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Akrasia is Hypocrisy. 2021-01-04T05:07:58.558Z

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Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on So What's Up With PUFAs Chemically? · 2024-04-30T10:26:36.245Z · LW · GW

Many inflammatory pathways are tightly regulated, often because they involve chain reactions. Some of the PUFA metabolites, like 4HNE, can directly adduct to proteins and DNA. Considering we are systems meant to detect small amounts of damage in order to mount an inflammatory response, even the tiniest amount of some of those hydroperoxides can be problematic. Many of these molecules are reactive to UV light, and the most common report from the anti PUFA crowd is a complete stop to sunburns. Meaning people who used to burn within 10 minutes now require a few hours of direct exposure to get an inflammatory response. I can confirm this on myself (I live in the desert).

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Thoughts on seed oil · 2024-04-27T18:09:46.387Z · LW · GW

There is also a similar, lesser known "Israeli Paradox", where we consume less saturated fat and more unsaturated, and have worse cardiovascular stats.

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Thoughts on seed oil · 2024-04-21T09:57:14.299Z · LW · GW

My interest in the this topic arose after a rather dramatic weight increase, insulin resistance increase, liver issues, kidney issues, all showed up when I was drafted into the IDF. The main change in my diet was seed oil, because I happened to consume very little of it or any other processed foods. Another change was an increase in sugar, but the health deterioration was rapid, and happened over about 2 months before getting discharged for the above health issues, which happened to reverse back at home.

My current vague working theory is that a combination of high fructose consumption and linoleic acid quickly harm the Liver, enabling the current onslaught of health problems. For some highly technical discussion of specific papers and mechanisms, I really recommend this blog, specifically his foi gras series of posts, and his Insulin sensitivity and resistance causing obesity. http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/ One of the interesting studies he mentions is a somewhat under powered one in mice: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37267350/ In a podcast with anti seed oil crusader Tucker Goodrich, he mentions how the standard lab chow was also causing rapid Liver degeneration, and that the unsaturated fat content was often unknown, meaning plenty of studies that get thrown around here are basically noise. Tucker often mentions how there's no control group, and if there really is a threshold for this, all the studies in this field are crap.

One think I'd like to check out is data from Russia and other former Soviet countries, because they jumped on the (sunflower)seed oil train a bit earlier than the West did, so you should be able to check if they got here earlier.

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Historical mathematicians exhibit a birth order effect too · 2024-04-13T19:30:01.888Z · LW · GW

There's a pretty good reason old Hunter Gatherer types obsess about maternal diet before pregnancy. I also expect to find a much higher number of postpartum issues after non first born births. Basically blame nutritional deficiencies for this effect.

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Experimental Fat Loss · 2024-03-19T07:54:57.847Z · LW · GW

You may be interested in the what Tucker Goodrich is doing, he's been reviewing the literature, and it's probably the Linoleic acid. He's pointed at the research on the direct stimulation of the endocanabinoid system by omega6. He's interviewed someone who studied Tributyl tin, an obesogen present at relevant doses in all of our environments, it also happens to agonize the same receptors omega6s do, and also has canabinoid activity.

Imagine trying to lose weight while smoking weed all day every day.

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Activated Charcoal for Hangover Prevention: Way more than you wanted to know · 2023-12-18T20:10:51.129Z · LW · GW

In Japan they use some Curcumin fructose beverage for hangovers. This guy made a video on it, check his sources if interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij_aJI5O9Rs

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Iron deficiencies are very bad and you should treat them · 2023-01-14T21:05:19.723Z · LW · GW

I read that Copper deficiency can impact Iron absorption (causing deficiency). Zinc supplementation can cause Copper Deficiency.

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on The Fountain of Health: a First Principles Guide to Rejuvenation · 2023-01-08T12:59:42.715Z · LW · GW

Ray Peat claims the Hayflick limit is nonsense, but... It's Ray Peat, so apply salt. http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/stemcells.shtml

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on To Spread Science, Keep It Secret · 2021-04-26T16:34:50.895Z · LW · GW

How scientific is the idea that there is nothing but science to learn? Or perhaps one must reinvent the wheel to drive a car.

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Wrong Questions · 2021-04-26T16:32:53.758Z · LW · GW

To me, the answer to any of such questions, is "name is name". A reference to a thing is that thing itself, yet simultaneously not that thing. It is also always empty, and unbound. Or we can keep arguing in absolutes, and be sure the answer is always past the horizon.

Comment by Lev Protter (lev-protter) on Akrasia is Hypocrisy. · 2021-01-07T07:18:33.043Z · LW · GW

Yeah, my argument, when taken that far, is unworkable. When considering how far to maximize the reward function, the metaphor of a treadmill is apt. There are forces constantly pulling backwards, and if I don't keep ahead of them, I might as well going backwards on my own. We take the conflict and complexity, and give it space. So I'd say "to remain conflicted is a kind of hypocrisy." or maybe to roll the dice at complexity and conflict isn't much better than pure hypocrisy. I'm having a bit of trouble phrasing this, I think because life isn't discrete like I may have painted it, but what is really preventing me from mastering everything? Should I name it? Does it have a will of its own? Maybe it's just entropy, and whatever convictions some other, more honest version of me had, just need to be reinforced at every possible moment.

The idea of good and evil (truth/lies) come to mind, not because there's any clear meaning to them, but because drawing a clear line, and labeling things accordingly, is one of the more powerful 'dark arts' we have. The idea of opposites is one of the first to go when thinking about rationality. But it might also be a fairly rational way of handling complexity.