Re: [fast5] Day 5

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Re: [fast5] Day 5

Yes, eggs are magic! Actually I've been reading about eggs for awhile now, and the more I learn, the more amazing they are. There are specific compounds in eggs that make you more alert (orexin) and cut appetite (methionine), as well as fats that are good for your skin and brain cells. And the minerals you need too. Orexin also changes how glucose effects the brain, so it offsets some of what happens when glucose rises in the body after a meal.

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Firing rate

Previously, researchers have shown that orexin neurons can be inhibited by glucose, but it was not known how sensitive they were. Burdakov's team exposed orexin neurons to subtle changes in glucose levels similar to those that occur in the blood during daily cycles of eating and hunger, then measured their firing rate.

"What we discovered is the activity of the neurons can be turned off by minute elevations in glucose associated with normal meals," says Burdakov. The glucose is thought to act on potassium ion channels in the neurons' membrane.

He believes this could explain why we naturally feel sleepy after a meal and also why it can be difficult to sleep when we are hungry, since the activity of the neurons would be higher when there is less glucose in the blood.

"We think orexin neurons make sure that we are awake and alert when hungry, in order to ensure optimal food-seeking," Burdakov says. He adds that it makes evolutionary sense for animals to turn off their wakefulness and conserve energy once they have eaten their food, since it could be risky or wasteful to expend too much energy looking for more food.

Obesity trigger

Changes in the sensitivity of orexin neurons to glucose could lead to obesity, Burdakov speculates.

Orexin neurons are known to help regulate appetite and metabolic rate, and when they become faulty this can trigger late-onset obesity. Researchers are currently trying to understand exactly how orexin neurons interact with other brain circuits involved in appetite regulation.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9272-why-we-need-a-siesta-after-dinner.html

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They are selling an orexin supplement now, but shoot, why not just have an omelet?

I actually think that the advice "Don't eat more than 2 eggs a week" might have been a major contributor to the obesity epidemic.

Esp. since most of the snack foods don't contain eggs anymore ... homemade cookies and desserts usually had eggs in them, but commercial ones don't (eggs cost more and aren't good for shelf-life) .... commercial baked goods are just not filling and so easy to over-eat. For my family, I make a point of always having lots of eggs in breads, cookies, and desserts. And although they do love those items, they don't get fat from them. My husband, 57, has perfect blood pressure, hair not grey, nice skin, and can still shovel loads of heavy gravel. My kids are in good shape too.

On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 6:53 PM, fionulavic <murgyman@telus.net> wrote:

Hi all! I've been lurking for a while, reading all I can, and trying to get the courage up to leap in. Well, on Oct 19 I finally did. And this is *easy*!!! Breaking the continuous snacking habit is probably the hardest part (for me) but I've been trying to distract myself by organizing the house. I've been working on the basement for the past 2 days and the moment I found the furnace was a proud one! (I always kind of knew where it was - I just hadn't seen it for months...) Anyway, I digress.

Thank you, Heather, for your advice to eat eggs to stave off hunger. I usually start my eating window (which is approx. 1-6pm - I hate to go to bed with a full stomach) with a big omlette and then have to remember to eat something else before my window closes. I've spent the past 10 years on and off of Atkins and while there's a lot of good things about that diet, I *never* forgot to eat...!

I forgot to record my start weight (or measurements, for that matter) which I deeply regret but it's too late now. Perhaps I'll just carry on for a month or so and see how my clothes fit.

I look forward to some lively discussions and hope we'll all post a bit more often now that winter's here.

Thanks Bert, for making your book available to everyone.

Mary in Northern BC