Video Article

Nutrition can be a touchy topic, like politics or religion, that people take very personally, but good nutrition is the foundation not only for general health but also for high-performance fitness. Much of the public information about diet, particularly the emphasis on low fat and high carbs, has resulted in a near epidemic of obesity and type II diabetes. In this first of a two-part lecture excerpt, Coach Glassman explores some of the science behind nutrition and the body, particularly the role of insulin in health and disease. "Syndrome X," the "deadly quartet" (obesity, glucose intolerance, high blood pressure, high triglycerides), and coronary heart disease, he claims, are avoidable through dietary means.

Part 2 will address the refined dietary needs of the athlete and what's required to optimize performance.

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6 Comments on “Nutrition Lecture Part 1: Avoiding Disease”


wrote …

I have a question about perishable items. It makes much sense that food is perishable, and shopping the perimeter of the store is sound advice. However, beans (black, chic, kidney, etc.) are listed as "favorable" carbohydrates in the Zone system. Many of these are available canned, in the infamous middle isles of the store. Furthermore, their shelf life is often quite long, leading me to be a bit circumspect. Do I have cause for concern, or is it just as "favorable" to consume these canned food items?


wrote …

I have a similar questions. In the video Coach states that if a item has a food label on it that it is not food, or that if there is an expiration/"best by" date on it, it's not food. Does that hold true for meats as well. Meat purchased, whether ground turkey breats, or turkey breat slices, at a grocery store is packaged and has both a label and "best by" date on them. These items are definitely on the outer perimeter of grocery isles. Am I reading too much into Coach's statement, or are there alternative places to get meat that doesn't have label/"best by" date on them?


wrote …

I do some alternative nutritional counseling. I agree with what the coach says. Meat just has a freshness date. You want to buy, freeze or use before the freshness date.

Beans can be bought in bulk. Not processed as they are when they are in cans. You don't want other people cooking your food before you do. Its just safer.


wrote …

At 10:13, Glassman says no Lineolaic Acid or Flax. Why?
I saw on the shelf the other day a product by Twin Lab "CLA Fuel" - Conjuagated Linoleic Acid for use to reduce body fat.
I have also heard many misc. nutritionist recommend 1 tablespoon a day of fround flax seed.
Can anyone comment or expand on these subjects and why Glassman might have said no to these supplements?


Justin, here is the short answer rom Robb Wolf's blog ( There's plenty more info out there on this, it's just a matter of digging for it.

ED!! Yesh, this could get long…ALA, the 18 carbon omega-3 fat (think flax oil) is poorly converted to EPA/DHA and upregulates the Delta -6 pathway leading to proinflammatory eicasanoid production. Thsi si why using flax as an n-3 supplement is a BAD idea.

You will only see GLA in the form of primrose oil and supplements like that…use with extreme caution as it can seriously screw your stuff up. Linoleic acid is just n-6 that has not been modified…I know there are some good primers around the net ont hsi stuff, give it a search and let me know what you track down.


Richard Thompson wrote …

Classic---I love this lecture. I don't know how many times I've watched it but I get things from it every year. Thanks Coach.

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