Thought-provoking post, especially the section about the meaning of traditional food. I’m curious about the relationship between insulin resistance and obesity. If you can keep skinny can you avoid the metabolism FUBAR you’re talking about even if your diet is still westernised?
First of all, what we consider “insulin resistance” is a semi-arbitrary point on a spectrum. In this post, I’m aiming at a target better than what modern medicine considers “insulin resistance”.
Secondly, the relationship between insulin resistance and obesity is bidirectional. Insulin resistance causes obesity. Obesity causes insulin resistance.
Thirdly, being skinny means you’re less likely to have insulin resistance, but does not guarantee you don’t have insulin resistance. It does mean you’re less likely to have insulin resistance.
Finally, as to whether you can avoid the metabolism FUBAR while eating a westernized diet, I think the best case study for people who eat a Western diet while getting primitive amounts of exercise is the Amish. The Amish have relatively good metabolic health by American standards, but it’s still horrific by historical standards. Elite endurance athletes are in their own special category; they’re great at metabolizing fats, but the stresses they put on their body cause totally different risks. Are there other people eating a modern diet who have good metabolic health? Probably, but just because there is tremendous individual variation and special cases. Some people need all the calories they can get. For example, I would be wary of putting a cancer patient on a historical diet.
Thought-provoking post, especially the section about the meaning of traditional food. I’m curious about the relationship between insulin resistance and obesity. If you can keep skinny can you avoid the metabolism FUBAR you’re talking about even if your diet is still westernised?
A few things:
First of all, what we consider “insulin resistance” is a semi-arbitrary point on a spectrum. In this post, I’m aiming at a target better than what modern medicine considers “insulin resistance”.
Secondly, the relationship between insulin resistance and obesity is bidirectional. Insulin resistance causes obesity. Obesity causes insulin resistance.
Thirdly, being skinny means you’re less likely to have insulin resistance, but does not guarantee you don’t have insulin resistance. It does mean you’re less likely to have insulin resistance.
Finally, as to whether you can avoid the metabolism FUBAR while eating a westernized diet, I think the best case study for people who eat a Western diet while getting primitive amounts of exercise is the Amish. The Amish have relatively good metabolic health by American standards, but it’s still horrific by historical standards. Elite endurance athletes are in their own special category; they’re great at metabolizing fats, but the stresses they put on their body cause totally different risks. Are there other people eating a modern diet who have good metabolic health? Probably, but just because there is tremendous individual variation and special cases. Some people need all the calories they can get. For example, I would be wary of putting a cancer patient on a historical diet.