Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.
–Mark Twain
So now I am out of Asia and back in America, and I would like to report on the continued success of the Anti-Jet Lag Diet.
I think I should call my regular consumption of food by this name.
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.
― Clive James
I would like to explain to you today the results of my personal test of the Resistant Starch Craze. I wrote about this starch in this post, which also contains links to both pro- and con- arguments about the stuff. I’ll very briefly summarize here. The craze is largely in the Paleo world, and what everyone is saying is that resistant starch is starch that doesn’t get digested; thus will not spike your blood sugar; is found in potatoes, rice, green plantains, bananas, and a few other things; and will feed your gut biome and result in better energy, blood sugar control, sleep, digestion, weight loss, etc. I believe the gut biome will also volunteer to babysit your children if you feed it enough. I also believe doctors have known about this for ages, and call it indigestible starch.
Worldly riches are like nuts; many a tooth is broke in cracking them, but never is the stomach filled with eating them.
–Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
If you putter around the low carb world for very long, you’ll see that we have a strange relationship to nuts. On the one hand, you’ve got people using pounds of nut flours every day in their cake-that-aren’t-cakes recipes. On the other hand, you’ve got spear-throwing Paleo types talking about them like they’re almost as bad for you as grain. So what’s the truth?
Well, if you think I can tell you, you’re nuts.
Experience never errs; it is only your judgments that err by promising themselves effects such as are not caused by your experiments.
–Leonardo DaVinci
If you read any news from the low-carb/Paleo sort of world, you can’t help but have been assaulted recently by all the screaming about resistant starch. It’s the New Big Thing.
Now, don’t let my sarcasm fool you. There might really be something to it. The theory seems sound. It’s just that a lot of stuff remains unproven and is down to personal experience. That doesn’t mean everyone promoting it won’t be proven correct in the next few years. It just means a lot remains unknown. Plus, I’m always leery of the New Big Thing. So let’s talk very briefly about what it is and what’s going on. I’m just going to do a basic rundown because there are far better, in-depth analyses of this that have been done by others. If you want to really get into this, I recommend these:
I find no sweeter fat than sticks to my own bones.
–Walt Whitman
A few days ago, we looked at why we should not give up on animal fat. Specifically, five reasons. We go now to reasons six and seven.
Welcome to Ask Fatty Felicity, the write-in column where you get to ask all your burning questions about Fat, Diet, and the Meaning of Life! Let’s get right to today’s burning questions, shall we?
Fatty Felicity, what a lovely name. Is it in reference to your personal tonnage statistics?
–Jenny
Thank you, Jenny. In fact, I’ve taken this name in reference to my favorite food group, fat. Contrary to popular expectation, increasing my daily fat intake from around 30 grams a day to 200 and switching from “heart-healthy” oils to saturated fats like coconut oil and butter has been very good for me. It has helped me lose 145 pounds, put on muscle, and improve all my markers for good health–from cholesterol levels to blood pressure.
Fatty Felicity, I’m in a quandry. I’ve been invited to a friend’s party and I think the only things to eat will be nachos and pizza. Should I take up a life of monasticism?
–Artimus
Artimus, Artimus. Let’s leave the extremes for the vegans, shall we? There’s no reason to avoid people or parties. Here’s some handy tips for you, though:
It is not by muscle, speed or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment.
–Cicero
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about the book Body by Science. When I first started eating differently, I followed the advice I still believe: eat right first. Then you’ll feel better and start losing some weight, and then you’ll have interest and energy for exercise. Exercise is not your primary or first weight loss tool.
But now I do feel good, and this book was recommended by several people whose opinions in these areas I respect. I read it and started putting into practice. I haven’t discussed it till now because I wanted to give you some results to go with it. Those will come in Post #2.
May your phone never run out of battery and your refrigerator never run out of food.
–Ancient Cathodic Blessing
Here’s what’s in mine after a month’s meat order arrived and two weeks of grocery stocking:
I’ll also be eating some chocolate, some pecans, some macadamia nuts, a little peanut butter, cocoa powder, and the occasional raisin. But what’s in the fridge is pretty much it.
Continue reading What’s In Your Fridge
Literature is a textually transmitted disease, normally contracted in childhood.
― Jane Yolen
It’s not actually books I have to recommend to you today, but interesting news in the world of science and nutrition. I’ve been sick, you’ve been sick, we’re all busy. So when you have a few minutes to relax, have a look at these and see what analysis you come up with. I’ve given mine, naturally.
Hunger is insolent, and will be fed.
–Homer
Ever since I started eating this way, I wanted to eat eggs. I know they’re relatively cheap little powerhouses of fat, protein, and nutrition. But I’m allergic. Finally I ran across a mention that most people with an allergy to eggs don’t show allergy to raw egg. It’s the “scrambling” of the cooked proteins that makes them indigestible to some. Sure enough, that turned out to be true for me.
Ask Me How It Happened 