Dr. Peter, a pediatric dentist and the owner of VK Pediatric Dentistry in Arlington, VA provides some knowledge on how a low carb ketogenic diet can influence and affect your oral health. Dr. Peter specializes in kids dentistry and is a type 1 diabetic who follows the ketogenic diet to maintain control over his blood sugars.
 
Where Cavities Come From:
The etiology of dental cavities is multifactorial. Streptococcus mutans, a bacteria found in plaque and dental biofilm and the main cavity causing bacteria, is largely considered to be cariogenic through 4 separate mechanisms:

1. Adhesion Implantation
2. Competitive Colonization
3. Metabolic Activity with the Influence of Food Residue
4. Thickness of Plaque

 
The Pros to Low Carb:
Although there are many factors out of our control that can all contribute to oral health, including genetics, race, age, saliva flow and composition, a factor we can control that influences all of the mechanisms above is our diet. Food residues, mainly carbohydrates, have cavity promoting characteristics that promote acid accumulation as a biproduct in bacterial plaque. When there is a restriction of carbs in a diet, it limits an essential factor in the development of cavities. Two Studies, Vipeholm in 1954 and Sreebny in 1982, concluded that very low intakes of sugar resulted in very low cavity scores (and those with high sugar resulted in correspondingly high cavity scores). Furthermore, Carlson and Egelberg found the plaque formation with sucrose was much heavier and thicker than with glucose.
Recently in 2016, researchers in Germany found a reduction in gingival and periodontal inflammation with carbohydrate restricted diets.
 
So this all sounds good, are there negatives?
One of the most common negative effects ketogenic dieters may experience is halitosis, or bad breath. One of the ketones produced during low carb diets is acetone, which cannot be used for energy and is released through the lungs and urine. Acetone can cause an oral odor. Although some that are ‘keto-adapted’ may find the halitosis subside over time, drinking plenty of water, chewing sugarless gum with xylitol, and proper oral hygiene may mask the bad breath. And if that fails, keep wearing your mask!

​To read more from Dr. Peter, go here.

Doctors who treat their obese and/or diabetic patients with low carb diets are few are far between. There is ample evidence that, at least compared to low fat diets in randomized trials, low carb diets are superior. And for diabetes treatment, it is a no brainer. Lets celebrate those doctors with some gift ideas that would make them smile. Here are 5 amazing gift ideas for doctors.

Pheocoffee.com offers lots of low carb friendly gifts in the form of coffee and merchandise. These T-Shirts are perfect for the low carb doctor that enjoys coffee a little too much. 

Keeping low carb with all meals can be challenging. Luckily with instant pot, you can make spectacular meals in 20-30 minutes.

Norepi is the short hand name for norepinephrine, which is a drug used by doctors all over the world in the intensive care unit to increase blood pressure. Norepi coffee on the other hand will increase the doctor's alertness with its delicious, fruity flavor. 

These are a must for any serious chef in the low carb kitchen. Can sautee and then stick it in the oven!

With the Pheo Coffee pour over box, all the tools you need are included to make the perfect cup of coffee, just add water. This would make a great gift for a doctor who is using a drip coffee maker and needs an upgrade!

Hello.

Have not updated the blog in the long time. I have been very busy with residency and other side projects. Happy to say data is still coming in and we hold our place as one of the largest weight loss registries in the world.

I have decided to start a coffee company that helps fund medical care in the developing world. If you are interested in coffee, you should buy some!

“The powers of a man’s mind are directly proportional to the quantity of coffee he drank.” - Sir James MacKintosh

And just like that, there is a coffee company. I am excited to announce that Pheo Coffee is open for business. While there are many coffee companies in the world, we believe we are different in a few very unique ways.

Mission
Our mission is to provide the highest quality coffee beans to your doorstep a few days after it is roasted and use a portion of the proceeds to help fund medical care around the world. Coffee is addictive, delicate, delicious and widely consumed which offers the opportunity to raise a lot of money for people who need it.

We partner with Watsi, which is essentially a kickstarter for people’s medical care. With each mug or coffee purchase, a portion of the revenue will go directly to fund a person’s healthcare. Each bag of coffee you receive will have a photo and basic story of the person your coffee helped. See who our coffee has funded so far.

Medical theme
We use apothecary styled labeling and design, and each bag tells one of medicine’s greatest discoveries. Our first blend is called ‘Norepi,’ a shorthand name of norepinephrine, which is one of the hormones your adrenal gland secretes. Our Norepi blend tells the story of Dr Oliver, one of the first physicians who discovered that our adrenal glands secreted these strange hormones. People who have a condition known as a Pheochromocytoma (‘pheo’ for short), can secrete too much of this norepinephrine causing them to have symptoms that can mimic what you may experience after having a few cups of coffee - tremor, fast heart rate, etc. We currently have one coffee, a single origin Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. It is somewhat tea-like, with fruity aromas and tasting notes that we think is special enough to be our first offering.

Our Coffee
We initially planned to roast all our own beans on an iron skillet. While this certainly has charm, after over 100 attempts the quality control and the taste wasn’t what I was looking for. Therefore we recently partnered with a local roaster. The beans are now amazingly delicious and can be roasting much more efficiently and effectively.

So what are you waiting for, go here and buy some coffee! Or a mug.
​
- Dr Larry

My wife was low-carb last year when my step-daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease.  That made the house gluten-free and for the most part started me down a low-carb diet change.  My wife & I gravitated to a Paleo/Ancestral "diet", which became a lifestyle.   We also started working out with weights, then moved to Kettlebells (namely the Skogg System) and more recently the TRX suspension training as well.

We do do "cheats" on occasion,   and it is remarkable what havoc the 'carbage' (mostly grains) wreaks on our systems for the next few days.   For me this is not an 'end'  but more of a beginning, or at least a stop along the way.

CHALLENGES: 
giving up Pizza, Bagels, Pasta and Beer

ADVICE: 
Just TRY It!   even if for only 2 or 3 weeks,   you WILL feel a difference.   

I was a shocking 360 pounds, I had diverticulitis, knee pains, and was constantly low energy with poor sleeping habits and bad health.  I also had some nervous ticks like hitting my legs just above the knee for whatever reason (I'm thinking leaky gut).  

After shifting to a paleo diet (yes, I go off the rails about once a month) it's just gone.  I'm now down to 255, I sleep well, I lift weights and exercise, I no longer have knee pain or neurological oddities.  I am less anxious, and my diverticulitis is gone.  My knee pain vanished and now I have a standing desk. I'm migrating into doing a lot of personal training and paleo guidance on the side and a lot of my friends and family have seen a huge improvement as well.  

CHALLENGES: 
The biggest challenge is finding time to think ahead about meals, and learning to eat on the fly when you can't do that. It takes a while to learn where you can and cannot easily eat and to learn to choose foods that are good for you. 

ADVICE: 
Do not let perfection stand in your way.  If you can only get cheap cuts of supermarket meats and frozen veggies then do that.  If you can't live without a diet soda in the morning then go nuts.  Taking that first big step away from gluten and tons of sugar is the best thing you can do for yourself and even if you're diet isn't "paleo perfect" you are doing better than 95% of the people out there eating a SAD.

​I am 59 years old and started the paleo diet 2 months ago in order to control the symptoms of my ulcerative proctitis and, hopefully, reduce or come off altogether the immunosuppressant drug I am on. The diet I am following is loosely related to what I think is called the autoimmune protocol. I say 'loosely' because I found it just too restrictive, especially when eating out or at friends' houses. It excludes all the nightshade vegetables - chilis, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplant as well as potatoes; eggs and nuts. Except for potatoes, I've eaten all the other foods on occasion. I am by no means cured of my condition, but (I'll spare the details!) the symptoms are markedly reduced. I remain hopeful that my symptoms will continue to improve. 

Another great benefit has been a drop in my blood pressure. I was diagnosed as high normal,and it is now down considerably. 

It took me a few weeks to get used to the diet - I felt lacking in energy for a while, and my head was foggy. Now I just feel great - I can barely sit still to write this! I want to move all the time. I've also discovered CrossFit and have noticed a remarkable increase in strength and mobility in just the 3 weeks I've been doing it. 

I wish I had discovered this lifestyle decades ago.

CHALLENGES: 
Explaining ot others what I was doing. Many of my friends and family are health professionals (as was I) and they think it's largely madness to stop grains and dairy. They worry about where I'm getting fibre, calcium and B vitamins

ADVICE: 
I wholeheartedly recommend a paleo diet. When I explain my choices to others, I refer to the peer-reviewed research about anti-nutrients in grains and their role in preventing the uptake of vitmins and minerals. Most are not familiar with this research and so tend to drop the subject.

Our founder, Dr. Larry Istrail, gave the Internal Medicine Grand Rounds lecture at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Northern Virginia presenting data from AWLR. The talk itself is only about 35 minutes, followed by a 20 minute Q and A which is definitely worth listening to.

Enjoy! 

Click here for video link.

I had been hearing more and more about the paleo diet over the course of 2011. In August I finally started researching it and was struck by the sheer simplicity of it and its logical, fact-based criteria. After seeing a number of friends shilling out wonder supplements and fat loss pills in weird pyramid schemes, the fact that the paleo diet didn't have a corporate overlord or someone at the top profiting off of materials, menus, processed food products, etc. was highly appealing. It didn't feel like another gimmick.

So I gave it a go, and immediately felt fantastic. I lost 18 lbs within just a couple months, and while my weight loss has slowed since then, I'm still losing inches as I continue to work out and lift weights. I'm the same weight I was when I lost weight on a conventional low calorie diet a couple years ago, but I'm actually a clothing size smaller than I was then. In fact, I'm the smallest size I've ever been as an adult! I have increased energy, I don't have that afternoon crash at my desk, my hunger and/or cravings aren't overpowering my thoughts, and I am truly passionate about what I eat and put into my body. I know more now about how my body functions than I ever did in school, and I read up on it constantly. Not only that, but I have regained my passion for cooking. It's now a creative form of expression, a love for food and produce, rather than just a chore of "making dinner."

​My fiance has more or less adopted this lifestyle as well. He doesn't really need to lose weight as he trains and coaches Brazilian jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts several days a week, but he has noticed a dramatic increase in muscle mass. It's not uncommon for him to walk into the room, topless and flexing. I've read several great books on paleo and primal living, as well as the advantages of eliminating harmful substances like wheat from my diet. I read multiple blogs every day, covering topics from how my body absorbs Vitamin D to how to cook a sensational pork roast. I love it all and love sharing what I've learned. My results have inspired others and I've encouraged many people near and dear (and even some I don't know that well) to look into the paleo diet. I actually have to hold myself back for fear of preaching and evangelizing something I value so highly. It has impacted my life that positively, and I'm so looking forward to continuing my paleo lifestyle and what the future holds. I initially had a "lose 30 before I turn 30" goal in mind. Since I've almost accomplished that with 5 months yet to go, I'm setting my sights higher. Bikini by the time my honeymoon rolls around in September? My fridge full of meats and veggies, my pantry stocked with coconut oil, olives and nuts, my kettlebells, my pullup bar, and my coach of a fiance all say yes, it's possible.

CHALLENGES:
Going out to eat has been the biggest challenge. While I can usually find something to eat on a restaurant's menu, it's depressing if the only option is another salad with a protein added. Salads bore me, and I get frustrated when there are so many menus that offer such limited fare that isn't loaded with grains or sugars. That's when it's easier to stay home and whip up something as delicious and much healthier. Also, I work for a wonderful craft brewery, so giving up beer has been near impossible. I did it for a month as a challenge, and my consumption has declined dramatically, but giving it up entirely isn't in the cards just yet.

ADVICE:
All the information you need is free and online. Some quick Google searches will show you how to do it, what groceries to buy, and how to cook so many amazing recipes you'll swear you're a healthier Julia Child. Once you read about how bad grains (especially wheat) and sugars are for you, you'll never look at something like a doughnut the same again. Once you start eating and living paleo, that doughnut will never hold the same appeal it once did. And if you give in to that doughnut, how you feel afterward is a huge indication as to how bad it is for you! Reading people's success stories is another huge source of inspiration if you're ever feeling like you can't quite do it. Use their stories to fuel your own!

I am a Natural Chef with an emphasis on paleo cooking and eating for health. I attended culinary school at Bauman College, a holistic nutrition and culinary arts school. I became interested in food and wellbeing through a lifetime of food allergies, intolerances, insecurities, and frustration. When I began to experiment with my food; the types, preparation, source, nutritional quality, etc, I began to fall in love with the creative and loving process of cooking. I've been dairy-free (few exceptions over the years) since 2004 when I finally got sooooo sick from eating ice cream that I was rolling on the ground with stomach pain. I've been gluten-free since 2007 after discovering that I had an intestinal parasite from 9 months prior. I spent months going to doctors and trying to figure out why I couldn't lose weight and why my stomach hurt so much. I figured it out on my own.

I became paleo in April 2010 after a friend suggested I check out Marksdailyapple.com. That same year I decided to become a paleo chef. My digestion was reasonably under control (still figuring out the nuances), I weighed less than I had in high school. I wasn't running everyday and I got lots of sun! I follow a Primal/Paleo diet which includes meat, fish, eggs, very few nuts and seeds, all vegetables,very little fruit, and some tubers. My indulgences within Paleo are dark chocolate, occasional wine, and coffee. I will also enjoy some corn from time to time (1-2x a month) in the form of mexican food. And rice maybe 3-4x a year for sushi. If I'm being strict I omit alcohol and all natural sugars. (dates, honey, coconut sugar, and most fruits).

​Over time I've found myself putting on weight again. I think my fat intake has been much higher than when I started paleo. Also, since I'm a chef, I'm around food all day. So even if I'm paleo-compliant... I'm probably over-feeding myself in a caloric sense.

CHALLENGES:
Social situations. Going hungry or saying no to foods offered at other's houses or at a "questionable" restaurant.

ADVICE:
Don't rely too heavy on nuts or nut-based products. Also coconut and coconut based products. It's too easy to try and replace neolithic foods with paleo alternatives... but at the end of the day the meals should always be very similar. Meats, veggies, and fat.

I hesitated to share my story since before I started The Primal Blueprint (PB), I was already a fairly healthy 22-year-old, so my transformation simply cannot compare to those that have lost weight in the triple digits and literally cured diabetes. However, I decided to write out this story after some encouragement from my friends, and I do believe that my transformation is incredible in its own right: particularly, the results materialized so quickly. I'm writing this after less than 4 months of following PB. Moreover, I don't see many success stories involving my ethnic group, Asians, probably because of the importance of rice in our culture. One of the most common critiques that I hear is "look at all those skinny Asians who gobble down rice." I wanted to show that there exist substantial benefits to toning down the consumption of rice.

My story starts in my senior year of college. After four years of college, I had put on 20 pounds, reaching 160, which was slightly overweight considering my height of 5' 5". Furthermore, the acne that I assumed would disappear with time still persisted from my high school years. You can see me as a college senior. When I graduated, I decided to make my health a priority and threw myself fervently into the Conventional Wisdom (CW) approach. For 5-6 days every week, I would exercise splitting my time about 50-50 between cardio (in the form of running) and strength training (mainly pull-ups, squats, and bench press). As for diet, I ate my whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and upped my fruits and veggies. The results were slow, but over the course of about 3 months, I managed to lose 10 pounds. Suddenly, progress stopped. I stayed the course with this regimen for 2 months, and my weight remained unchanged. In addition, I doubted my ability to sustain this volume of exercise: I constantly felt tired. You can see the results of CW.

Around this time, I stumbled upon Mark's Daily Apple when looking for ways to increase my ankle mobility (I was having trouble squatting low, which I have also since remedied). I began to dig deeper into this concept of "Primal Living," and I found much of it, particularly the bits about insulin and cholesterol, aligned with what I had learned in my college Biochemistry class. Suddenly, I began to look through the lens of evolution, connected the dots, and realized that something has gone awry with how humans interact with our environment. For instance, I discovered that high-carbohydrate diets have been linked to myopia. In terms of evolution, it makes no sense that I was wearing glasses by the time I was 7, and myopia among Asians is the norm. Perhaps, we don't store fat the way Westerners do, but I sincerely doubt our carbohydrate-rich diet is harmless. Frustrated with the CW approach and being young with not much to lose, I figured that I would give PB a try. Rather than ease in to the PB, I dove all-in, dropping grains immediately. When I got the low-carb flu, I doubled down and ate more fat. I had an awful case of the flu that lasted nearly 3 weeks, which indicates that I was very insulin-resistant at the start.

After 6 weeks, I decided to check my progress, and I couldn't believe the results. I had already reached my goal weight of 140! That was my weight back in high school when I played tennis and soccer, but I found myself even leaner then than my former 18-year-old self. I've managed to stay the course, adding in things like organ meats and intermittent fasting (which for me tends to mean simply skipping breakfast), and have made even more progress as you can see. The ease of PB has surprised me the most. Fat tastes delicious, so I eat better-tasting food. I don't go hungry because I simply eat until I'm full instead of counting calories. I work out even less than before: most weeks I lift 3 days and sprint 1 day. If weather permits, on the weekend, I may run 3-4 miles, but this happens maybe only once a month in Boston during the winter. I'd say that the only difficult thing was learning how to cook, but I view it as a fun challenge and a chance to experiment. Furthermore, the 80/20 rule allows me ample chances to deviate without feeling guilty. Like many, I started PB for weight-loss reasons and have discovered other numerous benefits.

​Not only have I lost weight, but also I have gotten stronger as measured by my weight room gains, I recover faster from hard workouts, and my skin is much better as one can see. Most importantly, though, my energy levels are more stable, which has made me more productive at the office. Not being a slave to eating three square meals per day and having too much energy to sit still and watch TV has afforded me the time to do things I enjoy like reading, cooking, and mathematics. All in all, through this experience, I have become convinced that "Primal Living" is the right way to live. If my example can even inspire one person to convert, I'll feel that I have spent my time well writing this.

CHALLENGES:
Learning and taking the time to cook.

ADVICE:
Just try it for 30 days and see what happens.