Hormetic Stress (ie. fasting, cold, intense exercise) and the limbic brain / Getting Stronger
Hi Ted,
The key fat loss recommendation in this latest article, as well as the previous one (“Obesity starts in the brain”) to apply hormetic stress. Intermittent fasting, high intensity exercise (not slow aerobics), and cold showers will lower basal insulin, increase BDNF in the brain, stimulate norepinephrine and alter fat metabolism. A secondary recommendation is to minimize (not necessarily avoid) foods that contain compounds known to inflame the hypothalamus — principally high levels of fructose and sucrose, or palmitic acid (found in meat and dairy that is grain-fed rather than grass fed). You can also add anti-inflammatory oils (fish oil, coconut oil) and anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals (vitamin D, magnesium, zinc) to your diet.
The above recommendations concern direct modification of hypothalamic function. The second main point I made in the article is that regulation of body fat (and other drives) can be changed via “deconditioning” of behavioral responses to cues that are coded in the amygdala. The most specific advice I can provide is given in my article on the Deconditioning Diet (http://bit.ly/x2EvOh). In short: (1) cut back on carbohydrates and cut out snacks (2) use cue-exposure therapy to extinguish your conditioned cravings; (3) cut out occasional meals and attempt intermittent fasts of 12-20 hours.
Changes to the hypothalamus typically take weeks to months, so don’t expect an immediate benefit. On the positive side, the resulting adaptations are typically quite robust and sustainable.
Hope that helps give you a more specific idea of how to apply these ideas.
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