Hi everyone, In this exciting new podcast episode, I interview science journalist Gary Taubes about his new book on diabetes, titled 'Rethinking Diabetes.' We discuss the history of diabetes treatment, the role of journalists in critiquing scientific paradigms, and the misconceptions surrounding type 2 diabetes. Taubes highlights the illusion of consensus in the medical community and the harm that can result from it. He also challenges the prevailing belief that diabetes is a pancreatic deficiency disorder and explores alternative approaches to treatment. The conversation explores the flaws in medical thinking, particularly in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. We discusse the historical use of starvation diets and high-fat diets, as well as the misguided approach of calorie restriction. The conversation also highlights the influence of medical organizations, such as the American Diabetic Association, in promoting high-carb diets.
I so enjoyed this discussion! I have been acutely aware of how little I actually knew vs how much I was given credit for knowing over a 40+ year career in general practice and public health. It seems to be a problem of a social and economic view even more than it is a problem with "science". The older I get the more I see the balance shifting away from myself as doctor toward myself as patient. Physician heal thyself...Be well Gary and Jay!
Calorie restriction (employed SENSIBLY, not approaching extreme hunger or malnutrition or lethargy) is extremely beneficial towards countless health outcomes. Almost all of the healthiest people and those who live to 90+ in good health DO engage in calorie restriction to some degree. Big Pharma and the corrupt medical establishment are afraid of calorie restriction because it's very bad for their business- they prefer we remain sick and fat on our 2000+ calories/day diets.
Dr. Cate Shanahan recommends traditional diets, small/medium portions, to be eaten at mealtime only (no snacks). Consuming animal fats and offal are encouraged.
I cured my prediabetes by doing intermittent fasting and eating high protein. I didn't eat super low carb and definitely not keto, I just emphasized animal protein, healthy animal fats, and vegetables. This kept me full and satisfied so that I didn't crave as many carbs. I reduced sugars and cut out all ultra-processed foods, but still ate small amounts of rice, potatoes, or homemade sourdough bread in moderation. I lost 45 lbs and got rid of migraines I've had for 25 years.
Great interview. Especially love the last question posed by Jay: "how to fix this?" and the answer by Taubes: a kind of supreme court where a committee of both conventional and heterodox scientists review the arguments/science presented and then decide what is "truest' to the best of available knowledge. Imagine if something like this had existed through COVID from the start. The question is then who decides who is included in the committee?
What happens when a case of diabetes is cured? Nothing. Nobody cares. There is no interest in the cured. They are not ill. There are many claims of diabetes cures and of diabetes cured. Nobody cares. Diabetes is considered to me medically incurable (like the common cold). CURED is not medically defined for diabetes. There is no medical test of cured for diabetes cured. The problem is not "diabetes", the problem is a failure to study, much less understand the theory and practice of cure.
Diets don't work, it is known for those people, why do you people keep pushing this narrative, you doing like the ones pushing VACCINES - IDIOTS WAKE UP.
I think the evidence is that high fat low carb diet DOES WORK for the majority of people. When you claim diets don't work, you probably mean that people won't use them because we are addicted to carbs. Richard Bernstein points this out in his book on diabetes. I actually thought pushing the narrative--despite evidence to the contrary--is what Pfizer, Moderna, and big pharma are doing. You ask why does Taubes keep "pushing" the keto diet? Because he sees the rates of diabetes and rates of impairment for diabetics rising--DESPITE high carb diets with insulin (current standard of care). You and Taubes agree, I think, that diabetes is a problem and we must seek the most effective treatments--even if most people won't follow them. Informed consent should give people choice. Taubes thinks that current diabetic treatments don't work because more people are getting sicker using these treatments. What is your experience with diabetes? (Patient, Provider, Relative/friend of diabetic, Researcher, Concerned lay person.) My husband was skinny as a rail, type 2 diabetic, also had cancer, atrial fibrillation, heart failure. He was an engineer. He had SEVERE anemia. He believed that his blood sugar must be controlled with insulin until it is 80 or lower. But he became cognitively impaired/comatose even at that level. His blood sugar needed to be at least 100 or 125 because of his anemia. He could never accept that number. One size fits all treatments don't handle everybody.
Maybe I should have read the Takeaways more carefully, but this was disappointing. Challenge the common knowledge about diabetes was all I got out of it. Are there any treatments to explore? What about drugs other than insulin like Metformin? How can you talk about diabetes these days without mentioning Ozempic? I hope medical professionals are empowered to discuss nutrition more frequently.
I so enjoyed this discussion! I have been acutely aware of how little I actually knew vs how much I was given credit for knowing over a 40+ year career in general practice and public health. It seems to be a problem of a social and economic view even more than it is a problem with "science". The older I get the more I see the balance shifting away from myself as doctor toward myself as patient. Physician heal thyself...Be well Gary and Jay!
Calorie restriction (employed SENSIBLY, not approaching extreme hunger or malnutrition or lethargy) is extremely beneficial towards countless health outcomes. Almost all of the healthiest people and those who live to 90+ in good health DO engage in calorie restriction to some degree. Big Pharma and the corrupt medical establishment are afraid of calorie restriction because it's very bad for their business- they prefer we remain sick and fat on our 2000+ calories/day diets.
Dr. Cate Shanahan recommends traditional diets, small/medium portions, to be eaten at mealtime only (no snacks). Consuming animal fats and offal are encouraged.
I cured my prediabetes by doing intermittent fasting and eating high protein. I didn't eat super low carb and definitely not keto, I just emphasized animal protein, healthy animal fats, and vegetables. This kept me full and satisfied so that I didn't crave as many carbs. I reduced sugars and cut out all ultra-processed foods, but still ate small amounts of rice, potatoes, or homemade sourdough bread in moderation. I lost 45 lbs and got rid of migraines I've had for 25 years.
Great interview. Especially love the last question posed by Jay: "how to fix this?" and the answer by Taubes: a kind of supreme court where a committee of both conventional and heterodox scientists review the arguments/science presented and then decide what is "truest' to the best of available knowledge. Imagine if something like this had existed through COVID from the start. The question is then who decides who is included in the committee?
What happens when a case of diabetes is cured? Nothing. Nobody cares. There is no interest in the cured. They are not ill. There are many claims of diabetes cures and of diabetes cured. Nobody cares. Diabetes is considered to me medically incurable (like the common cold). CURED is not medically defined for diabetes. There is no medical test of cured for diabetes cured. The problem is not "diabetes", the problem is a failure to study, much less understand the theory and practice of cure.
to your health, tracy
Author: A New Theory of Cure
https://www.academia.edu/95696376/Theory_of_Cure_2023_Update
Diets don't work, it is known for those people, why do you people keep pushing this narrative, you doing like the ones pushing VACCINES - IDIOTS WAKE UP.
I think the evidence is that high fat low carb diet DOES WORK for the majority of people. When you claim diets don't work, you probably mean that people won't use them because we are addicted to carbs. Richard Bernstein points this out in his book on diabetes. I actually thought pushing the narrative--despite evidence to the contrary--is what Pfizer, Moderna, and big pharma are doing. You ask why does Taubes keep "pushing" the keto diet? Because he sees the rates of diabetes and rates of impairment for diabetics rising--DESPITE high carb diets with insulin (current standard of care). You and Taubes agree, I think, that diabetes is a problem and we must seek the most effective treatments--even if most people won't follow them. Informed consent should give people choice. Taubes thinks that current diabetic treatments don't work because more people are getting sicker using these treatments. What is your experience with diabetes? (Patient, Provider, Relative/friend of diabetic, Researcher, Concerned lay person.) My husband was skinny as a rail, type 2 diabetic, also had cancer, atrial fibrillation, heart failure. He was an engineer. He had SEVERE anemia. He believed that his blood sugar must be controlled with insulin until it is 80 or lower. But he became cognitively impaired/comatose even at that level. His blood sugar needed to be at least 100 or 125 because of his anemia. He could never accept that number. One size fits all treatments don't handle everybody.
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Maybe I should have read the Takeaways more carefully, but this was disappointing. Challenge the common knowledge about diabetes was all I got out of it. Are there any treatments to explore? What about drugs other than insulin like Metformin? How can you talk about diabetes these days without mentioning Ozempic? I hope medical professionals are empowered to discuss nutrition more frequently.
🌱Ayurveda
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