Gyroscopic Investing

In my research through the archives, I came across several topics which were health related.

Anyone familiar with Joe Fuhrman, M.D?

For food / nutrition he is my Harry Browne.

My friend introduced me to him almost five years ago. I started reading his "Eat to Live" book that night she told me about it and quickly read it. And, just as quickly decided to never again buy certain foods to bring into my house to eat (and, have never since).

Here is his web site:

https://www.drfuhrman.com/

His guiding principle is a "Nutritarian" diet, which is simply achieve the highest ratio of [nutritional value / calories], which means getting the greatest nutritional value per calorie you consume.

He explains it better here:

https://www.drfuhrman.com/get-started/quick-start

Here is his version of the "food pyramid"
This past Thursday the same friend from above alerted me that his just released book was on sale at Amazon for $4.99 just that day.

https://smile.amazon.com/Eat-Life-Break ... l_huc_item

I wisely purchased it (back to $14.99 today) and, today, during timeouts, halftimes, between games, I started reading the book.

Right in the beginning he had this:

“I have cared for more than fifteen thousand patients; most of them first came to my office unhappy, sick, and overweight, having tried every dietary craze without success. After following the Nutritarian educational program for superior health and weight loss, they shed the weight they always dreamed of losing and kept it off easily. Most important, they were able to eventually discontinue their medications because they simply didn’t need them anymore. When you learn and follow the Nutritarian program of eating, it is possible to


Never have a heart attack or stroke
Avoid dementia in later life
Dramatically reduce your chance of getting cancer
Prevent and heal digestive problems such as reflux, indigestion, constipation, and hemorrhoids
Prevent and often resolve erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure, and other circulatory impairments
Reverse and resolve autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis
Prevent and reverse diabetes (type 2) and high cholesterol, eventually making drugs unnecessary
Age more slowly, live longer, and maintain youthful vigor, intelligence, and productivity into your later years
Some people may be skeptical that I can make such radical claims, but these statements are supported by medical science as well as by thousands of clinical patient cases"


Excerpt From: Fuhrman, Joel. “Eat for Life.” HarperOne

Later on he had these:

“According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, about 50 percent of common cancers are preventable by not smoking, limiting sun exposure, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and following a healthful diet.4 I propose that the percentage is much higher and that at least 90 percent of the cancers now seen in modern societies could be avoided if we optimized our dietary intake and engaged in a reasonable anticancer lifestyle."


Excerpt From: Fuhrman, Joel. “Eat for Life.” HarperOne,

“Even the Centers for Disease Control reports that salt kills far more Americans than tobacco (or anything else), and almost 70 percent of all Americans, including everyone older than 40, should cut their salt intake by nearly two-thirds, to 1,500 milligrams per day. Medications cannot do nearly what diet improvement and salt reduction can do, and more and more physicians and scientists recognize this. Just cutting out salt can return blood pressure to normal, which can cut the risk of heart disease by nearly 70 percent."


Excerpt From: Fuhrman, Joel. “Eat for Life.” HarperOne

The success stories he puts in his books are always amazing and inspiring (with people using their full names).

You can read some of the same ones I read today here:

https://www.drfuhrman.com/get-started/success-stories

His philosophy comes back to that decades old saying: "You ARE what you eat".

Vinny

Something must have happened to Dr Fuhrman. I remember him being a rather militant vegan. Now he's recommending eating some dairy, fish and red meat?!?!

I guess he's a recovering vegetarian.

I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:57 pm I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

I absolutely believe this to be true.

I get the red flush when drinking alcohol that is very typical of asian populations. It's rare amongst, say, caucasian populations. And that's just one example. I'm sure there's plenty of other examples involving different types of foods and drinks, and different populations.

Smith1776 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:13 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:57 pm I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

I absolutely believe this to be true.

I get the red flush when drinking alcohol that is very typical of asian populations. It's rare amongst, say, caucasian populations. And that's just one example. I'm sure there's plenty of other examples involving different types of foods and drinks, and different populations.

Smithy, I picture you looking like Adam Smith or Bill Gates. Are you of Asian descent?

Xan wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:26 pm
Smithy, I picture you looking like Adam Smith or Bill Gates. Are you of Asian descent?

Haha yes! I’m Chinese Canadian. I have lived in the Vancouver area my whole life, so I’m quite assimilated to North American lifestyle and mannerisms.

Often, say, if I’m selling something on Craigslist, people are taken aback when they see me for the first time after talking on the phone. When hearing my voice they usually expect a Caucasian fellow. They see me and they’re like “What? Really?”

FarmerD wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:33 pm Something must have happened to Dr Fuhrman. I remember him being a rather militant vegan. Now he's recommending eating some dairy, fish and red meat?!?!

I guess he's a recovering vegetarian.

If you read any of his books you will see that he still believes that the vegan diet is the best. He's just making some allowances for those who cannot go completely vegan. Note that in each of the categories you cite, he added "or less", meaning all the way to none.

Vinny

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:57 pm I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

Dr. Fuhrman backs all he states with a multitude of scientific studies. He also describes the diets of the "Blue Zones" those areas of the world which naturally produce people with great longevity and low disease. And, in the end states that if the scientific knowledge was added to the Blue Zone diet then they'd live even longer. He's seeing that 90 to 110 should be the norm.

Trying reading one or two of the testimonials. Each and every one of them is genuinely amazing. Tonight I was reading about this guy who weighed twice what I weigh and now weighs ten less pounds than me with a waist size 1 1/2" to 2" less than mine. Makes me want to modify my diet to be much closer to what Dr. Fuhrman proscribes. He just makes 100% sense at every turn.

Vinny

I knew a girl whose doctor wouldn’t let her eat certain things. She said the doctor stated it was “too nutritious” for her. Once example was sprouts, e.g. alfalfa sprouts. Maybe it’s true.

And, recently, I saw this

Excess Vitamin B12 May Be Deadly
Very high blood levels of vitamin B12 were tied to an increased risk of early death.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/11/well ... eadly.html
It’s not just about excessive supplements.
Some people’s bodies absorb B12 a little too well.

FarmerD wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:33 pm Something must have happened to Dr Fuhrman. I remember him being a rather militant vegan. Now he's recommending eating some dairy, fish and red meat?!?!

I guess he's a recovering vegetarian.

Maybe the Il-lamb-inati got to him.

yankees60 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:53 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:57 pm I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

Dr. Fuhrman backs all he states with a multitude of scientific studies. He also describes the diets of the "Blue Zones" those areas of the world which naturally produce people with great longevity and low disease. And, in the end states that if the scientific knowledge was added to the Blue Zone diet then they'd live even longer. He's seeing that 90 to 110 should be the norm.

Trying reading one or two of the testimonials. Each and every one of them is genuinely amazing. Tonight I was reading about this guy who weighed twice what I weigh and now weighs ten less pounds than me with a waist size 1 1/2" to 2" less than mine. Makes me want to modify my diet to be much closer to what Dr. Fuhrman proscribes. He just makes 100% sense at every turn.

Vinny

Every diet has studies that back it. I just went and read some of the testimonials on his website, they are completely indistinct from any other diet's testimonials. I'm not saying that studying diet or any specific diet is bad; you just have to find what works for you. The fact that so many different diets have rabid supporters and success stories is a big hint.

Smith1776 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:13 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:57 pm I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

I absolutely believe this to be true.

I get the red flush when drinking alcohol that is very typical of asian populations. It's rare amongst, say, caucasian populations. And that's just one example. I'm sure there's plenty of other examples involving different types of foods and drinks, and different populations.

I forgot to mention my ancestor's penchant for drinking mead out of a cracked skull.

Xan wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:26 pm

Smith1776 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:13 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:57 pm I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

I absolutely believe this to be true.

I get the red flush when drinking alcohol that is very typical of asian populations. It's rare amongst, say, caucasian populations. And that's just one example. I'm sure there's plenty of other examples involving different types of foods and drinks, and different populations.

Smithy, I picture you looking like Adam Smith or Bill Gates. Are you of Asian descent?

I can't imagine why you would imagine that.
Oh, wait, maybe it's his avatar?

Xan wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:26 pm Smithy, I picture you looking like Adam Smith or Bill Gates. Are you of Asian descent?

See page 6. Mooncakes , something that Joel Fuhrman probably does not recommend.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6650&hilit=chinese&start=60

dualstow wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 8:31 am See page 6. Mooncakes , something that Joel Fuhrman probably does not recommend.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6650&hilit=chinese&start=60

Never in my life did I ever think I'd see a mooncake emoji. It looks... yummy.

The Apple rendering of it is even more tantalizing.

https://emojipedia.org/moon-cake/

How much of the world's efforts are devoted to drawing all these silly emoticon pictures?

Xan wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:44 pm https://emojipedia.org/moon-cake/

How much of the world's efforts are devoted to drawing all these silly emoticon pictures?

More than are devoted to finding all of the asteroids that could wipe out humanity.

tomfoolery wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:01 pm I don't like this diet. I would lean more towards:

whole grains - very sparingly, almost never - it's 100% sugar
dairy - never - it's not something most humans can digest properly and it's basically 100% sugar anyway
fruits - very sparingly, almost never - too much sugar, not good for you
nuts/vegetables - unlimited
grass-fed beef and organic chicken - moderate
ocean caught fish - moderate - would say unlimited except for heavy metal toxicity possibility

Agree on most, except when you say dairy -- cheese is 100% fat, generally, and I eat it all the time!

Vegan, not for me. Not that I don't like veggies, but there is enough evidence out there that if you go 100% vegan and don't supplement certain things, like B12, you will eventually go deficient. That, by itself, tells me humans are not made through evolution for a vegan lifestyle.

I won't yell or berate anyone for trying different diets, just not for me. We went to a new burger place this past weekend, it ranked in the top 5 I ever had (Good Stuff Eatery)

Xan wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:44 pm https://emojipedia.org/moon-cake/

How much of the world's efforts are devoted to drawing all these silly emoticon pictures?

It's not the world. It's like two people in Japan. Can't all be geologists and heart surgeons, after all.
I didn't used to like emojis, because I'm into Chinese (and Japanese) characters. Nowadays I like them. Especially the mooncake.

tomfoolery wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:01 pm I don't like this diet. I would lean more towards:

whole grains - very sparingly, almost never - it's 100% sugar
dairy - never - it's not something most humans can digest properly and it's basically 100% sugar anyway
fruits - very sparingly, almost never - too much sugar, not good for you
nuts/vegetables - unlimited
grass-fed beef and organic chicken - moderate
ocean caught fish - moderate - would say unlimited except for heavy metal toxicity possibility

He believes in limited grains. It's really a concession towards those who cannot completely give them up. I can go days on end without eating any.

He believes in no dairy. Again a concession. I've completely cut it out from my house. Have it one or two times a week when eating outside my house.

Fruits - he believes in limited quantities.

Vegetables - unlimited

Nuts - He's a big fan. But due to their high fat content, in limited quantities.

Beef & Chicken. He believes it's best to have none. I ate my last of either in 1979.

Fish - He believes you can do without but if you do watch for those that to have as you cite -- the heavy metal toxity. I ate my last fish in 1977.

Vinny

Cortopassi wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:15 pm

tomfoolery wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 6:01 pm I don't like this diet. I would lean more towards:

whole grains - very sparingly, almost never - it's 100% sugar
dairy - never - it's not something most humans can digest properly and it's basically 100% sugar anyway
fruits - very sparingly, almost never - too much sugar, not good for you
nuts/vegetables - unlimited
grass-fed beef and organic chicken - moderate
ocean caught fish - moderate - would say unlimited except for heavy metal toxicity possibility

Agree on most, except when you say dairy -- cheese is 100% fat, generally, and I eat it all the time!

Vegan, not for me. Not that I don't like veggies, but there is enough evidence out there that if you go 100% vegan and don't supplement certain things, like B12, you will eventually go deficient. That, by itself, tells me humans are not made through evolution for a vegan lifestyle.

I won't yell or berate anyone for trying different diets, just not for me. We went to a new burger place this past weekend, it ranked in the top 5 I ever had (Good Stuff Eatery)

He agrees that Vegan does not supply all necessary nutrients so it should be supplemented with just a few items.

Don't know about your evolution argument. He backs all he says with solid scientific studies. I think the footnotes to the studies he cited went out for 50 pages? More?

Vinny

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:03 am

yankees60 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:53 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:57 pm I think there's something to the notion that different populations of humans evolved to eat different diets. My ancestors hailed from northern Europe, and so I evolved to eat a diet largely composed of meats and dairy, with some grains and a bit of vegetables. And this is really where the world's diversity comes into its own! We northern Europeans would be very appreciative if some of the other populations of the world, who didn't evolve to eat as much meat would please stick to their vegetables and other plant matter leaving more meat to us thank you.

Dr. Fuhrman backs all he states with a multitude of scientific studies. He also describes the diets of the "Blue Zones" those areas of the world which naturally produce people with great longevity and low disease. And, in the end states that if the scientific knowledge was added to the Blue Zone diet then they'd live even longer. He's seeing that 90 to 110 should be the norm.

Trying reading one or two of the testimonials. Each and every one of them is genuinely amazing. Tonight I was reading about this guy who weighed twice what I weigh and now weighs ten less pounds than me with a waist size 1 1/2" to 2" less than mine. Makes me want to modify my diet to be much closer to what Dr. Fuhrman proscribes. He just makes 100% sense at every turn.

Vinny

Every diet has studies that back it. I just went and read some of the testimonials on his website, they are completely indistinct from any other diet's testimonials. I'm not saying that studying diet or any specific diet is bad; you just have to find what works for you. The fact that so many different diets have rabid supporters and success stories is a big hint.

Three responses.

1) One might be able to analogize the diet discussion to a religion discussion. And, one may maintain that one has the truth or the most truth in it similar to the way a Christian would cite Christianity is the only true way because it embodies God's Word, it's the only religion whose head (Jesus) died, came back to life and did not die again, is based strictly on historical events, that the Bible states that Christ IS the ONLY way for Salvation.

2) Do these other diet testimonials besides citing weight loss also cite curing of medical issues?

3) Dr. Fuhrman takes head on all the other diets. He is not afraid to name them and in his usual rigorous style cites the scientific studies that either point out their deficiencies or lack of efficacies or both. Do proponents of other diets similarly cite scientific studies how the competing diets are wrong?

Vinny

2)

yankees60 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 7:30 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:03 am Every diet has studies that back it. I just went and read some of the testimonials on his website, they are completely indistinct from any other diet's testimonials. I'm not saying that studying diet or any specific diet is bad; you just have to find what works for you. The fact that so many different diets have rabid supporters and success stories is a big hint.

2) Do these other diet testimonials besides citing weight loss also cite curing of medical issues?

Sure. Keto diets have been used for a long time to treat epilepsy. Jordan Peterson's daughter is well-known for using a carnivore diet to treat some kind of autoimmune disorder. People commonly say they don't need to use insulin on low carb diets. The British Navy eating limes to cure scurvy. American POWs in Vietnam eating whatever they could catch to cure beriberi. I don't have time to read through diet testimonials, but I'm going to guess you'd find stuff like that for pretty much every one. The other thing that is obvious is that simply losing weight and becoming a non-fatass cures a lot of issues that are brought on by being fat.

3) Dr. Fuhrman takes head on all the other diets.

I'm sure he does, that's Marketing 101.

He is not afraid to name them and in his usual rigorous style cites the scientific studies that either point out their deficiencies or lack of efficacies or both. Do proponents of other diets similarly cite scientific studies how the competing diets are wrong?

Yup, surely you've seen people do that?

I'm silently pondering which is a better way to end my days on this earth:

1. Eat and drink mostly everything in moderation and die of a heart attack at age 80 (yes, beer, bacon, ice cream and cookies are tasty), or

2. Go on some sort of a wacko 'tasty things restricted' diet (that changes like the seasons depending on who needs cash from selling a new book) and possibly live to 90 or 100 with my last decade or two with Alzheimer's, not knowing who I am when I peer into a mirror gazing at some dude with a Charles Atlas (that dates me ) body with a chinched in belt holding a glass of cabbage juice and munching on a lettuce leaf.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.