Author: Dr. Jason Fung
Every few years there’s a new theory on losing weight. It’s now a question of how long will this theory last. In that spirit, let’s dive into “The obesity code” which purports to have found the answer to the question that has puzzled humans for last few centuries. Why do some people gain weight, while others can eat bags and bags of unhealthy snacks all day, and still avoid the obesity trap.
Dr. Jason Fung very eloquently describe the mechanics of digestion. First he sets out to explain the outsize role that hormones play in our digestive process. In particular he is focused on the hormone “insulin”. At a fundamental level, the food we eat is broken down into chains of sugars (carbohydrates), amino acids (from proteins) and fatty acids (from fat). The cells in our body use the blood sugar(glucose) for energy. The crux of the book is how the hormone, insulin has a key role to play in allowing sugar to enter the cell.
Given their chemical composition, carbohydrates raise blood sugar more than other foods. This rise stimulates the release of insulin that starts the cells machinery of ingesting the sugars. Proteins and Fats don’t end up triggering the release of insulin and hence avoid opening the floodgates. There could be other side-effects of overindulging in protein and fat, so don’t go crazy.
Finally we get to the prescriptive part. First Dr. Fung outlines what we should eat (or not).
- reduce intake of refined grains and sugars
- eat moderate amount of proteins
- increase consumption of natural fats
- maximize fiber
Equally important from an insulin perspective is “When to Eat”. He recommends balancing insulin dominant periods with insulin deficient periods. In other words, balance your feeding and fasting. Intermittent fasting is a great way to achieve this.
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