We all know avocados are healthy, and coke is bad. Yet we can’t help but gulp down a coke with a plate full of french fries. It takes an enormous amount of energy to break bad habits. I’ve broken bad habits under two conditions: (a) it’s a do-or-die situation, or (b) you have a device that monitors what you eat and screams at you for eating junk food.As Munger said, “All I want to know is where I’m going to die, so I won’t go there.” It’s better to break a bad habit through a device than be forced to change because of a do-or-die situation. This post summarizes my learnings from the excellent book The South Asian Health Solution and from wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).Carbohydrates Parking Space ProblemCarbohydrates (carbs) are chains of glucose molecules that get broken down into individual glucose molecules during digestion. This glucose travels throughout our body to provide energy and carry out key metabolic functions. Glucose has three major destinations in our body — the liver, muscles, and fat cells.Ideally, we want most of the glucose to go to the muscles where it can be used for energy or stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. High glucose levels in the bloodstream are toxic. Insulin, the master hormone produced by the pancreas, decides where the glucose ends up in our body. It moves the excess glucose from the bloodstream and into the muscles or fat for storage.The liver and muscles store glucose as glycogen. However, their storage capacity is limited. The liver can store around 100 grams of glycogen, while muscles can hold another 300-500 grams. A person’s muscle storage capacity depends on their fitness level. Athletes have more storage capacity compared to those who sit in front of computers all day.Once the storage capacity in the liver and muscles is maxed out, the excess glucose has nowhere to go but the fat cells. Fat cells have plenty of space, so the end result is fat accumulation. This fat can either be stored around organs as visceral fat or under the skin as subcutaneous fat.The liver, muscles, and fat cells all have insulin receptors that help them suck up glucose. Unlike muscle and fat cells, the liver can accept glucose without insulin, but it still requires insulin to convert that glucose into glycogen.If there’s no room in the liver, the excess glucose gets converted into fats in the form of triglycerides. These triglycerides are either exported into the bloodstream, increasing our triglyceride levels, or deposited directly into the liver, causing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.When this function is normal, we say the cells are insulin sensitive. However, over time, these cells can develop resistance to insulin, and the pancreas needs to produce more and more insulin to make them continue accepting glucose. At a certain point, the pancreas can no longer produce enough insulin, and our blood sugar levels skyrocket, leading to diabetes.Muscles normally absorb 60-70 percent of the glucose we consume. Leading an active lifestyle uses up the glycogen stored in the muscles and liver for energy, creating more space for glucose from future carbs consumption. However, a sedentary lifestyle leaves no parking space for this glucose, leading to insulin resistance. This results in excess fat storage in the liver, abdomen, and other parts of the body, causing high blood sugar levels and increasing the risk of diabetes.How Insulin Resistance Fuels InflammationArteries are the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your vital organs and muscles, nourishing every part of your body with oxygen and nutrients. Arteries have several layers, and the innermost layer is called the Endothelial Cell Layer (ECL).The ECL is in constant contact with blood and is sensitive to chemical imbalances caused by poor nutrition or negative emotions. It reacts to these imbalances by triggering an inflammatory response. Our immune system then utilizes macrophages to address the inflammation.However, during this process, macrophages ingest oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL), leading to the formation of foam cells within the arterial walls. The accumulation of foam cells contributes to plaque buildup (atherosclerosis), which in turn leads to further inflammation and can eventually result in cardiovascular diseases.Inflammation is our body’s response to fix injuries. During inflammation, our body prioritizes survival over growth. Short-lived inflammation is beneficial as it heals injuries and returns our bodies to normal. However, inflammation triggered by poor nutrition or stress is chronic, acting like a ticking time bomb that can go off at any moment.Lipoproteins are the carriers (boats) that transport cholesterol and triglycerides throughout the body via the blood. We’re often told that LDL is bad. However, there are two kinds of LDL: type A and type B, with type B being riskier than type A.Type B is smaller in size and sticks deep in the ECL, whereas type A bounces off the blood vessel walls without causing any damage. These type B particles get oxidized and are ingested by macrophages, leading to plaque formation.The test for cholesterol is called a lipid profile test, but it doesn’t break down LDL into type A and type B. To find out the type of LDL, we need advanced cholesterol testing. However, the presence of high triglycerides and high LDL usually indicates that we likely carry more type B LDL.Insulin resistance exacerbates this chronic inflammation. When cells become resistant to insulin, higher levels of insulin circulate in the blood, leading to increased fat storage and elevated levels of blood sugar. These conditions promote the oxidation of LDL and create an environment ripe for inflammation. The persistent high levels of insulin and glucose further stress the ECL, perpetuating the cycle of inflammation and plaque buildup.Learnings From Wearing A CGMIf you’re measuring something, you’re more likely to act on the information you have: Wearing a CGM made me extremely conscious of what I put into my mouth. I had to force myself to eat what I usually eat, as the goal was to learn how my body’s glucose levels react to the food I consume.Your body has enough stored energy to keep you alive and active: Famine has been a part and parcel of human evolution. Our ancestors feasted when there was food and fasted when it was scarce. Our bodies were designed to handle this feast-and-famine cycle, building up ample energy reserves. When we wake up in the morning, our blood glucose level automatically rises as the liver converts stored glycogen into glucose, providing energy even if we skip breakfast.Food with high processed carbs causes blood sugar peaks and crashes: After consuming foods like white rice and white bread, blood sugar levels spike within 30-45 minutes, rising beyond normal levels in 2 hours. The body releases insulin to manage this rise, helping to lower blood sugar levels. After 2-3 hours, these levels drop below normal ranges.The body senses this imbalance, leading to feelings of hunger and tiredness, prompting us to eat more. Our body detects this drop in blood sugar and uses stored energy to stabilize it, but this process takes time. During this delay, we experience cravings, urging us to eat more even though it’s not necessary. You can read this post to understand what causes oscillations to happen in human bodies.Foods with complex carbs, balanced with protein and fats, don’t cause blood sugar peaks and crashes: For example, a breakfast of an egg omelet, cottage cheese, blueberries, and avocado increases blood sugar levels gradually, keeping them within normal ranges. I observed similar trends when consuming meals with salads and South Indian dishes rich in protein, like Adai and Pesarattu. After eating these meals, I felt more refreshed and didn’t experience cravings for more food after three hours, with consistently high energy levels. Coffee consumed with whole milk hardly increased my blood glucose levels: It was reassuring since I drink three cups of coffee every day. However, this doesn’t mean I should consume more caffeine, as it is a diuretic and can cause increased urination.CGM readings can be off by 15-20 points compared to actual blood sugar levels: This isn’t an issue for me, as I use CGM readings to get a directional measure and understand the impact food has on blood sugar levels. Additionally, I calibrate the CGM with a blood sugar machine that reads levels directly from blood. CGMs measure glucose in the fluid between cells using enzymes that produce an electrical signal proportional to the glucose levels.Signs Of Insulin Resistance — Metabolic 6-PackI do blood tests every year, and one metric I care about most is my HbA1c levels, which measure the average blood glucose levels over three months. When this comes back normal, I smile and don’t look beyond that. While it’s an important metric, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Blood sugar levels can be normal, but there may still be underlying issues. Here are 6-pack metrics we must keep under control to stay metabolically fit.Waist circumference less than 90 cm in males and less than 80 cm in females.Triglycerides less than 150 mg/dl. Dr. Ronesh Sinha recommends less than 100 mg/dl.HDL cholesterol above 40 mg/dl in males and above 50 mg/dl in females.Systolic blood pressure at or below 120 mm HG and diastolic at or below 80 mm HG.Fasting blood sugar at or below 100 mg/dl and HBA1C less than 5.7%.High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level below 1.0 mg/dl. It’s a marker of inflammation in the body. Lowering stress through meditation and other techniques can help lower hs-CRP levels.Apart from keeping these metrics in line, also pay attention to these two ratios and ensure they stay within range.Total Cholesterol / HDL less than 5.0.Triglycerides / HDL less than 3.0.Few Simple Do’s and Don’tsJust because I wrote this post doesn’t mean I’m perfect. In fact, while writing this, I had my fair share of imposter syndrome. I’ve failed many times to stick to a healthy lifestyle. As they say in the movie 12th Fail, every time I fail to maintain a good habit, I try again by saying, “Restart.”The human body is extremely complex, and every person is unique. A diet that works for one individual may not work for another. Many of my friends who have tried to restrict carbs and switch to full-fat and protein-based diets have experienced side effects like infections, gastrointestinal issues, and other problems.I’m not a doctor, and I’m not qualified to tell you what you should eat when I’m trying to figure out what works best for me. It’s much easier to say what not to eat than what to eat. Here are a few simple do’s and don’ts that anyone can follow to lead a healthy and happy life.Eat what your ancestors consumed. Stick to traditional and whole foods that have been part of your cultural diet for generations.Avoid food that comes in cans and packets. Processed foods trigger inflammation. It often contains unhealthy additives and preservatives.Be active. Don’t sit for more than 30-60 minutes at a time; get up and move regularly.Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and overall fitness.Regular meditation can reduce stress and improve mental clarity and well-being.Get 7-8 hours of good sleep.Advice From Vinay ParikhI had the privilege of spending several weeks with Vinay Parikh back in 2015, learning how to evaluate businesses and their competitive advantages. Beyond his investing expertise, he was also a dedicated practitioner of an active lifestyle, and he was one of the fittest person I knew. Despite his brave fight, he faced cancer with incredible strength and resilience until the end.The words he shared with me at the end of my mentorship still echo in my head: “Don’t take shortcuts. Life is made up of countless decisions. We gotta be deliberate with each decision and stack the odds in our favor every single time.” He told me this while I was drinking coffee, mentioning how coffee is a diuretic, so it’s better not to overdo it.Few Useful ResourcesThe Obesity CodeThe South Asian Health SolutionWhy We Get SickA Diabetes Cure Designed for Diverse CulturesThe Complete Guide to FastingHealthy Eating and Intermittent FastingNon-Sleep Deep RestStress, Portrait of a Killer