Menopause, Weight Loss, and Fruit


THE PAUSE BLOG

MESO FRUIT

“Hey Doc, I’ve got the Meso-Menu down: two thumbs of GodMade fats, a palm-sized (women) to a hand-sized (men) serving of clean animal protein, and a large handful of high-fiber, low-glycemic vegetables. So, when can we add fruit to the menu, and are certain fruits better than others?”

YES & YES!

INTRODUCTION SUMMARY

For those who don’t have time to read the entire course.

After sticking to the Meso-Menu for the first month, you can add fruit in the second month. The fruit you add must have a low glycemic load value, and you must test one fruit at a time.

There are several ways to test the Meso-Fruit.

  1. Replace the vegetable serving with one serving of Meso-Fruit from the list below.
  2. If you suffer from the four o'clock hunger pang, add a serving of Meso-Fruit.
  3. If you don’t sleep as well as you would like, end your day with a serving of Meso-Fruit from the list below.

I define Meso-Fruit as a serving of fruit that has a low glycemic load.

GLYCEMIC LOAD

"Glycemic load (GL) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar."

Doc Mac

MESO-MENU

Developing your permanent Meso-Menu is all about experimentation.

As you have probably learned, not all vegetables on The Meso-Vegetable List work. What I mean by “work” is that a vegetable on the list might have stalled your weight loss and, in some cases, even caused weight gain.

Recall that the primary purpose of Meso-Menu is to lose your excess stored fat and maintain muscle.

“If your food elevates blood sugar, insulin will be released. Elevated insulin places you into a fat-storing state. If we keep insulin from being released, glucagon will be released, and you will use your excess fat for fuel.”

The First Phase of the Meso-Menu is comprised of three food groups that...

  1. Build muscle (protein)
  2. Improve our microbiomes (vegetables).
  3. Induce ketosis (fat)

We have been eating clean animal protein, high-fiber vegetables, and God-made fats to become better and better, slenderer and slenderer, healthier and healthier.

  • Clean animal proteins have a zero glycemic load.
  • God-made fats have zero glycemic load.
  • High-fiber vegetables have low glycemic loads.

Doc Mac

MESO FRUIT

“I define a meso-fruit as a fruit with a low Glycemic Load Value, therefore, not causing a blood sugar spike.”

GLYCEMIC LOAD

Here are some general guidelines for GL:

  • Low: 10 or less
  • Medium: 11 to 19
  • High: 20 or higher

For example, a large ripe banana has a GL of 22.

MESO-FRUIT TESTING

If you test one of the meso-fruits and your weight loss stalls or you gain weight,

  • Insulin was released.
  • The Meso-Fruit caused an inflammatory response.

Test only one fruit in a 48-hour window.

The first time you test a fruit only eat three bites. If you continue to lose weight, test six bites after waiting 48 hours. If you continue to lose weight, that fruit is on your permanent Meso Menu.

Six bites of any fruit should be the limit. The size of your bites should be typical.

I have you titrate your bites to build up the bacteria in your gut that digests that particular fruit.

SENSITIVITIES

"I define sensitivity to a food as a food that causes an inflammatory response."

Doc Mac

An inflammatory response, or inflammation, is the body's defense mechanism against harmful substances. The body releases chemicals that trigger an immune response to destroy and rid the body of the harmful substance.

"When I write about your gut, I am writing about the bacteria in your gut and the permeability of your gut’s lining."

Doc Mac

You'll bloat if you don’t have the proper bacteria to digest your fruit. Bloating can stall weight loss or even cause weight gain. Consuming a little fruit and letting the bacteria flourish before you add more can improve your gut and ability to eat fruit without causing an inflammatory response.

I have found that some women struggle with fruit and weight loss. Most men do not have any problem with fruit.

“Whereas premenopausal women can store excess energy from fructose as subcutaneous fat stores (i.e., hips and thighs), postmenopausal women can't -- ending with more fatty acids in the bloodstream and metabolic issues [like high triglyceride levels and insulin resistance] as a result.”

Feisty Menopause

“One study found that women are more likely to experience symptoms and have more fructose malabsorption than men.”

National Library of Medicine

“Eventually, people who consume too much fructose can develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which too much fat is stored in the liver cells.”

Penn Medicine

Fructose, also known as "fruit sugar," is a monosaccharide sugar that occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, honey, and fruit juices. It's the sweetest naturally occurring carbohydrate, 1.2–1.8 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), and provides four calories per gram.

WHEN TO ADD MESO-FRUIT TO YOUR MESO-MENU

So…when do you start adding meso fruit to the Meso-Menu?

“Once you have been on the Meso Menu for one month, you may experiment with one Meso-Fruit weekly.”

THE FIRST FRUIT TO TEST: AVOCADO

“The avocado's glycemic load (GL) is 0.9, classifying it as a very low-GL fruit.”

The first fruit we will test is avocado. Yes! Avocados are fruits.

I will not get into the definition of a fruit too deeply because that will only confuse you, but the basic definition is that it is an ovary from a flowering plant.

You see, you're confused?

Avocados contain some of the healthiest God-made fats of any food.

Avocados would be first on my list if there were truly a superfood. Their fat is unsaturated, which helps lower cholesterol.

The Haas avocado is dark green and has nubby skin. It grows year-round in California.

The Florida avocado has smooth, bright green skin. It contains about half the fat and a third fewer calories than Haas avocados.

“Remember, healthy, God-made fats don’t make you fat. They cause you to lose weight more quickly.”

Avocados and their oil can help you lose weight faster, but limit the quantity to about a third of an avocado.

Avocados begin to ripen immediately after they have been harvested.

"Avocado Hack: To speed up the ripening process, place an avocado in a paper bag with an apple or banana for two to three days."

Avocados are ready to eat when the stem comes out easily.

Eat slices of avocado; they are calorically dense.

One serving (about one-third of a medium Haas avocado) provides about 80 calories and nearly 20 different nutrients, many considered heart-healthy, including unsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin K, vitamin E, and potassium.

Mac Recipe: Scoop the flesh of an avocado into a bowl and mash with a fork; add a teaspoon of fresh lime or lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I like to place a serving (one-third) of this smashed avocado on my scrambled eggs or any food enhanced by its flavor.

THE SECOND FRUIT TO TEST: OLIVES

“Olives have a glycemic load (GL) of 0.9, making them a low-GL fruit.”
"Olives are very high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants. Studies show that they are good for the heart and may protect against osteoporosis and cancer. The healthy fats in olives are extracted to produce olive oil, one of the key components of the incredibly healthy Mediterranean diet."

Healthline

THE THIRD FRUIT TO TEST: APPLES

“A medium-sized raw apple has a GL of around 5, so it's unlikely to cause a significant spike in blood sugar levels for most people.”

Whenever you have a sweet craving or if you hit that mid-afternoon hunger pang, my go-to hunger reliever is an apple.

As you probably read in an earlier course, snacking is one of the reasons Americans are overweight. I do not endorse snacking. But many of us feel tired and hungry around 4 PM. If we don’t satiate this hunger, our work suffers, and we have a greater chance of overeating dinner.

Remember to test with three bites of an apple the first time you test.

A grass-fed beef stick best quells this mid-afternoon hunger strike, but apples work very well for most of us. I currently have two clients who are very sensitive to apples and will bloat if they eat one, so as you can see, apples do not work for everyone.

THE FOURTH FRUIT TO TEST: BERRIES

  • The glycemic load of strawberries is 1.9
  • The glycemic load of blueberries is 2.0.
  • The glycemic load of blackberries is 2.5
  • The glycemic load of raspberries is 2.7.

.As you can see, berries have a very low glycemic load.

"Berries are considered one of the healthiest foods you can eat. They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, and prebiotics. Berries are also low in sugar and can help reduce the risk of many age-related conditions."

Harvard Public School of Health

Regarding berries, watch your portion size; a cup or less works well.

THE FIFTH FRUIT TO TEST: CITRUS

  • The glycemic load of a lemon is 0.6
  • The glycemic load of a grapefruit is 1.2.
  • The glycemic load of a tangerine is 3.9
  • The glycemic load of an orange is 4.1

Yes, citrus fruits are healthy and can have many benefits:

Citrus fruits have large amounts of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant that helps protect against free radical damage. Vitamin C is also important for collagen synthesis, which helps keep bones, ligaments, tendons, skin, blood vessels, and teeth strong.

Citrus fruits have a decent amount of fiber.

Soluble fiber can help reduce LDL, or "bad" cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of heart disease.

Citrus fruits have a large amount of flavonoids (God's Medicine)

Flavonoids protect against oxidative stress, inflammation, diabetes, dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis.

Citrus fruits also have a decent amount of Minerals

Citrus fruits also help us stay hydrated. Citrus fruits are mostly water, which can help keep you hydrated

OTHER MESO FRUITS

Apricot 3.8 GL

Quince 3.8 GL

Cherry Plum 0.0 GL

Cherry 4.0 GL

Pear 4.7 GL

Nectarine 4.1 GL

Prickly Pear 3.4 GL

Peach 4.0 GL

Passion Fruit 4.0 GL

Plum 3.9 GL

Currants 1.9 GL

When it comes to fruit, chew it longer than you usually would. Decreasing the quantity and increasing the time you take to eat it is essential when adding it to your Meso-Menu.

And remember,

IT'S ALL ABOUT OUR HORMONES!

"We are nothing more than reflections of our hormones."

​BE COACHED FOR FREE!

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THIS WEEK'S US-IE

Vicky and I have been in Florida this week, enjoying our oldest son's family and our three oldest grandchildren. But we always find time for us. Oh, by the way, we always visit this waterfront restaurant (Frescos) when here. I love their Grouper.

☀️ Doc

© 2024 | Doc Mac Coaching

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Hi! I'm Doc Mac.

I have practiced hormone, weight, health, and mind optimization for over forty-three years. As we age and or become chronically inflamed, our hormones become disrupted, making us feel out of sync, overweight, sickly, and negative. Our internal chemistry, our hormones, governs the way we feel and look. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter on how to optimize our lives by optimizing our hormones.

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