The Energy Balance Podcast

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   

Ep. 103: How Western Culture Keeps Us Poor And Destroys Our Family, Community, and Relationships

In this episode we discuss:

• How lower wages and higher costs have dramatically reduced our quality of life
• How we’ve ended up working more and resting less with worse outcomes
• Whether advancements in technology have improved the quality of life of the average person
• How marketing and consumerism keep us on the hamster wheel
• The hidden costs of convenience culture
• Concerns surrounding the collusion between government and corporations
• How divide and conquer tactics convince us to blame each other rather than the powers that oppress us

 

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

 

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

 

Click here to check out the show notes: 

https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-103-how-western-culture-keeps-us-poor-and-destroys-our-family-community-and-relationships/

 

Timestamps:

1:34 – how western culture degrades safety and security through financial means

7:33 – how lower wages with higher costs reduces safety and forces people to prioritize work over quality of life

15:14 – we currently work more with less leisure time than ever before, with worse outcomes

20:24 – the cost of consumer culture and marketing as an engine that drives consumerism

30:53 – the cost of convenience culture: freedom, privacy, morals, ethics, and health

36:14 – the problems with profit-driven motives and the collusion between government and corporations

45:36 – how western society has become fragile and unstable

51:13 – how western culture degrades relationships and feelings of love and belonging

52:41 – continued how western culture degrades relationships and feelings of love and belonging

53:27 – divide and conquer tactics within western culture and encouraging the “us vs. them” mentality   

Ep. 102: How Western Culture & Mainstream Medicine Keep Us Sick

In this episode we discuss:

• Why culture matters and how we can effectively navigate it
• The impact of the diet culture and the “eat less exercise more” paradigm
• How Western culture blames the individual for their poor health and the toll that this takes 
• The problems with excess work, time indoors, and sedentarism
• How the modern medical system takes away your capacity to improve your health
• Why the alternative health sphere can be just as problematic as mainstream medicine 

 

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://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-102-how-western-culture-mainstream-medicine-keep-us-sick/

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – why we’re discussing culture and our concerns with the culture in the US and the relationship between culture and health  

6:05 – frames through which we can view culture and the importance of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

13:00 – how western culture degrades health: diet culture and the food industry

27:43 – how western culture degrades health: excess work, time indoors, and sedentarism 

34:30 – how easily we can become numb to the effects of our culture or environment 

38:07 – the broken modern medical system and the problems with the allopathic, symptom management model 

48:21 – problems with the alternative health sphere  

Ep. 101: Building a Bioenergetic Diet: Optimal Carb, Fat, and Protein Sources

In this episode we discuss:

• Why you want to avoid vegetarian-fed chicken and acorn-fed pork 
• The best bioenergetic fat, protein, and carb sources 
• Why it’s best to avoid salmon and bluefin tuna, and what fish and seafood to have instead 
• Whether we should be including vegetables and fiber in our diet 
• How to avoid vegetable oils and what fats to use instead 
• When it makes sense to include high-FODMAP foods 

 

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/

 

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

 

Click here to check out the show notes: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-101-building-a-bioenergetic-diet-optimal-carb-fat-and-protein-sources/

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro 

1:34 - bioenergetic food guide 

2:59 - bioenergetic fat sources 

6:20 - bioenergetic protein sources 

15:01 - the importance of collagen/gelatin 

18:51 - bioenergetic carbohydrate sources 

31:25 – foods and additives to avoid 

34:15 – experimentation and context as primary components of the bioenergetic view 

 

Ep. 100: Building a Bioenergetic Diet: Macros, Calories, and Meal Timing

In this episode we discuss:

• Optimal macronutrient breakdowns for meals and snacks
• How to calculate your protein, carbohydrate, and fat needs
• How to use taste, cravings, hunger, and experimentation to guide your macro intake
• How to find your starting calorie intake
• The optimal number of meals and snacks to have in a day

 

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://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-100-building-a-bioenergetic-diet-macros-calories-and-meal-timing/

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro 

1:21 – context for these dietary guidelines and the importance of the “why” 

7:58 – guidelines for optimal protein intake from the bioenergetic view 

14:46 – guidelines for optimal fat intake from the bioenergetic view 

29:27 – guidelines for optimal carb intake from the bioenergetic view  

31:32 – how to find your starting calorie intake 

35:29 – guidelines for optimal carb intake from the bioenergetic view (continued) 

42:00 – using taste, cravings, hunger, and experimentation to adjust these guidelines 

45:35 – guidelines for optimal meal and snack timing and composition from the bioenergetic view