It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways (48 page)

*
Protein sources (like beef, fish, eggs and milk) also trigger insulin secretion to varying degrees. We’ll discuss this in more detail when we talk about dairy
.

*
There is always a small amount of insulin circulating in the blood, directing small amounts of sugar into vital tissues like your brain. Insulin secretion is not a black-or-white, on-or-off proposition: it’s a trickle, a flow, or a flood. In a healthy metabolism, how much insulin is secreted is proportionate to the quantity of glucose and the rate at which it has entered your bloodstream.

*
We doubt it. In a most unscientific experiment, we Googled “sugar is healthy” to see if we could find any support for this hypothesis. The first link that appeared was titled “Experts agree—sugar is a health destroyer.” True story.

*
With food. Decisions with your food. We can’t help you with those other bad decisions. That’s a different book altogether.

*
Interestingly, in January 2012, a University of Connecticut researcher who worked on the health benefits of resveratrol was found to have fabricated or manipulated data in 145 separate research projects. Huh

*
According to Dr. Joseph Hibbeln of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

*
We’ll discuss free radicals and the benefits of dietary antioxidants in more detail when we talk about vegetables.

*
Yes, we know those last few are not technically grains, but their properties are so similar (as are their health effects) that it makes sense to talk about them here.

*
While the vast majority of dairy consumed in the United States is from cows, you can also apply these concepts to sheep or goat milk.

*
Research suggests that these peptides cannot cross an adult human’s intact intestinal barrier, but if permeability is already present, the effect is unknown.

*
See Chapter 22 for supplementation recommendations.

*
We’ll talk about these more in Chapter 22, but it’s worth noting that if you have a histamine intolerance, even nondairy fermented foods may cause problems for you. Progress slowly when introducing new fermented foods into your diet.

*
Gut bacteria probably also play a significant role in this process, but that research is still quite new.
.

*
We’ll detail our recommendations for vegetarians or vegans in Chapter 21.

*
Compounds from meat also add antioxidants to our arsenal and supply building blocks for our body’s own antioxidant production. See? Meat does more than just provide protein!

*
Those with IBD, IBS, or other digestive disorders may find raw veggies too hard on their digestive tract and should refer to Chapter 21 for more details.

*
To be fair, the body always uses a mix of both carbohydrate and fat for energy. The higher the intensity, the higher proportion of that energy comes from carbohydrate. But for lower-intensity activity, your body can use a much higher proportion of fat for fuel—if you allow it to with smart food choices and a healthy hormonal balance.

*
Note, this next section presents some of the most technical material in the book. If you’re up for a challenge, dive in. If not, we’ll summarize the findings at the end, so you won’t miss anything.

*
You can find instructions to clarify your own butter on our Web site: http://whole9life.com/butter. You can also buy richly flavored clarified butter (also known as “ghee”) prepackaged in many health-food or international-food shops. We recommend Pure Indian Foods (http://pureindianfoods.com).

*
Unrefined red palm oil also contains these MCTs. Palm oil has a pretty strong flavor, however, and most people don’t like it as much as coconut oil.

*
If you exercise shortly after waking, your schedule will look a little different. We’ll cover additional recommendations for fueling higher activity levels in Chapter 21.

*
We don’t have a scientific study to support this statement, but we’re pretty sure it’s true.

*
We’ll give you an actual measurement here, because “thumbs” don’t always translate for those who are challenged with spatial relations (like Melissa). One or two thumbs is about a tablespoon or two.

*
We do, however, encourage you to document your “before” and “after” selves: weigh yourself or take body measurements as well as photos, so you will have proof positive of your success.

*
Please note, we are not doctors, and cannot “prescribe” a treatment, dietary or otherwise, for your particular medical condition. We always recommend speaking with your health-care provider before undertaking any new nutritional protocol.

*
And it goes without saying—check with your doctor before taking any new supplements.

*
For more information on fish oil supplementation, visit
http://whole9life.com/fish-oil-faq
.