A quick look at Google Trends shows a clear, undeniable trend: that of regular folks armed with curiosity, questions, and Internet connections taking their health into their own hands and searching for information on “vitamin D.” Search traffic for the keywords is at an all-time high, having steadily increased for years. But just as people are discovering importance of getting enough vitamin D, either through sunshine or supplementation, out comes the official paltry new vitamin D guidelines.

As far as I’m concerned, vitamin D deficiency is one the biggest health issues in this country. I’ve written extensively on the topic here, here, here and here. I’ll continue to get sunlight when it’s available and supplement when it’s not. And I’m sure my fellow paleo bloggers will do the same. This is a perfect example of why we distance ourselves from “Conventional Wisdom” (CW). What do you say? Has the latest report changed how you view vitamin D?

Next on the list, California strawberry lovers may want to consider – if they haven’t already – sourcing organic, local, or homegrown berries from now on. State regulators just approved the usage of methyl iodide, a potent pesticide, in place of methyl bromide, which wasn’t too good to begin with. Methyl iodide is applied directly to the soil, and it’s water-soluble, meaning there’s a pretty good chance it makes its way into the water table where it can be enjoyed by everyone. There’s also the fact that it contains an iodine atom, which, as you know, is the mineral our thyroid glands use for production of thyroid hormone. After the Chernobyl disaster, area thyroid glands took up highly toxic radio-iodide because it looked an awful lot like normal, awesome iodine, and the result was widespread incidence of thyroid cancer. Now, methyl iodide isn’t as toxic as radio-iodide, but, as this paper (PDF) comparing the toxicities of methyl iodide and methyl bromide to each other shows, all of methyl iodide’s toxic effects happen via the thyroid.

Let me know if you agree we should we change our stance of vitamin D?

The Psychology of Junk Food

-this mya be the #1 obstacle stopping people from moving to a Primal lifestyle.

While they understand and approve of the logic behind the Blueprint, and they value the chance to lose weight, get fit and have more energy, the old fear questions pops up: “What about bread?”  (or diet soda, pasta, pizza, fast fooda nd so on.).

Against all powers of wisdom, self-interest, and rationality, how is it thesehurtful, deeply entrenched cravings hold such sway over our diet lifestyles decisions? Is a bBig Mac really so enticing that it should undermine someone’s willingness to live a healthier, more vigorous existence?  Is the de-grained life really not worth living?

It’s a common refrain I hear: “Oh, I’d love to go Primal, but I just couldn’t give up my breakfast cereal.” Okay. It’s got me thinking lately: what is it about the psychology of junk food, i.e. the psychological power of (non-Primal) favorite foods?

Ever watched “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” (usually featuring the typical junk food categories)? Of course, the guests play it up for the camera, but the expression behind some of their descriptions parallel that famous When Harry Met Sally scene. Really? This level of enthusiasm for a hamburger?  Even a few of the most diehard PB converts I know still hold the torch for some pre-Primal items. Some people get attached, I guess.

Yes, there are the obvious factors that apply to most people’s favorites: the ubiquity of these foods, the subsequent convenience, the cheap price (e.g. Pizza Hut’s “Feast for Five” bucks – feast being their word). For some of us, these favorite foods (past or present) are part and parcel of our social landscape or our work environs. Then there are the more complex influences: ethnic, family or community traditions right down to low and lowly marketing forces. Finally, there’s taste. Although, as I’ve said before, most people find these foods all taste the same once they give their taste buds a chance to recover on a Primal diet of naturally-occurring foods.

So, why are some things easier to give up than others? If you told most people tomorrow that the key to good health involved forgoing asparagus, I can’t imagine most folks would consider it a major impediment to their success. Why isn’t giving up bread, diet soda or cereal the same? How does it involve more than a simple switch of intention? Why does giving up a single favorite food feel like serious deprivation for so many people?

It is possible that the psychology of junk food is established before we are born?

It’s true that our tastes are established earlier than we ever thought. Experts have found that a mother’s diet during pregnancy already begin to habituate a baby’s taste. Researchers believe this happens because the habituation early on helps teach children which tastes are “safe.” If the mother has survived eating foods with these flavors, they will, too. If you come from a family in which people routinely ate a lot of pasta, you likely developed the taste for it earlier than you can remember.

We also develop deep-seated emotional associations with certain foods through early and/or recurring memories surrounding them. On a timely note, holiday traditions tend to play into these associations in a big way. Any meaningful experience can create these connections, however. Was there a special dish you always made with a parent or grandparent? Did your extended family all go to the same pizzeria at every visit? Do you and your spouse have a routine from early in your relationship that influences how you enjoy time together today?

These associations can play out in unconscious ways, eliciting cravings or overshadowing your efforts to develop a taste for healthier, Primal fare. If you’re still carrying the torch for old favorites, it can be harder to fully enjoy newer Primal tastes.

Then there are the temptations of the present. Experts say mental imagery – that which we conjure ourselves and that which we’re presented with (in ads, etc.) – plays a sizeable role in our cravings. Have you ever found yourself victim to an ad’s suggestion? Even if you normally wouldn’t touch a particular food, those marketing folks have a fantastic way of making it look good. Don’t think that marketers aren’t masters at understanding te pshchology of junk food.

Our moods, of course, can influence our vulnerability to old favorites. Many of us have indulged in emotional eating, and carbohydrates figure into this equation all too strongly. There’s a legitimate serotonin boost from a carb binge, but then comes the inevitable crash and then the ongoing habit. Our desire for comfort foods, researchers have found, only increases with additional stress. (On a side note, experts have even found trends of favorite comfort foods (PDF) in men and women and in older and younger folks. Men as a whole tend to crave warm and hearty foods. Women for their part had more of a penchant for sweeter snack foods. Younger groups also tended to choose more snack rather than meal type foods.)

In terms of strategies to lessen the feeling of deprivation and associated cravings, researchers confirm the out of sight, out of mind approach. Proximity matters in a big way. The more of a hassle it is to get to that favorite temptation, the less likely you’ll bother with it. Their study includes the old candy dish at the secretary’s desk scenario. Yet, battling those mental images matters, too. If your favorite food is all over the TV commercials, find something else to do on the days or evenings when you’re more prone to suggestion because of stress or a down mood.

When you do become taken in by a sudden urge to indulge, some research suggests that taking a brief walk can help. If the cravings are more than an occasional inconvenience, you might want to ask whether there’s something hormonal going on or if you have a nutritional deficiency. Particularly if you have a history of disordered eating, you might choose to explore some professional counseling. Finally, some research shows that acupuncture can be an effective complementary measure for reducing ongoing cravings.

You might ask where the 80/20 Principle is in all this. Well, it depends. If your favorite food can be adapted to fit a Primal profile or if you can indulge moderately on an occasional basis, then you might not have to forgo that favorite altogether. If one taste of a non-Primal favorite food sends you on a downward spiral, however, it’s another story. As people get further along in their Primal journey, the slippery slope phenomenon isn’t as powerful, but for some it remains so. Know yourself, first and foremost.

There’s a potential bit of a catch here, however. Even if you know you can always go back and have it, a lot of folks – having been fully Primal for a while – find that the side effects are too great to bother with. They realize that it’s not worth trying anymore, even for special occasions. Nonetheless, some feel a bit of grief with the acknowledgment. In these cases, however, know that the food was destroying your body long before you ever gave it up. You simply know what it feels like to live without the low-grade symptoms now.

That’s the final message here, I think. A favorite food offers momentary pleasure and maybe a meaningful bit of nostalgia. But what is your life without that favorite food? More energetic? Less congested? More restful? More even-keeled? Less medicated? Just as happily reminiscent. Just as meaningful. Your taste buds are but one small part of you. If your whole body could vote on each food you put in it, what would it tell you? Learning to live Primally is about learning to listen to your body, recognizing its story, and valuing how our physical habits feed the spirit as well as the body – the vitality – we bring to each day.

Now it’s your turn. Readers, have you had struggles with old favorite foods? Do they still have a hold on you? Does the lingering preference ever trip you up, or have you found your peace with it – maybe by indulging once in a while with moderation? What do you see as the major challenges behind giving up a favorite food?

The original junk food article

Understanding the psychology of junk food may be your best tool towards self-control.

For any weight loss plan, you need to understand how to structure a proper daily intake of calories to lose weight fast.

Studies have shown that significantly depriving your body of calories may actually work against you, and that a far better solution is a small reduction that burns fat more gradually.

Idea #1: Don’t just “pick a number”

Saying you’ll just drop 500 calories per day is meaningless without knowing your current intake. Are you currently eating 2000 or 4000 per day? That 500 takes on a very different meaning depending which one you are.

Idea #2: Aim to reduce some percentage of your current level.

The most effective and widely accepted percentage is 15-20% below your maintenance level.
Your maintenance level is the number of calories you require each day to maintain your current weight.

There are two formulas you can use to determine your own individual number of daily calories to lose weight fast…

1) The “Harris Benedict Formula” requires you to first determine your basic metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories your body requires daily for natural processes such as breathing, circulation and digestion.

You then use an activity multiplier to take into account your additional daily activities to determine how many calories you need daily to maintain your current weight.

You can then decrease this number by 15-20% to find out your daily intake of calories to lose weight fast.

Calculate the BMR by using the following formula:

• Men: 66 + (13.7 * bodyweight in kg) + (5 * height in cm) – (6.8 * age in years) = BMR
• Women: 655 + (9.6 * bodyweight in kg) + (1.8 * height in cm) – (4.7 * age in years) = BMR

Multiply that number by the activity multiplier:

• Sedentary = BMR * 1.2 (if you get little to no exercise)
• Lightly Active = BMR * 1.375 (if you get light exercise: 1-3 days a week)
• Moderately Active = BMR * 1.55 (if you get moderate exercise: 3-5 days a week)
• Very active = BMR * 1.725 (if you get intense exercise: 6-7 days a week)
• Extremely Active = BMR * 1.9 (if you get intense daily exercise and you also have a strenuous physical job).

Reducing that number by 15-20% will provide you with the target number of calories to lose weight fast.
The other formula you can use to determine your target calorie reduction is the “Katch-McArdle Formula”.

This formula is an even more accurate way to determine your target number of calories to lose weight fast because it factors in your lean body mass, leading to a more accurate metabolic reading.

2) The Katch-McArdle formula: calculate your BMR using the following:

Your lean body mass simply represents any type of body weight that is NOT fat.

You can determine this number if you have had your body fat levels tested.

The more extreme your body type (leaner or fatter) the more critical it is to factor in your lean body mass to determine your target number of calories to lose weight fast.

Once you’ve factored in your lean body mass, you simply use the activity multiplier and then reduce by the 15-20% required.

Reducing your calories by more than this level can end up slowing down your results by triggering your body’s natural starvation mechanisms.

If your calories dip too low, your body will stop burning fat as a way to conserve energy.

Reducing calories to lose weight fast by using a percentage of your typical caloric intake will ensure that your metabolism stays steady, your body burns fat, and your lean muscle mass doesn’t decrease.

[cbmage]fat loss[/cbmage]

Part II of my Testosterone Boosting series is about easy diet changes you can make to increase your levels.

1) Increase your consumption of Essential Fatty Acids.

Most people structure their muscle-building diet  following the old rule of “high protein and low-fat”. Big mistake!

Fats play a crucial role in the muscle-building process and have a direct impact on testosterone levels. You should be consuming about 25% of your daily calories from healthy, unsaturated fat sources such as peanuts, avocados and fish as well as nutritional oils like flax seed, olive and canola. (Look into “MUFA’s” to learn more about these foods.)

2) Increase your consumption of cruciferous vegetables.

These vegetables have been shown to have a significant estrogen-reducing effect, thereby raising testosterone. Some good choices are broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts.

3) Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.

Rather than eating the traditional “3 square meals a day”, try consuming 5-7 smaller meals spaced out every 2-3 hours. This will keep your body in an anabolic state at all times and will keep testosterone levels peaked.

4) Reduce your intake of soy.

Soy protein raises your body’s levels of estrogen (the main female hormone). When the body’s production of estrogen increases, testosterone levels plummet. Avoid soy products as much as possible in order to keep your estrogen levels low and testosterone levels high. I don’t recommend supplements for most people, but if you are taking any, you should be aware of your soy-protein intake from some of them.

5) Limit alcohol consumption.

Sorry to tell you but alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your “binge drinking” nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.

(Part III of the Series)