The Digest - April 20

• Paleo diet shown to be superior to ADA diet in improving metabolic markers even in people suffering from “lifestyle diabetes”.
• Vegetarian diet shown to be superior to standard diet in one aspect – but that’s not the whole story.
• The most common mistakes I see CEOs as well as entrepreneurs do when managing their businesses.
• The biggest errors when writing your resume.
• 68% of people are unhappy at work, but is it their job’s fault?

• This is probably the clearest purpose-designed study I’ve seen to-date comparing the effects of a Paleo diet on metabolic health. In this study (published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition), the subjects all suffered from Type II Diabetes (the type of diabetes arising from lifestyle and diet choices). They were split into 2 groups: one group was put on a Paleo diet, while the other group was put on the standard diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association to control diabetes. The results were clear: the Paleo subjects saw superior improvements in glucose control (blood sugar) and lipid profiles (cholesterol and triglycerides) vs. the ADA subjects. In fact, the Paleo subjects saw a significant reversal in insulin resistance (the primary cause of diabetes) while the ADA subjects saw no such improvement. What was even more surprising is that the whole study lasted 21 days, underlining the significant but also rapid positive effects of the Paleo diet on metabolic health.

• This is yet another example of how NOT to interpret a study, as the media tends to do: this study compared vegetarian to non-vegetarian diets on the level of “advanced glycation and products” (AGE), with the knowledge that AGE molecules are highly toxic to humans and contribute to a wide variety of diseases, including cardiovascular, metabolic, and degenerative diseases. The scientists “concluded” that vegetarian diets have lower levels of AGE vs. standard diet. Well DUH! The “standard” diet they compared to is full of processed food products, which are notoriously high in AGE, especially those originating from animals fed inflammatory diets (corn, soy), which are the majority today. Guess what else causes high AGE in the bloodstream: High levels of blood glucose, a common consequence of following modern dietary advice (where at least 50% of your calories come from carbohydrates).

• In my “day job”, I advise companies and executives on their strategy. In my “night job”, I do the same for entrepreneurs and small business owners. In both roles, I see many of the same mistakes surface frequently, keeping success at bay. I came across this article which coincidentally summarizes some of the most common “strategy mistakes” I see. Of particular importance: “Inaccurately gauging demand for your product or service”, “Entering a crowded market without a distinct competitive advantage”, and “Forgetting to count the costs”.

• The most common and “annoying” errors when writing your resume: I’ve been guilty of them and I see them all too often: read and avoid.

• In a separate post I sent out yesterday, I talk about how 68% of people are unhappy at work. Starting your own business isn’t for everyone, but whether it’s a direction you seek to pursue or not, there are things you can do to change your perspective about work and perhaps draw a little more fulfillment out of it.