Mark’s Daily Apple

Dear Mark: Healthy Body Weight?8

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Dear Mark,

What do you think about the claim that being heavier doesn’t necessarily mean you’re less healthy than someone who’s thin?

Thanks to reader Corey for his question and for sending the New York Times article that highlights recent research.

The article references a study published in this month’s Archives of Internal Medicine.

It’s true that body weight receives a lot of attention and isn’t always the cut and dry issue it’s made out to be. Let’s first take a look at the study Corey found. The researchers compiled medical information on nearly 5500 men and women to compare height and weight measurements with traditional health markers like “blood pressure, ‘good’ cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and … C-reactive protein.� Their findings showed that, though there was a general association between health and thinness, the connection didn’t always hold. Approximately one-quarter of the thin subjects came up “unhealthy� in two or more of the markers. On the flip side, nearly half of “overweight� subjects were “healthy� according to their markers.

First off, let me address a couple concerns of the research. Although a number of these markers are certainly very useful tools in assessing overall health (blood sugar, blood pressure, C-reactive protein), the others I’d consider more tangential. Furthermore, there are others (albeit some more expensive and too involved for a study of this kind) like stress tests and other inflammation related tests that would’ve been more indicative. Though the markers used are enough to raise some relevant points about body weight, the full picture remains skewed if you ask me. For example, according to the results, about one-third of the “obese� subjects were “healthy� given their marker profiles. To be twenty percent or more over your ideal weight and still be “healthy�? I don’t buy it. Though the impact of this added weight might not show up in the particular markers used (at this point in time for said subjects), it nonetheless stresses the body over time compromising each system of the body.

But let’s get back to the idea of being on the heavier side without being obese. I absolutely believe that some people can be as fit as a fiddle but still not fall into the “svelte� category. While we all share a common “recipe� for a healthy, lowest possible body-fat body, how this recipe plays out for each individual will vary. For example, a man or woman who is predisposed toward ectomorphism can be lean and even reasonably muscular but probably won’t be a likely body-building contender. Likewise, a genetically predisposed endomorph can be remarkably fit and healthy. Though this person isn’t by any stretch “doomed� to be fat, it can be hard enough to get below a certain body fat level for the continued effort to be worth it. Or maybe the added stresses of trying to get below, say, 20% (for a woman) takes a toll greater than the potential benefits. 20% when otherwise well-fed and exercised can still make for a very healthy, attractive and functional body. You can have an attractive, fit, and functional body without driving yourself into the ground to keep that extra five pounds off.

One last note… Some interesting research seems to suggest that a little extra weight may be beneficial for older men and women, particularly those in their 80s and 90s. The study’s authors compared mortality rates of older men and women with recorded BMI. Those who had been of normal BMI when younger but gained weight in their later years fared the best. The researchers noted that other studies have offered similar observations, including a 1985 study that reviewed actuarial data from insurance companies.

Possible reasons behind the benefit of a few extra pounds in later years? I’ve mentioned before that lean muscle mass is directly related to organ reserve, and the effects of this connection are especially dramatic later in life. This research seems to suggest that added weight in general bears some association to organ reserve as well. In the case of major illness, the body has a larger energy reserve to draw from. I want to make the distinction, however, that the benefit of this “extra� weight is a law of diminishing returns. A little additional reserve, being slightly on the heavier side in older age, seems to have its advantages in terms of overall mortality. However, if you carry too much fat, you’re likely undoing any benefit by the stress of the substantially increased weight. At a certain point also, added weight impacts your quality of life – a point most people are just as concerned about as overall mortality. I’d suggest that this is a case of a little (extra) goes a long way.

Thanks as always for your great questions, and keep ‘em coming!

Jill Greenseth Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

All Past “Dear Mark” Posts

10 Rules of Aging Well

The 7 Habits of Thin (Healthy) People

Skinny Fat: Where Skinny Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Healthy

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Posted: Aging, Dear Mark, Health, Weight loss

Dear Mark: What’s Wrong with Juicing?13

Mark,

In your last “Dear Mark” post you said “…why drink your veggies and fruits in concentrated form when you can eat them? I’d just be careful of overdoing the juices.” What is wrong with juicing? I’ve always thought that making fresh juice is extremely healthy for you. Am I right to think that juicing is part of healthy lifestyle or have I been bamboozled by an unnamed, charismatic infomercial personality with bushy eyebrows?

Charismatic personality aside (know what you mean, by the way), I don’t consider juicing a bad thing. However, “eating� only a fraction of a fruit’s/vegetable’s edible content in this case just isn’t going to be as healthy as eating all of it.

Nutrients: Although a generally nutritious option, juice is ultimately a higher sugar, lower nutrient version of its produce sources. Calorie for calorie, for example, you’ll take in more sugar drinking apple juice than you would eating the apple itself. To boot, juicing inevitably reduces or eliminates the majority of fruit and vegetable skin. The skin, for many of our favorite produce pals, berries, apples, pears, plums, figs, etc., contains a hefty amount of a fruit/veggie’s total nutrients. Remember the produce color wheel? Those much-hailed pigments, seats of flavonoids and carotenoids, are concentrated in the skin (and, in some cases, the pulp) as well. Another case of your mother/grandmother being right (again): eat the skin.

Fiber: Again, when you juice you’re deliberately leaving out the skins and pulp (or most of them anyway). Just as the skins and pulp usually hold a lot of the nutrient load, they are the primary (if not sole) source of a fruit’s or vegetable’s fiber content. While I’ve said before that our medical culture overplays the fiber issue (convincing us to down large quantities of grain-based fiber products to “clean us out�), I nonetheless believe that we do require some plant-based fiber for intestinal health. Another crucial benefit of fiber in this case? It slows down the digestion and absorption of the juice’s sugars.

The take-home message is this: juice can offer a decent source of nutrients on days when it’s hard to work in your usual amount of fruits and veggies, but it’s just not an adequate substitute for the real/whole source. (Note: It also requires that you recalibrate your overall carb load that day.)

If you want to include juice in your diet, go for fresh without a doubt. (I wouldn’t suggest buying bottled juices. They’re heated for safety and shelf stability, which reduces their nutrient content and gives them that stale, “off� taste. To boot, the labels may also reveal added sweeteners.) There are plenty of good juicers on the market, and some of us even have access to good juice bars where we live. Personally, I’d recommend making your own. Juice bars generally make their juices fresh for you but might not be as picky in choosing their produce as you would be. Of course, on top of it all you’ll pay a lot more than if you made it yourself. When you juice at home, don’t make a large batch. Juice breaks down pretty quickly. To maximize nutrition (and taste), be sure to make it fresh daily.

As always, thanks for the great questions and comments, everybody. Keep ‘em coming!

Further Reading:

Fun with Fiber: The Real Scoop

On the Problems of Cultivated Fruit

Best Fruit Choices

The Definitive Guide to Primal Eating

What is the Primal Blueprint?

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Posted: Carbs, Dear Mark, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Sisson Said What?

Dear Mark: All Things Sweet (Plus Cheese and Gut Health)15

This week instead of focusing on one reader question and giving a lengthy, detailed response I thought I’d change it up a bit by publicly addressing a number of reader questions with quick responses and links to archived posts. Let me know if you like the format. That is, do you prefer an in-depth analysis of a single reader’s question as per most of my “Dear Mark” posts or would you rather see more questions answered in a succinct, to-the-point manner? Give me your feedback and I’ll handle “Dear Mark” posts accordingly. More than likely I’ll do a good mix of both in the future. Thanks, everyone!

Sweet Potato, Sweet Fruit, Sweet Juice

Mark - Thanks for the great blog!

1. What is your opinion of sweet potatoes? Are they OK in moderation? Do they have any bad properties - Can I eat as many as I want? I have eliminated sugars/potatoes/breads/rice/grains/dairy etc. from my diet but I really miss a “starch” at dinner. I’d like to add some sweet potatoes with my steamed asparagus and grilled chicken for dinner.

2. Are there any fruits I should watch out for? I have eliminated the high-sugar ones - mangoes, pineapple, etc. are there any other ones I should nix? I like Apples, Blueberries, and Oranges (no juice). How about bananas and plantains?

3. Any opinion on “Vedge” juice by Bolthouse Farms?

THANKS!!!

John,

Yams and sweet potatoes are decent natural carb sources. They are OK in moderation, which I would say is no more than one every 2 days.

As for fruits, use your “fullness” as a guide. There aren’t really any I’d say to avoid…just know that they are carbs and they do have sugar. But even 3 or 4 servings a day doesn’t add up to that much (compared to pasta, cereal, bread, etc) Plantains and bananas are fine in moderation, too.

Vedge looks OK…but why drink your veggies and fruits in concentrated form when you can eat them? I’d just be careful of overdoing the juices.

Check out these posts for more info:

Best Fruit Choices

The Best Low-Carb Fruits (and the Worst)

A Few Words on Juicing

Alternatives to Grains

Primal Cheese?

Mark

First, I love your blog and I read it absolutely every day. I found your blog because I joined Crossfit about 6 months ago and they had posted a link to one of your articles on Grains. I just think you are an absolutely fantastic resource and your blog is also extremely enjoyable to read. When people ask me how I stay in such great shape and how I know so much about food, I am always citing your blog as a great reference point for people looking to gain more knowledge! So thanks, and keep up the good work!

On to my question…. My boyfriend and I have just started the “30-Day Challenge” and we have been going back and forth with each other discussing the cheese issue. While I have read in your articles that it is a “sensible vice” and that if you stay on the “higher end” of the market in terms of quality you will be fine, he completely disagrees and pulls out all the things “non-dairy” arguments and the things that Paleolithic Dieters (very similar to you, I believe) say about dairy and allergens etc. I was just wondering if you could clarify why exactly you feel cheese is a “sensible vice” and why it is different from other dairy? I know it is low in lactose and high in protein but is that it? Also, since there are a ton of different types of higher quality cheeses could you specify which particular types you think are better than others and why? I love cheese on my salads but would prefer to know which types are better than others (I am not that particular about what kind of cheese I use as long as I know it is the “better kind” of vice).

Is goat cheese better than cow, is sheep better than either? I am just “on the fence” about the dairy issue when it comes to cheese and would love whatever knowledge you have to offer.

Thanks again for all the posts and I look forward to hearing from you.

Jessica

Hi Jessica,

Glad you like the blog. We have a blast doing it.

As for the cheese thing, I am more on your boyfriend’s side here (sorry). In the best Primal world, we wouldn’t eat dairy of any kind including cheese. But I do say that if you can digest it and eat it in small amounts occasionally, cheese qualifies as a Sensible Vice (probably can’t hurt and won’t interfere with insulin or autoimmune problems). The fact that it’s already “predigested” (fermented) helps differentiate cheese and yogurt from most other dairy, too. Having said that, I’d probably pick the stronger cheeses that you can use mostly for added flavoring (shaved parmesan, for example) versus using them for substantial protein content. If you are limiting cheese in that regard, then any that you choose can fit in to your plan

I’ve touched on this before. Check out these posts for more info:

Would Grok Chow the Cheese Plate?

Sensible Vices: Round 2

Gut Rut

G’day Mark, I hope all is well.

I read an article about the aussie cycling team and probiotics.

I’ve seen a couple blogs and references to intestinal issues, any recommendations?

S

Simon,

You don’t really need probiotics every day if your gut is in good shape. If it’s NOT, or if you have been sick recently, or under stress (or training hard) then probiotics could help maintain all-important gut flora. I like Natren’s Healthy Trinity, but there are others in your health food store if they don’t have that.

Since I eat well and control stress, the only time I find I need them is for food poisoning (luckily not often!!) episodes. They are a lifesaver in recovering from that in a very short period of time.

Here are a few more related posts:

A Sanitized World is a Healthier World?

10 Natural Ways to Reduce Inflammation

Sweet Tooth Fix

Hi Mark,

I have been keeping up with your blog for a while now, and have eased into the low carb lifestyle. I am a 26 year old male who sits pretty steady at 160 lbs I do fine avoiding grains, but I still have a keen sweet-tooth. By that I mean eating 1/4 of an oreo pie a day is normal for me (I have cut that way back but you get the idea). It seems every time I decide to take the jump and go fully primal, I end up with a headache that after a week or so ends with me jumping back into the sugars to make it end.

Is this a common problem for people? It has me asking alot of questions about its cause. For one, I wonder if I am cutting calories too low. I am not particularly hungry, and I eat when I am so I wouldn’t think that is the case. I dont want to drop weight, as there isnt much excess there.

Is this just me having insulin withdrawals? I will admit that my body is used to some severe sugar spikes. If so, I would expect it to go away if I push on through.

Let me know if you have any thoughts on the matter, or if others have found ways to deal with this particular problem. I intend to push through this time, so if I find the answer on my own, I will send it along.

Thanks,
William

William,

It is common to have these withdrawal type symptoms. No need to cut calories too low if you don’t need to lose weight, so don’t hesitate to eat a little more than you have to for the short term. Have some other snacks handy for when you feel the sugar-cravings coming on…something you like but that has fats and/or protein instead (nuts, cheese, jerky, celery with nut butter or cream cheese - anything that doesn’t have sugar). If you can go a few weeks staving of the oreo pies, you’ll be “through to the other side” and into the
light

Here are a couple related posts for more info:

Dear Mark: Sugar Cravings

Making the Switch to Primal Living in 6 Easy Steps

Low Energy on the Primal Challenge

Is All Chocolate Created Equal?

Pass the Honey, Honey

Hey Mark,

Thanks for all your articles. Since reading your site, I have revised my view that my destiny is controlled by my LDL level. (which is 174) My doc wanted to put me on Lipitor but I ain’t doing it. I am instead reducing my inflammation and I think this gets to my question: What do you think about honey? I have to admit, one of my indulgences is to take a heaping spoonful of local honey every day. It is a pleasure but I don’t want to screw myself up too much with it possible – quite probably causing inflammation. It has got to be a “primal food” however – doesn’t it?

Basically, should I stop this indulgence?

Sean

Sean,

Grok did have a little honey now and then, but certainly not every day. Honey IS sugar pure and simple. A little bit each day won’t derail you, but why not cut back to a little every OTHER day. And ask yourself why this little habit is so important? Maybe it’s not. Maybe it could be easily broken. I presume the rest of your diet is in line with PB style eating.

Check out this related post:

On the Question of Sweeteners

RaeA, ulterior epicure, FUNKYAH, Balakov Flickr Photos (CC)

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Posted: Carbs, Dear Mark, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Sisson Said What?

Dear Mark: Fiber, Fat and Fasting14

Weekly Reader Mail

Dear Mark,

I have two questions. My first regards training and rest days. Simply, how many days of complete rest should I take for an entire week? I someone who’s been overweight for most of his pre-teen and teenage life, and who was able to lose that excess weight at 17 (I’m 20 now). My current goal is to “look fit” (and be healthy), which primarily entails eliminating the stubborn fat on my body that have refused to go away. If I’m doing three days of high-intensity interval training, for around 15-20 minutes per day, and three days of 1 hour lifting, for a total of 6 days per week with one day of rest, is that doing too much?

Secondly, where do I get most of my fiber on a primal blueprint diet if most high-fiber vegetables can only be attained sparingly (I’m a poor college student)? I’ve been looking around your site for the answer, and the only thing I’ve read mentioned in passing was flaxseed. If that is your suggestion, where can I buy it? I couldn’t find it in the cereal aisle of my local grocer.

First off, because you are still trying to lose the “stubborn� fat, I just need to remind you (and other readers) that 80% of your body composition results will come from PB-style eating. Yes, you still have to exercise to build or maintain muscle and to stimulate some added fat-burning enzymes, but you don’t want to fall into the common habit of thinking you must exercise nearly every day to burn off stored fat.

OK, having said all that, the amount of rest you need depends on your work load and perhaps your level of fitness if you’re transitioning to a new exercise routine. Given the program described, I’d say your one “day off� could be completely adequate. However, I wouldn’t hesitate to add another day off if you feel like you’re not recovering between workouts. Listen to the signals your body is sending, and know the message might be different from week to week depending on sleep and stress levels, etc. If you choose to take that extra day, you can always use it to incorporate some low to moderate level “life� activity: hike, bike ride, kayaking, a game of ultimate Frisbee, or even some energy-intense house projects. Your training won’t take a hit if you take an extra day or two off. And if you’re eating well, your fat-burning won’t suffer at all.

As for the fiber question, I’ve often said that dietary fiber is over-hyped by the media. Truth be told, we don’t really need that much beyond what we get from eating vegetables and a few fruits each day. (People get themselves into trouble when they eat processed foods and throw off their body’s systems.) A natural, whole foods diet just doesn’t require “whole grains,� despite all the hoopla. Grok and his entourage did just fine without Metamucil and multigrain cereal for breakfast. Our bodies adjust to a more natural fiber intake over time. Adequate water and plenty of exercise can also help keep the pipes running. Nonetheless, here’s a list of fiber content estimates that can help you target your produce purchases. In short, apples, pears, berries, eggplants, artichokes, and all manner of raw and cooked greens are all good higher fiber options. You’ll note from this list that dried figs, yams, and a number of cooked legumes rate among the highest in fiber (10-19 grams per serving—with varied serving size) for non-grains, but (as you know) I don’t recommend these foods as regular MDA fare because of their high carb content.

Hi Mark,

Can you give me an idea on what oils to include in my diet. They are so expensive over here in the UK. I have recently bought brazil nut oil, walnut oil, and olive oil. I want to make sure I fulfill my daily needs without overlap (due to expense). Also how much of each should I be consuming. My other question is should I work out in a fasted or non fasted state.

I’m all for incorporating nuts into the diet, and nut oils offer a healthy (and tasty) alternative to canola, corn and sunflower oil. Your choices above are fine. Nonetheless, I don’t have a specific daily requirement for any particular oil. Use what you need to for flavoring and getting enough fat in your diet. To cut the expense, I’d suggest eating more whole nuts and nut butters (homemade is cheaper and pretty darn easy). Also, tropical oils, butter and lard offer cheaper options that can also be used in cooking. Each, of course, has its own distinct flavor. Experiment with them and find the best uses/recipes for each. As long as you’re going low carb, the extra saturated fat isn’t a concern. Of course, I always suggest “cleaner� versions of any animal product (especially anything high in fat, where most toxins are found).

As for working out while fasting, I don’t see a problem with it in general. Of course it depends on how long you’ve fasted, too. If you ate last night and work out this morning without eating, there’s not only no problem there, there may be a benefit in terms of fat burning if today’s workout is a long slow one, or in term of growth hormone if today’s is a short, intense workout. As for working out during a longer planned fast, if you’ve done it before and felt fine, I wouldn’t recommend necessarily dropping your workout during fasting days. You might want to dial back the intense training on extended fasts, though. Or if you’re new to fasting you might want to keep your exercise on those days low to moderate and save the heavy stuff for the rest of the week.

Ironically, whereas I would often recommend not eating immediately after a workout, if you have NOT fasted prior (in order to maximize growth hormone), it might be beneficial in this case to “break� your fast following hard resistance training sessions. In the 30 minutes to an hour following a weight workout, your body has a uniquely efficient potential for protein uptake. I’d suggest taking advantage of that timing. This goes double if you’re older or are working hard for muscle mass gain. I’m basically saying don’t regularly starve yourself for a long period both before AND after a hard workout. You can eat before and starve after or starve (fast) before and eat after. Hope that all makes sense.

Thanks, as always, for your messages. Keep ‘em coming!

buck82, jfravel, Tim Morgan Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Homemade Cashew Butter

10 Delicious DIY Salad Dressings

What is the Primal Blueprint?

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Posted: Dear Mark, Diet, Fitness, Health, Nutrition

Should We Allow Drugs in Sports?31

Dear Mark,

I know you used to be involved in triathlon sports administration. I see so much written about “banned substances” and “cheating” going on in the world of professional sports these days, especially with the Olympics looming. What do you make of all this?

Ray

Ray, my position hasn’t changed on this issue in a long while. Here is a piece I wrote for another website two years ago - before Floyd Landis tested positive for testosterone in the Tour de France.

A “Slightly-Less-Than-Modest” Proposal

At the risk of sounding a bit brazen, I would suggest that elite and professional sports would be better off allowing athletes to make their own personal decisions regarding the use of so-called “banned substances� and leaving the federations and the IOC out of it entirely. Even the term “banned substance� has a negative connotation, since most of these substances are actually drugs that were developed to enhance health in the general population. The irony here, of course, is that I have always been vehemently against the use of medications when natural remedies are usually better choices. But with sport we have athletes often doing “inhuman� or “unnatural� tasks that might require unnatural remedies. The bottom line is that drug-testing in sports is an extremely complex issue, about which most sports administrators have very little knowledge or understanding.

First, I should tell you that I was the Anti-doping Commissioner of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) – a relatively new sport within the Olympic Family – for nearly 13 years. I had to act as “prosecutor� on many doping cases (doping = drugs in sport). Prior to that, I helped write the first set of “anti-doping� rules for triathlon in 1988. Before that, I was an elite marathoner (2:18) and triathlete (4th Place Ironman Hawaii) in the ‘70s and ‘80s, so I have accumulated a fair amount of “inside information� regarding drugs in sport at the Olympic level. I also own a supplement company and have done extensive research on performance enhancement in pursuit of natural, legal alternatives.

There are three main points I want to make here: first, that it is impossible to fairly police and adjudicate drugs in sport; second, that the notion of a “level playing field� is a farce and, finally, that the performance requirements set by the federations at the elite level of sport almost demand access to certain “banned substances� in order to assure the health and vitality of the athlete throughout his or her career and – more importantly – into his or her life after competition.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: Big Pharma, Dear Mark, Fitness, Health, Hype, Sisson Said What?, Worker Bees' Weekly Bites