Alter Life

I, Dr. Ben, have observed Dr. Susanna act in courageous ways over the past few weeks. When I reflected this to her, she was inspired to share her process with it in this week's Wisdom Wednesday episode of the Podcast.

Sometimes we have strength and clarity to overcome a challenge, while other times we may be overcome by insecure thoughts.

Like any "good feeling," it is human nature to desire a feeling of courageousness, especially when we feel most distant from that feeling.

Naturally, more thoughts and judgments only tend to further distance the feeling of courage we desire!

In today's episode, we reflect on the feeling of Courage and the accompanying insecurities that we move through.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode...

• Courage is actually our true nature, not something we need to create
• Fear is like a boogyman, only alive in the shadows of our thinking
• In a nutshell, Courage is the act of being and expressing our true self
• When we are in the flow, courageous acts come naturally and effortlessly
• We can't be more of who we already are, but we can see past the delusions of thought

Links to some more good stuff

- Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

We've got to admit... it's really quite saddening to see people spending tons of money on supplements in a never-ending hope to feel better.

The quest for a pill or potion to make us feel better is not something new, but rather strikes the very core of basic human needs and desires.

We all want to feel as healthy and vital as we can for the least possible energy expenditure.

But, here's the thing... it's so blatantly obvious that supplements, just like pharmaceuticals, manage our symptoms... at best! Sure, they can be less toxic, more gentle, and therefore safer than pharmaceutical meds, but they still completely miss the mark when it comes to true healing.

We know by now that true healing comes from developing a strong foundation of health over time. That means being more mindful of the short and long-term consequences of our moment-to-moment thoughts and behaviors.

In this week's episode, we share our passion on this topic, hoping to inspire some clarity and action for your pursuit to more optimal health!

For more conversations about supplements, check out #147 - Should You Take Supplements? and #209 - Favorite Nutritional Powders and Food Based Supplements

If you'd like to join these conversations live, be sure to Subscribe to the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's MM episode...

• Supplements are called "supplements" because they supplement the foundation of health (food, air, water, movement, rest, state of mind, connection with nature)
• Supplements may address a nutritional deficiency, but what is causing that deficiency in the first place??? (Vit B12 and Vit D are generally exempt from this conversation)
• There is nothing wrong with taking a pill, but we must be aware of their inherent limitations
• When necessary, supplements are more efficacious when used ATOP a strong foundation of health
• Generally speaking, our money and energy can be much better invested into the quality of food and water we choose to consume

Links to some more good stuff
-  Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com/
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

A medical diagnosis is a way for doctors and insurance companies to streamline policies and protocols.

You are not your diagnosis.

The symptoms or diagnosis you experience is not the problem, but your body's answer to the problem.

Rather than getting wrapped up in and identifying with a symptom or diagnosis, we can get curious about the body's messaging while staying connected with infinite potential.

In today’s podcast episode, the conversation spans both personal and professional experiences with medical diagnoses to find the freedom and health that is always available.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode...

• Identifying with a symptom or diagnosis can inhibit the body's ability to heal
• Symptoms are not the problem, but the body's answer to a problem
• State of mind shifts physiology in a moment - open-mindedness invites health and balance
• Health is a journey, not a destination - therefore, we can claim ourselves healthy at any point in time, because we are!
• Mindset is powerful, but mindset partnered with actionable behavior is unlimited!

Links to some more good stuff

- Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

There are all sorts of “natural sweeteners” on the market, but we’ve got questions… How natural are they? Are they a healthy substitute to other sweeteners?

First off, our preferred natural sweeteners are very minimally processed; honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Things like agave, cane sugar, rice syrup, etc. tend to be much more processed and therefore “empty calories.” Then there are the real garbage products like corn syrup and beat sugar (which are GMO, toxic foods) as well as synthetic sweeteners like aspartame, surculose, saccharin, etc. which can be toxic to the nervous system.

Today we wanted to unpack a couple of other products that get slapped with the “natural sweetener” label - those derived from Stevia and Monk Fruit. We discuss the pros to these, the cons, and the bottom line recommendation.

It’s easy to group monk fruit and stevia together in this conversation since they (a) both come from whole plant foods (b) have naturally occurring super-sweet “glycosides” and (c) are processed to extract the glycosides to create “zero-calorie” natural sweeteners.

If you'd like to join these conversations live, be sure to Subscribe to the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's MM episode...

• Stevia is a leafy shrub while monk fruit is a guard that grows on a vine
• Both have naturally occurring glycosides that provide a sweet taste (setvioside and rebaudioside A or reb A in stevia and mogrosides in monk fruit)
• They are naturally sweet in their crude form, but also have bitter tastes as well
• These plants are processed through dozens of steps (up to 40 or more) that include bleaching and extraction via methanol and ethanol before getting the final glycoside extract
• Both stevia and monk fruit products are 200 - 300 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose)
• The products are indeed “zero-calorie” since they mainly contain the sweet constituent and no other nutrition - therefore they have no impact on blood sugar
• Studies show stevia can have some detrimental effects on the gut microbiome (rat studies)
• Processed sweeteners such as these can dull sweet receptor tastebuds on the tongue while creating a supraphysiologic dopamine response to perpetuate sweet cravings and food addiction

Links to some more good stuff
-  Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com/
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

Life tends to feel chaotic. In fact, you could say that chaos is a defining feature of life!

Nevertheless, it can feel like we’re on our own, and no one or nothing has our back.

Before we know it, we can find ourselves amidst a "thought-storm" as we like to say with whirling judgments and expectations.

In today’s podcast episode, Dr. Susanna shares her story of moving through a chaotic period of life, starting just 5-months ago or so. She shares how her experience throughout such difficulties offered so much more trust, strength, and peace on the other side.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode...

• Trust is good for our health! It brings the body into a state of peace and relaxation that fosters healing and regeneration
• How the experience of chaos, confusion, and feeling lost is exacerbated by our own thought and judgments
• While thoughts may color life with darkness and despair, perfection and support of the universe is still always present
• When we see that nature's cycles and seasons are also a reflection of what's going on within we can trust the process rather than judge and criticize
• When we acknowledge the perfection of the past and present, we can feel greater trust that what is to come in the future will also be perfect

Links to some more good stuff

- Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

Between 10-30% of the global population experiences allergic rhinitis, otherwise known as "hay fever," which is the most common presentation of environmental allergies.

Honestly, I thought allergies were even more prevalent than this. The wide range is likely due to the fact that allergies tend to come and go, which can make them even more difficult to understand and get a handle on.

Nevertheless, prescription and over-the-counter allergy medications, such as anti-histamines, are some of the most common pills to be swallowed in our world today. Even with such meds, it can be difficult to manage these symptoms... until now!

No, no, no... there aren't any quick fixes to allergies. In fact, reversing allergies is a prime example of playing the long game to allow and encourage the immune system to find its innate balance.

In a nutshell, the "allergens" that trigger an immune response aren't bad and we shouldn't have to fear or avoid them. The goal is to retrain and nourish the immune system to offer more resilience.

We cover lots of science and strategies for managing and reversing allergy symptoms in today's episode.

If you'd like to join these conversations live, be sure to Subscribe to the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's MM episode...

• Managing allergy symptoms (+ cold/URI) naturally with steam inhalation,  netti pot, and alternating hot/cold compress
• The allergy/anti-histamine herbs and nutrients like nettles, butterbur, eyebright, quercetin, Vit C, NAC
• Reducing the load of environmental triggers by removing shoes indoors, washing sheets regularly, dusting/vacuuming, HEPA air filter, etc
• The importance of balancing Th1 and Th2 immune responses - resolving system inflammation, avoiding immunogenic foods, gut healing, exposure to bacteria/viruses
• Understanding the stress response and its role in the immune system

Links to some more good stuff
-  Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com/
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

Our cells are constantly eavesdropping on our thoughts and emotions.
 
This means that the moment-to-moment shifting of states of mind and emotion directly impact our physiology.

This is pretty darn cool and empowering!

Our mind can be our greatest ally in health. A lack of understanding, however, can create significant obstacles at the level of thought and emotion.

The way the body-mind is wired is known as pscho-endo-neuro-immunology. This is the connection between our psychology (state of mind) with the endocrine system (hormones) nervous system, and the immune system.

We are wired for survival, though chronic or repetitive activation of the sympathetic nervous system "stress response" contributes to suppression of vitality, our innate healing potential.

In today's episode, we discuss this interplay between brain and body to empower you in leveraging mindset to create more health.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

For more, deep conversations on the topics of Mind, Thought, and Consciousness come on into Peace on Earth: https://alter.health/peace-on-earth

Some highlights from today's WW episode...

• The "mind-body connection" is a misnomer, as the body and mind have always been one (mind is present in every fragment of life)
• How the 2 branches of the autonomic nervous system are designed to keep you alive and balanced
• Susanna's rercent "acute stress" vs chronic, ongoing daily stressful thinking
• What happens when the sympathetic stress response is turned on for longer than it is designed to (effects on hormones, metabolism, and immunity)
• Where to reliably find peace - not in any practice, but in understanding our true nature

Links to some more good stuff

- Join weekly Peace on Earth conversations: https://www.alter.health/peace-on-earth
- Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

A healthy and vital body is best capable of high-level athletic performance.

Athleticism and endurance have always been important to me, Dr. Ben. I've never competed at an elite level or anything, but it feels good to be fast, strong, and capable of doing hard things. Therefore, I do my best to better my performance and continue feeling great with a main goal of simply enjoying the experience of my body's full potential immersed in nature.

In today's episode, I share my personal relationship to strength and endurance training, including, of course, nutrition, supplementation, recovery, hydration, sleep, and more.

If you are hoping to build strength and endurance in your life endeavors, I hope this helps to inform and inspire. If athletic pursuits feel like a far-off fantasy given your current experience of health, know that your healing body is capable of more than you may realize!

If you'd like to join these conversations live, be sure to Subscribe to the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Important announcement!
If you are lucky enough to be reading this, you may also be lucky enough to join the All-New TOP Live Program! No more recordings and replays, but live and engaging live lessons with the most up-to-date info and science! Learn more and join us at www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants - the program is starting soon so act now!

PS - we can connect on Strava if you are there! Find me at https://www.strava.com/athletes/drbenjaminalter

Some highlights from today's MM episode...

• Nutrition considerations for different activities - when to fuel and how to fuel
• Why hydration is so extremely important and tips for keeping your cells firing while training
• How mixing up activities can nourish different aspects of your self, and also help the brain stay healthy
• The opportunity for mindless mindfulness during longer activities
• How your breath and simple breathing activities can create and maintain endurance

Links to some more good stuff
-  Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com/
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

The human experience is generated from within.

Sure, all sorts of things are constantly happening in the apparent outside physical world - relationships, world events, loss, trauma...  "Shit Happens," as the old saying goes.

But, if our experience comes from within, why is it so commonplace to feel the victim of circumstances? How can we truly break free from the "victim consciousness" and boldly embrace complete responsibility?

These are some of the questions discussed in this week's Wisdom Wednesday aiming to bring a new level of freedom and clarity to the world we all manifest.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

For more, deep conversations on the topics of Mind, Thought, and Consciousness come on into Peace on Earth: https://alter.health/peace-on-earth

Some highlights from today's WW episode...

• What it looks like to take full responsibility vs playing the blame game
• How we may have a tendency to be codependents in others' victim addictions 
• Why TRUTH can be triggering and what to do about it
• The power of curiosity vs reactivity about an emotional experience
• How humor can instantly open and clear a mind to put things into perspective

Links to some more good stuff

- Join weekly Peace on Earth conversations: https://www.alter.health/peace-on-earth
- Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

As you probably already know, inflammation is the cause of essentially all chronic disease - but what causes inflammation?

We're glad you asked!

We just wrapped up our latest WFPB Anti-Inflammatory Challenge and thought, "Hey! We should do a little cliff notes version for the busy folks out there who weren't able to tune in live or catch replays!"

We covered a lot in the 6-hours of sessions, but today we attempt to boil it down into 20 minutes or so. Let's see how we do...

If you'd like to join these conversations live, be sure to Subscribe to the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Important announcement!
If you are lucky enough to be reading this, you may also be lucky enough to join the All-New TOP Live Program! No more recordings and replays, but live and engaging live lessons with the most up-to-date info and science! Learn more and join us at www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants - the program is starting soon so act now!

Some highlights from today's MM episode...

• The many chronic conditions caused by inflammation and why "anti-inflammatory" meds/supplements don't address the cause but only manage the symptom
• How inflammatory response is not your body being damaged or broken, but evidence of it's self-healing potential
• The 3 primary causes of inflammation and the 5 signs/symptoms inflammation causes
• The 5 ways whole food plant based eating eliminates inflammation
• The places here inflammatory toxins might be sneaking into your life...

Links to some more good stuff
-  Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com/
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products