X-Message-Number: 28443
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 13:01:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: benefits of a low glycemic index diet

[  Although not directly relevant to cryonics, this post may be of some
interest to members of this list. The most important factor in cryonics
for a subject may be when it is needed. Eventually fully
reversible whole body cryopreservation (FRWBC - buzz word version) will
become available, and cryonics will cease to be a highly speculative
gamble, and instead become just another medically approved
"operation". The difference with other operations, would be that FRWBC
would appeal mostly to terminal patients, opposed to taking the standard 6
foot plunge into the nearest cemetary. The FRWBC date bears a close
resemblance to Aubrey De Grey's escape velocity era where advances in life
extension technologies exceed 1 year per year, so that lifespans then
become open-ended, with no "set-in-stone" termination date.
  Although skeptics might argue this FRWBC date is slated for the distant
future, others might argue with some technical justification, that this
date may occur within current lifespans. In particular the FRWBC date may
occur before De Grey's escape velocity era, and so this is of no small
interest to life extensionists burdened with a lot of grey hair, or with
birthdates set in the distant (>50 yrs) past.]

[The take home message below is that a low-glycemic index diet is a lot
healthier than a red meat based high protein diet. Adding red meat to a
low GI diet actually reduces weight loss (>bp), and raises cholesterol. I
would have expected a different result if lower quality plant based
protein were added to a basic low GI diet. I've found that chronic
ingestion of large amounts of low quality protein induces a mild anorectic
effect. If anyone is interested, this can be verified by a personal
test. Try eating a supper with red meat, and then the next day judge how
hungry you are. Next, try eating a supper with a lot of low quality plant
based protein. Try either mixed (non-soy) beans (take beano!), or wheat
gluten dumplings (add some buckwheat). You may find you can easily fast
all next day with very little effort. Such is the magic of low quality
protein.]

Comparison of 4 Diets of Varying Glycemic Load on Weight Loss and
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Overweight and Obese Young Adults: A
Randomized Controlled Trial
Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1466-1475.
 Background  Despite the popularity of low-glycemic index (GI) and
high-protein diets, to our knowledge no randomized, controlled trials
have systematically compared their relative effects on weight loss and
cardiovascular risk.
 Methods  A total of 129 overweight or obese young adults (body mass
index, 25 [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of
height in meters]) were assigned to 1 of 4 reduced-fat, high-fiber diets
for 12 weeks. Diets 1 and 2 were high carbohydrate (55% of total energy
intake), with high and low GIs, respectively; diets 3 and 4 were high
protein (25% of total energy intake), with high and low GIs,
respectively. The glycemic load was highest in diet 1 and lowest in diet
4. Changes in weight, body composition, and blood chemistry profile were
studied.
 Results  While all groups lost a similar mean   SE percentage of weight
(diet 1, -4.2%   0.6%; diet 2, -5.5%   0.5%; diet 3, -6.2%   0.4%; and
diet 4, -4.8%   0.7%; P = .09), the proportion of subjects in each group
who lost 5% or more of body weight varied significantly by diet (diet 1,
31%; diet 2, 56%; diet 3, 66%; and diet 4, 33%; P = .01). Women on diets
2 and 3 lost approximately 80% more fat mass (-4.5   0.5 [mean   SE] kg
and -4.6   0.5 kg) than those on diet 1 (-2.5   0.5 kg; P = .007). Mean  
SE low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels declined significantly in
the diet 2 group (-6.6   3.9 mg/dL [-0.17   0.10 mmol/L]) but increased in
the diet 3 group (+10.0   3.9 mg/dL [+0.26   0.10 mmol/L]; P =
.02). Goals for energy distribution were not achieved exactly: both
carbohydrate groups ate less fat, and the diet 2 group ate more fiber.
 Conclusion  Both high-protein and low-GI regimens increase body fat loss,
but cardiovascular risk reduction is optimized by a high-carbohydrate,
low-GI diet

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