What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0108

5351.  You should alternate these kinds of “cutting through the bullshit” gatherings with masculine celebrations.  Even during these celebrations, though, there should be a challenge to remain conscious and undistracted.  They are not occasions for lapsing from fullness, but for communing beyond fear.  Perhaps you can all go swimming in ice cold water together.  Or drink to the point of inebriation and then spend the rest of the night chanting hymns of the mystery of existence.  Whatever you do, share as much loving as you can with your friends, without settling for mediocrity or less than each man’s fullest gift;

5352.  Make sure that you arrange for your woman’s rejuvenative time and your own.  Otherwise, you will rot in the cushions of bargained stagnation and sexual neutralization, which pad your true edge of living your gift in relationship;

5353.  Everyone needs to remember their past, as it shapes all we do, but you’ll do more good in the world if you focus furiously on the horizon and swim toward your future;

5354.  There is no consistent evidence that saturated fat in our diet from meat raises our blood cholesterol.  There is plenty of evidence that eating meat actually improves our cholesterol profile when consumed in the absence of sugar and refined carbs.  How?  By raising the good cholesterol and boosting protective or large, LDL particles;

5355.  In one experiment, a researcher sent ten Australian aborigines with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood sugar back into the bush to hunt kangaroo and alligator and gather roots, nuts and berries.  In seven weeks, all their numbers normalized, enabling them to come off their medications and they lost significant amounts of weight as well;

5356.  In study after study, feeding obese, diabetic or heart disease patients a diet higher in fat and high-quality animal protein resulted in better outcomes for everything including weight, body fat, waist circumference, muscle mass, metabolism, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL and LDL.  People on diets such as these found them much more satisfying and were less hungry than when on high-carb, low-fat, low-meat diets even when the number of calories was exactly the same;

5357.  When the effects of increasing meat intake was studied in Asian countries, using a sample of almost 300,000 people who generally have healthier diets heavy in fish and vegetables and light in processed sugary foods, they found red meat was actually associated with a lower risk of heart disease in men and cancer in women;

5358.  The level of TMAO in meat is far less than that in fish;

5359.  In a review of more than thirty-five prospective studies on colon cancer and meat consumption, there was little risk found;

5360.  In some studies, those with the highest meat intake had lower risk of colon cancer than those with lowest intake;

5361.  What the studies did find was that meat eating was also associated with other dietary and lifestyle habits that promote cancer including a high intake of refined sugar and alcohol and low intake of fruits, vegetables and fiber.  The meat eaters also generally didn’t exercise, smoked more than non-meat eaters and were more overweight all of which are associated with an increased risk of cancer;

5362.  Some studies do link processed red meat such as hot dogs, bacon and luncheon meats to cancer.  The absolute risk of getting cancer would be an increase from a 2.6 percent to a 3.2 percent chance of getting cancer or about a 0.6 absolute increase in risk.  In other words, about three extra appearances of colon cancer in every 100,000 people for bacon eaters;

5363.  High-temperature cooking, grilling, frying, smoking or charring meat including fish and chicken all lead to the production of compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heterocyclic amines (HCA).  HCAs and PAHs have been shown to cause cancer in animal models and it is a good idea to reduce your exposure to these toxic compounds;

5364.  Meat is not the only source of PAHs.  Other than meat charred over an open flame, the most common source is vegetables and grains;

5365.  Cooking meat can also produce compounds called AGEs, which result from protein interacting with sugars in food.  These are what make things crispy – the crust that forms on a loaf of bread, crispy chicken skin or the crunchy sugar top on crème brulée.  AGEs damage arteries and the brain and they can cause cancer.  Your best bet is to reduce high-heat cooking and grilling;

5366.  To reduce AGEs, HCAs and PAHs, soak your meat in an acidic marinade with lemon juice or vinegar; this makes it taste better and cuts AGEs in half and HCAs by 90 percent;

5367.  The omega-6 fat arachidonic acid is found in meat.  It is in every one of your cell membranes and helps your body control inflammation, grow and repair.  Grass-fed meat actually increases levels of both omega-3s and the right omega-6s and helps keep that fats in balance;

5368.  In large population studies, those with the highest levels of both omega-3s and arachidonic acid had the lowest levels of inflammation and heart disease;

5369.  In the plowing of fields, clearing of forests and growing of plants, there is wholesale destruction of natural ecosystems including the death of birds, rodents, bugs, worms and trillions of microbes in the soil;

5370.  Agriculture is the most destructive thing humans have done to the planet.  The truth is that agriculture requires the wholesale destruction of ecosystems;

5371.  Vegans are more likely to have nutritional deficiencies of B₁₂, omega-3 fats, fat-soluble vitamins like A and D, iron, calcium, vitamin K₂ and zinc;

5372.  When all is said and done, now is all there is and all there ever has been;

5373.  Notice when you are wishing you were somewhere else and bring yourself back to a state of appreciation for where you are.  Remember that not being fully immersed in the present is nothing more than a habit that you have the option of breaking right now, in this moment;

5374.  Discard thoughts of depreciation.  When you find yourself depreciating anyone or anything in your immediate present moment space, see if you can substitute a thought of appreciation.  For example, rather than being bored by a conversation, shift your thoughts to, “I am going to spend the next few moments just loving this person for who s/he is and nothing more.”  This removal of judgment brings you back to being fully in the present;

5375.  Take time to meditate.  Meditation is difficult for many people because their thoughts are always on some distant object or place.  One form of meditation is to label the thought as it appears and then choose to let it go.  This practice helps you first become aware of your thoughts, which many of us need to do, so that we can return to the present moment;

5376.  Practice enjoying each phase of your meal (and your day!) for itself, rather than having your thoughts on dessert, while you are consuming the appetizer.  The essence of the entire message here is to be here now.  Is there really any other place to be?

5377.  Portobello Road gin is rather smooth;

5378.  It’s interesting that women will admit to using body language to try and (subtlety) tell a man (that) she’s not interested while knowing full well that (most) men aren’t good at reading/picking up body language;

5379.  Cows are ruminants that have special stomachs designed to eat grass.  When they are fed grains, the levels of inflammatory omega-6 fats in their bodies, and, thus in the meat we eat, increase;

5380.  Cows have to be given antibiotics to prevent their stomachs from exploding from the bloat caused by their gut bacteria fermenting the corn feed;

5381.  Grass-fed meat has a healthier fat profile than conventionally raised meat with two to five times more omega-3 fats.  It also has lower levels of omega-6 fats;

5382.  The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in grass-fed beef is about 1.5 to 1.  In grain-fed beef, it is about 7.5 to 1;

5383.  Grain-fed beef has more stearic acid, the saturated fat that has no impact on cholesterol.  I also has two to three times as much conjugated linoleic acid as grain-fed beef, a potent antioxidant that is protective against heart disease, diabetes and cancer and even helps with weight loss and metabolism;

5384.  Grass-fed meat has more vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin A, zinc, iron, phosphorous, sodium and potassium than grain-fed meat.  It also has higher levels of antioxidants including glutathione, catalase and superoxide dismutase;

5385.  Egg whites have vitamins B₂ (riboflavin) and B₃ (niacin), the yolks contain B₆ and B₁₂, folic acid (B₉), pantothenic acid (B₅) and thiamin (B₁).  The yolks are also rich sources of vitamins A, E, K and D;

5386.  Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D;

5387.  Eggs are one of the best sources of choline needed for brain health, cell membrane formation and detoxification; it also protects against Alzheimer’s disease;

5388.  Egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin (which gives them their yellow color), antioxidants that help prevent macular degeneration or premature blindness;

5389.  Eggs prevent LDL oxidation and increase LDL and HDL particle size so they protect against heart disease;

5390.  Don’t cook eggs in hot oil.  The fats can oxidize and become harmful.  Poach or soft-boil your eggs or cook them at low temperature;

5391.  There is no good evidence proving butter’s link to heart disease;

5392.  Some studies measuring blood levels of the saturated fats that are in dairy have found them to be associated with a lower risk of heart attacks;

5393.  Cow stomach fermentation turns vitamin K₁ (found in leafy greens like kale, chard, spinach and grass) into K₂, which then shows up in the dairy fat;

5394.  K₂ is important for bone and heart health;

5395.  Grass-fed butter also contains a fatty acid called butyrate that promotes intestinal health and fights inflammation throughout the body especially in the cardiovascular system;

5396.  All of the same nutrients found in grass-fed butter are found in grass-fed ghee.  It is high in vitamins D and A, omega-3 fats, CLA and butyrate;

5397.  Clarified butter has had the water and milk solids removed so it can be used by those allergic to dairy;

5398.  You can make ghee from grass-fed butter by heating it, which separates out the fat from the milk solids and then straining out the milk solids with cheesecloth;

5399.  Countries such as those in the South Pacific with the highest intake of coconut oil eat up to 40 percent of their calories from saturated fat (coconut oil is almost 90 percent saturated fat, while butter is 60 percent saturated fat) yet, surprisingly, they have some of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world;
5400.  There is a surprising amount of research showing that even though coconut oil has the highest amount of saturated fat found in any food and it increases total cholesterol (actually it increases HDL or good cholesterol the most so even though the total cholesterol goes up, the ratio is better), it is not correlated with increased risk of heart attack or stroke;