Boundless Life

Do probiotics really seed or populate your gut?

How do you decide which strain or species of probiotic to take? Do certain compounds enhance the efficacy of probiotics? Should probiotics be personalized?

I tackle all these probiotic questions and many more in today's episode with Raja Dhir.

Raja the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Seed, an ecosystem of kindred scientists, doctors, innovators, entrepreneurs, and translational storytellers from around the world. Seed's members collectively believe in the potential of the microbiome to improve human and planetary health.

Raja leads Seed’s research strategy and academic collaborations, clinical trial design, product development, and intellectual property strategy. He is the architect of the Seed Platform and has unique expertise in translating scientific research for product development – including patented inventions to stabilize sensitive compounds to improve human microbiome diversity and inflammatory biomarkers.

He’s also the Co- Chair of Seed’s Scientific Advisory Board where Seed focuses on solving complex ecological problems including honeybee colony collapse, plastic degradation, and soil fertility through bacteria. Raja is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Church Lab in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and is a Director and Co-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for Micropia, a $20MM microbial ecology / education platform and the world’s first museum dedicated exclusively to microbes.

He also serves on the Editorial Board for the scientific journal, Microbiome, on the Industry Advisory Committee for the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), and is a member of the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), among others.

During our discussion, you'll learn: -Why we misunderstand probiotics, and especially probiotic research...8:30

• Raja's research paper: Probiotics: What they are and what they are not
• We're understanding more and more about the gut and microbiome every day
• An organism must show that it has a specific effect on the body before the term "probiotic" can be used
  • The term "probiotic" is unregulated in the United States
  • Consumers are way ahead of the science
• Proper definition of a probiotic: live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host
• Unscientific research on probiotics has led to damage in credibility in the field
• Taking one single data set that's not causative and applying the results to the entire field is an unscientific practice

-The recent studies on probiotics that Raja mentions, and sometimes criticizes, in his work...13:45

• Conducted by the Weizmann Institute
  • Got subjects to consent to invasive small intestinal biopsies, versus just the colon
  • Ordinarily you test the large intestine only
• An over emphasis on testing stool samples
• Fallacy: Collecting large amounts of data will give you an accurate answer
• How classical biologists are different:
  • Have a hypothesis,
  • Narrow down an intervention,
  • Test (in a large enough sample size) and look for biomarkers that change in the host
• How the test worked:
  • Gave 3 groups of people large amounts of antibiotics
  • Gave one group probiotics, one group allowed to recover spontaneously (watchful waiting), third group FMT; their own stool injected back in rectally
  • Hypothesis: What's the fastest way of recovering to your normal base line?
  • After 90 days, everything lost statistical significance; all 3 groups indistinguishable from one another
• 3 things you can do to improve an infant's health
  • Vaginal birth
  • Not having antibiotics during birth (if you have a c-section)
  • Breast feeding
  • Do at least 2 of the 3 correctly, you dramatically increase the chances that the infant's microbiome will develop normally
• Science should not be a sensationalistic field
  • Temptation to exploit research for short-term PR gains

-What regulations or standardizations exist when it comes to the microbiome and probiotics...23:25

• Contract manufacturers: used by big dairy companies, big business, probiotics found in local grocery stores
• European facilities are better equipped due to dietary differences
• Species vs Strains:
  • Ex: Chihuahuas and dobermans are different strains of the same species
  • Some strains are up to 70% different from strains of the same species
  • Must be tested on humans, otherwise should be called a microbial product vs. a probiotic product
• Some less disciplined companies benefit from the existing ambiguities in the probiotic field

-Raja's answer to the flaws in probiotic research he discusses in his paper and in his work...27:15

• The paper concludes with an optimistic view; possible changes in the next 5 years
  • Click here for a table of Physiological and metabolic processes influenced by the human microbiome according to Raja's research paper.
• Activating a switch in the body that prevents and reverses food allergies
• Minimum requirements before anything should call itself a probiotic
  • Declare the genus, the species and the strain
  • Undergo minimum one human clinical trial
• If you didn't get all that, get this: While there is tremendous potential and reason for optimism in the field of probiotics, overuse of the term in the media and commercial use "cheapens" it and could discourage serious scientists from pursuing it to its full potential.

-How (or if) probiotics interact with the microbiome...34:30

• Article: Human gut study questions probiotic health benefits
• Probiotics are "transient microbes"; they don't take up permanent residence in any part of the body
• "Seeding" is the process by which an infants microbiome is first colonized by microbes
• Typical time a probiotic stays in the microbiome is ~8 weeks
• Daily consumption is necessary (kind of like coffee)
• Why not just eat fermented foods all the time?
  • Only 4-5 out of several hundred bacterial strains in kimchi had probiotic potential (by the standards laid out in Raja's paper)
  • Kombucha companies should do randomized controlled trials
  • Terms like "immunity" and "anti-inflammatory" are misleading
• Certain bacteria can become "extinct" in as little as 4 generations when fiber is removed or reduced
• Certain populations do not need to take a probiotic because of their lifestyle and diet (ex. the Hadza people)
• "Detoxification" is oftentimes a misnomer;
  • The body has its own detoxification pathways that are regulated by the nrf2 transcription factor
  • Triggers for activation of the pathways: extended exercise, access to wide variety of phytonutrients,
  • Things that are bad for you are good for you

-The varying effects from different species and strains of probiotics...46:35

• Biotransformational nutrients: take existing food particles and convert into secondary metabolites and unlock new nutrients
• Probiotics supplement the existing micronutrients and gut bacteria
• "Consuming little soldiers that make their own multi-vitamins"
• Pomegranate is standardized for punicalagin: turned by already existing bacteria in the gut into Urolithin A
• Article: Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents
• Potential anti-aging benefits
• Thesis: How can we unlock the power of microbes or bacteria to confer benefits to their human hosts

-How probiotics affect males and females differently...52:35

• Women have a longer digestive tract than men, which leads to more issues with the digestive system
• Females could benefit from a folate producer in their gut during pregnancy; would be out of place in a male
• Environment, diet are of far more significance than gender

-Raja's take on companies who recommend particular probiotic strains to consume based on tests of the gut and microbiome...56:10

• Still no consensus on what determines a healthy microbiome
• Recommending a particular product based on test results is problematic
• Genus vs. species vs. strain recommendations; the more specific the better results
• "Relative abundance" vs. "absolute abundance"
• Better approach: take specific strains identified to treat specific issues
• Stratification, personalized approach, is not the optimal goal
• The gold standard is a microbe that is applicable to the entire human (or mammal) population and has reproducible effects
• To conclude: There are some good things about microbiome tests; however, use caution when they recommend certain products based on the test results

-Whether personalized microbiome testing will allow people to target a probiotic species for their specific gut profile...1:03:00

• Yes, but it will not look anything like the probiotics that are on the market today
• Some organisms won't grow if other like organisms are not in the mixed community
• The gut is an ecosystem; ecosystem theory comes into play
• Diversity and seasonality of plants rich in phytonutrients and high fiber foods

-The importance of the CFU (colony forming unit) of a probiotic...1:10:24

• Depends on the study and the trial
• Shotgun approach: inject high density of organisms into the gut and hope for the best
• Before you take any probiotic...
  • Ask the company to show the studies on their strains
  • Have they been studied in a human population
  • And for what end points

-What Raja is most excited about with his work...1:18:10

• Get 15% off your first order from SEED when you use discount code: GREEN15

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

-SEED Male Probiotic formula. Click here and use discount code: GREEN15 -SEED Female Probiotic formula. Click here and use discount code: GREEN15 -Probiotics: Reiterating What They Are & What They Are Not -Documentary: "Missing Microbes" -Urolithin-A -Article: Human gut study questions probiotic health benefits -Article: Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10. -Four Sigmatic: I’ve been using Four Sigmatic products for awhile now and I’m impressed by the efficacies of their mushroom products. I use them. I like them. I support the mission! Receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase when you use discount code: BENGREENFIELD -Clearlight Saunas: You can be sure that I researched all the saunas before I bought mine and Clearlight was the one that stood out from all the rest because of their EMF and ELF Shielding and their Lifetime Warranty. Use discount code: BENGREENFIELD to get $500 off your sauna and a free bonus gift! -Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order, PLUS free shipping on any order over $99 when you use discount code: BENG.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Raja or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, I had the chance to sit down at Onnit, with my friend and the host of the Human Optimization Hour podcast: Kyle Kingsbury. During our discussion, we delve into a host of topics that including the latest and greatest on smart drugs, nootropics, and psychedelic micro-dosing, deep sleep enhancement, rites of passage and much more!

In my conversation with Kyle, you'll discover: -What Ben does to optimize his sleep...6:42

• Sleep on Chili Pad (55 degrees) at home (use code: BEN25 for a discount)
• Take cold shower while on the road
• Heal body while sleeping
• JOOVV light (20 minutes tops) (use code: BEN for a free gift at checkout)
• Methylene blue
• VieLight (use code: GREENFIELD for 10% off)
• PEMF chair
• NanoVi 
• Weighted blankets
• Body balance mat (PEMF)
• IntelliBed
• Mind Fold Mask
• Sleep Stream
• Pzizz Sleep app
• Side sleeping earbuds 
• To sum up: temperature, light, sound (and keep the laptop away from the bed)
• Red Light iPhone (removes blue light from the phone)
• "A good night of sleep begins when you wake up"
  • Wait to cue your body until the time you want to wake up (when traveling)
  • Light, movement, food
  • Reset circadian rhythm
• Supplementation:
  • Careful with coffee after 4 pm
  • Nicotine gum
• CBD Oil, microdose of melatonin

-Optimizing psychedelics for performance...24:37

• Ketamine (recalling previous traumatic experiences)
  • Intranasal ketamine
  • Ben's wife had difficulty with learning
  • Ben can recall his childhood in vivid detail; connects with his boys
• Microdose psilocybin
  • Ben doesn't like to lose control of his cognitive function
  • Use during nature experiences: hiking, hunting, etc.
• Lysergi (LSD)
  • Amplifies dopamine levels (beware of overdosing)
• If legality is an issue:
  • Racetam
  • Anaracetam
  • Oxyracetam
  • Caffeine/nicotine stack
  • Huperzine/acetylcholine (good for vagal nerve function)

-Ben's thoughts on the efficacy of Restore for healing leaky gut...37:00

• Seals leaky gut based on its interaction with the zonulin protein
• Mitigates issues brought on by glyphosate exposure
• Ben and his family use it regularly

-Ben's preferred sources for colostrum...40:20

• Nigerian dwarf goats on the Greenfield property
• Mt. Capra Colostrum
• Goat milk is better than cow milk when it comes to colostrum
• Podcast: BGF interview with Niraj Naik, The Renegade Pharmacist

-Rites of passage and thoughts on how we're raising our boys in modern American culture...44:00

• Women have a clear line of demarcation into womanhood (getting their period)
• Podcast: BGF interview with Tim Corcoran of Vision Quest
• Northwest Survival School located in Spokane, WA

-And much more... Resources mentioned in the episode:

-Spartan World Championships VIP Sep. 26-29 in North Lake Tahoe, CA -Chili Pad -JOOVV light -VieLight -PEMF chair -Weighted blankets -Body balance mat -Mind Fold Mask -Sleep Stream -Pzizz Sleep app -Side sleeping earbuds -Lysergi.com -Restore -Mt. Capra Colostrum -Podcast: BGF interview with Niraj Naik, The Renegade Pharmacist -Podcast: BGF interview with Tim Corcoran of Vision Quest -Northwest Survival School located in Spokane, WA

Episode sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10. -Organifi Red Juice: Enjoy all the benefits of the 11 superfoods and their micronutrients that help increase resting metabolism, support cardiovascular health, and remove toxins to turn back the hands of time! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20. -Thrive Market: Organic brands you love, for less. Your favorite organic food and products. Fast and free shipping to your doorstep. Receive 25% off your order when you use my link! -FitVine Wine: Don’t let the word “less” fool you. FitVine wines offer rich flavor profiles and the alcohol content (13.4 - 13.9% alcohol) you’d expect from a fine wine. Use discount code: GREENFIELD10 for 10% off your order.

Got a question for Kyle Kingsbury or me about anything we talked about in today's episode? Leave a comment below, and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Q&A Episode 396

Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the button at the bottom of the page (or go to SpeakPipe), or use the Contact button in the free Ben Greenfield Fitness app. Click here for some tips on how to have the best chance of having your question featured on the show!

News Flashes [9:00]

• The new podcast host Jay Wiles's website
• The latest “red meat gives you cancer study” show only a RELATIVE risk increase from 0.5% to 0.6%…AND only with processed meat. Read headlines and studies carefully folks: https://academic.oup.com/ije/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ije/dyz064/5470096?searchresult=1
• This paper is freakin’ awesome. How humans adapt to stressors such as cold, altitude and diving: http://www.nielsenlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1-s2.0-S0959437X18300777-main.pdf
• Biohackers are implanting everything from magnets to sex toys: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-19/biohackers-are-implanting-everything-from-magnets-to-sex-toys

You can receive these News Flashes (and more) every single day, if you follow Ben on Twitter.com/BenGreenfield, Instagram.com/BenGreenfieldFitness, Facebook.com/BGFitness, BenGreenfieldFitness.com/Snapchat, and Google+. Special Announcements [28:30]

-Click here to follow Ben on Snapchat , and get ready for some epic stories about his morning, day and evening routine! 

Ben's Adventures: [28:30]

– May 29, 2019: Community Talk on Stem Cell Procedure, Charleston, South Carolina. Sign up for an exclusive, semi-private event featuring myself and Dr. Craig Koniver of Koniver Wellness. The lively discussion will take place at Tradd’s downtown over dinner in a private room for 80 guests. Sign up here!

– June 6, 2019: An Afternoon of Transformation with Ben Greenfield, Denver, Colorado. A special event hosted by MaxLiving, which exists to transform lives through chiropractic.

– June 15, 2019: Ultimate Fitness Run, Mt. Spokane, Washington. Join me and my family for a fun, as-competitive-as-you-make-it day outside for an OCR-style challenge. Register here while you still can. This event sells out quickly each year. Save with code: BEN10UFR and register here.

– June 23 – July 7, 2019: European Detox Retreat, Paracelsus al Ronc, Switzerland. At this 2019 liver detox and R&R retreat at the beautiful Swiss Mountain Clinic in the Italian quarter of Switzerland, you’ll stay on-site and receive diagnostics and treatments from the best doctors of biological medicine to detox your liver and your soul. Here’s the link to more info.

– August 3, 2019: Spartan Sprint at the LA Stadium, Los Angeles, California. It’s Rally Time, Los Angeles. The Big A. Angel Stadium. Whatever you call it, this place is legendary. Now, Spartan is headed to this historic ballpark for an epic Stadion course. Get ready to take on 3 miles and 20 obstacles through nearly every part of the stadium. Sign up here!

– September 27 – 29, 2019: Spartan World Championships, Squaw Valley, California. Right beside Lake Tahoe, this epic venue was once host to the 1960 Olympic Winter Games. Join me there for the greatest obstacle course race in North Tahoe Lake, Olympic Village, CA. Sign up here. Sign up here! -View Ben’s Calendar Here Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

This podcast is brought to you by:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-JOOVV: After using the Joovv for close to 2 years, it's the only light therapy device I'd ever recommend. Give it a try: you won't be disappointed. Order using my link and receive a nice bonus gift with your order!

-ButcherBox: Delivers healthy 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork directly to your door on a monthly basis. All their products are humanely raised and NEVER given antibiotics or hormones. New subscribers will receive 2 LBS of FREE wild caught Alaskan salmon + $20 OFF their first box by going to butcherbox.com/ben

-Zip Recruiter: As your qualified candidates roll in, we make it easy to screen & rate them, allowing you to make the best hiring decisions for your business. Try it for free when you use my link!

Listener Q&A: Should You Eat Black Ant Extract? [37:20]

Sartell says: I recently purchased the polyrhachis ant supplement. I took it prior to a workout and I felt an analgesic effect. I've had many shoulder surgeries, and I felt a lot better when I took this. I did some more research and saw it is touted as having anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. I know that antioxidants can blunt the hormetic effect of exercise. So should I be worried about that with this supplement?

In my response, I recommend: -Black Ant Extract from Lost Empire Herbs -My podcast on hydrogen rich water -Thorne Quercetin phytosome -Organic green tea polyphenol -Blood flow restriction straps (BFR Bands) -Study: Exercise, oxidants, and antioxidants change the shape of the bell-shaped hormesis curve How To Keep Coffee From Giving You Adrenal Fatigue [59:40]

Unknown says: I'm a big fan of coffee, and excellent coffee at that. I have a concern that I am stressing my adrenals constantly. What do you suggest on how to enjoy my coffee and keep my adrenals in good shape, or am I worried for no reason?

In my response, I recommend: -Organic decaf coffee -Thorne Theanine -Four Sigmatic Reishi -MiCacao -DandyTea -Tulsi (holy basil) extract -American Nutraceuticals Whole Foods Vitamin C -Jigsaw Vitamin C + Lysine -Colima Sea Salt -Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Are Pre-Workout Supplements Addictive? [1:13:15]

Unknown says: What's your take on pre-workout supplements? I assume the answer has to do with what kind of exercise the person is doing and what he/she is trying to achieve. Do you recommend pre-workout supplements? Will my body become addicted to the extra "boost" meaning if I don't take the supplement, I'll feel weaker and slower?

In my response, I recommend: -NuCalm -Halo -Biotropic Lab supplements  -Essential amino acids (Kion Aminos) -Wim Hof Breathwork -Brad Kearn's article on BGF about cold thermogenesis pre-workout Giveaways & Goodies [1:20:15]

-This week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - click here to leave your review for a chance to win some!

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Prior to asking your question, do a search in the upper right-hand corner of this website for the keywords associated with your question. Many of the questions we receive have already been answered here at Ben Greenfield Fitness!

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The “Kentucky Castle” is a unique destination hotspot with a full biohacking facility, sauna, farm-to-table restaurant, precision medicine arm, hemp farm, horse facilities, and much more. It is owned by one of the physicians who hosts the “Wild Health” podcast, on which I was recently a guest. 

Recently, at the castle, I had the pleasure of giving a talk on how to hack your biology and get the most out of the genetics you were born with. Afterward, I took part in a Q&A with several of the physicians in attendance at the conference. On today's podcast, part two of this two-part series (click here to listen to part one), you'll get to sit in on this very interesting discussion. Enjoy!

Questions and topics covered in the session... -Follow-up questions for Ben from his presentation...6:48

• Q: What do you think of using the ChiliPad long term, particularly as it pertains to EMF and dirty electricity?
  • My podcast on Building Biology
  • Dirty electricity filters
• Q: Do you think Great Plains Lab's test for mycotoxins is not valid?
  • A: They're legit.
• Q: You said a score of 3.8 for the TSH is good but not optimal. How do you figure out what your optimal levels should be?
• Q: Is it true that if you take colostrum on an empty stomach, it won't raise your insulin-like growth factor (IGF)?
  • A: I've never heard that. Colostrum is an anabolic.

-What is the ideal estradiol post-menopause?...12:45

• Get it back to pre-menopausal levels
• Book: Estrogen Matters

-How does a sense of spirituality and spiritual practice play into one's health and wellness?...16:12

• Changes epigenetic expression, improves sleep cycles
• Gratitude changes level of empathy toward others
• Blue zones have strong beliefs in a higher power, meditation, etc.
• Medical students are not trained in the efficacy of spirituality
• Physicians "curse" patients; "so much time left to live"

-How would you increase free testosterone naturally?...19:19

• Avoid heavy amounts of intense exercise (HIIT)
• Prioritize sexual experience; send body the signal you're maintaining fertility
• Decrease insulin resistance; increase healthy fatty acids
• JOOVV light
• Get adequate rest
• Stress management
• Primal Jet Pack

-How does ashwagandha play a role in cortisol and other adaptogens?...26:30

• Ashwagandha supplement
• Ginseng
• Four Sigmatic (Receive a 15% discount using code: BENGREENFIELD)
• Books by Dr. Shawn Talbott

-How long would a dietary change take to see a change in the Omega 3 Index?...28:25

• At least 3 months
• Can vary from person to person
• SMASH fish: salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring
• Cod liver oil

-What CGM (continuous glucose monitor) devices do you recommend?...32:05

• Dexcom G6

-When is it optimal to test IGF-1?...35:40

• Fasted blood test

-Should a microbiome be tested a certain time of day, fasted or unfasted, etc.?...36:30 -Is it true that it is difficult to test for parasites because the parasite releases an enzyme when the stool hits the air?...39:30 -What are the key factors to getting quality deep sleep?...41:40

• Article: Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages.
  • Cold environment
  • CBD oil or supplement - 60-100 mg (use code: GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
  • Binaural beats for deep sleep (no Bluetooth)
• Regular exercise regimen
• Avoid alcohol
• Period of fasting (3-4 hours)

-Are people who follow a low-carb or ketogenic diet low in magnesium?...45:30 -For Ben: How are you dealing with your high cortisol metabolism?...48:56

• "I haven't followed a strict ketogenic diet for years."
• Carb refeed at the end of the day

-Is a colonoscopy an effective means of "resetting" the microbiome?...50:45 -How do you treat someone with a common cold? If it develops into an infection, how do you naturally heal it sans antibiotics?...52:36

• Vitamin C, rest, electrolytes
• Chaga and sauna (save $500 with code: BEN)
• Zinc lozenges
• Oil of oregano
• Taking antibiotics correlates with anxiety and depression in the future
• Take a cold shower every morning: prevents getting a cold

-Under what circumstances should one seek an antibiotic, even if they are determined not to use antibiotics?...1:00:00 -How to deal with fainting episodes related to stress?...1:02:25

• Improving vagal nerve tone
• Vagal Nerve Stimulators  (use code GREENFIELD for $100 discount)
• Podcast: 32 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve, Fine-Tune Your Nervous System & Self-Hack Your Hormones
• Cold exposure: cold showers, dunk face in cold water

-What about things like sauerkraut and kombucha in promoting microbiome health?...1:03:45

• Sauerkraut is good; approach kombucha with caution

-Thoughts on a 5-day fasting mimicking diet vs. a 3-day water fast?...1:07:10

• Solid science behind the fasting mimicking diet
• Fasting mimicking diet is more realistic in its feasibility (water fast is very difficult)

-For Ben: Are you still doing the NAD injection that burns for 15 minutes?...1:09:32 -How can you deal with exercise-induced hypoglycemia when you're not diabetic?...1:12:15 -How do you mitigate the effects of a bad night of sleep?...1:14:30

• Brief spurts of High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
• Large amounts of blue light in the morning to reset circadian rhythm
• Regular meal times
• Ketone esters or nicotine gum (save $10 with code: BEN10)

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

-JOOVV light (use code: BEN for a free gift at checkout)

-ChiliPad

-My podcast on Building Biology

-Dirty electricity filters

-Book: Estrogen Matters

-Primal Jet Pack

-Ashwagandha supplement

-Ginseng

-Four Sigmatic (Receive a 15% discount using code: BENGREENFIELD)

-Article: Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages

-Books by Dr. Shawn Talbott

-Cod liver oil

-Podcast: 32 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve, Fine-Tune Your Nervous System & Self-Hack Your Hormones

-Dexcom G6 glucose monitor

Episode sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Attention Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners: receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Organifi Red Juice: Enjoy all the benefits of the 11 superfoods and their micronutrients that help increase resting metabolism, support cardiovascular health, and remove toxins to turn back the hands of time! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20

-Four Sigmatic: I’ve been using Four Sigmatic products for a while now and I’m impressed by the efficacies of their mushroom products. I use them. I like them. I support the mission! Receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase when you use discount code: BENGREENFIELD

-Harry's Razors: Try the shaving company that’s fixing shaving. Get a $13 value trial set that comes with everything you need for a close, comfortable shave when you go to harrys.com/greenfield

Got a question for me about the material covered on today's podcast? Just leave a comment below and I'll reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most diet trends have one thing in common: they offer a one-size-fits-all approach and are not designed for your unique body and health history. Yet society insists time and time again on ordering the “diet du jour,” from low-carb/low-fat to the latest low-carb/high-fat diet. For many, it is not working – and, in some cases, it is harmful.

But I recently read a book about a new approach to diet and living that is always on trend and in style, because it is customized to you and only you: The Wildatarian Diet: Living As Nature Intended: A Customized Nutritional Approach for Optimal Health, Energy and Vitality. This book introduces several evolved and sustainable concepts that are backed by science and supported by thousands of clinical outcomes from author Teri Cochrane, my guest on this podcast.

Teri is an integrative practitioner and thought leader in nutritional counseling. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida, and she is a graduate of the Huntington College of Health Sciences and the National Leadership Institute. She also has extensive practices, such as healing touch, craniosacral therapy and herbology.

She has developed her own methodology, "The Cochrane Method," which integrates a multi- level nutritional approach, including observation and listening, to develop a bio-individualized plan for her clients.  Teri is currently in private practice in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, where she specializes in complex health conditions and elite athletic performance. She serves as a nutritional counselor to ballerinas and Olympic hopefuls, including one of the most promising young swimmers in the country.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -How Terri came about the name "Wildatarian"...6:15

• "Patient Zero" (real name is Glenn) had a rare form of cancer called amyloidosis
• Glenn was told to eat lots of protein after chemo; after two rounds, had congestive heart and kidney failure
• Realized the amyloids were coming from the food supply
• Took away pork, chicken, turkey; gave him wild game (bison, Cornish game hens, etc.)
• Wildatarians can be plant-based, meat-based; based on your genetic makeup
• Amyloids develop in farm-raised meats but not in wild game; they are indigestible
• Similar to an auto-immune issue
• This approach has helped treat Hashimoto's disease
• How to test for amyloids:
  • Protein in urine
  • Light chain (more accurate)

-How Terri determines the appropriate diet for a patient...15:00

• We're all bioindividual
• Genetic testing used:
  • 23 and Me
  • Many variants done in house
• Who should avoid sulfur in their diet
• Roundup (the pesticide) prevents sulfur in our food from becoming sulfate
• Kale is problematic
• Beware of sulfur-based supplements touted as antioxidants (glutathione)
• Center lane vs. "fringe" foods
• Focus on genetic blueprint first
• The body is a constant communicator; we're not learned in its tells

-How Terri's clients access wild game, especially when living in urban areas...27:55

• Dartagnan Foods (link)
• Major grocers are carrying bison, New Zealand lamb, etc.
• Opt for a sustainably raised approach to our animals
• Why is methane an issue today, after millennia of cows on the planet?
  • They are being fed food they cannot digest
• Look for small and medium local farmers
• Organic standards have been diluted
• Wildatarian veggies are those which are suited to your genetic makeup
• Cilantro and cucumber juice is Terri's favorite drink

-Why Terri frowns upon the intake of peanuts...34:35

• An aflatoxin: "it's the devil on steroids"
• It's highly fungal (feeds cancer, candida)
• Peanut butter is the one food she'll never have on her plate
• She recommends sunflower butter

-Why Terri loves beans and the best way to prepare them...39:22

• Pressure cooker breaks down the "exoskeletons" of the beans
• Apple cider vinegar
• Green pepper helps break down the beans

-What is "ballerina syndrome"...41:53

• Terri works with the Washington Ballet
• Elite athletes push their bodies through epinephrine to manage the sugar regulation
• Epinephrine is a stress hormone, secreted by the adrenals
• It opens the gut, causes leaky gut syndrome
• It disregulates insulin

-How an athlete, who consumes supplements, bars, etc. would do the wildatarian diet...46:00 -Where supplements and pills fit into the wildatarian diet...53:35

• We don't have nutrient rich food
• Supplement strategically
• Wildatarian Quiz

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

-The Wildatarian Diet: Living As Nature Intended: A Customized Nutritional Approach for Optimal Health, Energy and Vitality -Teri Cochrane -Wildatarian Quiz 

Episode sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10. -Trusii: Contains a host of anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-allergy benefits. For this reason, I have decided to now make consumption of hydrogen-rich water an important part of my daily nutritional routine...and I highly recommend it! Enter code: BEN at checkout and get 30% off your order! -Pso-Rite: Built for getting to the really important Psoas muscle but awesome everywhere else in your body and really easy to use and control the pressure yourself. Receive a 10% discount when you use discount code: BEN10 -Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order, PLUS free shipping on any order over $99 when you use discount code: BENG.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Teri Cochrane or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I recently had the pleasure to speak at the fabulous and intriguing "Kentucky Castle", a unique destination hotspot with a full biohacking facility, sauna, farm-to-table restaurant, precision medicine arm, hemp farm, horse facilities and much more. The castle is owned by one of the physicians who hosts the "Wild Health" podcast, on which I was recently a guest. 

This is part one of a two part series that addresses the oft-confusing world of "taking your health into your own hands" via genetic testing, blood and biomarker tracking, sleep measurements and other forms of self-quantification. In part two, you'll get to sit in on a very interesting post-talk Q&A with myself and several of the physicians in attendance at the conference. Enjoy!

**Editor's Note: Forgive the extraneous background noises. All effort was made to ensure the clearest possible sound in spite of it :)

In this episode, you'll discover... -Ben's history as a bodybuilder, triathlete and his transition to his current message...9:00

• Bodybuilding is a bit of a biohacking sport
• Ben began to take lab tests and was shocked at the results
  • Pre-type 2 diabetes; inflammation
  • Healthy on the outside but dying on the inside
  • Inspired his first book Beyond Training
  • Doesn't work primarily with athletes anymore; mainly people who want to feel good and live a long time

-Some guidelines when examining your lab results...16:15

• Lab results indicate an absence of disease, not necessarily one's potential for health and longevity

The 11 Blood Biomarkers  -RBC (red blood cell) Magnesium...26:10

• Insulin sensitivity, physical performance
• Different from extracellular magnesium
• Intracellular Diagnostics
• Jigsaw Health

-Estradiol...29:23

• Men need to be concerned with estrogen, not just women
• Dutch Test

-Testosterone...32:08

• Women should be concerned, not just men
• Hormones can be bound up by proteins
• You want 2% of your testosterone to be free

-High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP)...40:22

• Link between inflammation and heart attack risk
• Numbers will vary depending on your workout regimen

-Triglyceride HGL Ratio...43:25

• Is more important in determining your risk for C/V disease than total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol
• HGL to total cholesterol level: lower is better

-Full lipid panel, and an Omega 3 index...48:15

• Tells you the size of your cholesterol particles
• You want the particles to be "large and fluffy"; count should be low
• You want the Omega 3 index to be higher
• Highest risk zone (4% and below) = 90% chance of C/V disease

-Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)...52:10

• Good for getting bulked up; not so much for longevity
• View life as a set of press/pull cycles
• You want to live long, and live an enjoyable life too
  • Work hard, eat red meat one day; fast and yoga the next
• Sweet spot: 80-150

-Insulin...54:37

• Dexcom G6
• CBC with differential

-Iron...1:00:11

• Lipid peroxides result when interact with iron in the production of hydrogen peroxide (rust effect in the body)
• High iron levels contribute to a number of diseases and conditions

-Food allergies and sensitivities...1:02:41

• Ben's big beef with food allergy tests; you get a bunch of false positives
• Inaccuracies
• No double tests for each protein
• Cyrex Array 10 C: Ben's gold standard food allergy test
  • Must be ordered by a doctor
• Viome
  • My podcast with Naveen Jain, founder of Viome
• Onegevity
  • My podcast with the founders of Onegevity
• Mold toxins
  • See Cyrex Array 10 C above
• Micronutrients
  • Micronutrient analysis
• Gut
  • Microbiome test won't track parasites
  • GI Effects comprehensive stool panel
• Genes
  • Book: 100 Million Years of Food by Dr. Steven Le
  • Book: Dirty Genes by Dr. Ben Lynch
  • geneticgenie.org
  • Kion Coffee

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

-Book: Biochemical Individuality by Roger Williams -Oura Ring

Episode sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10. -Organifi Gold: A new take on an ancient secret: Pain-soothing herbs, incredible antioxidants, and phytonutrients all in one delicious, soothing “Golden Milk” nighttime tea! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20. -Thrive Market: Organic brands you love, for less. Your favorite organic food and products. Fast and free shipping to your doorstep. Receive 25% off your order when you use my link. -WHOOP: The performance tool that is changing the way people track their fitness and optimize their training. Save $30 off your order when you use discount code: GREENFIELD

Got a question for me about the 12 blood biomarkers I talked about in today's podcast? Just leave a comment below and I'll reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angelo Keely is COO and Co-Founder of Kion, and a true renaissance man of many talents - including beatboxing, music, art and more. He's also a wizard at creating a healthy and robust company culture, and is building one of the most impressive and high-quality nutrition and supplement formulation companies on the face of the planet. From his near-death experience on an LSD trip to his impressive daily routine, we delve into his life and valuable experience on this podcast.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -The story of Angelo's life...11:20

• Hippy parents, owned a natural foods store in Wimberley, TX
• His dad collaborated with Whole Foods in its early days in Austin
• No doctors, vaccinations; all natural treatments
• Angelo and Ben were polar opposites in their diets as kids
• Minimalist approach to food and supplements
• Got into lots of trouble in high school
• Awful LSD experience at age 16
• Got some gigs as a musician/beat boxer
• Attended St. Edwards University
  • Centering prayer
  • Religious studies major (although raised non-religious)
  • Service projects to India, Central America
• Developed intense interest in humans, human interaction with one another

-How Angelo's meeting his wife is a case study in the power of visualization...28:45

• Doing an internship in France; had met her a few months prior
• Wrote a song that clearly described "the perfect wife" while living in France
• Performed the song for the first time after returning to the U.S.; she was there listening
• Began dating shortly after and eventually married
• Book: Creative Visualization

-How Angelo got involved with Ben and eventually co-founded Kion...36:20

• Moved to Boulder, CO to start family in 2012
• Heard of Ben in 2016; Ben has a large following in Boulder
• Angelo was impressed with Ben's authenticity and passion more than any business acumen

-A day in the life of Angelo Keely...47:30

• Go to sleep at the same time kids go to sleep; need alone time (in the morning)
• Go to bed early; you need less sleep, then wake up really early and be productive
• Drink two glasses of water, then an Americano
• Spiritual text (recontextualizes all of life)
• Journaling: just show up and do it
• Working out: do simple things with much intensity
• Cold/hot shower in the winter; all cold in the summer
• Show up at the office around 9 am

-The company culture within the dank, forbidding recesses of Kion World Headquarters...59:45

• "It's a mindset about what we're doing"
• Everyone is passionate about health, supplements (enemas not so much)
• The culture must reflect the stated mission statement of Kion: Live a joyful, fulfilling and adventurous life
• Blend of empathy and radical honesty
• Every day begins with a 15 minute daily huddle; begins with 3 minutes of silence
• My interview with Todd White of Dry Farm Wines
• Monthly team adventures; yearly retreat
• "We're trying to live what we're saying"
• Building a high quality company requires hiring the right people and build it intelligently
• Team approach:
  • Everyone has a unique distinct role
  • It takes time to develop chemistry
• Kion is not a fly-by-night, pie-eyed idealist company; it's profitable and being built the right way

-The biggest trends Angelo sees in the health and fitness industry...1:15:00

• Personalization of diet
  • Lots of "Mickey Mouse" practices
  • Education rather than instruction or "lecturing" (Kion fasting challenge w/ accompanying guide)
  • Big fight on the supply chain to get an awesome product
  • If everything is in stock at a supplement company, there's a red flag

-What will Angelo's life look like 5-10 years from now?...1:25:45

• Making a lot more music as of late
• One man show: music, visuals, comedic monologue

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

-Kion (use code "BGF10" to save 10% sitewide) -Ben Greenfield In The Hotseat: Angelo interviews Ben -AngeloKeely.com -DandyTea coffee substitute -Book: Creative Visualization -The Christian Gratitude Journal -JOOVV light -Yoga trapeze -Fluidstance -Varidesk -Mogo Upright Stool -Salli Saddle Chair -Topo Mat -Book: Emotional Communication -My interview with Todd White of Dry Farm Wines -KionU Coach Certification Program -BenGreenfieldTri.BlogSpot.com (Ben's original blog) -Kion Fasting Guide -Ben's upcoming new book at SuperhumanRxBook.com

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-JOOVV: After using the Joovv for close to 2 years, it's the only light therapy device I'd ever recommend. Give it a try: you won't be disappointed. Order using my link and receive a nice bonus gift with your order!

-Vuori: Activewear and athletic clothing for ultimate performance. Vuori is built to move and sweat in, yet designed with a West Coast aesthetic that transitions effortlessly into everyday life. Receive 25% off your first order when you use discount code: "ben25"

-Halo Sport: Halo Sport revolutionized physical training by being the first-ever product that can increase your neuroplasticity by putting your brain into a state that neuroscientists call “hyperlearning”. The fully upgraded Halo Sport 2 was just announced and it’s pre-selling for just $279 (less than half the price of the first model) when you use code: GREENFIELD.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Angelo or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Ted Achacoso attained a college degree in biology at the age of 18 and a doctor of medicine at the age of 22. He is the founding pioneer of the clinical practice of Health Optimization Medicine and Practice (HOMe/HOPe), which is the detection and correction of imbalances at the level of the metabolome.

He was mentored by Thierry Hertoghe, the founding pioneer of Anti-Aging Medicine and Nutritional Medicine (Dr. Ted is double board-certified, Paris). He was mentored by William S. Yamamoto, the founding pioneer of Medical Informatics and an Artificial Intelligence researcher (Washington, DC). He was also mentored by D. Wayne Silby, the founding pioneer of Socially Responsible Investing and Finance (Washington, DC) and by three Philippine pioneers in Interventional Neuroradiology, in Neurology, and in Pharmacology/Toxicology.

His representative body of work includes a book containing the first ever neural circuitry database (“connectome”) for an organism, journal articles, US patents, software, grants, and recorded interviews, webcasts, podcasts, and speaking engagements in the areas of:

(1) artificial ethology, computational neuroethology, biomathematical modeling of nervous systems, and computability of consciousness,

(2) medical informatics, medical decision-making, connectionist systems, and expert systems,

(3) computer-assisted imaging, edge detection algorithms, and telehealth,

(4) virtual group dynamics, communication, and collaboration methods (He created the first wireless groupware),

(5) parallel, cluster, cloud, and distributed emergent computing,

(6) predictive complex adaptive system modeling of financial time series, and

(7) health optimization medicine including metabolomics, epigenetics, bioenergetics, gut microbiota, exposomics, chronobiology, and evolutionary medicine.

He is based in Washington, DC, maintains a tricontinental HOMe practice (North America, Europe, Asia), and performs HOMe/HOPe lecturing and mentoring to doctors and practitioners. Dr. Ted provides international corporate consulting activities involving nutritional supplement formulation and the establishment of metabolomics, mitochondria, and microbiota laboratories. He strongly suspects that this world is an illusion projected as a hologram by the human biocrystal, and pushes to create deliberately sustainable, happy dreams instead of nightmares.

Dr. Achacoso has trained, researched, and worked in many different fields:

1) Interventional neuroradiology and pharmacology in Manila;

2) Medical informatics and artificial intelligence in Washington, DC;

3) Scientific advisor to local venture and global institutional investment funds in Bethesda, MD;

4) As Founder and Chief Technology Officer of a group communication and collaboration software company in Rosslyn, VA (He created the first wireless mobile groupware);

5) As a quant trader for an incubator hedge fund in Rehoboth Beach, DE;

6) In Anti-Aging Medicine and Nutritional Medicine in Paris, Brussels, Monte Carlo.

His representative body of work includes a book containing the first-ever neural circuitry database (or the first-ever “connectome”) for an organism (C. elegans), journal articles, US patents, software, grants, and recorded interviews, webcasts, and speaking engagements in the areas of:

1) Artificial ethology, computational neuroethology, biomathematical modeling of nervous systems, and computability of consciousness;

2) Medical informatics, medical decision-making, connectionist systems, and expert systems;

3) Computer assisted imaging, edge detection algorithms, and tele-health;

4) Virtual group dynamics, communication and collaboration methods including the first wireless groupware systems;

5) Parallel, cluster, cloud, and distributed emergent computing;

6) Predictive complex adaptive system modeling of financial time series.

**Here are a few of my upcoming public appearances:

• Paleo FX: Austin, TX - 24-28 April
• Community Talk on Stem Cell Procedure: Charleston, SC - 29 May 
• Swiss Retreat and Liver Detox: 23 June - 7 July

Click here to see more details about these and other upcoming events!

During our discussion, you'll discover: -The homemade nootropic Dr. Ted took before the interview with Ben...8:30

• Blue Cannatine Smart Troche
• Study on the effects of methylene blue on short term memory
• Trokie: a lozenge inserted between the gums and teeth (limit exposure to saliva)
• Venture capitalist hated it, but then wanted to invest in it because of its efficacy
• 1 mg nicotine, 5 mg CBD

-Whether or not Dr. Ted is really the smartest physician alive...11:35

• He's pretty darn close (1 in a billion)

-What is Health Optimization Medicine (HOMe) and Health Optimization Practice (HOPe)...12:45

• HOMe is intended for physicians; HOPe is intended for practitioners
• The goal is for there to be more practitioners than physicians
• Dr. Ted was an interventional neuroradiologist (spoke brains for a living)
• Retrained in Europe in nutritional medicine in 2009; fields such as epigenetics, microbiota, etc. were becoming popular in the U.S.
• Metabalomics: Studying the metabolites produced during different chemical processes in the body
• Technology allows treating actual fundamental cells, versus symptoms at the organ level
• HOMe represents a more sophisticated "dashboard" to examine the body
• Our metabolites' "golden years" are between the ages of 21-30
• Separate test for hormones (ideally blood)
• Why you can't treat/adjust just hormones
  • They're all in a network
  • Causes imbalance, brain receives and gives improper signals
• Network perspective vs. artificial intelligence

-Dr. Ted's book about artificial intelligence and "connectomes"...27:55

• He was made to choose between studying the computability of consciousness and beauty
• Was banned by the powers that be at M.I.T. (later apologized)
• Now referred to as "Deep learning" (marketing is king)
• We're too DNA centric

-The 7 "pillars" of Dr. Ted's practice...35:45

• Clinical and therapeutic metabalomics: detection and correction
• Epigenetics: "Genes are not your destiny"
• Bioenergetics (mitochondria): Symbiotic relationship with our environment
  • Ion Profile with 40 Amino Acids by Genova Diagnostics
  • JOOVV light
  • Trusii hydrogen-rich water
• Microbiota (gut immune system)
  • 78% of your bacteria are in your gut
  • They teach your immune system what's foreign, what's not
  • People born via c-section are more prone to allergies, immune diseases
  • Some c-sections, gauze is dipped in vagina, then rubbed on the head after birth
• Exposomics: The sum total of your exposure to your own lifestyle and environment (including in utero)
  • Shows how your environment interacts with your genome to produce phenome (not phenotype)
  • Detox protocols:
    • Targeted supplementation
    • Gut cleanup
    • Phototoxicity (blue light isn't all bad)
  • V-Moda Fader Earplugs
• Chronobiology
• Evolutionary medicine

-The "Rolls Royce" for hacking jet lag and tips for optimizing circadian biology...59:50

• Hormone balancing
  • Melatonin
  • Growth hormone (injected)
  • Thyroid (level rises in the morning)
  • Cortisol tablets
  • Gut enzymes
  • Thorne Biogest + SEED Probiotics
• One "anchor" meal that is constant between time zones
• Erythropoietin
  • Portable oxygen concentrator
• Sleep hygiene:
  • "Your day begins at the time you fall asleep"
  • Treat your sleep as the first item on your list, not the last thing you do in the day
  • Oura ring for sleep tracking (deep sleep inducing peptide)

-Dr. Ted's guidance on diet...1:12:20

• "Eating window" vs. "fasting window"
• Complete everything in one day
• Snowball effect (eat first and feel good, then get to work)
• Remove sensitive foods right away
• Dr. Ted's personal diet: Micro-nutrient optimized, macro-nutrient targeted
• Make your fattiest meal your first meal; second meal high fiber and carbs; third meal have protein
• Dr. Ted's morning coffee:
  • MCT oil or powder
  • Powdered cellulose (for fiber)
  • Collagen fiber

-And much more! Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Trusii: Contains a host of anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-allergy benefits. For this reason, I have decided to now make consumption of hydrogen-rich water an important part of my daily nutritional routine...and I highly recommend it! Enter code: BEN at checkout and get 30% off your order!

-Four Sigmatic: I’ve been using Four Sigmatic products for awhile now and I’m impressed by the efficacies of their mushroom products. I use them. I like them. I support the mission! Receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase when you use discount code: BENGREENFIELD

-Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order, PLUS free shipping on any order over $99 when you use discount code: BENG.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Dr. Ted or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest on today's podcast and former guest on my show "The Truth About Lectins And The Plant Paradox", Dr. Steven Gundry proposes in his new book "The Longevity Paradox: How to Die Young at a Ripe Old Age", that the “diseases of aging” we most fear are not simply a function of age; but rather, they are a byproduct of the way we have lived over the decades.

In The Longevity Paradox, he maps out a new approach to aging well—one that is based on supporting the health of the “oldest” parts of us: the microorganisms that live within our bodies. He believes that - from diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s to common ailments like arthritis to our weight and the appearance of our skin, these bugs are in the driver’s seat, controlling our quality of life as we age. Dr. Gundry is a cum laude graduate of Yale University with special honors in Human Biological and Social Evolution.

After graduating Alpha Omega Alpha from the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine, Dr. Gundry completed residencies in General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan and served as a Clinical Associate at the National Institutes of Health. There, he invented devices that reverse the cell death seen in acute heart attacks; variations of these devices subsequently became the Gundry™ Retrograde Cardioplegia Cannula. It has become the world’s most widely used device of its kind to protect the heart from damage during open-heart surgery. After completing a fellowship in congenital heart surgery at The Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, in London, Dr. Gundry was recruited as Professor and Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

There, he and his partner, Leonard Bailey, pioneered infant and pediatric heart transplantation. Together, they have performed more such transplants than any other surgeons in the world. During his tenure at Loma Linda, Dr. Gundry pioneered the field of xenotransplantation, the study of how the genes of one species react to the transplanted heart of a foreign species. He was one of the original twenty investigators of the first FDA-approved implantable left ventricular assist device (a kind of artificial heart). Dr. Gundry is also the inventor of the Gundry Ministernomy, the widely used minimally invasive approach to aortic- or mitral-valve repair, the Gundry Lateral Tunnel, a “living” tissue that can rebuild parts of the heart in children with severe congenital heart malformations; and the Skoosh™ venous cannula, the most widely used cannula in minimally invasive heart operations.

One of the fathers of robotic surgery, as a consultant to Computer Motion (now Intuitive Surgical), Dr. Gundry received early FDA approval to use robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery for coronary artery-bypass and mitral-valve operations. He holds patents on devices for connecting blood vessels and coronary artery bypasses without sutures, as well as for repairing the mitral valve without the need for sutures or a heart-lung machine. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Artificial Internal Organs (ASIAO), and was a founding board member and treasurer of the International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS).

He recently completed two successive elected terms as President of the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association, Desert Division. Dr. Gundry has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Cardiology, the American Surgical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the College of Chest Physicians. He is a member of numerous other surgical and medical societies. He is also the author of more than three hundred articles, chapters, and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals on surgical, immunology, genetic, nutrition, and lipid investigations. He has operated in more than thirty countries, including charitable missions to China, India, and Zimbabwe.

Inspired by the stunning reversal of coronary artery disease in an “inoperable” patient, using a combination of dietary changes and nutriceutical supplements, in 2001, Dr. Gundry changed the path of his career. An obese, chronic “diet” failure himself, he adapted his undergraduate Yale University thesis to design a diet based on evolutionary genetic coding, which enabled him to reverse his own medical problems. In the process, he effortlessly lost 70 pounds. The equally astonishing results from following what he came to call Diet Evolution in several of his staff led Dr. Gundry to accept a position in Palm Springs where he could devote his efforts to disease reversal.

No longer satisfied with repairing the damage of chronic diseases, since 2002, Dr. Gundry founded and has served as Medical Director of The International Heart and Lung Institute in Palm Springs, California, which serves patients referred from across the nation. He is also Founder and Director of The Center for Restorative Medicine, part of the Institute. Its mission is to prevent and reverse the chronic diseases of “ageing” with diet and nutriceutical interventions, using surgical intervention for heart and vascular disease as a last resort.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -The myth of the Mediterranean Diet promoting longevity...11:20

• "Blue Zones" is a term coined by a journalist named Dan Bruckner
• Dr. Gundry has spent most of his life living in a Blue Zone (Loma Linda, CA)
• Doesn't disagree with the premise you should follow the Mediterranean Diet, but there's more to it...
• "The only purpose of food is to get olive oil in your mouth"
• The key to the Mediterranean Diet is not whole grains and beans
• Book: Food & Western Disease by Staffan Lindeberg
• Residents of Acciaroli, Italy do not eat pasta or bread, but love lentil beans
• Millet, sorgum, teft do not have a hull (where most of the defense mechanisms of the plant are located)
• Unprocessed barley: People live a long time in spite of it, not because of it
• Influence of the Greek Orthodox church on the Mediterranean Diet
  • Fasting and abstaining from animal products are observed during Lent

-The missing link in the Mediterranean Diet regarding longevity...20:45

• TMAO, a compound that is deleterious to the surface of blood vessels
  • Cleveland Clinic invented a test to detect TMAO
• Recognized low incidence of coronary artery disease in spite of animal product consumption
• 3,3-Dimethyl-1-butanol
  • Present in most olive oils, balsamic vinegars and red wines
  • A structural analog of choline
• Not all TMAO is created equal
• The ideal Mediterranean Diet (Hint: Olive Garden got it wrong)
  • Rich in polyphenols, olive oil and red wine
  • More fish and eggs than meat
  • Some type of fasting component
• You can mitigate a bad diet with a fast or fasting mimicking diet for 5 consecutive days
  • Done on a quarterly basis
• The Carnivore Diet is a fad, fancy name for the Atkins Diet

-The carbohydrate Okinawans consume that staves off inflammation and high blood sugar...27:40

• ~85% of the traditional Okinawan diet is a blue or purple sweet potato
• 5-6% of the diet white rice (no brown rice)
• Remaining soy-based products and pig fat
• Taro and sweet potatoes are resistance starches
• "The more we eat for our gut microbiome, the more our gut microbiome will take care of us."
• Nigerians carry the highest percentage of APO E-4 gene of any people on earth
  • Their starch is melon
  • Very low rate of Alzheimers

-Dr. Gundry's thoughts on roughage and fiber intake...35:14

• Dr. Denis Burkitt went on a mission to Africa to operate on colon cancer
  • Realized no one had colon cancer
  • Studied their stools
  • Eating huge amount of tubers (yams) and millet
  • Didn't realize there was a difference between soluble and insoluble fiber
  • Advocated for eating whole grains
  • Ended up dying of colon cancer
• Naked Mole Rat
  • Lives in tunnels in sub-saharan Africa
  • Lives 30x longer than other rats
  • Gut microbiome is identical of healthy 105 year old humans
  • Eats tubers, roots and fungi
• Organic pumpkin puree from Amazon

-The myth of the efficacy of animal protein for longevity...42:45

• US Dept of Agriculture sells agricultural products (owns the food pyramid)
• Dr. Gary Fraser's study on animal protein
  • Vegans live the longest
  • The more animal protein consumed, the less the longevity
• You can mitigate meat intake with a vegan fast or fasting mimicking diet for 5 days consecutively
• Methionine/glycine ratio
• People who are primarily carnivorous do not historically have the highest longevity

-The myth of growth hormones...49:20

• Loranz people of Ecuador do not have cancer or diabetes
• When block IGF-1 receptor in mice, live 40% longer
• When give growth hormones, abolishes effect of calorie restriction
• Supplement with quercetin

-The myth of iron intake for longevity...55:05

• Iron is one of the deadliest substances
• Iron is dangerous for mitochondrial function
• Regular blood donors have longer life spans than non-donors
• Endurance training helps reduce iron levels
• Ferritin and GGT are musts for a blood test to track "internal rust"
  • Ferritin is a great marker for inflammation
  • Elevated level indicates potential auto-immune disease

-The myth of metabolic rate...59:50

• Age is akin to rate of energy consumption
• Carnivores run higher temperatures than herbivores; breakdown of protein generates a lot of heat
• Sweet spot between fitness and low metabolism:
  • Hibernating animals can live 2-3x longer than non-hibernating animals due to reduced metabolic rate
  • There are periods we should have less energy expenditure than others
  • We live in constant summer, regardless of where we live in the world

-The myth of saturated fat...1:05:15

• Dr. Ancel Keys published the 7 Countries Study
  • Said saturated fat was related to coronary heart disease
  • He did not say plant fats were bad for you (although it was implied)
  • Retired near Acciorili and ate large amounts of olive oil
  • Did not make the connection between animal fat and animal protein
• The olive oil club Ben is a member of
• 30% of people carry APO E 4 gene
  • Saturated fats in coconut oil, cheese increase LDL's in these people
• Organic fermented pu-erh tea
  • Mucus absorbs lectins; is essential for gut health in older age

-Why milk does not in fact do the body good...

• Most milk in the US is casein a1 milk, from holstein cows
• Cow milk is designed to make baby cows grow quickly (lots of IGF1)
• Humans are designed to grow slowly (low amounts of IGF1)
• Adolescents who grow quickly have higher chance of cancer in 10-20 years
• We're the only animal that drinks another animal's milk
• Ben's kids drink goat and camel milk
• A2Milk.com

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

-Book: The Longevity Paradox: How to Die Young at a Ripe Old Age

-Book: The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in "Healthy" Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain

-Book: The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner

-Book: Food & Western Disease by Staffan Lindeberg

-Fresh taro root from Amazon

-Organic pumpkin puree from Amazon

-My podcast episode on the growing epidemic of loneliness and relationships/longevity.

-Thorne Quercetin phytosome

-Should You Get Growth Hormone Injections (And Will GH or IGF-1 Increase Your Cancer Risk)?

-Why I Eat Tapeworms & Whipworms Every Two Weeks: The Fascinating World Of Helminthic Therapy.

-The olive oil club Ben is a member of

-Organic fermented pu-erh tea

-A2Milk.com

Episode Sponsors: 

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Organifi Gold: A new take on an ancient secret: Pain-soothing herbs, incredible antioxidants, and phytonutrients all in one delicious, soothing “Golden Milk” nighttime tea! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20.

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Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Dr. Gundry or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I receive plenty of questions about peptides and SARMs, including:

-How do peptides work? -What is the safety/side effects of peptides? -What are the best anti-aging peptides? -What are the best fat loss and muscle gain peptides? -What are the best recovery peptides? -What peptides work for cognition and neural enhancement? -How do you properly mix and administer peptides? -Do peptides need to be "cycled"?

My guest on today's show, Jean-François Tremblay, comes highly recommended by former podcast guest and regenerative medicine physician Dr. Matt Cook as one of the world's leading experts on the wonderful world of peptides and SARMs.

Dr. Tremblay studied Exercise Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology. He has been investigating (in theory and in practice) peptides and SARMs since the 1990's and now makes peptides his main research subject. He has developed a wealth of expertise on peptides and SARMs and their practical applications in sports performance, anti-aging and health in general.

During my discussion with Jean-François Tremblay, you'll discover: -The science of peptides and how they work...5:55

• Amino acids linked together
• Growth hormone contains 191 amino acids
• When enough peptides link together, it becomes a protein
• Demistifying some of the myths surrounding peptides:
  • They must be refrigerated at all times (only for certain peptides)
  • Methionine bonds
  • Most peptides are long chain, stable at room temp,
  • More sensitive to light than heat (degradation more likely result of overexposure to light than heat)
  • The "local effect" (BPC 157 and TB 500)

-The pros and cons of various means of injecting peptides...15:15

• Intra-nasal absorption is not 100%; however, what is injected has a better chance of reaching the brain
• Semax:
  • Originally researched in USSR during the Cold War
  • Russians are meticulous in their research; however, lacking in ethics
  • Icarus documentary
  • Researched on humans before other animals; published only after testing on animals

-Peptide safety and side effects of use...21:30

• Worst-case scenario of "overdosing" on peptides is that it simply doesn't work; no notable negative side effects
  • Not the case with nootropics; you're messing with the brain's chemistry
• Bottom line: Don't throw caution to the wind. Be aware of proper dosages and administer correctly to the best of your knowledge

-Legality and sourcing issues with peptides...32:15

• 99% of them come from China (even if the label says "Made in the USA")
• Chinese government dictates who produces what, such as peptides
• Chinese company released a growth hormone which was very effective, then replaced it with another (under the same name) that had negative side effects
• Scandinavian company was dishonest about dosage of melanotan (5 mg when advertised as 10 mg)
• There are only a couple of sources, albeit distributed by many different brands
• The bacteriostatic water included with the peptide should be crystal clear when it's added
• There's a reason for the high cost: equipment, repairs, etc.

-Whether peptides need to be "cycled" in their use...44:00

• Some, yes. It depends on the peptide
• Effect of BPC-157 lasts around 6 hours
• Effect of TB-500 lasts 10-15 days; but it's out of your system in 12 hours

-Recommended anti-aging peptides...49:30

• Epitalon
• The effects are not as immediate as peptides such as BPC-157
• MOTS-c
• Humanan

-The best peptides for fat loss...58:38

• There is no "magic pill"
• Take care of the low hanging fruit: exercise, diet, etc.
• Tesamorelin (Egrifta)
• CJC-1295 (no dac version)

-Recommended peptides for muscle gain...1:02:45

• Nothing for non-competitive use
• Requires strict discipline and patience; marginal results at best

-Jean-François' peptide regimen...1:04:51

• Epitalon
• DSIP (affects the delta phase of sleep only)
• TB-500 (once a month)
• BPC-157 (once every couple of months)
• Thymus (timalin or vilon) twice a year
• Semax very occasionally

-And much more... Resources from this episode: -Dr. Seed's Oral BPC-157 (use code BEN for 15% off ) -My first podcast with Dr. Matt Cook -My second podcast with Dr. Matt Cook -My podcast with Jay Campbell -GlobalDro -CanLab -Icarus documentary Episode Sponsors: -Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.   -JOOVV: After using the Joovv for close to 2 years, it's the only light therapy device I'd ever recommend. Give it a try: you won't be disappointed. Order using my link and receive nice bonus gift with your order!   -Thrive Market: Organic brands you love, for less. Your favorite organic food and products. Fast and free shipping to your doorstep. Receive 25% off your order when you use my link!   -Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order, PLUS free shipping on any order over $99 when you use discount code: BENG. Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Jean or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.