Having just returned from the Metabolic Health Symposium in San Diego I thought it would be fun to share a few highlights. Let’s explore.
Gary Taubes and Dr. Michael Eades
Of course, a HUGE HIT (besides the autograph) was hearing once again Gary Taubes, always engaging and inspiring. As many of you who’ve read my posts it was his work early that offered a path to finally reducing inflammation and healing my joints, story here.
Taubes’ next book, Rethinking Diabetes and which he shared some of the research at the conference examines the historical path of diet, insulin and treatments. Fascinating talk about how much of the research from German and Austrian scientists was buried from WW2 on. Begs the question if their discoveries and insights had been allowed as part of the discourse then would we be in the obesogenic state we’re in? Food for thought.
On that state of the nation thought, previously only 12% of Adults were thought to have good metabolic health, Tufts University now says that is 7%. YIKES. Improving metabolic health is the cornerstone of our programs, link here.
Another wonderful speaker and long-time low-carbohydrate advocate Michael Eades, MD/researcher/author inspires in depth thinking on nutrition. He focused on comparing the Carb-Insulin Model vs. Energy Balance Model, with an interesting perspective of mass vs. energy. A quote to ponder “Heat doesn’t weight anything mass does.”
Personally, I thoroughly enjoy his newsletter The Arrow that “critically” looks at nutrition. Dr. Eades and wife Mary Eades, MD, book Protein Power is a classic in this community.
Dr. Brian Lenzkes, Dr. Peter Ballerstedt and Nutrition Network
On the topic of the “whole person model” Brian Lenzkes, MD was refreshing and articulate. His focus on sleep, stress, relationships, and community were spot on. As a health coach what to say but YES! You can have all the lab tests, all the data you want but you have to see the person in front of you and what they are dealing with. Chronic stress, lack of sleep, personal struggles, and mindset all play a major role in our health. Thank You Brian!
Obviously as a health coach and having a partner who is a health coach we believe the road to vibrant health needs a team. Plus, if we are going to get out of the mess we are in health wise the people who got us in this situation may not be the best to get us out of it. Just saying. Kudos to the Nutrition Network and Jayne Bullen specifically for highlighting coaching in the conference.
Dr. Peter Ballerstedt was invigorating and enlightening with his superb knowledge on regenerative farming and hands on experience. One felt immediately motivated to take action. We all have to do our part to support our local farmers and the work they are doing to keep us healthy. Check out their work on “grass-based health.”
Dr. Chris Knobbe
Chris Knobbe, MD, ophthalmologist and associate clinical professor presented his work in relation to the negative impact of seed oil consumption and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). He talks about how AMD was a rarity until the 1930’s when we started to see a rise in refined flour, vegetable oils, trans fats and sugar. A couple excerpts from his website below.
“By the 1930s, macular degeneration was on the radar of ophthalmologists as a significant entity. By the 1970s, AMD was at epidemic proportions in the U.S. and U.K., with many nations subsequently following suit.
Every shred of evidence that I can find – supports the hypothesis that it is the ‘displacing foods of modern commerce’ that are the primary and proximate cause of AMD.”
What can you do according to Dr. Knobbe?
“The prevention of this disease – as well as the treatment – is to remove those elements from the diet that truly make it “Westernized,”, i.e., refined (added sugars), refined white flours, vegetable oils, and trans fats, and consume only elements of our traditions, i.e., our own native, traditional diets, whatever one chooses for that to be. This means eliminating man-made, processed, nutrient-deficient, and toxic food components.”
Another doctor, while not at the conference has plenty of good information on her website about the toxic nature of vegetable (also called seed) oils is Dr. Cate Shanahan. From her Seed Oils 101 to numerous other articles my big take-away is if you are trying to lower inflammation, improve mitochondrial function (for body and brain) avoiding “potential” toxic seed oils is a simple common sense move.
Side note
Unfortunately you might get labeled right wing for this thinking on seed oils according to Rolling Stone Magazine. We just can’t seem to keep anything out of the political spectrum these days. BIG SIGH.
Additionally, the Weston A Price Foundation a long-time promoter of traditional diets has talked about the negative impact of seed oils and the demonization of saturated fat for decades. Dr. Price’s (a dentist) amazing work in the early 1900’s explores how traditional cultures who consumed diets stemming from native traditions did not suffer dental caries, modern illnesses and other negative implications of westernized nutrition, like refined flour, seed oils and processed and canned items.
Dr. Anthony Chaffee and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino
OK back to the conference. Another highlight of which there were several speakers researching the utilization of ketogenic diets and the treatment of various types of cancers. Dr. Anthony Chaffee, The Plant-Free MD and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino to name just a couple. Chaffee’s work with glioblastoma brain cancer with keto/carnivore nutrition is incredibly inspiring and hopefully more work will continue to be done in these avenues.
Dr. D’Agostino talked about the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as well as ketogenic diets including exogenous ketones as potential treatment options. A quote below from his website on their work.
“His laboratory develops and tests metabolic-based strategies for targeting CNS oxygen toxicity (seizures), epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer.”
Final thought
While there were many other inspiring folks this was just a taste of the Metabolic Health Symposium. Main take-away understanding what you need to do to improve your metabolic health is one of the keys to longevity and well worth the personal investment.
Special thanks to Doug Reynolds, Pam Devine and Chris Cornell for all their work on the event. And our dear friends Bob and Jan Spear, fabulous and smart folks.
