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- Glycation Damage - Carbohydrates (any type) become blood glucose - elevated blood glucose increases glycation damage throughout the body
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- Randle Cycle - Every cell in the body (except blood, and 5% of the brain) has the ability to metabolize Fat or Glucose. The Randle Cycle (misnamed, not a cycle) informs us of the cross inhibition of the opposite metabolic pathway. In a high fat, and high glucose environment cells will oscillate between Fat and Glucose metabolism, starving a bit, but more importantly the glucose just sitting inside the cell not being metabolized will glycate the cell, increasing damage and inflammation through-out the body. If the body is only using glucose or only using fat, then the inflammation from the Randle Cycle (not a cycle) will go down
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- Seed Oils - Seed oils bind to many of the cholesterol receptors in the body, basically attacking systematically all the necessary cholesterol pathways in the body, increasing inflammation and reducing the effectiveness of cholesterol signaling (thus incerasing insulin resistance).
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- Food Toxins - Plant based foods have almost all of the natural toxins in the food supply, and can also be covered in pesticides. The effect of these toxins is poorly understood, but generally can cause inflammation, auto-immune issues, and bowl issue. Many people tolerant some plant foods well, so this effect is more hit or miss.
Keto works because of 1, and 2, reducing glycation damage and reducing inflammation. Insulin signaling becomes more effective, and insulin levels decrease.
Carnivore works because of 1, 2, 3, and 4 - Even greater reduction in inflammation, healthier cholesterol function, reduced food toxins.
It's true that the body prioritizes burning glucose before fat. That does not mean glucose is the preferred fuel, just that its more dangerous and needs to be removed. If that argument works for preference, then humans have a alcohol based metabolism - because when there is elevated blood alcohol levels that is burned off first, even before glucose.