Alter Life

This is a little follow up on the last episode, #357 - Why I'm No Longer Vegan.

That episode was intended to share my perspective on Veganism and the reasons why I don't identify as part of the "vegan movement." Long story short, while most of the foods I eat and encourage others to as well are indeed vegan (with the exception of honey!), veganism is so much more than just a way of eating, as many have rightfully pointed out to me throughout my life. Generally speaking, I think it's important to stay away from the blind following of ideologies and rather call upon more critical thinking, especially when it comes to our own health and wellbeing.

This leads to today's episode - 11 Reasons Why I Eat Whole Food Plant Based (distinct from "vegan")

Each one of these reasons is an endless rabbit hole in and of itself, which has probably been covered in great detail in prior Podcast episodes. Of course each of these points is very much backed by rigorous science, but delving into that is not the purpose of this episode. I hope this bigger picture overview connects you with the important considerations when navigating your nutrition and life habits.

Now here are the 11 reasons:

1. Eating low on the food chain to decrease intake of environmental toxins and general toxic load
2. Increase nutrient density - vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients that maintain physiologic balance
3. Increased gut health and biodiversity of the microbiome through diverse and high fiber intake - gut resilience, reversing food intolerance, boosting immunity, and more!
4. Healthy and efficient metabolism - conversion of food into energy to keep you thriving and regenerate cells and tissues (accomplished through enhanced insulin sensitivity)
    - This lets me eat til satiated without ever thinking for a second about portion control or calorie restriction to maintain healthy weight
5. Healthy blood vessels and circulation - antioxidant rich foods optimize endothelial function - additionally water-rich and lower fat foods keep blood viscosity optimal to help me stay "heart attack proof"
6. Optimal liver health from avoiding toxins in processed foods and accumulated in the food chain while enhancing nutrient density that promotes liver function and natural detox pathways
7. Radiant skin and healthy hair - has to do with a lot, but generally boils down to toxicity, nutrient density, and stress
8. Simple, clean, easy, and cheap to prep food - at least when new habits and patterns are formed
9. EASY clean-up no soap needed! (Or hardly any) - especially when OIL is avoided 
10. Delicious - all flavors are appreciated while tastebuds sensitivity enhanced (avoiding SOS) - get to indulge in natural sweets and abolish all “sugar cravings”
11. WFPB eating is CHEAP... relatively! Packaged foods really increase the grocery bill, and "grass fed organic" animal products surely do!

IMPORTANT YEAR END ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) The next WFPB Challenge is coming right up starting December 31st - yes, New Year's Eve!

Learn More & Register for the Free Challenge!

2) The Alter Health Winter Cleanse is starting January 13th!

Join us for the Deeply Nourishing Reset - just $79!

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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 Practitione

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

This may come as a big surprise for you... or maybe you saw it coming.

There are still a bunch of vegan doctors in the world, but now one fewer.

I've personally experienced more health than I knew was possible. I've had better endurance, physical performance, and recovery. I've optimized my digestion and created a level of superb resilience to disease and immunity to infection. I've also witnessed countless similar wins in the clients and members of Thrive on Plants.

A vegan diet has treated me very well, but I'm done being vegan.

...

I hope you know that I am kidding... well, sort of. I actually am not vegan and I want to talk about that in this episode. But I most definitely still follow a whole food plant based lifestyle. There is a very significant, and growing, difference between the two that I believe important to discuss.

That's what this is all about - an evidence based discussion as opposed to idealogical dogma.

I understand I may be turning off a lot of "vegans" now, but that's okay. This is an important topic to discuss.

Some highlights from today's episode...

• The main difference between a vegan diet and a whole food plant based diet
• Why its important to stay free of ideological dogma when it comes to pursuing optimal health
• The non-vegan items and actions I use and consume and why I am okay with them
• The main tenants of veganism and the hypocrisy in the vegan community at large
• How we can move towards embracing more natural whole plant foods in the diet with grace, ease, and compassion

IMPORTANT YEAR END ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) The next WFPB Challenge is coming right up starting December 31st - yes, New Year's Eve!

Learn More & Register for the Free Challenge!

2) The Alter Health Winter Cleanse is starting January 13th!

Join us for the Deeply Nourishing Reset - just $79!

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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

This is about my experience with Tony Robins 7-Day Positivity Challenge.

As I wrote about in a Substack article, I scrolled upon a video of Tony talking about this positivity challenge - going 7 days straight while just "being positive." I was resistant, apprehensive, and doubtful I could complete such a simple feat.

Spoiler alert - I did complete the challenge, and am actually still going strong with "being positive!"

(You can read the article to hear more about the details and insights_

There's just so much to unpack here on the topic of "being positive" that I wanted to ramble in a podcast rather than write a 50,000 word essay.

As is always the case, this discussion is for me - and hopefully you, too - as we are all humans with this shared human experience.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH "ALTERING YOUR HEALTH?"

Everything. State of mind is e v e r y t h i n g .

More accurately, my internal relationship with fluctuating states of mind is everything.

We have an opportunity to dance with the "positive" and "negative" vibes that our dualistic physical world reality offer while knowing and connecting with our non-dual true nature.

Some highlights from today's episode...

• How dwelling in negativity can hinder our experience physical health and emotional well-being
• Why it's unrealistic to expect positive thoughts and feelings more than negative ones
• How we can legitimately rewrite our story and reprogram our circuitry to break old belief systems
• Life is really for learning, growing, healing - all of it, without exception
• Change is the one universal constant, yet so often we are closed or resistant to it

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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

It's me, Dr. Ben this time. I'm struggling with some TMS symptoms.

Dr. Susanna shared her journey and insight with it nearly a year ago back in Episode #267. And for those totally new to the concept or idea of TMS, my conversation during Episode #76 with Michael Galinsky, the filmmaker of All The Rage: Saved by Sarno, is a great place to start. Or you can watch that awesome documentary film!

So, my right knee flared up on a short run. It's so easy (and tempting!) to just blame it on the run - a tendonitis strain or something. While that may have happened, it doesn't in and of itself explain the nagging and persistent pain.

The fact of the matter is that TMS - tension myositis syndrome - is at the root of virtually ALL chronic conditions... seriously!

So, how do we deal with it? Well it's a very personal process, but I'll share my perspective here in this episode.

PS - I also share a bit in my new Substack you can find at benjaminalter.substack.com
- I wrote an article called TMS - Tension Myositis Syndrome (or Too Much Suppression)

Some highlights from today's episode...

• Why emotional pain is so difficult to feel and how culture makes it easier and more acceptable for pain to manifest physically
• The mechanics of TMS - i.e. the way that psychological stress manifests physiologically in muscles, and all cells of the body
• My view of the "TMS Community" and how I try to avoid the dogma
• Why it makes sense to nurture the physical even though root causes are mental/emotional
• Tips and tools for navigating pain while taking total responsibility for self-healing

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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

Okay, Okay... I did NOT give birth to a beautiful baby girl. That was ALL Dr. Susanna's doing! However, I was indeed part of the process, and even though a human being didn't emerge from between my legs, it was an incredible transformative experience!

One could say that things "didn't go as planned." We were all set up for a beautiful home birth with our amazing midwife. When Susanna's water broke early, before any signs of labor, we did everything we could to get labor moving! (I share more of the details in the episode...)

Long story short, I was faced with the opportunity to navigate the fear based medical system - something that I haven't done in quite some time, and never as an advocate for another human being.

In this episode I share my insights, learning, and growth from witnessing the incredible miracle of Grace Juniper Alter being born into my hands to the challenges of early fatherhood.

I know the journey is just beginning... and I am super excited (and scared/overwhelmed!) for what's to unfold within and around me.

Some highlights from today's episode...

• My struggle in navigating the fear-based medical establishment as an advocate for Grace's health
• Letting go of attachment to process and making room for universal support for the highest good of all concerned
• The importance of looking at health from a holistic perspective rather than numbers, figures, lab values, and algorithms.
• How being a parent deepens respect and admiration for humanity
• Holding space for struggle and surrendering to that which is beyond my control

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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're complete with the Alter Your Health from Head to Toe Series!

Did you catch the last 44 episodes of the Podcast where we talked about nutritional and lifestyle keys to optimize each of your organs and systems?

This is a pretty good little database of quick facts to support your healing and longevity.

Now what's next...!?

This week on the podcast we hit the "pause" button and share some updates, announcements, and future visions for the Alter Your Health Podcast.

In a nutshell, we'll be shifting to 1 weekly episode either hosted by myself (Dr. Ben) or with an expert Guest whom I interview and talk with on a topic.

Have awesome guest suggestions or topics you'd like to learn more about? Let me know! Just send an email to [email protected]

On the YouTube channel, I also hope to host a "Meme Review" video each week where I share funny, insightful, or flat out false memes and post that I come across in the vast social media universe. Have meme's you'd like me to review? Just send them my way ([email protected]) or better yet, tag me on Instagram (@drbenjaminalter).

SPECIAL OFFER - Now through November 28th 2022 you can join the Meal Guide Membership for FREE and download 2 healthy whole food plant based Thanksgiving Menus and recipes.

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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 balance of reproductive hormones and health is reflected through the energy of the second chakra - divine creativity.

What do these subtle energies of masculinity and femininity have to do with fertility, hormonal balance, and general reproductive health? Well... lots.

The subtle nuances of hormonal health are not only influenced by nutritional deficiencies and environmental toxicities, but also the burden of stress and emotion we hold in the body/mind.

In today's conversation on the podcast, we unpack these energies of creativity and the second chakra exploring "masculine" and "feminine" characteristics and how we can ALL (men & women alike) harness in our full potential of creative expression and flow in life.

This is the FINAL episode of the Alter Your Health from Head to Toe series!

We will pause and regroup for whatever's next on the podcast... :)

Some highlights from today's WW episode on Masculinity, Femininity, & Divine Creativity...

• Pelvic floor muscles and how stress impacts balance and function
• HPA axis and endocrine connection recap and how reproductive hormones are sensitive to other endocrine changes
• Themes of the 2nd chakra including creativity, fertility, pleasure, and sexuality
• Masculine and Feminine qualities and the importance of fully tapping into both for grounded and balanced creative expression
• Human Being vs Human Doing and how to be in the flow of divine creativity, an instrument for your soul's expression 

Links to some more good stuff

- Get weekly Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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're talking about reproductive hormones and the endocrine system in this finale episode of our "Head to Toe" series on the podcast - a conversation relevant to men and women!

This is another HUGE topic. We've covered a lot of huge topics on the podcast in hopes of distilling lots of complexity into some easy to digest simple concepts.

When it comes to hormones and the endocrine system, the super cool thing is that the interconnected hormonal systems balances itself!

Micromanaging various hormones is difficult... maybe even impossible. But the good news is that we don't need to think about our hormones this way. We can rather relate to our hormones as a flow of innate intelligence and then ask ourselves, how can we remove obstacles to allow for more harmonious flow?

The obstacles that interfere with reproductive hormones to cause PMS/menstrual issues, infertility, and menopausal symptoms include nutritional deficiency, toxicity/liver stagnation, nervous system imbalance (i.e. stress).

Enjoy this conversation as you uncover the specific obstacles that may be unbalancing your hormone levels.

Some highlights from today's episode on Reproductive Hormones...

• The exogenous hormones in ALL animal products - especially eggs and dairy, even those products that are "hormone free" - and how they  imbalance our human hormone levels
• Sources of xenohormones in chemicals, plastics, and processed foods that can directly elevate estrogen levels (not to be confused with "phytoestrogens"!)
• Phytoestrogens are compounds in soy, flax, red clover, and other foods/herbs that can modulate estrogen receptors to help balance estrogen dominance (or estrogen deficiency)
• The liver-menopause connection and how the menopausal hormone shift can  overwhelm liver detox pathways to cause various symptoms
• Why it's essential to be grounded with a balanced autonomic nervous system (more parasympathetic activity) to support the balancing and harmony of all endocrine organs

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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

Rather than better managing stress, wouldn't you prefer to better understand the source of stress?

It sure can feel like stress is all-encompassing and omnipresent - something that we could never escape from.

However, when we understand the true source of stress we can instantly see how close we are to peace.

Addressing Stress at its Source is far and away the best thing that you can do to support your adrenal glands in healing and balancing, which in turn supports the body's healing and regeneration at large.

In Medicinal Monday (episode #349) we talked about some of the physiologic sources of stress that can disrupt our circadian rhythm including. We must also consider chronic infections, nutritional deficiencies, environmental toxicities, and general connection with nature as sources of stress.

The vast majority of Stress, however, cannot be found in physical world reality. Most of the stress we afflict on ourselves is internally generated through innocent misuse of thinking.

In today's Wisdom Wednesday, we look towards the ultimate source of stress which is not to be found in relationship issues, work disputes, financial strain, politics, or anything else outside of yourself. The ultimate source of stress is your thinking, i.e. the perception you hold of yourself, others, and the world.

Some highlights from today's WW episode on Adrenals and STRESS...

• How the adrenals are designed to be attuned to stress and why staying sensitive to stress is key
• Why the body doesn't discriminate between physiologic and psychological stress and where we can find the source of stress
• The importance of understanding where stress comes from (hint: not outside circumstances!)
• The universal laws of awareness and perception creating reality and the power we hold in relating to Self and thinking 
• Why "stressful experiences" don't need to cause chronic physiologic stress and how stressful thinking becomes counterproductive

Links to some more good stuff

- Get weekly Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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

When suffering with low energy, sleep issues, or any sort of fatigue, it's common to look at the adrenal glands as being a source of the symptoms.
 
Yes - the adrenal glands are responsible for maintaining healthy energy levels day in and day out... but they do SO MUCH MORE.

The adrenal glands are integral to general hormonal balance and also establishing your body's circadian rhythm.

So... what causes the adrenal glands to get stressed, fatigued, burnt out, or dysregulated???

In today's world, it's pretty much everything that has become "societally normal" disconnecting us from natural rhythms.

Bright lights, fear mongering media, avoidance of sunlight, deficiency of natural connection, caffeine dependance, processed foods, addiction to drama and stressful thinking, etc. etc. etc... these are the sorts of things that can put a chronic undue burden on the adrenal glands.
 
In today's Medicinal Monday episode you'll find deeper understanding and clarity around what your adrenals are doing for YOU so that you can start eating, living, and thinking in a way that better nourishes them.

Reminder! Podcast episodes are prerecorded through November at which point the Podcast will be undergoing some changes. We look forward to the next rendition!
 

Some highlights from today's episode on Supporting the ADRENALS...

• The HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) and how it can become dysregulated to cause energy issues
• The functional medicine perspective on supporting adrenals with adaptogenic herbs and why it is NOT always the answer
• Why regulating circadian rhythm is the most important thing to support adrenal health, hormonal balancing, and energy levels
• The most reliable ways to burn out adrenals and disrupt circadian rhythm - coffee, bright lights, erratic sleep, alcohol, stressful thoughts, living indoors, etc.
• Where we can turn to in order to reliably eradicate stress and stay empowered in our lives

Links to some more good stuff

- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- 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