Month: March 2020

Metabolism can roughly be defined as the chemistry that turns food into life, and therefore insulin and leptin are both critical to health and disease. Insulin and leptin work together to control the quality of your metabolism, and, to a significant extent, your rate of metabolism.

By acquiring a better understanding of how leptin and its receptor interact, researchers now believe they will be able to find new treatments for obesity and other metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, as well as inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

According to recent research published in the journal Molecular Cell,1 the leptin receptor has two hinged legs that swivel until they come in contact with leptin.

Once leptin attaches to the receptor, these legs stop swiveling and become rigid, thereby sending a signal to an enzyme called Janus kinase,2 which has the ability to bind inflammatory cytokines. It is believed that inhibiting the Janus kinases might help improve inflammatory and metabolic disorders.

The fact that the primary focus is on developing drug therapies to “fix” leptin resistance is understandable. That’s the only way the medical industry can make money. However, the way to correct leptin resistance has nothing to do with drugs, and everything to do with diet. But first…

What Exactly is Leptin?

Leptin is a very powerful and influential hormone produced by your fat cells. Your fat, by way of leptin, tells your brain whether you should be hungry, eat and make more fat, whether you should reproduce, or (partly by controlling insulin) whether to engage in maintenance and repair. In short, leptin is the way that your fat stores speak to your brain to let your brain know how much energy is available and, very importantly, what to do with it.

Therefore, leptin may be on top of the food chain in metabolic importance and relevance to disease.

If your leptin signaling is working properly, when your fat stores are “full,” this extra fat will cause a surge in your leptin level, which signals your brain to stop feeling hungry, to stop eating, to stop storing fat and to start burning some extra fat off.

Controlling hunger is a major (though not the only) way that leptin controls energy storage. Hunger is a very powerful, ancient, and deep-seated drive that, if stimulated long enough, will make you eat and store more energy. The only way to eat less in the long-term is to not be hungry, and the only way to do this is to control the hormones that regulate hunger, the primary one being leptin.

How Do You Become Leptin Resistant?5 rules of leptin diet

You become leptin-resistant by the same general mechanism that you become insulin-resistant – by continuous overexposure to high levels of the hormone. If you eat a diet that is high in sugar (particularly fructose), grains, and processed foods – the same type of diet that will also increase inflammation in your body – as the sugar gets metabolized in your fat cells, the fat releases surges in leptin.

Over time, if your body is exposed to too much leptin, it will become resistant, just as your body can become resistant to insulin.

The only known way to reestablish proper leptin (and insulin) signaling is to prevent those surges, and the only known way to do that is via diet. As such, diet can have a more profound effect on your health than any other known modality of medical treatment.

A strategic whole food diet, as detailed in my free nutrition plan, that emphasizes good fats and avoids blood sugar spikes coupled with targeted supplements will enhance insulin and leptin sensitivity so that your brain can once again hear the feedback signals from these hormones.

So to summarize: Insulin and leptin resistance are core factors in obesity, which in turn is a risk factor for cancer and may boost tumor growth. But the answer lies not in a pill. To reverse insulin and leptin resistance:

Avoid, sugar, fructose, grains, and processed foods

Eat a healthful diet of whole foods, ideally organic, and replace the grain carbs with:

No-to-low sugar and grain carbs

Low-to-moderate amount of protein

As much highly quality healthful fat as you want (saturated and monosaturated). Most people need upwards of 50-70 percent fats in their diet for optimal health. Good sources include coconut and coconut oil, avocados, butter, nuts, and animal fats. Also take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fat, such as krill oil
Similarly, while researchers investigate the pharmaceutical avenues to convert white fat cells to brown in an effort to reduce the potential for cancer growth, other research has already shown that this can likely be achieved through exercise.

As I’ve said before, about 80 percent of the health benefits you reap from a healthy lifestyle comes from your diet, and the remaining 20 percent from exercise – but it’s a very important 20 percent, as it acts in tandem with and boosts the benefits derived from a proper diet. For maximum benefits, you’ll want to make sure to include high-intensity interval training, which is at the heart of my Peak Fitness program.

We know that it’s not always easy to stick to eating healthy, every so often a craving will creep in and we have all fallen off the wagon at one time or another. So, to try and help you stay on track and really make a healthy lifestyle stick we’ve pulled together a few tricks:

1. Eat seasonal fruit and veggies.

Yes, we are lucky enough to live in a time where we can buy strawberries in the dead of winter but when produce is in season it always tastes better. We love summer berries, pineapples and pomegranates. In the winter beetroot, butternut squash and kale top our list. The endless benefits of eating seasonally probably speak for themselves as not only are the fruits and vegetables grown and harvested in their peak season; they are extremely nutrient dense and fresh. It also helps to vary your diet and gives you an excuse to explore new dishes.

2. Try something new!

We love throwing something different in our basket every time we go shopping. We’re always on the look out for a fruit or vegetable we’ve never tried before. Have you ever tried a mangosteen or kohlrabi?

3. Eat the rainbow.

Most people often find themselves reaching for the same banana or apple when they’re looking for a snack, try changing things up a little. A great idea is to create a colour chart and challenge yourself to eat a different colour every day.

Sunday – Green (maybe a pear)

Monday – Orange (shake things up with a tangerine)

Tuesday – Yellow (what about a mango)

Wednesday – Purple (perhaps a fig)

You get the idea…

4. Listen to your body.

Just because your favourite influencer loves something doesn’t mean you have to like it too. If you can’t stomach cucumbers, don’t eat them. Maybe you’re not big on peppers…leave them out. Health trends come and go but if you want to stay on track you have to like what you’re eating! As long as you can say you tried it.

5. Make a healthy version of your favourite meal.

Are you a self proclaimed nugget friend? Are burgers your downfall? What about pasta?
We all have our weaknesses and just because you want to be healthier doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of the things you love…you just have to reframe them. Whether you’re winging it in the kitchen or following a recipe you’ve found online, you can always make a healthy version! (If you’re struggling, we’ve done a lot of the hard work for you)

6. Get everyone involved!

Now, we know no one likes to share food, especially their favourite healthy treats and expensive raw, fair trade, organic snacks, but trust us, it’s worth it in the end! Surrounding yourself with people who not only support your healthy eating, but take part in it with you makes staying healthy so much easier. So get your friends, your family, your colleagues, your dog and your neighbour on board and watch how much happier everyone is!

7. Be prepared.

Before you brake into songs from The Lion King…we’re not talking about #mealprep and stacking the fridge full of meals for the week. We’re thinking simpler. Make sure you stock your cupboard and fridge full of healthy ingredients and snacks – because if that’s what you’ve got in the house, that’s what you’ll eat – makes sense right? Fill up on fruit, vegetables, nuts and other whole food snacks so you won’t even have room for the not so healthy nibbles!

8. Remember: knowledge is power.

There’s nothing more motivating than spending an afternoon reading up on health and nutrition. It’s always easier to make healthy decisions when you understand what you’re making a choice between. Take the time to learn more about the impact food on your body and how you can make the most impact and you’ll find that sticking to a healthy way of life is not only easier but even more rewarding.

Who doesn’t love a special meal at their favourite restaurant or catching up with some friends over a few bar bites. Eating out has become a huge part of our lifestyles and with new places to “grab lunch” opening every day the temptation is huge – in fact there are over 2,000 places to choose from in Dubai alone!

So how do you navigate the noisy restaurant landscape and help yourself stay on track?

1. Do your research.

Before you head out, look up the restaurant’s menu online and get an idea of what you want to eat before you go. This way you’ll know exactly what the healthy choices are when you sit down and you’re less likely to be swayed by what everyone else is ordering.

2. Make good choices.

Do you get to choose where you’re going for lunch? Are you in charge of dinner reservations? Opt for somewhere that naturally caters for healthy-eaters. Restaurants with a grill menu or lots of veggie-packed dishes are a good place to start. Good go to choices include Mediterranean, Vietnamese, Japanese and Middle Eastern cuisines, and of course, Kcal!

3. Have a plan.

If you don’t have control over where you’ll be eating, then you can still order what you fancy, just be aware of portion sizes. If you know they serve large plates then ask for a half portion, or take half home with you for tomorrow’s dinner.

4. Don’t let yourself go hungry.

If you’ve spent all day sipping water so you don’t ruin a special meal later by over eating in the day then when you order, you’ll be more likely to choose fried, sugary, or fatty dishes – not good. Try and eat a couple of light meals and a few snacks throughout the day.

5. Be mindful of your food.

Meals out should be about socialising with friends and family, not focusing on your phone, so don’t be that person. Scrolling through your phone while you’re sat down to a meal (out or at home for that matter) can lead to overeating without realising. Try focus on the food in front of you – and the conversation around you – so you’re aware of when you feel full.

It’s all about making smart, healthy choices. If you can do that you’re well on your way!