BLOG: It's the woo

(Erin Macfarland ) #1

I recently found this fascinating blog that discusses in depth the various mechanisms behind why keto works, factors contributing to the development of obesity, why CICO is a lie, and other various health related issues. Just thought I’d share it with everybody here, you might find some interesting nuggets and binge read all the posts like I have! http://itsthewooo.blogspot.com/2015/01/cico-why-do-we-even-entertain-this-idea.html?m=1

#2

That looks really interesting. I shall dive deeper…

(Jane Reed) #3

She’s really ticked off, isn’t she?

(Erin Macfarland ) #4

The writing style might not suit everyone but there are some excellent and thought provoking arguments

#5

She really hates Jimmy Moore and Dr. Fung.

(Jacquie) #6

I’ve followed Woo (from forums and such) for years. I know her blog well. :slight_smile:

#7

Some interesting perspectives (and very creative spelling).

(markkloch) #8

It is hard to take anyone seriously who doesn’t spell correctlie!

(Erin Macfarland ) #9

Really? I guess I haven’t gathered that yet! How come?

#10

After reading more, she doesn’t hate Jimmy, just feels sorry for him because he’s obviously lying about what he eats. She does say that Fung is a menace and needs to be stopped and that his fasting advice horrible.

(jketoscribe) #11

I find that she sometimes goes off the deep end of reality, I really don’t have the patience for her rantings and ravings, even when she has good information to impart Reminds me too much of the person who belongs in a carb insane asylum.

And her cutesy spellings make me want to poke my eyes out!

(Annika) #12

I’ve been reading wooo for years. She’s kind of crazy, but brilliant and knows her stuff.

(Richard Morris) #13

I like her article, especially I love her comments about your body baking it from 300lbs to 180lbs and people losing their shit because you didn’t make it down to your goal 120 lbs.

However I think her term “Obesity resistance” is a big bucket that includes a lot of things happening under the covers and I find it a bit “hand wavey”.

People use a lot of hand waving to describe why stalls happen because the truth is that no-one knows.

My own speculation is as follows;

A person who is obese (hyperinsulinaemic) is unable to efficiently sequester energy in fat cells (insulin resistant fat cells), and unable to efficiently burn fat for energy (Insulin inhibiting carnitine shuttle). So they are unable to burn fat with a blood circulation full of the stuff.

A person who goes on an insulin lowering diet (Keto) is eventually able to get their insulin low enough that they can efficiently burn fat for energy so they start losing dramatic amounts of weight. Their fat cells still unable to respond to insulin still overflow all those free fatty acids into their circulation but now they have cellular buyers for that energy.

At some point their insulin is low enough, and fat cells have released enough of their over supply of cargo that fat cells become gradually more insulin sensitive. Now their high basal insulin levels (how much insulin they make to cover just the basal 5mmol/l amount of glucose) start shutting off the spigot of free fatty acids

Essentially our body fat has become healthy and doing what it’s supposed to do when insulin is high.

So my hand waving hypothesis is that;

We stall when we reach the point of our basal insulin (or how much insulin we make when eating nothing). Making it down from there involves finding strategies to reduce compensatory hyperinsulinemia and that requires reducing our underlying insulin resistance.

And THAT (reducing insulin resistance) is something no-one thinks is really possible … but I intend to prove the experts wrong.

#14

I find her ranting much less annoying that Amy Berger from http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2015/11/its-the-insulin-7.html

Although its an ok blog for new people she (Amy) seems hell bent on coming down on “ketards” who drink fat laden coffee etc.

Her hate and anger is directed inward at the community for some reason rather than outwardly and the dismal state of nutrition advice.

#15

I’m sorry, but that was not my takeaway from her series on insulin at all. And it’s certainly not representative of her work in general IMHO.

#16

that’s just a random link. And I think you’d have to be blind not to see it, she even self references her ranting and how many comments she gets about it.

#17

She is a very good ranter. I enjoy her immensely.

#18

I prefer positivity over overwhelming, unfettered negativity.

#19

Absolutely. Which is why I find it strange that you would bring Amy into this conversation about another blog, just to tell us how much you don’t like her.

(Erin Macfarland ) #20

I don’t think ANYONE has the definitive answer for any of these physiological mysteries, but I do enjoy reading all the different perspectives and theories. I think each one has something to contribute to our understanding. Richard and Carl are some of the most moderate and well informed figures out there, but I am always drawn to those on the fringes because while their personal needs and experiences cannot be applied to the population in general, I enjoy hearing the varied approaches to the same issue and how people have resolved their specific situation. This lady Woo, Amy, Dr. Fung, Jimmy Moore, Amber O Hearn (who has been on this podcast) all have something unique to offer. I especially like hearing the science behind their opinions even if it’s not completely infallible.