520. Is Your Diet Killing You? | Dr. Benjamin Bikman

[restricted term] plays a critical role in regulating the metabolism of sugar and fat in the body. However, chronically high levels of [restricted term] can lead to [restricted term] resistance, which is associated with a wide array of metabolic issues and an increased risk of various diseases.

[restricted term] Regulates Sugar and Fat, but Chronically High Levels Cause Resistance

Bikman explains that [restricted term] is essential for the body to regulate sugar and fat levels; without it, a person would not survive. Unfortunately, excessive carbohydrate consumption can lead to chronically high [restricted term] levels, which may become the main driver of [restricted term] resistance. Peterson raises the issue of how [restricted term] resistance can lead to a cascade of health problems. [restricted term], while famously known for lowering high blood sugar, can have catastrophic systemic effects when the body becomes resistant to its action.

[restricted term] Resistance: Reduced Cell Response Leads To Metabolic Issues and Higher Disease Risk

Bikman clarifies that organisms develop resistance to stimuli like [restricted term] to avoid associated excessive exposure harm. This resistance results in metabolic issues and implies a higher risk of diseases, including obesity. He also notes that medications for diabetes, which increase [restricted term] production, could worsen [restricted term] resistance over time, making patients more susceptible to other health issues such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. These medications could be exacerbating the issue by making the pancreas work overtime rather than addressing the underlying condition.

[restricted term] Resistance: Metabolic Condition With Fat Cell Growth and Dysfunction

The hosts explain that part of [restricted term] resistance involves the growth of fat cells due to continuous high [restricted term] levels signaling these cells to enlarge. Fat cell size, more than the total amount of body fat, can significantly affect cardiometabolic health. Large fat cells may resist [restricted term]'s effects to avoid bursting and could start leaking fatty acids as a form of self-protection. This leakage can lead to fatty liver disease and ectopic fat deposition as fat accumulates in tissues not meant for fat storage.

Expanding fat cells that have become [restricted term] resistant contribute to ectopic fat deposition, particularly in the liver and pancreas, which are not designed to store fat. This process can trigger various conditions such as fatty liver disease.

[restricted term] Resistance Causes Chronic Diseases: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Alzheimer's, Erectile Dysfunction, Infertility

Peterson delves into the catastrophic health effects linked to [restricted term] resistance. He lists conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, reproductive dysfunction, and more as conditions connected to excessive carbohydrate intake. Bikman ties these chronic diseases to [restricted term] resistance, viewing them as symptoms of the same underlying issue.

Metabolic syndrome, which includes [restricted term] resistance, is now known to contribute significantly to these chronic ...

Jordan Peterson and Dr. Benjamin Bikman explore the role of carbohydrate consumption in the development of [restricted term] resistance, emphasizing the health consequences of a high-carb diet.

High-Carb Diet Causes [restricted term] Resistance

Body Efficiently Stores Carbs As Fat, Problematic With Calorie-Dense Foods

Bikman and Peterson discuss the metabolic pathway where carbohydrates are rapidly converted metabolically into sugar and then stored as fat, a process that exacerbates with the consumption of calorie-dense foods. Peterson points to the detrimental cycle wherein [restricted term] drives sugar down but simultaneously increases [restricted term] resistance. Carbohydrates are described as high-energy sources that can promote fat cell growth when combined with high [restricted term] levels. As carbs increase [restricted term] levels, the body transitions into sugar burning mode rather than fat burning mode.

Processed High-Carb Overconsumption Causes [restricted term] Resistance

Peterson and Bikman delve into the problems stemming from continuous overconsumption of carbohydrates and sugars, considering the historical shifts in dietary practices.

[restricted term] Resistance Drives Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Chronic Disease

They examine the historical treatment of type 1 diabetics with an almost entirely carnivore diet, emphasizing that the body did not need [restricted term] to metabolize this diet, as opposed to current high-carbohydrate diets. This transition to a carb-dense diet for type 1 diabetics is tied to [restricted term] resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Peterson suggests that a fundamental problem with America's health is the abundance of carbohydrates, often seen in the form of cheap, heavily promoted processed foods that are omnipresent in the average diet.

Bikman points to the consumption of "sugar ...

In a pointed discussion on the US dietary guidelines, experts argue that the nation's approach to nutrition has been deeply flawed and influenced by special interests and misinformation.

US Food Pyramid Shaped by Special Interests, Flawed Science, Not Sound Nutrition

Jordan Peterson and Benjamin Bikman analyze the origins and impact of the US food pyramid, suggesting that biased architects with insufficient scientific backing shaped these guidelines.

Biased Architects of the Food Pyramid Promoted a High-Carb Diet, Fueling Obesity and Diabetes

The creators of the original food pyramid promoted a high-carbohydrate diet. Peterson and Bikman point to the dramatic rise in obesity and diabetes rates as evidence of its flawed nature. They imply that these conditions are exacerbated by dietary recommendations that prioritize high carbohydrate intake over other nutrients. Bikman highlights criticism of the government's role in conducting what Dr. Philip Handler referred to as an uncontrolled nutritional experiment on the American public without consent.

Bikman also discusses how certain religious beliefs, particularly those of the Seventh-day Adventists who helped write the food pyramid, influenced its emphasis on minimizing meat intake and shaped the American Dietetics Association's guidelines, perpetuating these biases in dietary licensure.

Policies Favor Calorie-Dense Carbs Over Nutritious Foods

There was further critique on the dietary landscape in the US, which historically encouraged the consumption of calorie-dense carbohydrates due to economic efficiencies and the need for calorie-rich foods to prevent starvation. The experts argue that while this might have been an economical solution at the time, it has not led to optimal health outcomes.

Peterson indicates that the selection of vegetables and fruits has changed considerably, although no explicit details are given in the discussion. ...

Reducing Carbs to Shift Fuel Source To Fat and Ketones Can Benefit [restricted term] Resistance Conditions

Experts like Bikman and Jordan Peterson discuss the transformative effects of low-carb and ketogenic diets on various chronic health conditions.

Low-carb Diets Reverse Diabetes, Boost Brain Function, Shrink Tumors

Bikman suggests that being in ketosis significantly increases the fat tissue metabolic rate, linking to boosted metabolism and implying benefits for [restricted term] resistance conditions. He notes that in type 2 diabetes, characterized by too much [restricted term], lowering [restricted term] levels through reduced carbohydrate intake can reverse the disease. Peterson also supports dietary intervention, notably for diseases like Alzheimer's and diabetes, indicating that reducing high carbohydrate intake can profoundly improve life both in the short and long term.

Peterson discusses historical human diets, suggesting that low carbohydrate intake leading to autophagy, where the body digests damaged tissues, may be emulated by a carnivore diet. Reducing carbohydrate intake, Peterson argues, may also address [restricted term] resistance-related conditions such as erectile dysfunction and potentially extend life. Bikman and Peterson encourage consideration of a low-carb approach as a first step for those with unhealthy lifestyles.

Bikman contends that fat does not require [restricted term] for metabolism and is a better fuel, especially for type 1 diabetics, who can experience fewer blood glucose fluctuations and require less [restricted term] with controlled carbohydrate intake. Likewise, Bikman highlights the cognitive benefits of ketones for the brain, suggesting that they are favored by the brain over glucose when available. He also mentions that ketogenic diets might act as adjuvant therapy for cancer, given that cancer cells prefer glucose and do not utilize ketones, implying that a low glucose diet hinders cancer cell growth.

Bikman's research from Boston University indicates that ketogenic diets can shrink inoperable brain tumors and reduce the need for chemotherapy dosage. Furthermore, case reports suggest rapid and significant cognitive improvements in patients with dementia or early-stage Alzheimer's through nutritional ketosis.

Ketogenic Diets as Alternative Fuel Source for Neurological Conditions With "Brain Glucose Hypometabolism."

Bikman's conversations allude to the therapeutic potential of ketogenic diets for neurological disorders marked by inefficient glucose use by the brain, such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy, migraines, and depression. The brain has a high metabolic rate and can alternatively use glucose or ketones as fuel. He discusses the preference of ketones by the brain when available and points out that keton ...