Double your LLVLC On YouTube video pleasure with two new episodes
Christine and I are committed to cranking out the YouTube videos this year and our goal is to reach 100 episodes by the end of 2009. I was doing the math the other day and that means we need to average about one new show a week for the rest of the year to hit our 100th show! We’re excited about sharing more fun and quirky videos about healthy low-carb living and appreciate the growing number of viewers who are flocking to our low-carb YouTube channel (which has a pretty snazzy new design, by the way!). Since January, our subscribers have nearly DOUBLED (1200+ and counting!) without any kind of marketing effort to make it happen and I have to credit all of you who have helped spread the word about our videos which we try to make entertaining and educational about the subject of livin’ la vida low-carb.
Today, I have not one, but TWO new videos to share with you:
In Episode 69 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube”, Christine and I take a look at the myth that having high LDL and total cholesterol will lead to heart disease, heart attacks and death and explain why this needless scare-mongering is not grounded in any scientific evidence which actually points more to the ratio between HDL and triglycerides as a key indicator of heart health risks. The reality is it’s not about the total LDL but rather the LDL particle size that is most important when you are measuring your lipids, so having one of the two major particle size tests done is critical. The VAP Cholesterol Test and my favorite NMR LipoProfile test provide you with this essential information. Get your doctor to run one of these tests to know if your LDL particles are the large, fluffy, protective kind or the small, dense, dangerous ones you want to avoid. Here’s our video on this important subject the statin drug companies don’t want you to know about:
In Episode 70 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube”, we decided to address an issue that has come up quite a bit from people in e-mails who are frustrated with their low-carb lifestyle because the scale isn’t moving the way they want it to while their skinny friends seem to be able to eat all the carbohydrates they want and never suffer any consequences for it. But as low-carb physician Dr. Mary C. Vernon said at the recent ASBP/Nutrition & Metabolism meeting in Charleston, SC last month, there are a bunch of thin people walking around who are, in essence, “metabolically obese.” In other words, despite the fact these people look like they are healthy on the outside, some very specific health markers say otherwise–including low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and elevated levels of the small, dense LDL particles that are the main culprit in heart disease. Not surprisingly, a low-carb diet has been shown in numerous research studies to raise HDL “good” cholesterol to over 50, lower triglycerides to below 100, and change the quality of your LDL particles to the large, fluffy, protective kind while virtually eliminating the small, dense, and dangerous kind. So even when the scale isn’t cooperating and the weight loss on your low-carb lifestyle may not be where you’d like it to be, take solace in the fact that you are working your way towards the most incredible health you’ve ever experienced in your entire life by livin’ la vida low-carb no matter what your size. Here’s our video about this important psychological reinforcement for staying low-carb even when the weight loss isn’t cooperating:
Christine and I hope you enjoyed this special double feature of our videos today and urge you to subscribe to our YouTube video series to keep track of all the brand new videos as they are released. And keep spreading the word about our “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” videos so others can be educated and inspired to start on the healthy low-carb lifestyle for themselves. We’d love your feedback anytime, so e-mail us with your topic suggestions, comments or questions about our YouTube videos at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.
Hi Jimmy. The “metabolically obese” seem to cause some confusion with mainstream scientists as well. I just blogged about a review study discussing how obese heart disease patients seem to gain some added protection compared to lean heart disease patients. It makes a lot more sense when considered in the context of insulin metabolism rather than the usual “obesity causes heart disease” framework.
On low-carb stalls etc: we need to remember that fundamentally it’s not carbs but insulin which influences fat storage and release. Dietary carbohydrate is certainly a major player in determining influencing insulin levels and the body’s response to them, but there are other culprits as well. I’ve related previously how I broke through a low-carb stall by quitting diet soda. Just the taste of something sweet triggers insulin release. Subsequently I had been “stuck” at 245 for some time (which I was actually quite happy with). I recently got the “Stubborn Fat Fix” package you linked to, which was a book (that I haven’t read yet) and supplements including chromium. Chromium potentially helps with insulin resistance as well. Weighed in at 237 this morning, will see if the trend continues.
As Gary Taubes points out, other hormones affect fat utilization as well. Part of the success of “slow burn” exercise leverages the effect of adrenaline on fat release, as well as improving insulin sensitivity of muscle tissue, which is the main glucose sink in the body. Interested folks should check out the books “Slow Burn” and “Body by Science” for more details.
Dr. Mike Eades also provides some interesting observations here:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/bogus-studies/more-thoughts-on-why-low-carb-the-second-time-around/
The point about not adding extra stress to the liver is pretty interesting, I think. I know somebody who experienced rapid weight loss when they quit alcohol. I worked out the calorie difference, and it wasn’t even close, so there was more at work than just excess calories.
If Lipitor or Crestor lowered triglycerides, you’d hear about triglycerides in multimedia, technicolor glory just as you do about cholesterol now. Of course, that wouldn’t do much for cheerios.
Hi Jimmy, I just picked up an “older” withdrawn book from our library’s for sale bin by Dr Sandra Cabot – Can’t lose weight you could have syndrome X. What I enjoyed about her perspective was the body shape angle – being mainly “android girl” myself it now make sense why it is harder for me to get my waist to (hat mystical 80cm. I think her liver/hormone chapters are also very informative. She is pretty much “low fat” meat, but might have changed her mind by now since the book is 2001. Have you had her on your show at any time?
I’ve never heard of her before, Marielize! Send me any contact info you find.
–Jimmy