LEPTIN TEST and Other Medical Tests That Can Save Your Life....by Dr Ron Rosedale
Are you aware that you may have metabolic dysfunctions ? What about LEPTIN RESISTANCE and INSULIN RESISTANCE? Most probably. Just sharing.....
Dr Ron Rosedale: Founder of the North Carolina Center of Metabolic Medicine; Rosedale Metabolic Medicine in Dencer, Colarado.
(This article was originally posted on this blog on 5th April 2013. Because of its relevance and interest, I am re-posting it today)
....If there is a known single marker for a longer life span, as they are finding in the centenarian and laboratory animal studies, it is insulin sensitivity, or low insulin levels. When your cells are not sensitive to insulin, your insulin levels go up.
....If there is a known single marker for a longer life span, as they are finding in the centenarian and laboratory animal studies, it is insulin sensitivity, or low insulin levels. When your cells are not sensitive to insulin, your insulin levels go up.
What is the purpose of insulin? If you ask your doctor, he or she will tell you that it's to lower blood sugar, but I believe that's a trivial side effect. Insulin's evolutionary purpose is to store excess energy for future times of need. It lowers blood glucose levels for the purpose of storing it away, not regulating it. For our ancestors, this was a good thing. Remember, our ancestors survived on whatever food they could find, and they did not typically find food that elevated glucose. They ate some fruits when it was in season, but much of the sugar was burned in gathering it. High glucose wasn't a big problem back then! Very often, they were forced to survive for days, weeks or even months on little food. Insulin helped our ancestors store away nutrients for the proverbial rainy day when they would need it.
Our diet is completely different today. Food is plentiful, and high glucose is the norm, not the exception. As a result, our insulin levels are typically much higher than they were among our ancestors. When your cells are constantly bombarded with insulin, they become insulin resistant, meaning they stop hearing insulin's important message.....you are insulin resistance....creates a hormonal derangement that has a catastrophic effect on your metabolism.....Makes you fat; bad for your heart; cancer link; bad for your bones; ages you; memory problems; suppresses immune system; higher basal body temperature; high triglycerides; obesity; IR & LR;....and more.
...I lecture frequently to medical groups and I am passionate about teaching other physicians that food is indeed the most powerful medicine. I believe that physicians should strive to get patients on a good diet and off drugs, whenever possible. It has become fashionable these days to quote Hippocrates, who said, " Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." In my case, that philosophy is the cornerstone of my medical practice.
...I am also a well-known specialist in the field of aging, and lecture on that topic as well. It is not unrelated to diabetes. In fact, my interest in diabetes was sparked by the observation that diabetics suffered from so-called diseases of aging, such as arthritis, heart disease, cataracts, and even dementia at a much earlier age than normal. They even look older at an early age. From that realization, it dawned on me that the metabolic disorder of diabetes is a disease of rapid aging, and what we consider to be the " normal " diseases of aging are in reality due to an underlying disease of metabolic dysfunction.
...I have come to believe that leptin resistance is at least related to, if not at the foundation of the majority of disorders related to aging, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, and even aging itself. I know that many of you are probably thinking, how could one hormone --- let alone a hormone that most of you have probably never heard before --- be so important to health and longevity?
...Modern medicine has focused on merely treating symptoms, such as high cholesterol or elevated blood sugar, and not the true disease that underlies those symptoms, for that is far easier.... and therefore more lucrative. My experience has taught me that treating symptoms simply masks problems, and will almost make them worst, not better. If you lower leptin ( and also insulin ) to healthy levels, you will go a long way towards preventing and treating a main root of what we call the disease of aging and, in fact, aging itself. I believe that the disease of aging are not inevitable, and that they are aggravated, if not caused, by the typically poor American diet.
De-Age Your Body With The Rosedale Diet
...I am a metabolic specialist who has devoted my career to treating diseases such as obesity, heart disease , and diabetes.
Until then, the medical establishment had all but ignored the role of diet in disease. It was already thought that a high fat diet could increase cholesterol levels in the body, and after his research ( Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, one of the first to study the correlation between elevated cholesterol and heart disease. I had the privilege of working with him ) everyone jumped on the " no fat-no cholesterol " bandwagon. We were told that the ideal diet was low in fat and cholesterol, and high in carbohydrates, especially for diabetics, who were at greater risk of heat disease. We didn't know about leptin yet, nor did we understand the role of insulin in metabolic disease, nor did we differentiate between good fats and bad fats. I saw diabetic patients on this so-called ideal diet get worse, not better. Worst of all they were always hungry and couldn't stay on that diet. I asked myself why the standard diet wasn't working? Why did most of them require more, not less medicine on this diet? Why were they so unhappy and so hungry?
....One day it dawned on me that the high carb -- low fat diet that was being prescribed to diabetic patients was precisely the wrong therapeutic approach. The reason why now seems obvious, but a decade ago, it was revolutionary bordering on heretical. Carbohydrate in any form other than fiber is eventually metabolized by the body into sugar. In fact, it starts turning into sugar as soon as it hits the saliva in your mouth. It doesn't matter if it is a piece of fruit, a brownie, or a bowl of whole grain cereal, it still turns to sugar. ( There are some carbs that are better for you than others, but nevertheless, any carb that is not fiber eventually ends up as sugar. )
Excess Protein Is Just As Bad
...If high carb wasn't the right approach, that left two other major food categories on which to base a diet: protein and fat. It may surprise you to learn that the protein that the body doesn't quickly use to repair or make new cells is largely broken down into simple sugar, which increases sugar and promotes insulin resistance. Furthermore, protein itself triggers insulin production, which can worsen insulin resistance. ( That is why diabetics should never go on a very high protein diet. )
...Having rules out carbohydrates and protein, I decided to try putting my diabetic patients on a high fat diet, but only using healthy fats, such as those you'll eat on the Rosedale Diet. When I switched my patients to this new diet, I saw vast improvements in nearly every case. In addition to losing a lot of unwanted weight, patients were able to reduce or eliminate their medication. I was so impressed with these results that I recommended the diet for my non-diabetic patients who were trying to lose weight, many of whom were insulin resistant. The weight literally melted off them, and most were able to keep it off. Years later, after the discovery of leptin ( in 1995 ), I found out why my diet worked so well. It lowered leptin levels quickly and effectively. I also discovered why the other diets had failed. They didn't lower leptin levels nearly as well or as effectively, in fact, they often raised leptin levels! ( Shockingly, most diabetics are still treated with the high carbohydrate -- low fat diet. ) ... Thus, the longtime nutritional advice of the medical profession to eat a high carb, low fat diet is an oxymoron!
That's the preliminaries.
Now for the Rosedale recommended tests. These are tests I haven't known myself but it's important especially if you have Health Challenging Issues or chronic HCIs. It may strikes you that other tests are more important than others like HbgA1c vs Glucose; Basal Temperature ( very interesting ) and lastly, you will never imagine is how not so important is Cholesterol !
Have it downloaded. Read and reread it. Keep it for the next generation. Pass it to your friends. Who else ?
I've added my comments based on my past ignorant --- hope you don't mind....any further comments welcome......Alan
Happy reading.
...I also recommend, however, that you get the laboratory tests prior to starting the Rosedale Diet and do the appropriate follow-ups after three months, six months, and one year, or as indicated. Just as your doctor periodically checks your cholesterol, I much prefer to follow other lab tests that I feel are far more indicative of your overall health. These will provide concrete, irrefutable proof of the program's beneficial effects on your overall health.
...Of the sixteen medical tests described below, at least seven can be included as part of the routine CBC, or complete blood chemistry, that should be done at your annual physical. ( An asterisk * designates the tests that can be included as part of this routine workup. )
...Because some tests require a fasting blood serum sample, you will be instructed by your doctor to avoid eating or drinking besides water for at least eight hours prior to having your blood drawn. Several of the tests described below are outside the range of the usual blood tests and should be sent to one of the handful of specialized labs for analysis. ( See section for lab recommendations. )
[ Note: Through my search in S'pore and Australia, and assistance from Rosedale's office, I finally found the nearest to Malaysia is in India for the most important test. Leptin test.]
....The tests listed below in what I consider to be their order of importance.
01) LEPTIN
...Having rules out carbohydrates and protein, I decided to try putting my diabetic patients on a high fat diet, but only using healthy fats, such as those you'll eat on the Rosedale Diet. When I switched my patients to this new diet, I saw vast improvements in nearly every case. In addition to losing a lot of unwanted weight, patients were able to reduce or eliminate their medication. I was so impressed with these results that I recommended the diet for my non-diabetic patients who were trying to lose weight, many of whom were insulin resistant. The weight literally melted off them, and most were able to keep it off. Years later, after the discovery of leptin ( in 1995 ), I found out why my diet worked so well. It lowered leptin levels quickly and effectively. I also discovered why the other diets had failed. They didn't lower leptin levels nearly as well or as effectively, in fact, they often raised leptin levels! ( Shockingly, most diabetics are still treated with the high carbohydrate -- low fat diet. ) ... Thus, the longtime nutritional advice of the medical profession to eat a high carb, low fat diet is an oxymoron!
That's the preliminaries.
Now for the Rosedale recommended tests. These are tests I haven't known myself but it's important especially if you have Health Challenging Issues or chronic HCIs. It may strikes you that other tests are more important than others like HbgA1c vs Glucose; Basal Temperature ( very interesting ) and lastly, you will never imagine is how not so important is Cholesterol !
Have it downloaded. Read and reread it. Keep it for the next generation. Pass it to your friends. Who else ?
I've added my comments based on my past ignorant --- hope you don't mind....any further comments welcome......Alan
Happy reading.
...I also recommend, however, that you get the laboratory tests prior to starting the Rosedale Diet and do the appropriate follow-ups after three months, six months, and one year, or as indicated. Just as your doctor periodically checks your cholesterol, I much prefer to follow other lab tests that I feel are far more indicative of your overall health. These will provide concrete, irrefutable proof of the program's beneficial effects on your overall health.
...Of the sixteen medical tests described below, at least seven can be included as part of the routine CBC, or complete blood chemistry, that should be done at your annual physical. ( An asterisk * designates the tests that can be included as part of this routine workup. )
...Because some tests require a fasting blood serum sample, you will be instructed by your doctor to avoid eating or drinking besides water for at least eight hours prior to having your blood drawn. Several of the tests described below are outside the range of the usual blood tests and should be sent to one of the handful of specialized labs for analysis. ( See section for lab recommendations. )
[ Note: Through my search in S'pore and Australia, and assistance from Rosedale's office, I finally found the nearest to Malaysia is in India for the most important test. Leptin test.]
....The tests listed below in what I consider to be their order of importance.
01) LEPTIN
The most reliable test for monitoring leptin levels is the radioimmunoassay ( RIA ), which utilizes an antibody that responds to leptin in a fasting blood sample. This test will tell you whether or not you have leptin resistance ( LR ). If your level is in the healthy range --- the optimal fasting leptin level is between 4 and 6 ng/dL and up to 9 is acceptable --- your cells are sensitive to leptin's signals. You're a fat burner as nature intended you to be, and it is unlikely that you will have a weight problem. ( If you lower your leptin levels to optimal levels, as you most certainly will on the R'Diet, it is highly unlikely that you will continue to have a weight problem even if you started out with one. ) Of course, we don't want leptin levels to go too low, Anything below -4 ng/dL is a sign of either malnutrition, usually accompanied by very low body fat, or a generic inability to produce leptin that results in obesity. ( If a woman's leptin level falls below 3, generally caused by very low stores of body fat due to inadequate food intake or intensive exercise, she will stop menstruating. )
If your fasting leptin level is 10 ng/dL or higher, you will most certainly benefit from the leptin-sensitizing program outlined in this book. Most obese people have extremely elevated leptin levels: 20, 30, even 40 ng/dL ! Yet within only two to three weeks on the R'Diet, almost everyone experiences a dramatic decline in leptin levels. At the same time, they eat less because they do not feel hungry as often as they used to. They no longer experience food cravings and have little difficulty following the diet. If your leptin doesn't fall as quickly as it should ( younger people often have quicker results than older people ), you need to be especially careful about following the diet and perhaps add extra nutritional supplements. But if you follow the program, I promise that your leptin sensitivity will improve and your fasting leptin level will fall.
If your fasting leptin level is 10 ng/dL or higher, you will most certainly benefit from the leptin-sensitizing program outlined in this book. Most obese people have extremely elevated leptin levels: 20, 30, even 40 ng/dL ! Yet within only two to three weeks on the R'Diet, almost everyone experiences a dramatic decline in leptin levels. At the same time, they eat less because they do not feel hungry as often as they used to. They no longer experience food cravings and have little difficulty following the diet. If your leptin doesn't fall as quickly as it should ( younger people often have quicker results than older people ), you need to be especially careful about following the diet and perhaps add extra nutritional supplements. But if you follow the program, I promise that your leptin sensitivity will improve and your fasting leptin level will fall.
Leptin: 4 to 6 ng/dL optimal; up to 9 acceptable; 10+ high.
02) INSULIN
The most important test after leptin is fasting insulin, for this hormone is also involved in how your body utilizes energy. Insulin is best known for its effect on blood sugar. Secreted by specialized cells in the pancreas, called islet cells, in response to increases blood glucose, insulin binds to receptors on the surfaces of cells throughout the body and signals them to allow glucose to enter.
Insulin regulates the energy needs of nearly every cell in your body. In addition to clearing glucose out of the blood, it determines whether that glucose will be used for immediate energy needs, whether it will be converted into glycogen for use over the next few hours, or whether it will be converted into fat for future needs. This explains why elevated insulin and leptin resistance go hand in hand in promoting weight gain. It is also involved in the synthesis of protein.
It is easy to overlook the manifold actions of insulin because its blood sugar ---- influencing properties are all you hear about from your doctor and the media. But let's look at it from the evolutionary perspective. For most of human history, the challenge was uncertain access to a food supply of any kind ( remember the Hunters Gatherers era ). Storing nutrients for times of food deprivation was essential to survival, and this is exactly what insulin does. Thus, insulin lowers blood sugar secondary to its major role in trying to store excess sugar mostly as fat.
Unfortunately, the fine-tuned processes that kept us alive during times of scarcity are undermined by our present diet that keeps blood levels of insulin constantly elevated.
One of the earliest effects of excess insulin is weight gain, as it stimulates the storage of fat and the burning of sugar. It lowers cellular level of magnesium, a mineral that relaxes the arteries and improves blood flow. Insulin also increases accumulations of sodium, causing fluid retention, resulting in high blood pressure. Elevated insulin also increases inflammatory compounds in the blood that damage the arteries and promote the formation of blood clots that may cause a heart attack. It stimulates spasms in the arteries and arrhythmia in the heart. Furthermore, it causes abnormalities in blood fats, including reductions in protective HDL cholesterol and elevations in triglycerides and small dense LDL cholesterol. All this translates into a significant increase in risk of heart disease.
There's more. Excess insulin upsets hormonal balance and increase the risk of polycystic ovary disease. It is even strongly linked to cancer because of its role in cell proliferation. Finally, high levels of insulin interfere with the normal activity of leptin with very few exception; if you are insulin resistant, you are also leptin resistant.
The best way to determine if you are IR is to have a fasting insulin test to measure total and/or free fasting insulin in serum. Free insulin is the active form of insulin, not bound to antibodies or other proteins, and levels will be slightly lower than total insulin. Ideal level are less than 10 IU/mL...Anything above this means you are IR---and the higher your level, the more severe the condition. If your insulin is creeping towards 10, you have a window of opportunity to take steps to improve your insulin sensitivity. If your level is above 10, it is imperative that you do what it takes to get IR under control.
Because IR and LR are so closely intertwined, insulin levels response beautifully to the R'Diet. As you adopt the diet, your cells become more sensitive to insulin and your insulin level will drop. At the same time you will be losing weight, reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other ills, and setting the stage for a long and healthy life.
Insulin regulates the energy needs of nearly every cell in your body. In addition to clearing glucose out of the blood, it determines whether that glucose will be used for immediate energy needs, whether it will be converted into glycogen for use over the next few hours, or whether it will be converted into fat for future needs. This explains why elevated insulin and leptin resistance go hand in hand in promoting weight gain. It is also involved in the synthesis of protein.
It is easy to overlook the manifold actions of insulin because its blood sugar ---- influencing properties are all you hear about from your doctor and the media. But let's look at it from the evolutionary perspective. For most of human history, the challenge was uncertain access to a food supply of any kind ( remember the Hunters Gatherers era ). Storing nutrients for times of food deprivation was essential to survival, and this is exactly what insulin does. Thus, insulin lowers blood sugar secondary to its major role in trying to store excess sugar mostly as fat.
Unfortunately, the fine-tuned processes that kept us alive during times of scarcity are undermined by our present diet that keeps blood levels of insulin constantly elevated.
One of the earliest effects of excess insulin is weight gain, as it stimulates the storage of fat and the burning of sugar. It lowers cellular level of magnesium, a mineral that relaxes the arteries and improves blood flow. Insulin also increases accumulations of sodium, causing fluid retention, resulting in high blood pressure. Elevated insulin also increases inflammatory compounds in the blood that damage the arteries and promote the formation of blood clots that may cause a heart attack. It stimulates spasms in the arteries and arrhythmia in the heart. Furthermore, it causes abnormalities in blood fats, including reductions in protective HDL cholesterol and elevations in triglycerides and small dense LDL cholesterol. All this translates into a significant increase in risk of heart disease.
There's more. Excess insulin upsets hormonal balance and increase the risk of polycystic ovary disease. It is even strongly linked to cancer because of its role in cell proliferation. Finally, high levels of insulin interfere with the normal activity of leptin with very few exception; if you are insulin resistant, you are also leptin resistant.
The best way to determine if you are IR is to have a fasting insulin test to measure total and/or free fasting insulin in serum. Free insulin is the active form of insulin, not bound to antibodies or other proteins, and levels will be slightly lower than total insulin. Ideal level are less than 10 IU/mL...Anything above this means you are IR---and the higher your level, the more severe the condition. If your insulin is creeping towards 10, you have a window of opportunity to take steps to improve your insulin sensitivity. If your level is above 10, it is imperative that you do what it takes to get IR under control.
Because IR and LR are so closely intertwined, insulin levels response beautifully to the R'Diet. As you adopt the diet, your cells become more sensitive to insulin and your insulin level will drop. At the same time you will be losing weight, reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other ills, and setting the stage for a long and healthy life.
Fasting Insulin: 10 IU/mL and below optimal; over 10 high.
[ Some local labs doesn't have the facility. They may do it for you by sending your blood serum to Singapore for a fees if you do the others common tests with them. ]
03) HBGA1C ( GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN )
Glucose interacts with proteins in a process called glycation or glycosylation. When that protein is hemoglobin, the iron-carrying pigment that gives red blood cells their color, the end result is glycated hemoglobin ( HbgA1c ). ( We could measure glycation in other blood proteins such as albumin, but this is the most economical and acceptable test. )
The HbgA1c test, which measures the percentage of hemoglobin that is glycosylated, is used by most doctors to estimate average blood sugar levels over the preceding 120 days ( the average life span of a red blood cell ). If your HbgA1c is 5.5 percent, this means your average fasting blood sugar for the past three months was approximately 100 mg/dL. An HbgA1c of 8 % translates into average blood sugars of approx. 200 mg/dL., and 11 % into approx. 300 mg/dL.
As opposed to measuring average blood sugars, this test really reveals the rate of glycation, and glycation can be modified especially by taking certain supplements. I have seen patients with similar blood sugars, yet one may have a HbgA1c of 6 % while the other's is 7 per cent. This is very important, for if diabetic patients can keep their glycation levels low they are that much less likely to be afflicted with complications of the arteries, nerves, eyes, and kidneys --- regardless of their glucose control. The non-diabetic HbgA1c range is from 4.5 percent to 6 percent, and the lower the level, the better.
There are several things you can do to curb glycation and lower HbgA1c. First, lower your blood sugar by changing your diet and improve your leptin and insulin sensitivity, Second, take targeted nutritional supple ments. Finally, reset your thermostat and lower your basal temperature ( by lowering leptin ), for higher temperatures accelerate glycation. All of these very important changes can be made by implementing the R'Diet.
The HbgA1c test, which measures the percentage of hemoglobin that is glycosylated, is used by most doctors to estimate average blood sugar levels over the preceding 120 days ( the average life span of a red blood cell ). If your HbgA1c is 5.5 percent, this means your average fasting blood sugar for the past three months was approximately 100 mg/dL. An HbgA1c of 8 % translates into average blood sugars of approx. 200 mg/dL., and 11 % into approx. 300 mg/dL.
As opposed to measuring average blood sugars, this test really reveals the rate of glycation, and glycation can be modified especially by taking certain supplements. I have seen patients with similar blood sugars, yet one may have a HbgA1c of 6 % while the other's is 7 per cent. This is very important, for if diabetic patients can keep their glycation levels low they are that much less likely to be afflicted with complications of the arteries, nerves, eyes, and kidneys --- regardless of their glucose control. The non-diabetic HbgA1c range is from 4.5 percent to 6 percent, and the lower the level, the better.
There are several things you can do to curb glycation and lower HbgA1c. First, lower your blood sugar by changing your diet and improve your leptin and insulin sensitivity, Second, take targeted nutritional supple ments. Finally, reset your thermostat and lower your basal temperature ( by lowering leptin ), for higher temperatures accelerate glycation. All of these very important changes can be made by implementing the R'Diet.
HbgA1c: 5.4 or less percent optimal; 5.6 - 5.8 acceptable; 5.9 - 6.9 high; 7.0 or higher at risk of diabetic complications.
[ You can have this test done at Malaysian Diabetes Association for RM 18/-. It's opposite the UH. ]
04) GLUCOSE *
A fasting glucose test measures the amount of glucose, or sugar, in your blood. Most of the carbohydrates you eat are broken down into glucose and released into the bloodstream. Some of that glucose is burned for energy. Excesses are either store in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen for short-term energy needs or converted into fat for long-term storage.
Glucose testing is commonly used to screen for diabetes and to monitor blood sugars in people who have diabetes. Most physicians consider normal levels to be up to 110 mg/dL. A diagnosis of diabetes is made when fasting glucose is higher than 125 mg/dL. Levels between 110 and 125 are indicative of impaired glucose tolerance, often called prediabetes. I think we need to redefine normal; normal is not necessary healthy. If your glucose level is in the 70s or low to mid 80s, fine, but if it is in the 90s and above, you need to take steps to address the underlying hormonal imbalances that are driving your blood sugar up.
The R'Diet has a tremendous effect on glucose levels. By avoiding carbohydrates and excessive protein and adding more healthy fats to your diet, you can avoid dramatic spikes in glucose ( not to mention insulin and leptin ) --- the stresses that these unnatural spikes place on your energy-regulating system.
Glucose testing is commonly used to screen for diabetes and to monitor blood sugars in people who have diabetes. Most physicians consider normal levels to be up to 110 mg/dL. A diagnosis of diabetes is made when fasting glucose is higher than 125 mg/dL. Levels between 110 and 125 are indicative of impaired glucose tolerance, often called prediabetes. I think we need to redefine normal; normal is not necessary healthy. If your glucose level is in the 70s or low to mid 80s, fine, but if it is in the 90s and above, you need to take steps to address the underlying hormonal imbalances that are driving your blood sugar up.
The R'Diet has a tremendous effect on glucose levels. By avoiding carbohydrates and excessive protein and adding more healthy fats to your diet, you can avoid dramatic spikes in glucose ( not to mention insulin and leptin ) --- the stresses that these unnatural spikes place on your energy-regulating system.
Glucose: 70 to 85 mg/dL optimal; 85 to 110 high; 110 to 126 very high; 126+ indicative of diabetes.
[You can do this at home with your own meter.]
[You can do this at home with your own meter.]
05) THYROID FUNCTION TESTS ( FREE T3, TSH )
Any discussion of metabolism must include the thyroid, a small gland located in the neck, straddling the windpipe. The thyroid produces two hormones, thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3). Although the gland secretes much more T4 than T3, T3 is the more active of the two --- T4 is converted to T3 in tissues throughout the body, mostly in the liver. Thyroid hormone affects almost every cell in the body. It stimulates enzymes involved in the oxidation, or burning, of glucose in the cells and controls the body's metabolic rate and production of body heat.
When the thyroid produces excessive amount of hormones, the body runs hot, like a car idling too high. Body temperature is elevated, basal metabolism revs up, and fuel is rapidly burned up. It wears down the engine and wastes energy. Enormous appetite, insomnia, palpitations ( strong or irregular heartbeats ), trembling of the hands, irritability --- these are all symptoms of excessive thyroid hormone levels, or hyperthyroidism.
An under-active thyroid, or hypothyroidism, causes an excessive slowdown in metabolism accompanied by too low temperature, fatigue, slow heartbeat, high triglycerides, dry skin and hair, cold hand and feet, depression, menstrual problems, and memory disturbances. Our goal is to keep metabolism at the most efficient level so that the body can do its work without wasting too much energy as heat.
Where does leptin fit in ? It is the master hormone that helps to regulate the thyroid. In times of starvation, leptin level falls, signalling the thyroid and other hormones to switch into conservative mode. Metabolism slows down but becomes more efficient, body temperature lowers, and vital nutrients are conserved. Leptin resistance distorts the signals that this hormones sends to the thyroid and the rest of your body, and may direct well-fed, even obese individuals into energy accumulation and fat-storage mode.
There are several tests for thyroid function, but I only use two. One is free T3, which measures blood levels of the unbound form of the most active thyroid hormone. The other is TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone. TSH is the stimulus from the brain that tells the thyroid how much hormone to produce. The bulk of T3 is transported by thyroxine-binding globulin ( TBG ). Only 0.3 percent of the T3 in the blood is free, but that small percentage is responsible for the many biological actions of thyroid hormone.
When the thyroid produces excessive amount of hormones, the body runs hot, like a car idling too high. Body temperature is elevated, basal metabolism revs up, and fuel is rapidly burned up. It wears down the engine and wastes energy. Enormous appetite, insomnia, palpitations ( strong or irregular heartbeats ), trembling of the hands, irritability --- these are all symptoms of excessive thyroid hormone levels, or hyperthyroidism.
An under-active thyroid, or hypothyroidism, causes an excessive slowdown in metabolism accompanied by too low temperature, fatigue, slow heartbeat, high triglycerides, dry skin and hair, cold hand and feet, depression, menstrual problems, and memory disturbances. Our goal is to keep metabolism at the most efficient level so that the body can do its work without wasting too much energy as heat.
Where does leptin fit in ? It is the master hormone that helps to regulate the thyroid. In times of starvation, leptin level falls, signalling the thyroid and other hormones to switch into conservative mode. Metabolism slows down but becomes more efficient, body temperature lowers, and vital nutrients are conserved. Leptin resistance distorts the signals that this hormones sends to the thyroid and the rest of your body, and may direct well-fed, even obese individuals into energy accumulation and fat-storage mode.
There are several tests for thyroid function, but I only use two. One is free T3, which measures blood levels of the unbound form of the most active thyroid hormone. The other is TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone. TSH is the stimulus from the brain that tells the thyroid how much hormone to produce. The bulk of T3 is transported by thyroxine-binding globulin ( TBG ). Only 0.3 percent of the T3 in the blood is free, but that small percentage is responsible for the many biological actions of thyroid hormone.
The ideal blood level of free T3 is 2.2 to 3.0 pg/mL and, within this range, the lower the level, the better, provided that TSH is within the healthy range of 1.5 to 3.50.
06) BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE
Another way to determine your metabolic rate is to measure your basal body temperature. This reflects your basal metabolism, the amount of energy your body is using when you're at complete rest. An elevated basal temperature is a clear sign that your metabolism is revved up and your thyroid is running on overdrive.
BBT is best measured upon awakening before you get out of bed and just before you fall asleep at night. It requires a basal thermometer, which is more sensitive than an ordinary thermometer. Digital basal thermometers are most convenient, but any basal thermometer will do. Have the thermometer at your bedside before going to bed. If it's a glass thermometer, shake it down below 96 degree the night before. When you awaken, before getting out of bed and while still lying down, take your temperature. Record it, and repeat for at least four to five consecutive days. Go through the same process at night, after lying in bed just before falling asleep. When you are done, remember to prepare the thermometer for your morning reading. A digital thermometer will beep when the temperature has been recorded.
The average BBT is about 97.8 degrees F. The 98.6 degrees you have always been told is normal reflects daytime temperatures, when we are more active. In any case, body temperature varies slightly from one person to the next. What you're looking for are trends and patterns. As the hormonal signals that govern your metabolism become more efficient, your basal temperature will likely go down. This decline will not be dramatic --- it may be as little as 0.2 degrees or as much as a full degree --- but it will be a very important sign that you're no longer wasting so much energy by generating excess heat. That fuel is instead being used to regenerate your body.
BBT: 96.8 - 97.5 degrees F or less optimal ( or decline of up to 1 degree F from baseline ).
[ You will have to own a digital thermometer. Do it yourself.....under the tongue. ]
07) INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-1 ( IGF-1 )
[ You will have to own a digital thermometer. Do it yourself.....under the tongue. ]
07) INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-1 ( IGF-1 )
IGF-1 also called somatomedin-C, is the most reliable test for human growth hormone. Growth hormone is produced in the pituitary gland, released in spurts most abundantly during sleep and exercise. It's a very short-lived hormone and within minutes is broken down in the liver into IGF-1 ( so-named because its molecular structure and some of its actions mimic insulin ), and remains in the blood for a day or two. Human growth hormone, as its name implies, is partly responsible for growth. Levels build gradually throughout childhood, peak during adolescence, and begin an inexorable decline by the age of twenty. By the time you reach your sixties, you're producing less than 20 percent as much growth hormone as you did in your teens.
For decades, IGF-1 concentrations were only measured in --- and growth hormone supplementation was only given to --- children of very short stature. Indeed, deficiencies of this hormone during critical stages of development severely retard growth. However, a small study published in 1990 by Daniel Rudman, M.D., in the New England Journal of Medicine turned growth hormone into an overnight celebrity. This study, which reported on the effects of six months of growth hormone supplementation in older men, concluded that their improvements in lean muscle mass, body fat, skin thickness, and bone density were " equivalent in magnitude to the changes incurred during ten to twenty years of aging. "
Many people, patients and physicians alike, have jumped on the growth hormone bandwagon, regarding it as the foundation of youth and a panacea for aging. I strongly disagree. I maintain that there is a reason why growth hormone and IGF-1 levels fall as we age --- and fall most significantly in those who live the longest. In caloric-restricted animals and those animals genetically modified whose longevity is dramatically increased, IGF-1 levels are almost always much lower than their shorter-lived peers.
IFG-1 is a growth factor. It promotes the growth of cells, and this includes cancer cells. There is a strong correlation between IGF1 levels and cancer rates. One study showed a fourfold increase risk of prostrate cancer in men with the highest IGF-1 levels compared to those with the lowest, and this was independent of baseline PSA levels. Other studies have shown that IGF-1 stimulates the growth of tumors of the breast, lung and colon and that lowering IGF-1 levels retards cancer growth. Reducing levels of this potent cancer stimulator can only bode well for health and longevity.
IGF-1 levels vary dramatically according to age, but for people who are forty and older, the typical range is 90 to 360 ng/mL. Your goal should be a downward trend, regardless of your baseline level. I have followed IGF-1 levels in several of my patients, and as they follow the R'Diet, IGF-1 levels decline. Similar to insulin, the goal is optimal sensitivity, not higher levels. At the same time, body fat drops, lean muscle mass increases, and bone density improves. In other words, they achieved the same, in fact higher, benefits that the purveyors of growth hormone offer --- without the risks. Improving leptin sensitivity converts energy from cellular replication/reproduction ( increased risk of cancer ) towards maintenance and repair ( increased health and life span ).
For decades, IGF-1 concentrations were only measured in --- and growth hormone supplementation was only given to --- children of very short stature. Indeed, deficiencies of this hormone during critical stages of development severely retard growth. However, a small study published in 1990 by Daniel Rudman, M.D., in the New England Journal of Medicine turned growth hormone into an overnight celebrity. This study, which reported on the effects of six months of growth hormone supplementation in older men, concluded that their improvements in lean muscle mass, body fat, skin thickness, and bone density were " equivalent in magnitude to the changes incurred during ten to twenty years of aging. "
Many people, patients and physicians alike, have jumped on the growth hormone bandwagon, regarding it as the foundation of youth and a panacea for aging. I strongly disagree. I maintain that there is a reason why growth hormone and IGF-1 levels fall as we age --- and fall most significantly in those who live the longest. In caloric-restricted animals and those animals genetically modified whose longevity is dramatically increased, IGF-1 levels are almost always much lower than their shorter-lived peers.
IFG-1 is a growth factor. It promotes the growth of cells, and this includes cancer cells. There is a strong correlation between IGF1 levels and cancer rates. One study showed a fourfold increase risk of prostrate cancer in men with the highest IGF-1 levels compared to those with the lowest, and this was independent of baseline PSA levels. Other studies have shown that IGF-1 stimulates the growth of tumors of the breast, lung and colon and that lowering IGF-1 levels retards cancer growth. Reducing levels of this potent cancer stimulator can only bode well for health and longevity.
IGF-1 levels vary dramatically according to age, but for people who are forty and older, the typical range is 90 to 360 ng/mL. Your goal should be a downward trend, regardless of your baseline level. I have followed IGF-1 levels in several of my patients, and as they follow the R'Diet, IGF-1 levels decline. Similar to insulin, the goal is optimal sensitivity, not higher levels. At the same time, body fat drops, lean muscle mass increases, and bone density improves. In other words, they achieved the same, in fact higher, benefits that the purveyors of growth hormone offer --- without the risks. Improving leptin sensitivity converts energy from cellular replication/reproduction ( increased risk of cancer ) towards maintenance and repair ( increased health and life span ).
IGF-1 : for ages forty and over, 90 to 360 ng/mL normal; optimal levels not yet determined, reduces " low normal " preferred.
08) NOREPINEPHRINE
Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that facilitates communication in the sympathetic nervous system, which engages during times of stress. This neurotransmitter along with epinephrine, prepares you to fight or flee from perceived dangers. Your heart rate speeds up and your blood pressure climbs. Glycogen stored in the liver is converted into glucose for anaerobic use, and fatty acids are mobilized for a burst of energy, among many other changes.
Without this crucial reflects it is unlikely that our ancestors could have outrun predators or chased down prey. The problem is that in modern life, most of our stressors do not require fight or flight. For the most part, stress leaves us all revved up with no place to go. When you are under a lot of stress, including the stress of leptin resistance, your sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive. This takes a toll on the system and can lead to chronically high blood pressure and blood sugar, mental and emotional stress, and increased risk of disease.
Without this crucial reflects it is unlikely that our ancestors could have outrun predators or chased down prey. The problem is that in modern life, most of our stressors do not require fight or flight. For the most part, stress leaves us all revved up with no place to go. When you are under a lot of stress, including the stress of leptin resistance, your sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive. This takes a toll on the system and can lead to chronically high blood pressure and blood sugar, mental and emotional stress, and increased risk of disease.
The best marker of sympathetic nervous system activity is the blood or urine level of norephinephrine. Normal levels for a blood test [ not urine test ] are between 250 to 350 pg/mL. How can you keep norephinephrine levels on a low keel? Well, you can learn to relax, avoiding responding to stress, and you can lower your leptin levels by increasing leptin sensitivity. [ how about meditation, gigong, exercise, yoga, early nite nite before 10 pm, and the Metta, & B'Happy mode everyday? ] Leptin stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. LR is associated with high thyroid, high blood pressure, and elevated blood glucose and fatty acid levels; all are manifestations of sympathetic nervous system activity. The sympathetic nervous system also appears to be the mediator of leptin's effect on bone mass, and is yet another reason to keep tabs on your norepinephrine levels.
Norepinephrine: 250 to 350 pg/mL good, low normal is optimal.
09) HIGHLY SENSITIVE C-REACTIVE PROTEIN ( CRP )
Inflammation is part and parcel of your body's response to injury and disease. When cells or tissues are damaged, fibrinogen and other inflammatory compounds that encourage blood clotting are released to stem bleeding. There is a proliferation of immune cells to starve off infection and growth factors to replace damaged cells. After the crisis has passed, levels of these inflammation compounds should subside.
However, sometimes inflammatory chemicals are elevated in the blood of people who are not overtly sick or injured. This low-grade, chronic inflammation is associated with increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other health problems.
One of the best markers for system inflammation is highly sensitive C-reactive protein ( CRP ), a protein that is produced during inflammation. Studies spearheaded bu Paul M. Ridker, M.d., a cardiologist and researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, have found that a high level of CRP is a highly accurate predictor of future heart attack; people with the highest levels have up to 4.4 times the risk as those with the lowest levels. CRP is also a very reliable marker for IR and the risk of type 2 diabetes. In a recent study published in JAMA, researchers discovered that the women with the highest CRP levels were astounding 15.7 times more apt to develop type 2 diabetes than those with the lowest levels.
Evidence is also accumulating that inflammation is closely tied to LR. As body fat increases, CRP levels rise, for the fat cells themselves are a major producer of inflammatory molecules called cytokines. In fact, leptin itself is from the cytokine family. The most significant increases are with central or abdominal obesity, and as you now know, this type of fat deposition is linked to LR.
Highly sensitive C-reactive protein: less than 1.0 optimal and the lower the better
However, sometimes inflammatory chemicals are elevated in the blood of people who are not overtly sick or injured. This low-grade, chronic inflammation is associated with increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other health problems.
One of the best markers for system inflammation is highly sensitive C-reactive protein ( CRP ), a protein that is produced during inflammation. Studies spearheaded bu Paul M. Ridker, M.d., a cardiologist and researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, have found that a high level of CRP is a highly accurate predictor of future heart attack; people with the highest levels have up to 4.4 times the risk as those with the lowest levels. CRP is also a very reliable marker for IR and the risk of type 2 diabetes. In a recent study published in JAMA, researchers discovered that the women with the highest CRP levels were astounding 15.7 times more apt to develop type 2 diabetes than those with the lowest levels.
Evidence is also accumulating that inflammation is closely tied to LR. As body fat increases, CRP levels rise, for the fat cells themselves are a major producer of inflammatory molecules called cytokines. In fact, leptin itself is from the cytokine family. The most significant increases are with central or abdominal obesity, and as you now know, this type of fat deposition is linked to LR.
Highly sensitive C-reactive protein: less than 1.0 optimal and the lower the better
( Note: Request the highly sensitive CRP test, rather than the standard, less sensitive CRP test. ) [ This test is available in Malaysia. ]
10) TRIGLYCERIDES (TGLs)*
TGL is the medical term for fat. Most of the fats we eat, from healthful olive oil to undesirable saturated fats, are in the form of TGLs. It's also the body's dominant form of stored fat --- those love handles and saddlebags are primary comprised of TGLs. TGLs are ferried around the body by water-soluble chylomicrons, which pick up TGLs that are absorbed into the blood-stream after a meal, and by very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) that are produced by the liver to mobilize stored fats.
Your TGLs can be easily measured on a fasting blood test. A level of 50 to 100 mg/dL indicated that you are capable of burning fat efficiently, that your body is not churning excessive amount of fat into your bloodstream or, more likely than not, a combination of the two. A TGL off 100 - 150 is moderate and over 150 is high, both red flags that you may not br burning fat efficiently. Although they could be an indicator of liver disease, pancreatitis, or low thyroid function, high TGLs are in most case a marker of LR and IR. They are a clear sign that you're making lots of fat out of your sugar, and that the fats in your blood are not being burned --- you're storing fat and burning sugar.
A high TGL level is an independent risk factor for heart disease ( perhaps because of its association with leptin and insulin ). In fact, recent research suggests it's much more predictive of a heart attack tha elevated cholesterol.
Although the normal TGLs range for most labs is up to 150 mg/dL, I think this is too high. While I consider levels up to 125 mg/dL to be acceptable and around 100 mg/dL even better, the level most reflective of optimal leptin sensitivity is under 100 mg/dL. If your TGLs are elevated, I've good news for you: TGLs are extremely responsive to the R'Diet. I've had patients whose initial THG levels os 2,000 to 3,000 mg/dL have dropped down into the 200s in a matter of weeks after starting on the program. Cutting back on non-fiber carbohydrates, eating more healthy fats, and in stubborn cases, taking additional fish oil and niacin supplements work far better than any drug on the market for lowering TGLs.
Your TGLs can be easily measured on a fasting blood test. A level of 50 to 100 mg/dL indicated that you are capable of burning fat efficiently, that your body is not churning excessive amount of fat into your bloodstream or, more likely than not, a combination of the two. A TGL off 100 - 150 is moderate and over 150 is high, both red flags that you may not br burning fat efficiently. Although they could be an indicator of liver disease, pancreatitis, or low thyroid function, high TGLs are in most case a marker of LR and IR. They are a clear sign that you're making lots of fat out of your sugar, and that the fats in your blood are not being burned --- you're storing fat and burning sugar.
A high TGL level is an independent risk factor for heart disease ( perhaps because of its association with leptin and insulin ). In fact, recent research suggests it's much more predictive of a heart attack tha elevated cholesterol.
Although the normal TGLs range for most labs is up to 150 mg/dL, I think this is too high. While I consider levels up to 125 mg/dL to be acceptable and around 100 mg/dL even better, the level most reflective of optimal leptin sensitivity is under 100 mg/dL. If your TGLs are elevated, I've good news for you: TGLs are extremely responsive to the R'Diet. I've had patients whose initial THG levels os 2,000 to 3,000 mg/dL have dropped down into the 200s in a matter of weeks after starting on the program. Cutting back on non-fiber carbohydrates, eating more healthy fats, and in stubborn cases, taking additional fish oil and niacin supplements work far better than any drug on the market for lowering TGLs.
TGLs: 100 mg/dL optimal; 100 - 135 acceptable; 135+ high.
11) HOMOCYSTEINE
Homocysteine is a byproduct of the metabolism of methionine, an amino acid found in protein. In a process called methylation, homocysteinie is rapidly converted into harmless amino acids. However, sometimes the methaylation process goes awry, and homocysteine builds up in the blood. This is bad news, for this amino acid is extremely irritating to the arteries. It dampens the production of nitric acid, which protects the endothelial cells lining the arteries and allows arteries to dilate, and sets the stage for atherosclerosis. Homocysteinie also accelerates the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and makes the platelets in the blood sticker, increasing the risk of blood clots that may cause heart attacks or stroke.
If your homocysteine level is elevated, you've more to worry about than heart disease. It also damages neurons in the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in memory and learning, conferring a threefold elevation in risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to some studies. Methylation is also crucial for DNA repair, so elevations in homocysteine may illuminate underlying problems that may lead to cancer and premature aging.
Most labs consider the normal range to be 5 to 15 umol/L. I suggest you aim for the low end of that range -- an ideal level would be no more than 6 umol/L. Some studies have shown a progressive increase in risk of heart attack when homocysteine climbs above 6.3 umol/L. Up to 7 umol/L is acceptable, but when you get over 9 umol/L and especially up toward 13, you can get into trouble.
Early studies suggest that homocysteine and leptin are, if not inter-active, then at least coexisting: when homocysteine levels are elevated, so are leptin levels, including the presence of LR. Fortunately, lowering homocysteine levels is relatively easy. Cutting back on coffee and methionine-rich meat will help to some degree, but getting adequate amounts of folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 is a sure ticket to lowering homocysteine. The nutrient rich R'Diet supplies a good portion of your daily vitamin needs, and the supplement program provides the rest. If your homocysteine level does not respond to the suggested levels of these B-complex vitamins, you likely have a genetic variation that requires more intense supplementation. Simply increase your B-vitamin intake, and your homocysteine will drop.
The recommended levels of the homocysteine-lowering vitamins are 800 mcg of folic acid, 150 mcg of vitamin B12, and 75 mg of vitamin B6. ( If you're older than age 55, consider increasing your vitamin B12 intake up to 1,000 mcg to compensate for age-associated declines in vitamin B12 absorption. ) If your homocysteine level is high, double your folic acid intake and increase your vitamin B12 to 1,000 mcg. If that doesn't do the trick, you can go as high as 5,000 mcg of folic acid and 2500 mcg of vitamin B12 and add 1,000 mg of trimethyglycine ( TMG, sometimes called betaine ), which also facilitates the methylation process. These vitamins are quite safe, but I wouldn't go too high on vitamin B6, for prolonged use of very high doses has been implicated in nerve damage.
If your homocysteine level is elevated, you've more to worry about than heart disease. It also damages neurons in the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in memory and learning, conferring a threefold elevation in risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to some studies. Methylation is also crucial for DNA repair, so elevations in homocysteine may illuminate underlying problems that may lead to cancer and premature aging.
Most labs consider the normal range to be 5 to 15 umol/L. I suggest you aim for the low end of that range -- an ideal level would be no more than 6 umol/L. Some studies have shown a progressive increase in risk of heart attack when homocysteine climbs above 6.3 umol/L. Up to 7 umol/L is acceptable, but when you get over 9 umol/L and especially up toward 13, you can get into trouble.
Early studies suggest that homocysteine and leptin are, if not inter-active, then at least coexisting: when homocysteine levels are elevated, so are leptin levels, including the presence of LR. Fortunately, lowering homocysteine levels is relatively easy. Cutting back on coffee and methionine-rich meat will help to some degree, but getting adequate amounts of folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 is a sure ticket to lowering homocysteine. The nutrient rich R'Diet supplies a good portion of your daily vitamin needs, and the supplement program provides the rest. If your homocysteine level does not respond to the suggested levels of these B-complex vitamins, you likely have a genetic variation that requires more intense supplementation. Simply increase your B-vitamin intake, and your homocysteine will drop.
The recommended levels of the homocysteine-lowering vitamins are 800 mcg of folic acid, 150 mcg of vitamin B12, and 75 mg of vitamin B6. ( If you're older than age 55, consider increasing your vitamin B12 intake up to 1,000 mcg to compensate for age-associated declines in vitamin B12 absorption. ) If your homocysteine level is high, double your folic acid intake and increase your vitamin B12 to 1,000 mcg. If that doesn't do the trick, you can go as high as 5,000 mcg of folic acid and 2500 mcg of vitamin B12 and add 1,000 mg of trimethyglycine ( TMG, sometimes called betaine ), which also facilitates the methylation process. These vitamins are quite safe, but I wouldn't go too high on vitamin B6, for prolonged use of very high doses has been implicated in nerve damage.
Homocysteine: less than 6 umol/L optimal; Up to 8 acceptable; over 9 high; over 13 umol/L very high.
12) BUN (BLOOD UREA NITROGEN)*
BUN is a common blood test that measures for urea nitrogen, a product of urea metabolism. When you eat protein, it's broken down into nitrogen-containing amino acids. The nitrogen is removed and combined with other molecules to produce urea, which eventually makes its way to the kidneys where it's eliminated in the urine. If kidney function is compromised, BUN levels rise above the normal range of 7 to 25 mg/dL.
Although this test is routinely used to evaluate kidney function, I used it to monitor my patients' protein intake. The average BUN hovers around 18 - 22 mg/dL. If a person is eating too much protein, his/her BUN will be in the upper range of normal. A common mistake people make as they adjust to the R'Diet is eating too much protein. This is easy to do since fat and protein are often found in the same foods, and many assume that if they're following other low carb/high fat diets, they're okay. ( In reality, many "high-fat diets" such as the Atkins diet are really high protein diets. ) A key principle of the R'Diet is moderate, not high, intake of protein. Regular monitoring of BUN can help ensure dietary compliance.
13) CREATININE*
Creatinine is a marker of kidney function. It's a breakdown of creatinine, a constituent of muscle tissue. When the kidneys are functioning properly, creatinine is excreted at a constant rate. If the kidneys are diseased or damaged, however, excretion becomes less efficient, and creatinine builds up in the blood.
A primary contribution to kidney damage is diabetes, and as the cells become more sensitive to insulin and blood glucose levels normalize on the R'Diet, creatinine levels often go down. The ideal range for creatinine is 0.7 to 1.0 mg/dL. (Levels vary among individuals depending on muscle mass; creatinine is generally higher in men than in women.) Although up to 1.4 mg/dL is considered within normal limits, levels of 1.3 to 1.4 mg/dL are indicative of borderline kidney function. When levels are over 1.4 mg/dL, you are looking at partial kidney failure.
Creatinine: 0.7 to 1.o mg/dL optimal; 1.1 to 1.2 mg/dl acceptable; 1.3 to 1.4 borderline; 1.4 and above high.
14) URIC ACID*
Uric acid is a breakdown of the metabolism of purines, which are produced in the body (they are the building blocks of DNA and RNA) and are found in the diet most abundantly in fish, shellfish, turkey, and some type of meat. When there is an overproduction of uric acid or an inability of the kidneys to excrete it, uric acid levels build up in the blood.
Until recently, elevated levels of uric acid were associated only with gout. Chronically high concentrations of uric acid can collect in the tissues and form sharp crystals in the joints, causing the intense pain and swelling characteristic of gout. However, research over the past years has determined that high levels of uric acid are also found in individuals with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and weight problems --- all signs and symptoms of leptin and insulin resistance. In one large study, increased uric acid levels were found to be highly predictive of increased risk of death from heart attack or stroke.
You would do well to keep your uric acid level within the normal range of 3 to 7 mg/dL. And no, you don't have to curtail your intake of purine-rich foods, which has been recommended to patients with gout for years. The R'Diet is a much surer path to lowering uric acid levels than the hopelessly outdated low-purine diet.
Uric Acis: 3 - 7 mg/dL normal; more than 7 mg/dL high.
15) LIVER ENZYMES (ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE, ALT, and AST)*
In addition to its role in detoxification and digestion, the liver plays multiple roles in metabolism. It store glucose as glycogen, packages fats for storage and transportation, synthesizes proteins, and helps regulate blood sugar. Therefore, we like to keep an eye on how the liver is doing in the R'Diet.
A number of blood tests monitor liver function. These include tests of certain enzymes, which are produced by all tissues in the body but are most concentrated in liver and muscle cells. Enzymes are released into the bloodstream when this issues are damaged or diseased. Minor elevations in the liver enzymes are no cause for concern unless they remain elevated on repeated tests. Commonly tested liver enzymes include alkaline phosphatase, or ALP; ALT, also called SGPT; and AST, sometimes referred to as SGOT.
Liver enzymes: alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 44 to 147 IU/l normal; ALT (SGPT) 5 to 30 IU/l normal; AST (SGOT) 10 to 34 IU/l normal.
16) CHOLESTEROL (TOTAL, HDL, LDL, and SMALL DENSE LDL)
The quest to lower cholesterol has reached epidemic proportions in this country. More than 15 million Americans take drugs to lower their cholesterol, and public health officials are urging another 25 million to jump on the bandwagon. I think they're misguided, and I did like to tell you why. Cholesterol is an essential compound that is required in the production of steroid hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. It's also a key structural component of every cellular membrane and is involved in the synthesis of vitamin D and bile, which is required for the digestion of fats. You've probably heard about "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol. The truth is, there's no such thing. Cholesterol is just cholesterol. It's a cholesterol molecule's transport vehicle that makes it more or less problematic.
These transport vehicles are water-soluble protein called lipoproteins. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is the so-called good cholesterol. This large carrier shuttles excess cholesterol to the liver where it's recycled ( because it's so important ) or excreted in the bile. Low density lipoprotein is the "bad' one by virtue of its smaller size. Although many doctors are unaware of it, LDL comes in more than one form. The most harmful of all is small, dense LDL, fir its small size enables it to slip into and damage the endothelium, or lining of the arteries --- an important step in atherosclerosis.
A fasting blood test will measure levels of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and, if specifically required, small, dense LDL and other subfractions. LDL particle size including small, dense LDL is done by certain specialty labs. Optimal levels for colesterol are considered to be less than 200 mg/dL for total cholesterol, less than 100 mg/dL for LDL, more than 40 mg/dL for HDL, and less than 90 mg/dL for apo B. But frankly, I pay little attention to my patients' cholesterol levels. Only when a patient presents with a level in the 300s or 400s mg/dL. (almost always caused by an underlying genetic defect predisposition ) will I be very concerned. I do not believe that a high cholesterol levels is nearly as important as the medical profession has brainwashed us into believing. It is merely a symptom of a larger underlying problem. It is the metabolic hormones that regulate its amount and particle size that are much more important.
Cholesterol levels are really a reflection of how much your body needs to manufacture to repair damage and make steroid hormones. If you have leptin and insulin resistanc, you're going to need more cholesterol, and you're going to have lower HDL cholesterol, and higher LDL, particularly small, dense LDL. when you correct the underlying hormonal problems and fat burning processes by following the R'Diet, abnormalities in cholesterol will also be corrected. Total cholesterol will go down and, more important, protective HDL will rise while levels of the most dangerous small, dense LDL cholesterol will go down.
These transport vehicles are water-soluble protein called lipoproteins. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is the so-called good cholesterol. This large carrier shuttles excess cholesterol to the liver where it's recycled ( because it's so important ) or excreted in the bile. Low density lipoprotein is the "bad' one by virtue of its smaller size. Although many doctors are unaware of it, LDL comes in more than one form. The most harmful of all is small, dense LDL, fir its small size enables it to slip into and damage the endothelium, or lining of the arteries --- an important step in atherosclerosis.
A fasting blood test will measure levels of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and, if specifically required, small, dense LDL and other subfractions. LDL particle size including small, dense LDL is done by certain specialty labs. Optimal levels for colesterol are considered to be less than 200 mg/dL for total cholesterol, less than 100 mg/dL for LDL, more than 40 mg/dL for HDL, and less than 90 mg/dL for apo B. But frankly, I pay little attention to my patients' cholesterol levels. Only when a patient presents with a level in the 300s or 400s mg/dL. (almost always caused by an underlying genetic defect predisposition ) will I be very concerned. I do not believe that a high cholesterol levels is nearly as important as the medical profession has brainwashed us into believing. It is merely a symptom of a larger underlying problem. It is the metabolic hormones that regulate its amount and particle size that are much more important.
Cholesterol levels are really a reflection of how much your body needs to manufacture to repair damage and make steroid hormones. If you have leptin and insulin resistanc, you're going to need more cholesterol, and you're going to have lower HDL cholesterol, and higher LDL, particularly small, dense LDL. when you correct the underlying hormonal problems and fat burning processes by following the R'Diet, abnormalities in cholesterol will also be corrected. Total cholesterol will go down and, more important, protective HDL will rise while levels of the most dangerous small, dense LDL cholesterol will go down.
Cholesterol: As far as I'm concerned, yhis test is highly over-rated, and that only with extremely high cholesterol (over 300 ) should worry about total cholesterol. I believe that what type of cholesterol you have is more important: HDL cholesterol higher than 40 mg/dL; a high proportion of large LDL to small, dense LDL.
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Getting Healthy with the Rosedale Diet
* HEART DISEASE
Heart disease is the # 1 killer of both men and women in the U'States. Although the incidence of HD had been on the decline since the '60s, it's beginning to creep up again. Since HD is so closely linked to obesity and diabetes, this is not surprising.
I consider the high incidence of HD to be " man-made " problem that is caused by metabolic malfunction, not an inevitable disease of aging. It ought to be a rare disease. Due to its close connection to obesity, leptin is also an obvious culprit in HD. LR is also an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, meaning that in and of itself, it can directly and negatively affect your heart and arteries. Restoring leptin sensitivity will go a long way in greatly reducing the risk of HD and extending your life.
* Carrying excess fat around your waist and abdomen ( having an apple-shaped body ), a result of and a telltale sign of LR, can put a severe strain on your heart, and increases your risk of heart attack..
* LR increase the risk ( and can be a primary cause ) of IR, which also increase the risk of HD.
* LR can activate the fight-or flight response, causing blood vessels to constrict, increasing blood pressure and putting extra strain on the heart, and increasing the risk of stroke.
* LR can cause blood vessels to go into spasm, a lesser known cause of heart attack.
* Elevated leptin levels can promote the formation of blood clots, which increases the risk of heart attack ( when a clot interferes with the blood flow to the heart ) and stroke ( when a clot interferes with the blood flow to the brain ).
* Elevated leptin increases the production of chemicals that trigger inflammation, which can promote the formation of plague, the cellular debris that forms in the lining of the arteries, impairing the flow of blood.
* LR confuses your body about where to put calcium. Instead of putting calcium in your bones, you will end up putting it in your arteries. You will simultaneously get both HD and osteoporosis.
* Elevated leptin can cause a thickening in the endothelium, the very thin inner lining of the artery. This cause the artery to be less flexible with each heartbeat, raising blood pressure and promoting clots. The endothelium is a very important part of your circulatory system. It produces its own array of hormones to regulate its own blood flow. Injury to the endothelium is the main trigger of inflammation that results in plague. LR also impair the ability of the endothelium to burn fat, thereby increasing fatty deposits in the artery.
The Standard Treatment
The standard medical treatment for HD is a high carbohydrate--low fat diet usually combined with prescription medicine to lower cholesterol. To me, this approach is backward. The medical fixation on lowering cholesterol reflects the typical " treat the symptom, not the underlying cause " approach that is not only ineffective, but in the long run, can be harmful. In recent years, statin drugs ( Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravacol, and Zocor, and others ) used to lower cholesterol have become among the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. Statin drugs, however, are not without significant side effects. Foe example, statin drugs can deplete the body of CoQ10, which is essential for providing energy to the cells of the body, especially heart cells that need lots of energy. CoQ10 depletion can result in muscle damage often associated with aches and pains ( a common side effect of " statin " drugs ).
Since your heart is basically a muscle, it is probably getting damaged also, impairing its ability to pump blood and increasing the risk of congestive heart failure. In other words, over time, these drugs can weaken the heart and impair its major function. Sure, in the short run, they may lower your cholesterol, but in the long run, they can kill you.
Since your heart is basically a muscle, it is probably getting damaged also, impairing its ability to pump blood and increasing the risk of congestive heart failure. In other words, over time, these drugs can weaken the heart and impair its major function. Sure, in the short run, they may lower your cholesterol, but in the long run, they can kill you.
For all the " cholesterol causes HD " hype, it might surprise you to learn that cholesterol has never even been proven to cause HD. Even if high cholesterol were slightly correlated with HD, correlation and cause should never be confused ---- something else could be causing both. Statin drugs inhibit cholesterol production, but they don't get to the root cause of overproduction of cholesterol. Something is signalling the liver to produce more cholesterol.
Symptoms are the way your body has learned over the eons to deal with a disease. Extra cholesterol is being manufactured by the liver because it's getting instructions to do so, but why? The importance of elevated cholesterol is not that you have extra cholesterol, it's the fact that your liver is getting a message to make it. You have to know why, and you have to fix the why. The why could be that the liver is being smothered by too much fat because of LR and cannot then get the proper instructions from insulin. It could also be that your body, inflamed due to damage, is trying to repair the damage. New cells have to be manufactured to replace the damaged ones, and no cells can be made without cholesterol. What needs to be done is to reduce the damage and correct the instructions being given to the liver, not impair the body's capacity to repair it.
Cholesterol is also the precursor to manufacture any of the important steroid hormones such as testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, and cortisone. Far from being a villain, cholesterol is required for life. Even though oxygen can " oxidize " you and form dangerous free radicals, no one would ever suggest that you stop breathing! Oxygen is required to keep you alive. So, too, is cholesterol. No life on earth can be made without it.
Interestingly, it has recently been shown that " statin " drugs might offer benefits not by lowering cholesterol, but by reducing inflammation, and perhaps in spite of lowering cholesterol. Once again, it is important to get the root cause of the inflammation, not the body's response to it. There are a number of factors that can inflame your blood vessels and your heart, such as having elevated glucose, leptin, or insulin levels. Following the R'Diet will help solve this problems permanently and go a long way in reversing and preventing HD. Within a matter of weeks, you will increase blood flow to your heart and brain ( and the rest of the body! ) and you will start burning fat in your arteries as well as everywhere else. You don't need to take drugs for the rest of your live to keep your heart healthy.
Symptoms are the way your body has learned over the eons to deal with a disease. Extra cholesterol is being manufactured by the liver because it's getting instructions to do so, but why? The importance of elevated cholesterol is not that you have extra cholesterol, it's the fact that your liver is getting a message to make it. You have to know why, and you have to fix the why. The why could be that the liver is being smothered by too much fat because of LR and cannot then get the proper instructions from insulin. It could also be that your body, inflamed due to damage, is trying to repair the damage. New cells have to be manufactured to replace the damaged ones, and no cells can be made without cholesterol. What needs to be done is to reduce the damage and correct the instructions being given to the liver, not impair the body's capacity to repair it.
Cholesterol is also the precursor to manufacture any of the important steroid hormones such as testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, and cortisone. Far from being a villain, cholesterol is required for life. Even though oxygen can " oxidize " you and form dangerous free radicals, no one would ever suggest that you stop breathing! Oxygen is required to keep you alive. So, too, is cholesterol. No life on earth can be made without it.
Interestingly, it has recently been shown that " statin " drugs might offer benefits not by lowering cholesterol, but by reducing inflammation, and perhaps in spite of lowering cholesterol. Once again, it is important to get the root cause of the inflammation, not the body's response to it. There are a number of factors that can inflame your blood vessels and your heart, such as having elevated glucose, leptin, or insulin levels. Following the R'Diet will help solve this problems permanently and go a long way in reversing and preventing HD. Within a matter of weeks, you will increase blood flow to your heart and brain ( and the rest of the body! ) and you will start burning fat in your arteries as well as everywhere else. You don't need to take drugs for the rest of your live to keep your heart healthy.
The Rosedale Rx
If you have been diagnosed with heart or blood vessel disease, you should follow the R'Diet Supplement Plan Plus ( RDSPP ). I recommend that patients with HD add the following supplements to what they are already taking on the RDSPP.
Extra CoQ10: CoQ10 is included in the RDSPP. My patients with congestive heart failure take 200 mg three times daily for a total of 600 mg. CoQ10 improves your heart's ability to pump blood, which is fundamental to your survival.
Vinpocetine: Vinpocetine is not included in the RDSP. Vinpocetine is an extract of the periwinkle plant, Vinca minor, the same plant that has given us potent cancer treatments for childhood leukemia. For more than two decades, vinpocetine has been used in Europe and Japan to treat stroke victims and people suffering from dementia due to impaired blood circulation to the brain. It is also a potent antioxidant.
Take one 10 mg capsule twice daily.
If you have elevated homocysteine, I recommend the following additional supplements.
Vitamin B12: For best absorption, use the sublingual form ( a tablet that melts under the tongue ). Take one 1-mg tablet daily.
Trimethyglycine ( TMG ): This supplement can help convert harmful homocysteine into harmless by-products. Take one 250-mg tablet twice daily. ( Some people may need to go up to 1,000 mg daily to achieve the desired result. )
Folic Acid: This B-vitamin helps reduce homocysteine levels. Take one 400-mg tablet daily.
[ Do not ever take any drugs. It will degenerate your metabolism. You will looks very old besides the long-termed side effects. More sickness crops up and you will spent more to see more specialists. I've gone through these paths. Don't do it. Yes, you can treat inflammations which is the root cause with foods. I did it. So can you.]
* DIABETES
The increased incidence in diabetes is as shocking as it is alarming. This is a disease that should be very rare, yet it is commonplace, even among children, and rapidly escalating. At one time, type 2 diabetes was called senile diabetes, a reflection of the fact that it usually did not affect people until they were well into their late decades. As more and more middle-age people began to develop this disease, the name was changed to adult-onset diabetes (no one middle-aged wants to be called senile!). Given the fact that so many children are now getting adult-onset diabetes, medicine has once again stuck a name onto a so-called new disease --- MODY, Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young. This is a prime example of how the so-called disease of aing are not related solely to chronological age, but to overall health.
Type 1 diabetes (also called juvenile diabetes) is a result of too little insulin, the hormone that is produced to rising glucose or sugar levels. Without enough insulin, blood sugar levels can climb dangerously high leading to organ damage and death. Type 2 diabetes (discussed in the paragraph above) is an entirely different story and accounts for 95 percent of all cases of adult diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a condition called insulin resistance (IR), which occurs when the cells of the body are constantly exposed to high levels of insulin. Plenty of insulin is being made, but cells have become desensitized. In the case of type 2 diabetes, the cause is more closely linked to a failure in cellular communication, that is, how well your cells can "listen" to insulin and leptin, than your age.
When your cells become resisitant to insulin, the receptors on cell membranes no longer "hear" the signals from insulin. This can cause catastrophic problems down the road, including blood lipid abnormalities, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even cancer.
IR often goes hand in hand with elevated leptin levels and leptin resistance (LR), and both conditions are linked to eating too much of the wrong food. Lower your leptin levels and your insulin problems will greatly improve.
* LR results in deep pockets of fat in the waist and abdomen which "smother" the liver from receiving proper hormonal signals, a very important one being from insulin. When your liver become insulin resistant, it will make too much sugar, contributing to IR, and diabetes.
* Elevated leptin also increases fight-or-flight mode, which boosts blood glucose levels and production of cortisol (stress hormone) by the adrenal glands, which causes blood glucose levels to soar even higher.
The Standard Treatment
The current strategy for treating either form of diabetes is to use drugs to control blood sugar levels. I think this approach is backward. Contrary to what everyone is taught, including your doctor, diabetes is NOT a disease of blood sugar, it's a disease of insulin signaling. As the warden famously said to Paul Newman in the movie Cool Hand Luke, "What we have here is a failure to communicate." Diabetes is perhaps the quintessential disease of cellular miscommunication. Type 2 diabetes should more appropriately be called insulin resistant diabetes, the body is not effectively using insulin it produces. Once again, the real solution is to treat the underlying causes of the problem, not the symptom.
The conventional treatment of diabetes is typical of what happens when you treat symptoms instead of the underlying disease. Drugs used to treat diabetes most often cause more problems down the road than they help. There's only one standard drug that helps to improve insulin sensitivity somewhat: metformin, sold under the brand name Glucophage.
For decades, most drugs used to treat diabetes lowered blood sugar by "whipping" your pancreas to produce even more insulin, causing insulin resistant to worsen and further damaging the already stressed cells that manufacture insulin (islet cells of the pancreas).
Other drugs (such as pioglitazone, sold under the brand name Actos, and rosiglitazone maleate, sold under the brand name of Avandia) purported to restore insulin sensitivity work by lowering blood sugar levels in one of the worst possible ways --- they create new fat cells to store the excess sugar. If you weren't obese to begin with, once you've been taking these drugs for a while, you will be. Sure, you lower blood sugar temporary, but at a steep price. Being fatter will only increase your risk of many disease down the road, including diabetes.
Diabetes is mostly a nutritional disease and must be treated as such. The real "cure' for diabetes is to eat a diet that promotes insulin and leptin sensitivity.
Friends,
Make sure you test yourself.
Your HbgA1c MUST be 5.4 or less % is optimal; 5.6 - 5.8 acceptable BUT watch what you put into your mouth. DON'T accept Malaysian Diabetes Association report. Trust the above. I was tested for 6.1%. It said good. I told them no. They were dumbfounded! Next test, 5.8, I told them I'm still diabetes and must improve my diet. Again, they were dumbfounded. My metta to them.
Your glucose MUST be 70 to 85 mg/dL optimal; 85 and above is NOT acceptable by my standard because it's very, very easy to creep up to become DIABETES. I have being on this torturous path. Here is another sure sign. Belly fats, big buttock, chipmunk cheek is a SURE sign of LR and IR. I also have being on this torturous path. How? Remember PPMM ! I was "honored" with heart attack; high blood pressure, angina, neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, not sleeping well, and a "walking time-bomb" that is a very high risk of getting a stroke.
Don't trust the local reports. Trust Rosedale's guidelines and my adapted local food "NF4L" from the westernized R'Diet.
Please, I beg you folks to love your health for the sake of those you loves. Metta.
The Rosedale Rx
The good news is that type 2 (insulin resistant diabetes) can not only be improved, but can be completely reversed. Even type 1 diabetes can be greatly helped by following my program. With proper insulin sensitivity, a relatively small amount of insulin is necessary to communicate its vital messages of what to do with energy. As long as the diabetes --- or the dugs used to treat diabetes --- have not completely destroyed the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin, following the R'Diet will in most case reverse the disease. You will likely need to lower your dose of many medications, including high blood pressure medications and insulin, and many of you will be able to go off them altogether. This should be done only under your doctor's supervision. Even if your pancreas is not producing any insulin and you must always take insulin, you can still benefit from my program. The diet and supplement regimen will gratly improve your insulin sensitivity so that you can manage on less insulin. In addition, your blood sugar will ne much less of a roller coaster, with fewer low sugar episodes.
Moderate exercise is also a wonderful way to burn off sugar, as long as you don't overdo it and overstress your body (which can raise blood sugar levels).
[Friends, insulin is the only hormone in the body with this function, that is, getting into cells. Two exceptions. Firstly, glucose can enter without insulin into the brain. The second exception is most important in the control of diabetes. When you exercising, the muscle cells can remove glucose from the blood without insulin. This is one of the key concept for a diabetic. Exercise.]
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, you should follow the RDSPP. I recommend that patients with diabetes take additional amounts of the following supplements.
Vanadyl Sulfate. Take 20 mg three times daily for a total of 60 milligrams until blood sugar is under control. Discontinue if sugar goes low after stopping your diabetic medications.
Extra Thiamine. Take one 50 mg capsule twice daily.
Extra Alpha Lipoic Acid. Take one 200 mg capsule three times daily for a total of 600 mg. ( Always take lipoic acid with food; it's easier on the stomach.
.
* OSTEOPOROSIS
* ARTHRITIS
Parting messages...Dr. Ron Rosedale:
(01) A disease is NEVER a disease of the individual part. Diabetes is NOT a disease of blood sugar, osteoporosis is NOT a disease of calcium and heart disease is NOT a disease of cholesterol. A disease is caused NOT by the breakdown of the part itself, but corruption in the instruction of that part, a disruption in the unity of the whole.
(02) We are all metabolically damaged to some extend. None of us has perfect insulin and leptin sensitivity...it is for that reason that I say we all have diabetes some more than others, and should be treated as such.
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