S-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o frustrating. Ev... - Cure Parkinson's
S-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o frustrating. Every comment backed up by a study. Says fiber depletes thiamine. 20 mins.
For every diet there is an equal and opposite diet. 
I did not watch the whole thing since I am not about to go meat only, but think it is a good thing they backed up their assertions with references.
They concluded by saying a person should choose their diet based on how they react to each food, but you're totally right, i.e., you can find evidence for whatever theory suits you.
I'm going to stick with high-ish fat, low-ish carbs, moderate protein and modest meat, as in once a week or thereabouts.
What about vegetarian to vegan?
Julie, this is a compelling video from a woman who was a leader in the vegetarian and then vegan diet. There's no shortage of similar videos on YouTube, which is why it's so frustrating. I think you find this 1 interesting. I was about to switch to vegetarian, but IM going to hedge my bet, and continue to have, albeit small, amounts of meat.
youtube.com/watch?v=AI3ys_f...
youtube.com/watch?v=uFm2QLL...
youtube.com/watch?v=oMuxgAb...
I eat a decent amount of meat, but the majority of it is locally raised, organic pastured beef, pork, lamb and chicken so I am comfortable with it. I am very lucky to live in a rural area with a thriving organic farming community. I also believe that different people respond differently to different diets.
My feeble understanding of the issue so far is that there is a substantial difference between free range, organic grass fed beef and the stuff they sell at Burger King or the grocery store. Sounds like you live in a great place.
Of course !!! Show the studies about "the blue zones"
Similar diet here.
The Petersons might have damaged gut biomes, which would explain why they feel better when they eat no fiber. But nothing is being healed and they may encounter long-term health problems by eating only meat. As for the rest of it, here's the other side of the story with a lot more studies to back it up (18 min): youtu.be/Lc23vYwPihU
Some good debunking in that video. No fan of an all meat diet here. One point of disagreement -
The Great Cholesterol Myth is well referenced to the literature and explains how the cholesterol myth got started with fraudulent science. The fatty streaks found in arteries are the body's attempt to repair damage caused by excess blood levels of sugar. Most fats are okay except for human created trans fats.
amazon.com/Cholesterol-Reci...
I like Mic the vegan, too. I've watched all his videos. He's a pretty smart guy. I do agree there is more evidence supporting vegetarianism and veganism, but I hesitate to go all in just in case I'm wrong.
Well, MB, you must be doing something right. In your picture, you don't look a day over a year old!
I'll save a chair for you at the vegan table for you.
Ha.
Seems like the cholesterol myth is a myth itself! theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...
Peddling statins is a multibillion dollar industry. They are constantly polluting the research literature. They are not going to go away. Vitamins D and K and couple minerals have far better outcomes than statins without the adverse effects. See my writings here:
When Good Doctors Prescribe Bad Medicine:
How Big Pharma pollutes the scientific record and propagandizes doctors.
Bisphosphonates (Fosamax, etc.) increase fracture risk and should not be on the market.
Statins are effective but dangerous.
Vitamins D and K and a couple of minerals improve bone strength, reduce fracture risk and prevent hardening of the arteries. In so doing they result in better outcomes than both bisphosphonates and statins.
Other hazardous meds and how you can protect yourself.
Vitamins and Minerals for Bone Health and Reduced Risk of Cancer
Vitamin K: Unsung and Essential
Details of the vitamins and minerals that improve bone strength, reduce fracture risk, prevent hardening of the arteries, improve cardiovascular outcomes, and reduce cancer risk.
What You Need to Know to Reduce Risk of Hip Fracture and Cardiovascular Disease
A review of the foregoing + calcium deposits on teeth as a sign of trouble.
-----------
As to statin propaganda take a look at the following videos:
Pro-Statin Lancet Article by Collins Et Al Ignores Most Side Effects
youtube.com/watch?v=t0Yp8Yv...
youtube.com/watch?v=BzTjPui...
youtube.com/watch?v=8A-BEm8...
youtube.com/watch?v=y8pybQj...
Thanks, PB. Has there been a head-to-head efficacy trial of a well-established statin, e.g. simvastatin, vs vitamin D/K/mineral combination?
I know Big Pharma aren't always angels (I've read Ben Goldacre's book), but surely you can't damn everything they produce?
Also, this looks like a pretty balanced commentary - acc.org/latest-in-cardiolog...
From your link I quote the following, which grossly understates the actual rate of muscle related adverse effects:
" For patients on standard statin doses, symptomatic adverse events like muscle pain and weakness may occur in 50-100 patients per 10,000 treated over five years. However, in routine practice, much of the symptomatic adverse events attributed to statin therapy represent misattribution, as demonstrated by placebo-controlled trials."
As set forth in the first two videos I posted, this low rate of muscle related adverse effects is due to trials that have an initial "run in period" where patients with adverse effects are dropped out of the trial and not counted as having those adverse effects.
I like Feldman. He has a lot of good videos.
Good videos.
Thank you and yes. Having a "normal" LDL level in a society that has endemic heart disease is not ideal. When I hear the argument that "half the people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels, so cholesterol must not matter" I roll my eyes.
I present for your consideration:
Cholesterol causing heart disease is a myth. Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in the body and especially the brain. The body knows how to handle cholesterol - see the fourth video I posted for details. Please educate yourself – see the book I linked at the start of this discussion and view the videos, particularly the one by Doctor Lundell.
bear, you and I are just going to have to disagree on this one. You want to believe that it's a myth because you don't like statins. I get that and I hate them too. But take statins out of the picture for a minute and realize that you're throwing the baby out with the bath water. Statins are horrible. High cholesterol is horrible. Arteriosclerosis is horrible. A plant-based whole food diet is the way to go. PS "educate yourself" is a bit rude, even though you did say "please".
70% of the people who suffer heart attacks have normal cholesterol. High cholesterol is irrelevant. Inflammation resulting from damaged arteries is the issue. Arteries are damaged by excessive blood sugar.
I am sorry you took my comment as rude. I have posted the relevant materials. I guess I can't make you look at them.
At least we can agree that a plant-based diet is a good thing.
And as for Dr Lundell, he lost me when he said "most of my patients had normal cholesterol levels." I was rolling my eyes again. "Normal" is not good when normal means sky-high.
You are engaging in a form of reasoning that is circular, cannot be refuted, and is therefore unscientific, namely: "Normal cholesterol means skyhigh, therefore every heart attack patient has abnormally high cholesterol, which therefore must be the cause of the heart attack "
I am done here.
There's nothing circular about it, and you're misrepresenting. Allow me to re-phrase: "In this society, 'normal' cholesterol levels are higher than optimal and therefore unhealthily high. Nearly every heart attack patient has higher-than-optimal cholesterol."
I'll go further and state: Those with optimal cholesterol levels rarely if ever develop heart disease.
I can live with that. Optimal levels of LDL cholesterol have repeatedly been shown - in study after study - to be 50-70mg/dl. LDL isn't the perfect marker; cholesterol is much more complex, but it's the marker that's easiest to have tested and it's much better than nothing. How do you get your LDL that low? The answer is not statins; it's adopting a plant-based diet. The video I shared goes over this, even though it's just ~4 minutes long.
I believe that my position is now clearly stated and easily "refuted" if it's in error. So, instead of showing that "70% of people having heart attacks have normal cholesterol." to which I roll my eyes for what should now be plainly obvious reasons, you just have to prove that people with optimal levels have as high a risk of heart attacks as those with 'normal' levels. I'm betting that you can't show me that.
Just one more point. I agree with your videos that inflammation is probably the underlying cause of heart disease. One major driver of inflammation is the omega 6 to omega 3 ratio, which is very, very high for people eating the "American diet" (and even many vegans). Largely, that's because they are consuming a lot of added veggie oils that are high in omega 6 and not enough omega 3 rich foods such as flax and chia seeds. However, if cholesterol is at optimal levels, there's not enough to begin forming the plack. In our society, almost everyone has inflammation, so whether they develop heart disease mostly depends on how much LDL cholesterol they have. It takes two to tango, so either reduce your inflammation or your LDL cholesterol or (best yet) both. Few will actually do either. I'm doing both.
BTW I hope you're not really 'done here' because it was just getting interesting.
The truth lies with genetics, in many cases. My wife has had 4 heart attacks, quadruple bypass, and she has metabolic syndrome, which includes diabetes,kidney failure, and high blood pressure, along with heart issues. Her family history reveals high cholesterol etc., and even though we have her on a no salt, mainly steamed veggies, and low fat meat diet( like chicken), with no desserts or starches etc, or sugars, she is still in heart failure, and a victim of her genetics. She was born with smaller arteries, and it's very difficult to stent them and put IV's in etc. I think I know more about this subject than I want to know. I am her caregiver, and I have PD, and Ataxia, so I keep myself busy, whether I want to or not. One must always look at genetics, when it comes to physical ailments. PD can be carried genetically. Through the Fox Foundation, I have been genetically tested, and it has helped me to understand why I and some of my family members are the way we are, from many perspectives. I do not have a Parkinson's genetic marker. My PD comes from too many concussions, I believe, over the years. I've had several bad accidents, where I lost consciousness. Inflammation has been scientifically proven to be a contributor to many physical ailments. We are all familiar with inflammation, in regards to arthritis. Scientists/ investigators are always coming up with the role of inflammation in disease studies, with some articles I've been reading recently, including some on neuro-degenerative diseases of the nervous system.
Yes, genetics are sometimes a huge factor. I'm sorry that your wife's narrow arteries have caused her (and you) so much pain and trouble. My wife's family is just the opposite I think. Her grand-dad ate tons of bacon, fried food, etc. etc. ect. and lived to 93. Her father was the same until at 72 he had a quadruple bypass and stents. He's had small strokes since then but he's almost 80 now. We call him the "Terminator" because he keeps coming back and he loves guns.
My wife was near diabetic 9 months ago, then we both went Vegan in a big way. It's helped my PD I think, and she's lost some weight. I'm hoping that her genetics will help her avoid the problems your wife's suffered through.
Good luck to you both. I know it's not easy in any way.
"... helped my PD I think..." I get that. Because our progression is not linear and because if we are improving, it's so gradual, I'm never certain.
Anyway, how much has it helped? In what ways? Which symptoms?
Marc
Exactly. If I feel some difference I have to wonder if what I'm feeling is really a change to my general condition or if it's one of a hundred little things that affect me from moment to moment. The day before I went vegan, I tried one more time to get out there and walk. I've always been a great walker (until PD), so I had decided to get back to it.
But I just couldn't. I simply didn't have the ability to move my limbs. It was that stupid brain fog that always seemed to drain my energy away and keep me from being able to put one foot in front of the other. It was pretty darn pitiful. That was probably the moment that I decided to go the rest of the way to a WFPB (a type of vegan) diet.
I had gone mostly vegetarian a year or so before, but I was still eating eggs and some cheese. I cut that all out and just a few days later I tried to go for a walk again. This time the brain fog was partly gone and I found a little energy and focus. I made it a block, but my heart was pounding like a caged feral cat. That was about 9 months ago.
From there, I've pushed farther and farther and I've recovered quite a bit of my gait, and it's natural; I don't have to concentrate on it to do it, as some do. I now walk 3 miles almost every day, up and down steep hills, and pretty quickly, too. I have a heart monitor and I try to get to 85% of my max heart rate. Sometimes I manage it for up to ten minutes and that's increasing too. But even then, my heart no longer pounds.
My WFPB diet (moderately high carbs, moderate protein, and very little fat or oils) has improved other things too, but I'll get to that later. People who eat meat or ingest oils get this sluggishness in their blood. I forget the medical term, but the fat or oils get into their blood and cause the red blood cells to stick together, reducing blood flow and causing lethargy in both the body and brain. So it makes sense that taking out all that fat, including dietary cholesterol and refined veg oils, the fog should lift, and it did for me. Now, you do still need some essential oils like a good source of omega 3, and here's a video about that: youtu.be/h4LvCZ0KnKc
I could write more and I will but it's getting late here. Wife and I were out celebrating our 21st anniversary! So more tomorrow.
I want to make a separate response to your comments on inflammation. Yes, it's very true and reducing inflammation should be a big part of dealing with most diseases. In case anyone wants more information on what foods are the most anti-inflammatory, this 3-minute video gives a quick overview and refresher (pun intended):
good video
I have to apologize, bear. It seems that there is something that can cause heart disease "regardless of what our cholesterol is" (8 minutes in). I trust the guy who made this video, so I have no choice but to agree with him. youtu.be/x3yp0oTd1YA
I don't like that article. I know that comments are disabled on it too - just as well as they would face a storm of naysayers. My view is that statins are pretty evil - they increase the risk of parkinson's and other diseases. You may have a reduced risk of heart attacks, but the quality of your remaining life will be ruined and your overall life expectancy is hardly changed. I am actually in the process of getting a food reaction test, to see what foods I can and can't eat. I am pretty sure I don't react well to nuts, dairy and gluten. At the moment have inflammation in one finger and some pain so worried that it could be inflammatory arthritis.
What do they do in a food reaction test?
cerascreen.co.uk/products/f...
Am not really sold on it, but if it corresponds to what I feel then I can at least follow its recommendations.
Also found this video which explains a lot about the Petersons (and others).
Marc,
I was wondering if you drink much coffee or tea?
Art
Art, no, I don't drink any tea and I have one cup of decaf in the morning. Why?
Marc
Oh, I was looking at a list of things yesterday that had the potential to interfere in B-1 absorption or conversion to active form and those two seemed very common. Alcohol too as well as other less common items.
Art
Thanks. I don't drink alcohol either.
I've recently become paranoid/hypochondriac-ish about all things intestinal and absorption, though. My B12 value is high, but I don't take B12 supplements, so I think that's utilization problem - causing the stuff to accumulate.
I've an appointment at the VA tomorrow and I'm going to ask them for every intestinal test known to mankind.
Here's an interesting company/idea. Have you read anything about this?
ubiome.com/clinical/smartgu...
That is an interesting service, but I have not read anything about them previously. I can see where this service, in combination with future microbiome studies would be extraordinarily useful in helping to design the very best microbiome studies and also quite useful for screening fecal microbiome transplant (FMT) donors, which I believe holds tremendous potential in many disease states! It seems like this service could quickly identify the very best donors for each individual recipient. I'm just thinking out loud here!
Art
There are a few companies to do this. Seems like getting recommendations based on the individuals microbiome would save a lot of time wasted on trial and error.
Beginning to look like intestinal molecular biology/chemistry is every bit as complex if not more so than brain chemistry.
Everything in moderation is the best way to go. I do not have PD but I have autoimmune disorders with related food allergies. I find moderation and avoiding my allergens works best. There is no magic bullet yet.
It's crazy I know! I've been vegan for 5 years and one thing that improved was bowel movements. I now have 2 to 3 a day. Since the Carnivore Craze I did try meat again for a month and felt no better for it. So I'm now back eating veggies. You must find what works best for YOU!
Years ago I decided to become a vegetarian, but after only 2 weeks started feeling dizzy with sores developing in my mouth which made me realize that such diet is not for me. I think a lot depends on your genetics and body constitution.
