The Energy Balance Podcast

Ep. 113: Carbohydrates Don’t Cause Insulin Resistance or Diabetes; Evidence For The Bioenergetic View

In this episode we discuss:

• Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are diseases of excess fat burning and impaired glucose metabolism
• How increasing carbohydrate intake improves insulin sensitivity, even in people with type 2 diabetes
• Evidence supporting the bioenergetic view of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
• Why carbs are not actually the cause of insulin resistance and diabetes

 

Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide

 

Free Energy Balance Mini-Course: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-113-carbohydrates-dont-cause-insulin-resistance-or-diabetes-evidence-for-the-bioenergetic-view

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:28 – what the mainstream view of insulin resistance gets wrong when it comes to what causes insulin resistance and diabetes

3:24 – glycolysis and fat oxidation are favored, and glucose oxidation is inhibited in insulin resistance and diabetes

8:39 – what happens to glucose in diabetic cells

10:32 – why insulin resistance is a symptom rather than the driver of diabetes

12:55 – research showing that insulin resistance is driven by poor glucose metabolism

20:50 – impaired glucose uptake is not caused by excess insulin; fat-burning and impaired glucose metabolism are the culprits 

27:10 – the problems with relying on fat oxidation over carbohydrate oxidation 

30:43 – how increasing blood glucose levels or increasing insulin can restore normal glucose uptake in diabetes

35:28 – how insulin actually lowers blood sugar and the effects of insulin on cortisol and other stress hormones

37:16 - why fatty acid oxidation is NOT the underlying cause of insulin resistance

40:06 – factors that support or block mitochondrial respiration

41:20 – how excess fatty acid oxidation contributes to the pathology of insulin resistance and can impair glucose metabolism over time

42:49 - how insulin actually lowers blood sugar and the effects of insulin on cortisol and other stress hormones (cont.)

47:08 – why we don’t want to blame insulin for insulin resistance and what really causes high fasting blood glucose

49:22 – how low-carb diets increase stress hormones and decrease insulin sensitivity

Ep. 112: The Problems with Resistant Starch and Balancing the Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio (Q&A)

In this episode we discuss:

• Why you might want to think twice about using resistant starch for blood sugar regulation and gut health
• Ways to increase or reduce the amount of resistant starch in the foods you eat 
• How to tell if resistant starch is negatively impacting your gut health, and why non-resistant starch may also pose a problem
• The optimal calcium to phosphorus ratio according to the research
• The calcium paradox and why calcium intake doesn’t increase excitation or calcification
• The hidden dangers of excess phosphorus intake 

 

Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide

 

Free Energy Balance Mini-Course: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-112-the-problems-with-resistant-starch-and-balancing-the-calcium-to-phosphorus-ratio-qa

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:00 – mainstream health claims about resistant starch and why we disagree

6:15 – whether there are any benefits to including resistant starch in your diet

11:07 – how to tell if resistant starch is negatively impacting your gut health and how to avoid it

16:05 – which starches are easiest to digest and the factors that affect our ability to digest starches optimally

21:38 – why we should pay attention to our calcium to phosphorus ratio and the risks of high parathyroid hormone levels

26:19 – the optimal calcium to phosphorus ratio and the calcium paradox in terms of regulating blood pressure 

31:21 – which phosphorus-containing foods we should avoid to optimize bone density 

34:36 – the calcium paradox and why consuming calcium doesn’t increase intracellular calcium

Ep. 111: Stevia vs. Sugar, Ketogenic Diets for Epilepsy, and Spore-Based vs Standard Probiotics (Q & A)

In this episode we discuss:

• How spore-based probiotics differ from typical probiotics and whether we should be using either of them to improve our gut health 
• Whether low-carb or ketogenic diets are an ideal solution for epilepsy 
• The role of gut health and metabolism in epileptic seizures
• Concerns with using low- or no-calorie sweeteners
• Whether stevia is actually any better than artificial sweeteners

 

Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide

 

Free Energy Balance Mini-Course: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-111-stevia-vs-sugar-ketogenic-diets-for-epilepsy-and-spore-based-vs-standard-probiotics-qa

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:17 – whether spore-based probiotics can cause bacterial overgrowths like SIBO

4:53 – the drawbacks of standard probiotic use and the limitations of stool testing

9:55 – how spore-based probiotics protect against pathogenic bacteria and endotoxin and which spore-based product Jay recommends

15:39 – long-term benefits of spore-based probiotics and how long you need to use them for these benefits

21:05 – whether low-carb or ketogenic diets are necessary to improve epilepsy 

29:25 – using ketones for fuel and why the production of ketones isn't the problem on a ketogenic diet 

30:48 – the main drivers of epileptic seizures and how ketones help to prevent or reverse them 

34:17 – the role of the gut microbiome in brain health and epilepsy

42:18 – concerns with low- or no-calorie sweeteners like stevia

48:03 – whether we should be concerned about the lack of nutrients in table sugar, honey, and maple syrup 

54:55 – stevia as a potential endocrine disruptor that may have negative effects on the thyroid, liver, and kidneys 

Ep. 110: The True Cause of Insulin Resistance and Diabetes from the Bioenergetic View

In this episode we discuss:

• Why insulin resistance and diabetes are not caused by excess carbohydrate consumption and are not actually an insulin signaling problem 
• The problems with the idea of metabolic flexibility, earning your carbs, and the carb-insulin model of obesity 
• Why carbs are beneficial even for people who have insulin resistance or diabetes 
• The role of fat burning and stress in driving insulin resistance 
• Specific diet, movement, and supplement recommendations to reverse insulin resistance and diabetes 

 

Free Energy Balance Mini-Course: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-110-the-true-cause-of-insulin-resistance-and-diabetes-from-the-bioenergetic-view/

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:14 – metabolic flexibility, earning your carbs, the carb-insulin model of obesity, and dispelling other common insulin resistance myths

7:48 – low-carb, keto, and carnivore diets may improve symptoms but are not the solution for insulin resistance

13:13 – what the mainstream views of insulin resistance gets wrong when it comes to what causes insulin resistance

15:50 – why you might not want to use a continuous glucose monitor and the unnecessary fear of blood glucose spikes

17:48 – whether insulin is harmful and whether we want to keep insulin levels as low as possible

22:15 – whether we can restore optimal insulin sensitivity without low-carb diets 

25:16 –the bioenergetic view of insulin resistance 

27:12 – insulin resistance as an adaptive evolutionary process that is crucial for survival

31:22 – the difference between physiological and pathological insulin resistance

34:40 – how inhibited glucose oxidation causes insulin resistance

40:46 – how fatty acid oxidation causes increased production of ROS, slows cellular respiration, and blocks glucose oxidation (The Randle Cycle)

51:06 – the harms of ROS production from fatty acid oxidation and other forms of stress

53:04 – insulin resistance as an energy deficient state

54:19 – insulin resistance is not an insulin signaling problem, it’s an energy production problem 

58:30 – the role of stress hormones (like cortisol) in insulin resistance 

1:02:09 – how insulin and carbohydrates decrease stress 

1:05:59 – how to fix insulin resistance and restore insulin sensitivity by fixing our capacity to produce energy  

1:10:38 – specific diet, movement, and supplementation recommendations for insulin resistance and diabetes 

1:17:55 – why you don’t need to tailor your carb intake to your carb tolerance   

Ep. 109: Chris Palmer's “Brain Energy”, Type 1 Diabetes, and Low-Fat Diets For Weight Loss (Q & A)

In this episode we discuss:

• Our thoughts on Chris Palmer’s “Brain Energy” theory of mental health
• Why low carb diets are not the solution for anxiety and depression and what to do instead
• What most people miss when it comes to weight loss and why we shouldn’t focus on fat-burning
• Strategies to optimally manage blood sugar for Type 1 Diabetes
• Whether we should lower our fat intake to lose weight 

 

Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide 

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https:/jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-109-chris-palmers-brain-energy-type-1-diabetes-and-low-fat-diets-for-weight-loss-qa

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:19 – our take on Chris Palmer's “Brain Energy” theory of mental health disorders

5:04 – challenging the misconception of a separation between the brain and body

8:03 – why low-carb, ketogenic, and carnivore diets can produce temporary mental health benefits

10:36 – how impaired energy production underlies poor brain health and how to fix it without using low-carb diets

14:05 – how fat burning can temporarily relieve symptoms of poor glucose utilization (with a major cost)

18:29 – why fatty acid oxidation is our default metabolic state under stress and underlies all chronic disease

22:20 – whether ketogenic diets promote metabolic flexibility

24:53 – poor glucose metabolism as a driver of Alzheimer’s disease and other mental health conditions

28:13 – the adaptive benefit of burning fat during stress

31:31 – blood sugar management for Type 1 Diabetes and whether a low-carb diet is optimal

38:13 – whether lowering fat intake is necessary for burning and losing fat

42:09 – whether improving metabolic function alone is enough to reduce stored fat and when a decrease in dietary fat intake may be necessary

47:32 – the difference between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat and their potential implications

50:34 – how to fix our hunger signals to prevent excessive eating

54:33 – weighing the costs of extreme diets and the need for more innovative thinking around health

Ep. 108: Herman Pontzer’s Burn, Ted Naiman’s PE Diet, and Increasing Calorie Intake to Raise Metabolism (Q & A)

In this episode we discuss:

• The unexpected costs of using excess exercise to lose weight 
• Our thoughts on Herman Pontzer’s book Burn and the Constrained Model of Energy Expenditure 
• Our thoughts on Ted Naiman’s protein to energy ratio diet (PE Diet) 
• The cost of eating too much protein and what to do instead 
• How to increase caloric intake to raise your metabolism and reverse hypothyroidism 
• The major category of nutrients that’s often missed for optimizing mitochondrial function 

 

 

Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy

 

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https:/jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-108-herman-pontzers-burn-ted-naimans-pe-diet-and-increasing-calorie-intake-to-raise-metabolism-qa/

 

Timestamps:

1:25 – Herman Pontzer’s Constrained Model of Energy Expenditure and the adverse effects of energy deficits

7:13 – problems with the additive model of energy expenditure and the physiological cost of excess exercise

10:40 – environmental factors that we can change to increase metabolism

16:42 – the unexpected costs of using excessive exercise to lose weight

19:16 – weight gain as an adaptive response to an energy deficit

22:46 – when eating too much can be a problem and how to identify your ideal calorie intake

32:18 – Ted Naiman’s protein to energy ratio diet and optimal protein intake

41:13 – the problems with using protein as an energy source

46:45 – how to increase caloric intake to raise metabolism and reverse hypothyroidism

50:47 – how to track your symptoms and progress to better guide your nutrient goals

56:55 – the best foods for increasing calorie intake and what to do if you have a low appetite

1:00:30 – the essential role of both macro and micronutrient density in promoting mitochondrial health

1:04:00 – why sugar cravings are not the same as sugar addiction

1:06:46 – easy ways to incorporate more macro and micro nutrient dense foods into your diet

Ep. 107: Omega-3s DECREASE Lifespan and INCREASE Disease?

In this episode we discuss:

• Studies showing that omega-3 consumption decreases lifespan and increases disease processes 
• The potentially harmful effects of omega-3 usage during pregnancy on offspring 
• The impact of omega-3s on inflammation, endotoxin, and mitochondrial respiration 
• The data in native cultures showing that omega-3 intake doesn’t improve cardiovascular disease or mortality 
• Extremely healthy populations that consume high-carb and high-saturated fat diets with almost no omega-3s 

 

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

 

Download the Free Energy Balance Food Guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/

 

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https:/jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-107-omega-3s-decrease-lifespan-and-increase-disease

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:30 – studies showing that omega-3 consumption decreases lifespan and increases disease processes in animals

13:55 – studies on animals showing the harmful effects of omega-3 consumption during pregnancy on offspring

17:37 – studies showing that omega-3 consumption contributes to disease processes, increases inflammation, causes oxidative stress, increases endotoxin, and interferes with mitochondrial respiration

29:23 – whether we should be concerned about saturated fats increasing endotoxin absorption

30:33 – how omega-3 consumption leaves us more susceptible to damage when we’re under stress

33:52 – whether we should be consuming fatty fish

37:00 – the lack of benefit of omega-3 consumption in native populations consuming large amounts of fatty fish and seafood

46:14 – low incidence of cardiovascular disease in native populations consuming very little omega-3s

1:05:18 – concluding thoughts on whether we should consume omega-3s based on the data on omega-3s in RBCs and phospholipids and mortality

Ep. 106: Omega-3s INCREASE Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

In this episode we discuss:

• Studies showing that fish oil and cod liver oil supplementation increase oxidative damage in humans, even in the triglyceride form alongside antioxidants 
• Why omega-3s are harmful in both healthy and unhealthy humans 
• The harmful metabolic and hormetic effects of omega-3s (and why omega-3s aren’t beneficial due to hormesis) 
• The research showing that omega-3s do not improve chronic health conditions or mortality in humans 

 

 

Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy

 

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https:/jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-106-omega-3s-increase-inflammation-and-oxidative-stress/

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:26 – a summary of the harmful effects of omega-3 consumption in humans

9:14 – omega-3 consumption amplifies the damage from stress (including fasting)

17:08 – vitamin E does not protect against lipid peroxidation from fish oil consumption

20:06 – studies showing that increased omega-3 consumption (including fish oil and cod liver oil) in humans and other animals increases lipid peroxidation, even in triglyceride form

31:45 - how omega-3s triggers hormesis, and why this doesn’t make omega-3s beneficial

39:50 – the context of the omega-3 research and its application

42:57 – studies showing that omega-3 supplementation doesn’t improve chronic health conditions or reduce mortality in humans

Ep. 105: Challenging The Idea That Increased Omega-3 Consumption Lowers Mortality

In this episode we discuss:

• Whether the research suggesting that omega-3s decrease mortality is valid
• Omega-6 intake as a major confounding variable when looking at omega-3 research
• The dramatic lifespan-lowering effect of omega-3s and total PUFA across all species
• How omega-3s increase susceptibility to oxidative stress and damage
• Looking at the Masai diet as an example of a low-omega-3 diet with high omega-3s in the red blood cells

 

 

Download the Free Energy Balance Food Guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/

 

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

 

Click here to check out the show notes: 

https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-105-challenging-the-idea-that-increased-omega-3-consumption-lowers-mortality/

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro

1:35 – why we’re discussing omega-3s and lifespan

8:10 – the studies showing an association between omega-3 content in phospholipid and reduced mortality

16:48 – conflict of interest as a confounding variable in these studies

18:12 – healthy user bias as a confounding variable in these studies

20:46 – omega-6 consumption as a confounding variable in these studies

29:04 – problems with using RBC phospholipids and serum fatty acids as markers of fatty acid composition of the diet

30:35 – a low omega-6 diet will increase omega-3 content in the RBC phospholipids and serum fatty acids

36:35 – the effect of heritability on RBC phospholipid and serum fatty acid composition

43:58 – the effect of oxidative stress on RBC phospholipid and serum fatty acid composition

52:57 – why it’s important to consider interventional studies and other research to determine whether we should increase omega-3 consumption to reduce mortality

55:30 – research looking at the relationship between composition of phospholipids and lifespan across species

1:07:33 – research looking at the relationship between composition of phospholipids and lifespan within species

1:23:30 – increased consumption of omega-3s increases omega-3 content in phospholipids and therefore the peroxidizability index

1:28:53 – looking at the Masai diet: low omega-6 intake increases omega-3 content in RBC fatty acids

Ep. 104: How Western Culture Keeps Us Distracted And Fighting Amongst Ourselves

In this episode we discuss:

• Individualism and competition vs. collaboration and communitarianism
• Whether humans are inherently selfish and destructive 
• The cost of social media and other forms of distraction
• How drugs and alcohol can function as numbing agents 
• Why many causes that appear worthy turn out to be distractions from the real problems

 

Check out the Energy Balance Solution program here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/solution/

 

Download the Free Energy Balance Food Guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/

 

Click here to check out the show notes: 

https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-104-how-western-culture-keeps-us-distracted-and-fighting-amongst-ourselves/

 

Timestamps:

1:14 – individualism and competition vs. collaboration and communitarianism

25:45 – randomness, subjectivism, moral relativism, and the resulting nihilism

31:20 – the consequences of the idea that humans are selfish, destructive, and useless other than what we can produce

41:39 – how potentially beneficial advancements become co-opted to maintain the current power structure

48:04 – how western culture degrades esteem and prevents self-actualization

49:43 – the many aspects of modern technology and entertainment that distract us from what’s important

55:26 – how drugs and alcohol can also function as numbing agents

1:03:42 – how worthy causes become co-opted to prevent legitimate progress

1:13:18 – contrasting with cultures that are family-oriented and less distracted by technology

1:16:10 – the effects of culture in science, health, and everyday life