In this episode we discuss:  

• Ray Peat’s ideas about fasting and the stress response
• Why relying on fatty acid oxidation is inherently stressful

 

Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide

The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/

Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – intro 

1:03 – Ray Peat’s view on fasting for 12–15 hours without triggering stress 

4:22 – the true definition of stress and how much stress is optimal 

9:18 – how the efficiency of glucose metabolism and glycogen storage impacts stress 

12:23 – whether we agree that fasting for 12–15 hours doesn’t cause stress in healthy people 

17:05 – do hunger signals mean the stress response has already started? 

21:08 – the short- and long-term costs of low carb diets 

22:22 – finding balance between eating frequently to reduce stress and spacing meals out strategically 

24:47 – why meditation, magnesium, and other tools don’t stop physiological stress 

27:04 – Ray Peat on what happens when stored glucose (glycogen) runs out 

28:53 – hypothyroidism as a driver of poor glucose utilization and liver glycogen storage 

31:50 – stress hormones and elevated fatty acid metabolism characterize the stress response 

34:50 – ketosis mimics starvation and lowers the metabolic rate 

36:50 – sugar is anti-stress and whether sugar is addictive 

41:46 – once you add in carbs you won’t go back 

44:12 – how your body adapts when you add in carbs following low-carb diets 

48:30 – Ray Peat on the harmful effects of fasting 

50:14 – the cost of stress and increased fat metabolism 

52:06 – the dangers of releasing PUFA from storage and how long it takes to deplete PUFA 

55:11 – strategies for protecting against PUFA 

1:01:50 – how long it takes to see benefits from lowering PUFA and setting expectations for progress 

1:06:00 – binge-eating and food addiction resolved with a bioenergetic approach 

1:10:48 – how low-carb and keto diets cause intense cravings and food obsession while a bioenergetic approach resolves them