Week 8
Day 50: What dairy was used in the original Mediterranean diet?
The dairy primarily used in the Mediterranean diet is in the form of cheese made from sheep or goat’s milk which are A2 milk. You may want to consider buying A2 milk which is readily available in many stores and/or try cheeses made from sheep or goats. There are some very flavorful cheeses which is a part of the Mediterranean diet. Usually, you can get goat and sheep cheeses from a specialty section of the grocery store. Feta cheese made traditionally is made from sheep and goat’s milk. In the US, most feta cheese comes from cow milk. Give sheep and goat's milk cheeses a try. You may find them as flavorful as cow's milk and easier on the stomach.
Day 51: Why obesity is probably not your fault but there is now a solution.
Though I’m quite informed scientifically, I was not fully aware of how farming practices had changed over the last few decades involving the wide use of herbicides and GMO ingredients placed within foods that don’t advertise their involvement. The massive increases in herbicide and GMO products snuck up on me and many of you. That’s why I was gaining weight so can relate to many of you and your weight gains that seem impossible to change. Now that I have a clear understanding of not only the recent changes but have looked at the most verifiable scientific literature through my global perspective utilizing over 30 fields of science and can help you to achieve optimal health. Don't be discouraged with the amount of weight you have or haven't lost yet. In the clinical trial involving ignite, the average participant lost 6lbs. in the first month then they lost 14 lbs. in the second month which is completely opposite to the fad diets. Changing the metabolism of your body takes some time so please be patient. The best science supports what I'm teaching. How well have you been complying with what we are teaching? If you have some areas of improvement then let's make one more change today. Let’s keep moving forward so that we can achieve and maintain the best health we are capable of achieving. I really want to help you get there.
Day 52: Are oats healthy or unhealthy?
Depends. According to the University of Chicago, oats contain a mild form gluten which 99% of people tolerate well so shouldn't be avoided by 99% of us. Oats, unfortunately, are sometimes contaminated with inflammatory grains because they are processed in the same food processing facilities as other high gluten grains or they are grown in fields next to where GMO wheat or corn is grown and become contaminated with glyphosate. It’s best to purchase gluten-free glyphosate-tested oats. Oats contain beta-glucans which are a fiber which promote the growth of the good microbiota that produce anti-inflammatory short chain fatty-acids. Oats also decrease fat absorption from the digestive tract among other benefits. Oats are definitely worth eating if you can obtain a good source.
Day 53: What are legumes and why should we eat them?
Legumes are from a family of plants which include beans, peas, lentils, soybeans and peanuts. They are rich in nutrients, associated with the Mediterranean Diet and have been shown in published scientific literature to reduce the risk of diabetes, prostate cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s and overall death rate. Though we have mentioned that it’s best to stay away from soybeans because of their GMO status, otherwise, legumes are wise to eat and are protective.
Day 54: What is mTOR and why do we want to slow it?
mTOR is a protein that largely has negative effects for overall health when excessively stimulated. When mTOR is overly active in our bodies, it increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s and some cancers. It’s overactivity also has been shown in published clinical trials to increase the death (mortality) rate. mTOR activity is reduced by calorie restriction and it is blocked by AMPK. This is another benefit of ignite because it has been shown to double AMPK in published clinical trials. mTOR also promotes another negative hormone called IGF-1 which we will talk about tomorrow. High protein diets stimulate mTOR and is another reason why the popular high animal protein diets taught today are so harmful. Various compounds from green tea, coffee, resveratrol (from grapes) and curcumin also block mTOR and why you should integrate these into your diet as often as you can.
Day 55: What is IGF-1 and why do we need to control it?
IGF-1 is a hormone produced by the liver and stimulates cell growth so in excess is associated with cancer risk. High IGF-1 levels are great when we are young and growing but not so much when we are beyond puberty. Chronic excessive stimulation of IGF-1 leads to increased risk of cancer, chronic disease and death. Unfortunately, high protein diets (especially animal protein diets) stimulate release of IGF-1. I hope I’ve made this point very clearly that high protein (especially animal protein) diets which are so common in our society are harmful long term. These diets focus on the short-term benefits and inappropriately extrapolate their temporary benefits with long-term benefits which haven’t been shown in published human studies. There is a huge body of published clinical research supporting that the Mediterranean Diet is truly associated with decreased chronic disease risk and increased longevity. More centenarians are associated with the low animal protein Mediterranean Diet than any other diet in the world and that’s why we have based our Makkarios M2 (microbiota Mediterranean) Diet on it as a foundation and have updated it for your optimal health. By the way, ignite doubles AMPK which blocks IGF-1 and another reason to take ignite. ignite's ingredients can only be obtained globally from Makkarios.
Day 56: What is nutrigenetics?
Nutrigenetics is the science of how food components enter into the cells of our body and then proceed into the nucleus of the cell and interact with genes turning them on or off. Ideally, we desire to eat food with nutrients which turn on good and protective genes while turning off harmful or destructive genes. All of the recommendations provided in the 60 Day Challenge were made with nutrigenetics effects in mind along with 30 other fields of science. If some famous person comes along and says their diet and way of living is the latest, greatest way to go and it differs from the Makkarios M2 (microbiota Mediterranean) Diet don't believe them. They may look great but are not there because they have a greater degree of science supporting them. Stand strong against fads in order to protect your health and the health of those you love.