Alter Life

Since the dawn of time, human beings have existed in a cycle of judgment - right and wrong, good and bad, us and them. As tribal beings, our survival has depended on not being cast out of society.

Yet our essence is divine. We are all made from the same stuff and share so much despite the apparent differences in physical form.

Being subject to criticism and judgment in more recent times, we have both felt ourselves playing a role in perpetuating the cycle of judgment.

Here we share some deep nuances and growing awareness along with insights and ideas for creating a more harmonious and peaceful world - of course starting on an individual level

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...

• Judgments are just thoughts and we humans will never be free from such thinking
• We can wake to a heightened sensitivity of feeling "better" or "worse" than a perceived other
• Our responsibility is only to do OUR best in a moment - we can never control someone else's perception
• Human nature is perfectly imperfect, but the soul essence of us all is kind, loving, peaceful, and compassionate
• We cannot hope or expect to have unconditional compassion for others if we don't demonstrate that to ourselves

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

Did you know that the lymphatic system is like your body's internal sewage management system?

It's time to understand what's going on in there so that we can optimize its form and function because that is absolutely critical to your health!

The lymphatic system is an essential and hardworking bodily system that is easily forgotten about. However, it plays a vital role in immunity, detoxification, and circulatory health. A backed-up and sluggish immune system can lead to numerous symptoms and medical conditions, so it is definitely worthy of our attention.

In this episode, we review the roles of the lymphatic system, how it functions elegantly to keep us healthy, and ways to support fluidity and resilience in the lymphatics so that we can enjoy even more health in our days!

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...

• How the lymphatic system works as a security system, protecting us against pathogens, toxins, cancerous cells, and much more. 
• It also serves as a sewer system, carrying out waste products from cells, and delivering fluid back into the bloodstream. 
• It plays a crucial role in dietary fat absorption and transportation in the body. 
• When the lymphatic system becomes congested, it can lead to edema, ineffective immune defenses and detoxification, decreased blood volume, and more. 
• Keeping the lymphatic system healthy and moving relies on many factors including hydration, movement, nutrition, liver health, and so much more!

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

Feeling accepted, appreciated, and loved is a basic human need. So it makes sense then that feeling HATED would come with immense resistance.

But, what is HATE?
And, is it possible to be authentically free from hatred?

Getting to know hatred on a deeper level can actually be quite liberating! We explore the topic in today's episode.

As always, we aim towards a deeper understanding of Truth and a strengthened connection with peace and wellbeing.

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...

• Hate is judgment. Judgment is thought. Thought is formless energy that we assign meaning to
• Hateful words and actions come from a low state of mind
• Receiving and feeling hatred also comes from an insecure place
• Knowing your inherent self-worth is super immunity from taking hateful thinking seriously
• Understanding the truth of shifting states of mind dismantles the power that hatred may otherwise hold

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

Does farting mean that I'm unhealthy...?

NO! Everyone farts! Even the healthiest people.

But.... not all farts are equal! You probably had a sense (or smell) of that.

Also, some flatulence is associated with excessive bloating, GI cramping, and irregular bowel habits - not very pleasant symptoms that could indicate imbalances in the digestive system.

Here in this episode, we intend to distinguish normal, healthy gas from the more pathologic and problematic gas while also giving you some tips, tricks, and guidance for dealing with gas as you keep optimizing your digestive health.

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...

• Gas is the byproduct of fermentation in the gut, a natural part of the digestive process
• Different plant fibers (carbohydrates) fuel the various strains of microbes inhabiting the gut - which in tern give us SCFAs (postbiotics -  acetate, propionate, and butyrate)
• Microbial breakdown of protein (amino acids) creates a whole bunch of other end products (amines, phenols, indoles, thiols, CO2, H2, and H2S) many of which have toxic properties
• Proteins takes longer to digest and can contribute to a slower GI transit time (time it takes for foods to pass from mouth to toilet) - 12-24 hours is healthy, 48-96 hours is “normal”
• Fiber, hydration, movement, relaxation/peace helps optimize transit
• A main cause of foul smelling farts is protein putrification which takes place in the context of high protein diets and a slowed transit time
• Fiber-rich carbohydrate diets diversity the microbiome and lead to enhanced SCFA production which is protective against GI disorders and other chronic diseases.
• Tips for relieving gas - carminative herbs, digestive bitters, food hygiene...

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

What the heck are "social norms" and where do they come from!?

How has society come to collectively agree upon follow so many weird things, and why do some feel so much pressure to follow suit when feeling so icky inside!?

As Jiddu Krishnamurti put it... “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”

That is of course not to say that everything society does is unhealthy, but can't we be free to let go of the social norms that no longer serve us???

In this episode, we explore the topic of escaping social norms as Dr. Susanna shares some insights.

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...

• Social Norms (AKA Social Constructs) are created from collectively agreed thoughts  - that’s it!
• When we remember that thoughts are just formless energy we see how little power social norms have
• You are always free to choose how you respond to life circumstances, even if that means going against social norms
• Following social norms is not always in an individual's highest or healthiest interest
• “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society”
  -Jiddu Krishnamurti

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

Many people hear "Plant-Based Diet" and assume "Soy-Based Diet."

This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact we, Drs. Ben and Suz, do not consume Soy, except for very rare occasions.

That being said, there is TONS of misinformation to dispel when it comes to SOY.

In this episode, we talk about soybean cultivation, the GMO issue, various soy-based products, nutritional facts of whole soybeans, and health benefits/risks associated with eating soy.

We hope this information empowers you to make more clear and confident decisions in your daily nourishment.

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...

• 124 million tons of soybeans produced with 94% being GMO!
• 77% of soybeans are fed to livestock - not humans! (2018 statistic)
• Soybeans are a high fat and high protein legume with a complete amino acid profile and loads of nutrients 
• The vast majority of soy is consumed in ultra-processed foods (soybean oil, textured soy protein, soy lecithin, soy isolates, and more)
• When eating soy products it is best to consume organic/non-GMO and minimally processed
• Health benefits and hormone balancing effects are due to isoflavones that selectively modulate estrogen receptors
• Soy is NOT "estrogenic" and does NOT decrease Testosterone or disrupt hormones in men (or women)
• Soy consumption is protective against cardiovascular disease, stroke, menopausal symptoms, and reproductive cancers
• Soy sensitivity is mainly due to GMO nature of foods disrupting immune function

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

Freedom is defined as "the state of not being a slave or prisoner" according to Merriam Webster...

We happen to feel that it is MUCH more than that.

To be fair, that definition is just one of the dictionary's three essential meanings, but let's be real - it's hard to put words on the experience of freedom.

While the topic of freedom has become oddly politicized in recent times, we cut right to the heart of the matter in today's episode.

We start with the wonderfully empowering quote from Viktor Frankl's book, Man Search for Meaning:
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way."

We hope you enjoy and come away with a newfound feeling of your inalienable freedom.

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...

• Freedom to CHOOSE how we respond to life is the most basic freedom
• Freedom is not attained from how we structure out outside world (money, work, family, etc)
• Health IS freedom - physical, mental, emotional health is our freedom to move, think, and BE
• Knowing the truth of who we are and where health and freedom come from is powerfully important
• Collective peace and freedom can be achieved - it starts with how we individually relate to ourselves and the world

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

Symptom Imperative?
It's the symptom that occurs when pain changes location or when it's replaced by another symptom or conditioin that may also become chronic.

We (mainly Dr. Susanna) have been diving into a deeper understanding of the mind-body phenomenon of tension myositis and the work of Dr. John Sarno. You can go back to Episode 267 for more of an overview.

In this episode we continue the conversation delving into topics near and dear to our hearts.

Physical health and healing is so complex and it is so very empowering to approach our healing process from a deep understanding of body, mind, and the multidimensional nature of our experience.

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...

• The Symptom Imperative is the tendency for symptoms to recur or evolve (like whacking a mole!)
• Why psychogenic symptoms are imperative in distracting the person from experiencing the fullness of "unacceptable emotions"
• Symptoms may shift throughout the body in the process of “healing”, but will not fully resolve until an underlying issue is addressed
• Symptoms may include: Pain anywhere, tension headaches, digestive issues, allergies, immune issues - really anything! 
• Obsessive or numbing behaviors can also serve the role of distracting someone from their emotions (Drugs, alcohol, OCD, eating disorders)
• How we can BREAK FREE from these limiting thoughts and patterns
• The power of vulnerability, radical honesty, and self-compassion

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

If you are struggling, chances are you are doing more thinking than you realize.

We heard a mentor share this wisdom that really resonated as Truth.

So often we may slide into struggle without even realizing it. Maybe there are thoughts that "this is difficult" so "I should feel ______."

But the truth is, the feeling of struggle or suffering that we bring to a situation is always 100% optional.

In this episode, we discuss our tendency to struggle and how we may, in a moment, be set free from that limiting state of mind.

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...

• Struggle is a state of mind, thoughts that we bring to a situation
• Beneath our human perception is always the pure what-is-ness of reality
• There is nothing wrong with struggling, but it sure helps to know where the struggle comes from
• There is grace and ease available in even the most bleak and disastrous circumstances
• The symptoms of struggle (tension, stress, upset, etc) are always great reminders to come back to the Truth 

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

Neither of us has had hot flashes... but we have worked with many people who have,  and some who never did.

The fact is that hot flashes are common and "normal," but not necessarily natural or healthy. In fact, most symptoms associated with menopause are a sign of liver stress. A stressed liver isn't able to regulate hormones as gracefully as a healthy liver. As a result, signs of hormonal dysregulation can occur.

In this episode, we cover the physiologic mechanisms of hot flashes and what we can do to naturally support the body in moving through hormonal fluctuations of menopause with grace.

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...

• Menopause is a normal transition for all women, not a pathologic condition that needs to be treated
• Hot flashes are known as "vasomotor symptoms" resulting from a changing set point in hypothalamic temperature receptors
• Estrogen keeps the "thermoneutral zone" wide so there is more tolerance to greater fluctuations in temperature
• A decrease in estradiol causes brain endorphins to decrease and norepinephrine to increase, leading to many symptoms (increased HR, palpitations, increased BP, sleep disturbances, hot flashes) 
• Thyroid, adrenals, and other endocrine glands are interconnected with reproductive hormones
• Stress/cortisol management is key for hormone balance and decreasing hot flashes
• Exercise (just walking 30 min daily!) is powerful in decreasing hot flashes
• Liver support is super important (cleanse, WFPB eating, hydration, toxicity mitigation, etc)
• Phytoestrogens in soy modulate estrogen receptors to support balance
• Herbs: Maca, black cohosh, sage, vitex, pine bark extract (consult a naturopathic doctor)

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