Low Carb, Ketogenic & Cyclic Ketogenic – Episode 152

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Topics:

1. [04:01] Defining Low Carb, Ketogenic, and Cyclical Ketogenic Diets
2. [18:02] Too Much Sleep
3. [21:44] Low End Vitamin D Levels After Sun Exposure
4. [26:47] Switching Workout and Rest Day Eating Recommendations
5. [30:24] Prions
6. [33:59] Power Clean Technique
7. [44:22] Olympic Weightlifting Hip Technique and “Superman Pull”
8. [56:21] Low Carb Rash and Detox
9. [58:56] Kurzweil, Aging, and The Future Of Health Technology

Questions:

 1. Eating Low Carb vs Ketogenic vs. Cyclic Ketogenic

Christopher says:
Dear Rob and Greg,
The two of you provide an amazing mix of super helpful information and various other nonsense, all in a very entertaining manner. You guys make me laugh. Regular listening to the podcast provides me a much needed dose laughter “supplementation”. That, in and of itself, is a significant health benefit! Thanks!

Frequently, you mention it is best to eat low carb. Are you using the term “low carb” as synonymous with ketogenic? If the terms are different, could you please define low carb verses ketogenic in this general context?

When discussing the benefits of eating a ketogenic diet, you say that you favor a “cyclic” ketogenic protocol. Would you please amplify you thoughts on this? What is meant by cyclic specifically? Time interval, carb levels verses fat levels, how does one actually do that?

For someone battling autoimmunity, do you favor total ketogenic all of the time, verses a cyclic approach? Would it be safest to assume, even in the absence of frank autoimmunity, that we are all engaged in a sub-clinical autoimmune battle, even if we are unaware of it?

Lastly, is there an easy way for us to monitor our ketogenic status? Is being being fueled by fat verses being fueled by carbs measured on a continuum? And if so, how does one know where one is on any given day? And where, on the ketosis continuum, should one be as one moves through the cycle?

Or, if it is not a continuum type of thing, does our body just switch in and out of ketosis when certain dietary thresholds of carb verses fat are consumed and how do we tell which side of the switch we are on?

Thanks again for all of the (in my case lifesaving) information. And of course for all of the laughs.

 

2. Too Much Sleep

Blake says:
Robb,

How much should we sleep? I have previously heard you say “Sleep as much as you can without getting fired or divorced.” I am an oilfield trucker and often work long hours with little or no sleep, and I tend to make up for this lack of sleep. On occasion, after pulling an all nighter, I have been known to sleep up to 16 hours straight the next night. My wife says I sleep too much, and it is bad for my health. Is there any truth to this? I found some articles online stating that sleeping 10 hours plus per night has been linked to obesity and diabetes. Any light you can shed on this subject will be much appreciated.

Thank you for all that you do. I have been eating strict paleo for about 6 months now as a result of reading your book. Not only did I lose 30 lbs, but I now feel “superhuman” as a result. Thanks Robb.

 

3. Where’s my Vitamin D??

Gittit (pronounced GiTEET) says:
Hi Robb and Greg!

I just got some test results and I’m totally confused.

I live in Israel, so we have great sun, and for the last two months I had the luxury of sunbathing regularly, let’s just say with the maximum possible amount of skin exposed, for 20-40 minutes in near midday sun, about 4 times a week. I’m the tannest I’ve ever been, which is pretty unimpressive and most people still call me dead white, but anyway. This was supposed to be my insurance policy against winter since from what I read it’s more than enough sun exposure for Caucasian skin to make all the vitamin D I need.

My test results, taken last week, show a level of 28 ng/ml Vit. D 25 (OH) in the blood, so close to the low end.

I’ve “been Paleo” for 6 years. Some things that may be worth mentioning about my diet/supplements: I eat a lot of beef liver (7 oz a week on average) and I put ghee on everything (but not grass-fed). Carb intake is around 80 grams a day from white rice and potatoes, I added those back after not touching either for a long time and it seems to work for me. I supplement with selenium, iodine, magnesium and vitamin C, and I was on low dose naltrexone for several months. I felt pretty great all summer, lots of energy, good mood, skin is great. But I generally don’t do as well during winter (such as it is, it’s still the Mediterranean), which is why I tested vitamin D to begin with, and why I’m concerned. What gives? Why are my D levels so low in spite of all the sunbathing? And what can I do about it before winter hits me like a ton of bricks again?
Thanks again, Robb, you’re a hero. =)

http://www.grc.com/health/pdf/Low_Vitamin_D_Status_Despite_Abundant_Sun_Exposure.pdf

4. Backwards Appetite?

Angela says:
Hello,

I have a weird question. I know the traditional recommendation is to consume more calories on the days you workout and less calories on your rest days. My problem is on the days I workout (I usually workout early in the morning), I am not really hungry the rest of the day. I have lots of energy and feel great eating light. However, on the days I don’t workout, I am much hungrier. So, does it matter? If I do a heavy lifting day and don’t eat much protein and go low cal that day, but then make up for it the next day or the day after, is that a big deal? Should I “listen to my hunger cues” or try to get my body more adapted to the recommended carb cycling and calorie shifting? Thanks!

 

5. Mad Cow Disease, Prions, and Wild Game Meat

Raj says:
Hey Guys!

I’m a college student, and one of my classes talked about prions. After a little searching, I found out about Chronic Wasting Disease and the prions found in wild game meat (elk, deer, moose, etc.). Mad Cow Disease is also caused by prions as far as I know.

Is this a big concern for people eating a paleo diet? Prions don’t necessarily manifest themselves immediately, and it would be difficult to pinpoint the source. To my knowledge, there is nothing to cure the diseases caused by prions. How does the immune system handle prions? Am I just being a little paranoid about this or is there genuine right to be concerned?

P.S. You guys really NEED to get Ido Portal on here.

 

6. Power Cleans and Bruised Genitalia

Tom says:
Greg,

I added the Power Clean into my strength training several months ago. However, I have been having quite a lot of trouble getting the technique down. I have basically kept the weight constant for many months, while trying to figure it out.

I am getting better at it, but without a coach it is tough to tell if I am doing the move right. Some very good weightlifters, such as Jon North over at MDUSA say that you should pull the bar into your body and basically use your hips as a catapult to launch the bar into the air. Whenever I do this, I end up smashing my genitals, and have even bruised my johnson in the past.

I have had more success trying to “jump”, rather than smash the bar into my hips, but I am wondering if this is an inefficient method.

Am I smashing my groin, because I am extending with the bar too high on my thigh, or too low on my thigh? Watching videos of various strong weightlifters this position seems to vary. Some seem to somehow clean with the bar almost in their hip crease, like a snatch. Others clean with the bar very low. Are some people just unlucky that their anthropometry puts the bar in line with their junk? Should I be actively driving my hips into the bar, or should I just jump, and let the extension take care of that part?

Thanks! I look forward to your inevitably annoyed response.

 

7. The war between California Strength vs Coach B

Greg says:
After watching the Olympics this year I have realized that most of they Olympic caliber athletes are using their hips as the lifters in California Strength have been discussing on the Weightlifting talk podcast. Jon North speaks about the “superman pull” of which is using your hips to propel the bar. I know Coach B is not a fan of this of which I have seen his comments from the Crossfit Olympic Lifting Cert. Since you are a student of Coach B I was curious your take on this subject. I have been practicing the hit and catch drill laid out by Coach Pendlay and PR’d by 20 lbs in a month of working on this drill. Thanks for the podcast and the info.

Bar, Meet Hips

Six Truths of Weightlifting Technique

 

8. Rashes/Allergies on Paleo

Ramone says:
Dear Robb or Whomever,

I’ll keep this short and sweet. 2 weeks on on paleo here, feeling great besides one major pesky issue. I broke out into hives during an intense workout a few days ago and have had allergy issues since then. This includes general itchiness flair-ups all over my skin especially on the wrists, neck, thighs, stomach. It’s usually not accompanied by rashes or bumps, minus the hives on the neck. Apparently this is a common abnormality with people on low-carb diets: http://paleohacks.com/questions/39586/detox-rash-accompanies-fat-loss#axzz1xdcKPVRA

What’s your take on this? Am I really sweating out toxins? This would make sense since it’s worse when I sweat. Should I expect it to stop? No known food allergies for me besides some raw veggies, but I have developed hives in the past for emotional/unknown reasons. I’ve been on paleo before for <3 weeks and this did not happen.

Cheers Muchachos

 

9. The Singularity

Kris says:
Rob,
Are you familiar with Ray Kurzweil and his belief that we will have the technology, in the next 40 years or so, to live forever? Here’s a clip of him explaining it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvnBZ6Cn8Kk&feature=related
I’d love to hear your take.
Thanks for all the great shows. You and Greg are great.
Peace

Greg Everett

Greg Everett is co-host of The Paleo Solution podcast. He is the owner of Catalyst Athletics and co-founder of The Performance Menu. He was a competitive weightlifter under renowned coach Mike Burgener, and is the author of "the best book available on Olympic weightlifting": Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches and Olympic Weightlifting for Sports