Welcome to The Incredible Human Part 4. We usually consider animals' diets carnivorous, herbivorous, or omnivorous. However, within the distinction of herbivores, we see further specializations. For example, frugivores eat fruits primarily, granivores eat grains and seeds, and folivores eat leaves. Humans are omnivores. But there is more to our dietary story. Just as herbivores can specialize as frugivores, granivores, folivores, or a combination, omnivores also specialize. And we have the most specialized diets in the animal kingdom. This post will discuss why our diets are so special.
Read MoreI was on a digital detox this week and therefore did not look at any research or explore new topics in health. I was incidentally celebrating my sixtieth birthday at the same time. During the week, I saw some old college friends, one of whom I had not seen since 1985. I was feeling a bit nostalgic, so I went on social media after my detox was over to look at pictures from the past. I found this one of me in a striped shirt from 1985 that my dad took by our pool. My wife always tells me that she thinks I look just as good as the younger me, so I got the crazy idea to try and strike the same pose and see how I really stack up to a younger man. We had a good laugh trying. She claims to like the silver fox with the fancy watch better! Unfortunately, many of the years in between the photos were spent with avoidable health problems. This post will cover what happened and how I was able to get healthy and strong again.
Read MoreWe always hear that we must eat fiber to be healthy, but I have had none and am healthy. I even have the lab test results to prove it. Fiber gets fermented into beneficial short-chain fatty acids, but other food sources can be fermented into them as well. One of them is called propionate, and it helps us burn fat. There is a simple and safe supplement that promotes the formation of propionate. Read on for more information.
Read MoreToday I want to clarify a few misconceptions about how science classifies and describes the diets of animals, where we fit into the diet picture, and our evolutionary journey here. Interestingly, most omnivores specialize by being either closer to being almost entirely herbivorous or carnivorous. You may be surprised to see where we fall in the spectrum.
Read MoreOne of my central warnings on this site is we must avoid eating processed carbohydrates to stave off disease and optimize our health. I have written about it so much that I believed everyone who reads my posts understands what they are. Recently, I have spoken to people who think processed carbs are donuts and cake, not bagels and sandwiches. This post is dedicated to them and all who need a reminder about what processed carbohydrates are, and why they should be avoided. If you don't want to read the whole thing, skip to the end, where I tell you how to identify them and list the most common sources of processed carbs.
Read MoreInsulin promotes the uptake of glucose by cells and its storage as glycogen. The insulin and glucose tend to balance out in healthy individuals. In healthy individuals, our cells readily respond to insulin and quickly take up glucose. In many people the body produces insulin, but it is not enough to effectively keep up, and blood sugar rises. Most doctors focus on reading blood sugar levels to diagnose health problems. It turns out that high insulin levels precede high sugar levels, making it an excellent predictive test for disease.
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