The Body Fat Setpoint

One pound of human fat contains about 3,500 calories. That represents roughly 40 slices of toast. So if you were to eat one extra slice of toast every day, you would gain just under a pound of fat per month. Conversely, if you were to eat one fewer slice per day, you'd lose a pound a month. Right? Not quite.

How is it that most peoples' body fat mass stays relatively stable over long periods of time, when an imbalance of as little as 5% of calories should lead to rapid changes in weight? Is it because we do complicated calculations in our heads every day, factoring in basal metabolic rate and exercise, to make sure our energy intake precisely matches expenditure? Of course not. We're gifted with a sophisticated system of hormones and brain regions that do the calculations for us unconsciously*.

When it's working properly, this system precisely matches energy intake to expenditure, ensuring a stable and healthy fat mass. It does this by controlling food seeking behaviors, feelings of fullness and even energy expenditure by heat production and physical movements. If you eat a little bit more than usual at a meal, a properly functioning system will say "let's eat a little bit less next time, and also burn some of it off." This is why animals in their natural habitat are nearly always at an appropriate weight, barring starvation. The only time wild animals are overweight enough to compromise maximum physical performance is when it serves an important purpose, such as preparing for hibernation.

I recently came across a classic study that illustrates these principles nicely in humans, titled "Metabolic Response to Experimental Overfeeding in Lean and Overweight Healthy Volunteers", by Dr. Erik O. Diaz and colleagues (1). They overfed lean and modestly overweight volunteers 50% more calories than they naturally consume, under controlled conditions where the investigators could be confident of food intake. Macronutrient composition was 12-42-46 % protein-fat-carbohydrate.

After 6 weeks of massive overfeeding, both lean and overweight subjects gained an average of 10 lb (4.6 kg) of fat mass and 6.6 lb (3 kg) of lean mass. Consistent with what one would expect if the body were trying to burn off excess calories and return to baseline fat mass, the metabolic rate and body heat production of the subjects increased.

Following overfeeding, subjects were allowed to eat however much they wanted for 6 weeks. Both lean and overweight volunteers promptly lost 6.2 of the 10 lb they had gained in fat mass (61% of fat gained), and 1.5 of the 6.6 lb they had gained in lean mass (23%). Here is a graph showing changes in fat mass for each individual that completed the study:

We don't know if they would have lost the remaining fat mass in the following weeks because they were only followed for 6 weeks after overfeeding, although it did appear that they were reaching a plateau slightly above their original body weight. Thus, nearly all subjects "defended" their original body fat mass irrespective of their starting point. Underfeeding studies have shown the same phenomenon: whether lean or overweight, people tend to return to their original fat mass after underfeeding is over. Again, this supports the idea that the body has a body fat mass "set point" that it attempts to defend against changes in either direction. It's one of many systems in the body that attempt to maintain homeostasis.

OK, so why do we care?

We care because this has some very important implications for human obesity. With such a powerful system in place to keep body fat mass in a narrow range, a major departure from that range implies that the system isn't functioning correctly. In other words, obesity has to result from a defect in the system that regulates body fat, because a properly functioning system would not have allowed that degree of fat gain in the first place.

So yes, we are gaining weight because we eat too many calories relative to energy expended. But why are we eating too many calories? Because the system that should be defending a low fat mass is now defending a high fat mass. Therefore, the solution is not simply to restrict calories, or burn more calories through exercise, but to try to "reset" the system that decides what fat mass to defend. Restricting calories isn't necessarily a good solution because the body will attempt to defend its setpoint, whether high or low, by increasing hunger and decreasing its metabolic rate. That's why low-calorie diets, and most diets in general, typically fail in the long term. It's miserable to fight hunger every day.

This raises two questions:

1. What caused the system to defend a high fat mass?
2. Is it possible to reset the fat mass setpoint, and how would one go about it?
   

Given the fact that body fat mass is much higher in many affluent nations than it has ever been in human history, the increase must be due to factors that have changed in modern times. I can only speculate what these factors may be, because research has not identified them to my knowledge, at least not in humans. But I have my guesses. I'll expand on this in the next post.


* The hormone leptin and the hypothalamus are the ringleaders, although there are many other elements involved, such as numerous gut-derived peptides, insulin, and a number of other brain regions.

Rabbits on a High-Saturated Fat Diet Without Added Cholesterol

I just saw another study that supports my previous post Animal Models of Atherosclerosis: LDL. The hypothesis is that in the absence of excessive added dietary cholesterol, saturated fat does not influence LDL or atherosclerosis in animal models, relative to other fats (although omega-6 polyunsaturated oils do lower LDL in some animal models). This appears to be consistent with what we see in humans.

In this study, they fed four groups of rabbits different diets:

1. Regular low-fat rabbit chow
2. Regular low-fat rabbit chow plus 0.5 g cholesterol per day
3. High-fat diet with 30% calories as coconut oil (saturated) and no added cholesterol
   
4. High-fat diet with 30% calories as sunflower oil (polyunsaturated) and no added cholesterol
   

LDL at 6 months was the same in groups 1, 3 and 4, but was increased more than 20-fold in group 2. It's not the fat, it's the fact that they're overloading herbivores with dietary cholesterol!

Total cholesterol was also the same between all groups except the cholesterol-fed group. TBARS, a measure of lipid oxidation in the blood, was elevated in the cholesterol and sunflower oil groups but not in the chow or coconut groups. Oxidation of blood lipids is one of the major factors in atherosclerosis, the vascular disease that narrows arteries and increases the risk of having a heart attack. Serum vitamin C was lower in the cholesterol-fed groups but not the others.

This supports the idea that saturated fat does not inherently increase LDL, and in fact in most animals it does not. This appears to be the case in humans as well, where long-term trials have shown no difference in LDL between people eating more saturated fat and people eating less, on timescales of one year or more (some short trials show a modest LDL-raising effect, but even this appears to be due to an increase in particle size rather than particle number). Since these trials represent the average of many people, they may hide some individual variability: it may actually increase LDL in some people and decrease it in others.

Merry Christmas!

What's the Ideal Fasting Insulin Level?

Insulin is an important hormone. Its canonical function is to signal cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream, but it has many other effects. Chronically elevated insulin is a marker of metabolic dysfunction, and typically accompanies high fat mass, poor glucose tolerance (prediabetes) and blood lipid abnormalities. Measuring insulin first thing in the morning, before eating a meal, reflects fasting insulin. High fasting insulin prevents the escape of fat from fat tissue and causes a number of other metabolic disturbances.

Elevated fasting insulin is a hallmark of the metabolic syndrome, the quintessential modern metabolic disorder that affects 24% of Americans (NHANES III). Dr. Lamarche and colleagues found that having an insulin level of 13 uIU/mL in Canada correlated with an 8-fold higher heart attack risk than a level of 9.3 uIU/mL (1; thanks to NephroPal for the reference). So right away, we can put our upper limit at 9.3 uIU/mL. The average insulin level in the U.S., according to the NHANES III survey, is 8.8 uIU/mL for men and 8.4 for women (2). Given the degree of metabolic dysfunction in this country, I think it's safe to say that the ideal level of fasting insulin is probably below 8.4 uIU/mL as well.

Let's dig deeper. What we really need is a healthy, non-industrial "negative control" group. Fortunately, Dr. Staffan Lindeberg and his team made detailed measurements of fasting insulin while they were visiting the isolated Melanesian island of Kitava (3). He compared his measurements to age-matched Swedish volunteers. In male and female Swedes, the average fasting insulin ranges from 4-11 uIU/mL, and increases with age. From age 60-74, the average insulin level is 7.3 uIU/mL.

In contrast, the range on Kitava is 3-6 uIU/mL, which does not increase with age. In the 60-74 age group, in both men and women, the average fasting insulin on Kitava is 3.5 uIU/mL. That's less than half the average level in Sweden and the U.S. Keep in mind that the Kitavans are lean and have an undetectable rate of heart attack and stroke.

Another example from the literature are the Shuar hunter-gatherers of the Amazon rainforest. Women in this group have an average fasting insulin concentration of 5.1 uIU/mL (4; no data was given for men).

I found a couple of studies from the early 1970s as well, indicating that African pygmies and San bushmen have rather high fasting insulin. However, their glucose tolerance was excellent (5, 6, free full text). There are three facts that make me doubt the insulin measurements in these older studies:

1. It's hard to be sure that they didn't eat anything prior to the blood draw.
2. From what I understand, insulin assays were variable and not standardized back then.
   
3. In the San study, their fasting insulin was 1/3 lower than the Caucasian control group (10 vs. 15 uIU/mL). I doubt these active Caucasian researchers really had an average fasting insulin level of 15 uIU/mL. Both sets of measurements are probably too high.
   

Now you know the conflicting evidence, so you're free to be skeptical if you'd like.

We also have data from a controlled trial in healthy urban people eating a "paleolithic"-type diet. On a paleolithic diet designed to maintain body weight (calorie intake had to be increased substantially to prevent fat loss during the diet), fasting insulin dropped from an average of 7.2 to 2.9 uIU/mL in just 10 days. The variation in insulin level between individuals decreased 9-fold, and by the end, all participants were close to the average value of 2.9 uIU/mL. This shows that high fasting insulin is correctable in people who haven't yet been permanently damaged by the industrial diet and lifestyle. The study included men and women of European, African and Asian descent (7).

One final data point. My own fasting insulin, earlier this year, was 2.3 uIU/mL. I believe it reflects a good diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, a relatively healthy diet growing up, and the fact that I managed to come across the right information relatively young. It does not reflect: carbohydrate restriction, fat restriction, or saturated fat restriction. Neither does the low fasting insulin of healthy non-industrial cultures.

So what's the ideal fasting insulin level? My current feeling is that we can consider anything between 2 and 6 uIU/mL within our evolutionary template, although the lower half of that range may be preferable.

The Dirty Little Secret of the Diet-Heart Hypothesis

The diet-heart hypothesis is the idea that saturated fat, and in some versions cholesterol, raises blood cholesterol and contributes to the risk of having a heart attack. To test this hypothesis, scientists have been studying the relationship between saturated fat consumption and heart attack risk for more than half a century. To judge by the grave pronouncements of our most visible experts, you would think these studies had found an association between the two. It turns out, they haven't.

The fact is, the vast majority of high-quality observational studies have found no connection whatsoever between saturated fat consumption and heart attack risk. The scientific literature contains dozens of these studies, so let's narrow the field to prospective studies only, because they are considered the most reliable. In this study design, investigators find a group of initially healthy people, record information about them (in this case what they eat), and watch who gets sick over the years.

A Sampling of Unsupportive Studies

Here are references to ten high-impact prospective studies, spanning half a century, showing no association between saturated fat consumption and heart attack risk. Ignore the squirming about saturated-to-polyunsaturated ratios, Keys/Hegsted scores, etc. What we're concerned with is the straightforward question: do people who eat more saturated fat have more heart attacks? Many of these papers allow free access to the full text, so have a look for yourselves if you want:

A Longitudinal Study of Coronary Heart Disease. Circulation. 1963.

Diet and Heart: a Postscript. British Medical Journal. 1977. Saturated fat was unrelated to heart attack risk, but fiber was protective.

Dietary Intake and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Japanese Men Living in Hawaii. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1978.

Relationship of Dietary Intake to Subsequent Coronary Heart Disease Incidence: the Puerto Rico Heart Health Program. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1980.

Diet, Serum Cholesterol, and Death From Coronary Heart Disease: The Western Electric Study. New England Journal of Medicine. 1981.

Diet and 20-year Mortality in Two Rural Population Groups of Middle-Aged Men in Italy. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1989. Men who died of CHD ate significantly less saturated fat than men who didn't.

Diet and Incident Ischaemic Heart Disease: the Caerphilly Study. British Journal of Nutrition. 1993. They measured animal fat intake rather than saturated fat in this study.

Dietary Fat and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Men: Cohort Follow-up Study in the United States. British Medical Journal. 1996. This is the massive Physicians Health Study. Don't let the abstract fool you! Scroll down to table 2 and see for yourself that the association between saturated fat intake and heart attack risk disappears after adjustment for several factors including family history of heart attack, smoking and fiber intake. That's because, as in most modern studies, people who eat steak are also more likely to smoke, avoid vegetables, eat fast food, etc.

Dietary Fat Intake and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women. New England Journal of Medicine. 1997. From the massive Nurse's Health study. This one fooled me for a long time because the abstract is misleading. It claims that saturated fat was associated with heart attack risk. However, the association disappeared without a trace when they adjusted for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat intake. Have a look at table 3.

Dietary Fat Intake and Early Mortality Patterns-- Data from the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study. Journal of Internal Medicine. 2005.

I just listed 10 prospective studies published in top peer-reviewed journals that found no association between saturated fat and heart disease risk. This is less than half of the prospective studies that have come to the same conclusion, representing by far the majority of studies to date. If saturated fat is anywhere near as harmful as we're told, why are its effects essentially undetectable in the best studies we can muster?

Studies that Support the Diet-Heart Hypothesis

To be fair, there have been a few that have found an association between saturated fat consumption and heart attack risk. Here's a list of all four that I'm aware of, with comments:

Ten-year Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease in the Honolulu Heart Program: relationship to nutrient intake. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1984. "Men who developed coronary heart disease also had a higher mean intake of percentage of calories from protein, fat, saturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids than men who remained free of coronary heart disease." The difference in saturated fat intake between people who had heart attacks and those who didn't, although statistically significant, was minuscule.

Diet and 20-Year Mortality From Coronary Heart Disease: the Ireland-Boston Diet-Heart Study. New England Journal of Medicine. 1985. "Overall, these results tend to support the hypothesis that diet is related, albeit weakly, to the development of coronary heart disease."

Relationship Between Dietary Intake and Coronary Heart Disease Mortality: Lipid Research Clinics Prevalence Follow-up Study. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 1996. "...increasing percentages of energy intake as total fat (RR 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01 – 1.08), saturated fat (RR 1.11, CI = 1.04 – 1.18), and monounsaturated fat (RR 1.08, CI = 1.01 – 1.16) were significant risk factors for CHD mortality among 30 to 59 year olds... None of the dietary components were significantly associated with CHD mortality among those aged 60–79 years." Note that the associations were very small, also included monounsaturated fat (like in olive oil), and only applied to the age group with the lower risk of heart attack.

The Combination of High Fruit and Vegetable and Low Saturated Fat Intakes is More Protective Against Mortality in Aging Men than is Either Alone. Journal of Nutrition. 2005. Higher saturated fat intake was associated with a higher risk of heart attack; fiber was strongly protective.

The Review Papers

Over 25 high-quality studies conducted, and only 4 support the diet-heart hypothesis. If this substance is truly so fearsome, why don't people who eat more of it have more heart attacks? In case you're concerned that I'm cherry-picking studies that conform to my beliefs, here are links to review papers on the same data that have reached the same conclusion:

The Questionable Role of Saturated and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 1998. Dr. Uffe Ravnskov systematically demolishes the diet-heart hypothesis simply by collecting all the relevant studies and summarizing their findings.

A Systematic Review of the Evidence Supporting a Causal Link Between Dietary Factors and Coronary Heart Disease. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2009. "Insufficient evidence (less than or equal to 2 criteria) of association is present for intake of supplementary vitamin E and ascorbic acid (vitamin C); saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids; total fat; alpha-linolenic acid; meat; eggs; and milk" They analyzed prospective studies representing over 160,000 patients from 11 studies meeting their rigorous inclusion criteria, and found no association whatsoever between saturated fat consumption and heart attack risk.

Where's the Disconnect?

The first part of the diet-heart hypothesis states that dietary saturated fat raises the cholesterol/LDL concentration of the blood. This is held as established fact in the mainstream understanding of nutrition. The second part states that increased blood cholesterol/LDL increases the risk of having a heart attack. What part of this is incorrect?

There's definitely an association between blood cholesterol/LDL level and heart attack risk in certain populations, including Americans. MRFIT, among other studies, showed this definitively, although the lowest risk of all-cause mortality was at an average level of cholesterol. The association between blood cholesterol and heart attack risk does not apply to Japanese populations, as pointed out repeatedly by the erudite Dr. Harumi Okuyama. This seems to be generally true of groups that consume a lot of seafood.

So we're left with the first premise: that saturated fat increases blood cholesterol/LDL. This turns out to be largely a myth, based on a liberal interpretation of short-term feeding studies. In fact, it isn't even true in animal models of heart disease. In the 1950s, the most vigorous proponent of the diet-heart hypothesis, Dr. Ancel Keys, created a formula designed to predict changes in blood cholesterol based on the consumption of dietary saturated and polyunsaturated fats. This formula is extremely inaccurate and has gradually been dropped from the modern medical literature. Yet the idea that saturated fat consumption increases blood cholesterol/LDL lives on...

This is it, folks: the diet-heart hypothesis ends here. It's been kept afloat for decades by wishful thinking, puritan sensibilities and selective citation of the evidence. It's time to put it out of its misery.

Dr. Rosedale Replies

A few months ago, I posted link to an article by Dr. Ron Rosedale and made a few comments about it. Dr. Rosedale has sent a reply to my comments, which I have agreed to publish as a new post because they may be of interest to readers. In the following exchange, my numbered comments are in quotes and Dr. Rosedale's replies follow them.

Dr. Rosedale's Comments

1. Dr. Rosedale says that insulin's ability to regulate blood sugar is a minor role, and that other hormones do the same thing. Tell that to a type 1 diabetic. Excessive blood glucose is Not Good, and that's what you get if there isn't enough insulin around.

What I have said was that insulin does not control glucose levels in the blood, and that insulin's biological purpose (not ability) plays only a minor role in BS control... and that is a correct statement. Insulin reduces blood glucose by storing it for a rainy day as glycogen and fat, but not for the purpose of regulating blood sugar levels. The control of BS is in an upward direction, not a downward direction. The problem in our evolutionary history was to have enough BS for emergency anaerobic respiration and for those tissues that require it such as red blood cells. Lowering blood sugar was never a priority in our history. For one, it didn't rise much very often. There wasn't much glucose around. Uncooked rice and potatoes, etc., are mostly indigestible. The sugar that was around, such as in fruit, required considerable effort to obtain therefore lowered the sugar prior to obtaining it. Also, the sugar that is in fruit is largely fructose which doesn't convert that much into glucose but rather into fat in the liver. Even if it did raise blood sugar levels, even if it did cause diabetes in evolutionary time, nature would consider that irrelevant as it wouldn't have killed people prior to the reproductive years, only post-reproductively when nature doesn't give a damn.

Furthermore, insulin's major purpose goes way beyond sugar. At the very least, it is a nutrient storage hormone being relevant not only in glucose storage, but also in fat and protein (amino acid) storage. It also plays a significant role in micronutrient storage and conversions. However, overwhelmingly more important, is insulin's role as a nutrient sensor greatly influencing genetic expression and modifying the rate of aging by up or down regulating maintenance and repair.

2. I'm not convinced by the theory that organisms balance reproduction and repair, emphasizing one at the expense of the other. The amount of energy it takes to fuel cellular repair processes is negligible compared to the amount it takes to maintain body temperature, fuel the brain and contract skeletal muscles. Why not just have the organism eat an extra half-teaspoon of mashed potatoes to fuel the heat-shock proteins and make a little extra catalase? I think the true reasons behind lifespan extension upon caloric restriction will turn out to be more complex than a balance between reproduction and repair.

Stephan does not have to be convinced. Almost everybody who studies the biology of aging is convinced that there is a dichotomy between reproduction and maintenance and repair and that biologically a cell can spend the majority of available resources towards one or the other, but not both. This can actually be shown genetically as the up or down regulation of the expression of genes regulating heat shock proteins, intracellular antioxidant systems, DNA repair enzymes, "garbage collection", etc versus the up or down regulation of genes which regulate reproductive behavior. It should also be noted that excessive reproductive behavior is, in individual cells of multicellular organisms, a strong predisposition to cancer. Furthermore, Stephan’s statement that it takes negligible energy for maintenance and repair is very wrong. In fact one could make the argument that almost all of the energy spent by both individual cells and by the cell societies of multi-celled organisms when not reproducing is towards maintenance and repair.

3. I disagree with the idea that carbohydrate itself is behind elevated fasting insulin and leptin. Just look at the Kitavans. They get 69% of their calories from high-glycemic-load carbohydrates, with not much fat (21%) or protein (10%) to slow digestion. Yet, they have low fasting insulin and remarkably low fasting leptin. I believe the fasting levels of these hormones are more responsive to macronutrient quality than quantity. In other words, what matters most is not how much carbohydrate is in the diet, but where the carbohydrate comes from. The modern Western combination of carelessly processed wheat, sugar and linoleic acid-rich vegetable oil seems to be particularly harmful.

It is not where the carbohydrates come from, but where the carbohydrates go. In other words, what carbohydrates are digested into, i.e what the cells are being fed. Feeding them glucose, fructose, galactose and amino acids as energy (as opposed to using the amino acids whole as structural components) is bad.

Stephan himself could answer this one. It's not the percent of calories from carbohydrates that is relevant; it is the absolute amount of non-fiber carbohydrates that is relevant as the glycemic load.

A few further comments on the Kitavans, though I really am not an expert on their diet:

I find that indigenous diets are only partially helpful as there are so many variables that can go unaccounted for. I prefer the more elementary sciences to form opinions. However, it sounds like there really isn't that much non-fiber carbohydrate in the diet and there is considerable fiber, fish and coconut oil, and moderate to low protein, all of which are quite fine for health. If it is known, the total gram quantities of macronutrients would be good to know. Another important point; what is their lifespan? It sounds like it might be long, but it would be nice to know a more accurate figure. It is not weight loss that we should be after, it is health as indicated by a long and youthful lifespan. Another point; though they (the Kitavans) may be doing well if one defines well as better than most human counterparts, it isn't really saying much. The majority of society eats so badly that it really is not difficult to eat a diet that is better. What I am after is not just better, but best. Perhaps one could take the Kitavan diet and improve upon it by reducing the non-fiber carbohydrate content and perhaps adding more beneficial fats and oils. It is quite possible, in fact probable, that there have been no human societies that have eaten an ideal diet. We can only use what modern science is telling us to come up with this.

My Reply to Dr. Rosedale

Thank you for your comments.

1. I agree with you that control of blood sugar is not insulin's only purpose, and that there are other mechanisms of blood glucose control. There were several papers published recently showing that type 1 diabetic rats (lacking insulin) can be restored to a normal blood glucose level and near-normal glucose tolerance by infusing leptin into the lateral or the third cerebral ventricles (1, 2). This was totally independent of insulin, because the rats weren't producing any. And yes, insulin signaling influences lifespan in a number of animal models.

However, insulin is still the primary controller of blood sugar under normal circumstances, as shown in type 1 diabetes where the primary defect is in insulin production. Furthermore, excessively elevated glucose is damaging per se, due to protein glycation, competition with vitamin C, etc. Therefore, the glucose-controlling function of insulin is important.

I do not agree that glucose from starch and fruit played an insignificant role in human evolution. A number of modern hunter-gatherers eat a significant amount of starch, and our ancestors probably did as well, as soon as they could cook. The timeline of cooking is debated, but we've probably been doing it for at least half a million years, or as long as Homo sapiens has existed. Fruit sugar is roughly 50% glucose, as is honey.

2. As someone who spent two years in the field of aging research, I don't see a scientific consensus on the idea that reproduction and aging are in balance with one another. The two correlate with one another in some, but not all models. I was at a seminar just the other day by Dr. Linda Partridge, from the Max Planck institute, and she was talking about her lifespan experiments in fruit flies. She was able to independently modify lifespan and fecundity using amino acid restriction, leading her to the conclusion that there is no link between the two in her model. She published these data recently in the journal Nature (reference).

Regarding the energy required for cellular maintenance, a little math is instructive here. I eat maybe 3,200 calories a day, which is normal for an active male of my weight. My basal metabolic rate is roughly 1,700 kcal per day. So 1,500 of my calories have already gone to moving my skeletal muscles. Of the basal metabolic rate, the vast majority comes from maintaining body temperature. Thermogenesis is why cold-blooded animals only need to eat a fraction of the calories mammals do. Then there's cardiac function, and smooth muscle activity, which eat up more calories. Then there are the energy-intensive cellular processes of maintaining ionic gradients across cell membranes (which is why the brain eats up 20% of our calories) and protein synthesis.

After you subtract out all those functions, only a small fraction of total caloric intake is left for other cellular processes. So the caloric needs for processes that combat cellular aging (DNA repair, etc.) are quite low, compared to overall energy requirements. This is consistent with the fact that naked mole rats, which live ten times longer than Rattus norvegicus, have a similar basal metabolic rate to one another. Keeping cells from being damaged is not a particularly energy-intensive process, and so we have to look elsewhere for the reason why it hasn't been prioritized by evolution.

3. The Kitavan diet is high in digestible starch. The foods they eat have been characterized for starch content, glycemic index, and fiber content. Their diet overall has a high glycemic load, is 69% carbohydrate by calories, and is similar in calories to the American diet. They have a low BMI, a low fasting insulin and low fasting glucose. I agree that there are many factors at play here, and the example of the Kitavans doesn't necessarily give carbohydrate a free pass in all situations. But it does show that a high carbohydrate intake, at least under certain circumstances, is compatible with low fasting insulin, high insulin sensitivity, leanness, and apparent good health.

I also agree that the Kitavans are not really a good model of longevity. Although they live a long time relative to other non-industrial cultures, and have individuals exceeding 95 years old, they don't have a longer average lifespan than people in affluent nations. One can guess that it's due to a lack of modern medical care to treat infectious diseases, and I think that's likely to play a role, but ultimately it's speculation. It's an open question whether you could improve their lifespan by reducing the non-fiber carbohydrate content of their diet, but I'm skeptical.

In the end, it's also an open question whether or not you can extend life by restricting carbohydrate. For the typical overweight American who responds well to carbohydrate restriction, it's reasonable to speculate that it might. For an insulin-sensitive, lean American, it's not clear that it would have much benefit, outside of reducing potentially harmful foods such as gluten and sugar. Although insulin signaling is probably tied up with lifespan in humans, as in many other species, no one has shown that post-meal insulin spikes caused by carbohydrate, as opposed to chronically elevated insulin and insulin resistance, is harmful. The story is not as simple as "more serum insulin = shorter lifespan".

Is there any evidence that carbohydrate restriction extends lifespan in a non-carnivorous mammal such as a rodent or monkey? I'm open to the possibility, but I haven't seen any studies. I'll look forward to them.

Malocclusion: Disease of Civilization, Part IX

A Summary

For those who didn't want to wade through the entire nerd safari, I offer a simple summary.

Our ancestors had straight teeth, and their wisdom teeth came in without any problem. The same continues to be true of a few non-industrial cultures today, but it's becoming rare. Wild animals also rarely suffer from orthodontic problems.

Today, the majority of people in the US and other affluent nations have some type of malocclusion, whether it's crooked teeth, overbite, open bite or a number of other possibilities.

There are three main factors that I believe contribute to malocclusion in modern societies:

1. Maternal nutrition during the first trimester of pregnancy. Vitamin K2, found in organs, pastured dairy and eggs, is particularly important. We may also make small amounts from the K1 found in green vegetables.
2. Sucking habits from birth to age four. Breast feeding protects against malocclusion. Bottle feeding, pacifiers and finger sucking probably increase the risk of malocclusion. Cup feeding and orthodontic pacifiers are probably acceptable alternatives.
3. Food toughness. The jaws probably require stress from tough food to develop correctly. This can contribute to the widening of the dental arch until roughly age 17. Beef jerky, raw vegetables, raw fruit, tough cuts of meat and nuts are all good ways to exercise the jaws.
   

And now, an example from the dental literature to motivate you. In 1976, Dr. H. L. Eirew published an interesting paper in the British Dental Journal. He took two 12-year old identical twins, with identical class I malocclusions (crowded incisors), and gave them two different orthodontic treatments. Here's a picture of both girls before the treatment:


In one, he made more space in her jaws by extracting teeth. In the other, he put in an apparatus that broadened her dental arch, which roughly mimics the natural process of arch growth during childhood and adolescence. This had profound effects on the girls' subsequent occlusion and facial structure:

The girl on the left had teeth extracted, while the girl on the right had her arch broadened. Under ideal circumstances, this is what should happen naturally during development. Notice any differences?

Thanks to the Weston A Price foundation's recent newsletter for the study reference.

Malocclusion: Disease of Civilization, Part VII

Jaw Development During Adolescence

Beginning at about age 11, the skull undergoes a growth spurt. This corresponds roughly with the growth spurt in the rest of the body, with the precise timing depending on gender and other factors. Growth continues until about age 17, when the last skull sutures cease growing and slowly fuse. One of these sutures runs along the center of the maxillary arch (the arch in the upper jaw), and contributes to the widening of the upper arch*:

This growth process involves MGP and osteocalcin, both vitamin K-dependent proteins. At the end of adolescence, the jaws have reached their final size and shape, and should be large enough to accommodate all teeth without crowding. This includes the third molars, or wisdom teeth, which will erupt shortly after this period.

Reduced Food Toughness Correlates with Malocclusion in Humans

When Dr. Robert Corruccini published his seminal paper in 1984 documenting rapid changes in occlusion in cultures around the world adopting modern foodways and lifestyles (see this post), he presented the theory that occlusion is influenced by chewing stress. In other words, the jaws require good exercise on a regular basis during growth to develop normal-sized bones and muscles. Although Dr. Corruccini wasn't the first to come up with the idea, he has probably done more than anyone else to advance it over the years.

Dr. Corruccini's paper is based on years of research in transitioning cultures, much of which he conducted personally. In 1981, he published a study of a rural Kentucky community in the process of adopting the modern diet and lifestyle. Their traditional diet was predominantly dried pork, cornbread fried in lard, game meat and home-grown fruit, vegetables and nuts. The older generation, raised on traditional foods, had much better occlusion than the younger generation, which had transitioned to softer and less nutritious modern foods. Dr. Corruccini found that food toughness correlated with proper occlusion in this population.

In another study published in 1985, Dr. Corruccini studied rural and urban Bengali youths. After collecting a variety of diet and socioeconomic information, he found that food toughness was the single best predictor of occlusion. Individuals who ate the toughest food had the best teeth. The second strongest association was a history of thumb sucking, which was associated with a higher prevalence of malocclusion**. Interestingly, twice as many urban youths had a history of thumb sucking as rural youths.

Not only do hunter-gatherers eat tough foods on a regular basis, they also often use their jaws as tools. For example, the anthropologist and arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson described how the Inuit chewed their leather boots and jackets nearly every day to soften them or prepare them for sewing. This is reflected in the extreme tooth wear of traditional Inuit and other hunter-gatherers.

Soft Food Causes Malocclusion in Animals

Now we have a bunch of associations that may or may not represent a cause-effect relationship. However, Dr. Corruccini and others have shown in a variety of animal models that soft food can produce malocclusion, independent of nutrition.

The first study was conducted in 1951. Investigators fed rats typical dry chow pellets, or the same pellets that had been crushed and softened in water. Rats fed the softened food during growth developed narrow arches and small mandibles (lower jaws) relative to rats fed dry pellets.

Other research groups have since repeated the findings in rodents, pigs and several species of primates (squirrel monkeys, baboons, and macaques). Animals typically developed narrow arches, a central aspect of malocclusion in modern humans. Some of the primates fed soft foods showed other malocclusions highly reminiscent of modern humans as well, such as crowded incisors and impacted third molars. These traits are exceptionally rare in wild primates.

One criticism of these studies is that they used extremely soft foods that are softer than the typical modern diet. This is how science works: you go for the extreme effects first. Then, if you see something, you refine your experiments. One of the most refined experiments I've seen so far was published by Dr. Daniel E. Leiberman of Harvard's anthropology department. They used the rock hyrax, an animal with a skull that bears some similarities to the human skull***.

Instead of feeding the animals hard food vs. mush, they fed them raw and dried food vs. cooked. This is closer to the situation in humans, where food is soft but still has some consistency. Hyrax fed cooked food showed a mild jaw underdevelopment reminiscent of modern humans. The underdeveloped areas were precisely those that received less strain during chewing.

Implications and Practical Considerations

Besides the direct implications for the developing jaws and face, I think this also suggests that physical stress may influence the development of other parts of the skeleton. Hunter-gatherers generally have thicker bones, larger joints, and more consistently well-developed shoulders and hips than modern humans. Physical stress is part of the human evolutionary template, and is probably critical for the normal development of the skeleton.

I think it's likely that food consistency influences occlusion in humans. In my opinion, it's a good idea to regularly include tough foods in a child's diet as soon as she is able to chew them properly and safely. This probably means waiting at least until the deciduous (baby) molars have erupted fully. Jerky, raw vegetables and fruit, tough cuts of meat, nuts, dry sausages, dried fruit, chicken bones and roasted corn are a few things that should stress the muscles and bones of the jaws and face enough to encourage normal development.


* These data represent many years of measurements collected by Dr. Arne Bjork, who used metallic implants in the maxilla to make precise measurements of arch growth over time in Danish youths. The graph is reproduced from the book A Synopsis of Craniofacial Growth, by Dr. Don M. Ranly. Data come from Dr. Bjork's findings published in the book Postnatal Growth and Development of the Maxillary Complex. You can see some of Dr. Bjork's data in the paper "Sutural Growth of the Upper Face Studied by the Implant Method" (free full text).

** I don't know if this was statistically significant at p less than 0.05. Dr. Corruccini uses a cutoff point of p less than 0.01 throughout the paper. He's a tough guy when it comes to statistics!

*** Retrognathic.

phil heath picture real or enhanced picture phil the gift heath looking massive full muscle bellies

now is this picture of phil heath real really shows phil heathand why he is seen as a potential mr olympia the muscle bellies on phil heath are phill hehe as in full.

not sure with this picture if it has been slightly tweaked or not to make phil look bigger, or if it is the angle that it is phographed at that gives that effect, but phil heath looks one of his most massive in the picture.

biecps on phil and triceps is one of the things phil heath is known for his arms must be getting close to 24 inches at times they look unreal.

also to balance out those massive biceps and triceps phil heath also has massive forearms in proportion with the upper arm muscles.

actually i think phil heath has had to train to bring up other body parts to balance out his arm size, like phil heath had to do a lot of should training to make up the balance between his arms.

Tips for Choosing the Correct Car Insurance Company

When you go to choose a car insurance company it may be a tough choice deciding which one is best. First, you have to decide what you are looking for in an auto insurance company
so that you can make the right decision. There are many insurance companies to choose from which can make your decision even more difficult. Here are a few things that can help you to choose the right insurance company for your needs.

You should definitely research several options before making your decision. This will be important as some of them will offer different packages and services. You should never let the cost be your deciding decision when it comes to choosing auto insurance. The price is an important factor but what is more important is the service you get for that price.

The price can vary quite a bit between the different companies due to some with offer services that some do not. By comparing insurance companies and what they have to offer you can help you to fill in the blanks as to what is included in the cost or not. If the company has good and reliable customer service this is another reason you may decide to choose a particular insurance company. The service you receive will be an important feature to look for with any car insurance company. Talk to them and compare their services to other companies. Make sure they are dependable so that you will be able to trust them with your auto insurance needs. Maybe a friend or family member can give you some advice on choosing a good auto insurance company. This is a good way to know if others have had good service with their insurance companies.

If you check online, each state should have a website about their states insurance companies. This is a good way to see how many complaints each insurance company has received from their customers. Online sites have so much information that they should definitely help you in making your decision much easier. Sometimes by going to a body shop around your town and asking them, they can give you good advice on which car insurance companies are the best. They deal with these companies on a daily basis so they should have information that will be helpful to you. Compare the companies to find out which of them have the best financial strength score. This is a good way to find out if the insurance company will have the means to pay for claims.
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/tips-for-choosing-the-correct-car-insurance-company-1695047.html

Car Insurance Secrets, 8 Secrets Your Car Insurer Won't Tell You

Keeping your premiums from rising? That can feel like playing a game where the rule maker refuses to tell you the rules.

*If you have good credit, you'll pay less on car insurance.
Almost all car insurers including the top five pull your credit report.
Why? Studies have shown a direct correlation between your credit score and the likelihood that you will file a claim.
Car Insurers also know that if you pay your bills in a timely fashion and have had the same credit accounts for a long time, you're more stable than someone who pays late and frequently opens and closes accounts.
Car insurers use this information to create your "insurance risk score," which is one factor that determines your car insurance rate.

Tip: Your car insurance risk score is not available to you, but it may be similar to your credit score. If you have unusual credit activity, wait a month for it to return to normal before buying car insurance.

*Your car model affects your premium car insurance. You won't get these numbers from your Car insurer. But the car insurers do have a rating system for every car make and model.
Most use a system devised by the Car Insurance Services Office, which starts with the cost of the vehicle and then factors in safety and theft data.

Tip: You can file a claim on your home insurance. Most home insurance policies will cover smaller, less expensive items such as compact discs.

*Bad drivers will pay
You'll pay for your bad driving. The industry standard is to increase your premium by 40% of the insurer's base rate after your first at fault accident. Not all car insurers play by this rule.

Tip: Some car insurance companies have a forgive the first accident policy. So ask your Car insurance company if it has a forgiveness policy and how to qualify? .

*You'll pay for your friend's bad driving, too. If your friend borrows your car and crashes it, you'll have to file a claim with your car insurance company.

Tip: If your friend didn't have permission to take your car, in most cases you won't be held liable for the damage. But if your friend is uninsured and causes damage that exceeds your policy limits, the injured party can come after you for medical and property damage expenses.

*Your car's real worth
each car insurance company has its own proprietary list of car values.
The car insurance company may also ask local dealers what they'd charge for a similar replacement car.

Tip: If you disagree with your car insurance company's value determination, there are several things you can do:
Next time, get gap insurance. It wil l pay the difference between what an car insurer will cover and what you owe.
If you have maintenance records that show you've had the oil changed every 3,000 miles and you've had the car checked routinely by a mechanic.
If you've been paying premiums on any special parts or upgrades, make sure those are included in the car insurance company's evaluation.

*Odds and ends
Hit by an uninsured motorist? Try to "stack." (UM/UIM) coverages means collecting from more than one car insurance policy that you hold.

Tip: Check the language of your car insurance policy to see if stacking is allowed.
There are two scenarios for stacking:
First, if you have multiple cars on your car insurance policy with UM/UIM coverage on each, you can collect the limit of your UM/UIM coverage under as many vehicles as necessary to cover full payment for damages.
Second, if you have more than one car insurance policy with UM/UIM coverage, even if they're from two different car insurers, you can make a claim under each policy until all your damages are recovered.

*You can wait to add your teenager to your car insurance policy until he or she is licensed.

Tip: Don't forget to tell your car insurance company that you have a licensed teen. If you have to file a claim on his or her behalf, your car insurance company is entitled to charge you back premiums from the date your teen received a license.

*You must officially cancel your car insurance policy when you switch car insurers. you can cancel your car insurance coverage at any time by notifying the car insurance company in writing of the date of termination.

Tip: Call your car insurance agent and let him know you are canceling your car insurance policy. Give a specific date, or you may end up uninsured for a period of time.
The car insurance company will send you a cancellation request. Most often, the form is already filled out and all it requires is your signature.

Got into a Car Accident? Your Step-by-Step Guide on What to Do

Getting into a car accident can be a stressful ordeal, so it helps knowing how to deal with it. When faced with a car accident, the most important thing is to maintain a clear presence of mind. With this, you will be able to go through the important motions that should follow an accident.

Recovering from an accident takes time. But at the moment immediately following an accident, you don’t have to worry about all the things you need to do. Just keep these four important steps in mind for the meantime.

Step 1: Take stock of the situation

The first and most important thing you need to do is to take stock of your situation. Go out to examine the accident and how much damage it caused. First, check for injuries so you can call for medical attention when necessary. In case of injuries, call for medical help then try to help the injured persons. It helps to always carry a first aid kit in your car for such unexpected situations. However, make sure not to move the victims while applying first aid. Wait for the paramedics to be the ones to move them, unless the car starts to smoke or a flame begins, in which it is important to get as far away from the vehicle as possible.

In case of minor accidents wherein injuries are minor or there are no injuries at all, you can turn your attention to the extent of damage done to your car and to the other vehicle involved. At this point, you can move to step 2.

Step 2: Gather information

It is essential to get all the information pertaining to the accident. You have to get information about the accident itself and about those who were involved. First, document the accident by taking pictures of it from all possible angles. The pictures can be used to determine who is at fault and what really occurred. Photograph all damages done to the vehicles as well. Also, look for witnesses and get their contact numbers as well. This will help you be able to establish what really happened in case there is a dispute between you and the other party.

Then get information about the other party. The information you should ask for includes the name, address, contact number, car make and model, license plate number, the vehicle identification number of the car.

Step 3: File a police report

With complete information in hand, call the police and file a report for the car accident. Regardless of how minor a car accident is, always be sure to involve the police. If you can’t gather all the information you need from an uncooperative third party, the police will help you with this. Filing a report will help speed up and make it easier for you to file a claim. If the need to call a police is not necessary anymore, be sure to at least go to nearby police stations and make a report just to keep it on record.

Step 4: Contact your insurance agent or agency

Finally, make a call to your insurance agent or to your agency’s emergency hotline. If possible, in case of major accidents, make the call at the scene of the accident and with the police present. The police can help explain the accident and provide more accurate information about it to the insurance company, which can help speed up your claims request.

Do: Keep calm so you can deal with the accident the right way.

Don’t: Don’t panic.
The Verdict: It is scary and nerve-wracking to get into an accident. But no matter how careful you try to be as a driver, car accidents are a part of every driver’s life. Whether quite minor, you can’t expect to prevent accidents from happening. The best you can do is to prepare yourself so if they do happen, you will know what to do.

You can find more about Car accident Basics: http://www.best-car-accident-lawyers.com/car-accident-basics.html

Or visit our car accident lawyer homepage: http://www.best-car-accident-lawyers.com

Keep Your Car Clean With These Tips ||| NEW !

After purchasing a new car, most of us start out with a strong resolve to keep it clean. All sorts of promises are made, from not eating in the car, to never leaving jackets or other items in the back seat. There may even be promises of washing and vacuuming the car every weekend.

While most of us tend to relax our cleaning efforts after a few months, it does not mean our cars cannot look great, even as they age. There are a number of ways to keep a car clean that requires little to no effort. If you want to make your car look great and feel clean, here are some suggestions to consider.

One of the most common cleaning issues with vehicles is that sometimes allow miscellaneous items to pile up in the back seat. Jackets, books, homework folders, old clothes, and other items settle into the back seat and seem to take up space. All too often, these items can remain in the car for days or even weeks.

To eliminate the clutter, impose a twenty-four hour rule: any spare item that goes into the car must come out of the car within twenty-four hours. This is a great method because it helps keep your car clean from unnecessary clutter.

Trash is almost as much of an issue as clutter. To deal with this issue, always keep a small garbage bag tucked into the glove compartment or the pocket on the back of the seats. Use the bag to gather up any fast food containers, candy wrappers, or other discarded junk from the interior of the car, and then toss the bag into a nearby trash receptacle. This is something that should be done at least once per week. This allows you to keep the interior of your car trash free.

Households with kids know that taking food along on any road trip is necessary. However, eating while the car is in motion can be messy. To protect the upholstery, use spill-proof cups and simple plastic holders for finger foods. Many of these food holders have flexible bands across the mouth of the device, making it easy for your kids to reach in and grab whichever snack is available. If the holder is dropped, the bands keep the snacks from falling onto the seats or floorboard carpeting. While they cost a little more, these devices make it much easier to keep the upholstery in good condition.

Adults, of course, can also spill liquids in the car. For this reason, always use insulated cups that are equipped with lids for beverages such as coffee, tea, or colas. It is just as easy to enjoy your drink, but if the container does fall to the floor, only a small amount of liquid may spill onto the carpeting. This can make it much faster to clean if something happens to spill.

Many people do not realize how many surfaces they touch while in a vehicle. If your hands are greasy or dirty, some of the dirt and grime may be left behind each time you rub against the upholstery, touch the dashboard, or handle the steering wheel. To keep the accumulation of grime to a minimum, always keep hand wipes in the glove compartment. A quick cleanup after grabbing a burger at a drive-through can save you a lot of time later on, since you should not have to remove the grease.

Resealable bags are a great way to deal with all sorts of situations. Large bags can be used to keep wet clothing or muddy shoes from coming in contact with the upholstery or carpeting. Small bags are ideal for carrying along a moistened washcloth for cleaning an infant’s face and hands after a snack. Keep a few of these bags tucked into the glove compartment in case there is an emergency.

Even under the best of circumstances, some stains are bound to develop on the upholstery. Often, non-gel toothpaste can come in handy. For stains like ketchup or lipstick, quickly apply a little of the toothpaste to the stain, then rub gently with a wet cloth.

One final way to keep your car clean and fresh is to invest in a good quality hand-held vacuum. This device can be used to remove crumbs from the interior, thus eliminating the chance of oil stains while also keeping the area fresh and inviting. Remember to charge the battery on the vacuum now and then; this ensures the device is ready when you need it.

When cleaning your car, remember to avoid anything that can cause a spill or make a mess on your carpeting or upholstery. Although that is easier said than done, you should take precautionary measures to ensure the car stays clean. Cleaning the car often is a great first step to keep the car looking great. If your kids like to eat during road trips, be sure to seal the food and drinks in a container that makes it difficult to spill. Hand wipes also help significantly because they allow you to clean your hands before touching the upholstery.

I Have Bad Credit and I Need a Legitimate Car Loan Online With No Down Payment!

Smoke and mirrors. That's what I think of when I look at some websites on the internet. When you've got bad credit and you're looking for a real car loan without hassles and gimmicks, it's tough sometimes knowing where to turn. It seems like there are thousands of websites on the internet and it's just tough knowing what is real and what isn't.

Well, you'll find that there are some good companies, but it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, as the old saying goes. Here's a few tips that will help you in being certain that a company that offers bad credit auto loans is legitimate and isn't just trying to snag your wallet.

1) Make sure you only deal with a company that is listed with the Better Business Bureau Online (BBB Online) Phone or check online to ensure that they are registered and that there are no complaints filed against them.

2) Track record is everything. Be sure to check that they have been in business for several years and that they have successfully helped hundreds of people get approved for loans. Online review sites are great for this.

3) Are they a real lending agency or are they simply trying to generate leads for a car dealership? This is a common problem which can easily be avoided by following the first two steps. Who wants a call from a dealership trying to sell them a car? Not me!

4) Can they truly offer a no money down auto loan package, or is that just another advertising gimmick? Always read the fine print.

If you keep these tips in mind and do some research, you will have no problem finding the best auto loan even if you have no credit at all.

Smoker's Life Insurance Rates

In life insurance, there are three different classifications price: standard, preferred or more preferred. By not smoking (or not smoked for at least 5 years) and in excellent health, you will be rewarded with a low rate of life insurance, because your chances of dying sooner are reduced. For example, if you are classified as "healthy", which means you do not use nicotine in at least three years, then you fall into a standard classification with a life insurance company. According to this classification standard normal to pay a fee for life insurance for his age, as opposed to a smoker who pay more insurance because they are labeled a potential risk. Something to think about the next When you light a cigarette!

You are considered a smoker?
In the world of life insurance, answering "yes" on questions of implementation, "you smoke?" or "You are considered a smoker?" you would be considered a smoker. The same applies to respond affirmatively to the question "Do you have tobacco products, cigarettes, cigars or chewing tobacco during a period of time?" By the standards of insurance, even or if you smoke socially just once a year, you are considered a smoker. For the casual smoker, you must answer the question as they see fit.

The cost of tobacco
Research shows that smokers pay at least three non-smokers, which is what attracts many people to lie on their applications for life insurance.

Lie or not lie
With life insurance, non-smoker in the application must be examined more closely than a smoker life insurance policy because the premiums are so different.
It is possible for smokers to "cheat" the system, because nicotine clean your system within 72 hours after your last cigarette smoke. Cotinine is the main metabolite of nicotine, and the most common identification levels of nicotine. If the urine test is given 72 hours after your last cigarette, nicotine is May levels low enough to avoid detection. This is theoretically possible, even for most smokers.

You did it! And now?
The policy between you and your insurance company is a legal contract, it is important that you do not lie about their habits. If you were caught lying during the underwriting process, its rate should be achieved with a smoker, the index of its policy is approved. No insurance company will be entitled to say that they file your police discovered that if you were lying. However, some companies, life insurance is placed at random phone calls to applications that are challenged on many things, even smoking. The survey was designed to eliminate those who are listening to the claims of inconsistencies in the answers.

What happens if they caught you?
The worst thing that could happen if they caught you, your life insurance policy will be issued at a higher rate.

And if you start smoking after the policy is issued?
Many life insurance companies through the "do not ask, do not tell" idea. It is important to tell the truth to fulfill his life insurance policy, but if you start smoking after publication, you do not have to tell your insurance company. If you die, and your life insurance policy designated as a non-smoker, then you start smoking, your death benefit will not be compromised .

Your Cheap Travel Insurance

Is Your Cheap Travel Insurance Legal?
Cheap Insurance Article Source by : Kim Chambers

At this time of year, New Year’s resolutions are a long forgotten memory. The diet you pledged to stick to has been replaced by chocolate, and the strict exercise regime has gone out the window. On the plus side, you can still look forward to your summer holiday. However, travel insurance has gone through some changes in 2009 and, unlike the rest of us, the companies who sell cheap travel insurance stick to their resolutions. So before you take your well earned break, it’s worth checking your policy.

As of 1 January 2009, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) took it upon itself to regulate the sale of all cheap travel insurance from all travel agents and tour operators. A lot of tour operators signed up in advance to get FSA approval, but not all operators and travel agents have been FSA approved. It’s easy to be confused by acronyms, as a lot of travel agents are members of ATOL or ABTA which gives the impression that they are certified and approved to sell cheap travel insurance.

For clarity, ATOL is the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing which is a part of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). ATOL helps to protect travellers abroad by making sure that the tour operator or travel agent they book their holiday with has the financial reserves to compensate their customers, should anything go wrong. If an ATOL approved company goes bust, holidaymakers are guaranteed to get their money back and a flight home should the company collapse whilst a customer is on holiday.

ABTA is the Association of British Travel Agents and is a representative body of 5,300 travel agents and almost 1,000 tour operators. ABTA are a representative body which acts on behalf of its members to ensure high standards of trading practice among travel agents. However, whilst ABTA membership does mean customers will get “choice, value and high levels of service” there is no requirement for ABTA members to provide cheap travel insurance.

In essence, what this means is that whilst carrying the ATOL or ABTA badge might help you source a good travel agent, in reality this has no bearing on their ability to provide you with cheap travel insurance. If you are going to buy a policy, make sure it’s from a reputable vendor that has approval from the FSA. Without it, you could be in severe trouble should you have an accident abroad.

Cheap Insurance Article Source by :
Kim Chambers has 2 years experience in the travel insurance industry.
She enjoys writing articles on various topics.
http://www.uswitch.com/travel-insurance

Cheap Insurance Secrets

Cheap Insurance Article Source by : Steve Gillman

Can you find cheap insurance? Yes. You can not only spend less on all types of insurance, but you can get more of the coverages you need for less. Here are a few insider secrets to help you out.

Cheap Life Insurance

- Purchase multiple policies. Instead of buying one large policy, save money by buying two, or even three, and staggering the terms. Have one run until the kids are out of the house, for example, and the other until your retirement fund kicks in.

- Investigate the company. Visit www.naic.org/cis, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners site. It has links to check out companies, including their financial condition, and the complaints filed against them.

- Ask about rebates. Some states allow agents to rebate a portion of their commission to you. Check online or by phone. You don't have to be from the state to buy insurance there.

auto cheap insurance
Get several quotes, of course. You probably know that having as high a deductible as you can afford will also reduce the rate. Here are some money-saving tips you may not have known.

- Get the legal minimum for liability coverage if you have few or no assets. Many companies try to sell their "company-recommended minimums" on liability, and even pass them off as the legal minimums. Just get the legal minimums. If you have no assets, you're not a target for a lawsuit.

- Once a year, review your policies. Have a policy review and get new quotes every year or so. If the ticket you had is past the three year mark (or whatever the company thinks is important) they will drop the rate, but not automatically, so ask.

- Remove your kids from your policy. If your kids are at a college that's more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy and save a lot of money. You can't let them drive the car when they come home to visit though.

Other Cheap Insurance Secrets

- Health insurance tip: Find a group to join. If you don't have health insurance through your employer, join a group that enables you to get a better policy rate. A fraternal organization or the chamber of commerce sometimes have arranged for group policies.

- Home owners insurance tip: Consider higher deductibles. Insurance is for disasters, not small stuff. Plan to pay the first $1000 someday when something happens. In the meantime you'll save money every year on your policy.

- Credit life insurance tip: Just say no. These policies pay the balance of your auto, home or other loan if you die. If you feel you need it, regular life insurance for the same amount is much cheaper.

Whatever type of insurance you are buying, be sure to get several quotes. Ask questions about every part of the policy, and don't pay for things you don't need. Ask about any special discounts you might be eligible for. Asking many questions and really understanding the policy is the key to getting cheap insurance.

Cheap Insurance Article Source by :
Steve Gillman has been hunting down obscure knowledge and useful
secrets for years. Learn more and get a free gift at:
http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com.

Really Car Insurance Cheap

Cheap Insurance Article Source by: Steve Gillman

There are the usual tips for getting really cheap car insurance. You may need to be reminded of these. Then there are the secrets that you haven't heard about. You'll find a few of those here too.

1. Shop around. Call several companies for quotes, starting with those that advertise the lowest prices. be sure to include at least one independent agent, since they can check many companies for you. Use the tips here to make a list of questions to ask them.

2. Raise your deductible to lower your rates. If you really can't afford the first $500 of an accident, you should rearrange your financial life. After all, you're going to find away to afford more than that over time, on higher premiums.

3. Consider dropping collision. Why pay for it if the car is worth $1000? All you'll get is $1000. The rule is: drop the collision if you can afford the loss. You can't drop it if you owe on the car. However, if the car is worth only a couple thousand and you still owe a little on it, get a personal loan to pay off the car loan, drop the collision coverage, and the savings on the insurance may almost make the payments.

4. Round down your distance to work. You are charged more if you drive farther to work, so be sure to give the shortest distance on the application. Fifteen miles is a common cut-off, at which point you start to pay more.

5. Demand the legal minimums. Do this if you have no assets. Most companies will try to sell you their "company-recommended minimums" on liability, but you may not need that much coverage. Remember, if you are broke, you are not an attractive target for a lawsuit.

6. Get any discounts you are eligible for. Ask about any "safe driver" non-smoker" or other special discounts.

7. Home and auto discounts. See if there is a discount if you insure car and home with the same company. This can often save you a lot.

8. Pay for 6 months at a time. Don't take the easy monthly payment option. They always charge you more for that. Learn to budget and you not only get really cheap car insurance, but everything else is cheaper too.

9. Review your policy. Have your policy reviewed and get new quotes every year or so. If the speeding ticket you had is now past the three year mark (or whatever the company thinks is important) they won't automatically drop the rate, so ask.

10. Consider the insurance costs when buying a car. Sports cars and others are charged higher rates. This isn't a one time charge. You'll pay more for as long as you own the car.

11. Keep policy current. I went without a car for a while, and let the policy lapse because I didn't need it, and there wasn't enough time left on it to request a refund. When I bought a car again, the cost for a six-month liability policy went from $167 to $400 because of my lapsed policy. Keep the policy active if you will be buying again soon, or cancel it, but don't let it lapse.

12. Get paid for diminished value. If you have an accident, be sure the insurance pays what it should. "Diminished value" is often not paid unless you push the point, even though a car loses value from being in a wreck, even after it is repaired.

13. Remove kids from policy. If the kids are at a college that's more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy and save a lot of money. You can't let them drive the car when they come home to visit though.

14. Get older. Rates drop, especially after 25 years old, so get new quotes now and then as you get older. They may not adjust your rate automatically. Old safe drivers can get really cheap car insurance.

Cheap Insurance Article Source by :
Steve Gillman has been hunting down obscure knowledge and useful
secrets for years. Learn more and get a free gift at:
http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com

cheap car insurance Tips

20 Tips To car insurance cheap
Cheap Insurance Article Source by: Kev Higgnis

Car insurance premiums rise year after year,Although your car insurance premium largely depends on your Car, Age and discount there are a few steps you can take to help stop the rise or even reduce your premium.

1. Buy from the internet.Most companies offer a discount for online applications as this is automated process and costs them a lot less to process your application, you can usually see discounts of 5%-10%.Click here to get a instant online insurance quote

2. Shop around.All insurance companies use different formulas to calculate your insurance premium by adding or detracting money after each question the ask you.By shopping around you could find big savings on your insurance premium.

3. Buy extra products.Most insurance companies also do other insurance products ie"Building's and content's insurance".Most insurance companies will give extra discounts for purchasing more than one product,by doing this you could save a fair amount on all your insurance premiums.

4. Pay your insurance premium in one go.By paying your insurance premium in full you can avoid paying costly interest charges that would be added if you paid your insurance premium by instalments.Some insurance companies may charge as much as 15% APR on instalments.You may even receive a discount for paying in full.If you can not afford to pay in full check out what rate a small loan would be you may still save some money.Fill out a online loan application.

5. Increase your voluntary excess.Your excess is the amount paid by you in the event of a claim,by increasing this your insurance company should reduce your premium.

6. Lower your annual mileage.Lowering your annual mileage can reduce your premium,most insurance companies will quote you for around 12,000 miles a year.Try and work out how many mile's you will do if it's likely to be less you may get a discount.Be honest about this as your insurance company may ask to see old MOT'S and service history to verify your mileage in the event of a accident.

7. Have a Alarm,Immobiliser or Tracker fitted.Theft of and from your vehicle play a major role in the calculation of your insurance premium.Having a alarm or immobiliser fitted will give you a small discount to your premium and having a tracker fitted could make you quite a saving.

8. Take the advanced driving test.Passing your advanced driving test will show your insurance company that you have extra skill when driving and are less likely to be involved in a accident.

9. Don't inflate the value of your car.Adding extra value to your car when you apply for your insurance quote will do nothing for you apart from increase you premium.In the event your car is stolen or written off you will only be paid the market value of your car at the time of your accident.

10.Look after your credit rating.Insurance companies are now looking at your credit score as part of the calculation for your insurance premium.Maintaining a good credit rating could avoid unnecessary additions to your premium.

11. Insure your car Third Party Only.Third party only is the minimum cover you are required to have by law it's also the cheapest.If your vehicle is of a low value then you could consider this type of cover.You need to remember that with this type of cover if you was to have a accident that any damage to your vehicle would not be covered for repair.

12. Keep a clean licenceInsurance companies take driving convictions very seriously and can dramatically increase your car insurance premium,by maintaining a clean licence proves to the insurance you are a safe and careful driver.

13. Remove any unnecessary drivers.If you have a young driver on your insurance policy that no longer use's the vehicle you should remove them as this will reduce your premium.

14. Young driver's add a older driver.Some insurance companies will reduce young drivers premiums if they have a older named driver on the insurance.

15. Build up your no-claims discountOne of the biggest factors affecting your car insurance premium is the number of years no-claim's discount.You could receive up to 75% discount for around 5 years of no claims.The more years you can stay claim free the safer driver your insurance company will see you as.

16. Protect your no-claims discount.Although this will increase your insurance premium if you have a lot of years of no-claims you may want to protect this as a small claim may increase your premium by up to 75%.

17. Buy a lower insurance group car.A very important factor to your insurance premium is what car you drive.Most insurance companies adopt the Association Of British Insurance Group Rating.This rates vehicle's from 1 - 20 generally speaking the higher the group the higher the premium.By buying a car with a lower group rating can lower your premium especially for young or inexperienced drivers.

18. Join a car club.If your vehicle is a classic or specialist consider joining a club related to your car most clubs offer insurance schemes which have very good premium rates.

19. Put your spouse as a named driver.Some insurance companies offer discounts when you add a spouse as a named driver as opposed to unmarried couples,they see marriage as a sign of stability and associate stability with safe driving and there for give you a discount.

20. Take pass plus.If you are a new driver consider taking your pass plus.some insurance companies could give you as much as a 25% discount and when you have just passed your test and have no no-claims this could make a considerable saving.

Cheap Insurance Article Source : Kev Higgnis
Article by www.thevirtualgarage.co.uk The free autotrader uk alternative

Auto Cheap Insurance For Your Teen Son

Purchasing Auto Cheap Insurance For Your Teen Son
Cheap Insurance Article Source by: Sher Matsen

Your son has just obtained his license and with that a new found sense of freedom. Now you ask how to get cheap auto insurance for my son ? Car insurances can vary dramatically in price so read on to learn how to buy car insurance that is affordable for your teen drivers.

Because teens lack driving experience insurers consider them a high risk to insure and thus the premiums assigned are much higher than an adults insurance rates would be. There are a few things you can do to help reduce the rates you pay for your teen drivers.

First you need to stress to them how important it is for them to keep a clean driving record. That means driving safely – no speeding tickets, no traffic violations, and no accidents. Over a period of time there safe driving will be rewarded with lower premiums.
You can also reduce their rates by purchasing insurance with a higher deductible. The higher the deductible is the lower the premium is.

If you are going to be purchasing a vehicle for your teen choose a vehicle that is built well with extra safety features, and do not choose a vehicle that falls into a sports class or higher risk rating class. Be sure to check the class the vehicle falls into.
The graduated licensing laws have come into effect in most states in the USA and some provinces in Canada. The rules will vary from one location to another but the basic underlying philosophy is to restrict new drivers by limiting what their license will allow them to do.

They may be issued a full auto license such as a class 5 but there is usually a letter designation behind it to indicate they are a new driver. These new drivers have nighttime driving restrictions, vehicle occupant restrictions, and a 0 alcohol tolerance restriction to name just a few. They will also be required to take an additional test after a specific period of time to remove them from the new driver programmer.

But you’re still wondering where to get cheap auto insurance for my son? Teenage drivers can dramatically reduce the cost of insurance by purchasing a stand alone policy from an agency that specializes in providing teen insurance. A stand alone policy means they are not added as an additional driver on your insurance but rather carry their own insurance.

These insurance companies reduce their risk for insuring teens by placing certain concessions on the driving habits of them. They may require driving school, no driving after dark, or various other restrictions which allow them to keep the premiums lower for teen drivers.
The statistics for teen drivers aren’t good. A 16 year old driver is 10 times more likely to get into an accident than an adult between the ages of 30 and 59, so you can see why insurance companies are hesitant to provide good rates.

The best thing you can do for your teenager and his or her insurance rates is to teach responsibility and make them accountable. Make them earn your trust for the use of the car, and make them accountable to pay at least a portion of their insurance premiums. They can do this by working a part time job which also breeds maturity, so it’s a win-win all the way.

You and your teenager are thrilled with the new found freedom for both of you. So now you need to do your homework and research teen insurance rates so you can get them on the road. What are you waiting for?

Cheap Insurance Article Source :
Sher Matsen has been serving customers for over 20 years as a freelance writer and has been offering information and advice to the consumer. To find out how to save on your auto insurance Please visit us at http://www.all-auto-insurance.com/