercise that would otherwise not be possible if executed continuously.
Note, recent meta analysis study concludes that "undertaking any amount of resistance training reduced the risk of all-cause mortality by 15%". However, "A maximum risk reduction of 27% was observed at around 60 minutes per week of resistance training (RR=0.74; 95% CI=0.64, 0.86). Mortality risk reductions diminished at higher volumes".
Given the above note, the drawback of the protocols employed in the majority of previous HIIT/SIT studies [REF9] is that they were not actually time-efficient, with most HIIT/SIT protocols requiring a time commitment (~120 min/week).
Furthermore, that is similar to the current recommended exercise guideline of 150 min per week of MICT. Moreover, it has also been suggested that the potential for a negative perceptual response to high-intensity exercise heightens with increasing repetition [REF10]. Thus, for HIIT or SIT to be a feasible option to improve public health, it must be time-efficient by specifically reducing the number of bouts (intervals) performed at vigorous to high-intensity exercise.
Recent research has demonstrated that a modified version of SIT known as Reduced Exertion High Intensity Training (REHIT), characterized by minimal sprint durations and repetitions (2 × 20 s sprints), elicits substantial cardiometabolic health benefits (i.e., CRF and glycemic control improvements) in a more time-efficient fashion relative to traditional HIIT [REF11,REF12]. However, despite the reduced exercise volume evident in this REHIT protocol, its safety still remains questionable given its ‘all-out’ nature. It has therefore recently been suggested that additional future research is warranted to identify safe and effective REHIT protocols [REF9]. It also remains unknown how effectively the REHIT paradigm can be translated to a real-world workplace setting.
Conclusions
There is a wealth of existing research reporting that regular exercise training confers positive effects on CardioRespiratory Fitness (CRF) and numerous other cardiometabolic outcomes related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, substantial public health efforts have been aimed at promoting and increasing levels of physical activity.
The finding of this study and others proved that Reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) is safe and more potent, time-efficient improvements in CRF and cardiometabolic health when compared to traditional Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT). Given that a ‘lack of time’ is the most often cited reason for not exercising regularly, this study provides critical evidence for ‘how’ to implement and translate the SIT paradigm into a real-world workplace setting.
Recommended Practices
The REHIT model as described above provides a single concept of the intense (sprint) 20 sec. exercise targeting cardiometabolic health benefits. This practice and its benefits are presented here, to “prove” that there is no “excuse” not to spend the minimal weekly time required for basic health maintenance practice. GYM exercises are “a world in itself” that is not in the focus of this website.
Try Trampoline Exercise, we thought to bring to your attention one important practice, Plyometric jump training (PJT) that is an extremely time efficient and powerful contributor to cardiovascular health metabolism, bone density, strength, muscle tone, balance and coordination as measured by the Reactive Strength Index (RSI), which is meaningfully associated with independent markers of athletic (e.g., linear sprint speed) and neuromuscular performance.
This 2023 META ANALYSIS (examination of data from a number of independent studies of the same subject, in order to determine overall trends) concludes that PJT effects on the RSI were greater compared with active/specific-active controls, including traditional sport-specific training as well as alternative training interventions (e.g., high-load slow-speed resistance training).
Plyometrics exercise offers less effect on joints than other versions of the training. Due to its low-impact on sensitive joints like knees and ankles, trampolines are actually preferred for people with joint pain or surgery rehabilitation.
Last but not least,
"Without daily exercise, metabolic waste products, toxins, and chemical toxicants can’t move out of your body. Daily exercise will restore balance in your body and your nervous system and connect you to nature and its energetic rhythms and electromagnetic fields. That’s the reason why Regenerate Rx posits that strenuous activity of at least 30 minutes every other day is essential to promoting radical resilience."
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