Good (Or Bad) Health Starts With Your Blood

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Blood Should Be Only Slightly Thicker Than Water

This is Dr. Casey Means, a physician, lecturer (mostly at Stanford), and CMO of a metabolic health company, Levels, as well as being Associate Editor of the International Journal of Diabetes Reversal and Prevention, where she serves alongside such names as Dr. Colin Campbell, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. William Li, Dr. Dean Ornish, and you get the idea: it’s a star-studded cast.

What does she want us to know?

The big blood problem:

❝We’re spending 3.8 trillion dollars a year on healthcare costs in the U.S., and the reality is that people are getting sicker, fatter, and more depressed.

Over 50% of Americans have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes; it’s insane, that number should be close to zero.❞

~ Dr. Casey Means

Indeed, pre-diabetes and especially type 2 diabetes should be very avoidable in any wealthy nation.

Unfortunately, the kind of diet that avoids it tends to rely on having at least 2/3 of the following:

  • Money
  • Time
  • Knowledge

For example:

  • if you have money and time, you can buy lots of fresh ingredients without undue worry, and take the time to carefully prep and cook them
  • if you have money and knowledge you can have someone else shop and cook for you, or at least get meal kits delivered
  • if you have time and knowledge, you can actually eat very healthily on a shoestring budget

If you have all three, then the world’s your oyster mushroom steak sautéed in extra virgin olive oil with garlic and cracked black pepper served on a bed of Swiss chard and lashed with Balsamic vinegar.

However, many Americans aren’t in the happy position of having at least 2/3, and a not-insignificant portion of the population don’t even have 1/3.

As an aside: there is a food scientist and chef who’s made it her mission to educate people about food that’s cheap, easy, and healthy:

Where Nutrition Meets Habits…

…but today is about Dr. Means, so, what does she suggest?

Know thyself thy blood sugars

Dr. Means argues (reasonably; this is well-backed up by general scientific consensus) that much of human disease stems from the diabetes and pre-diabetes that she mentioned above, and so we should focus on that most of all.

Our blood sugar levels being unhealthy will swiftly lead to other metabolic disorders:

Heart disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are perhaps first in line, but waiting in the wings are inflammation-mediated autoimmune disorders, and even dementia, because neuroinflammation is at least as bad as inflammation anywhere else, arguably worse, and our brain can only be as healthy as the blood that feeds it and takes things that shouldn’t be there away.

Indeed,

❝Alzheimer’s dementia is now being called type 3 diabetes because it’s so related to blood sugar❞

~ Dr. Casey Means

…which sounds like a bold claim, but it’s true, even if the name is not “official” yet, it’s well-established in professional circulation:

❝We conclude that the term “type 3 diabetes” accurately reflects the fact that AD represents a form of diabetes that selectively involves the brain and has molecular and biochemical features that overlap with both T1DM and T2DM❞

~ Dr. Suzanne M. de la Monte & Dr. Jack Wands

Read in full: Alzheimer’s Disease Is Type 3 Diabetes–Evidence Reviewed ← this is from the very respectable Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.

What to do about it

Dr. Means suggests we avoid the “glucose roller-coaster” that most Americans are on, meaning dramatic sugar spikes, or to put it in sciencese: high glycemic variability.

This leads to inflammation, oxidative stress, glycation (where sugar sticks to proteins and DNA), and metabolic dysfunction. Then there’s the flipside: reactive hypoglycemia, a result of a rapid drop in blood sugar after a spike, can cause anxiety, fatigue, weakness/trembling, brain fog, and of course cravings. And so the cycle repeats.

But it doesn’t have to!

By taking it upon ourselves to learn about what causes our blood sugars to rise suddenly or gently, we can manage our diet and other lifestyle factors accordingly.

And yes, it’s not just about diet, Dr. Means tells us. While added sugar and refined carbohydrates or indeed the main drivers of glycemic variability, our sleep, movement, stress management, and even toxin exposure play important parts too.

One way to do this, that Dr. Means recommends, is with a continuous glucose monitor:

Track Your Blood Sugars For Better Personalized Health

Another way is to just apply principles that work for almost everyone:

10 Ways To Balance Blood Sugars

Want to know more from Dr. Means?

You might like her book:

Good Energy – by Dr. Casey Means

…which goes into this in far more detail than we have room to today.

Enjoy!

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  • 7 Fruits Every Senior Should Eat Today (And Why)

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    What will you prioritize in the new year?

    Fruits to enjoy regularly

    The 7 fruits recommended for seniors in this video are:

    Apples

    • Rich in soluble fiber (pectin) for lowering LDL cholesterol.
    • Contains phytochemicals such as quercetin and other polyphenols that reduce inflammation and support heart health.
    • High in vitamin C for immunity, skin elasticity, and joint health.

    Bananas

    • Natural energy boost from carbohydrates.
    • High in potassium for regulating blood pressure, fluid balance, and preventing muscle cramps.
    • Supports cardiovascular health and muscle function.

    Avocados

    • Rich in monounsaturated fats to improve cholesterol levels.
    • High in potassium for blood pressure regulation.
    • Contains vitamins E and K for brain health and bone density.

    Grapes

    • Hydrating and rich in antioxidants like resveratrol, which supports circulation and reduces inflammation.
    • Contain vitamins C and K for immunity and bone health.

    Plums

    • Natural laxative with high fiber and sorbitol for digestive health.
    • Rich in potassium and vitamin K for bone density and reducing osteoporosis risk.
    • Contain polyphenols for reducing inflammation and supporting cognitive health.

    Pomegranates

    • Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich (especially punicalagins and anthocyanins).
    • Supports heart health, improves cholesterol levels, and promotes brain health.
    • May help inhibit cancer cell growth in specific types.

    Kiwi

    • High in vitamin C to boost immunity.
    • Rich in fiber and enzymes for digestive health.
    • Low glycemic index, suitable for blood sugar management.

    10almonds note: a lot of those statements can go for a lot of fruits, but those are definitely high on the list for the qualities mentioned!

    For more on all the above, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Top 8 Fruits That Prevent & Kill Cancer ← there are two fruits that appear on both lists!

    Take care!

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  • GABA Against Stress/Anxiety

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    A Neurotransmitter Less Talked-About

    GABA is taken by many people as a supplement, mostly as a mood modifier, though its health claims go beyond the recreational—and also, we’re of the opinion that mental health is also just health, and if it works, it works. We’ll explore some of the claims and science behind them today…

    What is GABA?

    GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid, and it’s a neurotransmitter. It’s a lot less talked-about than for example dopamine or serotonin, but it’s very important nonetheless.

    We make it ourselves inside our body, and we can also get it from our food, or supplement it, and some drugs will also have an effect on its presence and/or activity in our body.

    What foods is it found in?

    • Animals, obviously (just like in human brains*)
    • Fermented foods (many kinds)
    • Yeast
    • Tea
    • Tomatoes
    • Mulberries

    For more details, see:

    γ-Aminobutyric acid found in fermented foods and beverages: current trends

    *However, we do not recommend eating human brains, due to the risk of CJD and prion diseases in general.

    What claims are made about it and are they true?

    For brevity, we’ll give a little spoiler up-front: all the popular claims for it appear to be valid, though there’s definitely room for a lot more human trials (we skipped over a lot of rodent studies today!).

    So we’ll just drop some of its main benefits, and human studies to back those.

    Reduction of stress and anxiety

    GABA decreases task-related stress and anxiety within 30 minutes of being taken, both in subjective measures (i.e., self-reports) and in objective clinical physiological measures:

    Oral intake of γ-aminobutyric acid affects mood and activities of central nervous system during stressed condition induced by mental tasks

    Cognitive enhancement

    It’s not a does-everything nootropic like some, but it does have clear benefits to episodic memory:

    ❝GABA intake might help to distribute limited attentional resources more efficiently, and can specifically improve the identification and ordering of visual events that occur in close temporal succession

    One of the things that makes this one important is that it also deals with the often-asked question of “does GABA pass the blood-brain barrier”:

    ❝The present findings do give further credence to the idea that oral ingestion does allow GABA to reach the brain and exert direct effects on cognition, which in the present case were specific to temporal attention.❞

    Read more:

    Supplementation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) affects temporal, but not spatial visual attention

    Potential for more

    We take care to give good quality sources, so the following study comes with a big caveat that it has since been retracted. Why was it retracted, you wonder?

    It’s about the sample; they cite “30 healthy adults”, but neglected tp mention that this figure was initially 46. What happened to the other 16 participants is unclear, but given that this was challenged and the challenge not answered, it was sufficient for the journal (Nature) to pull the study, in case of deliberate sample bias.

    However! Running the numbers in their results section, a probability of 0.03 is very compelling unless the disappearance of 16 subjects was outright fraudulent (which we regrettably cannot know either way).

    Here’s the study (so take it with a pinch of salt, considering the above), and taken at face value, it shows how GABA supplementation improves accurate reactions to fast-moving visual and auditory stimuli:

    RETRACTED ARTICLE: γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) administration improves action selection processes: a randomised controlled trial

    …so, hopefully this experiment will be repeated, without disappearing participants!

    The sweet spot

    You may be wondering how something that slows a person down (having a relaxing effect) can also speed a person up. This has to do with what it is and isn’t affecting; think of it like a “focus mode” on your computer or other device that greys-out everything else a bit so that you can focus on what you’re doing.

    It’s in some ways (by different neurochemical pathways, though) a similar effect to the “relaxed alertness” created by l-theanine supplementation.

    There’s also a sweet spot whereby GABA is toning some things down just the right amount, without adversely affecting performance in areas we don’t want slowed down. For the science of this, see:

    Too Little and Too Much: Hypoactivation and Disinhibition (Reduced GABAergic Inhibition) of Medial Prefrontal Cortex Cause Attentional Deficits

    Is it safe?

    GABA is “Generally Recognized As Safe”. However:

    • you should speak with your pharmacist if you are taking any medications for blood pressure or epilepsy, as GABA supplementation may cause them to work too well.
    • you should absolutely not take GABA with alcohol or opioids as (dose-dependent for all the substances involved, and also depending on your metabolic base rate and other factors) its acute depression of the CNS can mean you relax and slow down too much, and you may find yourself not breathing often enough to sustain life.

    Aside from that, it is considered safe up to at least 1g/kg/day*. Given that popular doses are 120–750mg, and most people weigh more than 750g, this is very safe for most people:

    United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Safety Review of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

    Where can I get it?

    We don’t sell it, but for your convenience, here’s an example product on Amazon

    Enjoy!

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  • Walnuts vs Pecans – Which is Healthier?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing walnuts to pecans, we picked the walnuts.

    Why?

    It was very close, though, and an argument could be made for pecans! Walnuts are nevertheless always a very good bet, and so far in our This-or-That comparisons, the only nut to beat them so far as been almonds, and that was very close too.

    In terms of macros, walnuts have a lot more protein, while pecans have a little more fiber (for approximately the same carbs). Both are equally fatty (near enough; technically pecans have a little more) but where the walnuts stand out in the fat category is that while pecans have mostly healthy monounsaturated fats, walnuts have mostly healthy polyunsaturated fats, including including a good balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. So, while we do love the extra fiber from pecans, we’re calling it for walnuts in the macros category, on account of the extra protein and the best lipids profile (not that pecans’ lipids profile is bad by any stretch; just, walnuts have it better).

    In the vitamins category, walnuts have more of vitamins B2, B6, B9, and C, while pecans offer more of vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, E, K, and choline. The margins aren’t huge and walnuts are also excellent for all the vitamins that pecans narrowly beat them on, but still, the vitamins category is a win for pecans.

    When it comes to minerals, walnuts take back the crown; walnuts offer more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium, while pecans have a little more manganese and zinc. Once again, the margins aren’t huge and pecans are also excellent for all the minerals that walnuts narrowly beat them on, but still, the minerals category is a win for walnuts.

    In short: enjoy both of these nuts for their healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber, but if you’re going to pick one, walnuts come out on top.

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts!

    Take care!

    Share This Post

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  • The Art Of Letting Go – by Nick Trenton

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    You may be wondering: is this a basic CBT book? And, for the most part, no, it’s not.

    It does touch on some of the time-tested CBT techniques, but a large part of the book is about reframing things in a different way, that’s a little more DBT-ish, and even straying into BA. But enough of the initialisms, let’s give an example:

    It can be scary to let go of the past, or of present or future possibilities (bad ones as well as good!). However, it’s hard to consciously do something negative (same principle as “don’t think of a pink elephant”), so instead, look at it as taking hold of the present/future—and thus finding comfort and security in a new reality rather than an old memory or a never-actual imagining.

    So, this book has a lot of ideas like that, and if even one of them helps, then it was worth reading.

    The writing style is comprehensive, and goes for the “tell them what you’re gonna tell them; tell them; then tell them what you told them” approach, which a) is considered good for learning b) can feel a little like padding nonetheless.

    Bottom line: this reviewer didn’t personally love the style, but the content made up for it.

    Click here to check out The Art Of Letting Go, and let go!

    Don’t Forget…

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  • 7 Ways To Boost Mitochondrial Health To Fight Disease

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Fatigue and a general lack of energy can be symptoms of many things, and for most of them, looking after our mitochondrial health can at least help, if not outright fix the issue.

    The Seven Ways

    Dr. Jonas Kuene suggests that we…

    • Enjoy a good diet: especially, limiting simple sugars, reducing overall carbohydrate intake, and swapping seed oils for healthier oils like avocado oil and olive oil.
    • Take supplements: including coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, and vitamins
    • Decrease exposure to toxins: limit alcohol consumption (10almonds tip: limit it to zero if you can), avoid foods that are likely high in heavy metals or pesticides, and check you’re not being overmedicated (there can be a bit of a “meds creep” over time if left unchecked, so it’s good to periodically do a meds review in case something is no longer needed)
    • Practice intermittent fasting: Dr. Kuene suggests a modest 16–18 hours fast per week; doing so daily is generally considered good advice, for those for whom this is a reasonable option
    • Build muscle: exercise in general is good for mitochondria, but body composition itself counts for a lot too
    • Sleep: aiming for 7–9 hours, and if that’s not possible at night, add a nap during the day to make up the lost time
    • Get near-infrared radiation: from the sun, and/or made-for-purpose IR health devices.

    For more info on these (including the referenced science), enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

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  • If Your Adult Kid Calls In Crisis…

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Parent(s) To The Rescue?

    We’ve written before about the very common (yes, really, it is common) phenomenon of estrangement between parents and adult children:

    Family Estrangement & How To Fix It

    We’ve also written about the juggling act that can be…

    Managing Sibling Relationships In Adult Life

    …which includes dealing with such situations as supporting each other through difficult times, while still maintaining healthy boundaries.

    But what about when one’s [adult] child is in crisis?

    When a parent’s job never ends

    Hopefully, we have not been estranged (or worse, bereaved) by our children.

    In which case, when crisis hits, we are likely to be amongst the first to whom our children will reach out for support. Naturally, we will want to help. But how can we do that, and where (if applicable) to draw the line?

    No “helicopter parenting”

    If you’ve not heard the term “helicopter parenting”, it refers to the sort of parents who hover around, waiting to swoop in at a moment’s notice.

    This is most often applied to parents of kids of university age and downwards, but it’s worth keeping it in mind at any age.

    After all, we do want our kids to be able to solve their own problems if possible!

    So, if you’ve ever advised your kid to “take a deep breath and count to 10” (or even if you haven’t), then, consider doing that too, and then…

    Listen first!

    If your first reaction isn’t to join them in panic, it might be to groan and “oh not again”. But for now, quietly shelve that, and listen to whatever it is.

    See also: Active Listening (Without Sounding Like A Furby)

    And certainly, do your best to maintain your own calm while listening. Your kid is in all likelihood looking to you to be the rock in the storm, so let’s be that.

    Empower them, if you can

    Maybe they just needed to vent. If so, the above will probably cover it.

    More likely, they need help.

    Perhaps they need guidance, from your greater life experience. Sometimes things that can seem like overwhelming challenges to one person, are a thing we dealt with 20 or more years ago (it probably felt overwhelming to us at the time, too, but here we are, the other side of it).

    Tip: ask “are you looking for my guidance/advice/etc?” before offering it. Doing so will make it much more likely to be accepted rather than rejected as unsolicited advice.

    Chances are, they will take the life-ring offered.

    It could be that that’s not what they had in mind, and they’re looking for material support. If so…

    When it’s about money or similar

    Tip: it’s worth thinking about this sort of thing in advance (now is great, if you have adult kids), and ask yourself nowwhat you’d be prepared to give in that regard, e.g:

    • if they need money, how much (if any) are you willing and able to provide?
    • if they want/need to come stay with you, how prepared are you for that (including: if they want/need to actually move back in with you for a while, which is increasingly common these days)?

    Having these answers in your head ready will make the conversation a lot less difficult in the moment, and will avoid you giving a knee-jerk response you might regret (in either direction).

    Have a counteroffer up your sleeve if necessary

    Maybe:

    • you can’t solve their life problem for them, but you can help them find a therapist (if applicable, for example)
    • you can’t solve their money problem for them, but you can help them find a free debt advice service (if applicable, for example)
    • you can’t solve their residence problem for them, but you can help them find a service that can help with that (if applicable, for example)

    You don’t need to brainstorm now for every option; you’re a parent, not Batman. But it’s a lot easier to think through such hypothetical thought-experiments now, than it will be with your fraught kid on the phone later.

    Magic words to remember: “Let’s find a way through this for you”

    Don’t forget to look after yourself

    Many of us, as parents, will tend to not think twice before sacrificing something for our kid(s). That’s generally laudable, but we must avoid accidentally becoming “the giving tree” who has nothing left for ourself, and that includes our mental energy and our personal peace.

    That doesn’t mean that when our kid comes in crisis we say “Shh, stop disturbing my personal peace”, but it does mean that we remember to keep at least some boundaries (also figure out now what they are, too!), and to take care of ourselves too.

    The following article was written with a slightly different scenario in mind, but the advice remains just as valid here:

    How To Avoid Carer Burnout (Without Dropping Care)

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

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