Episode #203: Why Fiber Is Bad

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Aug 8, 2012 free podcast: Why Fiber Is Bad. Also: electrolyte intake and your sweat, how to heal an ankle injury quickly, changing the consistency of your stool, ways to exercise in an airport, how often should you eat, are Lion Heart Supplements good, healthy ways to flavour drinking water, why certain oils are dangerous, and learning to feel hungry during a race.

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News Flashes:

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• Interesting that in last month's "Lo Fat vs. Lo Carb" diet debate, nobody mentioned Lo Carb had nearly 0 fruits/veggies-all fiber fed from "Metamucil". Weird.
• Ketogenic diet doesn't affect your strength… if you're doing really short stuff.
• Alcohol decreases post-workout recovery? Sure, if you have 4-6 drinks.

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Listener Q&A:

As compiled and read by Brock, the Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast "sidekick".

Audio Question from Paul: He just raced Vineman. He knows that you, Ben, have been racing without electrolytes. Do you think that when you are not taking in electrolytes during the race that you will not be secreting salt like everyone else?

Audio Question from Alberto: 8 weeks ago he sprained his ankle badly. Has a tear, bone concussion and some strained ligaments. Started swimming and riding last week but still can't run and… he is doing Kona! He needs to recover fast!

~ In my response to Alberto, I recommend: Phenocane, Capraflex, and Aqua Jogging. Also take a look at the injury recovery section of Everything I Have Ever Recommended.

Audio Question from Ben: Digestion and elimination. He is a martial artist and a weight lifter. Was a high carb paleo isn't anymore. Has incorporated grains, sprouts, etc… His morning bowel movements are explosive (it isn't diarrhea but the urge to go comes on quickly and there is a feeling of he'd be in trouble if he weren't at home) and make a pile vs. a log. He usually poops one more time in the afternoon around 3-4pm. Has heard logs are better than piles. Wants to know how to firm up his stool. He has no problems like stomach aches, gas, loud stomach, etc. He feels fine all the time! He thinks he does all the so-called "right things" and yet still is having poorly formed poo! PS: He has never eaten breakfast. He eats lunch and dinner so he gets all his calories in two meals (about 3000 calories daily).

~ In my response, I mention this Bristol stool scale, eliminating FODMAPS as much as possible, and also the book: "Fiber Menace". Brock mentions Scientific American's Fiber Boosts Bowel Beneficial Bacteria.

Horacio writes: Hi Ben, odd question coming: I happen to travel on planes very frequently so I spend a lot of hours in airports and there are no gyms there (perhaps a biz opportunity?). What good workouts can be done when I have a good 2-3 hours of waiting for my next flight? (while avoiding being deported for public disorder).

~ In my response to Horatio, I recommend www.airportgyms.com and the MostFit Suspension Strap. I also mention any of my 10 minute workouts and PEAR.

Anderson asks: I was listening to some old episodes and I remember that you said in one of them that we have to eat every 1.5 - 3 hours to have the "thermogenic effect" of food. But on the Fat Loss Secrets Seminar you said we don't need to have a lot of snacks, elevate the blood sugar all the time, there's no evidence of benefits of this practice. So, how many meals should I eat? I don't know if that changes something but I have skinny genetics and want to gain muscle. Of course I know I need to lift some weights.

~ In my response, I mention the article Snacking Will NOT “Boost Your Metabolism”.

Giles says: I have found an online health supplement company here in the UK, Lion Heart Supplements, and wanted to get your take on the "super smoothie mix" the guy is touting. The reviews for it are great and plenty of, pardon the terminology, tree hugger types seem to rave about it. Could I ask your opinion of whether this could be a good product to include in my diet.

Bert asks: Your comments on diet soda have me motivated to drop my litre to two litre a day habit... don't think I can go straight to water. I have seen a few of these new "water additives" like Mio. Let me add this variable: I need the solution to be easy. If it isn't easy, I most likely won't make the lifestyle transition; which sounds odd as I used to weight 310 lbs and could not walk to the end of the street but am now a 3:20 marathon runner. The key for me was that I made one "easy" change at a time.

Cameron asks: You answered a question a while ago about other fats that would be good to include in her diet by discussing the smoke point, saturation level and propensity for oxidation during cooking and/or for colder uses. One thing struck me though. You said to avoid fats that are "completely unsaturated" and "don't have any of the hydrogens" like canola, corn and sunflower oil. My understanding is that these fatty acids have omega 3's, 6's, 9's but no more than three double bonds per fatty acid. That means that all of the rest of the hydrogens (26 out of 30) are still there. Considering that, when I look at the composition of fatty acids in canola, safflower and sunflower the composition of specific monounsaturated fatty acids are different but not substantially. Is it possible that for cold applications each of these oils are perfectly fine?

~ In my response I mention these videos:

How canola oil is made:

How butter is made

Emily asks:I was wondering if you were familiar with "healing touch". I have heard there has been some research but I'm not sure how legitimate the studies are. Also, I struggle with eating enough during long runs, marathons or longer. I typically don't eat gels during training and try to supplement during races. They don't upset my stomach I just don't like eating while running. Have any recommendations on liquids or mental techniques to push myself to eat enough. I've noticed that I do sometimes get irritable towards the end of long runs, which I've heard you mention can be a sign of low blood sugar.

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