IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor)

Am I crazy. In today's New York Times Sports section I started to read about IGF-1, both in an article linking Ray Lewis to deer antler extract and in an overview summary article on IGF-1's use as a mainstay of banned performance-enhancing drugs. I also just finished reading Dr. Fuhrman's book, "The End of Diabetes", where he was all over IGF-1 and how it was was the source of all evil, especially for diabetics.

I can comfortably predict that the Ray Lewis story will go nowhere, that he will become a successful   TV analyst and that he will be in the hall of fame. I cannot predict who will win the Super Bowl or if  I will cheat and have some wings. I'll make, baked not fried, Buffalo wings for the big game and like chips you can't have just one.

The New York Times reported "Available at anti-aging clinics, IGF-1, or insulinlike growth factor-1, has found favor among athletes for the same reasons that its better-known relative human growth hormon has: it is believed to make an athlete bigger, faster and stronger. It may may boost muscle, reduce fat and improve endurance."

Dr. Fuhrman writes in "The End of Diabetes" IGF-1 signaling is crucial for growth and development in childhood, but it promotes the aging process later in life. Reduced IGF-1 signaling is associated with enhanced life span."  Fuhrman, MD also states that "The largest concern about elevated IGF-1 from our modern diet is its link to cancer".  He goes on to say that the largest sources of IGF-1 come from animal based proteins including dairy.

What? The NYT said that IGF-1 is available at anti-aging clinics and Fuhrman , the "Eat to Live" guy said it will make me old, gray and die of cancer. This is what I go through all the time when I read different nutrition books and listen to experts on all sides of the debate.

Furhrman is very anti anything white, including pasta, bread, and potatoes while Dr. McDougall, MD "The Starch Solution" has advocated a vegetarian based diet loaded with starches. He believes that
 without the rice and potatoes you'll never be satisfied and will not comply with a plant based diet.

Ian Smith MD's  "The Shred Diet" is the number one seller on the NY Times Advice Section. His plan is very different from a vegetarian based concept.

Everyone invested in the nutrition field has spent years and is fully committed to helping others. I want to find a life style that I can believe in, that I know is based on fact and not on wishful thinking. I love to eat but I am willing to do the right thing in an effort to be as healthy as I can be. I have been leaning towards Dr. Fuhrman's philosophy lately and feel his challenge to become healthy enough that I can get off all of my medications, through diet and exercise. The draw back is that the more plants and less of everything else that I eat, the harder it is for me to feel full and as a result I start snacking at night. My snacks are healthy but I find myself picking and nibbling a lot.

The one common denominator in all of the diet and nutrition dialogue is exercise so I guess I'll go for my run now.

Don T