Alter Life

There are a million and one ways to eat Whole Food Plant-Based!

... and they don’t all promote health and healing!

Preparing a BALANCED WFPB meal can be super easy! But if you don't know WHAT to focus on or HOW to make it balanced, you might run into some obstacles.

In this episode, Dr. Susanna walks you through the 3 steps of preparing a balanced WFPB meal that supports HEALING.
Step 1: Focus the meal around carbohydrate-rich foods 
Step 2: Add an abundance of non-starchy vegetables 
Step 3: Add an optional fat-rich garnish/condiment

Other highlights of this episode include:

• Why this 3-step meal strategy WORKS to support healthy and efficient metabolism and healing in the body
• The common pitfalls individuals that most plant-based eaters fall into - and how to avoid them
• Several examples of our go-to favorite whole food balanced meals
• How to make an unbalanced meal mush more balanced in just 1 or 2 easy steps
• Dr. Susanna’s 7-month postpartum health update - how she got back to her healthy energy and weight while breast feeding and being super mom!

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

Orthorexia is defined as "excessive preoccupation with eating healthy food."

Well, "normal" is most definitely NOT healthy in our world today. Furthermore, focusing on health and creating healthy habits is essential for being healthy!

So are you orthorexic? Does eating WFPB make you orthorexic?

It's a big topic and an important question that is worth diving into.

In a recent Episode on TMS and Digestion I talked about the direct link between state of mind and emotion on digestive health.

The irony is that obsessing around healthy eating and lifestyle habits can make you less healthy!

But the key word here is "obsessing" or as Wikipedia puts it "excessive preoccupation."

So, let's dive into the conversation!

Highlights from this episode:

• The difference between obsessing about "food" and healthy eating vs obsessing about HEALTH
• Why choosing healthy foods and habits is not a "disorder" even though it could be viewed as "weird" or "alternative" by others or society at large
• How to identify the line at which healthy eating habits becomes counterproductive and what to do about it
• "It's no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.“ - Jiddu Krishnamurti
• Finding balance with choosing sustainable and healthy habits from a peaceful and grounded place

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 weight loss drug? Yes, there is a "new" weight loss drug on the market (beginning of 2023). But, don't get to excited just yet...

Remember things like Fen-Phen, Ephedrine,  or Dinitrophenol (DNP)? There are many other drugs that have proven to be effective for weight loss, but also dangerous and even  deadly. Smoking meth or snorting cocaine are also pretty effective ways to lose weight...

The new class of drug that is all the rage these days is a compound called semaglutide. The truth is that these drugs are not very new. The drug Ozempic was developed in 2012 and later approved by the FDA for the treatment of diabetes in 2017. However, this year, 2023, Ozempic as well as other brand name drugs of semaglutide have been approved for the treatment of Obesity.

So what exactly is semaglutide and how does it work to promote weight loss?

We'll cover the science and mechanisms of that in today's episode.

But the bigger question is whether the weight loss achieved through taking this medication is actually healthy or sustainable.

Spoiler alert: There are probably much more ways to spend $1200 each month than on 4 weekly injections of semaglutide to curb appetite.

Some highlights from the episode:

• Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist (glucagon like peptide - 1) that serves to promote insulin release in the pancreas, decrease gastric emptying (digestive function), and block appetite signals in the brain.
• The effects - and side effects - of GLP-1 agonists
• Why suppressing appetite is naturally unsustainable - we need food and nutrients!
• How these drugs treat diabetes and obesity by addressing the symptoms
• What the actual cause of diabetes and obesity is and how these conditions can be reversed easily and naturally by eating MORE

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

In the vast and complex human body, the digestive system is responsible for what is maybe the most mysterious and nuanced processes - transforming foods into the nutrients that sustain life.

The enzymes, juices, sphincters, muscles, and microbiota are all uniquely working together to carry out the physiologic roles of digestion.

But, what is in control of all of these nuanced physiologic processes? The autonomic nervous system, of course. The same intelligent processing that fundamentally controls and regulates every other one of our bodily functions.

In this weeks' episode we unpack the interplay between the nervous system and digestion. Naturally this leads to the phenomenon of TMS, tension myositis syndrome - a mind-body phenomenon whereby psychological pain and emotional stress manifests physically.

Episode Highlights

• How emotional pain and stress masquerades and physical pain and symptoms
•  Why we should not seek perfection when it comes to optimizing digestion physiologically
• Where to focus when suffering with chronic digestive issues that are presumed to be TMS
• The importance of lab work and medical testing to rule out significant conditions
• How coming back to your true peaceful nature time and time again is the most essential ingredient to true and lasting health

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

"Seed oils" have taken on the role of the proverbial whipping boy, taking the blame for everything that is wrong in packaged and processed foods.

Yes, seed oils are bad for your health. But that is generally where the conversation stops. Or maybe you've heard other conflicting information around eating more saturated fats like butter, lard, and animal products.

In this episode we break down WHY seed oils are bad for your health and what you should be cooking with and eating instead to support your metabolic, cardiovascular, cognitive, or just general health goals.

Spoiler alert: Seed oils aren't the only oils that are best to avoid... avoiding ALL added oils is going to help your your body and metabolism function optimally by lowering inflammation and oxidative stress, increasing insulin sensitivity, and boosting overall nutrient density throughout your daily eating.

Here are some highlights from today's episode:

• ALL oils are pure fats containing 120 kcal/Tbsp, but different oils have unique blends of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats including omega-3 and omega-6
• Most "seed oils" are found in processed foods and used by restaurants and are generally a blend of toxic GMO ingredients including canola, soy, corn, and cottonseed oils.
• The combination of refined fats with refined carbohydrates is the most detrimental to health by promoting insulin resistance and oxidative damage
• Why the best oil to consume is NONE AT ALL - based on the science, the only way to reverse cardiovascular disease is an oil-free whole food plant based diet
• Some tips and tricks for oil-free cooking and baking

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 topic of heavy metal toxicity is a big one... and for good reason!

Heavy metals (like mercury, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and others) can be toxic to the body, especially when accumulated over a lifespan... which is "normal" in today's toxic world. Once in the body, these sort of metals can be hard to get out. Therefore, they accumulate to cause or contribute to numerous chronic conditions - metabolic health issues, neurological issues, circulatory issues, and more.

But these toxic elements are just used in industrialize processes and don't make their way into our foods, right???

Wrong. Even some of the healthiest organic products and produce items have been reported to show toxic levels of various heavy metals!

In this episode we avoid fear mongering and get to the heart of how to keep your body free from toxic metal accumulation so you can stay vital and healthy.

Here are some highlights from today's episode:

• The most common food items that accumulate these heavy metals - fruits, veggies, chocolate, whole grains, and others
• How toxin accumulation works in the food chain and where we can turn to decrease our toxic load
• Major factors that make your body absorb and accumulate these toxic compounds including gut health, mineral status, and liver function
• Where to look in your life to avoid "overfilling your bucket"
• Practical ways to turn on and ramp up healthy detox pathways in your liver

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

Less than 1% of population has celiac disease, a condition in which gluten consumption causes direct destruction of the gut lining. The issue of avoiding gluten in this rare disease isn’t really up for debate.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is something different. Some suggest 20% or more may have this sort of "gluten sensitivity," meaning that consumption of gluten causes gastrointestinal issues, potentially leading to systemic inflammatory conditions skin issues, joint pain, and autoimmune conditions.

In this episode we unpack the deep and controversial topic. We discuss the potential issues from consuming gluten containing grains and also how to cultivate digestive resilience to reverse a “gluten sensitivity.” You’ll learn the risks and benefits from consuming a “gluten-free” diet as well as how to do so healthfully, if you so choose!

Some highlights from the episode

• What is Gluten and why is it such a scary protein and why is it in so many processed foods
• The hybridization of wheat crops to produce varieties with increased gluten content
• How to healthfully avoid gluten while continuing to enjoy an abundance of whole grain foods
• How intestinal dysbiosis sets the stage for gluten sensitivity (and other food sensitivities)
• The relationship between gluten and the herbicide glyphosate and the importance of choosing organic grains (and legumes) 

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 already recorded a pretty comprehensive podcast on the topic (Episode #257), but there have been requests to revisit NIGHTSHADES.

So, here's the deal...

There is NO - zero - evidence to even consider that eating nightshade vegetables can potentially cause or contribute to any health issues.

Unless of course you are eating belladonna, dartura, or maybe green/sprouted potatoes. These plants are high in solanine, the glycoalkaloid that can be poisonous and deadly in high enough doses.

So, here are the main take aways from this episode...

• Vegetables are in the nightshade family - potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, goji berries
• The utter lack of evidence that these foods cause inflammation or health issues
• Some of the health promoting nutrients that are actually in these foods
• The power of placebo/nocebo effects!
• What to do if you do experience intolerance or symptoms when eating whole plant foods

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

Phytoestrogens = “plant” estrogens.

These compounds attract quite a bit of controversy, almost as much as the lectins, oxalates, phytates, and goitrogens we’ve talked about previously.

Here are direct links to episodes on...
Oxalates - Episode 365
Lectins - Episode 366
Phytates - Episode 368
Goitrogens - Episode 369

First things first. The term “phytoestrogen” is actually a bit of a misnomer. These compounds are actually not “estrogens” but more accurately “estrogen receptor modulators.” This means they can bind to estrogen receptors to elicit a number of different effects.

There are a number of different plant compounds that are classified as “phytoestrogens.” Far and away the most potent of them are the isoflavones like genestein found in soy. Other compounds include lignans, a type of polyphenol highest in flax, stilbenes like resveratrol found in grapes, and coumestans like coumestrol found in Brussel sprouts, spinach, all legumes, and many other foods.

These fancy-named compounds are all, in a word, “phytonutrients.” When we eat these compounds present in our plant foods our bodies, with the help of the microbes in our gut, respond in all sorts of ways. In today’s episode, we do our best to cover the latest science as it relates to the “plant estrogen” compounds in both male and female bodies.

Spoiler alert - phytoestrogen consumption does not cause female reproductive cancer, nor does it cause men to grow “man boobs!”


Episode Highlights

• “Phytoestrogens” could more appropriately be called “estrogen receptor modulators” as they do not promote “estrogenic” activity in the body, but simply bind and change conformation of estrogen receptors
• Isoflavone and lignan compounds are transformed by gut microbes as well as various fermentation methods such as Korean cheonggukjang, Japanese natto, or Thai Thua
• Only about 20-30% of Westerners have the gut bugs to convert isoflavones to that active estrogen modulating compound, equol, compared to ~60% of Asians, but eating more plants foods feeds specific microbes that facilitate the gut fermentation processes.
• Consumption of phytoestrogen rich foods can reduce menopausal symptoms and risk of cardiovascular disease risk, obesity, diabetes, dementia and various cancers
• There is ZERO evidence to suggest that eating phytoestrogen rich foods interferes with male hormones 

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

Continuing our discussion around “anti-nutrient” compounds in plants takes us to goitrogens.

This term refers to substances that can interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid and lead to decreased thyroid function, thereby leading to the formation of a “goiter.” The classic goitrogen is actually the deficiency of iodine, an essential mineral for thyroid activity. This, of course  led to the iodination of table salt, which ensures proper iodine intake and thyroid function for people who may otherwise by iodine deficient. Note that we don’t advocate for consuming iodized table salt, or any added salt to the diet generally. Enough iodine is present in all fresh fruits and veggies, but eating sea vegetables like dulse or nori from time to time is a good iodine insurance policy.

The goitrogens that we are talking about today are mainly the glucosinolate compounds found highest in brassica or cruciferous vegetables. One specific compound has been singled out and named goitrin (poor guy) due to the alleged goitrogenic effects. Like the other “anti nutrients” we’ve covered (lectins, oxalates, and phytates), glucosinolates are naturally occurring phytonutrients that actually have wonderful health benefits, not determinants!

In todays episode we’ll look in to the science that supports the claims behind these so called goitrogenic nutrients. We’ll also look at some of the science showing the health benefits of the same compounds in question!

I find it ironic that one of the most famous and widely occurring goitrogenic glucosinolate is glucoraphanin which is actually the precursor to the beloved isothyanate compound, sluforophane! Sorry for all of the biochemistry jargon… The point is just that many of the same people fear mongering about anti nutrients like goitrogens also praise the detoxification and health benefits of sulforophane. (And if you want to learn more about sulforophane, you can tune into Episode #364.)

Episode Highlights

• Cell and animal model studies have shown how glucosinolate compounds (goitrin) may potentially interfere with thyroids uptake of iodine, thereby decreasing thyroid function
• Studies have also shown that many other common compounds such as resveratrol and other flavonoids may also have this sort of “goitrogenic effect”
• There is a huge range when it comes to the amount of glucosinolates in cruciferous veggies - very much dependent upon soil quality and growing conditions
• Cooking/steaming veggies vastly lowers glucosinolate content, including glucoraphanin which has clear health benefits
• Studies seem to show that in general, consumption of glucosinolate-rich foods like cruciferous vegetables is protective against cancer and other disease
• Nutrients exist in a complex matrix and compounds studied in reductionistic isolation may show data that is irrelevant and unrepresentative to real world circumstances

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