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“A Healthier 2010” – Lecture Synopsis

Category: Uncategorized
21 January 2010, Comments: 2

Last night Ritu and I attended the “A Healthier 2010” wellness festival in Palo Alto. It started with an introduction of various wellness groups in the Bay Area, and followed with a lecture by Prof Adiel Tel-Oren (Dr. T). Dr. T is a holistic scientist, and discussed the health challenges people face, and ways to “free” yourself from medicines, chronic disease, and aging. I was hoping for more specifics; however he did make a few points that I found interesting:

  • Genetic Lineage and Epi-Genetics – He explained that while there are 25,000 genes in the human genome, there are thousands, if not millions of epigenes which act like switches, turning specific genes on and off. The eating behaviors of your grandparents can “switch on” bad genes that cause a susceptibility to specific diseases, like obesity, heart disease etc. These “configurations” then get passed down the generations. He mentioned that we can “switch off” those bad genes through proper eating. For example, if your Grandfather gorged on food for a year to prepare for starving in the next, if he did that during a specific phase in his development, the obesity gene might be “switched on” thus making you and your future generations more susceptible to obesity as well.
  • “Gathervores” – In his studies of people in remote tribal environments, he discovered that for tens of thousands of years, people did not hunt. They were what he calls “gathervores”. People gathered whatever they could and this doesn’t just include leaves, flowers and plants. This includes bugs, mollusks, frog legs, insects, etc. He mentioned that (in the tribes he studied), hunting and gathering developed much later evolutionarily, when people were forced to do so.
  • Marketing Poison – He didn’t really say it that way, however he did say that most “superfoods” today are not really super foods. He said they are marketed that way, however many do more harm than good. An example he gave is red wine. Red wine is known to have small amounts of reservatrol which is great for your heart. However, any benefit is countered by the alcohol which causes damage. He also mentioned Omega3’s, stating that because omega3 fatty acid turn rancid so quickly, the rancidity counters a majority of the health benefit. (Note: this was the first time I’ve heard this.) Later he did a soft sell on a plant-based Omega3 supplement hitting the stores in a couple of weeks.

Overall, I left the lecture a bit confused and somewhat incomplete. I felt that I just got hit with another “expert” touting his own point of view, preaching what is “right.” I thought about it for a while, and realized (like always) the only thing that truly matters is what works for YOU. Try something, measure how you look, feel and perform. If it works for you keep doing it, if it doesn’t try something else.

With that, I’m going raw vegan for 30 days after our Paleo Challenge is complete to see what happens. J

Here’s what I ate yesterday:

  • Breakfast – Mom’s Omelete (yum), 1 cup cooked broccoli, 1 chicken sausage, 1 cup strawberries & blackberries
  • Lunch – Unknown number of almonds drizzled with honey. (I love that, ate a LOT).
  • Lunch #2 – 1 can of tuna with olive oil mayo, small amount of sweet potato strips, few strawberries & blackberries
  • Snack – the rest of the strawberries & blackberries (not much)
  • Dinner – Chipotle salad bowl with chicken, extra fresh tomatoes, and sour cream, with a few chips/guacamole.

2 responses on ““A Healthier 2010” – Lecture Synopsis

  1. ritu says:

    I pretty much walked out of that lecture feeling the same way. Evolution is a part of life and just as we use advanced medical technology to save lives, advanced nutrition that works should be used. Dr. T mentioned that our ancestors were not hunter gatherers but instead gathervores since they did not have the technology to hunt however once it was discovered it made life a little easier and allowed for other advancements. Bottom line as AJ mentioned is do what works best for YOU and always experiment and document and continue to learn and grow for yourself. Do not just take someone else’s word for it.

  2. laurie says:

    I know I’m not supposed to get too wrapped up in what the scale says, but I’ve lost 5 lbs! Ritu/AJ — when is the dunk truck coming again to get body fat tested? I wasn’t able to go the last 2 times.
    I’ve been feeling really lethargic and hot/cold swings the past 2 days. I thought I was getting a cold, but it hasn’t materialized. I skipped yesterday’s WOD, partly because I had to drive the flooded highway, but I wish I could’ve gone.
    The almonds are OUT of my desk, now! I’ll bring a few more next week, but in controlled portions in baggies so I can’t just start eating them.
    So AJ, how do I get a Mom’s Omlete in the mornings???!!! 🙂
    Here’s my last 2 days of food. I’m a bit worried about the weekend since it’s Ma’s 70th birthday and I’m making the cake, but one or two meals doesn’t blow the lifestyle away…
    Day 14 – Wed 20-Jan-2010
    7 am – woke up; feel swollen, probably from all the salted almonds…
    8am – 2 eggs, 1/3 c egg whites, 2 tsp olive oil, 7 oz mixed melon slices (cantelope, honeydew, watermelon)
    Noon — 5 oz salmon, 1.5 cups steamed veggies, too many almonds again
    3:45 pm – 1.5 oz salmon, 4 oz green pepper, finished off the almonds…
    5:30 WOD
    9 pm – 5 oz steak (yum!), 8 oz parsnips with ~1 tbsp flax seed oil
    10 pm – went to bed; feel a bit of a cold coming on
    Day 15 – Thursday 21-Jan-2010
    7 am – woke up; very lethargic
    8am – 2 eggs, 1/3 c egg whites, 2 tsp olive oil, 7 oz mixed melon slices
    12:15 pm – 5 oz salmon, 1 box (9oz) spinach, small orange
    3:45 pm – 2 oz raw ahi tuna, 4 oz green pepper
    6 pm — 5 oz salmon, 9 oz spinach (same as lunch, but it was fast)
    No WOD today
    10:30 pm – went to bed

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