Monthly Archives: February 2010

You just THINK you’re low-carb

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Dr. Davis

Systematically checking postprandial (after-eating) blood sugars is providing some great insights into crafting a better diet for many people. I last discussed the concept of postprandial glucose checks in To get low-carb right, you need to check blood sugars. Here … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood glucose, Blood sugar, Low-carb diets | 72 Comments

The LDL-Fructose Disconnect

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Dr. Davis

I believe that we can all agree that the commonly obtained Friedewald LDL cholesterol (what I call “fictitious” LDL cholesterol) is wildly inaccurate. 100%–yes, 100% inaccuracy–is not at all uncommon. This flagrant inaccuracy, unacceptable in virtually every other discipline (imagine … Continue reading →

Posted in Fructose, LDL cholesterol, Small LDL | 8 Comments

I told you bread was bad

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Dr. Davis

Change your life in 60 seconds

Posted in Wheat | 10 Comments

“I dream about bread”

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Dr. Davis

Marion sat in my office, sobbing. It had been 4 weeks since the last piece of bread, bagel, or bun had passed her lips. “I can’t do it! I just can’t do it! I’ve tried to eliminate wheat, but it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Prototypical Lipoprotein(a)

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Dr. Davis

Here’s the prototypical male with lipoprotein(a): Several features stand out in the majority of men with lipoprotein(a), Lp(a): Slender–Sometimes absurdly so: BMIs of 21-23 are not uncommon. These are the people who claim they can’t gain weight. Intelligent–Above average to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 23 Comments

Gastric emptying: When slower is better

Posted on February 20, 2010 by Dr. Davis

When it comes to the Internet and Nascar, speed is good: The faster the better. But when it comes to gastric emptying (the rate at which food passes from the stomach and into the duodenum and small intestine), slower can … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood glucose, Blood sugar, Postprandial abnormalities | 18 Comments

Genetic vs. lifestyle small LDL

Posted on February 19, 2010 by Dr. Davis

Let me explain what I mean by “genetic small LDL.” I think it helps to illustrate with two common examples. Ollie is 50 years old, 5 ft 10 inches tall, and weighs 253 lbs. BMI = 36.4 (obese). Starting lipoproteins … Continue reading →

Posted in Small LDL | 59 Comments

Carbohydrate sins of the past

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Dr. Davis

Fifty years ago, diabetes was a relatively uncommon disease. Today, the latest estimates are that 50% of Americans are now diabetic or pre-diabetic. There are some obvious explanations: excess weight, inactivity, the proliferation of fructose in our diets. It is … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood glucose, Diabetes, Low-carb diets | 15 Comments

Saturated fat and large LDL

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Dr. Davis

Here’s a half-truth I often encounter in low-carb discussions: Saturated fat increases large LDL particles For those of you unfamiliar with the argument, I advocate a low-carbohydrate approach, specifically elimination of all wheat, cornstarch, and sugars, to reduce expression of … Continue reading →

Posted in Saturated fat, Small LDL | 44 Comments

Is glycemic index irrelevant?

Posted on February 14, 2010 by Dr. Davis

University of Toronto nutrition scientist, Dr. David Jenkins, was the first to quantify the phenomenon of “glycemic index,” describing how much blood sugar increased over 90 minutes compared to glucose. The graph is from their 1981 study, The glycemic index … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood sugar, Glycemic index, Small LDL | 20 Comments