Tag: Knowledge recall

The same food can spike blood glucose in one person while barely affecting another. A study of 800 people found high variability between people’s responses to the same meals, with each person’s own responses consistent. Factors include genetics, insulin resistance, body composition, gut microbiome, sleep, stress, and meal timing. Glycemic index tables are averages, useful but not necessarily accurate for you. This companion covers factors influencing response, the landmark research, and why self-observation through glucose monitoring matters. (4 min read)

Fat adaptation means becoming efficient at burning fat rather than relying on glucose. Volek and Phinney’s book describes it taking weeks to months: increased mitochondrial density, upregulated enzymes, improved ketone production. Adaptation is commonly described as bringing stable energy, reduced hunger, easier fasting. Two paths: extended carbohydrate restriction or regular fasting, and many combine both. This companion covers the two fuel systems, physiological changes, timeline, how to get there, and signs of adaptation. (4 min read)

In the fed state, insulin rises, signaling storage: glucose into glycogen, excess into fat. In the fasted state, insulin drops, signaling release: first glycogen, then fat. On that account, eating often keeps the body leaning toward storage. The full switch to fat and ketones typically arrives 12 to 36 hours after eating stops. This companion covers what happens in each state, why it matters, and practical implications including meal spacing and overnight fasting. (4 min read)

Basal metabolic rate is determined primarily by body size, composition, age, and genetics. Research by Levine on NEAT shows total daily activity is more variable than BMR. Each pound of muscle burns only about 6 calories daily at rest, meaningful but not transformative. On this page’s reading, no supplement or quick fix meaningfully boosts metabolism. Focus on sustainable habits, muscle maintenance, and total activity. This companion covers what determines BMR, what you can change, what you can’t, and practical implications. (4 min read)

Autophagy is cellular self-cleaning: cells break down and recycle damaged components. Fasting activates it in yeast and mice, and that much is measured. What is measured on timing is from mice, at 24 and 48 hours of food restriction; no reference gives a human timeline. Potential benefits include improved cellular health, reduced inflammation, and protection against age-related disease. In mice, fasting releases autophagy by lowering mTOR activity. This companion covers what autophagy is, when it occurs, why it might be beneficial, caveats about human research, and practical applications. (3 min read)

Ghrelin follows your established eating patterns, rising in anticipation of meals and falling whether or not you actually eat. Research by Cummings found ghrelin rising before meals people start on their own, consistent with an anticipatory signal rather than a continuous hunger alarm. That 12pm hunger is part genuine signal and part learned timing, and the learned part is what shifts when you change the pattern. This companion covers ghrelin basics, the anticipatory pattern, adaptation to new schedules, and practical implications for fasting. (4 min read)

The glycemic index measures how quickly food raises blood sugar, but it’s not the whole story. A study of 800 people, across 46,898 meals, found high interpersonal variability in responses to identical foods. GI doesn’t account for portion size, ignores insulin response, varies with preparation and combinations. Watermelon has high GI but low carb per serving; ice cream has moderate GI but isn’t health food. This companion covers how GI works, its four major limitations, and how to use it wisely as one tool among many. (4 min read)

Several hormones signal fullness: CCK responds to fat and protein, PYY rises as food moves through the gut, GLP-1 slows gastric emptying. A 1995 review ranks protein the most satiating macronutrient per calorie, ahead of carbohydrate, with fat last. Liquid calories are poorly compensated for, and ultra-processed foods are eaten faster. This companion covers CCK, PYY, GLP-1, and leptin, what triggers them, and what doesn’t activate your body’s fullness signaling. (4 min read)

Insulin responds to more than just carbohydrates. Research by Holt on the insulin index found that protein-rich foods and bakery products drew insulin responses disproportionately higher than their blood-sugar responses. Whey protein is highly insulinogenic. Milk products produce high insulin responses despite their low glycemic index. Some artificial sweeteners may affect insulin through taste receptors. This companion covers going beyond the glycemic index, protein and insulin, the dairy paradox, and practical implications. (4 min read)

When blood sugar rises sharply and then falls, mood, energy, and decision-making tend to follow. A 2013 fMRI trial from Ludwig’s group found lower blood sugar, greater hunger, and heightened activity in a reward region about four hours after a high-glycemic meal; the often-quoted hypoglycemic crash from his 1999 study is not in that paper’s published abstract. Attention, memory, and mood measurably degrade when glucose runs low. “Hangry” has research support. This companion covers the glucose-brain connection, the spike-crash cycle, mood and irritability effects, and practical ways to stabilize blood sugar. (5 min read)