Leptin Prescription

READERS SUMMARY:
1.  How do I start?
2.  What are the guidelines to remain mindful of?
3.  The fuel is the food, but how you eat that fuel is more important
4.  How does Leptin tie into the quilt survivability index?

I have been asked by many to put a short post out about how I reverse Leptin resistance in my own clinic for my patients.  After reading all of the comments left here, at MDA, and on Jimmy Moore’s forum, I decided that it was a good idea.

1.  First make sure you really are Leptin resistant (LR) to begin with.
The easiest way to do this if you are heavy is to look in the mirror.  If you’re overweight you definitely are Leptin resistant.  If you still have a large appetite and crave carbohydrates, especially at night, these are also signs that you are likely Leptin resistant.  If you are fit or in decent shape and not sure based upon the above symptoms, I would tell you to go get a blood test and check your reverse T3.  It will be elevated.  I also recommend simultaneously checking a salivary cortisol level.  With LR, you will always see higher cortisol levels later in the day.

2.  To regain Leptin Sensitivity (LS) follow a strict Paleolithic diet as outlined in The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf or The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.
The type of fuel you eat is important in eliminating the foods that cause Leptin receptors to become nonfunctional.  These two books clearly outline a solid reference point to achieve this.

A.  Try to eat as soon as possible upon rising in the AM, ideally within 30 minutes of waking.  Make sure that breakfast has little to no carbs (less than 50 grams), and has a lot of protein and fat.  I use as a general rule 50-75 grams of protein with most patients.  Some patients can use less and some need more.  The key point of knowing how much is right for you is your hunger later in the day.  If you remain ravenous throughout the day, you need to eat more protein in the AM.  If you can hold off eating until dinner you probably are at homeostasis for you.  If you can skip both meals you likely are overdoing it at breakfast.  As for sources, I suggest pastured or organic eggs first, served with left over dinner scraps of grass fed meats, poultry, or fish. A third option, although less ideal, would be whey protein or protein shakes.

B. Try to limit carb intake to 25 grams if you are overweight by more than 30 lbs.  If you are fit and have a small amount of weight to lose, (less than 30 lbs.) you can titrate up your carb loads.  Even then, I do not advocate potatoes or rice as some Paleo diets allow for.  You will be able to eat them eventually, but try to avoid starches until you have mastered your cravings and hunger.  Do not count calories; it is not needed at this point.  Any time I eat carbs I use liberal amounts of butter, heavy cream, coconut or palm oil.  I do not recommend other oils initially such as olive oils or industrial seed oils.  I would also avoid nut oils at the initial stages.  My personal favorite is coconut oil because of the great metabolic effects of MCT, and how it helps heal the guts of LR folks.

3.  How you eat your fuel is MORE IMPORTANT than any other factor, including the food itself.
A.  Never snack at all.  This is meant initially and forever.  Snacking completely stresses the liver’s metabolism and is just not recommended.  Your liver needs to re-learn how to use gluconeogenesis normally again when you are asleep and awake.  Snacking just destroys the timing and circadian clocks that work in unison with Leptin.
B.  Try to eat three meals a day initially; but as your hunger and cravings fade you can adapt to two a day.
C.  Try to eat breakfast as early as possible from rising.
D.  Do not work out before or after breakfast.
E.  Try to allow 4-5 hours between dinners and sleep time.
F.  If you decide to incorporate working out, do it after 5 PM.
G.  Within an hour of sunset try to make your surroundings as dark as possible.
H. If you have trouble falling asleep I suggest 3-5 minutes of body weight exercises right before bed (pushups or air squats are fine, but avoid this if your PM cortisol is high).
I.  If you’re inclined to, try becoming mindful when you first lay down.  I use transcendental meditation techniques to help me clear my mind and concentrate on improving my thinking.  (Optional; but this is awesome if your PM cortisol is high).

4.  Most people will notice a change in their cravings and hunger within 4-6 weeks. 
Other changes I advise of my patients, is to supplement with prescription grade fish oils.  The dose depends upon their HS CRP and salivary cortisol levels.

5.  Signs that you are becoming Leptin Sensitive (LS) again
A. Men will notice quick weight loss.
B. Women will notice mood changes first (calmer/sleepy) and their sleep will improve.  Their clothes will fit differently but weight may not change drastically initially because of effects on the pituitary.  This will change too if they continue moving forward.
C. You will notice a change in your sweating pattern.
D. You will notice you have better recovery from exercise and your energy levels seem to have risen.
E. Your hunger is gone and so are your cravings.
F. When you awaken you will feel very refreshed like you slept well.
Generally when the signs are all present, I then really push HIIT exercise with heavy weights.

6.  (QUILT SURVIVABILITY) = (Total Energy – Growth and immunity expense) X (RESOURCES) X (efficiency) X (awareness of our environment).
Stated in levee form where:
Cell longevity = LS – IGF-1 + immunity X Food Quality X leakiness of Mitochondria X environmental cues

Source: http://jackkruse.com/my-leptin-prescription/

Note: I've been considering following one these two dietary protocols: Paleo Diet or Primal Blueprint? I am leaning towards Primal Blueprint. Reason: primal Blueprint allows for good fats such as Coconut oil, and butter. Yes, butter, maybe Paula Deen is onto something, Interestingly enough, The Paleo Diet allows for diet soda and Canola oil, two items on the food list which I do not ingest nor stock in my kitchen pantry - and that is my choice and opinion only. I personally use extra virgin olive oil, small amounts of flax seed oil, coconut oil for baking and animal fats (lard or butter) for frying on occasion. 

Oolong Tea Fights Fat & Cholesterol

While most people are already aware that oolong tea is good for the health, a month-long experiment by a Japanese doctor showed the tea reduces body fat and rejuvenates internal organs, because it contains a large amount of polyphenol, the Daily Yomiuri Shimbun reports.

"I never expected to get the result I wanted from this experiment in such a short period of time," said Masatoshi Nakano, a lecturer at an Aichi Medical University institute.

In April, Nakano asked 12 men and women aged between 18 and 39 to participate in an experiment to examine the effect of oolong tea on their health. All the participants had a clean bill of health and a body mass index of between 20 and 30.

The participants were effectively asked to soak their lives in oolong tea for a month. They were required to drink at least one litre of oolong tea each day and refrain from drinking water. Participants were also asked to eat a balanced diet during the period. Blood samples were taken from the participants for analysis both before and afterward.

Nakano took the blood samples to Yasuharu Mitomo, a professor at Nagoya City University for tests. Dr. Mitomo is specialised in the study of "internal-organ aging." Using various indicators, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and hepatic activity, he has been researching the impact of different lifestyles on the aging process of internal organs.

In testing the blood samples, Mitomo used a calculation method he devised for evaluating the age of organs. He used the results of medical checkups as the basis for the calculations.

According to his findings, the internal organs of the participants were rejuvenated by an average of 1.9 years and a maximum of nine years. The average age of the 12 participants was 26.9. Before the oolong tea experiment, their average internal organ age was 30.3, and dropped to 28.4 after the experiment.

The one whose internal-organ age was rejuvenated by nine years was a woman aged 29. Her cholesterol level fell from 206 before the experiment to 157 afterward, while her LDL (bad) cholesterol level dropped from 137 to 98. Along with the decrease in cholesterol levels, her overall internal-organ age dropped from 38 to her actual age of 29.

"The higher the combined level of cholesterol, the harder your arteries become," Mitomo said. Hardening of the arteries is believed to be a common cause of fatal heart attacks and strokes.

The combined cholesterol levels of most of the participants fell, as did their g-GTP, an indicator of hepatic activity. Meanwhile, HDL (good) cholesterol rose in many cases.

"Although I want to see more results in three months or so, the dramatic improvement in these figures over such a short period of time is extremely interesting," Mitomo said.

According to the results, oolong tea helped to reduce body fat during the test period. Nine of the subjects saw a two-centimetre reduction in their waist size, while eight also saw the size of their upper arms reduced by two centimetres.

According to Nakano, oolong tea helps the body burn fat more efficiently than other teas, including green tea and black tea. It also helps reduce the build-up of body fat.

It has long been believed that oolong tea, which is a good accompaniment for greasy Chinese dishes, helps people lose weight. However, this is the first time a study has found conclusive evidence to support the claim. Nakano intends to present a paper on the findings to the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity in October. According to Nakano, "The effect is a result of the polyphenol contained in oolong tea."

"Polyphenols can all stop hardening of the arteries to some extent, but it is the size of the polyphenol molecules in oolong tea that is so remarkable," he said.

He said the molecules form a perfect match with hormone-sensitive lipase, an enzyme that dissolves body fat. This match activates the enzyme.

The size of polyphenol molecules varies from tea to tea depending on the level of fermentation. In the case of green tea, which is not fermented, the size of the molecules is half that of oolong tea. In the case of black tea, which is fully fermented, the molecules are about twice the size of those in oolong tea. Therefore, neither green tea nor black tea can dissolve body fat to the same degree as oolong tea, which is only half fermented.

Ultimately, though, gulping down gallons of oolong tea alone will not keep you trim. "While it is true that oolong tea dissolves fat efficiently, you also need to consider keeping a balanced diet," he said.

"Polyphenol is contained in more or less every plant, so to avoid hardening of the arteries you do not necessarily have to drink oolong tea, you could just eat a lot of vegetables," he added.

Source: www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Oolong-tea-fights-fat-and-cholesterol