Good Energy Book Preview

A few days ago, I listened to an interesting discussion about metabolic health between Dr. Casey Means and Dr. Mark Hyman on the latter’s podcast, the Doctor’s Farmacy.

• Dr. Means is the CEO of Levels, a metabolic health company, who just released a new book called Good Energy, the Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health; Feel Incredible; Avoid Disease; and Age Well.

The two docs discussed the problem of Big Pharma and Agrobusiness, particularly in the US, where these large companies lobby politicians, spend millions on advertising, and have a hugely outsized role in the quality of the food Americans eat and how we choose what to eat.

• Big Pharma and huge industrial farming conglomerates often fund the research that support and provide the basis for many of our government nutrition guidelines and recommendations.

• These groups also fund much of the food advertising on the mainstream media.

• Thus, the groups that are degrading and poisoning our food supply are directly impacting how we learn about the quality of the food we eat and what makes an optimal diet.

The doctors discussed how 93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy, meaning they have at least one biomarker of unhealthy aging and disease, such as high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or obesity.

Dr. Means argues that the five most important biomarkers for good energy and health are:

• Fasting Glucose under 100 (optimal should be in the 80s);

• Triglycerides under 150 (optimally in the 70s);

• HDL (good) Cholesterol above 40 in males and 50 in women (ideally 60 and 70);

• Blood Pressure less than 130/85 (ideally not more than 110/70); and

• Waist Circumference of less than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women (ideally 36 and 32)

She suggests that to improve health and metabolic flexibility, people focus on the five most important elements for an optimal diet:

• fiber;

• antioxidants (fruits & veggies);

• healthy protein;

• omega 3 fats; and

• probiotics.

Content provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is derived from work of Dr. Mark Hyman, but it is not to be considered medical advice.