There are two important hormones. Insulin and Glucagon. They both control the same things, but have the exact opposet effect.
Insulin: is present when blood sugar level is too high. It encourages the storage of fat because it uses glucose for energy. It encourages the creation of cholestoral.
Excess Insulin also encourages the growth of smooth muscle cells in the lining of your arteries... which makes them thicker and less elastic and reduces the volume of blood that can flow inside... To make things worse, insulin causes the kidneys to slow down (which leaves more fluid and salt in your blood stream... increasing the pressure even more).
Glucagon: is present when blood sugar levels are too low. It encourages the burning of fat. It encourages the use of cholesterol. (less cholesterol in blood)
Glucagon on the other hand: shuts down cholesterol production. Prompts the kidneys to remove the salt and fluids thus relieving blood pressure. Glucagon stimulates the breakdown of the smooth muscle overgrowth in the arteries. 34. uses fats for energy.
When Insulin Level is too high is a villain. Glucagon can be thought of as our hero.
Insulin is the primary cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, elevated cholesterol, elevated blood fats, and diabetes.
To increase insulin levels, all we need to do is drink sugar water. There is no easy way to boost glucagon levels (other than taking a shot of insulin which lowers the blood sugar level and tells the pancreas to release glucagon) -----
American Diet: 46% of calories from carbos. 43% from fats. 11% from Protein.
American diets are high in carbohydrates and causes high levels of insulin post meal. This causes insulin to work “overtime” and over power glucagon. Which brings out insulin’s “dark side” ....
High Carbo diets are like putting out a fire with gasoline.
70-80% of the cholesterol in your body is made by your body digesting carbohydrates. 20-30% came from your diet directly.
Most people can consume unlimited amounts of cholesterol without significantly increasing their blood cholesterol levels. The key to lowering elevated cholesterol levels is not in the restriction of cholesterol or fat, but in the dietary manipulation of the internal cholesterol regulatory system.
Eicosinoids are like hormones that are produced inside of cells and act inside cells. Good and bad. Can’t have all good. Clotting is essential.
Good Eicos and Bad Eicos control blood pressure, blood clotting, pain, fever, sleep/wake cycle, constriction and dilation of airways and blood vessels. Very important.
The good thing about Eicos is that you can control them with your diet. The two things that effect Eicos alot are which oils/fats you consume and our old friend Insulin.
Insulin stimulates the bad eicos. The more sugars you eat, the more insulin the more bad eicos.
Transfatty Acids (partially hydrogenated): inhibits good eicos. Stay away from anything partially hydrogenated (such as margarine). By eating margarine, you are actually increasing your risk for heart disease, cancer and all other problems caused by bad eicos.
(Alpha Linolenic Acids) ALA blocks eico production. ALA is found in various oils/fats. Highest in Flaxseed, canola, and soybean.
Switch to Olive... which has no ALA. Has more Monounsaturated fats good. If you don’t like Olive oil, a good substitute is Sesame
Another thing that blocks eico production is Aspirin. It stops all eico production, stopping the bad pain, fever, headache eicos, but also stops the good production. Which causes such side effects as stomach pains, ulcers and allergic reactions
Aspirin isn’t as great once thought because it stops all eicos, not just the bad ones. It’s like using a 9lb hammer to kill a fly. It kills the fly, but also does lots of other damage.
Fish Oils switch production to good.
Glucagon help the production.
To ensure linoleic acid for production of eicos, you need a diet of at least 30% protein.
The average Egyptian diet was: wheat, barely, flour, grapes, melons, peaches, olives, pears, apples, many other vegetables. They also sweetened their food with honey. 13-15
Egyptians had: Many egyptians were very obese, had heart disease, vascular disease, cholestoral ladden viens, high blood pressure,13-15
For 7,000 centurys man was a carnivoure getting 60-90% of calories from meat. For the last 100 we have started to eat carbos. It will probably take 10,000 years to correct.
Insulin and glucagon are the hormones involved in the storange and release of energy. Insulin causes the body to store the excess food for later (commonly as fats). Glucagon burns fat to create energy.
Insulin keeps the blood sugar lever from rising too high. Glucagon prevents the blood sugar level from falling too low.
Cholesteral isn’t all bad... it provides the structural framework for cells, but an excess is bad 34.
Insulin vs Glucagon Chart pg 35
A problem in older people is insulin resistence. The body becomes immune to insulin and the body needs more and more insulin to do the same job... thus increasing all the bad sides even more. 44.
Aspirin interfers with eico production.
Linoleic acid is the only essential fat.
Limit arachindonic acid. Its a precursor to bad eicos.
Transfatty acids, Alpha Linolenic Acid and Insulin keep Linoleic acids out.
Stay clear of parcially hydrogenated oils! Thei are transfatty acids.
Alpha Linolenic Acid ALA blocks eicosinoid production. Canola and Soybean are high in ALAFlaxseed is high in ALA and works like aspirin to block eicos.
Polyunsaturated is BAD.
Monounsaturatide is GOOD.
Transfatty acids are made when Polyunsaturatd Fats are partially hygrogenated.
Best Oils are Olive, Sesame and Peanut.