Starches and Surprises

Yesterday was a long, informative, and eye opening day. We began with a lecture from Dr. McDougall that introduced his new book: The Starch Solution. He explained that many of us are under the impression that starch is the culprit of our diets making us fat. He went on to debunk that myth, with historical and scientific evidence. here are a few of the points he brought up:

1) Everyone must eat to get energy. What do we eat?
               -Protein: our body's way to build muscle. Not our main source of energy
               -Fat: our body's way of storing energy for that day when we run out of food (unlikely)
               -Carbohydrates: This is what our body's burn for energy via glycolysis.

2) Starches, or complex carbs, are also plant food. Through photosynthesis, plants make glucose, or sugar. No animal makes glucose. What about lactose in milk you ask? The cow got that from the grass, a plant. What about honey? The bees got that from pollen, a plant.

3) Starches such as oatmeal, beans, potatoes, rice, and corn are low in fat, low in cholesterol, and tend to be clean foods free of pathogens and chemicals. Historically, starches are how large populations of trim and healthy people have survived.

4) Hordearii. This was the term for gladiators that literally translates to "Barley men." Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan fed their soldiers diets composed of grains, wheat, and rice.

So what does that all really mean? Yes, we should be including fruits and veggies in our diets, but we can't live on nutrient dense foods alone. Fruits are delicious, but the energy they provide is a quick burst, where starches provide a longer lasting sustained energy. The fiber that starches provide help us feel full, and provide us with fiber making us, you know, regular.

I'll admit that I was skeptical at first. I was a believer in limiting carbs, unless of course you are a gladiator, soldier, or endurance athlete. It is only the start of my third day here incorporating plenty of starches, fruits, and veggies, and I feel fantastic (minus the caffeine headaches from the lack of coffee.)

Okay, enough of that for the mean time. Here's the thing, I always thought I ate really healthfully. I'm not a vegan by any means, but mostly plant based with some fish here and there. So when I got my lab results back yesterday, I was really disappointed. 

I have high cholesterol. 

Total: 243
HDL: 85
LDL:142

Typlically, you should aim for a total under 200, with LDL under 100, and HDL under 60. The HDL's are the good ones, removing the cholesterol from your body. The LDL's are the bad guys, distributing that cholesterol from your liver. 

That was really shocking for me. Could genetics play that much of a role, or do I need to crack down even more about what I consume? Will I have to start taking statins at 24? At the end of the week, I'll get tested again. I'm going to see if 8 days of starches, fruits, and veggies have lowered my numbers and if so, I will be incorporating this diet into my daily lifestyle when I leave Santa Rosa. 


Today will be packed with cooking classes, exercise, Dr. Doug Lisle, Jeff Novick, and of course starchy, nutrient dense, and delicious foods.