I find the Rubik's Cube
such a complicated puzzle.
00:00:01.56\00:00:05.23
The goal is you're supposed
to align the blocks so that
00:00:05.97\00:00:09.77
each side is one color.
00:00:09.80\00:00:11.44
But as soon as you feel
like you start getting one side
00:00:11.47\00:00:13.81
pretty good, you realize
the other sides are a mess.
00:00:13.91\00:00:16.85
It's just so frustrating.
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And you know why?
Because I can't solve it.
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I think we do that with
our health a lot of times.
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We get a diagnosis like
diabetes and it becomes this
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challenging problem that we
don't always know how to tackle.
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So we give it to the
doctor to solve for us.
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But what if it was
possible to learn how to align
00:00:33.03\00:00:35.93
the different
moving parts of our health?
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In our last episode, we
learned that insulin resistance
00:00:57.52\00:01:00.36
plays a profound role in the
development of type 2 diabetes.
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Today we're going to
try to look at what is
00:01:04.29\00:01:05.93
causing the insulin resistance.
00:01:05.96\00:01:07.76
What a great question about
diabetes and insulin resistance.
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Many people, when
we talk about diabetes,
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think about sugar.
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It's all about sugar.
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Maybe people
who develop diabetes
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were eating too much sugar.
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You know, that's
what many people think.
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But when we look at
the evidence, it's amazing.
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We've come to think
often times, erroneously,
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that diabetes is a disease
of carbohydrate ingestion.
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It is a disease of
carbohydrate intolerance,
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which is another way
of saying it's a disease
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of insulin resistance.
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Now how do we break the cycle?
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There's two ways
how to think about it.
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Most frequently people think,
"Well, if your blood sugar is
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too high, I just need to
limit the carbohydrate intake.
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I need to cut down
on potatoes and rice
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so that my blood
sugar stays within limits."
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And that's like thinking if
you have a fireplace at home,
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you got it to burn
wood in the first place.
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And that's like thinking,
you know, if the fireplace
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is smoking and there's
too much smoke around it,
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it's like thinking, "Well
if I don't burn too much wood,
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there will not
be so much smoke."
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Well, so that's
about how it works with
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the carbohydrates restriction.
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Yeah, it's true, it works some.
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But at the same time,
you're missing the main point.
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Your body was made to burn
carbohydrates as your main fuel.
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And so as with the
fireplace, what's the solution
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if your fireplace, there's too
much smoke around the fireplace?
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You just need to clean
the chimney and the fireplace,
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and then you will be able to
burn as much wood as you like.
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And similarly, instead of
restricting carbohydrates,
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we just need to get rid of the
extra fat that's being stored
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in the liver, and in the
muscle, and in all the organs.
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Dr. Kahleova's wood burning
illustration makes sense to me,
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because we've burn wood
to heat our home for years.
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Now if you start a fire and
your house fills up with smoke,
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you're coughing, opening
up the windows, it's bad.
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But it's not the woods fault.
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The chimney needs to be cleaned.
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So if you clean the
chimney, the smokestack,
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then the wood will burn clean.
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Going on a super low
carb diet is like saying,
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"I'm not going to
use wood for heat."
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Right.
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And so, you're eluding to the
fact that very often people are
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encouraged to eliminate the
carbohydrates in their diet.
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And so when they do
that, they might find their
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blood sugar drops, and
goes down to normal even.
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A low carbohydrate
diet is really a diet which
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is necessarily high
in fats and proteins.
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If you eliminate carbohydrates,
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you're left with
fats and proteins.
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And for most Americans,
or for most people in the
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western world,
they're getting their protein
00:04:01.84\00:04:03.91
from animal sources.
00:04:03.94\00:04:05.27
So necessarily they're
eating more saturated fat.
00:04:05.67\00:04:08.28
And even if their blood
sugar is lower as a result of
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starving
themselves of carbohydrates,
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which is to say,
starving oneself of the
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preferred energy source,
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those who have eliminated
carbohydrates from their diet,
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they might find
their blood sugar lower,
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all the while their insulin
resistance within their cells
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is only getting worse.
00:04:27.06\00:04:28.40
And we can show
that clearly and easily
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by giving them a
glucose tolerance test.
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So sometimes people
think, "I've cured my diabetes.
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My blood sugars
are back to normal."
00:04:36.44\00:04:37.77
"What are you
eating?" "Oh, eggs and bacon."
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Give them a
carbohydrate tolerance test
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and their blood sugar will
skyrocket, and we'll see it.
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No, you still have diabetes.
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You've masked
it by lowering your
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blood sugar
sort of artificially.
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But this damage that's
going on in your cells,
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and in your
arteries, and in your organs
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is carrying on and gaining speed
due to a low carbohydrate diet.
00:04:55.79\00:05:01.13
And so we know that
people on low carbohydrate diets
00:05:01.16\00:05:03.53
tend to die younger.
00:05:03.83\00:05:05.17
They tend to have more strokes,
at higher risk for cancers,
00:05:05.20\00:05:08.80
higher risk for heart disease.
00:05:09.30\00:05:10.87
Now, whenever the
conversation about diabetes
00:05:10.91\00:05:14.58
or insulin resistance
comes up, people always try to
00:05:14.61\00:05:17.91
blame carbohydrates
as the inciting agents.
00:05:17.95\00:05:21.98
But it's not the carbohydrates.
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Because carbohydrate
in itself is a huge group.
00:05:24.75\00:05:27.99
There are complex carbohydrates
that are absolutely necessary
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for our health.
00:05:31.43\00:05:32.76
And when people are in
an insulin resistance state,
00:05:32.79\00:05:36.50
it basically means that
they do not have the capacity to
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metabolize glucose properly.
00:05:39.63\00:05:41.04
So yes, introduction of any type
of carbohydrates at that stage
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could raise their glucose levels
and could create a situation
00:05:44.51\00:05:47.94
where they face some problems.
00:05:47.98\00:05:49.74
But over time when they
start healing themselves,
00:05:49.78\00:05:53.15
when they reverse
their insulin resistance,
00:05:53.18\00:05:55.75
the body actually can
metabolize glucose properly.
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At the stage it's important
for people to know that
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things like processed foods,
saturated fats which have a
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very important role
in insulin resistance,
00:06:05.13\00:06:07.06
refined carbohydrates
should be, you know, eliminated
00:06:07.10\00:06:11.93
or at least reduced.
00:06:11.97\00:06:13.37
And introduction of
unprocessed plant-based foods
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with the right
kind of fats, which is
00:06:17.14\00:06:18.64
poly and monounsaturated
fats derived from plants,
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make a huge difference.
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If it's not the
sugar, what is it?
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It turns out that
the most important factor
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in the risk of developing
type 2 diabetes is fat.
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Especially in the form of meat.
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If we had to
pinpoint just one single food
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that would be most risky for
development of type 2 diabetes
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down the road, it would be meat.
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We talked about food earlier,
about the importance of eating
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unprocessed foods and lowering
our processed sugar intake,
00:06:49.84\00:06:53.07
And that definitely
affects insulin resistance.
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Saturated fat intake also
affects insulin resistance.
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The predominance of saturated
fats in our diet actually
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prevents cells to be able to
00:07:04.55\00:07:06.92
metabolize
glucose appropriately.
00:07:06.96\00:07:08.99
And so, with this in
mind, how does fat and meat
00:07:10.19\00:07:15.00
come into play?
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How does it raise your blood
sugar when it's all about fat?
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Well, when we consume
meat or other fatty foods,
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when we are on a typical western
diet, which is super high
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in fat, the extra fat
will be deposited in places
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where it doesn't belong to.
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Our adipose tissue has
only a certain capacity
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where to store fat.
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Once we exceed the capacity,
the fat starts overflowing
00:07:44.39\00:07:49.16
to the inner organs.
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It starts being deposited
in the liver, in the muscle,
00:07:50.57\00:07:53.60
in the heart, in the pancreas.
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And it just compromises the
metabolic function of the organ.
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Why is meat the biggest
driver in type 2 diabetes risk?
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These are the results
from many prospective studies.
00:08:06.72\00:08:11.29
The Adventist Health Study too.
00:08:11.32\00:08:13.22
But also from the
Nurses' Health Study.
00:08:13.42\00:08:17.29
Red meat, and especially
processed meat, are the
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biggest risk factors for
developing type 2 diabetes.
00:08:21.60\00:08:25.10
Now why is that?
00:08:25.33\00:08:26.67
Meat is rich in fat, and
especially saturated fat.
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It's not only about the
quantity of fat we're consuming,
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it's also about the quality.
00:08:38.18\00:08:39.81
And we know that saturated
fat is the biggest driver
00:08:40.02\00:08:44.12
of the fat being
deposited in other organs.
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For example, in one
randomized clinical trial
00:08:48.09\00:08:51.49
in Sweden, they gave the
study participants muffins
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for a couple of weeks.
00:08:56.20\00:08:58.00
And the muffins were
consumed as extra energy.
00:08:58.20\00:09:01.20
So it was like an over
feeding study, if you will.
00:09:01.24\00:09:04.57
People were eating their
usual diet, plus the muffin
00:09:04.67\00:09:09.14
they were getting
from the research group.
00:09:09.18\00:09:12.38
And one muffin contained
sunflower oil as the main source
00:09:12.65\00:09:17.49
of polyunsaturated fatty acids,
versus another muffin containing
00:09:17.52\00:09:22.59
palm oil as a
source of saturated fat.
00:09:22.62\00:09:26.90
And people were depositing
the saturated fat in the liver
00:09:27.66\00:09:33.27
compared with the sunflower oil.
00:09:33.30\00:09:35.30
So it's definitely
about the quality of the fat
00:09:35.34\00:09:38.01
that we're consuming as well.
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In addition to
the high-fat content
00:09:40.91\00:09:44.31
and high saturated fat
content, meat also contains
00:09:44.35\00:09:48.18
a lot of animal protein which
is an independent risk factor
00:09:48.22\00:09:51.62
for developing type 2 diabetes.
00:09:51.82\00:09:53.89
Also heme iron is
another independent risk factor.
00:09:54.02\00:09:58.79
And it doesn't have any fiber,
doesn't have any antioxidants,
00:09:59.36\00:10:03.20
so it's lacking all
the protective factors.
00:10:03.23\00:10:06.67
And when there's too much
fat stored inside the cells,
00:10:06.80\00:10:11.54
the door lock is jammed
00:10:11.91\00:10:14.54
and insulin is not
able to open the door.
00:10:14.58\00:10:17.28
The glucose, after a
meal, is just building up in the
00:10:18.01\00:10:21.95
bloodstream and is not
able to get into the cells.
00:10:21.98\00:10:25.22
So the cells are
starving for energy,
00:10:25.59\00:10:28.22
and we have too
much blood sugar.
00:10:28.26\00:10:30.69
So this is called
insulin resistance.
00:10:31.36\00:10:33.96
Well, it was kind of a mystery.
00:10:34.00\00:10:35.33
What happened to
the insulin receptor?
00:10:35.36\00:10:36.73
Why did the signal
not properly transmit
00:10:36.77\00:10:39.83
in this state
called insulin resistance?
00:10:41.07\00:10:42.97
With some very well-done
carefully designed studies,
00:10:43.54\00:10:47.88
it actually used
MRI to look and see
00:10:47.91\00:10:49.58
what's happening inside cells.
00:10:49.61\00:10:51.38
They figured out that
it's the presence inside a cell
00:10:51.41\00:10:55.25
of fatty acids, saturated
fats as a matter of fact.
00:10:55.28\00:10:59.72
Saturated fatty acids
that have accumulated over time
00:11:00.09\00:11:03.22
within the muscle cells.
00:11:03.29\00:11:04.63
This is where it happens
first, in the skeletal muscle.
00:11:04.66\00:11:07.06
Our skeletal muscle
will absorb and accumulate,
00:11:07.33\00:11:10.03
or build-up,
store saturated fats.
00:11:10.07\00:11:14.07
Saturated fatty acids,
the chemists call them.
00:11:14.10\00:11:16.27
These fats, they don't
belong inside our muscle cells.
00:11:16.57\00:11:18.57
The cells of our muscles
are not designed to store fat.
00:11:18.61\00:11:21.74
But they'll do it if
there's enough saturated fat
00:11:21.78\00:11:24.48
flowing past them in the
bloodstream day in and day out.
00:11:24.51\00:11:27.02
The muscle cells
will absorb saturated fat;
00:11:27.52\00:11:29.95
those fatty acids interfere
with the insulin receptor,
00:11:30.15\00:11:33.25
prevent it from
working properly,
00:11:33.29\00:11:35.02
and ultimately lead to
diabetes, type 2 diabetes.
00:11:35.22\00:11:37.99
Yes, exactly.
00:11:38.29\00:11:39.63
The cell membrane is composed
of phospholipid bilayer,
00:11:39.66\00:11:44.60
and fats are an integral
part of the cell membrane.
00:11:44.63\00:11:49.10
And so, we are what we eat.
00:11:49.30\00:11:52.37
And that's literal
for the composition
00:11:52.41\00:11:54.94
of the cell membranes.
00:11:54.98\00:11:56.31
The fat we eat will be
deposited in the cell membranes.
00:11:56.34\00:12:00.68
If we eat a lot of fat
from the animal products,
00:12:00.72\00:12:04.65
these become the bricks
from which the cell membrane
00:12:04.69\00:12:08.29
will be composed.
00:12:08.32\00:12:09.66
And the saturated
fat from animal products
00:12:09.79\00:12:12.69
will make the cell
membranes more rigid
00:12:12.73\00:12:15.30
and is the ultimate
cause for insulin resistance.
00:12:15.66\00:12:19.93
That's the jammed door lock
where insulin is not able to
00:12:20.14\00:12:23.84
open the door.
00:12:23.87\00:12:25.21
In contrast, when we
eat a lot of plant foods,
00:12:25.61\00:12:29.48
those are rich
in polyunsaturated
00:12:29.51\00:12:31.61
and monounsaturated fatty acids.
00:12:31.65\00:12:33.65
And those will make the
cell membrane more flexible
00:12:33.98\00:12:37.45
and more fluid,
00:12:37.65\00:12:38.99
and the metabolic
processes will be easier.
00:12:39.02\00:12:41.82
The insulin will
be working properly,
00:12:42.02\00:12:44.09
it will be able
to open the door,
00:12:44.13\00:12:46.29
and glucose will
be able to come in.
00:12:46.33\00:12:48.06
So it makes a huge difference
what kind of fat we're using.
00:12:48.43\00:12:52.03
Fat is an important
part of this process.
00:12:52.60\00:12:55.24
And it also affects
the cells of the pancreas
00:12:55.27\00:12:57.31
that produces insulin.
00:12:57.34\00:12:58.67
You're asking about
beta cells in the pancreas
00:12:59.91\00:13:02.01
and how saturated fats affect
the production of insulin.
00:13:02.04\00:13:05.01
So our beta cells
are highly specialized.
00:13:05.65\00:13:08.28
They are busy 24/7 in producing
and storing insulin molecules.
00:13:09.45\00:13:16.26
It turns out that saturated fat,
when absorbed by beta cells,
00:13:16.56\00:13:20.53
those beta cells want
to be busy making insulin.
00:13:21.16\00:13:23.37
When they are dealing
with saturated fatty acids,
00:13:23.57\00:13:26.20
that saturated fatty acid
actually interferes directly
00:13:26.53\00:13:29.70
with the ability of
the endoplasmic reticulum
00:13:29.74\00:13:32.34
to form insulin.
00:13:32.91\00:13:34.24
And so what gets made as a
result is misshapen insulin
00:13:34.38\00:13:37.78
or incomplete insulin molecules.
00:13:37.81\00:13:40.22
In effect, molecules that
were supposed to be insulin,
00:13:40.68\00:13:43.72
but came out so badly formed
that they don't do their job
00:13:43.75\00:13:47.22
when they get out of the
cell and go to the muscle.
00:13:47.26\00:13:49.36
They might not even be
secreted from the cell.
00:13:50.13\00:13:52.03
The point is,
saturated fat in the beta cells
00:13:52.23\00:13:55.53
impair and inhibit and destroy
the ability of the beta cell
00:13:55.83\00:13:59.30
to make insulin.
00:13:59.33\00:14:00.67
So now we've got type 2
diabetes really ramping up.
00:14:00.70\00:14:04.04
We have insulin resistance
in the periphery or the muscles.
00:14:04.07\00:14:06.81
We have the
inability to make insulin
00:14:06.84\00:14:08.78
in the first
place in the beta cell.
00:14:08.81\00:14:10.45
Our blood sugar is skyrocketing.
00:14:10.65\00:14:12.51
All as a result of saturated
fats and the damage they do
00:14:12.55\00:14:16.08
inside these various cells.
00:14:16.12\00:14:17.65
I find again and again that
when individuals that I'm seeing
00:14:17.89\00:14:21.62
for type 2 diabetes change
their diet in such a way that
00:14:21.66\00:14:25.19
they get rid of
saturated fat, we'll talk about
00:14:25.23\00:14:28.23
the sources of that,
we can if you'd like,
00:14:28.26\00:14:31.10
when they reduce
their saturated fat intake
00:14:31.57\00:14:34.17
and started eating more
of complex carbohydrates,
00:14:34.20\00:14:37.41
their diabetes gets
easier and easier to treat
00:14:37.44\00:14:39.57
because their insulin
resistance is going away.
00:14:39.77\00:14:42.24
Melting back
towards insulin sensitivity.
00:14:42.34\00:14:44.81
Which can happen if we
can get those saturated fats
00:14:45.21\00:14:47.85
out of the cell, the insulin
receptor comes back and says,
00:14:47.88\00:14:51.32
"Oh, I'm so glad to be working
properly again. Thank you."
00:14:51.35\00:14:54.02
Even though we can't spend
a lot of time on the different
00:14:54.36\00:14:56.96
factors that can potentially
contribute to type 2 diabetes,
00:14:56.99\00:15:00.23
I want you just to see that
ROS wreaks havoc here as well.
00:15:00.63\00:15:04.57
Remember ROS?
00:15:04.60\00:15:06.00
Oxidative stress is
the underlying mechanism
00:15:07.67\00:15:11.31
behind the development
of insulin resistance
00:15:11.34\00:15:14.21
and type 2 diabetes, but
also of other chronic conditions
00:15:14.24\00:15:18.31
such as cardiovascular
disease and cancer.
00:15:18.35\00:15:20.98
So what can we do
to protect ourselves?
00:15:21.48\00:15:24.02
The oxidative stress is
caused by the free radicals that
00:15:24.79\00:15:29.19
are missing an electron
and are highly reactive.
00:15:29.22\00:15:32.73
If they're highly
reactive, they will be damaging
00:15:32.99\00:15:36.77
our proteins and our
other molecules in our body.
00:15:36.80\00:15:42.10
In an ideal scenario,
the antioxidant production
00:15:42.37\00:15:46.91
will counterbalance the free
radical formation in our body.
00:15:47.11\00:15:51.21
Unfortunately in type 2 diabetes
the free radical formation
00:15:51.51\00:15:57.42
outweighs the
antioxidants in your body.
00:15:58.09\00:16:01.46
Now we conducted a
study where we put people with
00:16:01.96\00:16:06.63
type 2 diabetes on a
plant-based diet for 12 weeks
00:16:06.66\00:16:10.03
and we looked at their
oxidative stress markers.
00:16:10.33\00:16:14.34
And what we found out
was really fascinating.
00:16:15.00\00:16:17.51
After only 12 weeks
the vitamin C levels were
00:16:17.67\00:16:21.78
much higher than in
the controlled group
00:16:21.81\00:16:23.98
that were counting their
calories and carbohydrates.
00:16:24.01\00:16:27.05
But of course, this
is what we would expect,
00:16:27.55\00:16:30.19
because vitamin C is
in all the plant foods.
00:16:30.22\00:16:33.92
So we would think, well
they were consuming more fruits
00:16:33.96\00:16:36.42
and vegetables, so of
course, their vitamin C
00:16:36.46\00:16:39.19
levels were increased.
00:16:39.23\00:16:41.13
But not only vitamin C levels,
but also the levels of enzymes
00:16:41.43\00:16:46.23
that are being produced in
response to oxidative stress.
00:16:46.27\00:16:50.41
Such as superoxide dismutase
and reduced glutathione.
00:16:50.61\00:16:54.44
They increased dramatically
on the plant-based diet.
00:16:54.48\00:16:57.95
Which means that it was
not only about the foods
00:16:58.15\00:17:01.35
that people were consuming that
helped them with antioxidants,
00:17:01.38\00:17:05.72
but the plant-based
diet also helped them produce
00:17:06.02\00:17:10.23
the protective
antioxidants in their body.
00:17:10.26\00:17:14.20
Now oxidative stress is
not only involved in the
00:17:14.53\00:17:18.27
development of type 2 diabetes,
it's directly involved in the
00:17:18.30\00:17:22.60
development of insulin
resistance and also the failure
00:17:22.64\00:17:26.71
of the beta cells to
produce enough insulin.
00:17:26.74\00:17:29.51
And it's also directly
involved in the development
00:17:29.81\00:17:32.68
of diabetic complications.
00:17:32.71\00:17:34.55
So it's never too
late to change our diet
00:17:34.58\00:17:37.75
and just break the cycle.
00:17:37.79\00:17:39.55
Please don't get
turned off or tuned out
00:17:39.59\00:17:42.72
because of the fancy
names, superoxide dismutase
00:17:42.76\00:17:45.99
and glutathione.
00:17:46.03\00:17:47.36
It's just referring to
the defenders of your health.
00:17:47.40\00:17:50.07
They function as ROS's steady
woman that calms him down,
00:17:50.17\00:17:54.04
neutralizing the stress.
00:17:54.07\00:17:56.14
And when we eat a plant-based
diet, we are ensuring that
00:17:56.37\00:17:59.07
there's enough
of her to go around.
00:17:59.11\00:18:01.28
Do you remember the
program on securing the border?
00:18:01.54\00:18:04.11
That was another previous
program about gut health,
00:18:04.25\00:18:06.88
which can also be an
important place to address
00:18:06.92\00:18:09.72
the root cause of diabetes.
00:18:09.75\00:18:12.12
If the border is not
secure, this can be a cause of
00:18:12.92\00:18:17.36
increased
inflammation in our body
00:18:17.39\00:18:19.96
and the development of insulin
resistance down the road.
00:18:20.50\00:18:26.74
The rise in the
prevalence of type 2 diabetes
00:18:27.44\00:18:30.81
is mainly due to a
high fat western diet
00:18:30.84\00:18:34.24
and also a lack
of physical exercise,
00:18:34.28\00:18:36.95
but also other
factors such as lack of sleep
00:18:36.98\00:18:40.65
and disruption of
circadian rhythms.
00:18:40.95\00:18:43.65
And I need to tell you about
one of the cellular mechanisms
00:18:44.32\00:18:50.46
that develops
in type 2 diabetes.
00:18:50.99\00:18:53.86
Each cell has a signature
on their cell membrane.
00:18:53.96\00:18:58.63
If someone has diabetes,
there is a diabetes signature
00:18:58.73\00:19:03.41
on each cell membrane,
which is based on the fatty acid
00:19:03.44\00:19:09.84
composition of
the cell membrane.
00:19:09.88\00:19:11.81
There is a
high-level of palmitic acid
00:19:11.85\00:19:14.58
which is one of
the saturated fats
00:19:14.62\00:19:16.89
mainly coming from
dairy, meat, and eggs.
00:19:17.55\00:19:21.82
And the low levels of linoleic
acid, which is one of the
00:19:22.16\00:19:26.03
polyunsaturated fatty
acids coming from vegetables
00:19:26.06\00:19:29.46
and vegetable sources.
00:19:29.50\00:19:31.23
And this combination is
a clear diabetic signature.
00:19:31.93\00:19:36.14
That's just written
on each cell membrane.
00:19:36.34\00:19:39.47
Once people go on
a plant-based diet,
00:19:40.08\00:19:42.98
we were looking at this specific
signature on the cell membranes,
00:19:43.01\00:19:46.92
and in only 12 weeks
00:19:47.12\00:19:49.75
the diabetic
signature just disappeared.
00:19:49.78\00:19:52.95
So it's not only about
your blood sugar levels,
00:19:53.25\00:19:56.16
it's actually what happens
in each cell of the body.
00:19:56.26\00:19:59.93
The plant-based
diet is super powerful
00:20:00.13\00:20:02.96
in just erasing
the diabetes signature
00:20:03.00\00:20:07.00
from the cell membranes.
00:20:07.04\00:20:08.40
How do we do that?
00:20:08.44\00:20:09.87
The most effective way is first
of all, a plant-based diet,
00:20:10.27\00:20:15.98
which is naturally
low in fat and also
00:20:16.01\00:20:20.35
rich in fiber and antioxidants.
00:20:20.55\00:20:23.82
And that helps get rid of
the extra fat stored inside
00:20:23.85\00:20:28.92
the muscle and liver cells.
00:20:28.96\00:20:30.79
We did a 16 week
randomized clinical trial
00:20:30.99\00:20:34.50
where we measured
the amount of liver fat.
00:20:34.53\00:20:38.67
And we found out that
on a low-fat vegan diet
00:20:38.97\00:20:42.50
the liver fat content
decreased by 34% in 16 weeks.
00:20:42.94\00:20:48.64
It's just amazing what a
healthy plant-based diet can do.
00:20:48.84\00:20:52.95
So that's number one.
00:20:52.98\00:20:54.62
Begin, you know, a transition
towards a plant-based diet.
00:20:54.82\00:20:58.99
The second recommendation
would be intermittent fasting.
00:20:59.19\00:21:03.73
In another study, I took
people with type 2 diabetes;
00:21:04.26\00:21:08.46
and usually people with
type 2 diabetes are recommended
00:21:08.93\00:21:13.57
to eat many small
meals during the day.
00:21:13.60\00:21:15.90
So we gave them for 12 weeks
they were on six meals a day,
00:21:16.10\00:21:21.54
which is like the
usually recommended regiment.
00:21:21.58\00:21:25.25
And for another 12 weeks they
were only on two meals a day;
00:21:25.58\00:21:29.98
big breakfast and big lunch.
00:21:30.02\00:21:31.82
The diet
composition was the same,
00:21:31.92\00:21:33.86
the energy content was the same.
00:21:33.89\00:21:35.86
And they began in a
random order either with
00:21:36.09\00:21:39.76
six meals or with two meals.
00:21:39.79\00:21:41.63
And after 12 weeks they
tried the opposite intervention.
00:21:41.66\00:21:46.74
So it was a crossover design
which means each participant
00:21:47.10\00:21:51.61
tried both of these regiments.
00:21:51.64\00:21:53.54
So they found out what
works for them specifically,
00:21:53.58\00:21:57.81
and also it gave us a
wonderful power to detect
00:21:57.85\00:22:02.85
the differences
between the interventions.
00:22:02.88\00:22:05.19
What we found out
was really fascinating.
00:22:05.49\00:22:07.92
With the same amount of
energy and with the same
00:22:07.96\00:22:10.66
diet composition, people lost
more weight on two meals a day.
00:22:10.69\00:22:15.43
They lost more liver
fat on two meals a day.
00:22:15.73\00:22:19.53
Their insulin
sensitivity increased
00:22:19.93\00:22:22.54
more on two meals a day.
00:22:22.57\00:22:23.97
That means improved.
00:22:24.01\00:22:25.37
And also what was fascinating,
the depressive symptoms
00:22:26.01\00:22:30.15
decreased more
on two meals a day.
00:22:30.18\00:22:32.68
And also feelings of
hunger decreased more
00:22:32.78\00:22:35.68
on two meals a
day, which was amazing.
00:22:35.72\00:22:37.89
In the beginning of the study,
the study participants were
00:22:37.92\00:22:41.69
like, "I'd like to join the
study, but I'm afraid I will be
00:22:41.72\00:22:44.59
starving with two meals a day.
00:22:44.63\00:22:46.13
I may not be able to follow it."
00:22:46.16\00:22:48.13
And it took only a couple
of days for people to adjust.
00:22:48.43\00:22:54.10
And at the end of the
study, most people were like,
00:22:54.14\00:22:57.24
"Oh, two meals a
day are just amazing.
00:22:57.27\00:22:59.57
I'm sticking to it for life."
00:22:59.61\00:23:01.41
So that's how powerful
intermittent fasting is.
00:23:01.91\00:23:04.75
So when we talk about
diabetes, plant-based nutrition
00:23:04.85\00:23:08.52
and intermittent
fasting are the most powerful
00:23:08.55\00:23:11.49
game changers in
terms of diabetes.
00:23:11.69\00:23:14.06
We teach that
you want to exercise
00:23:14.09\00:23:18.59
immediately after eating.
00:23:18.79\00:23:20.43
And you want to do it within
00:23:20.46\00:23:22.06
5 or 10 minutes
of finishing eating.
00:23:22.10\00:23:23.63
The minute you
put that fork down,
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.17
you go out and
walk around the block.
00:23:25.50\00:23:27.24
It doesn't have
to be hard exercise.
00:23:27.44\00:23:30.21
People think they have
to go out there and run.
00:23:30.24\00:23:31.61
You don't.
00:23:31.64\00:23:32.97
Just get out and start moving.
00:23:33.01\00:23:34.81
Because the only
thing that puts glucose,
00:23:35.24\00:23:38.51
take it out of the
blood and puts it into a cell
00:23:38.88\00:23:41.35
is either insulin, which
you're having a problem with,
00:23:41.68\00:23:44.52
or exercise.
00:23:44.55\00:23:46.02
So if you have
not enough insulin,
00:23:46.32\00:23:48.16
you've got that
insulin resistance,
00:23:48.19\00:23:49.52
instead, you
exercise, and you'll bring those
00:23:49.56\00:23:52.36
blood sugars under control.
00:23:52.39\00:23:53.76
Exercise will help increase
the capacity of the muscles
00:23:53.96\00:23:58.33
to take in all the
glucose after the meals.
00:23:58.37\00:24:01.07
We know that
exercise is good in general.
00:24:01.84\00:24:05.01
For example, for
people with type 2 diabetes
00:24:05.31\00:24:08.74
who struggle with blood
sugar control after the meals,
00:24:08.78\00:24:11.81
it has been shown that
going for a walk after each meal
00:24:12.48\00:24:17.42
is more beneficial
than exercising in general.
00:24:17.62\00:24:20.76
So if you can go, and
the walk can be short,
00:24:20.79\00:24:24.83
10 to 15 minutes, but it will
help all the glucose from the
00:24:24.86\00:24:29.53
meal gets into the muscles
00:24:29.56\00:24:31.53
instead of being
stored in our fat.
00:24:31.57\00:24:34.57
When we exercise, our
muscles are more ready
00:24:34.60\00:24:36.94
to absorb glucose.
00:24:36.97\00:24:38.31
Exercise increases and
improves insulin sensitivity,
00:24:38.34\00:24:41.11
it tends to
reverse insulin resistance.
00:24:41.41\00:24:43.55
So we often like to encourage
patients with type 2 diabetes
00:24:43.75\00:24:46.55
to take a good 10 to 15
minute walk after every meal.
00:24:46.58\00:24:49.55
It makes a big difference in the
after-meal blood sugar levels.
00:24:49.85\00:24:52.75
As much a difference as
some drugs that are prescribed.
00:24:52.95\00:24:57.59
A gentleman in our health
class, I think his fasting
00:24:57.63\00:25:01.40
blood sugar was 350.
00:25:01.43\00:25:03.16
And at one of our
classes we talked about this.
00:25:03.77\00:25:06.63
And within five days, he used
to work in an operating room,
00:25:06.84\00:25:11.87
so it was tough to
do, but within five days
00:25:11.91\00:25:14.34
of starting to walk around the
hospital up and down the aisles,
00:25:14.38\00:25:17.85
his blood sugar was down to 175.
00:25:19.18\00:25:21.08
Which still wasn't
great, but huge change.
00:25:21.12\00:25:24.25
It makes a huge difference.
00:25:24.29\00:25:25.95
Exercise is not
just about losing weight.
00:25:26.42\00:25:29.02
The average
person, even if lean,
00:25:29.06\00:25:31.19
can have toxic levels of fat.
00:25:31.23\00:25:33.09
In fact, we call
it the skinny obese.
00:25:33.96\00:25:37.83
Like in the 70's there
was this model called, Twiggy.
00:25:37.87\00:25:43.04
And she was so, just
you know, board thin.
00:25:43.07\00:25:46.21
And yet she was officially obese
by looking at the percentage
00:25:46.24\00:25:50.55
of fat versus lean
muscle on her body.
00:25:50.58\00:25:53.21
She didn't look obese,
she looked skinny, skinny,
00:25:53.25\00:25:56.08
but she wasn't healthy at all.
00:25:56.12\00:25:57.82
I'm curious, how long would
it take to see improvements
00:25:58.69\00:26:01.22
in insulin sensitivity.
00:26:01.26\00:26:02.72
To develop type 2 diabetes
usually takes at least a decade
00:26:02.92\00:26:07.10
or maybe even several decades.
00:26:07.13\00:26:09.46
When people start transitioning
toward a healthy lifestyle,
00:26:10.20\00:26:14.47
they decide to change
their diet, I'm always amazed
00:26:14.50\00:26:18.11
at how quickly
the changes happen.
00:26:18.14\00:26:20.84
The first changes
usually happen in a few days.
00:26:21.04\00:26:24.35
People start, you
know, their blood sugars
00:26:24.38\00:26:27.45
starts getting lower and lower,
and we need to cut down on
00:26:27.48\00:26:30.55
their diabetes medication.
00:26:30.59\00:26:32.52
And in a few
months sometimes they can
00:26:33.12\00:26:38.09
get rid of all
their medications.
00:26:38.29\00:26:40.43
Sometimes not.
00:26:40.53\00:26:41.86
Sometimes they're just cutting
back on their medications
00:26:41.90\00:26:44.63
as the time goes.
00:26:44.67\00:26:46.00
But the first
changes happen in a few days.
00:26:46.33\00:26:49.70
I'm always amazed.
00:26:49.74\00:26:51.07
I'm like, it took a
decade, or even two or three,
00:26:51.11\00:26:55.94
to develop
diabetes, and now we're seeing
00:26:55.98\00:26:58.61
all these rapid changes.
00:26:58.65\00:27:00.32
If we want to protect
our brain cognitive function,
00:27:00.65\00:27:04.12
if we want to
protect our immune system,
00:27:04.15\00:27:06.32
if we want to protect
our cardiovascular system,
00:27:06.35\00:27:09.92
it's imperative that
we have the right diet,
00:27:10.03\00:27:12.79
but also take
advantage of exercise
00:27:12.83\00:27:15.56
so that we're
burning off the excess,
00:27:15.96\00:27:18.07
and therefore
preventing that glucose toxicity
00:27:18.10\00:27:23.67
and the lipotoxicity of the fat.
00:27:23.71\00:27:26.94
The lipid fats
actually can cause toxicity.
00:27:26.98\00:27:30.55
So that's why, when
we exercise appropriately
00:27:30.58\00:27:32.98
and we eat appropriately,
the body is able to
00:27:33.01\00:27:36.69
burn off the excess
fat and bring us down to a
00:27:36.72\00:27:40.62
healthier weight.
00:27:40.66\00:27:42.19
And we know that when we
burn excess fat centrally,
00:27:42.49\00:27:47.40
we're also burning off the
excess fat inside the pancreas
00:27:47.43\00:27:52.10
that is damaging the pancreas,
that is promoting the diabetes.
00:27:52.30\00:27:56.30
We're burning off the
excess fat in the liver
00:27:56.34\00:27:59.74
which is creating
toxicity issues that is creating
00:27:59.77\00:28:04.88
problems, preventing
all kinds of diseases.
00:28:05.81\00:28:10.45
Amen and praise God for that.
00:28:10.79\00:28:13.46
Today's episode may
give us some homework to do,
00:28:13.49\00:28:15.79
but it also gave
us ground for hope.
00:28:15.82\00:28:18.29
Remember, you
were made for health.
00:28:18.39\00:28:21.30